Maki lay down in her bed that night. She couldn’t sleep. Litrally. Sh*t. She shouldn’t be feeling this way right?

“Would you approve then if I dated her?”

She was at a lost for words. She couldn’t think straight with him being too close. So she pushed him away with a soft and scowled at him.

“Why would you need my approval anyway?” She gritted her teeth before walking away. She could hear Tomohisa walking closely behind her and he didn’t say anything even as they reached their apartments.

So now here she was, alone in her bed. What business did she have with Tomohisa anyways? All he actually ever did was tease and taunt her. But then again, he could be sweet too, a voice in the back of her head said. Argh! She scrunched her face with the pillow before deciding to get some fresh air at her small balcony. This was really ticking her off! She wasn’t even chasing love! Was this a love chase or something? She was already fine. Wait, was she thinking about love? It couldn’t be. She couldn’t already be… right? No. No, she couldn’t!

Too many things were going through her mind right now. =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=

The night air was cold but Maki liked it like that. Maybe because she was used to it back in London or used to it because she was always alone anyways. Okay stop. Enough with the drama. She might like the cold but she did admit that it could rip her fingers off in a heartbeat. The playground light was still on so Maki decided to sit by the swings. Her legs were getting tired from standing up. While alone, she decided to build up her thoughts and what she was going to say to her friends. Tomohisa just asked her if it was alright if he dated Keiko. First, why would he ask her that? Second, did he ask because he plans to? Well that hurt. Wait. Why did it hurt?

Get it together Maki, he is just your friend!

This was hard. Maki leaned her head on the swing’s chain and closed her eyes. Okay she admits, the first time she saw Tomohisa, she had a crush on him.

Maki strolled to the new school built in-front of her. Actually, it wasn’t that new. It was just newly established as a school but the building was already standing for years. Her friend Yuichi just asked her to be an instructor at the new school. Where was Yuichi anyways? She was at the front gates of the school and had just entered. Looking up, she met face to face with the most handsome man she had ever seen. He had dark brown hair that covered almost a fourth of his face. He had the most succulent looking lips and angled nose. And his eyes. Gosh, his eyes were brown and deep. Was she staring already? Okay, get it together Maki.

She smiled at the man who was waiting by one of the bulletin boards. “Anou, excuse me, do you know where the faculty room is?”

The man returned her smile. Damn, that made her smile too!

“Unfortunately no, I was on my way to look for it too. Why don’t we find out together?”

“Uh… sure…”

“I’m Yamaa Tomohisa…” The man extended his arm for her to shake. “And you are?”

She took his hand in hers and smiled back. “Horikita Maki.”

Maki felt her eyes drooping. She couldn’t fall asleep here. She might get robbed or something worse. She needed to think. Maybe walking would do the trick. So she stood up from the swings and started walking. It would be perfect if some music queued in right now but Maki realized that this wasn’t a jdorama. Time to get all of her thoughts intact. She made her way to the middle of the park where there was a large tree situated. She smiled at how magnificent it looked being basked in the moonlight and some lamp posts. Some other people were also enjoying the moonlight and the fresh night air. She herself loved doing this when she was a little girl. Whenever her mom and dad would fight, she’d leave the house and just enjoy walking.

“Maki-chan?”

That voice startled her and when she looked up, it was to see Ryo looking at her just a few feet away. And he wasn’t alone.

“Ryo-kun!” She greeted then made her way over to him with a small smile. “And who is this guy?” She bent to her knees, patting the large dog that Ryo had with him.

The dog instantly felt a liking to Maki as seen by it her open palm and wagging his tail happily. Maki chuckled then the dog’s fur.

“This is Five.” Ryo introduced the cute dog proudly.

“Hello Five.” Maki greeted again, still kneeling, then she looked up at Ryo. “Why is he named Five?”

“Oh, because he was the fifth one born of his litter.” Ryo explained then laughed. “Yeah I know, I have a creative mind.”

“It seems so.” Maki teased before she stood up straight, giving Five one last pat. “So, why walk him at night?”

Ryo fixed Five’s leash, ordering him to sit before he answered. “I don’t have time during the day, besides, he seems to like walking during night.” He smiled at the dog then turned back to Maki. “What about you? Isn’t it kind of late for you to be walking around at night?”

Maki shrugged her shoulders. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Hmm, insomnia?”

Maki shook her head. She couldn’t tell him it was because his friend kept pestering her mind. “Say, are you up for some coffee? My treat.” She offered. She needed the company anyways, just to get her mind off Tomohisa.

Ryo smiled. Maki was slowly getting used to his smile.

