I… I didn’t, but that’s beside the point!

Takemura Eiji let out a huge sigh at Ishida Masato’s proposal.

– Don’t mind him, just go on. – he said as he started walking away in front. – We’ll just hurry up so we don’t disturb you.

But before he could get away, Masato grabbed his shoulder.

– Come on, Eiji, you’re no fun! Let the girls answer at least! – he said as he pulled him back.

Eiji shook his head as another sigh left his nose.

– Whatever…

Masato then turned back to the girls.

– So, what do you think?

Araki Yuuka’s clothes rustled as she slowly fidgeted with her sleeves.

– I… I think we could walk together.

– Yeah, I agree. Just don’t try anything funny, okay? – Satou Shiori looked at Masato with squinted eyes.

– Who, me? – Masato said in a dramatic voice. – I would never!

– Let’s just go already… – Eiji sighed as he started walking again.

– Just wait up a bit, okay? At least for Araki-san if not me. – Masato said as he winked at Yuuka. – That’s your cue, Araki-san. – he whispered to her.

Yuuka nodded while blushing slightly as her walk sped up and she caught up to Eiji. Eiji glanced sideways but didn’t say anything.

When she caught up to him, Shiori elbowed Masato in the ribs.

– Ouch!

– What are you trying to do? – she said with narrowed eyes.

– Make some time for just the two of us! – he said while rubbing his ribs.

Shiori was taken aback slightly as a blush started appearing on her face.

– W-What are you talking about?! Just stop always meddling between them!

– As long as I get to be with you, I’ll stop. – Masato responded with a wink.

Shiori looked away as her blush intensified.

– You’re impossible…

– But also irresistible, right? – Masato smiled.

– I’ll… see about that… – she said softly.

Meanwhile, Eiji and Yuuka were walking in silence, their breaths visible in the cold air.

Eiji took large strides, walking slightly ahead of Yuuka who took quicker, shorter steps.

His head was bopping up and down slightly, while he was slowly humming a song.

She was looking at him with a curious gaze, trying to keep up with him.

– What are you humming, Takemura-kun?

Eiji stopped his humming and glanced at Yuuka.

– Humming? – he sighed. – I guess I was… sorry.

He continued walking while facing forward, now in silence. He had his hands in by his side and his back straight as a spear.

Yuuka continued to look at him, walking there in his shirt, seemingly unbothered by the cold, some would shiver just looking at him dressed like that.

She looked at his hands, noticing how they weren’t red from the cold in the slightest.

– Aren’t you cold, Takemura-kun? – she asked shyly while fidgeting with the sleeve of her shirt.

He looked at himself, then looked at Yuuka, seeing how she was in her winter uniform, with a black blazer over her long-sleeved shirt.

– There’s just a single layer difference, right? I’m also wearing a long-sleeved shirt so I don’t get the problem… - he thought to himself.

He took one last look at his breath that was visible in the cold air outside.

– Cold? I’m wondering how you aren’t hot dressed like that… – he said.

Yuuka blushed slightly, clutching her sleeves a bit.

– But I guess I’m the one that’s not normal here, so everyone else is wondering how I’m not cold… – Eiji sighed.

– It’s not that, I just didn’t want you to accidentally catch a cold, Takemura-kun!. – she blurted out, then quickly turned red, realizing what she just said.

Eiji blinked once, but didn’t slow down.

– Yeah, that would be bad I guess… But sadly, I can’t get sick no matter what I do. – he said as he looked at her with a slight smile tugging at his lips.

She blushed even harder but she still kept on asking.

– Sadly? Why do you say that?

– Because I can’t ever miss school, that’s why… – Eiji sighed.

Yuuka suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Eiji stopped his steps for a second in confusion.

– Did I say something weird? – he thought while looking at Yuuka’s soft smile.

When she was right by him, she also stopped.

– What’s wrong, Takemura-kun?

– Nothing, I just… Whatever – he sighed as he continued walking.

But before he could get far, he suddenly felt a hand approaching his sleeve.

– She really likes doing that, doesn’t she? – he thought as he pulled his hand away slightly and stopped. – Yes? – he said, looking back.

Yuuka suddenly blushed with her hand in the air, right where Eiji’s hand was a second ago.

– I just wanted to say I’m sorry for laughing… – her blush intensified. – And wanted to ask you if you could go a bit slower…

Eiji’s eyes widened slightly as his face was suddenly painted red.

– I… I guess I could do that… – he said, looking away.

They both continued walking, now side to side. After a minute of walking in silence, Yuuka suddenly stopped.

– I… live this way, so we should probably wait for Shiori-chan and Ishida-kun now.

– Yeah… – Eiji said, looking back and seeing Shiori and Masato a few steps back.

– We finally caught you, Eiji! Why hurry so much? You even made Araki-san chase after you! – Masato said when he got face to face with Eiji.

– Just shut up, okay? – Eiji sighed.

– But you really should stop that, Takemura-kun, it’s hard to keep a group together when one of us is constantly running away. – Shiori added with a neutral tone. – Right, Yuuka-chan?

– I… I think it’s not that big of a problem… – Yuuka said shyly, with her cheeks tinged red.

– But that wraps up today, thank you very much for coming! – Masato said with a slight bow towards the girls. – And I hope you will enjoy it next time too. – he winked at Shiori.

– See you tomorrow. – Shiori sighed with a slight blush on her face while walking away.

– Bye! – Yuuka said, following after Shiori.

– See you. – Eiji and Masato said at once, unintentionally.

– What was that, Eiji? – Masato asked.

– Well, I tried to say goodbye and we both said it at the same time… – Eiji sighed as he started walking towards home.

– Yeah, but we said it at the same time! – Masato followed after him. – Also, stop walking so damn fast! Why do you only slow down when we’re with other people? – he asked, taking quick steps.

– Because you’re used to this, so either stay back or keep up. – Eiji said.

– You sure as hell didn’t say that to Araki-san! – Masato smirked.

Eiji stopped suddenly as a slight hint of red appeared on his face.

– I… I didn’t, but that’s beside the point! – he said as he continued walking with an ever quicker pace.

– Oh, come on, don’t get so angry at me now! I was just kidding, and also, I think you two would make a great pair! – he said in an apologetic tone.

– You know that’s impossible. – Eiji said in a cold tone.

– Why? Just because of that? – Masato finally caught up to him.

– Yes, just because of that. – Eiji’s eyes had a cold light in them.