SOCIALLY AWKWARD

04. Pact with the Devil

Grass blades tickled Ameri's thighs and Kenma's ankles as they sat in the schoolyard under a secluded tree, its large branches shading them from the sun.

With two Bentos sitting between them, one filled with savory foods, the other sweets, their chopsticks clipped as they ate, one of them chatting while the other listened.

"Did you like the apple pie?" Ameri asked as she grabbed a piece and showed it to Kenma.

He studied it before he replied that he hadn't tried it yet, and Ameri was quick to bring it to his mouth. Ignoring the rush of heat blazing across his neck, Kenma reluctantly took the piece between his teeth and munched on it.

"So?"

Kenma nodded. "It's nice."

Ameri smiled broadly as if the compliment was all to herself, though she had admitted that the foods were all made by her grandmother, and Kenma was relieved that she had been delighted to the point where she hadn't caught his blush. But then again, he'd come to notice that she was not that observant.

When their containers were empty and put aside, they relaxed and rejoiced in the gentle weather. Ameri leaned back to lie on the lawn and clasped her hands on her stomach while Kenma remained slanted against the trunk.

Chancing a glance her way, Kenma saw that her eyes were closed, a faint smile pulling at her lips while she basked in unusual quiet. It was a rare and charming sight, and he thought that it wasn't so bad that she had dragged him away from his friends to eat together here.

If this change were to become a pattern as well, he wouldn't mind it.

He was directly reminded of Yamamoto's childish pout, however, and made a mental note to make it up to him later. His friends seemed to show concern about their diminishing time with him; it had already shrunk substantially after Ameri's introduction, and if lunch breaks were to be cut off as well after they had lost the rides back home to her a couple of weeks ago, only their practices would be left.

Ameri started humming a tune known to her alone, and her buzzing soon took an audible shape. She had mentioned that she liked singing, but this was the first time she would do it in front of Kenma.

"You know, when I was younger I was obsessed with idols and wanted to become one."

"Why haven't you?"

Ameri propped herself on her elbows to look up at him. "My grandma was against it."

Kenma didn't bother answering as he knew she would elaborate on her own anyway.

"I was very upset back then, but with all the stories I hear about that industry now, I'm happy she made that choice for me."

Kenma laughed softly.

"What's funny?"

"It's just that you're very confident."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ameri straightened up, a brow arching in offense.

"There's no guarantee that you would've made it."

"I had the potential and the determination, okay?" she spat defensively. "I would have made it."

"Sure."

"What is it? You don't think I have what it takes for it? Is my voice not good enough? Am I not pretty and attractive enough?"

"No, you are," Kenma whispered as he looked down.

Ameri was too overtaken by the violent fluttering in her stomach to reply right away and had to momentarily turn her head to hide her flushed cheeks.

When Kenma lifted his eyes to her again, however, she coughed her excitement away and smugly said, "You should consider yourself lucky, then. We wouldn't be here had I become famous."

"And speaking of pretty," she added after a short pause, reaching to touch the end of one of his blonde strands, "why do you keep your hair long?"

Kenma shrugged.

"Doesn't it bother you when it gets in front of your eyes?" Ameri said as she slid a finger under his bang and tucked it behind his ear, whose tip promptly turned red at her touch.

Kenma chose not to dwell on the meaning behind her gesture; because though his body always betrayed him and reacted otherwise, his brain remained in check. He was sharp enough to realize that she no longer—and perhaps never had—sought his company to catch his teammate's interest, but that did not necessarily imply that she was after his own either. Her motions held no hidden motives and were simply the product of her spontaneity and liveliness.

Shaking his head, he didn't meet her gaze when he replied, "That's the point. It's just easier this way."

"Oh," breathed Ameri as she let her hand fall on her lap, for the first time perceiving vulnerability in his voice and thoughtlessness in her actions.

"You know, I never really asked if this was okay."

Kenma gave her a confused look.

"I mean, all of this," she vaguely waved her hands around, "eating and walking home and spending time together. I have to admit that I wasn't intending for any of this to happen. I never thought I'd enjoy your company this much. But I do, a lot. And you never said anything, so I just assumed you did as well."

"It's okay."

"You enjoy it too?"

Kenma nodded.

"Really?"

"Mhm."

"You sure?"

He nodded again.

"There's no going back, okay?" Ameri insisted. "If you don't tell me off now, you'll be stuck with me forever."

"That's too big of a commitment."

"Yes!" Ameri replied, sitting on her knees as she drew closer to him. "Which is why you should think twice before you answer."

The anticipation and enthusiasm that had left her features returned and lightened her face with a broad smile. And though evading people's gazes had become second nature to him, at that moment, Kenma found it impossible not to lose himself in her shining eyes.

"Your eyes become so bright when you're excited," Kenma remarked, the abruptness of his words almost giving them both a heart attack.

This line alone held so many implications and insinuations about his feelings and thoughts that Ameri couldn't help the gasp that escaped her nor the fervent blush that swept over her cheeks.

And in that avalanche of emotions that washed over her, "he is going to be the end of me," was the one that prevailed the most, and she fell back on the grass and rolled around to conceal her burning face from him, in her rapture, forgetting that he had left her question unanswered.

Had she asked again, however, Kenma would've said that he wouldn't mind being stuck with her forever.