Nagisa's POV

I sighed as I plopped into my bed. I spread my arms out wide as I looked at the ceiling.

My cheeks suddenly heated up as I remembered what happened. I covered my face with my hands and curled up into a ball.

I screamed in my hands, my voice muffled. "AHHH, geez!!"

***

"Shiota-san, I like you."

...

"Eh?"

...

"EEEHHH!?"

Everyone in the table shouted, gaining the attention of the entire reataurant.

"O-oi, oi..." Nanashima-kun looked at Yamaguchi-kun.

My eyes were wide open as my cheeks were bright red. I looked at Yamaguchi-kun with disbelief.

...He's joking, right?

But... Yamaguchi-kun isn't the type to joke like that...

Arisa-chan and Chiyuki-chan clung onto both of my arms. "Nagisa-chan..."

"Y-Yamaguchi-kun..." I stammer, clearly embarrassed.

"Hey..." Karma stood up from his seat, only to be pushed back by Sasahara-kun.

Yamaguchi-kun looked back at me, with no particular expression. But his eyes looked serious, I could tell. "I'm not joking."

"N-no way..." I thought in my head. "Yamaguchi-kun... likes me?" I cupped my cheeks with my hands, feeling the heat in them.

I noticed that even Karma was surprised by his words. I didn't pay much attention to him since I was in the middle of processing what happened.

The blonde boy took one last sip of his soda before standing up and started walking. Everyone was still speechless, and could only stare at him.

"Well, I'm leaving." He put his hands in his pockets.

"H-hold up!" Arisa-chan stopped him. "You can't just say that and leave!"

"Why not?"

Arisa-chan looked away. "Because... 'cause..." She tried to find the right words to say to him. "You just can't!"

Yamaguchi looked at the stuttering Arisa before turning his gaze at me. "You don't have to answer right away, but I'll be waiting."

With that last sentence, he continued to walk and left the restaurant.

Everyone was left dumbfounded, trying to figure out what the the heck just happened.

***

I slowly put my hands aside.

I sat up and rested my back against my bed, hugging my legs.

"All this time, Yamaguchi-kun liked me?" I looked at my bed covers.

I thought about all of Karma said. "There's something we're challenging for."

Now it makes sense... Why hadn't it come to mind?

So Karma knew all along... I knew there was something going on!

I wonder how long it was going? When did Yamaguchi-kun start to... like me?

Questions filled my mind.

Karma looked agitated and angry back then, so I was glad Sasahara-kun intervened...

As I was thinking, a thought popped up.

"It must've been agonizing for Yamaguchi-kun this whole time... And I even went and gave him obligatory chocolates..."

"Sorry, Yamaguchi-kun..." I sweat dropped at the thought.

-Time skip-

It was time to go to school once again.

Class went on as usual, but today I had different things in mind.

Yamaguchi-kun greeted me normally, like nothing even happened. I, on the other hand, kept getting embarrassed because of the events that happened yesterday.

Karma was considering to skip school today and just hang out in my school. I told him otherwise, also keeping in mind what he might be feeling.

Karma seemed quiet as we went home yesterday. He held my hand the whole time, not wanting to let go.

Before he saw me off, he hugged me tight. "I love you, Nagisa." He said playfully, smirking.

I smiled, remembering what he said.

I kept on pondering as I walked down the hall. As I was walking past the school garden, I noticed Nakano-san watering the plants.

I decided approach the girl, "Nakano-san." I smiled.

She turned to me and returned the smile, "Shiota-san! What a surprise."

"You're on duty today?"

"Yes," She replied. "Reimu was supposed to be here, too, but she went and skipped school today!" Her expression changed drastically.

"She's probably at home playing games, enjoying her bag of potato chips and soda..." She muttered something under her breath.

I sweat dropped at her.

"Anyway," She looked at me again. "Did something happen, Shiota-san? You look a bit down."

"Do I really?" I questioned her.

We moved to a bench and started talking. After she finished her duty, of course.

