"We're in Kyoto!!"

"Calm down, Arisu-chan." Yuko said.

"Takin, say cheese!"

"Why?" Takiyo grunted.

"Come on guys, we're in Kyoto! Liven up!" Arisu cheered.

"You should liven down." Ren said, putting a hand on her head. "People are going to mistake you for a primary school student."

"Impossible!" Arisu said proudly. "I'm only 5 cm shorter than Takin!"

"WHAT?" Takiyo's eyes grew huge. "That's impossible."

"Takin is just short." Arisu giggled.

"I'M NOT SHORT." Takiyo insisted. "Nishikawa is."

"Don't shame other people's heights, shorty." Yuko said, whacking him on the back.

It was only after some time that they remembered Michi and Yoichi were also part of their group. They slowly turned to the two of them.

Michi was smiling and Yoichi was rubbing the back of his head. Yuko descended to her nervous state, and Takiyo sweat-dropped.

"It's good to see Takiyo-kun getting along so well with other people." Michi said sweetly, smiling.

"Ah...mm." Takiyo mumbled, blushing slightly.

"I WANNA GO SEE THE ROCK GARDEN!!" Arisu bellowed, breaking the ice almost immediately.

"Arisu, we just got here! We need to go to the hotel first!" Ren said.

"Phoo~" Arisu huffed. Then she perked up again instantly. "Ishida-kun!" she called.

"Yes?" Yoichi jolted.

"Can you help me out a bit?" Arisu asked, beckoning him over. "I need help with my luggage."

Yoichi seemed as though he wanted to tell her to ask someone else, but then he cast a glance at Michi and nodded.

"Rekkun! Don't let a girl struggle on her own!" Arisu lectured. "Help Yu-chan! Takin, you too."

Takiyo just stared wide-eyed at her.

What the heck?!!!! Kaneshiro, what on earth are you??

Arisu seemed to sense him, and she winked at him and stuck her tongue out.

I think I'm a little afraid of her now. She's a mastermind who works fast! Takiyo thought, walking over to Michi. He began to get her bag, but then Michi said, "Eh, no, you don't have to!"

Takiyo looked up at her and said, "I'd rather helping. Otherwise Kaneshiro won't get off my back."

"Ah, I see!" Michi giggled, and Takiyo distracted himself by taking out her bags. He felt as though somebody was glaring at him, and when he turned, he found not one, but three people glaring at him: Ren, Yuko and Yoichi.

Disregarding the last one because he knew exactly why he was being glared at by him, he shrugged his shoulders at Ren and Yuko. They both looked highly offended and turned their noses away from him, only to smack into Saburo.

Rubbing her forehead, Yuko looked up, and her face went into extreme nervous mode.

"Ah, Nishikawa-san!" Saburo smiled at her kindly, holding her by the shoulders to steady her.

"Ah...my Ren bag...?" Yuko stuttered, and Takiyo turned away to hide his laughter. He knew it was okay because Ren was stifling his laughter too, because the expression on Saburo's face was priceless.

Yuko blushed and covered her mouth. She turned to Ren. "What did I just say?" she whispered urgently.

Ren was shivering from laughter, but he managed, "She wanted her bag."

"Oh, I see." Saburo said.

"SAAAABUUUUUROOOOOOO!!!"

A girl glomped Saburo from behind. Yuko's expression instantly went hard. The girl was pretty, with grey eyes and smooth, long black hair, and she wore spectacles.

"Sara-chan!" Saburo gasped. "Don't do that."

"Come on, it's fun!" The girl said cheerily.

Could this be... Sara Hirose?

Takiyo handed Michi her bag and walked over to Yuko, Saburo and Sara. He put a hand on Yuko's shoulder and said, "We'll see you around, Anzai-senpai."

Saburo's attention turned back to Yuko and him. "Ah...oh, okay." He said, looking slightly disappointed.

Takiyo steered Yuko towards the rest of their group.

"Wasn't that Anzai-senpai and Hirose-senpai?" Arisu asked Ren. When Ren nodded, Arisu gasped and turned to Yuko. "... Yu-chan?"

"That doesn't matter..." Yuko said, staring at the floor. She shook her hair out of her face and yelled, "More important, why the hell were you two laughing at me?!!"

Takiyo and Ren instantly avoided eye-contact.

"Hey, I'm talking to you guys! HEY." Yuko beat their backs. "YOU PAIR OF JERKS!!"

Ren looked at Takiyo and grinned.

Perhaps what the most amazing thing about Yuko was that she openly joked about her social anxiety, and didn't mind discussing topics that normally would a person uncomfortable. You could laugh at her attempts at socializing, and she wouldn't get offended.

But even more amazing than that was something unrelated to her. Takiyo had laughed. Or well, almost laughed. Why? Why did he laugh so easily? When did he last laugh? When...

***

"EH?!"

"Um, yes. The room reserved for you required some maintenance. Unfortunately, all our rooms are full. That is why I am asking if you could ask some of your friends if you can share with them?"

The six of them blinked at the flustered-looking hotel employee. Ren was first to reply.

"Ah, okay. No problem. I'll ask someone." He said.

"Sorry for inconvenience." The hotel employee said, bowing.

"I can ask someone too!" Arisu said cheerily. "No problem."

"Yo-kun and I can ask too." Michi said, indicating herself and Yoichi.

Yuko and Takiyo glanced at each other. Takiyo looked fairly stoic, but Yuko looked like she was freaking out internally.

"Yu-chan! Don't worry! I'll ask my friends to share with you. It's okay!" Arisu reassured he hastily.

"U-um," the hotel employee remembered something. "We do have an extra room though, which can only accommodate one person, unfortunately."

"I can take that." Takiyo said, raising his hand.

