Playing Both Sides

"I wanted to say to you… That I like you!" A familiar sight. "So please, I'd like to go out with you." Akaki sighed, how many hearts was he going to have to break?

"I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same way." He let her down easy, as he did with everyone else.

"I see…" The girl hung her head down, hiding the tears welling up. "I'm sorry to bother you."

"It's not a bother to me." The girl walked away, a sight that he had seen too often. Even if he promised himself that he was going to help the girl he truly loved. Something inside him just couldn't move on. He sighed, and walked away from this scene.

"So that's another one, isn't it." As he rounded the corner, he was frightened to see Arata waiting for him.

"H-how long have you-"

"Sorry, I didn't meant to eavesdrop." He claimed innocence. "I was just looking for you, I had something important to talk to you about." Since he didn't have anything occupying him at the moment, he agreed.

"So what did you want to ask me?" They walked through the school halls. Classes were finished, usually that meant only clubs were around. However, because of the upcoming festival, more people were running back and forth for preparations.

"So how many is that now?" He ignored the question. "Three this week?"

"Y-yeah…" Getting confessed to was a very common occurrence for him. Probably due to the Summer break, it was happening more often once they got back to school. "I wish it didn't have to be that way."

"Yeah, you'd think they'd get the message by now." Said Arata. "After all, your heart's already taken."

"Hey, not so loud!" He got nervous, shooting his eyes back and forth for people nearby.

"Relax, everyone's too occupied with the culture festival to care about what we're talking about." Arata calmed him down. "Beside, if we looked for somewhere more private, someone might notice and follow us." Being someone with a major secret, he had gotten used to knowing how to hide in plain sight. He learned this the hard way after he tried sneaking that manga during last year's festival. Almost got caught then.

"You already know I've given up on her." He replied. "She loves Yogi, so it doesn't matter anymore." Akaki wasn't sure what he was getting to with this, but it was making him feel anxious.

"What if I haven't given up on her?"

"What? You can't just t-take her for yourself, I-I don't even think she likes you!" In his panic, he said this in a voice much louder than he wanted to. A couple of students stopped what they were doing and stared at them.

"M-mind your own business." Arata shouted back at them. Flustered by Akaki's sudden outburst. "And I-I'm not talking about myself here!" He couldn't deny that Akiba was a very attractive girl, but with everything going around her, along with his own personality. It wouldn't make any sense to him.

"Then what are you talking about?"

"Whether or not you want it. I'm going to be your supporter now." Arata was going to try and get Akiba to notice Akaki as more than a friend. This was going to be a step in his plan on handling his ordeal with both Erina and Ayami. However, there was more than just that as a reason.

"I don't want that at all." The tables had been turned on him now. He had spend most of his friendship with unrequited love. Now this boy that he hardly knew was trying to make it more requited. "You're just doing that because of Erina, aren't you?"

"Maybe…" He admitted. He didn't want to tell the truth about his sister, but there was something he felt comfortable saying. "But, it's mostly because I think it's sad to see you in this position."

"Sure, it's not ideal, but-"

"Look, you're smart and athletic." Arata cut him off. "Plus, you're fairly popular. Most girls here really like a boy like you."

"Gee, you don't have to flatter me." He laughed nervously from the praise.

"From the looks of it, you don't have a shortage of girls asking you out." Arata continued. "But you always reject them, and I know that's because you still like her, even if you won't admit it." Akaki didn't have the chance to protest his conclusion. Yogi showed up, interrupting their conversation.

"There you two are." He said, making him jump in fear.

"Oh hey Yogi. I didn't know you were still at school." Akaki quickly regained his composure. "I thought I said you could walk home with Akiba?" So even when he knew he was getting confessed to, he was still thinking of her. That boy really was committed to her, thought Arata.

"Yeah, what are you doing here?"

"Well the two of us wanted to see if either of you wanted to go grab a bite to eat." Knowing Akiba, this was more Yogi's desire than hers. Still, it would've seemed odd to him if she was against it, so she went with it instead.

"I guess that fine." Akaki accepted. "So where are we going?"

"Actually, we were hoping you might have something in mind." Yogi laughed.

"You know, I might have an idea." If Arata was going to try this. It was going to have to be on his turf. "At least, if you're up for noodles." Yogi was, so Akaki agreed to it as well.

He took them to the same restaurant that he had dinner with Erina once. The food was pretty good, and the prices weren't so bad. So he was sure that they wouldn't complain.

"I've eaten here before." Yogi recognized the place. He'd been here with Erina before, the other two were not familiar with this restaurant at all.

