"Suddenly and unexpectedly, I saw Yama-chan coming towards our way and somehow looked angry..."

"After a few moments, he grabbed Rio's hand and head towards the door out of our home economics room. "

----------------------------------------


"Yama-chan... Itai!! Can we please stop now?" Rio complained after a few minutes of walking extensively with Yamada holding tightly onto her wrist. She struggled a bit but Ryosuke’s capture was too strong for her to handle.


Yet, something must have shook Yamada back to his senses as he immediately dropped Rio's hand and faced her fully. He gathered all his strength with an attempt to pour out what he was thinking in one single breath.

"Are you okay? Rio said in worry.


"Yes..." Yamada replied then looked up, allowing Rio to clearly see his face.... "I ... I just want to tell you something"

"What is it?"
 

Rio waited for his answer. She can sense that Yamada is struggling to look for words but somehow, he managed to do something about it. He slowly cleared his throat and just said the first excuse he managed to think about. But then, a sudden thought hit him which is the only person that can save him whenever he’s in trouble… his mother.
 

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled a number.

"My mom wants to talk to you" he quickly said then handed his phone to Rio. Right now, he just can’t think of anything. What he did a while ago was just out of impulse as his first was begging to break something.


Rio felt curious and just  took the phone from his hand and waited for the other person in the line to answer. 


*ring *ring*

"Moshi moshi?...  Auntie?" Rio said onto the phone...

"Hai Hai... Hontou?" Rio smiled after hearing the woman's voice from the other line.

Their conversation lasted for a few minutes leaving Yamada in a state of being out of place whilst waiting for them to finish... "What are they talking about? Geez..." he thought to himself and patiently waited still...


"Ahhh... Okay Okay... Bye" Rio said her last words still holding Yamada's phone onto her left hand. She then turned to him and stayed quiet for a while, trying her best not to laugh.


She then gave off the biggest smile she can possibly make as the voice of Mrs Yamada tingled inside her ear...

"Auntie want me to go and visit her tonight... She wants me to go with you after class" Rio said while giggling in excitement. It seems like Ryosuke’s mother planned something for the two of them which only her and Rio knows.

"Ehh? Tonight?" he asked... "You can't! I mean... Yes! You can't... That's not a good idea" he immediately answered and turned his back to Rio.

Rio pouted by his comment. She then approached him and placed the phone onto his ear.

"Yamada Ryosuke!!! Are you being mean to Rio-chan again?!" Yamada's mom is still on the other end of the line and heard all the protest Yamada was making about Rio visiting their house.

"Mom?? You're still there?" he asked, quite amused...

"Yes! I know you'll gonna be against my wishes. So I asked Rio-chan not to turn off the phone..." Mrs. Yamada continued to lecture Ryosuke on top of her voice. All Ryosuke can do is to put the phone further away from his ear to avoid his ear drum bursting from his mother’s tone of voice… "Bring her home tonight... I'm gonna make her dinner..." she added...

After that, Yamada placed his phone inside his pocket again making sure that it's now indeed off...

He then looked at Rio in front of her and gave off a sharp stare.

"You're smart Rio... Now, I have no choice but to take you... “

Rio didn't answer. She just smiled back to Yamada and patted his shoulder while grinning in delight with the attempt to further tease the boy.

"I'll see at the school gates after school ne?" she said and headed back first in their room.

*****

*after school*
 

"Woahhhh... Sugoi... Yama-chan is actually waiting for you Rio-chan" Suzuka complimented as she saw Yamada patiently waiting at the school gates like a real stalker.

Yuto and the others smiled. "My plan is working..." Yuto grinned quietly to himself as he eyed the waiting figure of Yamada, who is somehow giving off an annoyed aura in his surroundings. He then turned to Rio who was walking beside him…

"What plan?" Rio replied...

"Ahhh... nandemonai..."

**

Yamada looked at Rio and the others coming towards him. He also saw Yuto looking at him but the latter didn't smile. The idea of them being 'rivals' is indeed still lingering in the atmosphere. They looked at each other with blank expression on their faces. Then, for some reason, Yamada felt a sense of achievement. "I win this time Yuto..." he thought to himself.

"Yama-chan... Let's go..." Rio grabbed Yamada's arm and led their way outside the school...

"Take care of Rio-chan..." Yamada heard their friends then made their way on the opposite direction of the school gates.

*

"Ahhh... Auntie. It's so good to see you!" Rio greeted Mrs. Yamada as they arrived Yamada's residence.

Mrs. Yamada then turned to Ryosuke who's now heavily sitting down on the sofa after seeing his mom. He let off an uninterested facial gesture which in turn made his mother give off staggering looks towards his direction. "It's a good thing you brought Rio-chan here, son... I thought you're gonna disappoint me again!"

"You reminded me about 24 times mom... You even called me during class just to tell me not to forget to bring her home... I hope you're happy" Ryosuke rolled his eyes as he answered.

"Good boy..." Mrs. Yamada smiled and turned again to Rio "Let's eat! I cooked dinner for you two..."
 

**

Rio saw all the food prepared by Yamada's mom... It's like a fiest!!!

Ryosuke can't believe it himself. His mom never prepared this much unless there's a birthday. 

"My mom exaggerate things..." he thought to himself while taking all the food he can take on his small plate. He then looked at the two people smiling to each other like they’ve knew one another for a long time. Then, he noticed Rio turning his way and gave a soft smile that didn’t fail to bring a sudden hot sensation on his cheeks.

"Let's eat Rio-chan"

"Hai... Itadakimasu" Rio said and helped herself to her chopsticks.

Yamada did the same and just ignored these two women sitting beside him are praising each other... 

Rio praised Mrs. Yamada's cooking and Mrs. Yamada praised Rio's hand bag and told her how pretty she was. Yes! Just like mothers and daughters would do. Nothing seems perfect as RYosuke notice that they seem to be enjoying each other's company.
 

Yamada on the other hand treated this as torture... "How can I make you hate me and go against our marriage if you're enjoying hanging out in my house with my mom??!!" he thought to himself as he sighed heavily on his seat.

"Ahhhh!! Souka... Ryosuke, you're not doing anything tomorrow right?" Mrs Yamada suddenly broke Ryosuke's daze and just took him by surprise… "You and Rio-chan should have a date..." she added which is enough to make two pairs of eyes widen.

Yamada and Rio almost choked by her comment and just looked at each other with doubtful looks.

"Ehhh?? Mom, that's too much... besides, I'm hanging out with Chinen and the others tomorrow" Ryosuke immediately protested as he faced his mother.