Firstly, I just wanna apologize for not updating in over a month or two, my friends :) I've been busy with school and stressing over it with the amount of days I've been missing for the dentist (I've been going every month since April) and the food poisoning/stomach flu I had gotten just recently so I missed two days of school and I'm just really scared about my grades getting any lower than a B+ or A. Sorry you guys for my ranting but yeah that's just what's been going on.(btw my birthday is on June 5th which is this Sunday for me I'm gonna finally be 13 and a little teen. I won't be teased for not having the word 'teen' in my name anymore from my group of irl friends omo)

OKAY I AM SORRY FOR THE SECOND TIME I JUST NEEDED TO LET YA'LL KNOW WHY I'VE BEEN GONE AND HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON THIS STORY I PLAN TO ACTUALLY FINISH THIS FANFIC TO THE END AND Elletly AND I ALREADY HAVE THE ENDING PLANNED SO YA NOT GIVING UP. (also, sorry if this chapter is like very short and is very like sucky or whatnot I just really had lots of writers block and I'm like so lost nowadays it's ruining me) 

At the end of the school day, the four decided to walk to their homes together since they are heading to somewhat the same direction.

"So did you...did you uh..." Watari scratched his neck and moved in between Kousei and Kaori so he could get closer to her and whisper what he wanted to say to her while Tsubaki and Kousei glanced at him from the side. "Did you and Tsubaki talk it out?"

Kaori glanced to her left to Tsubaki and let a small smile grace her lips. "Yup. Everything is all good and hunky-dory."

Watari laughed a little at Kaori's choice of words and Kousei couldn't help but feel his hand twitch in an attempt to grab Kaori and wrap his arms around her like a child hugging their mother for comfort, except the situation would be a little different.

Why am I getting jealous of my best friend? We're all friends here, I shouldn't be feeling like this. Kaori is like Watari's little sister he's never had (according to what he told me while we walked to class after lunch)... I really gotta grow out of the jealousy, it's getting annoying. Kousei mentally groaned and tried to fight through his envious feelings but they weren't really moving away. If I get easily jealous in this relationship then Kaori would surely get annoyed and possibly break up with me.

Kousei wanted to immediately grab Kaori's hand in his when Watari went over to Tsubaki but he didn't want to seem desperate so he waited a little before actually doing so, which had grabbed Kaori's attention.

"Oh, hey Kousei!" Kaori grinned and gave his cheek a little peck, which had let to him getting flustered.

"H-hey..." Kousei gritted his teeth and cursed himself for always getting so easily flustered around Kaori a lot often, even if they're past their level of just friends.

The blonde giggled and shook his hand to relax him a little and said, "Chin up, Kousei! Don't wanna run into a pole now do you?"

Kaori's remark made Kousei's conflicted-self get back together with a laugh and a small smile as he squeezed the hand that is in his left and decided to pay attention to what Kaori had told him.

"So...what's up with you and Tsubaki?"

Kousei felt his muscles tighten at the mention of his best friend (but he's not so sure if they're still even friends anymore) but since he didn't want to leave Kaori hanging, he answered: "Well...turns out she was jealous of you and her and I had this like, big argument which had lead to a little bit of screaming but then she brought up on how clueless I can end up being and started to talk about how I payed more attention to you and almost forgot about her when the two of us had started being friendly and then when I explained that the reason why was because I loved you right after she had basically told me she liked me and then you came in and that's when me and Watari left to leave you guys alone- wait. When we left, what'd you guys even talk about?"

Kaori giggled after she heard the end Kousei's sputtering and almost stopped him from going any further but apparently he had something else in mind. She let her face go normal and stared at the ground in contemplation on how she should put her words into a simple explanation.

"Ah..." She scratched her chin and leaned her elbow on Kousei's shoulder and briefly looked over Tsubaki, who was surprisingly chatting away with Watari in a normal conversation without any insults being thrown at one another, and kept her pace with Kousei while Tsubaki and Watari started to walk another direction from the two.

