Meanwhile ...

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Ako sat among other students in Aikatsu University. It was her choice to assit this lecture, but it was never in her will to have it be so boring. Ako tried to grin and bare it with the rest of the speakers and voulenteres, but it was stressful.

Ako felt a vibration in her pocket, it was a text.


Kanata: How r u?


Ako made a quick reply then put her phone back in her pocket.


Ako: Bored.


Ako sighed, trying to smile and make a great example to her students. The Kikka's (the speaker's) lips moved but no words other then "Blah, blah, blah!" seemed to come out. She had listened to him rehersuse the same speach over and over and over -

"TROLL!" cried a loud voice. All eyes turned to the door. Kanata had burst into the room, looking panicked. "Troll! In the dungeon! Just thought you should know ..." Kanata collasped onto the ground and everyone burst out laughing.

"Oh my," Kikka laughed, holding his sides. "I think we can loose the last ten minutes, dismissed everyone!"

Kanata smiled and stood up. A few students and tooters shook his hands. "Impressive performance," Ako said with a smile.

"Well you're not the only actor around," Kanata said with a smile.

Ako chuckled. "Oh, thank you so much!"

"It was nothing," Kanata said with a shrug as he followed Ako as she got her bag. "Hey, want to see a picture Subaru texted me?"

"Sure!" Ako said with a smile.

Kanata showed Ako the picture. Subaru, Yume and Saya were at an ice cream parlor with ice cream cones in hand and smiles on their faces.

"Aw, looks like they're having fun," Ako said with a smile.

"They probabaly are," said Kanata. "But we'll have fun tonight at the dinner, right?"

"Yeah, maybe we could have more fun then the three amigos in Ocean Grove," Ako said with a smile.

"Probabably not," said Kanata. "But ... Ako?"

"Yes?"

"I ... forget it," Kanata shook his head. "I was just wondering if you wanted to switch tutoring shifts,"

Ako shrugged, "Maybe," she said with a smile. "Come on, let's grab our stuff and head over to the apartments. We have a lot of work to do before tonight,"

"Right," Kanata nodded.

As the two walked out of the classroom, Ako silently chuckled to herself, thinking - at first - Kanata was asking her out on a date. What a thought!

But ... she wouldn't mind it if he did ask her out.

~~~~~

"Ako, will you go on a date with me?" Kanata asked as he looked into his washroom mirror. "No." Kanata shook his head.

Kanata wanted to ask Ako out on a date, he had to be a chicken and not ask while they were in the classroom. He decided he could wait until the dinner tonight. But more waiting time meant more time to worry and over think.

"Ako, we've known each other since primery school and .... No!" Kanata shook his head. "Ako, I think I might ..."

Kanata sighed and got out of the bathroom. The most complicated of math problems, the most strangest of music mixes, all were childs play. But this? This was torcher.

Knock! Knock!

"Coming!" Kanata called, walking over to his door.

Kanata opened the door, Ako was there. "Hey neighbor," she said.

"Hey, what's up?" Kanata asked.

"Would you be really angry if I didn't go to the dinner tonight?" Ako asked.

"Why wouldn't you be there?" Kanata asked.

"Koharu called and asked if I could be her dummy for Aria's wedding dress since Aria is working over time at Aurora Fantasy," Ako gave Kanata a sympathetic look. "Will you be okay going without me?"

Kanata blinked for a few moments. "Yeah," he said at last. "It's fine,"

"You're sure?" Ako asked again. "I can just tell Koharu to wait another day,"

"Nah, it's for the wedding. That's more inportant then any dinner we could go to. It's fine," Kanata gave Ako an assuring smile, she smiled back.

"Thanks," she said.

Ako waved and headed back to her apartment. Kanata closed the door and slip down onto the floor. "Crud," he said to himself.

~~~~~

Ako put on her messenger-bag, did one last check in the mirror then started to head out. She passed by Kanata's apartment. She was about to knock before she stopped, her fist hovering above the door.

What am I doing?  she asked herself. It's not like he needs to know my every movement.

Ako slowly backed away and headed out the door to the bus stop (for neither she or Kanata had cars of their own).

Ako had known Kanata since they were little kids, Ako stilled remembered the times she had speant with the Yuki brothers, never wanting to be apart from either of them.

Ako shook her head and sighed. "Put childish things behind you, Saotome," she told herself. "Look onward to the future ... which means wearing a wedding dress that isn't even mine,"

~~~~~

Kanata felt down, to put it mildly. He had already chickened out of his first attempt to ask Ako out, now he'd have to try again later even later.

"I guess I'll have to wait," he said to himself as he tried to work on his laptop. 

But instead of his work, Kanata's attention was drawn to his screen saver.  It was a picture of him and Ako at graduation. Even then, he wanted to ask her.

Suddenly, Kanata slammed his laptop shut, got up, walked out the door, leaving his work behind him.

~~~~~

Ako waited for the bus as she looked at old childhood photos from her phone. Mrs. Saotome had sent the pictures after hearing Subaru had returned and felt the need to remember all the fun times they had had together so smother any lingering bitter feelings. Ako hated to admit it, even to herself, but it was working. She especially liked the picture where Subaru and Kanata had a contest to see who could hand upside down on the monkey-bars the longest; Kanata's glasses had fallen off in the middle of their contest so young Ako descided to put them on. It made her smile.

Then Ako's bus arrived. She put her phone away and walked onto the bus.

"AKO!" called a voice.

Ako gasped and turned around. "Kanata?"

~~~~~

"Ako!" Kanata called as he ran to catch up with the bus. But as soon as Ako turned around, the doors shut and the bus started to go up the street to the next stop.

Kanata huffed and puffed, trying to regain his breath as he watched the bus leave.

Then suddenly, a window opened and Ako stuck her head out through it! "Kanata!" she called.

Kanata beamed and ran to catch up with the bus. "Ako!" he called. "I love you!"

Ako smiled. "I love you too!" she said.

The two reached out and, for only a second, they held each other's hands, smiling at each other. Then the end of the walk came and they had to let go. Ako and Kanata smiled as they got further and further apart.

Kanata smiled to himself. He had done it.

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