“Sure, but it won’t be your treat, it’ll be my treat!”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Maki laughed. They started walking with Five happily joining them.

Coffee houses, especially the popular ones, would stay open for 24 hours and that was where Maki and Ryo decided to crash. She ordered a mocha coffee while he ordered cappuccino. They stayed outside so they wouldn’t have to leave Five alone.

“Ne, so how was playing piano in London?” Ryo asked her.

Maki chuckled. Maybe this was the only thing they could talk about for now. “It was fun. I got to meet new people in a different country. It was always cold there thought. And I was afraid of walking home alone because they said vampires were there.”

Ryo laughed. “Vampires?”

Maki could tell he didn’t believe her. It did sound preposterous. “I know I know it’s silly but the sun almost never shines there!” She reasoned out, trying to defend herself but Ryo was still laughing. She pouted and slapped his arm playfully. “You’re a bully.”

“I’m sorry it’s just that—vampires!” And Ryo laughed again.

Maki bit the inside of her cheek. She looked at the man in-front of her. “You can smile, why don’t you do it more often?”

There was still laughter in his voice when Ryo spoke up. “Don’t I do it that often?”

“No, no you don’t.”

Their shared laughter echoed throughout the café.

Maki found Ryo very interesting to talk to. Although they did have contrasting views, they talked civilly and she truly believed that Ryo is going to be a great friend. And with Ryo being the gentleman that he was, accompanied Maki back home.

“Thank you so much Ryo-kun.” Maki said. She then bent down and gave Five another pat on the head which got the happy dog spinning. They were now at the front of the apartment building.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Ryo said.

Maki smiled back. “Of course…”

They looked at each other for a moment but then Ryo looked up, as if feeling a dagger going through the back of his head. This caused both of them to look up and there was Tomohisa, at his balcony drinking a bottle of beer.

“Oh, hey Tomo!” Ryo greeted.

Tomohisa raised his bottle in greeting with a small smile but it didn’t reach his ears.

Ryo cleared his throat a little awkwardly before turning to Maki to say another goodbye. The man went on walking with his dog trotting obediently beside him. Maki lifted her head to look at Tomohisa only to see that the man was no longer there.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=

 Tomohisa placed the third bottle of beer on the kitchen table. This was not good for him. He reminded himself that they still had school tomorrow. Kind of funny thinking that. It made him feel like a student again and then he remembered that this time, he was the professor. He cleaned up the bottles and the noodles he ate for dinner. Why was he drinking anyways? He asked himself. Maybe it was because of that troublesome woman next door. He didn’t hear her exiting her apartment and was surprised to see that she was with Ryo. Ryo! Of all people, the guy was his friend but why Ryo?

Get it together Tomo, are you jealous?

Whoa, where did that come from? He shook his head awake then lied down on the bed. He heard Maki entering her apartment and could hear shuffling from the other side. Wow, these walls were thin.

He sat up from the bed. He didn’t feel sleepy even though he drank all of those bottles. Like just a while ago he situated himself by the balcony.

“Oh, hey Tomo.”

He almost jumped at the sound.

Maki was in her own balcony sitting on the tanning chair in a tank top and shorts. She had her glasses on and was reading with a little night lamp by her side. Did she not know that what she was wearing wasn’t doing him any good? Especially down there…

Get it together Tomo!

Tomohisa shook his head. “Hey Maki…” At least she was talking to him. He asked himself why he questioned Maki with that question a while ago.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He asked her.

Maki closed her book then removed her glasses. “I think the coffee is rushing into me.” She chuckled. They looked at each other then away. It was one of those scenes where there was real tension and Tomohisa wasn’t ready for that.

Maki was now looking at the stars, a small smile on her face. This was his chance. Tomohisa looked at her. The way her hair fell over her shoulders, her beguiling and round eyes staring up into the sky. He especially liked looking at her skin. It looked so smooth. Was he turning into a ert or something? It’s just that; Maki was so feminine. He liked that about her and liked the fact that she could still be as bad- even though, as he said, she was feminine.  

“Tomo?”

Oh he got caught. “Sorry what?”

Maki smiled at him again. “I said stop staring at me. Want me to just give you a picture?”

He stayed still for a moment but then smirked. “Shut up…” He actually blushed. God this was embarrassing. When he once gain looked up to was to see that Maki was now looking back at him. “Want me to give you a picture?” He teased.

But Maki stayed serious. Her look was serious before she smiled wanly at him. “Ne Tomo, about what you said, of course, it’d be fine if you want to date her, I’m not your girlfriend right?”