OBLINE, SAIKI KUSUO.

✶. cute little spirit doggie.

✶ . . . MEGUMI, DO YOU WANT TO watch Cyborg Cider—"

"No."

"Come on. Just one episode."

"No."

You pouted. "What kind of kid doesn't like Cyborg Cider Man #2?"

Megumi pointedly turned his 3DS away from you. "Just watch it yourself."

"But it's no fun watching by yourself! Plus I won't have an excuse if anyone catches me," you muttered.

You had agreed yet again to watch Megumi while Toji ran a few errands. Even if you and Megumi's dad weren't exactly friends, you at least had mutual respect for each other. Any temporary understanding you'd had with Megumi, however, had evaporated like smoke. He still treated you like you were the five-year-old instead of the other way around.

You poked the kid's cheek. "Please, watch an episode with me? Please? Please?"

Megumi shoved your finger away. "Fine. I'll watch with you. But only if you answer a question."

"Ask away, Megumi-chan!"

Megumi scowled. "Do you have a crush on Saiki-san?"

"... Ask me something else."

"No. I want to know. Do you have a crush on him?"

You reached for the TV remote and flicked it on. "What do you know about crushes?"

"Tsumiki told me about them. She says when you have a crush, you always smile when they're around and you can never stop talking about them." Megumi didn't back down when you glared at him. "When I told her about you and Saiki-san, she said you definitely had a crush."

"First of all, don't talk about me behind my back. Second of all, go get me a pillow; my back hurts."

"You do like him!" Megumi said decisively. "You're embarrassed!"

"Why are you so mean to me?" you groaned. "If you didn't want to watch Cyborg Cider Man #2, you could have just said so!"

"I did, though."

You stared moodily at the TV. Megumi clambered off of the couch and stood in front of you.

"I think you should tell him."

"I think you should leave me alone."

Megumi tilted his head. "Are you scared? I thought you weren't scared of anything."

"I'm not scared. I just don't want to tell him."

"Why not?"

"I just don't want to."

"Tsumiki says when you tell your crush you like them, you can start dating. Don't you want Saiki-san to be your boyfriend?"

"Megumi, you're killing me." You flopped down onto the ground.

"Why can't you tell him?" Megumi looked genuinely concerned. Despite yourself, you smiled.

"Because things aren't that simple. I'm scared that if I tell Saiki I like him, he'll get mad at me and we won't be friends anymore."

Megumi frowned. "You think Saiki-san doesn't like you?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm scared."

Megumi nodded at that. He sat down criss-cross beside you, and for a while, you watched Cyborg Cider Man #2 in silence.

"Do you think Dad will let me have a dog?"

"You want a dog?"

"Yeah." Megumi spread his arms. "A really big one."