Are you the one that loves me? (Yōu x MC)

Chapter 27

Tsuki Watanabe raced through the halls, searching for her cousin. She found her in the classroom still eating with Chika.

"Yōu!" she breathed, "I need to talk to you."

Her cousin looked at her quizzically, "Okay?" she said as she stood up. She glanced at Chika who gave her an approving nod.

They stepped outside of the classroom and into the girl's bathroom. "What's up?" Yōu asked.

"I overheard Riko and Sumio talking just now."

"And...?"

"And they're going somewhere after school together." Tsuki expected a devastating look on her cousin's face. Instead, she got the opposite response.

"Good for them! This is what I wanted in the first place." she smiled, a smile that Tsuki knew Yōu forced herself to put on.

"You don't have to pretend around me. Stop acting like I don't know!"

"You don't understand Tsuki," this time her smile was softer. A more genuine smile. "This is really what I want to happen." she said before heading back to the classroom, leaving her cousin in shock.

Deep down, Tsuki knew this wasn't how Yōu wanted it to be.

The end of the school day came and soon students poured out of the building. With it being spring time, many outside club activities were in full swing.

Sumio and Riko walked past many of the sports fields on their way out.

"Sumio!" Shintaro waved him over. "It's been a while huh?"

"Well considering you ditched school to go hit in the batting cages, we haven't been able to talk much." Sumio sighed.

"I mean, how else am I going to be in shape for this season?" He flexed his arm.

"Imagine failing your classes and not being able to play?"

"We'll worry about that later, but first... you've got a new chick? I thought you were going for Yōu?" Shintaro whispered out of ear shot of Riko.

"Well, I got rejected. That's all."

"No way!"

"Yes way."

"That sucks, but now you're going after one of her best friends?" Shintaro shook his head in disapproval. "I thought you were a better man than that."

"Shut up! I'm not going after her! I just want to hang out after school!"

Shintaro clicked his tongue, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What did Tsuki think? You know that you and Yōu are her OTP."

"This isn't an anime, there's no such thing as a one true pair."

"I was rooting for you guys too..." he said sadly.

"You're all acting like I wasn't rooting for myself either." Sumio sweat dropped.

"Fine, I'll root for you here too."

"Like I said, I'm not-"

"Good luck!" His best friend grinned as he ran back to practice.

"Idiot..." he muttered as he turned back to Riko, "Sorry about that!"

"I-it's fine!" She said nervously. She couldn't hear any of it, her mind was all over the place.

She had never thought that Sumio would ever say yes, in fact, she didn't even know why she asked. Yet, it just seemed right in the moment.

"Well, shall we go then?" He smiled, making her legs go weak.

"S-sure!"

"Since you asked me, why don't you show me all the places you like to go?"

"Are you sure?" She asked worriedly, "some of them aren't interesting at all."

"That doesn't matter, as long as you enjoy them, I know I will." He grinned, causing her face to burn.

"O-okay."

As the duo journeyed to Riko's favorite places in Seishin, Sumio felt himself relax. He hadn't felt this good in a few days.

They went to the batting cages where Riko showed surprising skill in baseball. Whereas Sumio- not so much.

They stopped by the arcade where Riko showcased her skill in fighting games, while Sumio pressed the same button over and over.

"This is honestly not what I'd expect from you Riko." He said as they walked out of the arcade, "I thought you were a quiet girl that just studied and played piano all day."

"W-well... I do those things sometimes, but I do enjoy these things as well." She admitted. "Is that bad?"

"Are you kidding? Why would any of this be bad? It makes me happy seeing you happy."

She blushed, "Well, we have one more place to go."

"Cool."

The burgundy-haired girl led him over to the beach, where she revealed a special place.

On top of a large sand dune was a bench. She motioned for him to sit down.

"We're just in time." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"In time for what?"

Just then, the setting sun seemed to disappear from the surface of the Earth, yet light continued to hit the land.

"Woah." Was all Sumio could let out.

"This is twilight. When it is neither day or night." She smiled. "This is my favorite spot in all of Uchiura."

She took a deep breath as she was going to confess. She was ready.

"Sumio, I-" she stopped herself. This wasn't the right time. She wanted no doubt in his answer.

There was someone else on his mind currently, and she knew who it was.

So she was going to do all it took, to make sure she would win in the end.

And just as the sun set, the moon began to rise. Thus starting a new chapter in each other's lives.

With only a few months before graduation, the clock began to tick down.

Hi... um I'm home? I guess...

Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter! Um, I have nothing else to say so I'm gonna go find something to eat... peace!

Be safe! Mask up! Don't be stupid!

-Kazuya