"Masamune-kun is that you? Aiba Masamune-kun?" 

"Koyama-kun!" Aiba and Sho stood up upon seeing his Uncle's friend. He has never been more thankful that he knew the people his Uncle hung out with. 

"It is you! When did you come back from Africa? Oh my gosh! I have to call Shige!" Koyama cried as he hugged Aiba tightly before gasping as he noticed Sho's presence. "Sakurai-sensei!" 

"Hello Koyama-sensei." Sho smiled softly and waved as he thought about what Koyama said. Africa? Why would Masamune come from Africa?

"I didn't know that you guys knew each other." Koyama grinned at Sho and winked. "Is this the reason you don't hang out with us after work?" 

"Ah no! We're temporarily neighbors." Aiba answered as Sho tried to hide the blush on his face. "I'm staying at my sister's apartment before my next assignment. She needed someone to look after her place while she and my nephew are away." 

"You should've told us that you were back! I'm sure Kamenashi and the team would like to have a short baseball game before you go again." 

"Sorry!" Aiba smiled sheepishly as he started to panic, not noticing the scrutinizing look that Koyama was sending his way. What am I going to do?

"Don't worry Masaki-chan. Masamune-kun already told all of us what happened." Koyama whispered to Aiba as he hugged him once again before chuckling out loud. "Well, maybe next time okay? It's wonderful to see you again! I feel better now that I know that you're still human. You better make sure to make time for us before you leave okay?" 

"I promise! Oh! I don't know your number." Aiba said and looked at Koyama weirdly before he handed his phone over. 

"Ah! You changed phones again?" Koyama laughed as he keyed in his number and e-mail address before handing it back to Aiba. "Just mail or call me anytime okay? Well, gotta run. See you at work tomorrow Sakurai-sensei!" 

"See you!~" Aiba grinned and waved as Koyama went on his way.

"Why are you using Aiba-chan's phone?" Sho looked at Aiba curiously. 

"I don't own a Japanese phone since I'm out of the country most of the time. When I saw that Masaki left his phone I decided to use it for a while." Aiba smiled softly before turning to Sho. 

"I see." Sho nodded he and Aiba sat back down and continued to watch the children. "So, you just came back from Africa?" 

"Yeah." 

"What exactly is your job Masamune-kun?" 

"Me? I'm an animal trainer." Aiba answered as he stretched his arms over his head. "I haven't told you that before?" 

"No, you haven't. All I know is that you're working part time at Matsumoto-san's coffee shop." Sho smiled softly. "I guess that's why Koyama-sensei said that you're still human."

"I guess so but my job is not that important Sho-kun. I see it more as a hobby than a profession anyway." 

"So how long are you in Japan this time?" Sho asked as he clenched the fabric of his pants. 

"I'm not really sure. I usually leave the moment an assignment comes. There were times when I was just partying with Koyama-kun and the others one moment, and 2 hours later I would be on a plane to somewhere. It makes them mad at me for a while but we eventually work things out." Aiba answered honestly, not wanting to add another lie to his already messy web. It's a good thing that he knows his Uncle's habits like the back of his hand. "Why do you ask Sho-kun?" 

"Nothing. I was just curious." 

"Well, I need to be at the coffee shop by lunch time. Let's go home?" Aiba stood and offered his hand to Sho. 

"If that hand comes with a dinner date on friday, then sure! We can go home." Sho smiled as he reached for Aiba's hand to stand up. 

"D-dinner?" 

"Yes. Dinner." Sho smiled as he stood up and held both of Aiba's hands in his. "There's this new Italian place near the theater. I would love it if you could join me for dinner and, maybe, a movie?" 

"Yes. Sure." Aiba smiled brightly as a slight blush covered his cheeks. "Dinner sounds great." 
 

 
Aiba was practically floating as he headed to the coffee shop. He happily greets everyone he passes by on the street and never misses any dogs that need a good petting. He greeted everyone at the shop with a bright smile and even hugged the waiters on the way to the kitchen. He kept on humming and dancing as he baked that the staff and even Mr. Matsumoto would join in at times. Everyone at the shop can't help but be affected by Aiba's cheerful, happy mood. 

"Woah! What happened here?" Nino gasped and asked Jun the moment they entered the shop. "Ne Matsumoto, is it just me or did someone overload this place with sunshine and rainbows?" 

"Hmm." Jun nodded then chuckled once he spotted Aiba in the middle of a kitchen line dance. "Looks like Masa-chan is extra cheerful today." 

"Ano baka." Nino sighed as he and Jun headed to their favorite secluded corner of the shop. 

"Ah! Jun, Kazunari! How was the game?" Jun's dad greeted them and headed to their table. 

Jun and Nino just came back from watching a basketball game that their school competed in. It was pure chaos until Aiba's sub-captain, Shibutani managed to pull them together to win the game. The moment they entered the locker rooms to congratulate the team, all the players started asking a lot of questions about Aiba. Questions about when he'd be coming back and why he’d left. 

"The school team is useless without Masaki." Nino sighed. "Everyone kept asking us about the baka and we did all we can just to stop them from thinking that their Team Captain abandoned them." 

"I wish we know where to find that Obaa-san or at least how to change Masa-chan back." Jun sighed as his dad patted their shoulders.

"I'm sure everything would sort itself out. Don't use those faces when Masaki-kun gets here, he's very cheerful today." 

"We can see that, Dad." Jun smiled as he watched Aiba place a tray into the oven. 

