[Kairi's POV]
Weeks passed by and the bond between me and Ran is getting deeper, as well to his and my friends. And today, the professor requested me and my friends, Mina and Hiro, to go to our dean's office after her class.
Me: "Good afternoon Sir, Prof. Yamato told us to report to you."
Dean: "Oh yeah right, please sit down first."
Actually, we don't have an exact idea why we are been called here.
Dean: "So the reason why I called you three here is this" - he handed us a 3 black envelop with a gold seal. Each envelope has our names.
Dean: "Open it" *smiles*
We start to open the envelope and my eyes widen after I read the invitations.
Dean: "Congratulations to you three, the work you submitted last month made into the finals. So this weekend, you three are going to Kyoto for the awards nights and as indicated in the letter given to us, everyone is required to have an escort or muse to be with them. In your case... I guess one of you needs to get an escort or muse."
The two look at me.
Me: "What?"
Mina: "Dean, Hiro, and I will be partners for the gala so I think Kairi will be the one who needed an escort"
Hiro: "Sir, is the escort can be attending in different university?"
Dean: "Yes, as long as he or she is available to the date"
Mina: "Noted sir"
Dean: "So you can now start preparing for the gala, the clothes, accommodation, and transportation will be covered by the university"
Dean: "So see you in Kyoto."
Us: "Yes sir."
Escort? God, who should I ask for it?
Mina: "Kai-chi? Why don't you ask Ran about it?"
Me: "He's busy"
Hiro: "Oh.. you two are really updated to each other huh."
Me: "No it's not like that. They still have a tournament though"
Mina: "Geez girl, let just call him now. I'm pretty sure he will go with us"
Hiro: "He will not slip the chance of seeing Kai in a gown"
Me: "Shut up you two, don't bother him, okay, he might be busy right now. "
Mina: "Oh Hello Ran-chan!"
Me: "HEY!!!"
Geez, they really don't listen to me.
[Ran's POV]
I was on my way to the gymnasium for the daily training when my phone suddenly rang. I immediately took out my phone and I got a call from Akihira-san.
Me: "Moshi moshi"
Mina: "Oh Hello Ran-chan!"
Me: "Hi Mina-san"
Mina: "Ran-chan are you available this weekend?"
Me: "Yeah why?"
Mina: "OH MY GAD!!!! THAT's NICE TO HEAR. "
Actually, I was getting confused. Why she was so happy to hear that I'm free this weekend?
Mina: "Ran-chan listen..."
I continued to listen to her explanation and my eyes widen after she ask if I can escort Kai to the gala this weekend in Kyoto.
Me: "Yeah.. I'm in. I'll escort her"
Without hesitation, I agree to be her escort, Of course, I'm excited to see her wearing a gown and I will never slip this kind of opportunity to be with her this weekend.
Daiki: "Ran-chan when are you planning to get inside of the gym?"
Me: "Ah gomen gomen. I-I where's Kenta-san?"
I immediately tell Kenta-san about it and ask for help from my friends. What should I wear? What should I give her?
Daiki: "Ran-chi calm down, you said, the clothes expenses will be covered by their university"
Kenta: "I guess you should just buy her something to give her"
Me: "What should I give?"
Kenta: "Flowers? Necklace? Bracelet? Ring?"
Daiki: "Your body?" *chuckles*
Me: "BAKA!"
Kenta: "You can give her anything as long as it came from your heart. I'm pretty sure Kairi-chan is not a type of girl who is picky on about presents."
Me: "Okay.. thank you so much for the advice"
Kenta: "So when is the fitting?"
Me: "Tomorrow"
Daiki: "Can I go with you?"
I can really wait for the weekend to come.
[Timeskip: Friday evening]
[Kairi's POV]
Tonight is our departure to Kyoto, well according to our dean, it's better to be there the day ahead so we can still prepare for the gala the next day. The meeting place will be in the university so the four of us arrive there together.
Mina: "Is everything okay?"
Me: "Yeah..."
Hiro: "Yup"
Ran: "Yes"
Mina: "I guess we can depart now"
Ran: "Kai? Where is Miku?"
Me: "Ah I leave her for a moment in the pet hotel "
Ran: "I see"
For 5 hours of travel, all we do is to mind our own business. In terms of the sitting arrangement, The two really plan this. They let us sit together in the back of the van while the two took the remaining seats.
During our travel, I just listen to music to avoid falling asleep. It was the same for Ran too, he was playing games on his phone but after how many minutes, he stop and decided to take a nap. Well, I can take my eyes on him, I observe him clearly, admiring his beauty...
I really wonder if we really had the same feelings for each other. Base on his actions, he was really concerned with me. Sometimes, he spends weekends in my unit. He does his homework in my unit and even takes meals with me.
What if he was just like all of his friends?
Ran: "Is there something on my face?"
Me: "Huh..? I- I mean nothing?"
A smile form on his lips and I got stunned after he just rested his head on my shoulders.
Ran: "I'll just take a quick nap"
I was still too stunned to speak until I process everything in my head. A smile forms on my lips as I look back outside. I guess I should take a nap too.
[Ran's POV]
I woke up after 10 minutes and I look at Kai who had already fallen asleep. Her head was leaning on the windowpane so I decided to pull her carefully closer to mine so that she can be more comfortable.
I let her rest her head on my chest as I wrapped my one arm around her waist I really don't mind being caught by her friends. Why would I get scared to be seen by them, I just want to tell her and make her feel that she is important to me. That I was really serious about her and about what I said before on the camp.
I'm not playing her feelings.
I'm just finding the right time to confess to her.
And I hope I can finally find it.
I want us to be official before I go to Italy.
-- To Be Continued --
A/N: Hi 😄 Thank you so much for reading this chapter. Thank you too for voting in this chapter. 😁 I'll see you in the next chapter. 🥰