Ryota Echizen

Just Call Me Ryota

Ryota's POV

After leaving the tennis courts, we then made our way to the train station. Looking down at our hands clasped together, I couldn't help but blush a bit. 'Only Onii-chan holds my hand like this...' . Smiling happily, I look at Yunoto. 'It's kind of nice'.

We walked in comfortable silence until Yunoto finally broke it. "So...I was wondering...."

Glancing over at him, I noticed that he was blushing. Squeezing his hand gently, I gave him a supportive smile. "You can ask me anything."

Shocked, he smiled a bit and seemed to relax more. "Well, I was just wondering if you would...well...consider yourself my friend..."

I didn't respond right away and simply stared at him, watching as he looked at me wtih hesitation. By now we had stopped walking and were staring at each other.

"E-Echizen? Did I-" I cut him off by hugging him tightly, burrying my face against the side of his neck.

Smiling against his neck, I laughed a bit. "Of course we're friends!" Pulling back to look at him, I smiled brightly. "I gave you my number, we talk all day, and you always make sure to walk me back to the train station at the end of the day. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say we're friends~" Understanding why he would question this, I give him a caring look. "I even consider you my best friend."

Yunoto's POV

Hearing him call me his best friend, warmth crept up my neck slowly. Not even caring that I was blushing, I give him a big smile and hug him. "Thank you, Echizen....you have no idea how much that means to me..."

Feeling tears starting to pool in my eyes, I shut them tight and willed them to go away. After so many days of not talking another person at school, to have someone to be called my friend, this meant more to me than all the money in the world.

We stayed like this for a couple of more minutes, simply hugging each other, until a group of girls from another school walked past us. "Aww~ They're so cute~!" They squealed, reminding us that we were still in public.

Pulling away from him, I sent him an awkward smile with which he replied back with one of his own. Starting to walk to the train station again, I felt him tug on my hand. Glancing down, I saw him blushing while looking ahead with our hands intertwined.

"....." Blushing, I looked ahead myself, but every now and then I found myself glancing over at him. Smiling to myself, I began to realize something. 'Is this what....love feels like?' Shocked, I glanced over at him once more. '....Yeah...This is definatly love....and I don't think I mind one bit...'

Finding ourselves at the station, I looked over at him to see him smiling at me softly. Blushing, I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

He simply shook his head and made his way to the platform. "Nothing~" Giggling, he turned around and smiled at me. "I'll see you later~"

Grinning, I raised my hand. "See ya, Echizen."

Smiling, he shook his head. "Just call me Ryota!"

It took a while for me to understand what he just said until I finally smiled. "As long as you call me Akashi!"

Waving bye to each other as the train left, I turned and started to make my way back home.

'Love, huh?' Smiling happily, I shook my head. 'I could definatly get used to this.'