Chapter 10

Kimura, Suzuki, and Yun sat at a table together as Yun and Kimura were looking at each other intensively. Both were quiet as they had one card each, they grabbed the cards on opposite sides as they flipped it. It was a King of spades and an Ace of clovers. Yun was slightly faster as he slammed his card, a 2 of hearts onto the Ace of Clovers.

"DAMN IT!!"

Kimura slammed his card, a 2 of Clovers, onto the table, obviously angry. Yun cheered as Suzuki and Yun high fived each other. Kimura looked at them as he chuckled taking the cards and fixing them before shuffling it. I'll win at a game of speed…1 he then said, "Another game of speed Yun?" as Suzuki slightly translated it.

He nodded in response as he began to set it up, as he set it up, he then saw Fujiwara standing in the doorway, leaning on it looking at Kimura directly. Am…Am I in trouble again…? He grew a little nervous as he set the cards down. 

"How about you two go first?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, I have to attend to something really quick."

He got up and took a step back for Suzuki, she walked over and sat down as they began playing speed. Meanwhile, he turned his attention to Fujiwara, waiting for him. Fujiwara stood up straight as she waved him to follow, they walked out of the hallway as they began walking downstairs and out of the school building.

"Where are we going?"

"Where else? We're going out."

"Huh?"

Kimura was confused on what she means by 'going out' but decides to tag along. Kimura followed Fujiwara as they walked out of school and began walking down the streets. While walking Fujiwara stopped to look at a store, that store being a clothing store as she stared at the billboard. Endless 21… he looked at Fujiwara as he asked, "Do you want to go there?" as she jumped a little.

"W-What noo…I mean…I shouldn't go to a store like that bad…"

She rubbed the back of her neck as she was hiding something, Kimura noticed it as he grabs her arm, beginning to walk over there. "K-Kimura let go! I'm serious I—" Her sentence was cut off as he replied, "You don't have to close your interests, we're going to Endless 21.". Fujiwara didn't expect Kimura to be bold about it as they both walked in Endless 21. The store was vast, filled with clothes, music coming out of speakers, and the store itself being busy. "C'mon, Let's see what you want to wear." He asks her as she slightly flusters up a bit, walking towards the women's section nervously.

Fujiwara looks through the clothes as her nervousness suddenly disappears, she began to smile as she organized and looked through clothes. Fujiwara pulled out some clothes as she carried a couple of them, walking over to the changing room to try them out. Kimura stayed by her side as he stayed near the changing room.

Now I think about it…When was the last time big sis took me out to look for clothes…?

He scratches his head a bit intrigued on when was the last time that happened, clearly missing the Click! sound from the doorknob. "K-Kimura…" a voice shyly called him; he turned his attention to where it came from as Fujiwara was poking her head out of the door. "So? How'd it fit?" he asked politely, her face red as she nervously asked, "C-can you come here…?".

Why is she so nervous? This is a first…

Kimura walked over confused as she slightly opened the door a bit more. Creeeaakk… It creaked a little as she showed what she was wearing, it was a loose crop top, but it was a little short, her face was red with embarrassment as her ears were red as well. Kimura instantly turned around saying "Change quickly!!", she closed the door as Kimura sighed as he was a bit flustered at her choice of clothes. 

"S…Sorry…"

"Why are you apologizing for?"

"It's just…It was stupid of me to show you the crop top…"

Is that how she really thinks of it? I thought it looked nice…just a bit short…

"Well, I thought it looked great on you, just that it was a bit too short."

He tried to comfort and reassure Fujiwara, but she replied, "I have one more…". Kimura flustered up a bit being reminded of the first one, shaking his head getting that thought out of his head. "Alright, just open the door and show me when you're ready." Kimura chuckled a bit nervously, it grew silent as he waited. A couple of minutes later, the door opened.

Creeeaaakk…

It opened a bit as Fujiwara leaned out just enough to show him, he looked at her as he saw the crop top, this one was a little tighter than the last, but the length was just a few inches above her belly button. "Y'know, that one doesn't look half bad." Kimura commented optimistically as she quickly closed the door without saying anything. Was it something I said…? He was confused as she quickly changed out and walked out of the changing room in her academy outfit.

They went to the cashier as she bought some clothes, carrying two bags in one hand. They continued walking down the street as Kimura looked back, asking, "when are we heading back to the academy?". She stayed silent as he was confused on her silence, they made their way a street down as they stopped in-front of a boba shop. Ishikari's Boba Shop? He looked up at the sign, Suddenly Fujiwara broke her silence, saying "I want some boba…".

Kimura turned to look at her as she was looking down, her hair blocking his view of her face, without a second thought he moved her hair as he replied, "sure, My treat.". She looked at him as he walked in, she followed him in as they sat down with their boba drinks.

It was a bit noisy as people were talking and they were sitting in seats near the front window. Kimura drank his strawberry boba and she drank her mango boba, she looked away from him lessening their eye contact.

"Why did you want me to go with you?"

"Huh?" She looked at Kimura.

"Why'd you want me to go with you?"

"Well…"

She took a bit to think about it as Kimura stared at her confused. She took a deep breath, replying to his question, "It's because I want to know more about you.". He raised an eyebrow drinking his strawberry boba, she then explained,

"I don't even know you that much, but you decided to participate in the middle grounds and decided to sit with me during lunch outside…It just doesn't seem right since I'm not even that good of a person…I treated you like crap and tried to ward you off with bluffs…so…why do you keep persisting to see me…?"

Kimura sat there as he just lightly smiled, looking at her. "Well, you seem lonely…" he replied as she looks at him, surprised and touched a bit. Kimura smiled as he gets out of the seat, walking out of the boba shop.