A/N: This author's note would be filled with apologies and explanations. (Otherwise known as my insecurities for this story and my alibis. Wahaha. XD) You could skip if you want, but this is where I'd explain my reasons and stuff.

I'm sorry if the progression's kind of slow (and maybe boring), but that's the type of romance stories I want to make and read. Falling in love, in my opinion, shouldn't be rushed, and it makes way for character development and stuff like that. Also, I like describing how it feels like for the characters (but I really don't know how it actually feels like so I think it went a little a lame with my attempt XD) unlike how it's done in books I've read at times: the character just gets attached to the other then realizes he/she actually likes him/her (but that kind of works too, since I tried writing like that in another story). So... yeah. I hope it'll start to get interesting for you guys starting from the next few chapters...

Also, I have to apologize if Kise's OOC. I didn't realize how hard it is to write in the guy's POV. OuO I mean, for the past three to four years of being a fanfic writer, I've mostly written in the girl's POV. So I'll try to fix that (and maybe write more in third person XD).

Sorry if Yuki's not interesting enough. *bows* I really try, okay? XD But I feel like she's nearing the Mary Sue line. Please tell me if she's still okay~ I still have stuff planned for her in the future. //cries.

And the neverending apology of updating really late. Just to inform some of you, I'm currently a college freshman so it's kind of my adjustment period. Plus, I'm joining this anime-manga organization and their application process is really hard. But I swear I write at the times I think I can (like on the way to school and during my free periods. lol).

And since that's pretty long, I'll shut up now. XD

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Kise Ryouta

"So what do you think, Ryouta-kun?" Yukicchi asked with a semi-excited expression as she held onto the notebook where Keiichi-senpai wrote notes and observations about the videos we were watching earlier. Today, due to Keiichi-senpai's schedule, it was just the two of us again watching videos after being excused early from our team's practice but I didn't really mind. I like being with Yukicchi~! I feel more comfortable being with her compared to my fangirls. But for some reason, she seemed unfazed with all my fangirling-causing actions and it's disappointing me countless of times.

"Akashicchi?" I questioned and she nodded. I tried to remember how he was in the last video we watched today and how he played back then. I only got to study a few skills of the old and kind Akashicchi then sort of focused on the new (and scary!) one. But then I easily gave up since everyone's moves were too complex compared to those simpler ones I've copied. Plus, I didn't really think of fighting them in the future until I entered high school!

"Let's see..." I started thinking. "Errr... Usually, Akashicchi's play is based on mostly strategy..." That didn't seem right. I then remembered how he got to steal the ball most of the time. "His keen Emperor Eyes makes it easier for him to predict his opponent's next actions in a really short period of time! It's really amazing!" I beamed at her happily but she only frowned at me. D-Did I say something wrong?!

"If you keep admiring them, it might be hard for you to surpass them," she said seriously, a tinge of worry showing in her voice.

"Eh? You think so too, Yukicchi?!" I stared at her, wide-eyed with an excited grin quickly growing on my face. Not only did she think the same way I did, but she also was worried about me!

She nodded slowly. "Yeah... I think it's better if you see them more as rivals now rather than the former teammates you admire..."

"Copy that!" I saluted. At first I was just excited with the idea of playing against them, but as the school year rolled by and after the Inter High, I felt more pumped into beating them and winning the Winter Cup with my team. But even after the competitions, all of us are still friends!

She smiled a little at me, quite satisfied with my answer. Did I please her? I did please her, right? "Continue," she said.

I explained how Akashicchi played and how he executed each of his special moves in my opinion - like how he used his observantness in a few seconds for his Emperor Eyes and how he dribbled to execute his special kind of ankle break. I was also imagining how I would be able to do the same moves in a higher intensity with my own body, but I have to practice them myself to see if I could do them. As I spoke, Yukicchi probably took down important notes on what I was saying in her notebook. 

When I finished, she took a moment to compare what was written inside to what I said. Little by little, her round eyes widened then stared at me. Her lips stretched into a giddy smile as she quickly leaned closer to me and I backed away a little, my heart suddenly leaping to my throat. What. "You're getting it, Ryouta-kun!" she remarked excitedly.

"Eh?! I am?!" I gaped at her, feeling myself grin proudly. Yukicchi complimented me! I don't know why, but her words made more impact than those of my fangirls. Eh, but who cares! My spirits were lifted.

She nodded, smiling. "Perfect Copy won't be far away now!" She closed her notebook and placed it into her bag.

Imagining it made me all pumped up for the nearing competition. I'd be all awesome and would be like the six of us rolled into one person. I will be unstoppable! They would never expect that!