Kousei scrunched his brow and tilted his head as he called out, "Hey- wait! Where're you guys going?"

Tsubaki turned her head back to answer Kousei but Watari let out a little titter as he answered himself: "We're gonna go take another route home and give you two the alone time you need; Kousei, please be a gentleman and escort your girlfriend home please." Watari gave the two 14-year-olds an amused grin before walking alongside Tsubaki to the longer route to her home.

The young pianist pursed his lips and felt his stomach church in a good way at Watari's way of telling him to take Kaori home, but he was sort of glad the two are alone together once again.

"Kousei..."

"Hm?"

Kaori slid her bag over her shoulder and carried it from the back. "Don't you think, that from afar, Watari and Tsubaki would seem like...I dunno, a couple?"

Kousei almost tripped over nothing but regained his balance when Kaori had helped him to do so, but the two had stopped walking to stare at the two brunettes from where they stand.

He eyed the two closely and thought about what he'd think if he had no idea who they were, as he quickly tried putting two and two together he could sort of see what Kaori is saying; when he tried to actually think about it and thoroughly put two and two together, he could really see what Kaori is saying.

"Oh...well, yeah I kind of can, actually." Kousei scratched the back of his head and leaned on his leg, not being able to imagine Watari and Tsubaki being together at all, despite their likings for sports. But neither did he ever imagine he'd fall in love with a girl who is now his girlfriend so maybe it actually could work out...Kousei sighed and wrapped an arm around Kaori's shoulder's and almost made her trip from the sudden push forward but she quickly brought herself back together and glared at the boy beside her but he had only given her a loving smile and a little chortle.

"C'mon," he started as they started to walk again toward the direction of Kaori's bakery, "let's keep moving."

Not only 10 seconds later after the two had continued on, Kousei brought up the question he had asked before the topic was slowly changed. "So...Kaori, about what you and Tsubaki had talked about...?"

Kaori had almost forgotten about that question. "Oh yeah! So, to put it nice and short and simple, me and her talked things out in a nice way with no violence only hugs and words. She thought liking you had made her a horrible friend because I already am with you but I reassured her and told her that it is okay because it's only natural for this to happen in a group of friends once in awhile! Well, I didn't say that to her but I'm pretty sure most people have gone through the same problem, some end horribly and some end happily ever after like a fairy tale. So far ours is happily ever after so you better not stay mad at her mister or I will ignore you for a whole day."

Kousei lost a little breath of air when Kaori had poked him in the chest with her finger at the end of her explanation, but he ended up letting out a little laugh because of how adorable Kaori can seem to be when blabbering a bunch of words non-stop.

"Okay, okay. I understand." Kousei closed his eyes cheerfully and gave Kaori a soft grin. "I'll call Tsubaki or tell her when I'm home that I forgive her."

Kaori grinned ear to ear and threw her arms into the air, once of them almost hitting Kousei square in the jaw.

"Yay!" she hollered. "Now we can all push the drama aside and live a life that ends in happily ever after!"

Kousei laughed at Kaori's childish attitude and to play along he had unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist in a bear hug and carried her a little off the ground to spin her a little in "excitement" and yell out, "Yay!"

Kaori was taken aback by Kousei's rapid character change and squealed a little when he had poked her in the side when he put her down and playfully pushed him away because that is where she is most ticklish.

"Kousei that tickles!"

Kousei's features brightened up before he let it die down to a toothy grin and a snicker. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you were ticklish."

Kaori let her smile grow and she almost—almost—tackled Kousei into a hug for how adorably affectionate he was being. This was not like him at all, but Kaori had found it really adorable that even a part of her hoped this side of him will come out a lot more often in moments like these.

"Hehe, that's okay. Let's just keep walking."

~0000~

"So...guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow?"

Kaori stopped a second right before she opened the door to her bakery/home and tilted her head like a little puppy. "Do you wanna come and hang for a while or eat something? I mean you don't have to," Kaori waved her hands in front of her and chuckled, "I'm just asking since you're house seems like a lonely place."

