This weird guy...

His serious eyes laid upon me, devoid of any emotion, as if he was just reading a book. 

While I was fidgeting on the spot, he slowly opened his mouth.

"Yeah. It looks good on you."

His words sent tiny tremors throughout my body. 

I... I can't get used to it.

Normally, I don't feel anything when someone compliments me. They usually become heated on the spot, excitingly spewing out words of fascination and flatter, with a glitter in their eyes.

But... When a boy who looks dead straight at my eyes with a genuine firm stare and compliments me, it...

It truly throws me off. 

Without a second glance, I can tell that his thoughts and words are sincere, with no strings attached to them. 

His pitch dark eyes are contradictory to his actions and words.

At first glance, it would feel murky and disturbing to the naked eye, yet when delving deeper, alas I found tranquility and tenderness.

It feels a little bit disparate from Touma.

That guy was always on cloud nine, bombarding me with affectionate and kind words. It felt similar to Ishikawa-kun's, in the way that it felt like there was no selfish intent in them. In spite of that... Ishikawa's-

"Are you okay?"

His words broke me out of my random daze. Lightly biting my lower lip, I shook my head. Not knowing what to do, I stayed silent.

He faintly smiled, as he gazed at me with a mysteriously relaxed expression.

"Shall we go to a cafe instead? Maybe that'll clear your head."

I nodded. Somehow, the way he looked at me quelled my tense self. It felt comfortable.

As we started walking across the flourished white concrete, Ishikawa-kun slowly tapped on my shoulder.

"Hey. Do you like coffee?"

"Whats with the random question?"

"Well, since we're heading to a cafe, I sort of figured to ask, lol."

"...No. I don't."

"Ehh...? Then why did you agree to come?"

"Because you're the one who asked me to! Dumbass."

"That's quite surprising though. I didn't think that someone as mature looking as you would hate coffee."

"Well, sorry for not standing up to your expectations."

"No, no, no. I didn't mean it in that way. I mean like, you know the general stereotype of older beautiful girls being really mature and drinking black coffee and reading books kinda vibe? When I first saw you, that was the first image that popped in mind."

"..."

"Turns out the beautiful onee-san really likes cute and frilly clothes and loves sweets, hahaha..."

I glanced at him. He was slightly chucking and grinning like he saw a funny reel on his phone.

"You-"

I lightly pinched his side.

"Owowowow- Okay, okay, relax, I wasn't making fun of you, so stop!"

"Are you sure?"

"No seriously, I'm sorry, so let go of me, yeah?"

"Hmph!"

He softly rubbed his sides as I let go.

-----

We finally arrived at the cafe.

The store front was decorated with cute teddy bears contrasting with the wooden store sign that read, "Groundhouse."

"...So, why are there teddy bears surrounding the whole entrance?"

"Well, this cafe's really popular with girls, so I thought I'd take you here."

"But you're a guy."

"..."

"Are you an idiot?"

"I'm not. I would be lying if I said I wasn't embarrassed to enter the store, but I mean at least I have you."

(...Calm down, me, he didn't mean it in that way.)

I slowly swatted my face in an attempt to cool it down.

As we entered the store, multiple eyes fell upon us. 

"Hey, look at those two!"

"Hmm? The guy's kinda scary..."

"Yeah, but look at the girl! Ain't she super cute!?"

"Ahhh... My eyes have been blessed!"

"Do you think the guy is blackmailing her? I mean like, they don't really fit well together. It seems out of place."

Somehow, that one comment slightly filled my body with anger. 

My eyebrows twitching, I lightly tugged at the hems of Ishikawa's sleeve.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Beaming at him, I let out a super happy expression and pointed at an empty table.

"Hey! Let's sit over there, okay?"

"Okay..?"

Sitting in the middle of the light oak table was a yellow teddy bear. 

I couldn't resist my urges, and immediately grabbed it out of instinct.

The corners of my lips easily curved upwards.

Snap!

"Pfff- You know, even if you like cute things, wasn't that way too fast?"

I looked up to find Ishikawa holding a phone facing towards me.

"Ahhhh! Did you just snap a pic of me!?"

"No clue what you're going on about. Did you forget to take your dementia pills again?"

"You son of a b-"

(This guy and his fucking smirk is really pissing me off right now!)

"Woah calm down. Look, I already ordered on my phone, see?"

Right on time, the waitress came up to us and delivered two drinks on the table.

"H- Hope you enjoy the drinks!"

The waitress quickly toitered away from our table.

"...See, now they think we're crazy."

"The only difference is that one person was always crazy."

I felt my blood vessels in my forehead snapping.

This time I pinched his cheeks.

"Owowowow- Legh gwo of mue!"

"You've really gone too far, so no."

"Dhiss iz abushee!!"

"...Nevermind, I don't think that guy is blackmailing her. Actually, I kinda pity him now."

"Tsk!"

I let go of his cheeks.

"Ow... Thank you, finally. Why do you always pinch me when I say something that's tru- OKAY! I get it so stop coming closer to me with that scary eyes!"

Sighing, I glanced at the drinks.

On one side, there was a steaming cup of black coffee, and on the other side was an icy dessert, presumably a coffee frappe topped with ice shavings, cream and ice cream.

Sitting down, I slowly took a sip of the iced frappe.

(...! This is super good!)

"Mmmhh!"

Snap!

"..."

"..."

"Did you take another picture of me?"

"Maybe."

"I told you not to take pictures of me!"

"I don't know. I mean you look way cuter when you naturally smile. See?"

"Cut-"

He shoved his phone in front of my face.

(Is... Is that really me?)

There I laid, with the most intoxicating smile I had ever seen.

Cutting my thoughts, Ishikawa's voice interrupted me.

"Don't you feel tired keeping that mask on all the time? I can tell that your faking everything when it comes to interacting with people."

"...I can't. It's a part of me, so how am I supposed to stop? Also how'd you know?"

He shrugged, while taking a sip of his black coffee.

"It's pretty obvious. When you fake smile I can immediately tell because I know the difference from when you naturally smile and when you don't."

"..."

"I mean one's more naturally cute and the other is just a turnoff, so that's pretty easy-"

I felt my face flush up in both embarrassment and anger.

I kicked his shin.

"Agh! Stop hurting me! What are you, a tsundere?"

"What sort of idiot would be 'dere' for you, dumbass!"

"Proving my point."

"God I hate you!"

"Says the lady who blackmailed me."

Thud!

"Agh!"

"Hmph!"

"Ouch... Well, what I was trying to say, before you kicked me again, was that it's fine to put away the mask once in a while. At least you don't have to put it up in front of me, cause honestly I prefer you with no filter, haha."

"...Really?"

"Yeah. Whatever that mask is for, I'm not a part of it. But loosen up alright? At this point you're going to exhaust yourself and break."

"...Alright."

"Good girl."

"I'm not a damn child!"

"Sure... Keep your delusions to yourself alright?"

This guy just couldn't keep his mouth shut. But, in a way, I didn't mind it. His concerned face briefly popped up, showing that he actually meant it when he told me to take off the mask. After all, I of all people would know what faking an expression is, so at the very least, I knew he was genuinely worried about me.

(...Yeah. I should lay off the mask once in a while.)

"I'm going to the bathroom real quick."

"Hmm? Oh yeah, sure."

I left my seat and entered the bathroom.

Dousing my face with water, I looked in the mirror.

My face and ears were slightly flushed, with my black hair disheveled.

I placed my palm over my cheek and mouth as I lightly muttered,

"...Baka."

-----

A/N: I'M BACK BABY!!! LES GOOOOOOOOOOOOO