Three weeks had gone by since Aiko's conversation with Baji in the library. And, despite making a firm resolution to spend more time with him and Chifuyu, they still hadn't got any further than a short 5-minute exchange as she made her way to the library.

Daichi and the others had bought her excuse that she had met them at a cram school she'd attended when she first arrived, although neither he nor Ichika could understand why she took the time to talk with them as they were not from any of the schools in their district. Aiko had simply rolled her eyes at their snobbery and continued as she wished, even introducing Yui on one occasion. Yui had a slightly less arrogant viewpoint of the people from different areas and seemed genuinely pleased to meet them.

The last week of April had become extra stressful, with midterms getting ever closer, and now their usual two hours of study at the library had been increased to four hours. Aiko would have spent what little remained of the night screaming into her pillow if she hadn't already seen the four-hour study break as an opportunity not to be missed.

Four hours of study at the library gave her ample amount of time to, somehow, spend some real time with Baji and Chifuyu. They just need to show up, Aiko willed as she made her way to the library, knowing full well that even if they didn't show up she was somehow going to find them.

Thankfully, they were there as usual, in the same spot on the corner of the road.

Aiko groaned loudly and coiled over, holding her hands against her belly.

"What's the matter?" Daichi asked, hovering his hand over her back for a moment before pulling it back.

Aiko shook her head and pressed her hand over her mouth.

"She was complaining about a tummy ache not long ago," Yui said, moving in to rub her back in place of Daichi. "Maybe she needs to lie down or something."

"I need to go home," Aiko said, bringing herself to a shaken stance before wobbling off. "I'll go back to the school and ask them to call my dad."

"Yeah, sure," Daichi said, jogging up to stand beside her. "Do you need any help?" he asked, offering his arm to her.

Right on cue the sound of wheels coming to a sudden stop in front of them drew all of their attention away from Aiko.

"I'll give her a hand if she needs one," Baji said. His statement sounded more like a command than a suggestion.

Rather than wait for her to accept his offer, Daichi grabbed hold of Aiko's arm instead. "She probably shouldn't ride on a bike if she feels sick."

"Oh no," Aiko countered, pulling her arm away out of his grip. "I'll be fine. The quicker I get there the better."

Daichi's eyes narrowed as he glanced back and forth between Aiko and Baji. "Right," he said with no further protest. "I guess I'll call you later."

Aiko slid onto the bicycle seat and gripped Baji's waist before he began pedalling towards the school.

In less than 5 minutes Baji stopped his bike outside the school gates. He looked over his shoulder to Aiko, whose recovery seemed to have come as quickly as her illness had. "I have a feeling you didn't plan to go into the school. Is that right?"

"Right."

"So where were you planning to go?"

"Where are you going?"

Baji smiled, faced forward and began pedalling again, this time faster. Which Aiko didn't mind; it just meant she had to hold on tighter.

Aiko watched the passing scenery, more concerned with the fact that she had never gotten the chance to see anywhere than with the fact that she had no idea where they were going until they eventually pulled up in front of an apartment block.

"We're here," Baji said as a cue for Aiko to get off the bike, which in turn he also did.

"Where's here?" Aiko asked.

The two boys secured their bikes before Chifuyu turned and said, "Home," and then led the way into the building.

As both boys lived in the same apartment block, they had become more like flatmates using either one's house as a quick stop off after school. They would drop off their school things, eat and then get ready for an evening meeting with their gang.

That day they were going to Chifuyu's house.

Aiko followed behind while the two discussed their plans for the evening, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was there until they were entering the apartment when Chifuyu turned quickly to inform her that nobody would be home, but she needn't worry as they wouldn't be long.

Needn't worry? she wondered, closing the door behind her. Was that to comfort me with the fact that I wouldn't be alone in the house with them for long, or that we would be gone before anybody else came home? But again Chifuyu and Baji were back in their own world discussing as if she wasn't present.

"Ten minutes," Baji called to Chifuyu who left for the shower, and then Baji finally turned to acknowledge Aiko. "Are you hungry?"

"Err ... Not really."

"Thirsty?"

"A little."

Aiko followed Baji through to the kitchen where he poured three glasses of juice and looked in the cupboard before letting out a small groan, indicating he probably hadn't found what he was looking for. Next, he popped a straw into each cup, handed one to Aiko and then jumped up onto the kitchen side before starting to sip on his drink as he watched her.

"Thanks," she said, sipping on her drink and looking around the kitchen to avoid eye contact with him. This was the first time she had felt nervous around Baji and the first time she had felt stuck for words for as long as she could remember.