Kousei looked around for a while and rolled on the balls of his feet before shrugging and having Kaori see his little smile. "Sure."

"Yay! Okay, come in and don't trip on the way because it happened once to me when I wasn't paying attention." Kaori let out an angelic giggle and reached to grip Kousei's hand in her own as she opened the door to her bakery and tugged him along. "I'm pretty sure it's happened to most customers as well."

Kousei silently laughed a little and closed his eyes while Kaori pulled him into the bakery as he thought about all the oblivious people who've tripped entering the shop.

"Okay, so my parents—specifically my dad—don't know about our relationship, so if you want you can wait in my room as I talk with them in the kitchen or you can wait out here and I can talk with them in the kitchen." Kaori flashed a smile. "Anywhere you wanna be is your choice."

"Well why can't I just go in with you?" Kousei softly inquired as he felt Kaori unwind her hand from his and rest on his shoulder, but not so lightly.

"Because Kousei, my buddy, Dad is very overprotective of me so he'd be asking you many questions. Probably not as much as I'd imagine because you've been there for me for a while and he trusts you, but he still would." She grinned at his direction and gave his shoulder a little pat and walked away to go find her parents, waving to some of the customers who were seated and eating or drinking along the way until she descended into behind the counter and into the kitchen.

The coal-haired teen beamed and let out a sigh of breath and walked off to find a seat in the corner of the shop. He pulled back a chair and plopped himself down and scooted closer to the table to rest his elbow on it and lean on his palm, watching as the lively people interacted with one another or just sat alone in silence. It was nice, seeing people so happy and having a person by their side. Kousei puffed out air and rested his head on his forearm, closing his eyes to listen to the sounds of people speaking and a little laughter from time to time. It was all very relaxing to him. Just the sound of it.

But his heart took a leap when he heard a pan hit the ground in the kitchen. Kousei's eyes immediately shot open and he held his breath while the others stopped talking and looked to the direction of the crash but Mrs. Miyazono walked out and reassured the customers that everything is okay which had made them comfortable enough to continue on with what they were doing. But Kousei felt sweat start to form on his forehead when Kaori's mom started to walk toward him so he straightened his back and adjusted his glasses more further to his brow as he leaned on the table.

It wasn't that he was getting nervous that she looked angry, no not at all she looked the same, it's of what's to come when she makes it over. As a matter of fact, she was really calm when she spoke to him.

"Hi Arima-"

Kousei waved his hands in front of him and smiled warily. "No, no, no. It's okay. Sorry for interrupting but...just Kousei is fine. No need for any honorifics anymore."

Mrs. Miyazono smiled and spoke again. "Alright, if there's no need for any honorifics, feel free to call me Ryouko. No more Mrs. Miyazono."

Kousei steadily laughed and scratched the side of his head in a nervous manner. "O-okay M- I-I mean Ryouko... S-Sorry. Ryouko."

Ryouko laughed and folded her hands in front of her. "That's okay, you'll get used to it soon."

Kousei crookedly grinned and ran a hand through his messy hair. "So...I'm guessing I go in there with you?"

Kaori's mom simpered and responded with a tip of her head before she gestured for the young musician to follow her lead to the kitchen where her husband and daughter were patiently waiting.

Hopefully Kaori's dad's lecture about me being with her won't be as bad as I'm assuming.

~0000~

"Huh?"

Mr. Miyazono laughed mightily and wrapped a heavy arm around the shoulders of Kousei, which had led him to adjusting his glasses (again). Miyazono ruffled Kousei's dark hair and glanced at his daughter.

"I'm not mad at you or anything Kousei, I'm just really shocked is all." Mr. Miyazono tightened his arm around Kousei, almost squeezing the breath out of him, and locked his eyes on his daughter, a few tears building up in his eyes. He chuckled and wiped them away with his hand and said, "I can't believe how fast my little girl is growing. Already having a boyfriend...and none other than Mr. Kousei Arima? What a world this is, right Honey?" He looked to his wife to see her response and she nodded with a loving smile.

