The streetlights flickered overhead as I let out a breath which turned to fog as soon as it came into contact with the cold air. Almost simultaneously, I felt something warm touch my cheek.

"Here you go, Momo. Coffee. Black. I don’t even know how you can handle the stuff. It tastes awful, no sweetness at all.“ the girl with raven hair said as she handed over the can and sat next to me in the gutters outside a convenience store.

"It’s an acquired taste. I wouldn’t expect a sugar freak like you to understand.” I retorted, eyeing the strawberry milk in her hands.

"It’s what gives the me energy to do my signature smile!“ she exclaimed then she flashed a large grin showing off her bunny teeth.

"Okay, okay. How much do I owe you for the coffee then?”

"Nothing. Consider it a ‘thank you’ gift for helping me out at the daycare. Be sure to keep it as a souvenir. It’s not everyday I give away free coffee.“

I would have struggled for her to take the money but my energy was completely depleted from playing with children all day, I can only grin in response. No wonder the girl needed that much sugar. Or maybe it was the kids who needed a cut on their sugar intake.

"Those kids sure had a lot of energy to go around. They were all over the place. Those munchkins must have probably been out cold by the time they got home.”

"It’s your own fault for bringing them cake. You’re gonna spoil them too much, you know? But that reminds me, it's getting quite late. Isn’t the Hirai household missing their precious Moguri?“

I checked my wrist for the time. 12:56am. This may be the latest I’ve ever been out.

"I called home beforehand. I said I was sleeping over at a friend’s house.”

That last line caught her offguard. She almost spit out her drink.

"Sleepover?! Where would you even sleep in that house?!“ she shouted at my direction. She was probably referring to the small space they had at home. She did have her own room, but it barely had enough space to lay out another futon.

"Shhh. The town’s asleep. Anyway, surely you don’t expect me to sleep out in the streets?” I told her. I put a finger to my chin and pretended to think. “I guess we’re gonna have to share a bed. You’re gonna take responsibility though, won’t you?” I said leaning towards her. Her face had already turned several shades redder before I gave her nose a light tap and pulled back.

"I g-guess it c-can’t be helped.“ she faced forward again and sipped her drink.

And then things went quiet for what seemed to be the longest minute of my life.

"Hey Momo.”

"Hmm?“

"Why are we even together? We’re complete opposites.” Then she thought for a bit. “Oh, except for the fact that we both like me.”

I stifled a laugh. “Yeah, that’s true.”

She looked down and fiddled her shoes a bit. “But Momo, I really like you too, you know…” her grasp on the milk box getting a bit tighter, “almost as much as I like me, I mean.”

"Well, who wouldn’t? I like me, too.“ I said as a matter of factly along with a hair flip.

We both laughed this time.

"We probably won’t like the same things except each other,” she paused before looking up at me again. “But that’s alright with me.”

And then under the streetlight that flickers and the moon and stars, I felt her head rest on my shoulder.