As expected, even though the food was a feast, dinner with everyone was suffocating—at least for Shuuya.

"When...when did you two start dating?" her mother asks in between, which piqued the interest of everyone.

"Um." Yuma and her haven't talked about this yet! When they decided on pretending to be couples for a while, they didn't expect that they should flesh out a whole background story for each other. In panic, she kicked Yuma's foot under the table.

"At the start of the school year." Yuma answers coolly, as if he wasn't just stomped on earlier.

"So it hasn't been a year yet since you met each other? Wow, is it love at first sight?" Mrs. Maeda practically swooned over the two. Meanwhile, Soma, who was beside her, was eyeing this fake couple, knowing fully well the torment they're under. He almost burst out laughing seeing the younger girl's dark face, but he held it in by shoving more food down his throat.

"Actually, me and Maeda-senpai will make juice in the kitchen." Shuuya suddenly stood up and announced, and before everyone could even say a word, she pulled Yuma's hand to the kitchen, away from the dining room.

There, she finally heaved out an exasperated groan.

"What the hell?" She whispered angrily.

He only scratched his nape as he looks down. "Believe me. I tried to explain but they keep misunderstanding." 

He wasn't lying. Every time he  comes loose and fesses that he and Shuuya weren't really a thing, his mother and grandmother assumes that he kept denying it because he's embarrased about having a girlfriend. His brother doesn't even help clear up the misunderstanding. Eventually, Yuma gives up explaining since his words are deaf to their ears anyway.

"What should we do?" 

"..." 

Shuuya looks at Yuma's face. He looked so troubled, she couldn't help but sympathize a little. She pursues her lips into a thin line before finally sighing. 

"We'll just continue this farce...for now." It was a hard decision. But this situation was already out of control.

I can't believe we're really living the 'fake couple' troupe, Shuuya cried inwardly. But she couldn't afford to embarrass herself, embarrass him in front of his and her family. They're already in deep.

"Wait, are you sure?" 

"But we have to eventually breakup... okay? And soon!" This was the only solution she could think of at the moment. If only she wasn't panicked.

"Okay!" he immediately agrees without a fight, and that's all it took for everything to commence.

Even though it was only an excuse, the two of them still made fruit juice together in order to not appear suspicious and seem like they were talking about this plan of theirs.

And as expected, they were once again interrogated. It's a good thing that they already discussed everything in the kitchen.

They'll go impromptu. Once thrown a question, they'll immediately make up a story. They didn't have time to make up a detailed backstory afterall, so Shuuya could only leave the wheel to her and Yuma's ability as storytellers. 

"How did you two meet? It doesn't seem like it's easy for a senpai and kouhai to cross paths."

"Through a mutual friend." Yuma answers. 

"Who liked who first?"

"Him," Shuuya immediately answers. Even if it was only a farce, no way would she let her pride down.

It's a good thing the moms' expressions were satisfied, and were even excited about it.

"My, look at you."Mrs. Maeda teased her son. Yuma's expression remained unaffected.

"What have you been doing? Were you two even able to have dates?"

"Walking dates, I suppose?" Yuma takes a bite of the steak. "It's because we're so busy. We could only catch up with each other by going home and going to school together."

"Ain't my son the sweetest boy!" Mrs. Maeda knew there was a side of him specifically spared for Shuuya, but she didn't know that it was this sappy.

"So you're sending my daughter to and from home? I didn't know that!" Mrs. Honda was growing fonder of this boy as time goes by. "Thank you!"

"It's what I was suppposed to do." Yuma flashes her a charming smile, which was a KO and directly gained her favor at that moment. Mother Honda was more than satisfied with her son-in-law.

"Forget the present. What was your first impression of each other?" Mrs. Maeda was even more gossipy now.

"He was weird," Shuuya answered without thinking. She widened her eyes in surprise and immediately thought of a follow-up. "—weirdly beautiful. He was beautiful and tall."

Crap. I almost slipped. She pinched her calf under the table.

"My first impression of Shuuya..."Yuma looked like he was really thinking about it. "...she looked uptight and neutral to things. But I found out that she really wasn't, and that's what made her special."

...she couldn't figure if it really came from the heart at all!

"When did you realize that you liked each other?"Mrs. Honda cheekily questions.

"..." Shuuya was speechless. The questions kept being more and more embarrassing and personal. She couldn't help but note that if she really does get a boyfriend in the future, she'll make sure to not let him meet her mother—at least not when she's present.

It's a good thing that Yuma sensed her discomfort and immediately answered for them. "When I confessed."

"..." Everyone was quiet. Either in confusion or bewilderment. Soma was the one who broke the ice.

"How's that possible? Aren't you supposed to confess to her once you made sure you have feelings for her?" Soma smirked. Their lies are so obvious. These two mothers were romantacizing them too much they even failed to notice.

But he didn't expect Yuma to answer seriously. "I was conflicted. I really didn't know what I actually thought about her. I assumed it was love, so I confessed. But only then did I confirm that I really love her."

Love.

He looks at Shuuya in the eye, before continuing, "And when she turned me down the first time, the feeling of not being a part of her life, made me miserable. Even more so when songs suddenly start making sense."

"..." Once again, everyone was still quiet.

Shuuya felt her cheeks and neck warm, and she looks down on her plate to avoid his eyes.

Her heart almost burst out of her chest. It was a good thing that she knew that he was only making up lies...

But how the hell is this guy so poetic... If she didn't know any better she'd really believe that they were actually a couple. This guy... he's an absolute con artist!

Even Soma was dumbfounded. His brother's eyes were so genuine.

Yuma could only smile knowingly at Shuuya's reaction.