Chapter 38: So, what now?

~June's POV~ Soon, the Christmas Gala had officially ended and we all took down the decorations and the gymnasium was transformed back to normal.

But not everything could go back to normal; especially Byakuya and I's relationship... whatever the hell it was now...

When he kissed me in the sound room at the Gala, I was as happy as I've ever been, and I couldn't ignore the electricity and spark I felt when we kissed--it was way more amazing than I've ever imagined kissing Byakuya would feel like.

It was like a dream.

It wasn't, though, because all throughout the school day after the Gala, Byakuya and I couldn't look each other in the eye without blushing insanely and immediately looking away.

This is exactly what I was afraid of! I took a chance, and now our friendship was all... weird now!

What if he regrets kissing me??? What if he did it because I made the first move and he only wanted to pity me??? What if he thinks it was a mistake???

What if I ruined our friendship for good?

I shook my head, immediately dismissing the horrid thought. I just got my best friend back, and now I might've just lost him again.

"So, June, where were you?" Hina asked. It was after seventh period ended and we were getting ready to walk to our dorms. "I was looking for you all night, but I didn't see you..."

"Yeah, what happened to you? I didn't see you at all last night after the whole sound room speaker fiasco..." Erin asked.

Oh boy... I'm gonna have to tell them, aren't I?

"Come on, guys, you can't really blame me for running out like that! I mean, Byakuya basically said he was in love with me over the speakers and to the entire school. I needed a minute to breathe! Sue me!" I said.

"By the way, how did that work out?" Kyouko asked.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "I... Um... Well..."

"Come on, June, spit it out!" Erin said.

"I... I..."

"Tell us! You can tell us anything. Go on!" Hina said.

I took a breath. "Well I went to the sound room where he was and we kissed." I blurted it all out at once.

"WHAT?!" they all shouted at once, and everyone around us stared.

"Shh...!" I hissed. "Stop shouting! People are looking..."

"I don't give a damn!" Erin said. "You two... You kissed??? As in, had a make out session???"

I blushed harder. "Yep, kind of..." I mumbled.

Hina's eyes widened. "Oh my God..." she said.

"Did... did you guys use tongue...?" Erin whispered, and I was about ready to run out of there faster than the speed of light.

I'm definitely sure I turned fire engine-red. "I... Well, maybe..." I mumbled.

"Ew..." Hina said.

"What else did you guys do in there...?" Erin asked suspiciously.

"God, Erin, no! I know what you're thinking, and we didn't do it!" I immediately said.

Erin pouted. "Aw. Poo. I guess you guys didn't have any fun."

"Oh, trust me, by looks of how red her face is, they had plenty of fun..." Hina said, shooting me a smirk. I wanted to smack her.

"Sh-Shut up...!" I studdered. That just made Hina laugh.

"So, what now?" Kyouko asked me. "What happens now? You kissed, now what?"

Those are very good questions.

"Uh... I don't know." I said honestly. Because, really, I didn't. Things were just confusing with Byakuya lately, so I have no idea where the hell we stand.

"Well, I think it's obvious what needs to be done." Erin said.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"You need to claim him as yours. I mean, he is yours, right?" Erin said.

"I...! We kissed once...!" I sputtered.

The thought of Byakuya being mine though... I'm ashamed to admit it sounded pretty damn good.

"If he's not yours, then I suggest you make him be. Why? Because, well, look at him," Erin said. "He's handsome and he's filthy rich; I highly doubt he doesn't have at least a few admirers who probably want nothing more than to put a ring on it."

Admirers... The thought of anyone practically all over Byakuya made my skin crawl.

I cringed. "Uck. No. I definitely don't want that..."

"Then snatch him up before someone else does!" Erin said.

"Even though I'm not particularly fond of Byakuya, I have to agree." Hina said.

"As do I." Kyouko said. My eyes widened.

"Kyouko! You're the mature and reasonable one! You're supposed to be on my side...!" I said.

"I am on your side--we all are," Kyouko said with a smile. "Which is why I agree with them; I want what makes you happy, and anyone can plainly see that being with Byakuya makes you very happy. You're my cousin, and I want you to be happy."

"Aw... Kyouko...!" I gushed. "That's so sweet...! And... I guess you're right...."

"You guess?" Erin repeated.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. You are right. Being with Byakuya really makes me happy." I said.

"So, what are you going to do?" Hina asked.

I smiled. "Well, I'm going to snatch him up, of course."

~Third Person POV~ On the other side of the school, Byakuya walked with Makoto and Leon from their seventh periods.

"So, Byakuya, are you gonna tell me what went down with you and June last night? Tell me, did you two put that sound room to use...?" Leon wiggled his eyebrows and Byakuya turned pink.

Makoto looked at him. "Byakuya, what is he talking about?"

Byakuya swallowed. "June and I were in the sound room together last night after what happened with my confession being practically broadcasted to the entire school. Leon came in with his date to--ahem--get down to business," Leon glared at Byakuya, who kept going anyway. "They saw us and Leon thought it would be funny to make light of the situation by insinuating that June and I were in there to... hook up..."

Makoto snorted. "Really?"

Byakuya glared. "Yes, really. Why, do you think it's funny?" he snapped.

Makoto tried to hold back laughter. "Well, if I'm being honest here..." He chuckled.

Byakuya glared harder. "Shut it, Naegi, before I shut it for you." he said bluntly.

"S-Sorry..." Makoto said, still trying to hold back laughter.

