The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Riku quickly packed up his things, still processing what had just happened. Yumi had invited him over to her house to work on the project, and while he had agreed without thinking, the idea still seemed surreal.
It wasn't like he had any plans after school, but this was Yumi—Yumi, the popular girl with the playful yet confident demeanor that made everyone else seem to pale in comparison. And yet, here she was, casually inviting him to her house. It was a little overwhelming, to say the least.
"Riku, you coming or what?" Yumi's voice cut through his thoughts. He blinked and saw her waiting by the door, one eyebrow raised as if she was already impatient with him.
"Oh—uh, yeah. Coming!" He stumbled over his words as he stood up, trying to act like he wasn't caught off guard.
Yumi smirked and crossed her arms. "Took you long enough. Let's go."
Riku hurriedly followed her as they left the school building. He had never walked with Yumi before, but now that they were doing it, it felt oddly natural. There wasn't the usual crowd around her, just the two of them walking side by side.
"So, um… do you do this often? Invite people over, I mean?" Riku asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
Yumi turned her head, a teasing smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "What, invite people over to my house? Not really. But you're different."
Riku blinked, a little confused. "Different?"
"Yeah. You're not the type to act all cool and smug like the other guys. You don't try to impress me," she said, her voice light but with an edge of sincerity.
"I… don't?" Riku mumbled, not sure whether to feel relieved or embarrassed.
"Yep. That's why I invited you," Yumi said, her tone almost sounding serious for a moment. "You're more interesting that way."
Riku wasn't sure how to respond to that. He just nodded awkwardly, trying not to overthink it. The walk to her house wasn't far, and soon they arrived at a two-story building that looked modern and well-kept.
"Here we are," Yumi said, walking up the steps with Riku following behind her. "My parents are at work, so its just us, make yourself at home."
Riku nodded, his mind spinning with the idea of being at Yumi's house without her parents there. "Oh, right. Okay."
Yumi opened the door and led him inside, gesturing to the living room. "You can wait here while I go change my clothes into something more comfortable."
Riku looked around, trying not to appear too out of place. The house was so clean and organized, everything in its right place, and it made him feel like a bit of a mess in comparison. Yumi was already heading upstairs before he could say anything, and he was left standing awkwardly in the living room, unsure of what to do with himself.
After a few minutes, Yumi called down from upstairs. "Hey, am done, come on up!"
Riku took a deep breath, forcing his feet to move toward the stairs. His heart was beating a little faster than usual, and he couldn't explain why. It wasn't like he was nervous, but being in Yumi's house felt... different.
When he reached the top of the stairs, he saw Yumi coming out of a room, wearing a casual outfit—short shorts and a fitted shirt that clung to her figure, with a thin jacket loosely draped over her shoulders. Her hair was slightly messy from the change, but she still looked effortlessly cool.
Riku's eyes widened, and he found himself muttering under his breath, "So pretty…"
The word escaped him before he could stop it, and when Yumi heard it, she stopped in her tracks, her face going red in an instant. She turned toward him so quickly that she almost tripped.
"What?" she asked, her voice uncharacteristically flustered.
Riku immediately realized what he had said, and his face burned even more. "I-i didn't say anything!"
Yumi took a moment to compose herself before quickly looking away, still flushed. "Jeez, you startled me, Riku! I was just coming down to tell you to head upstairs, but now I've got to deal with you getting all flustered."
Riku couldn't find the words to explain himself. He was stuck in his own embarrassment. "I—uh, I didn't mean to stare, I swear!"
She tilted her head, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Oh, you didn't? Then why'd you say 'pretty,' huh?"
"I... I don't know!" He ran a hand through his hair, desperately trying to find something to say that would make this awkward moment go away. "I wasn't thinking, I was just—"
"Just what? Staring at me?" she teased, not letting him off the hook.
Riku groaned, looking down at his shoes as if they held the answers to life's greatest mysteries. "I'm sorry. I-i didn't mean to."
Yumi crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Her ears still a bit red. "Well, you did. But I guess I'll let it slide. This time."
Riku's heart was still pounding in his chest, but he couldn't help but notice how cute Yumi looked when she wasn't being her usual confident self. It almost made him feel a little better, knowing that even she could be caught off guard sometimes.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Yumi turned around. "Alright, lets get started with the assignment."
Riku gave her a quick nod, still embarrassed but relieved to get out of the moment. He quickly followed her instructions and followed behind her to her room, hoping the rest of the day would be a bit more... normal.