"I guess we could go home early, then?" she said as she took her bag and carried it with the strap around her shoulder. She checked the time on her wristwatch before her purple eyes darted to mine, somehow pleading that I'd agree with her. That goes without saying!

"Yeah! Let's walk to the station together!" I grinned at her as I grabbed my bag. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. Did she want to go home with me? I couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought. Walking together to the train station became a usual thing whenever Keiichi-senpai asked for Yukicchi to train me, and I have to admit that I always looked forward to it. (But it's because we're friends, okay? Friends!)

"You see, today's the start of the anime I really wanted to watch..." she said, then smiled at me thankfully.

And so, she unconsciously shot down another one of my rising expectations.

***

"You know, Yukicchi...," I bit my cold ice cream we bought along the way, "I'm starting to be observant of people, too!" I proudly grinned at her, and she looked at me with confusion in her eyes. "I've observed a few people," I explained further.

Her eyes widened and her mouth formed an 'o'. Her lips soon stretched into an excited grin as her eyes twinkled. "Who? Are they guys?!" She tightly gripped on her bag's strap as she stared at me and waited for my answer.

Why was she asking for guys? "Er... Kasamatsu-senpai's one of them... It seems like he's scared of girls." But Yukicchi doesn't seem to be one of them. That's another mystery...

"You observed him?!" Her eyes were now sparkling like stars. What the heck?  She turned her face away from me, and I soon heard some weird high-pitched mumbling coming from her. "ohmygummykikasa'sdefinitelycanon!"

"Er... Yukicchi...?"

"Ah!" She turned back to me, and she flashed me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. You were saying...?"

"I've been observing some people lately..." She nodded slowly, and the sparkle in her eyes was back. "And you're one of them~!" I cheerfully winked at her, and I was sure that would've at least made her heart skip a beat and her cheeks redden like one of my fangirls.

She, however, stared at me as the smile on her face slowly disappeared and was replaced by one that showed uneasiness. She pursed her lips, looked away for a moment, then forced herself to smile at me once again. Why...? "R-Really? Well, what did you find out?" she asked with fake enthusiasm, and she seemed more worried than excited.

I cleared my throat. I didn't want to make her more uncomfortable then she already was, but I wouldn't be able to achieve what I've beein wanting to do if I lied. I managed a calmer smile to try to ease her. "Yukicchi, could it be that you're actually lonely?"

"E-Eh? What do you mean?" She struggled to keep her smiling facade, and I could tell she was nervous.

I scratched my head, trying to think of a way to explain it to her without offending her much,

Well, Yukicchi was always alone. I rarely saw her with anyone, even in her class. When I did, it was never the same person. Whenever I pass by Class 1-C, I'd see her eating all by herself while her classmates formed groups. There were times that she'd talk to people for a moment and that was it. When they also had PE in the courtyard and they were asked to form groups of two, she was one of the last ones to get a partner. She watched them form groups with a sad smile.

She seemed like the friendly type since she was always smiling and was pretty approachable, so how come she doesn't have a group of friends by now?

W-Wait. If any of you are thinking, I'm not a stalker! I just notice her... a lot... Because we're friends!

"Uh..." I looked at her worried expression. "You don't have friends...?" I blurted out, then suddenly regretted saying those words upon realizing how mean they sounded.

She stopped walking and frowned, but she wasn't glaring at me.  "What...?" Her voice became softer, and all her cheerfulness was gone. Waaah!

"Forget I said anything, Yukicchi!" I panicked, since she didn't seem like her usual cheerful self. I think I brought up a touchy subject and she didn't want to talk about it!

A sigh escaped her lips, and she faked another smile. "No, no. Don't worry about it... I guess that's true... in a way." She wagged her hand dismissively, as if to tell me that it's okay.

"But I said something mean!" I whined, not wanting to let this go. "I didn't really mean it that way!"

"But you just stated the truth, Ryouta-kun." She was still smiling, and now there was something lonely in her smile. I didn't like seeing it.

"Isn't it that your club mates are considered as your friends?" I asked, tilting my head.

She averted her gaze then shrugged. "I wonder about that. We only bond because we're in the same club, you know..."

She had a point. I didn't know what else to say... until an awesome idea popped into my mind!

"Well, we're friends, Yukicchi!" I grinned ear-to-ear, pocketing my hands into my blazer. 

Her head immediately went to my direction, her eyes filled with question and her lips slightly parted. "...Huh?"

I bent down, my face on the level of hers. "You heard me right~! We're friends! You don't really need a written agreement to be friends, you know~" I winked at her. 

I swear a smile was about to form on her face but then her eyes widened and she backed away. She  looked away uneasily then bowed. "W-Well, the program's starting so... I have to go now. See you tomorrow!" And with that, she quickly darted away from me.

Eh...?