"Are you sure?" Ren asked. "I can ask one of my friends."

"No worries." Takiyo replied.

"Eh, but you'll be lonely!" Yuko protested.

"I don't mind." Takiyo shrugged. "I'll take it." He added to the employee.

"We deeply apologize for inconvenience." The employee bowed again and hurried off.

"Takiyo-kun, are you sure?" Michi asked.

"I already said it's fine. I'm fine being alone." Takiyo said plainly.

"Eh..."

Takiyo diverted his eyes from her. He didn't want it have a conversation about his loneliness with her. She hadn't worried about it before.

"Well then, bye." Takiyo said.

***

Takiyo was just getting ready for bed in his tiny, almost empty room, but then...

Knock knock.

He got up and opened the door.

"Hello!" Yuko said cheerfully the moment he opened it, holding up two bottles of juice.

He gave a look of displeasure. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"Don't look at me like that, I brought the gang!" Yuko said, moving aside so that Ren and Arisu were also visible.

"We're here for a pyjama party in Takin's room!" Arisu rejoiced.

"We aren't having a pyjama party anywhere!" Takiyo yelled, mimicking her.

"But we came here thinking you'll be lonely..." Yuko sniffed.

"Shut up, I'm used to being alone." Takiyo said, and he began to close the door, but Yuko put her foot in the way. Takiyo opened it again and asked, "What?"

"Stop being such a loner." she pouted. "Then what are we your friends for?"

Ren and Arisu nodded.

Takiyo stared at them. Usually on field trips, he would always go to bed first, while everyone else was still up and having fun. He'd curl up in his corner and ignore the fact that he was obviously being ignored.

It doesn't mind me.

But now three people were standing in his doorway, talking about partying, and holding bottles of juice. It was a new experience. Even when he was friends with Michi, nothing like this ever happened.

He sighed and allowed them to enter.

"Yahoo!" Arisu cheered, running in first, then stopping immediately. "Man, this is small." she commented. "You sure they didn't give you a storeroom?"

Takiyo shrugged. "Won't you guys get in trouble?" he asked.

"It's not lights-out yet." Ren said, waving a hand and sitting on his futon.

(Note: A futon is a traditional Japanese bedding, which is laid on the floor.)

"By the way, we tried to bring Iseri-chan–" –Takiyo jolted– "–but she was too busy hanging out with her friends."

"You guys don't have to try so hard." Takiyo said, sitting cross-legged on the futon too.

"But we're friends~" Yuko sang, coming to the futon too.

"Make some room!" Arisu hollered, squishing herself between Yuko and Takiyo.

Yuko tossed Takiyo his bottle of juice. "So, let's chat." she said, grinning.

"About what?" Takiyo asked, catching his bottle and opening it.

"Mmm... I dunno." Yuko shrugged.

"How about...how Takin fell in love with Michi-chan!" Arisu yelled.

"Excuse me?!" Takiyo blushed and glared at her, while she giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm curious!" Ren said, getting into a more comfortable position.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do?" Takiyo asked, displeased.

"No, we're all just some loners gathering together to have a loner chat." Arisu sniffed.

"Liars!" Takiyo shouted. "You and Muranaka are the most sociable people in class!"

"I told you to call me Ren~"

"Shut up!"

"Come on, already!" Yuko said. "Tell us!"

Takiyo pressed his lips together and stared at the door. Then he mumbled, "I don't know."

"Aaahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Takiyo jumped at the their reaction. "What's up?" he asked, shaken.

"The typical 'I-don't-know', huh?" Arisu moaned.

"Eh...I wanted an epic love story." Yuko pouted.

"Come on, when did it start?" Ren prompted.

"...I don't know."

Yuko, Arisu and Ren overreacted again.

"Well then, why don't you tell me, Nishikawa?" Takiyo asked abruptly.

"Oh, we know this one." Arisu giggled, elbowing Ren.

"Um...well." Yuko began, blushing slightly. "He was...nice to me." she said lamely.

Takiyo stared at her disbelievingly.

"U-um..." Yuko attempted to continue. She twisted her hands in her lap, and diverted her eyes. "Well, I met him very randomly, but I, being socially inept, was obviously never even tried to interact. But he was so nice. That's how Senpai is. He was really nice. Before I knew it, I was paying very close attention to him, my hands got sweaty when I was with him, my words didn't come out quite right. I wanted his reassurance. I was even willing to push myself out of my comfort zone for him. And..." She trailed off.

After some silence, Ren started clapping. "And that's how you do it." he said pointedly to Takiyo.

"Oh, really?" Takiyo said, eyes drooping and yawning.

"What's with that reaction?!" Yuko screamed.

"Oh nothing, nothing. I'm just tired." Takiyo explained. "I'm usually asleep by now."

"So early?" Arisu asked disbelievingly.

"I have nothing better to do." Takiyo said. "Well then, tell me yours, Kaneshiro."

"Huh?"

"The story of how you fell in love with Muranaka." Takiyo yawned.

Their faces turned red faster than a set of traffic lights.

"Yeah, yeah, tell!" Yuko cheered.

"Shut up, it's nothing like that!" Arisu yelled.

"Oh... Don't lie~"

"Stop talking!"

"Ren and Arisu, sitting in a tree..."

"DO YOU WANT ME TO STUFF THIS BOTTLE UP YOUR A**??"

Takiyo was extremely distant from his surroundings. He was at risk of falling asleep every time he blinked his eyes. Of course, he would always sleep early. He never had anything better to do.

But still, Yuko had a concrete reason. On the other hand, he didn't even know why he liked Michi. Why did he have to fall into this painful love that he couldn't even explain?

Why...

"HEY, TAKIN– WHAT??!! YOU FELL ASLEEP???!!!!!"