"I can't believe it either to be honest."

Kaori felt heat rise to her cheeks and proved it further more when she placed her hands over her cheeks in fluster. "Mooommm, Daaadd, please. It's only been, like, a month since he and I started going out it's not that big of a deal."

Her dad moved away from Kousei and started waving his finger as he walked to Kaori.

"Oh no-ho-ho. Trust me on this one, Sweetie, you'll feel the same way when you get children...just, don't get any so soon okay?"

Kaori held in her scream as she pulled at her hair with a red face meanwhile Kousei tensed up and felt his blood make it's way up to his cheeks.

"Dad!"

Mr. Miyazono laughed and the children's dismay and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "I'm not kidding, don't get any so soon. But, my dear Kousei." Miyazono grinned at his daughter's loved one and gripped both his shoulders. "I trust you with everything I have to not hurt my daughter in any way, physically or emotionally. And if you do...well, just don't come near my daughter or us ever again and we're banning you from this shop."

Kousei glanced at the blonde beside him and saw her shrug in no defense because she can't disagree with her dad and looked back to Mr. Miyazono with full-on confidence.

"Mr. Miyazono-"

"That's Yoshiyuki to you, my son."

Kousei quietly laughed in uneasiness with all these abrupt first name callings and decided it was best to just clear his throat and go with the flow. "Y-Yoshiyuki...ah...please." Kousei took a step back and bowed halfway respectfully and continued with, "I promise you that with everything I've got in me I will never do anything so stupid and break your daughter's heart... She...she means everything to me." He straightened back up and right when he was gonna ask what was wrong with all the silence Yoshiyuki almost murdered Kousei with his bear hug.

"Ah-ha-ha! I knew you'd be the right one for my daughter! I knew it right from the start! You're just too nice and kind to do anything horrid!" Kaori's dad let out one more joyous laugh and let Kousei go, bringing all the blood back down from the pianist's head.

"I swear I just saw the stars..." Kousei muttered dizzily.

Kaori giggled behind the back of her hand and Ryouko came up to Kousei to wrap a ginger arm around his shoulders, letting him go before he got lightheaded.

"I haven't spoken much but I have been thinking to myself and all I can say is that out of everything I have heard: welcome to the family."

Kousei felt a tiny smirk of pride grow onto his face and Kaori couldn't help but squeal in joy and bring everyone into a group hug.

"Yay! I am so glad this didn't end badly." Kaori broke away from the hug and let everyone in the room see that childish grin of hers.

Both her parents laughed softly and looked to give Kousei one last look of gratitude before they walked out the kitchen to go serve any waiting customers.

When it's been at least a minute or so that they've left, Kaori started squirming in her place with excitement until she ran to Kousei and almost tackled him to the ground for the second time that day.

Kousei groaned at the unexpected contact and loss of balance until he had gotten used to it and wrapped his arms around Kaori's thin waist.

I'm glad she's not as thin as she used to be... Kousei smiled with a sigh and swayed back and forth with Kaori until she let him go; Kousei expected the little celebration to be over but Kaori had given him an unexpected shock with a quick kiss to the lips (one from which he quickly recovered from because he's slowly starting to get used to them) before she pulled away and grasped his shoulders a little tightly with an overly excited voice: "I'm so glad we can stay together, Kousei!"

If Kousei was able to grin even wider than he was now, he was sure his cheeks will be sore for half the day.

"Y-yeah..." Wrapping his arms around the petite girl in front of him, Kousei gave Kaori a lovable squeeze and sighed with content. "Yeah, me too." 

3k words is too short for me omg. I'm seriously stressing nowadays idk why but I don't like it.

I think I made Kousei and everyone else too OOC ;-; Mainly Kousei.

Once again, I'm sorry if this chapter wasn't what you expected from a wait that long. I'm sorry.

Goodnight/good morning/ good evening/ good afternoon :)