"You have? That's cool, then you can choose where we're sitting then." Arata waited for him to take a seat. Once he did, he quickly chose the spot in front of him. "Hey, Akaki. You should sit next to me." He offered, which was accepted. Akaki knew that meant Akiba would be sitting next to Yogi, so it seemed fine to him.

They ordered their food. Arata decided to get what he saw Erina get the last time he was here. It looked rather appetizing, though it was on the costly side. So he asked to remove some of the expensive parts of it as well. The others ordered other types of noodles bowls to have, except for Akaki, who got various fried shrimp and prawns with rice.

"I have to say." Akaki whispered over to him. "I'm surprised this is the seating arrangement you wanted." He remembered what Arata did during their bus ride. It was good enough to fool him until it was too late. Knowing about his situation, it seemed odd that he let this happen.

"Where do people look when they're eating their food?" He answered with a question of his own. He was spending too much time with Hine these days.

"In front of them? Where their food is." He realized what Arata had done the moment he answered.

"You know, couples don't sit next to each other on dates, they sit in front of each other. So I guess you could pretend that this is a type of date." He was shaking nervously in his seat from hearing that word. He never tried to imagine he'd date that girl, and he wasn't planning on starting now.

"Hey what are you two whispering over there?" Yogi asked.

"Oh nothing, just some school stuff." They laughed nervously in response.

"Say, Yogi." Arata had a question. "What do you think of Akaki's outfit?"

"You mean the school uniform?" Yogi looked at him confused, seeing as they were all wearing the same thing.

"We all wear it differently. Yours is probably the most normal of us all." He explained. "Mines is just a little too big for me, so it's loose. And he doesn't like to wear his blazer, so I was wondering what you thought about that look." Arata put it in a way as if asking for advice.

"I think it fits him very well." Yogi thought about his friend's look more deeply. "He's an athlete, so it makes sense that he wouldn't want it to be restrictive. Thought I think that you should stick with what you have."

"Yeah, I guess I'll just keep my baggy clothes." Akaki didn't understand what he was trying to do. If he wanted Akiba to notice him more, shouldn't he ask for her opinion?

"Actually, since you're a girl. What do you think Akiba?" Yogi asked. This was what Arata was looking for. He had learned that the boy could do a lot of work for him, so that anything he did, didn't seem forced.

"Well I think it looks good." It made Akaki blush at hearing her compliment. "It makes him stand out, and he looks comfortable in it." She described her thoughts on them. "I think that Arata's is fine on him too, even if it's the wrong size... But I'd say that you have the best outfit." She said to Yogi.

"You really think so? I didn't think I did anything special to it…" That was smart of her, thought Arata. Turning this to score some attention with Yogi on that one. Their food came in, and they started to enjoy their meal. Except, if Akaki thought that Arata was finished, he would be very wrong in thinking that he was safe.

"Wow." Arata said, finishing a bite. "Your food looks pretty good." He pointed over to a piece of shrimp. "Do you mind if I have a piece?"

"Sure, I guess to make it even. I'll have a bite of your noodles." Arata picked up a piece of shrimp and ate it.

"Oh, it's so good." He overacted on enjoyment. Not that it didn't taste good, but he needed to get some attention for his move. "Hey, Akiba, you should try this. You said you liked seafood, right?"

"Yeah, it is my favorite." She had herself ramen with crab and lobster, which looked rather tasty on it's own. "I guess if it's as good as you say, I'll try it." She tried reaching over with her chopstick, but it was a bit far, and she didn't want to seem impolite leaning over the table.

"Don't be rude." Arata gave him a pat on the back. "You should feed her a piece."

"Yeah, you should." Yogi unknowingly helped Arata again.

The pressure on him was immense. Akaki slowly picked up a piece, holding it up for her. He leaned over, so she wouldn't have to work for it. She opened her mouth, and ate the piece. Looking very adorable doing so, making his heart skip a beat. He quickly recoiled back into his seat, finally remembering to take a breath.

"It is delicious!" She smiled. "We should share our food, I'd love more of that." Wasn't the reaction that Arata was expecting, but it wasn't bad for him either.

"S-sure." Akaki sighed, taking another bite of his food. He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked over to his seatmate.

"Indirect kiss…" Was the message he received.

"I'm going to the bathroom!" He rushed up from his seat, walking briskly to the restroom.

Arata smiled, it was fun teasing people as it would turn out. He couldn't believe that he had been missing out on that. Except, that didn't mean his efforts were going to any goals yet. He looked over to Akiba, enjoying her food. That was the girl he needed to focus on if he was going to reach his ambitions.