[2]

"Since you like it so much,
it must be a wonderful place."

He said, staring at me once again.

"And I do enjoy reading."

I smiled at his words.

"So Ichihara-kun likes books, huh..."

Secretly,

it made me extremely happy to know that

I've discovered something about my companion.

He was, after all,
quite a mystery,
and a difficult one to read at that.

But it was this aspect about him that intrigued me the most.
And I found myself wanting to know even more.

Ahh, if only we could talk longer...

"Um, speaking of things we like..."

I tried to transition into my long awaited question.

"Shall we eat lunch together?"

While we had been walking through the school,
time had subtly slipped away from us.
Although I enjoyed our little tour and wanted it to never end,
I knew that if we didn't eat now,
lunch would be over soon.

[3]

"..."

He didn't answer.

Was it wrong of me to assume he'd agree?

Or...

maybe he finds me boring?

"I-i mean...do you want to?" I asked timidly.

Perhaps sensing my distress,
Ichihara Kazuo hurriedly started to explain himself.

"No,

it's not that I don't want to...

In fact, I'm glad you asked. But..."

He trailed his gaze over to the classrooms behind us.

"I don't think that guy from before would be too happy about it."

Guy from before?

I scrolled through my memory.

"Ah,

you mean Jun-kun?"

"Yeah. Probably."

He scratched his head uncomfortably.

"Don't worry about it!" I said reassuringly.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

They may have had a rough start,

but this would be a perfect chance to make up...

Shuu and Kame probably wouldn't be against the idea either.

As Shuu always said...

the more the merrier.

A/N: After thinking about it for some time, I have decided to put up my drawing as the new cover! (o'▽'o)