Douma can't help but think of what happened last night.

Placing his small left hand to his left cheek.

Remembering the informal gesture that had been impacted his mind and thoughts for the entire night and morning.

"Douma-sama, is everything fine? You looked puzzled." Hisashi asked carrying a tray with small cup of tea and 2 onigiris on the side.

He placed them gently in front of Douma's beanbag while looking at him.

The little yellow-oak haired boy stiffened up when his thoughts was interrupted by his servant and look up. He gave him a smile.

"Oh yes I am! Do not worry I was zoned out of my own thoughts. Nothing seriously all." Douma looked down and leaned forward and grabbed onigiri then took a big bite.

"Thank you!" He took a sip of his tea.

The bald headed servant bowed, "Of course. Let me know when you need anything my lord." He stands up and makes his way to Douma's shoji's door until the boy stopped him.

"Oh there is one more thing I want to ask you..." he placed his half eaten onigiri and his tea back on the tray.

Hisashi raised an eyebrow at him but his expression showed a bit of concern.

"Did I do something wrong Douma-Sama?" He said as he lowered his knees to bow in apology.

But Douma raised his hand to stop him.

"No you didn't do anything wrong. I have a question that I have been keep thinking..." He stood up and jumped off the plantform.

"And what will that be?" He leaned his head to his side.

"Can you tell me the meaning and the purpose of this gesture called a kiss?" Douma asked.

"Eh? You want to know about..that?" He asked in confusion.

Douma nodded, "It has been going on my mind lately and...I received that type of physical contact recently from one of my female follower and I'm very curious why people do that kind of act?"

"I see." Hisashi said crossed his legs and sit up straight looking at his leader. To be fully trusted and rely on by his savior to answer him one important question his lord needs to know is a huge honor to him.

He closes his eyes as he touches his chin and hummed in a thinking way to come up with an perfect answer to make himself look good impression towards him. He wants to make sure his answer satisfied the cult leader's question.

"Well, a kiss could mean anything. It is a ritual or social kissing gesture to indicate friendship, family relationship, perform a greeting, to comfort someone, or to show respect. Since one of our female member pecked you on the cheek, it is way to respect and appreciate you as our leader who was able to help her to seek paradise." Hisashi stated with a smile.

"Ahh..ok but what does it mean on a friend? Like....when a girl pecked her guy friend on...a cheek?" Douma felt some on his chest when he mentioned that.

As if it was embarrassing.

But not in a bad way.

"It depends on how the friendship takes place. There will be times she did it in a way she was showing she considers him to be a true friend or perhaps appreciate his help. However, it also could mean she's attracted to her friend. In other words, she likes him. She may see him more than a regular friend especially if she shows signs of attraction in her body language around him other than kissed on a cheek." He said as he rubs his chin.

"Body language? Like what?" Douma asked with a curious look on his face.

Hisashi gave out a light chuckled and scratches the back of his head, "I do not know anything about women. But I recall my last memories with my old wife back in my youth time..."

Douma sits down and crossed his leg in front of his servant to listen to him. Meeting eye contact.

"They would hold prolonged eye contact with you, touching you more than she does as a friend, getting more flustered when she's near you and yeah something like that. Maybe I could be wrong but that is what I saw most of the time from my old wife." He said as he waved one of his hand

The little prodigy boy raised his eyebrows when he pointed out the signs of a female being attracted to her friend. He looked at his lap as he thinks. He did remembers Kotoha would be too huggy with him whether for comfort or when she wants to and she would sit or stand too close to him when they play or watching the dark sky. He recalled times her pupils gets dilated when looking at him. Even when she thinks he doesn't notice his stare behind his back. He thought she was being weird. But when Hisashi mentioned them, it is complete accurate of what Kotoha does with him.

With all the signs besides the pecking...does she likes me? She sees me more than a friend?

"It is also different for guys too when they feel for a girl." Hisashi added as he placed his hand under his chin and looking up.

"How's so?" Douma looked up from his lap.

"They most of the time feel deeply connected to them even when they deny their feelings for them or believe it is something else even though it may not add up to them. It haves their hearts to feel for her. Developing emotions all at once, not even being well-aware of what's happening inside their chest. Which have them unable to express their emotions towards her. Making difficult them to try to acknowledge it." He chuckled at the end of the line.

But Douma didn't.

He rethink of what he said as he placed his pointer finger under his lip.

"Does the heart releases all the emotions out of him when he reacts of a kiss from her? Even if it's on the cheek?" Douma asked and scoots closer.

"Mmmm honestly for me I would get all flustered up and be in a nervous state if she does that." He scratches the back of his head with a light chuckle but the little prodigy didn't respond but keep stares at him.

