Ishi certainly didn't think that when the new year rolled around and he returned for his final quarter of high school that he'd have a girlfriend. Yet here he was, sitting at his desk with Ryugi turning her head back towards him to smile and wink at him.
"It's cool you have a girlfriend now." Rinse told him after they got to their second break. "I know we've had all day to talk about it, but I still can't believe it." She was happy for him to have found someone he loved, but her tone betrayed her sorrow about how events turned out. It was unfortunate that she couldn't tell him about her true feelings, but the girl was going to support him.
"Yeah, after knowing you all these years, I thought you were going to stay single throughout all of high school." Youna felt the same way, but it was even more disheartening after knowing him for so long. The fact that he would accept the gyaru's confession was a shock. It didn't seem like he would return that girl's feelings at all. She just didn't seem to be his type.
"I guess I didn't even know it until that moment." He answered. Though the feelings under him had begun to simmer during that lunch date with her before their birthdays. He knew that she must've felt something towards him, but was holding back because of her friends.
"That was totally the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Ryugi butted herself into their conversation. Though at least she had more reason to do so these days after finally getting into a relationship with Ishi. He rolled her eyes as she made a show about how challenging it was for her, but he did smile over the girl being able to overcome her demons.
Speaking of said demons, her friends were soon to follow as they didn't have anywhere else to go during this break other than to be with their friend. Unlike before, they weren't as mean to him as they would normally be.
"I know you've got a boyfriend now, but that doesn't mean we need to orbit around him." Said Ritsuko. "Come on, there's better places to be than just at our desks."
"Yeah, let's go check out the vending machines." Nayaka pulled her away as quickly as the girl had come here. Before they were out the door, Ritsuko did have one last thing to say before they parted.
"Just to let you know." She spoke to Ishi directly, ignoring everyone else. "You're all right." With that, she walked out. However, that wasn't going to be the last time he was going to see Ryugi for today. A note was left on his table when no one was looking. When he went to read it, the note simply told him to meet the person who sent it behind the school after classes were finished. Obviously this was left by his girlfriend.
"I guess I got plans for after school." Which is promptly where he separated from the rest of his friend when school was done for the day. On his way there, Ishi was interrupted by a familiar face.
"Hey." Chinae greeted him as she was about to exit the school grounds. "You going to see your girlfriend?"
"Yeah." Even though he wasn't the type to want to feel bad, that didn't stop him from worrying about how she must've felt after that night. To confess and be rejected, then to go on to watch someone else do the same thing but get accepted. That would be hard on anyone. "I'm really sorry."
"You don't have to be." She responded with a small, weak smile. "I'm sure there's going to be other great guys in the future. And it's your heart that matters more anyway." Chinae made him promise to not let this hang over his head. They could still be friends after this.
With that, Ishi returned to heading towards the destination given on the note. It took little time for the boy to make it there as he saw Ryugi sitting up against the wall all alone. With the way her legs were up, it seemed she didn't care about her panties being visible for the world to see. Then again, she never seemed to care about that kind of stuff even before they started dating.
"Finally, you made it." She gave an impatient tone to him as the boy sat down besides her. "You really know how to keep a girl waiting."
"Sorry, I just ran into Chiane on my way here." He answered, which didn't garner the most positive response out of her. After all, even though she never mentioned it to him, she did see that girl's sister confess to him. "Actually, it's been a while since we've all hung out. Maybe we should set something up."
"Sheesh, we haven't even gone on a real date and you're already just talking about the other girls?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Sorry, that was, like, totally rude." She had asked him to join her here for a reason, which was her concerns about their other friends. However, it was hard to keep a cool head over everything.
"Don't worry about me." He assured her that nothing would come between them. Ishi wasn't the type of boy to play around with girls as it were, so the idea of him ever cheating on her was a fantasy. "Besides, when people find out we were back here alone, you already know they're going to talk."
"Heh, that happens to us a lot, doesn't it?" She giggled. From being caught together at the boys bathroom, and alone outside during a camping excursion. There were probably plenty of who thought they were already together.
"Yeah, but you're a virgin. So there's no way we would've been so bold." Of course, he was also the same thing as her, so it wasn't meant as an insult out of Ishi.
"True." Her faced turned red as she turned away from him to make this suggestion. "But… When you want to… I'm ready to give myself up."
"Aye, gals really do think about sex all the time." His response almost made her heart sink as Ryugi thought he hated her idea. She tried to speak up and say it was only a joke, but when she turned her head back to him. That was when the boy hit her with a surprise attack of his own. Ishi stole a kiss on her lips as they shared this intimate moment at the back of the school. "You're right though. We could do it right now."
He ran his hand down her exposed thighs, which sent shivers up her spine. For a second, she actually thought it was time for the pair to graduate, but he pulled back. "But I'd like to wait until we're at least done with high school. Hope you don't mind."
"Heheh." She was able to regain her composure as she looked at his face. "You're blushing, so even this gets you embarrassed."
"It's a serious conversation." He defended his uncharacteristic appearance. She continued to tease him for a little bit before the pair fell into silence. Only the ambient sounds of nature filled the air.
"...I love you Ishi." Finally, Ryugi broke the stillness between them.
"...I love you too."