Speak up, Kouta. I tell myself this over and over but it doesn't seem to sink in yet.

"Noriko? " I text her.

Three minutes pass.

"What's up?" she sends back.

Okay, now's your chance. Grow some balls dude.

"You wanna go out for a movie, tomorrow night? "

Five minutes.

"Sure. Who with? "

Really?

Again.

"No one. Just forget I brought it up. "

Two minutes.

"K. So... You wanna hear what happened with mikasa today? "

Sigh.

"Yeah, go ahead. "