19 Chapter two, 2016, buddying emotions: 6 (2/2)

”You say nothing. Nothing. Next two Fridays you treat me.”

Urufu-kun nodded.

”And I won't be cheap.”

Urufu-kun nodded again.

”Geek's actually spending time out?” That came from the back of the classroom.

Urufu-kun grinned and nodded a third time.

Yukio sighed and took his chair. The classes before lunch break went by in a daze, and then it was time for his fifteen minutes of fame by the bike stands.

'Love it with the audience in the windows. Not!'

”Go for it man!” some helpful moron shouted from 8:1

Takeida-san was already waiting for him. She didn't exactly look love-struck.

”Whoa! She's from the right wing. It's Ageruman-san's friend. Damn you've got some guts!” came the next moronic commentary. 5:1 this time.

As a matter of fact Takeida-san looked less than impressed with the entire set-up.

”Go under the roof and you won't be seen,” a third idiot helpfully added in a gloriously failed attempt to make Yukio look more inconspicuous.

Coming this close to her Yukio could see that she was most likely royally pissed.

He had to get this over with before he lost the courage to go through with it. ”Takeida-san, I have two requests. Please listen to them both!”

”He's doing it!”

'I'll kill those guys!'

”You. Called. Me. Out. Make it short!”

'Yeah, experiencing the pain of embarrassment is an activity where time is of essence. Crap!' ”My first request concerns Ageruman Kuritina and is on behalf of my friend Hamarugen Urufu. It's all in this letter. Please convey it to her!”

”Another stupid go between!”

He couldn't really do much but agree with her. ”My second request is my own.”

For the first time she looked at him with something that looked like interest.

”You may not know me, but I've seen you. I'm Matsumoto Yukio.” Yukio recalled Urufu-kun's words. ”I like you. I want you to know that, because anything else would be dishonest.” And then for the lesser commitment. ”But I still would want to start out as friends rather than have you respond to someone you don't know. Would you care to be my friend?”

Takeida-san gave him a smile that could almost be called friendly. Then she looked at the letter he had given her. ”Forget it!” she said and walked past him.

”The letter?” Yukio tried in an attempt to at least salvage something.

”I'll handle it. Stay away from me!”

'Gods, that was harsh. Really harsh. Were you trying to deliberately hurt me, Takeida-san? Saying: 'Sorry but I'm not interested' would have been enough.'

He was close to tears but blinked them away.

'That was really, really harsh you know.'

He couldn't blink them away any longer. He stood there for a while and pretended to study the bikes.