Which made the bald servant feels unease.

"But I did know it made me feel really confused at first. As if mixed thoughts and feelings were all coming together and coming all out from me and I didn't knew I even had them or even exists until she kissed my cheek. My face were tingling from the one peck." Hisashi noted and folded his arms on his lap.

Douma parted his lips, "You didn't knew you actually liked her?"

"Yeah yeah. We were friends since childhood but I guess it took 5 years and on a peck on a cheek to know I have feelings for me. The kiss was like funny sparkles spread all over me. I didn't knew about my feelings but it did made sense why she made me feel something that I never experienced before...like she was the one who made it feel good about myself or even feel. I couldn't help but stop thinking of the kiss and her. Unexplainable emotions but you want to know more." Hisashi flustered at the old sweet memory.

The little leader widen's it's rainbow orbs.

That's what's going on with me.

Hold on..

"Is that how you felt about her?"

His servant nodded and stood up and walked over to his platform to get Douma's tray out of the way.

"When you are near or touch someone you like, your heart makes you feel more than any other. As well more than yourself." Even though his back is turned, Douma could tell he's smiling.

"Let's get your meeting ready my lord. Your followers will be here soon so it best we get you set up!" Hisashi gave him a closed eye smile.

The boy did heard him but he didn't move on the floor, in his thoughts as what he have found out that explain his unfamiliar things going on with his body and his brain.

Hisashi walked up to the shoji Door and turned his head and sees his leader still sitting.

"My lord?"

Douma has got out of his thoughts and looked at Hisashi.

"I have one more question before I get my meeting started..." Douma stood up and walked up to Hisashi with a look of his eyes he never seen before.

"Does that means he has to show the same gesture to her if he responds to her feelings?"

"I wouldn't say he have to but if he thinks he's ready enough to confess or even want to express to her instead of keeping to himself that may take I don't know...for the rest of his life...he should but I do know it is important for him to know he needs to acknowledge his feelings towards her." With that, he left the room leaving Douma.

If what Hisashi-San said is true, I have to see for myself. I want to know if I can actually feel the so called emotions and if I have what he said.

Then maybe...it exists...

—————

Tossing a small pebble across the river and sank down after the 3 skips. The water made small waves from the pebble which reflects the bright moon and the dark sky delicately.

Kotoha sighed as she wraps her hand around her legs and place her chin onto  her knees.

She has been waiting for him at least half an hour.

Although she already expected that was gonna happen after what she did.

"I must've upset him so bad. He hated the kiss and he was freaked out. I don't blame him. He might not want to play with me anymore...I'm sorry Douma..." Kotoha's began wiping her tears away with both her hands.

After few minutes of calming down, she stands up.

"I have to go back home now...Sleep is the only thing I will do now every night." She turns around and immediately jumped and screamed.

"Douma!" She fell back and landed on her butt.

"Sorry I kept you waiting, Kotoha-chan. I was doing last minute meeting with few of my members." Douma explained his signature smile of his.

Douma hold out his hand for her to get up but was suddenly attack from a big hug.

"Wahhh I thought you were never coming back!" Kotoha cried as she held him tightly.

Of course the yellow oak-haired boy didn't respond as his body being squished severely where his lungs feels like it's gonna get sealed shut.

He coughs as he's trying to speak, "K-Kotoha....c-chaaa—"

He felt much a big relief when her tight grip finally released him. He fixed his night wear and calm down his breathing. He looks up and sees her 2 steps way from him. Holding onto his yakuta. Her eyes at him looked bit bigger than it was few seconds ago. As well seeing both her cheeks slowly tinted up.

Those are the signs what Hisashi have described.

"S-Sorry Douma! I was so happy that you actually came back." Kotoha wipes her tears away and pulls some couple of strand behind her ears.

Douma raised his eyebrow, "What makes you think that?"

The little indigo-haired girl lower her head as both her cheeks turns tint red.

"You know...uhm...I...your...cheek?..."

"Ohhhh." Douma laughs and shook his head. "To be honest, I was surprised you did that. But don't worry about it. I got over it." He gave her a reassuring smile which made her relax.

"Okay well I'm really happy you're here. I thought I ended our friendship for good. I didn't sleep at all last night because I was so afraid you were grossed or mad and I ruined everything." Kotoha with a hint of sadness in her voice as her blue orbs are watering up.

The look on her face, have Douma to ached.

"You didn't. It was a surprising move and I was weirded out honestly but that didn't ruined our relationship. No matter what, we always be together." Douma walked towards her and grabbed her small hand to his own. The moment his skin contacted with hers, there was a little vibrations coming up in him.

