In The Lovely Spaces

Nezuko and Muichiro's Secret Connection"

Nezuko "I still don't understand your post, Nezu. Makomo told me that you and that Muichiro guy weren't friends," Daki said in between bites of her apple while they walked out of the school building. 

Nezuko sighed "I was just being nice. Stop bugging me about him, okay?"

"You're acting so defensive over him. I don't care if you're friends but people are saying things..It's just weird that you never hang out with him in front of other people. What are you guys even doing behind the school at lunch?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nezuko stopped walking and stared at Daki. What were people saying about them?

"There's nothing weird going on, he just doesn't like being in the lunchroom. That's all."

"Right. Well I'm going to Makomo's place so come with me if you want." She shook her head and brushed Nezuko's shoulder as she walked by her. 

Ouch. She looked around to see if anyone had witnessed their conversation, and she was met with the eyes of a few confused students who quickly looked away. How embarrassing. She decided to make herself look busy so she leaned against the front wall of the school and pulled out her phone to text Muichiro. 

"Are you ready to go?" Muichiro suddenly stood in front of her , and it was obvious that she was trying to hide a smile. 

Nezuko jumped a little as she looked up from her phone. She hoped he hadn't heard the conversation.

"You scared me! Yeah, it's not too far so we should get there pretty fast," She smiled then slipped her phone into her back pocket.

More groups of people were still pouring out of the school.  She began walking while Muichiro followed close behind her.

"You know you can walk next to me, right?" Nezuko giggled a little. 

Muichiro hesitated but he sped up his pace a little so they were next to each other now.

"Sorry. I didn't want anyone at school to know that we're going to the smoothie place together," He glanced behind them at their school. It was farther away now.

"I don't wanna ruin your uh, popularity."  Nezuko shook her head.

"I told you, we're friends. I don't care about what people think about us. Stop worrying about it." She nudged Muichiro's side a little which made him smile.

Her own smile faltered for a second when she remembered her previous conversation with Daki. 

"If you say so." Muichiro stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked away at the different stores and food places that they passed.

"I haven't had smoothies in forever so I'm sort of excited." 

"Some kids at lunch said that it's really good so I guess we'll see," While he looked away, Nezuko took this opportunity to look at Muichiro.

He was really cute if she was being completely honest. She liked how perfect his face looked, and how his bangs slightly covered his eyes. His lips...she wanted to kiss them. Wait, what?

"Is there something on my face?" Nezuko blinked a few times before realizing that Muichiro had stopped walking and she was staring at him.

She looked down to the ground.

"Uh, no sorry. I just zoned out. What were you saying?" She laughed awkwardly.

She could tell Muichiro didn't believe that she zoned out from the way she was looking at him. 

"I didn't say anything." She started walking again.

"Is that the place right there?" He pointed towards a small smoothie place on the corner of the street then looked back towards Nezuko for confirmation.

Nezuko nodded and they crossed the street together.  

Once they were seated with their smoothies, they pulled out their backpacks to work on the project.

"Hey, what flavor did you get?" Nezuko took a sip of her own smoothie. 

"Oh, uh I think it was mixed berry or something like that." He glanced up from his notes and slid his cup towards Nezuko .

"You can try some if you want, I don't mind."  Nezuko stared at the cup then back at him.

"You mean you want me to drink after you?" She stared at the straw. 

"I guess so, yeah. I'm not sick or anything. You don't have to though." He reached into his bag for a different pencil.

Nezuko felt her cheeks get hot but she ended up taking a small sip of the smoothie.

"Oh! It's good, I need to get this next time we come here."  Muichiro looked up at her with a small smile.

"Next time?" 

"I just thought we could come here again...to work on the project"

"Oh right." His smile faded a little and he went back to writing in silence. 

Maybe he shouln't have said that? Did Muichiro like spending time with her as much as he did? Even outside of the project? 

She began writing down notes as well but she could only think about Muichiro. She knew she liked other boys for a while now, well she liked everyone, but she just didn't think she would ever like Muichiro like that. She sighed softly. It was obvious now.

It explained why she  spent a whole class period thinking about him and why she was so defensive when it came to him. Why she was so scared to drink out of the same straw as him. She liked Muichiro.