"So that's what happened?" Nakano-san's eyes were wide. "Ohoho, the love triangle surfaced at last..." She covered her mouth with the tip of her fingers.

I looked at the black-haired girl. "You knew about it, too, Nakano-san?"

She replied, "Oh, yes. It's just you who's too dense, Shiota-san." She smiled as she waved her hand at me.

"I-is that so...?" I sweat dropped once again. "I was wondering why those two were acting a bit weird lately. I really thought that they were just having a competition on who could get a higher mark."

I heard a chuckle. "They've been at it for a while, you're right about that."

She continued, "So I suppose the girl Yamaguchi-kun gave chocolates to was you?"

My eyes slightly widened as I looked at her. "How did you know?"

Nakano-san smiled. "Well, there were rumors going around that they saw Yamaguchi-kun holding a bag of chocolates during White Day. And my, did his fangirls go crazy."

The black-haired girl looked at me, "I'm sure they were ready to shed some blood if they knew who it was. Jealousy sure can take a toll on people."

"Ehh..." I said, surprised.

Hearing that, I felt a little more grateful he gave chocolates to me. It must have taken him a little courage.

But if it's Yamaguchi-kun we're talking about, maybe he wasn't nervous after all.

We continued talking.

I felt a bit relieved that I told Nakano-san. I needed to get it off my chest, after all.

-At class-

Third Person View

Arisa plopped onto her desk. "Man... Today's lesson was tough. Maybe I should ask Nagisa-chan to teach me again."

"You're right..." Chiyuki agreed.

Sasahara, who was sitting on Chiyuki's desk, looked at them, "Where is Nagisa?"

"She's taking a breather, went to the garden," Arisa replied. "I don't blame her, considering what happened yesterday."

Just then, Yamaguchi entered the room, holding a few books in his hand on his side. He was wearing glasses, as he always does when he's studying.

Sasahara looked at the blonde, "Speak of the devil..."

Seeing him, Arisa sat up. "Yamaguchi-kun!"

Yamaguchi looked at her as she walked towards him.

"Just so you know, we're not going to let you near Nagisa-chan, got it?" She pointed a finger at him.

She was a little angry at him, since she thought he had troubled Nagisa. Confessing out of the blue like that, not to mention they weren't alone.

Chiyuki lifted her hands at her. "A-Arisa-chan...!"

"Sure, I don't care," He replied calmly. "I don't need your support." He took off his glasses and kept it in his uniform pocket.

"How bold..." The three of them thought.

Arisa started waving her arms around at the boy who was taking the situation too leisurely. "W-well, we'll always be there to protect Karmagisa, so don't think it'll be easy, okay!?"

As she was flailing around, her leg accidentally knocked over Chiyuki's opened bag. "Ah, s-sorry, Yuki-chan!" She apologized before bending down to pick up her things.

"No, it's okay... It's my fault for leaving it open." Chiyuki also bent down to help.

The contents of the bag had poured out onto the floor, and one thing in particular caught Yamaguchi's eye. And not in a good way.

A manga was opened, showing familiar faces.

"Ah, that's—" Arisa was cut off by Yamaguchi putting his whole hand on her face, causing her pain. "Eek!" She waved her arms around.

"Ah, that's my unfinished BL manga of..." Chiyuki started sweating.

Yamaguchi lifted up the manga and read the page. "What... is this!?" A vein popped up in his forehead as he raised his voice angrily at Arisa.

"Ah, that's the manga of Akabane and Yamaguchi, right?" Sasahara laughed.

"Doon't!!" Chiyuki quickly covered Sasahara's mouth in a rush.

His words only made Yamaguchi squeeze Arisa's face harder.

"Ouch, ouch!! Hey, why are you face-grabbing me!?" Arisa complained.

"Quiet!"

Chiyuko and Sasahara sweat dropped.

"Is this how Iyo-chan feels...?"

Somewhere in the school, a blonde girl sneezed.
___________________

*sigh...

See you in the next chapter~