Cardboard box

Hiko gave Kuze a thumbs up trying to convey that Kuze had to do the rest himself. As he went out of the rooftop, an awkward silence grew between them. Kuze was curious about what Hiko had told her. Miko slowly approached Kuze and sat beside him, staying silent for a while.

"Umm... what did Hiko tell you? I am afraid it's something not good..." He was anxious.

"Hm?" Miko looked at him, but for some reason, eye contact was now harder for her to maintain. "Its about the fact that you wanted to be educated about how to pick up good books randomly in a bookstore."

"What?" Kuze couldn't catch up with with the half-true story that Hiko made for him.

"What? He said you were embarrassed to say it to me because it sounded like a date." Miko giggled, looking at the face of Kuze. "What happened? You look like a tomato."

"You should go look at a mirror yourself. You look exactly the same." Miko didn't realize for a bit, but she became red too. No wonder why her face felt hot.

They both couldn't develop any conversation after that. Miko opened her book and tried to read, but her thoughts were clouded. She couldn't concentrate on the texts and stole glances at Kuze, trying to read his thoughts.

"On that matter, Kuze-kun. I think you have a lot of books now, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Where do you keep it?"

"In a cardboard box. Why though?"

"It's not necessary, but I think you should get a bookshelf. I don't know if you felt this way but, having a bookshelf and stacking the books you have read gives you a sense of accomplishment, doesn't it?"

"Ohhh-" Kuze crossed his arms. "Now I get it! I usually have a desire of filling up that cardboard box. I think what you said and this are the same."

The class bell rang in the midst of their conversation, and they both have to leave the rooftop and go to the classrooms. It was awkward to strike up another conversation about that 'date' but it is problematic not to discuss about it.

"Umm... Miko-san." Kuze stood at the staircase, where no students were there, they were all busy going to their classrooms. "T-this weekend."

Miko's face blushed as she heard. "O-okay." She kind of ran away after hearing it and went to her classroom.

Kuze looked distracted as he walked through the hallway with his hands on his pockets. He looked at the open sky outside the windows. He really did it, and now his heart felt like it is going to burst open.

"Dammit, you Hiko... you made me do this..." Kuze's face was becoming more flushed as he spoke to himself. "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have to do it."

He slapped himself twice before he entered his classroom.