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5: Friend or Fangirl

"Please stop," I requested quietly. Len squeezed my shoulder, startling me.

"Oh," Kaito remarked.

What kind of a response is that?!

"I'm so, so sorry...," I mumbled, trying to make eye contact with Kaito, "I just...I was curious, I just wanted to..."

"Well, it wasn't really even about you," Gakupo interrupted, "She was just gathering intel for the other fangirls."

"N-No! I didn't tell them!"

"Oh," Gakupo nodded and smiled at Kaito, "She was gathering intel for her own personal Kaito Database."

"No I wasn't!" I yelled. Oliver, Piko and Gakupo roared with laughter. My cheeks burned and Kaito cooly returned to licking his spoon and looking indescribably hot.

"I could use a little help here...," I mumbled, glancing up at Len. He patted my head, trying to comfort me, but it didn't really help.

"It's going to be okay, Kaito fangirl," he snickered.

"You too?" I croaked.

"It's fine, Kaito's not gonna bug you about it," Len said, "He's not that kind of guy."

"Really?" I don't even know why I asked.

"Yeah, Len knows him pretty well," Oliver said, stifling his laughter, "Better than us!"

"Huh?" I glanced at Kaito and then at Len, "T-The girls said that he might have a boy..."

"What?" Len clamped a hand over my mouth and glared at me, "Gumi, how could you think such a thing?"

The guys started to laugh again and I shook my head apologetically. Len pulled his hand away.

"N-Not like that!" Gakupo's face was red from all that laughter, "Oh God, this girl's a riot!"

Len slumped in his seat. "Gumi," he mumbled, "Why?"

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "It wasn't my idea, I swear! Besides...the girls would kill you if it was true..."

Len sighed. Piko, Oliver and Gakupo quieted down, though Gakupo was still banging his fist against the table, making Kaito's ice cream bowl tremble.

"It's fine," Kaito said once they were all quiet. I looked up at him with wide eyes, "It's a boys team, but I don't think there's anything wrong if she wants to watch our games next season."

My heart rattled my ribs, pounding excitedly. He wasn't angry at all, in fact, he was practically inviting me to watch him play!

"Thank you," I said, feeling genuinely breathless, "I'm sorry."

He smiled a little, his eyes curtained by his navy blue bangs. That was the first time I saw him smile.

"Don't apologize," he said, looking straight at me, "Remember?"

I exhaled slowly as a small laugh developed inside my throat. I smiled uncontrollably and laughed a little, giddily.

"R-Right," I grinned, "I remember."

After we ate, we started heading back to school. I walked quietly, stunned, sort of, because of all that had happened during half and hour.

"You like Kaito, huh?" Len looked at me as we walked. His tone was low and he spoke quietly.

"What?" I was much, much louder, "Of course not! Why would you even think that?"

Len shrugged. "Just...it seemed like you did."

"I don't," I said, a lump forming in my throat, "We talked about this. I don't even..."

"Love isn't a science, Gumi," Len interrupted me, "Sometimes our emotions betray our opinions."

"I don't like him," I mumbled, "Stop."

"Okay, fine," he raised his hands in the air, signalling defeat, "Whatever. I was just..."

"I just don't like it when the girls all fawn over him," I said, "It's..."

"It makes you feel like the odd one out?"

I shook my head and Len pulled me over to one side, away from the others. They were talking about other things and didn't really notice. I looked up at Len and he looked down at me, his fingers wrapped around my arms.

"Gumi," he whispered, "Tell me. What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," I shook my head, thankful that I didn't stutter, "I just...those guys..."

"You don't want to seem like another fangirl," Len said.

I looked down at my shoes and nodded slowly. I didn't want to be another Teto, Neru, Luka or Miku in Kaito's eyes. I wanted to be myself. I wanted to be Gumi Megpoid, the girl who didn't like him just because of how he looked.

"You don't," Len said. I looked up at him, "You're not a fangirl. You're a friend. Right?"

"R-Right," I nodded, "I hope."

Len grinned and patted my head. "Let's hurry back. Don't want to be late, right?"

We continued towards the school. Gakupo and the others headed towards their classes. Len tagged along with me, even though he had a different class.

"Hey, Len," I began as we headed upstairs, "I'm going to the mall with Miku, Neru and Teto on Saturday."

"That's nice," Len replied absentmindedly.

"Do...do you...," I glanced at him, "Do you want to come? Will you come?"

"Huh?" He frowned, "To the mall? With a bunch of girls?"

"Teto's bringing snacks!" I said, "You know how good her brownies taste!"

"But Miku's coming," Len gagged, "She really doesn't like me..."

"That's not true!" I shook my head, "She just...she just doesn't...trust you very much..."

Len frowned. "I don't understand her."

"She's sensitive, you know that," I said, "You're always teasing her."

"She should know that I don't mean it," Len mumbled.

I rolled my eyes. I didn't want to start a conversation about Len and Miku's friendship. I just wanted to bring him along. I knew that being just with those three girls would be boring and they'd probably talk about Kaito and only Kaito. And dresses and maybe food, but mostly Kaito.

"If you hang around her more, like you used to, when we were kids," I said, trying to wrap this up while persuading him to come, "Then she'll probably warm up to you again."

"Hmm," Len put a hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"That's why you should come!" I burst out, "Besides, I'll be bored if you don't..."

Len clapped his hands together and nodded. "Okay, I'll come," he said, "For you and for Miku...but mostly for you. Oh, and for Teto's brownies. Tell her to bring some banana bread too, okay?"

I nodded, laughing, relieved that I would have better-than-usual company. Len dropped me off at my class and waved goodbye, walking away.

I walked in, still grinning, heading towards my seat. Before I could get there, I was stopped by two teenage girls. I knew them both. Neru and Luka.

They had their hands on my shoulders, holding me back. I looked at them questioningly. They looked very angry. Neru's ponytail was a mess and Luka's long pink locks were all over the place.

"We didn't see Kaito at lunch today," Neru said gravely.

"I waited for him in the hall like I always do," Luka whispered darkly, "Sources tell us that he was with you."

I swallowed slowly, looking at Neru, and then at Luka. They looked more than angry. They looked downright scary.

Great. How am I supposed to explain myself?

The chapter title comes from the phrase 'friend or foe.' My original title for this chapter was 'Guy Talk.'