163 Chapter three, 2016, school festival, madness and glory: 2 (1/2)

The first Yukio did after they cleaned away the fashion show was dragging Kyoko to the plaza, or rather to the soccer field behind it.

”Please don't be angry with me,” he begged her. Belatedly he realised that might not have been the best way to start a conversation.

She looked at him with something akin to worry in her eyes.

'I'm an idiot. Better stay an honest idiot then.' ”Kyoko, I'm afraid the student council president has a crush on me.”

That got her attention. She looked at him again. Then she placed her hand on his forehead. ”No fever. He's just delusional.”

”Huh?” 'She's not angry?'

Kyoko switched off her radio, then she hugged him. Or maybe not. He felt her fingers by his belt, and then a snap told him she had switched his off as well.

”This is also our festival. I haven't had a moment for myself,” she said and pulled back.

Listening to her words Yukio suddenly felt how tired and hungry he was. Still, he wanted to get through to her. ”Listen, I wasn't joking,” he began.

She put her fingers to his lips. ”I know. I saw you through the windows.” With her hand still on his chin she buried her face in his chest. ”I don't care. You chose me over Kuri-chan from the beginning. The student council president doesn't even count as competition.”

'You trust me that much? I love you. You're the best.' He didn't voice his thoughts, but he did wrap his arms around her.

Behind him the sounds of good natured chaos reached him from the barbecue stalls together with alluring whiffs of meat grilling. They had to eat soon or they'd never make the evening.

Right now he could stay hungry for a while. With Kyoko in his arms, a cool wind in his hair and both radios blissfully silent, he revelled in the feeling of standing alone with her. It didn't matter that it was an illusion, that the sound of voices came from mere metres away or that he had to turn his radio back on before someone got frantic.