The sound of the alarm clock chiming startled Aoi out of her sleep. Her hands began to stretch and turn off the clock before she gets out of her bed and gets ready for the school day. Though, she feels confident that the students at her school will do something and that will only make her get suspended from school for a day.

Just like any other days before.

'Can someone just tell me what's the point of me going to school? It's not like I will learn new things anyway' She thought as she eats her breakfast slowly. Somehow she seemed to have no spirit that morning. Finishing the leftover, Aoi bid both her father and sister goodbye and left the house.

The cold wind gently hit her face as soon as she stepped out of the house, making Aoi shiver a little from the cold.

"Argh! Why is it suddenly cold today?" She grumbled.

"Ao-chan?" The girl instantly whirls her head back. "Ah! It really is Ao-chan"

"Yotsuba-kun... and Izumi-kun too. Good morning," she greeted, giving them a small smile.

"Morning!" Tamaki grinned happily.

"Good morning," Iori replied politely.

'They are both very cons, huh. Yotsuba-kun with his cheerful nature and Izumi-kun with... uhh, his serious face?'

"Are you on your way to school?" Iori asked as the three of them walked side by side with the girl in the middle.

Aoi adjusted the strap of the bag on her shoulder. "Yeah... anyway, it's kind of weird to bump into the two of you, considering I went to a different school. Why is that?"

"Ah, well... today, Yotsuba-san somehow finished earlier than he used to be. So, we thought of going to school early."

"Aren't I good?" Tamaki excitedly interrupted. Aoi chuckled at the boy's antics and gently patted his back, nodding off her head.

Seeing the close relationship between the two of them, Iori couldn't hide the feeling of wonder inside him. Although he just simply feeling jealous of Tamaki's relationship with his crush. Without hiding his true feelings, he asked them both. "Since when did you two become close?"

The question almost throws Aoi off her guard. She looked at Iori with a rather long gaze, thinking of an answer to the question.

"Haven't we become close since you joined  the dinner surprisingly that day?" Tamaki speaks up. "We've also shared King Pudding, no?"

"Ah!" Aoi pointed a finger at Tamaki. "That's right."

She looked back at Iori. "We both became friends and we even exchanged our numbers since that night. I still remember that I had a chat with you until midnight. We chatted non-stop! Well, I still blamed you for that though"

"Huh?!"

'E-Exchanging numbers? Talking n-non-stop? How advanced Yotsuba-san is than me?'

"But..." Aoi opened her mouth again. "I also exchanged numbers with the others yesterday."

"With the others too?" Tamaki said.

The girl nodded. "Something happened yesterday and they were more or less like helping me out."

"For real?" Tamaki looked like he is very surprised.

Aoi cannot blame him, after all, she did at first behave like a shy person and such. However, all the things that happened in recent days have made her a very open person. She isn't afraid anymore to hide her true nature from people around her. Except for all the students and her teachers at school. She is to this day doesn't have the balls to overcome her problem or to defend herself from getting bullied.

"I just don't have your phone number, Izumi-kun. If you don't mind, can I ask for your number?" She looked at Iori hoping he would accept the request. However, as soon as she didn't get any response from the boy, she started to become panic.

"I-I mean, I d-don't want to look like I'm isolating or boycotting you..."

"Sure"

"W-What?"

'D-Did I answer her too fast?' Iori covered his blushing face with the back of his palm before coughing a little, trying to maintain his composure.

"S-Sure, I'll give it to you."

"But, can I give it to you later?" Iori asked.

"Of course. It's up to you when you want to give it. It's not like I'm in a hurry."

Iori smiled a little. "Then, I'll give it to you after school hours are over. Mind if the three of us go out together later?"

"Going out together? You mean..."

"Are we going to the arcade?" Tamaki said, excitedly. Iori gives a slight nod to the light blue-haired boy before turning his attention back to the girl. "Can you go?"

"That sounds like fun," she said.

It was the first time Iori became so friendly with teens his age. Even with Tamaki, he isn't that friendly, always with his serious face and his mature personality.

On the other hand, Tamaki knows fully well that his friend has feelings for the girl. He may look somewhat immature, but he wasn't so naive at all things.

He does noticing all the odd things that happened in his group ever since they met with the girl and he had to be honest that he was also attracted towards Aoi but he doesn't know if the attraction he has for the girl is the feeling of a boy to a girl or it's a feeling as a friend. But, let's just say that time will decide whether which one is true.

As the three of them walked and chatted cheerfully, a man dressed in all black comes up to them. His clothes were shabby and torn causing them to feel a little a bit anxious, like whether he is approaching them or he just walks in towards the direction from which they came from, they didn't have any idea.

Besides, Aoi isn't that sure of herself but she can literally sense something bad will happen and her hunch was right when the man just smirked at her. His blazing red eyes glared happily at her.

"Masuda Aoi, it's good to finally see you again. You are going to come with me"

Author: phew! It so hard to write about Iori. He's too mature but cute as well. Anyway, sorry if Iori is too OOC. I'm trying my best to write him to make him quite similar as in the original character

[If you enjoy this chapter, would you consider giving it a vote?]