"As you didn't call your dad, I assume you need to be back in time for your driver?"

"Yes. Is that okay?"

"How long do you have?"

Aiko looked at her watch, making a mental note that Baji regularly overlooked answering her questions. "Just over three hours."

Baji nodded, finished his drink and took it to the sink where he washed it, along with the other items that were in the sink. Aiko quickly finished her drink and then stepped forward to hand the glass to him to wash also.

Baji seemed content as he worked quietly and thoughtfully, drying the sides down with some kitchen roll, and then he pulled another sheet of kitchen roll and began folding it over and over until he had a small origami flower and he placed it on top of the kitchen rack.

"For Chifuyu's mom," he said on turning to find Aiko watching him in slight confusion.

"Oh," she let out. A wave of relief swept over her that it wasn't for Chifuyu's sister, though she didn't know if either of them had any siblings.

"Come," he said, gesturing for her to follow him where he led her to the end of the hallway and into a bedroom, presumably Chifuyu's. Then he gestured to the bed, "You can sit down, we're just getting ready to leave."

Aiko sat at the foot of the bed, the centre being taken up by a black cat curled up asleep. It opened one eye to view its new companion and then stretched a leg and went back to sleep. Meanwhile, Baji went to a small desk and began removing the contents of his pockets and then unbuttoning his shirt which he took off and started folding.

"Um," Aiko said with a small throat clear. "Do you want me to leave?"

Baji turned and looked at her for a moment through narrowed eyes of confusion before a full smile spread across his lips. "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

"Yes," she answered abruptly.

Baji let out a low laugh. "You're the one who just concocted this whole escape to follow two guys you barely know home. I wouldn't have thought you were so sensitive."

Aiko dropped her head, a rush of shame running through her. That was exactly what her dad always complained about; she was too rash and would surely bring shame on the family if she was not restrained.

Baji continued. "Not to mention following a group of strange boys to a member's only meeting of a gang you knew nothing about."

"Look," she said, raising her head back to meet his gaze. "I don't just go home with boys I don't know. I had considered the two of you my friends."

Baji gave a slight tilt of his head in acceptance and placed his neatly folded shirt on a nearby stool.

"The first thing was pretty dumb though," she admitted.

"Real dumb," Baji corrected, trying to keep a straight face before finally breaking into laughter. "Gee, I'm messing with you. Well, not exactly, your dad should have grounded you for a year but, I mean, it was me you ran into so you were pretty safe. Also, I was kind of charmed."

Aiko bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. "Charmed?"

"Yeah. You did prattle on a bit about being excited to meet gang members, but you seemed ..." Chifuyu walking into the room caught Baji's attention, halting his words at the same time. "Just so you know," he continued after picking up his pile of clothes and towel. "We don't usually bring girls home with us."

"Yeah," Chifuyu said, pulling a small towel down from on top of his head. "You're the first girl that's been in my room so, I hope it's cool."

Aiko looked around taking it in properly for the first time and then nodded her head. The term charmed  still dominating her thoughts.

With that Baji left for the shower and Chifuyu went about unpacking his school bag and drinking the juice that Baji had brought for him.

Aiko listened closely to the sound of the bathroom door and once she was sure Baji wouldn't be returning anytime soon she let out a long breath and sank her head into her hands.

"Everything okay?" Chifuyu asked.

"Yeah," she said, remembering some of the questions that had run through her mind since she arrived. "Does Baji have siblings?" she asked quickly.

"No."

"What about you?"

"No."

"Oh ok." She looked down at her hands, entwining her fingers with each other. So the flower was really for Chifuyu's mom, she thought, feeling that smile spreading along her lips once again.

Chifuyu walked over and sat at the other end of the bed and began stroking the cat who immediately rolled onto its back for him. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. It's just Baji can be a little ..." Scary wasn't the word. "Intense," she got out.

"Yeah, I guess. He takes a while to figure out, but he does just wear his heart on his sleeve. He's probably the realest person I've ever met."

"Have you two been friends for long?"

Chifuyu went into the brief history of when and how he'd met Baji. His age showed for the first time as his eyes glowed with clear admiration at every mention he made of Baji. He could easily have been a younger brother of Baji the way he seemed to idolise him completely. Aiko nodded along as Chifuyu spoke, agreeing with his every word as if she had witnessed the events too.

"Wow, Baji is lucky to have a friend like you," Aiko said. "You really love him."

Chifuyu let out a soft, shy laugh. "We're close if that's what you mean but, yeah, I guess I'm lucky to have a friend like him, too."

"Yeah," Aiko said just as Baji walked back through the door. He was dressed in his Toman uniform as well with his hair, still wet from the shower, hanging limply around his face.

