Naru pulled another tissue paper from her pack. She blew her nose in it. She felt stupid seated in the park while crying her eyes out. It just wasn’t her. Her prim and proper self was missing. Curse that guy.
She never felt humiliated in her life.
A figure stood before her.
“Hoy! You are blocking the sunlight!” she complained.
“You want people to see you like that?” a voice said.
She looked up through tear-streaked face. Her gloomy state became gloomier when she saw the person who spoke.
“Why do you care?!” she asked angrily.
“I don’t really but you sure look more stupid than ever and that is really bad.”
“Shut up!” she snapped at him. “I am not in the mood to entertain your gags right now. Just let me be.”
Kota looked at her. “What’s with you, really?” he asked without any hint of mockery.
“What’s it with you? And will you move, you are blocking my view. I am already pissed out without your presence in front of my once better view.”
Kota didn’t bulge, “and let the people pass this way had a nightmare seeing you? Nah. I don’t think so. You see, I am a very humanitarian person. I care for other people.”
Naru let her eyeballs roll from her eyes. “Just shut up, Kota! I already have so much in my shoulder to handle today, I will not be able to bear it if you add up to it,” Naru pleaded. She was already frustrated and hurt.
“Ok fine, I’ll be nice to you, today but just today. I will move but first fix yourself.”
Naru heaved a sigh and then wiped the tears in her eyes. She took her face powder to fix herself, but she looked up at him. “Will you at least turn around?” she asked.
Kota smirked at her, “You don’t have to be embarrassed. I’ve seen worse.”
Naru gave him a glare before proceeding on doing her make-up.
She was patting her cheek when he squatted in front of her and took the face powder from her hand. Kota took the sponge and wiped a small smudge in her left cheek. He then took the initiative to put a nice amount of powder on her left cheek.
Naru snatched the compact powder from him. “Don’t do that, the people might think you are a gay.” She scolded him.
“Well, we know that I am not, so I don’t really care.” Kota commented.
She frowned at him and continued to fix herself.
Kota sat beside her. “What really happened?” he asked.
“Why would I tell you?” Naru asked while putting on a small amount of blush on her cheek. “You’ll just use the information to torment me.”
“So it was a nice information, then.” Kota commented.
Naru gave him a sullen look.
“Ok, I’ll promise that I’ll treat the information with huge respect and I will not use it against you.”
Naru looked at him then on the ground at her feet. “A stupid guy dumped me.” She said very straightforward.
Kota stared at her in awe before laughing out loud.
Naru stared at him in anger.
“Sorry.” He said trying to stifle his laugh but couldn’t. “I told you, no one would want you.” He commented.
“I hate you, Yabu Kota!” she hissed at him. She already wanted to punch the guy on the face but kept her fist on her lap.
“Sorry. It was just too unexpected.” He apologized still smiling at her. “You mean, you really courted the guy and he dumped you?” he asked.
“I just confessed.” She corrected. “And he told me that I am not his type but he is open to friendship… blah… blah…”
“Ah, typical.” He said laughing silently. He stretched his arms in the back of the bench. “Don’t mind him anymore. There are a lot more fishes out there. I just don’t know if you’ll be able to catch one.”
Naru gave him an angry smirk. Kota just smiled at her. He stood up. “Come, I’ll treat you to ice cream, it’s really good for curing a broken heart.”
“How did you know?” she asked.
Kota just shrugged. “TV, books and Ryosuke. He kept on eating a lot of strawberry ice cream these days.”
Naru laughed at him, “Then, it is not effective at all.” She retorted.
Kota laughed. “I guess so but let’s at least try.” He said and led the way.

Naru stopped in front of the ice cream parlor and took Kota’s arm. He was about to come inside when Naru pulled him. “What?”
“He’s here.” She informed him.
Glass surrounded the parlor thus they could see who were inside.
Kota followed her gaze. It landed on a really handsome guy who was the center of attention of three girls. He seemed to be enjoying their company.
“Let’s just go somewhere else,” Naru suggested.
“We are already here so let’s just get in.” Kota went in holding Naru’s arm. “Don’t worry about him and just follow my lead.”
The parlor went still when they came in. Almost all eyes were at Kota. They might have recognized him from HeiSei.
“Isn’t that Yabu Kota?” one of the girls who were talking to the guy asked her friend.
