❤︎Chapter 4: What's Your Number?

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"Ah, we've arrived."

I come up to my humble one story house's front door and immediately begin looking for my house keys. Tomomi waits patiently next to me, and I'm already expecting him to say "goodbye."

"Hm? Tomomi? Thank you for walking me all the way here."

"You live pretty far. I'm a bit worried now. Do you usually walk with someone to and from school?"

"No, my friends all live too far for that sort of thing..but it's okay! I'm usually late so I run, you know?" I flash Tomomi a smile, but he doesn't look convinced.

For some reason, I'm a bit pleased by his worrying...

"If you wouldn't mind...I'd love to walk you to school and back home afterwards. It seems only right for me...considering our relationship."

"Tomomi..." I laugh as my hands wrap around my keys, but I wish I hadn't found them so soon. Now it meant we had to part.

"I can't let the girl I like walk alone, right?"

"Aww...you're so sweet."

"Hey, Momoka?" Tomomi asks as I bring out my keys. I look at him expectantly and he reaches into his pocket to take out his cellphone.

"Yeah?"

"Well...I was thinking that since we were dating now, a good way to get to know you could start with your phone number."

I hadn't even thought of that! Me, texting Tomomi Maruyama! I'm going to squeal again!

"Ah, I see..." I quickly take out my cellphone and we exchange phones to place our numbers in each other's contact lists. When I get to the profile image, I wonder what sort of picture I should take...

Something cute? I wonder as I look at him taking a dazzling photo of himself.

I'll do it, too! Try to be dazzling!

I quickly try and decide between front view camera and back view. Other people seemed to say that their photos never turned out right unless they were taking it themselves, but it was the opposite with me. I had my friends take most of my pictures since my selfies came out gross.

"Tomomi." I hand him his phone and take mine back.

"Would you mind taking a picture of me?"

Tomomi nods and lifts his phone. I start to panic as I try and get in a cute position.

I'll just do a simple, cute, no teeth smile with a victory sign next to my face. Sweet and simple!

I quickly get in the position and blush under Tomomi's gaze. He smiles and gives me a slight chuckle.

"W-what?" I get self conscious all of a sudden and put my hand down to hide my face.

"No! You were so cute. I'm sorry. Do it again, please."

"It's embarrassing...!" I say, but I return to the same pose.

"1...2....3!"

Tomomi counts down, but the flash was unexpected. I react in shock, and Tomomi bursts into laughter.

"No! It's ruined, isn't it! Delete it, please!"

"Nope! I'm keeping it on my phone!"

"Tomomi! You're terrible!" I whine, coming toward him to try and take his phone. He avoids me easily and I almost feel like crying from being teased...but it was also really fun!

I felt like we had gotten so much closer in just one day...all do to the courage I'd suddenly been given to confess.

"It's getting pretty late." Tomomi stops. I fall into his chest by accident. He catches me in his arms, stumbling for a moment.

"Oops..." I blush again and pull away awkwardly.

"Well...I'll see you tomorrow...no, I'll text you tonight! Later, Momoka." Tomomi waves at me and gazes at me gently before turning to walk off into the sunset. I wanted to watch him go, but at that moment, my mother yanked open the door.

"Momoka! Get in here and help me with dinner!"

"Mommmmm..." I looked up at her and whined. I loved to cook, but I hated when it was a chore.

"Who were you talking to so late in the day? Was that a boy?"

"N-no!" I lied. She sounded angry now, but I'd never hear the end of it if I told her I was dating someone. She liked to tease me just as much as my friends did.

•••••••••••••

I'm lying on my bed, staring at my phone expectantly. If I had powers, it would have exploded under my gaze. I wanted Tomomi to text me already!

I sit up when I realize something.

"What if I was supposed to text him first...? Or does the guy do that? I have so much to learn..." I ruffle my recently washed hair and whimper to myself in frustration. Why was I so inexperienced!

Pop-ity pop!

I gasp at the sound and look at my darkened lock screen. Tomomi's name popped up on the screen with a message.

"Hey, Momoka! Look how cute you are!"

I frown, unlocking my phone and going straight to the chat screen. At that moment, a picture of me making the ugliest face I'd ever seen loaded in.

"Nooooooo!" I shout, flopping down on the bed and swinging my legs as if throwing a tantrum. The flash had brightened my face -- one of my eyes were half closed and my hand was up next to my face like I was waving. My mouth was hung open like a dead fish and I looked like I hadn't slept in weeks -- or worse, I looked like I was on drugs.

"Tomomi!" I text him back, whining all over again. My older brother bangs on the wall for me to shut up and I stick my tongue out as if he could see me.

"Quit teasing me! The flash was on, I was surprised!"

"Haha, don't be embarrassed! You're still as cute as always!"

"Really, now, Tomomi! Geez! :("

"I love how you react to my teasing!"

"Tomomi, I didn't expect you to have a teasing side..."

There was at least 4 minutes in between my last text. I wondered if I had offended him somehow?

In all honesty, Tomomi was always so sweet...but when he started to tease me, even though I was surprised, it still felt like a natural thing for him to do...was that strange?

Maybe he had different personalities underneath that smile.

When Tomomi texts back, however, it's a simple reply.

"Oh, really? Are you surprised? Sorry, sorry. But I didn't expect you to have such an adorable, energetic side. You always seemed so shy in class."

"It depends on who I'm around."

"That makes sense...."

"But I promise, you'll like me once you get to know me. I'll try to show you more and more of my inner self, okay?"

"Your inner self, huh?"

"Yeah! :) So show me all of your different sides, too, okay?"

I didn't get another text back from Tomomi after that. I wasn't sure what to think of it, because I knew I hadn't said anything offensive.

But I would soon find out why.

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