Chapter 10- Like me Like me

This chapter takes place the next day after the previous chapter, neither of them had work this day.

"Aether!" Someone calls out his name from a slight distance, the voice sounds very familiar, but it was too far to tell exactly who it was.

Xiao and Aether that day had decided to go to the store near their apartments to get things like large bandages, bandage wraps, and some other things.

Turning around, both of them saw someone that looked very similar to Aether. Xiao assumed this was Ae's twin sister, seeing as he knew Aether had a twin but had never seen pictures of her so he was still unsure if this actually was her.

"Lumine!" Aether called out to the other person who he now recognized to be his twin sister and was accompanied by her girlfriend, Ayaka.

Lumine practically runs up to Aether and gives him a gigantic hug, which Aether reciprocates happily. There is a big smile on the twins' faces and on Ayaka's as well. Xiao was smiling, not as big, he's just happy to see his friend happy.

The twins pull back from each other as the other woman, which Xiao doesn't know her name, but she looked eerily familiar. Aether then went in to hug the other woman, who graciously retired the hug.

"Hi, Ayaka! How have you been?" Aether asks the woman after pulling away from the hug with her.

"Hello, Aether. I've been good, how have you been?" The woman asks, who Xiao knows to be an Ayaka.

"I've been really good! Lumine, Ayaka, this is Xiao!" Ae says as he almost presents Xiao with his hands, before continuing, "Xiao, this is my twin sister Lumines and her girlfriend Ayaka Kamisato."

Xiao's eyes widens at hearing the name of the other woman. Ayaka Kamisato? As in the Ayaka Kamisato that is in charge of the police department of this city and who's brother is in charge of the police department of the entire county. That Ayaka Kamisato?

Xiao hurriedly walks up to Ayaka and does a ninety degree bow at her before shaking her hand, then moving over to Limune to shake her hand and introducing himself, "It is my pleasure to meet you Miss Kamisato and Miss Lumine."

"There's no need to be so formal, a friend of Aether's is a friend of ours, so no need to address us so formally." Ayaka states, a friendly smile on her face.

"I understand, but I must address a higher-up formally. I am a police officer in this city and you are in charge of the police department here, so I must address you formally." Xiao explains, slightly nervous with saying it since he was talking to his superior.

"Well, I understand that, Xiao. However, we're not on duty right now, so there is no need to address me as such, at this moment I am just Ayaka Kamisato." Ayaka calmly states, trying to reassure Xiao that it is okay to speak informally to her.

"Well, if you insist, Ayaka." Xiao says, trying to calm himself and talk informally.

"Aether, can you come with me for a second, there's something I wanna ask you about?" Lumine asks her twin brother, who just nods to agree and follows her to maybe ten to fifteen feet away from where Xiao and Ayaka are.

"Is that the guy you like?" Lumine asks quietly, a slightly smug smile on her face as she glances at Xiao when she sees the other glance at him, Xiao was having a conversation with Ayaka about something they couldn't hear over the rest of the grocery store.

"Yes, but he doesn't know, okay? I don't even know if he likes me like that, so don't make it obvious or anything like that." Aether half mumbled to Lumine, trying to bargain with her on not making his feelings obvious to the other just in case he doesn't like the blonde like that.

"Aether, I'm being serious when I say this, but I seriously think he likes you. Do you know how many times he's taken glances at you, stared at you, looked like he wanted to touch you in some way like holding your hand. I really think you have a chance with him." Lumine explains her thoughts to the other, trying to give him hope that he could have a chance with Xiao.

"Wait- seriously? I never noticed that. You're not just saying that, right?" Aether worried out loud to his sister, afraid that she was just saying that to give him false hope.

"I'm serious, Aether. I seriously think he likes you, just ask him out!" Lumine half exclaims, trying to keep her volume as low as possible while also trying to hype Aether up for it.

Aether just had this big grin on his face as him and Lumine walked back towards Xiao and Ayaka. Aether, feeling a bit more confident and stood closer to Xiao then he was before he left with Lumine to talk. He couldn't help but notice the very slight blush that was dusting his cheeks.

"Well, it was nice seeing you Aether and it was nice meeting you Xiao, but now Ayaka and I have some shopping to do. See you two later!" Lumine beamed, turning around after grabbing Ayaka's hand. Looking back for a second, she sent Aether a wink for encouragement.

About an hour had passed since Lumine and Ayaka went on to do their own shopping, leaving Xiao and Aether alone. They had gotten all they needed to get and a few other things. They were in Xiao's car and headed back to Xiao's place to hang out some before Aether left for his own place

"I have a question and I want you to be very honest with me, okay?" Ae questions, looking over at the other.

"Okay, what's your question?" Xiao responds, eyes trained on the road still.

"You like me, don't you? As in like me like me." He grinned as he watches the other's eyes widen, not expecting that to be the question, and there was a deep blush growing on his cheeks. Ae couldn't help but smile at Xiao as he pressed a soft kiss to the other man's cheek, which only made him blush harder. Aether spoke again after he fully sat down again, "It's okay if you do, because I like you like you too."