This have her flustering up. Feeling his touch on her hand is whole another level. Her heart began to race as she looks at their combined hands.

She finally looked at his eyes and swallowed her throat.

"Promised?" She asked softly.

The little prodigy smiles and used his hand he's holding hers and have his pinky intertwined with her pinky.

"Pinky."

——————

After an hour of playing, their little bodies are getting worn out as their energy are draining out of them from all the physical activities such as running, chasing, climbing, and jumping.

"Ahh I'm pooped." Kotoha exhaustedly sighed as she flopped down to the ground with her back.

"Of course you are. So am I. We are getting tired as sleep taking over us. We best be leaving." Douma giggles and sits on the ground by her laying form.

Is it him or is it that being next to her making it more comfortable.

She yawns.

Cute.

"But nowwww? Can we stay here for 5 more minutes pleaseee." Kotoha yawns but immediately stopped as she sit up, posturing herself to make t look like she's not tired.

Her friend giggled, "You yawned almost twice and your eyelids are halfway."

"No I'm not!" She pouted as she rolled to her other side, going apart from him. He turns his head to her rolling and sees she's kinda further away from him.

That kinda bothers him.

"I want to stay!" She complained with both her arms and legs shaking up and down.

"Alright we can stay here a little bit more. Stop your tantrum." He furrowed his eyebrows in a bit of annoyance. He laid on the ground, looking up the dark sky full of bright of infinity stars.

She stops at her disruptive behavior and sits up then looked at Douma, seeing him in such a relax and calm state made her feel the same way too.

She could've swore he looks more content than ever.

She smiles.

Kotoha looked up to the sky and placed both of her arms behind her as a way to support her sitting as she leans.

They haven't spoke to words to each other as they enjoying the view way up.

"Do you know where babies comes from?" Kotoha randomly asked.

"Uhh no." Douma answered.

"Whaaat?" She turned her body around towards him. "I thought you know everything! Because you are smart! Smartest person I met!"

He chuckled, "I'm flattered but doesn't mean I know exactly everything in the world."

Kotoha pouted, "That's ashamed..."

"Why you asked?" Douma asked ignoring her whiny.

"I keep asking my parents where they come from but they won't told me! They said I need to be older and be married for me to have a baby of my own." Kotoha exclaimed.

"Well if there's a reason they won't tell you until you're the right appropriate age then you have to be patience, Kotoha-Chan." He smiles, "and maybe more knowledgeable enough." He mumbled.

She sighed heavily, "You're right..."

She turned her body and look up the sky again, "I want to be a mother when I grow up."

Why?

"Have you plan on having children of your own when you're older?"

"Why?" Douma asked still looking up the sky.

Kotoha immediately blushed and holding her cheeks to cover them, hoping Douma won't notice.

"Just wondering!" She laughed nervously which Douma founded it a bit strange.

The yellow-oak haired boy gave out a hum in thinking.

"Not really."

Kotoha stiffened. "W-why?"

He shrugged, "I don't see the purpose."

"B-but what if someone you love wants to have children?" Kotoha asked nervously of what the answer she hope isn't gonna be.

"I don't know but having children won't resolve anything even to parents. How can they make their biological parents happy when the parents don't share any affection towards them or lack attention. Usually they have their children to be complete independence which's good for them to learn and manage on how to handle on their own very early. Like me."

Her heart shatters into million pieces. How could someone be so...

"I...see." Kotoha tried to make her sound like she isn't disappointed but she could tell he already noticed.

"Something wrong, Kotoha-Chan?"

"No..let's keep looking at the stars..."

They did. They haven't exchange any words for quite some time. Kotoha still feels hurt of his answers and his honest thoughts about children. But she wants to move onto another subject and talk about something else to get her mind off of it.

"Do you know what my parents warn me about wondering in the night the other day?" Kotoha asked.

Douma lifted his head and looking at her backside where her short indigo ponytail flow down perfectly.

"What?"

"That hungry scary creatures would be wandering around the night and hunts humans for food for pleasure. They even have superpowers like they can heal quickly, super strong, and other powers too which is what makes them very deadly to meet with." Kotoha turned her head to look at him.

"Oh yeah I was told about them too from my father." He put his head back down and stare up.

"They sound scary. Even though I never see any of them or in this woods but..." she brought her legs up and wrapped them around with her arms. "I don't want to meet any of them..."

"You won't because they don't exists." Douma said bluntly.

"What makes you think that?" She looked at him with her eyes widen.

