He Was a Friend

/32/ He spilled the beans. /

Louise analyzed Eric's face. He was smiling, but she knows him long enough to feel that he will do just as he said he would.

She looked around them and checked how many people would see, if Eric did cause a scene.

There's a lot!

"9."

Panicking now, she concentrated on her thoughts, as it would seem like that's the only way to get around her situation.

"8."

Uhhh... I asked him something like why did Art kiss me... and then—

"7."

What's next??? I remember saying something about being handsome, too... Yeah! Like how both he and Art are handsome—

"6."

—and how I'm proud of them being my handsome friends? God, why did I say that... I'm feeling the shame after remembering it bit by bit now... What the heck was I thinking then—

"5."

It's 5 now?! Sooo, they're my handsome friends... And yet, Art, kissed me, even though we're friends? Did I remember it correctly?

"4."

That's probably it. Then I asked... I asked Eric if he kisses... If he normally kisses friends? Was that it? Like if he kiss people that he doesn't love—

"3."

Ah! That was the question! That was what I asked him! And then.. And then... He kissed me... And told me that—

"2."

"You only kiss people you love!" she shouted while panting and pointing her finger at him.

Eric smiled.

"Congratulations," he muttered, grinning.

She suddenly absorbed what she just said, and put two and two together.

"So you love me?" she asked, surprise all over her face. Her cheeks are now reddening after her realization.

"Want another kiss?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

She crossed her arms in front of her defensively, which made him burst out laughing.

I can't believe this.

"Since when? Why?" she continued on interrogating him, as she really find it unbelievable. She and Robin were just talking about it two days ago, and here he is, in front of her, confessing.

I don't get this at all.

Eric sighed, leaned on the post behind him, and looked around them again, before answering. "Even if you ask me that, I actually don't get it, too." He pulled out his bonnet from his windbreaker's pocket, pulled it over his forehead, and continued. "To be honest, I've been doing a lot of thinking these past two days trying to answer that and... wait. Are we really going to discuss it here?"

He crossed his arms and tilted his head towards her, as he waited for her answer.

"Why don't we go ahead and get that Gundam mug while we're at it?" she decided, and pointed at the Gundam cafe just beside them.