“Hai. Sugoi, ne. Ikemen!” another one said.
Kota approached the counter while Naru was on his tail. He pulled her and put his arms around her shoulders. “What do you want?” he asked. “Ah, vanilla!” he exclaimed before she could even give her order.
The girls who had been talking to the guy names Tamaki approached them.
“You are Yabu Kota from HeiSei, right?” one of them asked.
Kota looked at her, “Hai.”
“Can we have your autograph?” another one asked.
Kota looked at Naru as if asking her permission. Naru smiled at him. He really looked like a great boyfriend. He was really a good actor, ne? She nodded at him.
Kota smiled and took the papers from the fans.
Naru caught a glimpse of Tamaki. He looked pissed off because the attention he was getting was changed to Kota’s. Tamaki caught her eye. She looked away from him and smiled at herself. She tried to feel her heart. It was still aching but at least, she felt a little contended by pissing him off.
“Here is your ice cream,” the lady in the counter handed her two ice creams.
“Ah, here is the payment. Keep the change.” It was Kota. He handed the lady a bill.
“Arigatou,” the lady bowed at them.
They were about to go when another set of girls asked for Kota’s autograph. The guy was really popular with girls.
Naru signaled that she’ll go out first and she’ll wait for him outside. He nodded.
She could feel some eyes were on hers while she was going outside. She caught Tamaki’s eyes. This time she held it. She already had the confidence to look at him. She has Kota on her side.
She was outside the ice cream parlor her ice cream when somebody snatched it from her. When she looked up, she saw Kota already eating her ice cream. His’ was already a little soft and the syrup was falling down her hands.
“Hey, that is mine.” She complained.
“You have that.” Kota exclaimed pointing at the ice cream in her hand.
“But I already that. My saliva was already there,” she felt like a child begging for her own food and saying stupid, silly things.
Kota took the ice cream from her hand and at it then handed it back at her.
“Ehhh!” she exclaimed and refused to take it from him.
Kota shoved it to her hand. “We’re already the same now, I’m eating the ice cream that has your saliva and you’ll be eating the ice cream that has my saliva.”
“That’s gross!”
“What’s gross with that? It’s just like kissing each other. Only our lips didn’t touch.”
“Ewww!” Naru shouted in disgust still staring at the ice cream in her hand.
“Oh come on!” Kota stopped walking and faced her.
He bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Now eat that.” He said and continued to walk while eating her ice cream.
Naru was rooted on the spot. She was so shock that she didn’t know how to react. She could feel his smooth lips in hers. She wetted her dry lips tasting the vanilla taste that came from his vanilla flavored lips.
Kota felt her stop so he looked at her. He came back, took her hand to him, and dragged her away.

Yuto was drumming wildly in his drums. They were in the studio of the Yamada’s and were waiting for Kota to come.
“He is two hours late,” Kei commented. “That was very un-Yabu-kun.”
Ryosuke looked at the wall clock. Kota was not used to being late. He was the one who always imposed in coming on time to rehearsals. The group was not used to his being late. He was not even calling.
The usually carefree Keito was already restless. They’ve already practiced most of their songs and he was getting tired.
“What’s up with him?” Yuto asked.
The studio opened. The boys looked at the newcomer.
Ryosuke was already getting ready to scold Kota when a girl stepped in. She was wearing a red blouse and black slacks.
“Eunice?” it was Kei who stood up from his keyboard first.
Eunice smiled at them.
“Eunice nee-chan, when did you come home?” Ryosuke asked also getting up. Eunice was like an older sister to him.
“Just today, Ryosuke-kun,” she answered.
Another figure stepped beside her. He was tall and lean. He didn’t look like your typical Japanese. He looked British with huge round eyes and prominent nose.
“Ohayou,” he greeted.
The boys stared at him.
“This is Joshua Anderson. He will be spending his vacation here in Japan.” Eunice explained. “His father is English but his mother is Japanese and he wants to see his native land so here he is.”
The boys except Kei nodded. He gave the guy a glare.
“Come in,” Ryosuke invited them. “I am Ryosuke Yamada,” Ryosuke introduced himself in English.
“Hai. I’ve heard of you from Eunice.” Joshua answered in perfect Niponggo and extended his hand to him.
“Ah,” Ryosuke nodded and gave him an awkward smile. He took the guy’s hand and shook it. He thought he needed to squeeze out all the English that he knew.
