"So are we good now?" he asked.
Good. Were we good now? Just what did "good" mean? It was true that I felt more comfortable with him again. The previous tension and unease had disappeared within the past few days.
"Yeah," I replied slowly. "We're good, if you'll just get up."
He sat up quickly, pulling me up with him. "So-So then, now?"
He looked so serious, eyes wide and innocent. It was obvious he wanted things to go back the way they were before. I smiled. "Yeah, we're good. Now let's go to school."
It was December now, and the frigid wind told me so. But before we could happily go on winter break, there were the exams. Second semester was ending.
Things seemed to return back to normal as December began to pass by. The first snow came, and although it was hardly half an inch, it was beautiful. Then Mom decided I had to go on another date with Minoru.
"Seeing as you didn't last month," she had said over the phone. There was no way out of it.
Minoru and I debated about places to go while I played a game with Hatsumi. I really doubted I'd be able to beat her before the end of winter break. In fact, I really wondered whether I would ever be able to win against Minoru.
"I don't mind the aquarium," I said. "But fish are kinda boring." "But you said no to the amusement park."
"Yeah, it's too cold for amusement parks now."
"Then do you want to watch a movie?" he asked.
"Not really. There's nothing good playing right now."
"A dinner then."
"No, that's boring."
He sighed, giving me that annoyed look of his.
"Okay," Hatsumi cut in. "What do you like to do, Rika-san?"
"Me? Reading."
She glanced at Minoru, then back at me. "Anything you would want to do? That you could do with someone else?"
Something I could do with someone else. Guess that puts reading manga and books away. "Watching anime?" I suggested.
Minoru made a face. "You're an otaku?"
I shrugged. "Okay, fine then. Video games."
"An arcade! That's perfect!" Hatsumi said, clapping her hands together. "Minoru loves arcades!"
I turned to him at this surprising fact. "Really?" He was looking the other way, evidently embarrassed.
Part 56
Start from the beginning
