If only he didn't.

CHAPTER 13, BUT SHE LOOKED INTO MY EYES (HERO POV)

"Y-you know, I'm actually pretty nervous about tomorrow. It's the recital. SUNNY hasn't been the best recently, is it something I've done, maybe?" She leaned onto me as we sat on the grass, in front of BASIL's home. 

"I'm sure he's fine, MARMALADE. Don't worry about it, I'll be there and I'll save you no matter what!" I put my arm around her and looked at the sky.

"I trust you. It makes me comfortable when you're around, HERO, it makes all my stress just disappear. I'm hoping for the best tomorrow." She kissed my cheek, her lip-gloss slightly rubbing on me. 

"I'm glad you enjoy my company. Speaking of company, how was the meeting?" I blushed, but continued talking.

"What meeting? Oh! That one? Yeah, it's fine, I guess. お母さん just bragged about me to her co-workers. I always thought she worked somewhere else, she's a business lady, but mostly at-home mother." 

"I imagine it was boring?" 

"Imagine? Of course it was boring! I mostly heard: なぜ、私には彼女のような娘がいないのだろう？andうらやましい限りです."

"Wow! Your mother has Japanese co-workers? Also, sorry, I couldn't understand a thing." I scratched the back of my head and asked her for the translations, ashamed. 

"Oh don't worry! Sorry for speaking Japanese. Her co-workers usually say things like Why don't I have a daughter like that? and I'm envious." She mimicked her mother's co-workers' voices, sounding like a middle-aged woman...Wait, did I just insult her mother?

"Hah! You're good at impressions, MARI. I'm sorry you had to have such boring things to do." 

"But what did YOU do?" She raised one of her eyebrows and asked me in a skeptical voice. 

"D-Don't look at me like that! Don't worry, I wasn't doing anything suspicious. I just ran some errands for my mother and father, that's all. I also helped BASIL's grandmother remember her name." 

"Oh...Errands? Boring! We're both boring, we're meant for each other."

"Exactly! We're meant for each other. Now that we agree on something, you should agree that there's nothing to worry about the recital tomorrow!" I smiled and patted her back. 

"Ahh! I JUST forgot it! HENRYY! You remembered the thing I wanted to forget!" She sighed and groaned in anxiety for tomorrow. 

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" My smile disappeared and turned into a nervous-apologetic expression.

-

"MARI! HERO! My mother's calling! Come inside! You might hear her!" BASIL jumped and glee and hurried us to come inside, so we did. I held her hand, she held mine.

"HERO, just know I love you." She looked into my eyes. 

.

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AUBREY, SUNNY, KEL, MARI, BASIL, BASIL'S GRANDMOTHER and I silently waited as BASIL gleefully waited for his mother's voice. 

"Mum? Can you hear me?" He held the phone gently, trying not to scream. 

"BASIL?...Is that you? Oh! How I haven't talked to you in so long!" All of us moved to the phone, trying to hear at least a glimpse. 

"Mum! Hi! Would you like to hear my friends? They're here right now! Every one of them! The ones NANA told you about!" 

"Oh that's lovely! OLIVER, BASIL and his friends are on the phone! Your mother is nearby too!" His mother was filled with joy, talking enthusiastically. The phone was passed on, everyone having mini conversations.