usually, miki would be the one to invite yuki in her condominium and he'd always go there like the good friends they are.

one day, miki wanted to go out but yuki is fast to decline her plea.

"we couldn't go outside." he settles his parka on a rack and shoes on a corner and plops himself on the couch beside her. "there are far too many paparazzis who could spot us. too risque."

honoka's eyes squints to his direction and jumps, pointing her finger accusingly at him. "see, see! your inner irie-kun is emerging again!"

he couldn't help but sigh. "and you call yourself an 'adult'?" she scowls by his remark but stops when he continues. "just what kind of adult are you referring to, ha?"

"tch." she stands up and twirls on her best sunday dress. "i'm an adult, alright!"

she ticks numbers on her fingers. "i could cook ("you only cook instant foods." "shut up!"), do some household chores, go out by myself ("then why do you always make me go with you?" "you'll never learn, don't you?"), take care of you and curse!"

i did not just say that.

"come again?"

gulp. "curse?" miki lets out an awful singsong voice. "i'm not that quite good at cursing but i managed to remember some english words you seldom says like fu--"

"not that you idiot."

"you know, that's enough for today." miki sits down and takes a sip of her oolong tea and rests it on the centertable. she motions yuki to go out so that she could finally rest.

he didn't go out.

"why would you take care of me?" he playfully flicks her forehead fondly but she never nudged. "ooohhh. you like me, do you?"

"why does age matter this much in society?" she stops avoiding his gaze and stares at him intently, making yuki shift uncomfortable on his seat.

"i don't know." he doesn't really know.

"then what if i really like you?" she leans closer to him. she could already feel his minty breath and penetrating gaze on her lips.

"you're getting fat."

"i hate this."

"what?"

"how we shift to other topics when one topic is getting uncomfortable to pry into."

"but you're really getting fat!"

she lets out a sigh and pulls her dress up to expose her stomach but yuki flares beet red and stops her before she could even lift her clothing. "what the hell are you doing?"

"trying to see if i'm really fat." there came her casual and honest reply in which yuki facepalmed. "why?"

"why are you lifting it in front of me?!"

"then don't look!" she rolls her eyes. "sometimes, i couldn't believe you're that old, already, given that you're so childish and uptight at times!"

he huffs in annoyance. "i am not old!"

"yes you are! and i'm just seventeen! ten years apart from you!" her face contorts from a smiling one to a long face. "17 and 26, isn't it disgusting? i'm falling in love with a man who's decades older than me!"

and she starts crying, just what furukawa yuki has expected. she cried loads in the set but not here. alone. with him.

"stop crying. you're getting ugly."

"why are your compliments always so derogatory!"

he reaches for his hanky in his pockets and reaches it to her. she accepts it and blows her nose soundly. yuki exhales quite loudly but the loudness doesn't even reach to miki's wailing. he takes note of how she gets too emotional at the pettiest of things. he rubs her head, hoping to comfort her lonely aura, and chuckles. "oh. did i ever say i like you?"

she sniffs. "no."

"will this serve as a reminder?"

he reaches for her chin and plants a short kiss on her lips. she thinks it's rash because she's still crying while on the other hand yuki thinks it's perfect.

"i lo~ve you!" she enunciates in accented english and hugs yuki tight, almost suffocating him. the change in her expression is evident too. that just shows how much she's like a kid and an adult at the same time.

"you're still fat, though." he still doesn't pull away from the hug.

she pulls away and glares at him. "ugh. why do i keep up with you?"

"because you love me, too, the same way i love you."

miki then kisses him. on the lips.