"Like you said you never encountered any of them especially when we live far out in the woods so we are still alive, it sounded too absurd of demons who were former humans who sold their humanity. Including possess supernatural abilities such as super strength, magic, and regeneration. Parents tells such ridiculous tales to their children like us in order to avoid wandering out at night." Douma yawns. He doesn't know whether it's from being tired or explaining to her something so false to believe in.

"What if they are real? You don't know that. Because we never see one, doesn't mean others do!" Kotoha try to reason with him.

"Then where are the evidence? They must've encountered some kind of species they haven't learn, so they overthink it was a demon. There are other dangerous animals creatures exists in this world too. Yet people don't know all of them, have them make such big assumptions it was a demon instead of a particular animal." Douma pointed out.

Kotoha went silent for a moment.

She turned his head away from him.

"Don't you believe in anything?..." she quietly asked

"What?" Douma lifted his head again with a confused look.

"First its marriage then is kids, and now this?..."

Douma furrowed his eyebrows, "what does it have to do with all that?"

"Well...I feel like you don't accept anything or even accept the evidence or the obvious. I don't mean to be mean but...how does your followers look up to you?...how were you able to bring them to paradise if you actually believe in paradise?" She gave him a curious look and with a upset tone.

"That's because I want to help my people. To avoid them from painful suffering, for them to seek freedom. I want to make them happy."

Gods don't exist, and Buddhas don't either. Yet the people here lived for decades without realising it.

"They worship me as their only savior who spoken to the Gods and Buddha which they know I'm the only who have the answers and ways to help them. I want them to continue living on life because life is precious. They shall treasure it without ending it shortly or continue on suffering. Paradise is life."

Once they die, it's all just gonna return to nothing. They won't feel anything. And then they rot into the ground. As long as you live on this Earth, that's your eternal fate. That's why you got make your life worth it instead of cutting short.

Douma sit up and crawl towards her side, for some reason it getting him tense up when he is now closer to her.

"It makes me sad and worry to see them in pain. That's why I want to help, I want them to be happy, that's why I was born." The little prodigy placed his hand on her own which made the little indigo's gasped a bit.

"And you Kotoha-Chan...I will make you happy but for you is different." He gave her a little serious look. "You tend to be too naive and uneducated about this world. Even if you're not my follower, I want to be truthful for you in order to learn." Douma said looking her into her green rounded eyes. He could look at them forever.

Kotoha doesn't know if she should be offended by that or not.

"I want to lead you to a safe paradise with a bright and mindful mind. I'm here for you and be your guidance. Because you're special to me. I don't want to lose you." Douma gave her a closed eye smile.

With those last two sentences, Kotoha couldn't help but cry with a smile so brightly like the stars.

"And also to stop your tears too." He chuckled began wiping her tears away with his other hand.

"I am sorry it just..." She hiccuped as tears continued to pouring down.

"You get so emotional huh? I wonder what is like?" He took out his cape and wiping her snots away. He told her to blow on it and she did. Once he was done, he rolled his cloak up into a messy ball and placed it by his side.

"I'm thankful!" Kotoha smiles widely with both of her cheeks tinted red, "I will always be here for you too."

He sees how incredible she look under the bright moonlight. Especially the smile of hers.

It tingles him again.

Seeing her is just a perfect touch for his night to be. It eases him. Especially with her here.

Hisashi could be...

"It's getting late now. Way past 5 minutes." He helped her stood up and grabbed his cloak ball to his free hand.

"I wished we don't have to go...I want to spend time with you more." Kotoha pouted as she held her hand on his tightly.

"I feel the same." Feeling her hand on his have made his pulse beats faster.

He looked at her pure and comely face. 

Which made the little Kotoha feels awkward at his long stare.

Then she notices his head slowly leaning towards the side of her face.

Is he!!? No that's not like him...I mean I don't know...but—

"Eh..." her entire body stopped. Her eyes widen then ever and her thinking have been cleared completely.

She feels his lips pressing against her cheek.

Her face has turned into a complete beet.

It feels like entirely but she is cherishing every second of this amazing moment.

However it ended when he pulled away and let go of her soft hand.

"Goodnight Kotoha-Chan!" He waved cheerily while walking backwards as he keeps looming at her cute bafflement face.

"I'll see you tomorrow night!" With that he turns around and continued walking.

"B-bye Douma." She weakly waves him back as she stutters, face still flustering.

Kotoha sees him entered the woods and disappears from her view.

She placed her hand on the same cheek he kissed. Then slowly caressing it. Her face is still in bright red and warm, but doesn't mean it interferes it nor keep her from replaying the peck moment over and over.

Although she looked calm at the outside, but in the inside she is mentally squealing.