After finishing their treats at the cafe he suggested they go to. The pair realized their day together was coming to an end. There wasn’t much else to do and it was late enough that they both should be heading home in time for dinner. Kichi felt it was a shame this day had to end, but that should be considered a good sign. He could only hope she felt the same way.

“It’s been fun today, hasn’t it?” He asked as they walked back towards their homes. While he couldn’t agree with their statement on the first half. Things did turn around by the time they left the zen garden.

“Yep.” She answered all giddy. “Oh, I wish we didn’t have to spend so much time in school. It’s hard to actually talk when we’re in class.” As people who did sit besides each other in class. He did have to agree on their lack of conversing during that time. Perhaps it was due to the academic settings. Or maybe it was due to being unable to have a proper one-on-one conversation since it had to be shared with Chuuya.

“True.” He replied. “But it’s not like we don’t get to see each other everyday. So I take that as a win.” For a moment, he wondered if that statement took things too far. Not in any appropriate sense, but in the idea that he could be letting on his intentions a bit too much. There was no doubt in his mind that he would like to have a proper date with her. One where he could treat her like the girl she was.

It was just that there were too many variables in play between them. For starters, he had no idea on if she’d ever have any romantic interest in him. They had barely gotten to know each other and he didn’t know what her type of boy might be. It could be entirely possible Kichi didn’t fit her bill as someone ideal.

“Ooh, a park.” She pointed the playground he and Aoi had gone to for their project not long ago. “We should stop here for a second.”

“All right then.” He had no qualms about continuing their time just a little bit more. The two of them may appear much to old to be at a place like this, but as long as if was with her. He had no problems with the environment at all.

“Wee!” She immediately rushed over and sat on one of the swings. “You should push me.”

“Sure.” It seemed she had forgotten their age when she made the request. Though it was plain to see the girl didn’t care at all when she was able to enjoy something as simple as this swing set. Kichi pushed her for a bit before getting on the other one to enjoy himself some swinging as well. “It’s been a while since I’ve actually done this.” He commented to her as they swung in unison.

“Right?” She was in the same boat as him. Though judging from how natural she acted, he could’ve easily assume this was something she did every day. “Say, I’ve got a question.” Said Airi as they slowed down a bit.

“Go ahead.” He responded. “As long as it’s not embarrassing, I’ll answer it.”

“I was just wondering, why do you use that coin so much?” She asked. It was a good question that many never bothered to ask him. Most of his classmates assumed it was just him being silly, Chuuya included with that bunch. “Why is it considered lucky?”

“It’s actually quite a story.” He replied, pulling out the coin from his pocket to reminiscence. It had all started many years ago, when he was still in the single digits in age.

He had been hanging around this very same park. It was just a normal day, just like today, where he had tons of fun with other children his age. Eventually that time had to end and everyone began leaving as their parents were calling them home. He was among the last to leave, as it was supposed to be his sister’s responsibility to take him home and she had forgotten to do that.

So he was walking home all on his own. At this time, he was confident he’d be able to take care of himself, but his parents told him to wait for his sister as they trusted her more due to age. When he didn’t want to wait any longer, this was when he made the decision to go.

On his walk there, the boy noted a coin which had fallen to the ground. He didn’t want to miss out on some money, as someone his age thought that amount was a fortune. So he bent down to pick it up. It was at this moment something incredible occurred.

A truck nearby had lost control of the vehicle. It swerved in an attempt to not crash, which proved futile as it ran up onto the sidewalk where Kichi was standing at. The car crashed into the fence of the park, right in front of where the little boy was standing. The near death experience caused him to fall back in shock, still holding onto the coin for dear life.

“Are you all right!?” The driver immediately rushed out to check on the child he believe he might’ve hit with his truck.

“Y-yeah.” Kichi was barely able to answer as the words struggled to form in his mouth. He held up the coin to his face and stared at it as the man called for help. If he hadn’t stopped to pick up this coin, then he would’ve taken that extra step forward right into the path of that out of control vehicle. There was no way he could believe something that insane was up to chance.

So that was the story where he believed this coin not only was lucky, but also one which had his best interests in mind.

“Wow.” Airi was awestruck after he told his incredible tale. Were it anyone else, they might not be as impressed. They might not have even believed what he just said. However, she was not like most others. “Sorry we couldn’t make things work out in the zen garden then.” They only went to a place that ended up not being much fun because of that coin. “It must’ve been my fault.”

“Nah, it’s all good.” He agreed with her that part was a drag. Though given that car accident, he figured it must’ve made that coin due to wanting to protect their lives instead of worrying about trivial things like enjoyment. After all, you can’t have fun if you’re dead. “Besides, we still had a lot of fun anyway.”

“That’s right.” She said, jumping out of her seat. “It’s getting late now, so we really should get going home.”

“That’s fine with me.” He got up to follow her back to her house. “I’ll walk you home first.”

“Thanks.” She smiled. “What a gentlemen.” The statement was made in jest, but he did appreciate that she was happy about his actions.

“It’s no problem.” He replied as they walked home. Today had been better than he expected. She certainly appeared to have had high hopes for it with the way she dressed up. If he didn’t know any better, the boy might’ve assumed she was trying to impress him or something.

If that were the case, then she definitely succeed in doing so. It was hard to deny she looked so pretty with her top and skirt. Not to mention that her skirt did a fine job in showing off those slender legs as well. He could spend a long time looking at them, but wouldn’t as that would be acting like a creep. With how many times Aoi had called him things like pervert, stalker, creep. The boy didn’t want to prove her right, even if she had a point. “Looks like we’re here.” He said as they got to the front of her house.

“Thanks.” She gave a respectful bow for him sticking with her all the way until the end. “It’s been great today.”

“You can say that again.” He replied. It seemed they both had made sure the other knew they were having fun. Kichi couldn’t tell if she might’ve been overcompensating and was actually lying for his sake. He knew that he was being genuine when saying it. So he hope it was the same for her. From the way she acted it appeared she was having even more fun than him. “I guess we’ll see each other in class next time.”

“Right.” Said Airi. Then she turned around to open her door. Which he took to be the signal to walk away so they could say their farewells from a distance. “Wait.” She stopped right as she unlocked the door. He had been a fair distance away, but was able to turn around to face her easily.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, concerned over the tone she had in stopping him.

“There’s nothing wrong.” She assured him. “It’s just that… Do you think maybe… You don’t tell Aoi about today.” Those words took him by surprise. The first reason being that it echoed what Aoi had said to him the other day after their trip to the aquarium together. The other, more important, reason was that he knew for a fact she was the one who told him the twins told each other everything. Why would Airi be telling him to do that now?

“Um, sure.” He answered. While it wasn’t something he expected coming out of her, Kichi was going to respect her wishes. “It’s fine. I won’t tell her about a single thing we did today.”

“That’s great.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “All righty then, have a good night!” Airi gave him a farewell full of energy as she opened the door to enter her house.

“Right, have a good night too.” He responded in kind, though nowhere near as loud as she did it.