Last class of the day, English. Kazemaru wasn't exactly bad at school, in fact his marks were rather exceptional. Although of course he excelled more in some subjects than others. One thing he could grasp a bit easier would be maths, it wasn't fun, but he was good at it. The obvious one would be physical education, running around playing soccer almost all day would probably help - but he'd also been an important member of the athletics club not long ago at all.

For the most part, he was staring out the window, honestly. That was until the teacher raised his voice in attempt to get everyone's attention. Assignments usually consisted of writing responses to books, poems, movies and so on, but this time it just had to be partner work.

The chosen tactic was to just wait for someone to come to him, of course he could easily reside with Gouenji but who the hell wants to genuinely hang out with Gouenji?

Kidding.

If anything, Kazemaru ended up getting ramen with that exact boy and Endou almost every day after school. Hibiki was kind enough to give them discounts on food, sometimes Kazemaru wondered how than man managed a proper life. Maybe during the day he got tons of customers, tons of friends supporting him.

Before he knew it, someone had already approached him. With one side of his face being completely blocked, the little visitor had to find a way to get his attention. She tilted to the side, but he didn't budge. So, she waved a hand in front of his face.

"Huh?" The male perked up, snapping back to reality. He turned his head to the person in front of him. It was just Park.

"Y-you're not against partnering up to me, are you?" Furrowing her brows, she clapped her hands together as if she was praying. She looked sad, did he just make her sad? Oh my god, Kazemaru you messed up. Normally he was never this flustered and spaced out, Kazemaru was a cool level-headed guy.

"N-no! No, it's okay, I don't mind at all." Kazemaru quickly raised his hands in protest. "I'd actually be happy to be your partner-! I mean,," Kazemaru Ichirouta, shut the hell up, how embarrassing.

"Really? Oh, I'm so glad." Mio let out a small breath of relief. She shuffled through her bag and pulled out her notebook. It was baby pink with a lace elastic band to keep it closed, it suited her. The assignment was simple but not at the same time. 

Poetry. The whole partnering thing was just for editing, it was kind of disappointing, but Kazemaru didn't think he could handle anything else other than that. Maybe now was his chance to confess his undying love in the form of a poem. . . Yeah right. After a bit of chatting and brainstorming, class ended it and now it was soccer practice time.

A new hissatsu to defeat Nosei's soccer team - that's what everyone was caught up trying to figure out. Now, being kids without a coach for pretty much since the start of Endou's soccer club, they had absolutely no idea how to come up with a hissatsu. Gouenji and Endou were about the only two that really had anything to work with, but it wouldn't be enough. After all, Nosei's specialty was aerial attacks. There was also a new member; Domon Asuka, but he wasn't all that important right now.

"This is bad. If we don't come up with a new shot soon, we're gonna get creamed next game." Kazemaru breathed out. Practice and classes were over, so everyone was heading on home, Gouenji, Kazemaru, Park and Endou. Although, the bubbly brunette wanted to grab some ramen, and dragged everyone along with him.

"Don't give up, Kazemaru!" Endou piped up, he totally missed the point.

"I'm not giving up, Endou. I'm just concerned!" The tealette furrowed his brows, looking over at Gouenji for some help.

"Even if we do come up with a new shot, then we have no time to practice and perfect it." Gouenji, always a man of few words, but they were important words. Endou sunk in his place, looking over at the only female of the group - who wasn't really paying much attention.

". . . Why are you looking at me?" Park frowned.

"Park, tell Endou we need another plan." Kazmaru sighed.

"Endou! We need to hurry up before my grandmother starts worrying!" She piped up, completely ignoring the teallete.

"Oh, right right! To the ramen shop!" Endou grinned.

Over noodles in the dead empty corner ramen store (asides from the cook and some creepy old man), they tried to figure out what they were going to do. Kazemaru was more worried than everyone, Endou believed that everything would be fine, Gouenji didn't say much and Park was trying to pick a side. This lasted until Endou was almost hit in the face with a soup ladle by the chef. Apparently there was another secret notebook, hidden in Raimon itself.

Hidden in the freaking principal's lounge. Even still, the entire team asides from Domon stood outside the door while Endou peered inside.

"Alright, lets go. Nice and easy. . ." On the count of three, everyone in unison shoved their way inside and toppled over.

"Ow! You're squishing me!"

"Who's pulling my hair!?"

"Park, are you alright!?"

"Shhhhh!!!" Shut up indeed.

Once everyone was up and in one piece, Endou waltzed over to the safe and scrolled the lock. Listening to the tumbling inside the safe, he grinned after hearing a click. He pulled the handle. Nothing. Tugged it, still nothing. Used all of his body weight, absolutely nothing - except for falling.

"What happened to leave it to me!?" Kazemaru hissed.

"Oh jeez, Endou if we get caught this is gonna be so bad. Hurry, get up!" Park quickly pulled the captain to his feet.

"Sorry, but, you've already been caught." None other than Natsumi herself, in the flesh and bone. She stood at the door frame like a princess. She kindly handed over the notebook, only for everyone to find out that it was straight up chicken scratch.

Back at the soccer club room, everyone sat on the floor waiting to hear the goods. Absolute nonsense, and scribbles that looked as if a dog drew it. Endou had even suggested asking Park's Pomeranian to read it for them. She just laughed nervously.