His eyes immediately went from Aiko to Chifuyu who was still sitting on the bed, then he raised his eyebrows slightly. "We'll leave in about ten minutes," he said, ruffling his hair towel over his head.

"Yeah, sure," Chifuyu said, jumping up from the bed. "We should get some dorayaki to bring with us."

Baji separated his change from his keys on the desk and pushed it towards Chifuyu. "That's all I have with me."

"Right," Chifuyu said, mixing his own change with it and counting through. "We should get an extra one for Mikey, right?"

Baji lifted Chifuyu's towel from his shoulder and began rubbing it over Chifyuyu's head. "Better make that an extra two or three, you know Mikey won't settle for one." Then, after throwing the towel over a small rack nearby he picked up a brush and brushed Chifuyu's hair down. Chifuyu continued counting and talking while Baji fixed his hair, again both oblivious to Aiko whose heart ached as she watched, wishing she could have the same space in Baji's life.

On finishing, Baji lifted his keys and a pair of socks from the desk and went to sit down on the bed in the same place Chifuyu had sat, dropping the keys and brush on the bed next to him as he put on his socks. While Chifuyu proudly checked his hair in the mirror, rubbing his hands down it to smooth it out one last time.

Aiko couldn't take her eyes off the brush. I must have some relevance in their circle of friends, she told herself. Or why bring me here? Why show up at all every Wednesday just to say hello? She needn't convince herself any longer, she reached forward, picked up the brush and brushed it down the length of his hair.

Baji froze momentarily before turning his head slightly to look at Aiko who, on catching Baji's gaze, froze too.

Was that too much? she wondered, pulling her hand back slowly waiting for some kind of rebuttal that never came.

"It needs to be dried," he said instead and then picked up the cat, who Aiko had learned was named Peke J and laid him on his lap before ruffling his fingers under Peke J's neck.

Aiko didn't wait for him to reconsider. She climbed onto the bed and kneeled behind Baji, taking his towel from his shoulder and rubbing his hair together in between it.

It had been a long time since she'd helped somebody with their hair so she tried to be as soft as possible while still drying each section thoroughly. It seemed Baji had different ideas; he grabbed hold of her hand along with the towel, pressed it against the top of his head and rubbed it roughly. "You don't have to be gentle with me," he said.

Right, she thought, continuing in the same vein until it seemed dry enough. She dropped the towel on the bed and picked the brush back up. Brushing was easy, apart from a small section where it may have been ruffled a little too much and had a few knots. "Sorry," she said quickly, pressing her hand down against his scalp in hope that it hadn't pulled too much.

"Aiko," he said in a slightly irritated tone. "I'm not a baby. I told you - you don't have to be gentle."

"That's not because I think you're a baby," she said, refusing to pull roughly at his hair. "Don't you think it's nice when someone is gentle with you?"

Baji shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and continued playing with Peke J before glancing up quickly at Chifuyu who was now sitting on his stool watching them. "You done?" Baji asked.

"Done," Aiko said, freezing once again when Baji turned on the bed to face her.

His hair still had a slight wetness to it, but nothing that wouldn't dry easily after a few minutes. It was shining too, as were his eyes as he watched her causing her heart to beat harder and faster than it ever had, even on track days. She took a few shallow breaths, hoping that her chaotic internal state wasn't apparent from the outside. But even her limbs seemed to be controlled by the chaos and refused to obey her as she subconsciously raised her hand to comb her fingers through the hair that hung by his face.

Baji's frown deepened and he visibly swallowed before raising his hand to flick Aiko in the ear. "Thanks," he said swiftly, getting up from the bed with his keys and walking to the door. "Let's go," he called behind him.

Aiko shuffled back to the edge of the bed and dropped her legs over, her eyes cast on Peke J who stood looking around, bewildered, possibly wondering how he had gotten turned out from his comfortable sleeping patch and discarded to the floor so quickly.

"You ready?" Chifuyu asked.

"No," Aiko said truthfully. "What did I do to annoy him just then?"

"You didn't," Chifuyu said with a laugh.

"He said he hits people when they annoy him. So what was the flick for?"

"Yeah. That's a thing about Baji-san," he said, lowering his voice slightly. "He also hits people when he's feeling especially happy. To be honest, he hits people for almost anything or practically nothing. You're just going to have to figure out what he means whenever he does something like that."

Aiko stood up and waited as Chifuyu grabbed his change from his desk, but before Aiko could walk to the door Chifuyu grabbed hold of her sleeve.

"I'll tell you a secret," he whispered. "He was definitely happy just then."