“Keito Okamoto, nice to meet you.” Keito offered his hand to the newcomer. Joshua took it and shook it.
“That is Kei Inoo on the keyboard and Yuto Nakajima in the drums.” Keito continued in English.
“Where is Kota?” Eunice inquired also in English.
“We don’t know. He is already two hours late.” Keito answered.
“Ah,” Eunice nodded. “By the way, we will be leaving now. Joshua wants to see Tokyo at night.” Eunice continued and walked out with Joshua on her heels.
Joshua bowed at them before going out. They bowed back.
“Ah, Eunice!” they heard Jhenie exclaimed. “I heard you came…”
The boys looked at Kei who looked back at them.
“Nani?!” he exclaimed angrily.
Ryosuke pried Kei with his stare which he answered with stare. Yuto stood up and patted their friend at the back.
“Let’s just go back to practice.” Kei suggested and started banging on his keyboard.
Ryosuke, Keito and Yuto looked at each other and went back to their position with random glances to their friend.

Kota was walking alone. He had just walked Naru to her dormitory. He looked at his watch. It was already eight in the evening. The guys would be really angry by the time he would come. He even forgot to call them. It was just, he pitied the girl. She looked really miserable and he would really feel guilty if he didn’t help her.
He was in that thought when somebody stopped in front of him. It was the Tamaki guy.
Kota looked at the guy, he sure was really handsome though he looked like a player. He couldn’t understand what Naru saw in him except for his good looks.
He attempted to walk away from the guy but the guy put a hand on his shoulder.
Kota looked Tamaki in the eye. “What do you need?”
“What are you and Naru?” he asked.
“What do you see?” Kota asked in sarcasm.
Tamaki smirked at him. “So it’s true. One man’s trash is another’s treasure.”
Kota returned the smirk. “In our case, no. Naru was never a trash since she was never yours. She’s mine entirely.”
Tamaki smirked. “She was mine before yours. She even confessed to me.”
Kota just smiled at him. “You don’t know Naru. She had always been mine. She’s obsessed with me for long.”
Tamaki glared at him. “That is a stupid conclusion.”
“It is not, really.” Kota shrugged still smiling.
Tamaki shook his head. “You’re impossible.”
“I’m not.”
Tamaki smiled. “You’re pathetic. I know that you are just pretending. You were never together.”
Kota was taken aback.
“Naru was not really your type, Yabu Kota. You see, I’ve already had my own investigations.”
Kota stared at him.
“Besides, nobody would really like her. She is pretty but she is also stupid,” Tamaki commented.
Kota glared at him. He gritted his teeth. “How could you!?” Kota’s fist came to the guy’s face.
Tamaki was taken aback caressing the side of his mouth. “Damn you, Yabu Kota. You’ll never get away with this.”
Three other men came out of the dark alleyways. They were holding baseball bats each.
Tamaki nodded to them.
Kota stepped back. The men, all wearing dark vest advanced. Tamaki moved at the side watching the scene.
Kota threw away his back pack and the men used that time to move towards him. One of them tried to hit him with a bat but he was quick to step away. One more bat him in the thigh. Kota was thrown by the impact. His thigh stung but he pulled all his might and punched one of the guys who was advancing towards him in the stomach.
The guy shrieked in pain but the other two proceeded. Kota used his right knee to kick one man on the side.
He was able to evade a strike but the last man hit him at the side of his back. “Ahhh.” He groaned in pain. He knelt down. The other two men were already on their feet.
He felt a blow in his leg, another in his stomach.
One man punched him on his face. Blood gushed from his mouth and cheek.
“That’s enough, let’s go.” Tamaki called the men.
Kota was left alone on the side walk. It was really dark. Only the light coming from a nearby lamp lighted him. He tried to reach for his back pack. It was quite far from him. He used all his might to crawl towards it.
He grabbed the bag and felt his phone. His eyes were already blurry due to pain. He was ready to pass out any moment. When he was sure that his phone was in his hand. He flipped it open and dialed a speed number.
He wanted air. His breathing was slowing down. The other line kept on ringing.
“Moshi moshi?”
“Naru-chan, tasukete…”
“Oy, Kota, where are you?”
“Near your dorm, tasukete…” Kota let his phone drop on the cemented path and closed his eyes.