"Is this some kind of secret code?" , "Or another language?"

"No. Most of the marks are just dirt." Kazemaru hated to break it to everyone.

"So she was right, it's meaningless. . ." Someoka huffed.

"I guess that explains why Natsumi didn't mind handing it over so easily." Park muttered under her breath.

"ENDOU!!"

Turns out, Endou could read every word - or, scribble should I say. That being said, the rest of the team sat on the floor waiting for Endou to give up the goods. Endou, Kazemar and Park sat up on the table. While there was still nothing he could understand, Kazemaru still wanted to look at the notebook. Park did too, so, this ended up with her leaning over him to see. Which was nice, really, but ridiculously distracting. . . That wasn't gonna stop him from taking advantage of the situation though.

"P-Park, can you see?" The tealette muttered.

"A little--" She responded, squinting her eyes.

"Here, come a little closer." He shifted himself slightly, just barely pulling her near. Now their faces were at least two inches apart, he could have sworn she was able to feel the heat radiating from his cheeks. Well, the notebook may be a bunch of bullshit, but at least he hit the jackpot.

The rest of the day was spent training until the sun went down and everyone had to head on home. Park and Kazemaru ended up walking home together, but neither of them had said a word asides from goodbye when Park scampered up her front porch's steps.

The next class was well waited for. No, no, he didn't actually end up writing a love poem, that'd be ridiculous. In fact it was something just more like himself, a simple, innocent blurb, with a surprising impact at the end. When Mio started reading it, instead of reading hers, he'd just watched her expectantly. Looking for any change of expression to express if she hated it, or liked it, or even loved it. After his endless staring, she finally brightened up with a smile.

"I loved it, I had no idea you were such a good writer. . ." Mio chirped, almost hugging his notebook to her chest. He flushed immediately, turning his face away.

"I'm not a writer, don't be silly. I just came up with it off the top of my head."

"Hmm. Is that so. Then maybe you're a natural?" She jested, handing him his notebook back. . . She'd just hugged this thing, would it be okay for him to touch it? Wait, of course it would, it was his own book. "Did you read mine?" She asked.

"Uh, gimmie a moment." Embarrassed, he looked down at her work to quickly read it. Hopefully she didn't notice him staring at her the whole time. It felt kind of nice to be holding her notebook, something she took home, and rested her hand on while writing. Her handwriting was super tiny, and she didn't even write on the lines of the page, she wrote in between them. Weird, but endearing at the same time. It was pleasant to look at.

Big Fish;
The silent sea's wave, overwhelming the gathering, darkness deep
The cloud extends over every corner of the endless sky.
The big fish crosses the crevice of this dream.
It's fixed gaze on your beautiful sleeping profile.

The sea and sky change to the same color.
Take your hand, to brush away the immense cold and mist.
The fish's wing, vast enough.
I have to loosen the rope this time.

I fear you'd fly away
But fear even more that you'd stay here forever.
Every drop of tears, flow from me to you.
They flow back to the seabed of the sky.

He blinked a few times. At first he really did think it was about a fish, but after reading the last line, maybe that wasn't the case. Did she by any chance. . . Like. . . Someone? Did she like him? Did she write this for him? Did she just call him beautiful? Oh my god-.

". . . I'm sorry, my handwriting is really messy." For some reason she apologized for something completely redundant. Maybe she was nervous, after all, he didn't really say anything for a while.

"No, that's not it. Your handwriting is nice." He sputtered out, not bothering to kick his own ass mentally afterwards. "I like it, you did really well. I kind of assumed you'd be good at these kinds things." Kazemaru managed a small smile for her. Well, she was a girl and all, girls were good at writing, drawing, singing - pretty much all the things boys seemed to have trouble with, apparently. Park was a quiet one, maybe she felt better expressing herself on paper, rather than with words in person

"Do you think so? I'm glad." She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. "I'm shy, so sharing makes me nervous."

"Yeah, me too." He furrowed his brows, handing her back her notebook. "I'm impressed though."

"Well." Taking the book in her hands, she carefully folded the paper near the spine, and ripped it out carefully. "Here, I want you to have it then. I wrote it for you."

Oh god. He immediately blushed, nervously taking the leaf of paper in his shaky hands. A confession? He wasn't ready for this. Was it a confession at all? Did she write a love poem about him, and give it to him as an attempt to get him to like her? Was this the plan all along? Well, he did like her, a lot actually. Maybe that's why he was so nervous and frantic. How romantic, she was so romantic, this was perfect in every way-

"It's kind of about. . . Us becoming friends." Park muttered softly. Okay, she just shot down every thought that ran through his head, but he wasn't upset or anything. How could he be upset after she wrote something for him, even if it wasn't a form of a confession.

Though. . . He couldn't manage understand the poem. Maybe he was just inept. Even still, this was such a special gift. He was missing the true meaning, but maybe he'll find it one day.

"I'm glad we're friends." Kazemaru chirped.

At that, when the day was over and he waved his friends goodbye - Kazemaru made his way home as quickly as possible. He greeted his parents before scurrying up to his room. Shuffling through his bag, he pulled out a familiar leaflet of paper and smiled at it. Cutting off a few pieces of tape, he put it up on his wall above his desk.

There, now he'd never forget about this.