Amare Memoriae

Part 1 Promise

It started like any other day, or rather, it ended like any other day, with Takagi and Nishikata heading home after a long day at school. "I can't believe you got yelled at again Nishikata." Takagi said as they walked down the street. "One would assume that you would have learned by now."

"I only react because you tease me Takagi!" Nishikata exclaimed.

"Well yeah, you know I like to see your reactions." Nishikata scoffed and turned away, as Takagi looked up and smiled. "I wonder how many times I've teased you today."

"Thirty seven." Nishikata said under his breath.

Takagi turned to him with a sly smile on her face. "You've been counting?"

Nishikata blushed as he realized what he had done.

"Now I wonder why that could possibly be." Takagi placed a finger on her chin as she gazed upwards. "Is it because you actually like being teased?"

"NO IT'S NOT!" He exclaimed. "I don't like being teased, and I never will!"

"I know, I know ... then ... is it because you like spending time with me?"

Nishikata blushed again as he struggled to find the words. "I-It's ... I ... that's not ..."

"Oh, I remember, it's because you base the number of pushups you do around how many times I tease you."

Nishikata breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah, that's it, remember? It's so that I can motivate myself to not get teased by you so much."

"I remember, but if that's the case," she looked down at his arm. "Maybe if I tease you more, you'd get more muscular."

Nishikata turned away, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Please don't."

"Why not?" She reached over to his arm to wrap her arm around it, but flinched, just as she was about to touch it. 'Looks like I still can't do it.' She pulled her hand back as she took a deep breath to ease her slight blush. "Nah, I couldn't do that just for the sake of making your arms look better."

"HUH?" Nishikata exclaimed as he turned back.

"I mean you do three pushups per time I tease you if I remember correctly, and I've teased you thirty-eight times so that's one hundred and fourteen."

'Thirty ... oh yeah, she just teased me again, so it's thirty-eight now.' He shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced at her again. 'Though, if she does like it when I have mussels ... maybe I should up it to ten times.' He quickly shook his head. 'No, my arms would fall off if I did that ... maybe I'll just up it to five times for now.'

"Though, if I'm being honest, I also don't want you to change too quickly."

"Huh?"

"Then we have more chances to make more memories the way we are now."

"I ... don't get it."

She leaned closer to him. "You wanna know a secret?"

"Seecret?" Nishikata's eyes nearly lit up. 'Is it her secret weakness? No, I'm not that lucky, but I can't turn my nose up at something like that.' Nishikata smiled confidently. "If you're willing to share, then I'll listen."

"Good." She leaned closer and began whispering in his ear. "Truthfully, I like making memories with you." Nishikata began to blush as she leaned away and began walking normally again. "Every day is a new memory we have together, and a new thing to look back on when we grow old." She looked to the sky. "They're something that we can always look back on when we're sad, or when we're alone to make us happy by remembering the good times. And I really like all the ones I make with you."