Trouble with love

Part 17 Beach day Part 1

It was the following day, and Nishikata was sitting at his desk at home, writing something on paper, as he thought about the previous night. "I can't believe I fell asleep, I almost didn't get home in time." He sighed and lied down on his bed. "I didn't even have the chance to tell her how I felt ... though, that's probably a good thing. I have no idea what I was thinking before."

He sighed and continued writing. "Takagi, I'm sorry ... I shouldn't have snapped that day, and ... GAH!" He crumpled up the paper and threw it onto the pile of discarded paper that was once the trash can. "Why is this so hard?" He stared at his phone for a moment before placing it back down. "I need to think of something to say before this week is up, otherwise I'll lose her ... maybe forever."

He shook the thought from his head and continued trying to write. "I'll find the perfect apology and confession, even if it kills me!"

It was at that moment, his phone rang, causing him to slip and almost fall off his chair, before scrambling to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hey Nishikata, you sound eager for some reason."

Nishikata blushed. "Wha- NO! I mean ... I just ... I'm not over eager to talk to you."

"You realize I didn't say why you sounded like you were over eager, right?"

Nishikata's blush intensified before Takagi-san burst into laughter. "I can just imagine your face right now, I bet you're blushing up a storm."

"I am not!"

"If you say so. Anyway, my parents apparently planned for us to visit my grandparents today, so we can't go on a date."

'Why does it always make me blush when she says that word?' "I ... well ... if you're busy, then there's not much that can be done. But we were together for the last four days and couples don't spend every waking moment together."

"True, but this is a result of a contest which was supposed to result in you spending all week with me." She paused for a moment. "But I guess you get a day off."

"Do you ..." He took a deep breath and braced himself. "Do you want to extend it by a day? I mean ... just so that we can keep the full amount of time that you had planned?"

"Hm, no, I said that we'd be together for a week, not that we'll go on seven dates. I'll just have to get the most out of it tomorrow."

"Okay ... if you say so."

"Yeah, anyway, I'll see you."

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow." He hung up the phone, and stared at it for a moment. "So ... that's one less day I get to spend as her boyfriend ..." He stared at it for a few more moments, before shoving all of his papers off his desk in frustration. "DAMN IT! Why can't I just confess to her already?"

He shoved his phone into his pocket, before getting up to collect the fallen papers. "At least I'll have a day to think over what to say ... not that I'll be able to think of something." He continued for a while, before hearing his phone ring once again. "Huh?" He looked at his phone and read the caller ID, showing that the call was coming from Takao. "I wonder what he wants." He answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Nishikata!" Takao exclaimed. "Are you busy today?"

"No, I don't have anything planned for today."

"Great, the other guys, and I were planning on hitting up the beach today, you in?"

He thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "Sure, what time?"

"We were headed out in about an hour, we'll see you there." He hung up, leaving Nishikata to ponder this fortuitous situation.