He Was a Friend

/31/ He's all in. /

Eric looked around the area after getting off at Akihabara station. He went back at the hotel after the afternoon session of his convention finished, but he remembered that his room keys are with Louise, so he called her and she told him to meet up just outside of the Gundam Cafe near Akihabara station by 7PM.

He looked at his watch, and saw the time then, which was 7:05PM. He took the train because he wasn't sure of the parking around that area, and it's just two stops away from Tokyo Station anyway, which was in front of their hotel.

Scanning the vicinity, his eyes caught a glimpse of a woman wearing pink fleece winter jacket with rabbit ears, just in front of the Gundam Cafe. She had her hands in her pockets, wearing small black sling bag, black tights, and mustard boots.

So she ended up buying that jacket after all, he chuckled, as he walked towards her.

He was around five meters away when she saw him, but she looked away immediately, pouting.

His forehead knotted on her action.

Why is she pouting?

Trying to catch her attention, he tried waving at her, but it didn't work.

What? What did I do? Why's she like that?

He continued walking until they are just one meter away from each other, then waved his hand in front of her face.

"Hey."

"Yo. So there. Your Gundam Cafe. You said you wanted that special edition mug right?" she asked, while not looking at him.

"What's this?"

"What's what?" she replied, still not looking.

Stepping into her line of sight, he tried getting her to look at him, but she whirled her body the other way and looked away, frowning.

He laughed.

"What's with your mood? Isn't it me who's supposed to be upset by now? Do you want me to start telling you how you acted last night?"

Louise opened her phone and looked at it.

"Sorrrrrryyy," she mumbled, sulking. He felt impatient and softly grabbed her in the arms as she tried to whirl away from him again.

"Seriously, what's this, Lou? Is this about how I kissed you?"

Her jaws dropped and she finally looked at him.

"So you did kiss me? I thought I was remembering it wrong somehow," she asked, flabbergasted.

He let go of her arm and placed his hands in his pants' pockets.

"You don't remember?" he asked in disbelief. She then shook her head while blushing a bit, and explained, "I remembered I asked you something, and you kissed me as a response. But that's all. I don't remember what I asked you for you to do that."

"So. Should I do it all over again, then?" he asked, in an as a matter-of-fact tone.

Her jaws dropped again, and she backed a step away from him instinctively.

"Woah there, Eric. Calm down," she said, eyes bulging in shock.

Laughing again, he looked around them, and noticed that there are a lot of people that time, even if it's a weekday. In that area, it is normal to see people wearing costumes, and even the one Louise was wearing is considered too simple.

His focus went back to Louise when he noticed her "alert" mode. He really love teasing her so much, and he always did as he liked anyway, for as long as he can remember. He chuckled when her already puzzled face became even more puzzled trying to read what he will do next.

She's so cute.

"Try to remember what I said in 10 seconds, and if you don't, I'll make you remember forcefully, right here, right now," he smirked, as he slowly stepped towards her.

She had her hands held up in front of her now, seemingly, to calm him down.

"Come on, Eric. Let's not do this—"

"10."

She stepped back, panicked.

She knows him enough to realize he wasn't kidding.