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Chapter 11

I had mentioned to Akio that I should probably get a haircut, because my hair was so ridiculously long, and he helped me schedule an appointment. I cut my hair so it just reached to my waist and got my bangs trimmed. The salon wasn't that far from Akio's house, so I just walked back. I skipped back towards the front door of the house, unlocked it, and walked in. I stopped dead in my tracks. Akio was standing there, only a few feet away from me with his hands behind his back, carrying what looked like a sign, and his face was a bright red. "Um. . . Akio? What're you-" He pulled the sign out from behind his back and held it up, looking away and refusing to make eye contact with me. It took me at least a few seconds to process what was happening. On the sign, in big black letters written in marker, and a bright red heart at the end, it said; I love you. My heart sped up and I felt blood rush to my cheeks and I started to blush, myself. Suddenly, he bent down. My upper arms were pinned to my side and my thin forearms were freely in the air as his soft lips touched mine for a brief second before he pulled away and stood up again. My face felt as if it were on fire. I stood there for a few seconds, shocked. In the momentary silence, all I could hear was the intense, fast beating of my heart. I reached out and wrapped my arms around his torso. "I love you too." I said simply, burying my face into his hoodie. "Don't ever leave me. I love you too much." Akio said, talking for the first time since I'd got home. "Never." I replied. I was happy, but then a bit annoyed as I looked up at Akio. I guess it must've shown on my face. "What's that look?" Akio asked. "I can't reach your face." I muttered. Akio smiled and laughed. "Like I said, short." He continued to laugh, using my head as an armrest. "I can't reach your face, but I can take out your kneecaps, so you better watch it." I said, stepping on his foot. "Hey how'd you go from "I love you too" to satan in half a second?" He complained. "You called me short, that's how."

"Okay, sorry, I take it back." He said. "Good." I replied. "Not." I heard him mutter under his breath. "Now you owe me dinner, or I'll take out your right kneeca-" Before I could say anything else he bent down and kissed me again. "You are short, but it's cute, actually." He said. My cheeks flushed bright red again. "Damn you. . ." I muttered under my breath. "Why do you have to be so loveable?" I asked, glaring at him as he smiled.