Root Beer Float (Kaito x Meiko)

Twelve

"You're so pretty, Mei-chan."

"Ha! As if! I'm wearing a t-shirt and shorts and I haven't done anything with my hair."

"Your outfit doesn't determine how pretty you are. I think you look nice no matter what you wear."

Was that true? Did he really think like that? Kaito really thought I was pretty? Not that I looked pretty, but that I was pretty. And was I, actually? I had certainly never thought so. Especially compared to Luka. She had large blue eyes and long, flowing pink hair while I had small eyes and short hair, both brown. I was so... plain.

My thoughts went on like this as our conversation from earlier this evening replayed in my head over and over again. It was a weeknight, only a few days after our first date, and Kaito had decided to pick me up after dinner and take me to the ice cream shop, where he and Gakupo had set up a fancy little table just for us. There was a tablecloth and a candle that they found in the back of a shop, and they were a funny contrast to my paper bowl of ice cream and plastic spoon.

I turned back to the conversation when I heard my name. "...So, Meiko, are you good in bed? Not that it's any of my own interest, but I gotta make sure my boy Kaito is getting the very best."

Oh, great. We hadn't talked about this yet. I decided that I probably should bring it up to him before I got into a potentially uncomfortable situation.

I swallowed the ice cream in my mouth. "We aren't at that point in the relationship yet."

"Yeah, Gakupo," Kaito grinned and slung his arm over my shoulder. "That's for her to know and for me to find out!"

"Hopefully soon," Gakupo smirked.

I shrugged Kaito's arm off of me. I had to talk to him before the end of the night, because there was a lot he needed to know.

Coincidentally, as we left the shop, Haku was walking right by. "Heyy, Meiko! Oh my gosh, you didn't tell me that you had a boyfriend!"

Kaito grinned and held out his hand to shake, clearly he was happy about being noticed. "The name's Kaito."

"This is my friend Haku from work," I told him before turning to her. "So what are you up to?"

"Just chilling. My best friend from high school, Neru, came to visit, so we were hanging out," she said.

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Kaito responded. "I would offer you some ice cream, but we're closed now. Mei-chan was our last customer."

Haku smiled, looking between the two of us. "Ohh, you work here! How cute!"

"Yes, I do know that I am cute, and I thank you for the compliment, but we are seeing each other exclusively, me and her, so sorry." Kaito beamed. He really did love all the attention.

Haku laughed. "What a shame. He's a keeper, 'Mei-chan.'"

I said nothing. That nickname wasn't nearly as endearing coming from her mouth.

"Definitely," Kaito said, throwing his arm around me again. "Well, I guess we better be off, it's starting to get dark."

Haku pressed on. "Oh yeah, you know what happens in the dark. Things get hot and heavy."

"Well, only if I'm lucky!" Kaito turned his face to grin at me.

That was enough to send me over the edge. I couldn't stand this any longer. "Goodbye, Haku," I said before I grabbed Kaito's arm and started to drag him down the street.