One day, Riku manages to corner Aya all by herself in an empty hallway during afternoon recess. Riku looks at Aya with puppy eyes and a small blush. "Nagatsuka-senpai, i... i like Senpai!" Riku suddenly explodes at Aya.
"EEHH?!" Aya gasps and shouts in shock and disbelief, seeing Riku's sudden confession with those bright puppy eyes and rosy cheeks on his face. Aya looks around the hallway, thinking that Riku probably talks to someone else around her.
"Nagatsuka-senpai... Senpai... i like you, senpai. It's you. I... i'm head over heels the moment you helped me collected the papers the day i bumped into you." Riku explains while fidgeting his fingers. But then gently holds Aya's hands and caresses the back of her hands with his thumbs.
"Senpai... i like you... will you be my girlfriend?" Riku just went straight to the point of what he wants. Aya's eyes widened and she's getting speechless from what just happened that goes so fast.
"Eh?! Eh?! Eh- wait- wait!" Aya pulls her hands from Riku's gentle grasps and then take a few steps back away from Riku. Riku pouts with his face gets redder as he looks away.
"T-this is so sudden! I barely know you!" Aya says.
"I know. But we can get to know each other if we dated. Or... senpai have a boyfriend already?" Riku takes a step closer towards Aya while looming over her.
"N-no! I don't have a boyfriend right now-"
"That's great! Wah... i thought you have one this whole time! Thank goodness!" Riku exclaims in excitement and relief as he cuts her words.
"Let's get to know each other, yes, senpai? Nagatsuka-senpai?" Riku looks at Aya with bigger puppy eyes and rosy cheeks as he smiles warmly at her. Somehow it melts Aya a little bit because Riku reminds her of a cute golden retriever with those appearances of his. Especially when he speaks in a soft-spoken way, Aya can't help but nods at Riku.
"Okay... uh... Riku? Riku-kun?" Aya hesitantly tries to call him with a nickname or just his name.
"Just Riku is fine, senpai. Or do you prefer calling me baby? Hehe." Riku teases Aya with a cute giggle. Aya gasps and back away again from Riku as she blushes from his teasing.
"Okay! Riku! Riku..." Aya repeats his name again to gets used to it.
"May i call you Aya-senpai instead? That way, we can get closer and get to know each other better, right?" Riku asks as he leans closer to Aya's face. Aya yelps in surprise and freezes in place. She then gulps nervously.
"Y-yeah, sure..." Aya answers. Riku's smile wider.
"Thank you, Aya-senpai!" Riku nods at Aya and then takes out his phone. "May i get your phone number and ID?"
They then proceed to exchange phone numbers and social media IDs, not knowing what lies ahead if Naoki, Tetsu, Ryu, and Hirofumi find out about this.