"Well, did you two hook up?" Leon asked, snickering. "Did you two really do the nasty-nasty? The hanky-panky? The frickle-frackle? Did you two bump uglies? Did you two play hide the cucumber? Did you pop her cherry? Did she enjoy it? Did the both of you enjoy it?"

Byakuya turned tomato-red. "SHUT UP, and no we didn't." he hissed.

Leon furrowed a brow. "You didn't enjoy it? Was it really that bad?" he asked.

Byakuya felt about ready to smack him. "No, you idiot! We didn't even do anything! So there was nothing to enjoy! Can you just turn off your perverted mind for one minute???"

Leon shrugged and smirked. "Come on, where's the fun in that?" he asked.

Byakuya rolled his eyes before he sighed. "I'm so confused... I mean, kissing June was amazing and I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it, but now I have no idea what we are...," he said. "I mean, are we friends, are we dating, are we a couple...? I just don't know what to do now..."

"Well, in my opinion, I think the next step would be--if you really feel the same way about each other--to ask June out on a date." Makoto said.

"W-What...?" Byakuya asked.

"You heard me. You need to ask June out. Take her somewhere nice. Play music. Be romantic. Girls like that stuff." Makoto said.

Leon nodded. "This is very true; girls love all that romantic crap." he agreed.

"Really...?" Byakuya asked, unsure.

Makoto and Leon both nodded. "Yes." they said together.

Byakuya took a moment to think before he nodded and said, "Fine. I'll do it. I'll ask June on a romantic date."

Makoto smiled. "Awesome! Good for you!" he said.

Leon put an arm around Byakuya's shoulders. "Now, remember, Byakuya, June dated Leo and he took her out on dates all the time." he pointed out.

Byakuya glared at him and groaned. "Ugh. Don't remind me..."

"The point is, it didn't take a genius to know that the dates he took her out on were romantic as fuck. So, you're gonna need to be able to top that," Leon said before he leaned in close to Byakuya's face. "Well, can you?"

Byakuya pushed him away and removed his arm. "Yes. I can. I can beat Leo the moron with both hands tied behind my back and my eyes closed." he said seriously.

Leon nodded. "Good. Because, although we all know Leo was a real jerk, we also all know he was a real romantic."

Byakuya rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Please. I can be more romantic than him any day of the week." he said.

"Well, prove it." Leon said.

"I will," Byakuya said. "But first, I need to find June."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"June!"

June, Kyouko, Erin, and Hina stopped walking and turned to see Byakuya jogging up towards them.

"Hey, Byakuya. You wanna walk with us to our dorms?" June said.

"Actually, I need to ask you a question." Byakuya said.

June eyes widened. "Really? I need to ask you a question too!"

Byakuya looked around. "Well, let me go first," he said, then he looked around at Erin, Kyouko, and Hina. "Um... Alone, please."

The three of them looked at one another before they shrugged.

"Sure." Kyouko said.

"Whatever." Hina said.

"Have fun." Erin said, wiggling her eyebrows.

June gave Erin a look to shut up.

Erin got the message as she, Hina, and Kyouko walked away.

Leaving Byakuya and June standing alone in the halls.

Byakuya scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "So... I think it's about time we address the... kiss that happened between us..." he mumbled.

June's hands were clasped together. "Y-Yes, I agree..." she mumbled.

Several uncomfortable and awkward seconds passed.

Byakuya cleared his throat. "So. That kiss that went down? I have to say... I liked it, June. I liked it a lot."

June sighed. "That's a relief, because I feel the same way." she said, relieved.

"And I don't regret it." Byakuya said.

"Me either." June said.

"And I definitely want to do it again." Byakuya said with a smirk.

June blushed. "Yes... well... so do I..."

"Great. Then I guess you'll have no problem with me asking this question," Byakuya said before he took a breath. "Will you go out with me?"

June's eyebrows raised. "Like... on a date...?" she asked, surprised.

Byakuya nodded. "Exactly." he said.

June froze. "Uh..." She didn't know what else to say--she never would have imagined Byakuya would have asked her out when she was about to do the exact same thing. However, either way it was different and surprising; kissing was one thing, but going on a date? That was a completely different thing.

Byakuya looked down at the floor. "I understand if you don't want to--"

June rapidly shook her head. "No! Not at all! I'm just... that's the exact same thing I wanted to ask you!" she said with a smile. "So, yes, Byakuya, I'd be very pleased to go out with you on a date." She smiled at the word date coming out of her mouth; it had never sounded more perfect or delightful to say before now.

Byakuya's face lit up, but he tried to keep it together and act calm. "Really? Ahem, I mean, yes. Of course. I'm glad you accepted my offer," he said before he started walking backwards, and since he wasn't looking where he was going, slammed into a locker. He winced. "Ouch..."

June smiled and tried not to laugh. It came out a soft giggle. "I'm glad too. When will this date be?" she said.

Byakuya composed himself and walked around the lockers. "How about... tomorrow night? 7:00pm? I'll take you there?" he suggested.

June nodded. "Sounds great. I can't wait until then." She couldn't stop smiling, but tried to tone it down a bit.

Byakuya couldn't stop smiling either. "Me either," he said before he started walking away again, this time making sure to watch where he was going. "Well... see you then...!"

"Yeah... see ya'..." June said, her cheeks pink.

Soon Byakuya dissappeared.

And Erin, Kyouko, and Hina reappeared.

"What was that about?" Hina asked.

"Yeah, what happened?" Erin asked.

June kept smiling as she tried to contain her excitement. "I think I'm going on a date."