"Good. I'll tell him you're here." Jun's dad patted their shoulders once again before heading to the kitchen. "Aiba-kun! Jun and Kazunari are here." 

"Hai!~" Aiba called out with a giggle before leaving directions to the chefs about the pastries he left in the oven. He gathered his things after cleaning up and went to his friends' table. "Let's go guys. I'm done for the day." 

"You didn't forget anything did you?" Nino asked with a frown and earned an eye roll from both Jun and Aiba. 

"Of course not Nino-chan." Aiba sighed and presented a small brown paperbag to Nino. "Here are your free chocolate chip cookies. Freshly baked by yours truly." 

"You really are the best Aiba-san!" Nino exclaimed with a smile and grabbed the bag of treats as he headed to the door. 

"He would always call me with more respect when I bake him cookies." Aiba giggled as he combed his hair. 

"Once a brat, always a brat." Jun sighed as they watched Nino signal for them to hurry up as he munched on the cookies outside the shop. "Just remember that Masa-chan." 

Aiba patted Jun's shoulder as they joined Nino outside for their walk home. Aiba was smiling all throughout their walk, not noticing the amused looks he got from his friends. He couldn't wait to tell them about his date with Sho on Friday. He can still remember how he felt when Sho held his hands to ask him out. He sure didn't plan things to turn out that way when he decided to invite Sho to his impromptu soccer game. I guess today's my lucky day.

"Oi Aibaka! Where are you going?" Nino's sharp comment brought him out of his thoughts. "This is our house."

"Ah! Sorry Nino-chan." Aiba grinned as he followed the brothers inside. 

"You look absolutely happy Masa-chan." Jun said as he stood on his toes to ruffle Aiba's hair before closing the door. "Man you're really tall! I don't like having to stretch just to be able to pet you. It was hard enough when you were just a few inches taller."

"Sorry Jun-tan!" Aiba giggled before twirling his way to the living room where Nino was already sitting on his beanbag chair. "But you're right! I am happy! Ecstatic even! Guess why!" 

"Sakurai-san already asked you out on a date?" 

"Mou~! How'd you know Nino-chan?" Aiba sulked as he sat down in the middle of the couch. 

"You're way too obvious baka." Nino scoffed as he went to Aiba and laid his head on his lap. "You're practically spewing out hearts, sunshine, and rainbows all at the same time." 

"Be nice Ninomiya. Masa-chan deserves to be happy right now." Jun said as he served the drinks and snacks before petting Aiba's head. "But he's right Masa-chan. You're too obvious that even people who don't know you could see that you're in love." 

"So, what happened?" Nino asked as he tugged on Aiba's sleeve. 

"I never would've put you as a gossip Ninomiya." Jun smirked and sipped his juice as he sat down on Aiba's other side. 

"Just about important things like Masaki's love life, Matsumoto. Sorry, but I'm not you." Nino answered with a grin as Jun growled. 

"Guys, are you going to bicker the whole time or am I going to tell you what happened?" Aiba sighed as he combed through Nino's hair. 

"Just go on with your story Masa-chan." Jun said as he hugged Aiba's side. 

"Yeah." Nino smiled as he got more comfortable. "I'll make sure Jun-pon doesn't interupt again." 

"Why you little --" 

"So! Here's what happened." Aiba interrupted before things got worse. He then started to tell them everything that happened since he got out of the apartment that morning. The cloud watching, the indirect confession, and the goofing around. "Sho-chan won the game so I bought ice cream. Then we talked some more and he asked me out for dinner on Friday." 

"That must have been a cute scene to see." Jun gushed as he and Aiba giggled. 

"Yeah. There's nothing better than seeing two male adults tickling each other in the middle of a soccer game." Nino scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

"Ah! I almost forgot! We also ran into Masa-ji's friend Koyama-sensei. He also happens to be teaching at the same school as Sho-chan." 

"EH?!" Nino exclaimed as he suddenly sat up, almost hitting himself on Aiba's chin. 

"What happened?" 

"He said hi and hugged me. Then he whispered that Masa-ji already told them about what happened." 

"That's good then." Jun sighed in relief. 

"It's weird though. He said he's glad to know that I was still a human." 

"Well, it seems that the males in your family have the tendency to transform magically at this age. Maybe your Uncle became an animal when he was your age." Nino shrugged. "It seems making careless wishes runs in your blood." 

"But, I made the wish to be older because I wanted to date Sho-chan. Why in the world would Masa-ji want to be an animal?" 

"I don't know. It's like asking us why you wanted to be up by a vacuum while being confined in a phonebooth like contraption when we were in middle school." 

"Wait!" Jun stood up excitedly and smiled brightly at the two. "If Koyama-sensei knows your Uncle transformed and knows that he's human again then it also means he knows how he turned back!" 

"Eh?" Aiba tilted his head and looked at Jun curiously. 

"AH!" Nino jumped up and smiled as he pat Jun's back. "Nice thinking Matsumoto!" 

"Thanks Ninomiya." Jun grinned and turned to look at Aiba. "Do you have his number?" 

"Yes I do. But what does Koyama-sensei have to do with my wish?" 

"Because if he knows how your Uncle turned back..." Jun said as his smile grew wider. 

"...then maybe he knows how to turn you back as well!" Nino exclaimed happily as he and Jun tackled Aiba into a hug.

But I don't want to turn back before the date. Aiba thought as his friends excitedly talked about how lucky they were.