The next day was sunny. Haruto sat at his window gazing at the blue skies. "Aah, summer vacation... Maybe this year I can finally go out and have a healthy life of a teenage boy~!" But that was totally wrong. He could hear the chatter downstairs of his parents and their friends planning a day of events...
'Together with that demon-woman Jezebella... Wah, why me??'
Just then, he heard the phone ring and then a moment later his mother calling him. "Haruto-kun~! Phone call~!"
"Hai, mushi mushi??" Haruto asked, very surprised to have someone calling him, "Aa! Asahina-kun!"
"Ne, Kaichou, are you busy today?"
"Eh? EH? W-Why do you ask??"
"You know... If you're free, we can go do something."
"Well, I'm not exactly free..." he said regretfully. He then saw his parents at the door, beaming at him with love and support. "Aa... well..."
"Haruto-kun~!" his father sang, "If you want to go with the girl, go ahead~! We don't mind at all~!"
"Sou desu ne~!" his mother added, "All we care about is our son's happiness~!"
"Otousan... Okaasan..." Haruto gasped, eyes teary with emotion.
Meanwhile Asahina was getting impatient on the other line. "Ne, ne! Kaichou! Kaichou, are you there??"
"Aa! Yes! I'll go with you today!" he quickly replied, "What time should we meet, Asahina-kun??"
"Hm... How about noon? There's a café near the movie theater. We can go have lunch and then go watch something. How's that?"
"Sounds great! I'll be there!"
After saying goodbye, Haruto happily leapt in the air. "YATTA!!!" he exclaimed. 'So this is that feeling... The normal, but overwhelming feeling...'
He paused in his moment of rejoicing to see two dark beady eyes glaring at him from the crack in the doorway. The door suddenly slammed close.
"Oh... my.... God..."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kazumi paced in front of the temple, waiting for a report. Just then Nino and two other statues came running. "Well?? What is it??"
"We found out that Mutsuki-san is taking Kaichou to the movies." Nino replied, "They're meeting at noon in the Ritz Café."
"Hm..." Kazumi rubbed his chin, "I've got to find out what Senpai is up to. Also, I've got to make sure I don't lose that bet to the Chairman. I'm already low on cash as is!"
"Yes, I had a lot on the bidding too," Nino admitted, "And I want to know Mutsuki-san is thinking as well... It's so unlike her! I mean, she was chasing me and every other twelve year old boy just the other day! How can she change so quickly and why?!"
"Are you hinting that you are a little bit jealous???" Kazuma mischievously asked.
"O-Of course not!" Nino exclaimed, "I'm just concerned for Kaichou. If this is one of Mutsuki-san's schemes for her own gains, then Kaichou might get hurt in the process!"
"I agree with that," Kazumi noted, "Now, let's go find them!"
"Wait~!" The two stopped and turned to see Hanako. "I'm coming too~!"
Kazumi went red. "H-Hanako-san!!"
Nino gasped, "But you kind of look a bit... suspicious..."
"You think so???" Hanako said with a little pout.
"No way!! You look fine!" Kazumi exclaimed, trying to take her hand. "Let's go, let's go together~!"
"Wait," Hanako said, drawing away. "I will change and meet you there. How's that?"
"C-Change??" Kazumi asked, blinking his eyes. He felt a bit disappointed that she wasn't coming with them, but also curious. "Change into what??"
She tapped her fingertip onto his forehead. "Hi - mi - tsu ~!"
"WAH!!" Kazumi facefaulted into the dirt. It took him a moment to recover and Nino great difficulty to get him back up, but when he did get up he saw that Hanako had left. "Man! I didn't get to find out!"
"Don't worry about it. Hanako-san said she'll meet us there." Nino replied, "Let's hurry to the Ritz Café. It's almost 12 o'clock."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Haruto nervously sat in the booth. 'But nervousness is normal, right?' he told himself, 'It's not like you... for Asahina-kun... you know...' He jumped when he heard the door open and the bell jingle. "A-Asahina-kun!" he gasped, as she walked over to him.
She was wearing a cute pink dress and sandals. She took off her sunglasses and sat down at the table. "Were you waiting long?"
"Aa... no... I just got here..."
"But you were followed," she noted. The two of them turned and looked over at the dark eyed Jezebella glaring at them from another booth. "Seems we'll have to continue to play along."
"So... this is just a play, right?" Haruto asked, gripping at the table cloth, "This isn't real is it, Asahina-kun?"
Her hand suddenly grasped his. His eyes jolted at her in the same instant.
"Do you want it to be, Kaichou?" Asahina said with a genuine smile, "Iie... I mean... Haruto-kun..."
"Hah?" Haruto stammered, "I-I thought... Didn't you only... I mean..." He was so tied up in his words that he didn't know what to say. All he knew was that soft hand touching his. "Asahina ..."
"Hai??"
"YAAAAAAAAA!!!" Kazumi suddenly appeared and sat next to Haruto, patting him on the back, "It's summer, summer, summer time~! Let's go do something fun, the three of us~!"
"K-Kazumi-kun..." Haruto stammered, his face still very red, "W-What are you doing here all of a sudden??"
"N-Nino-kun??" Asahina stammered, realizing the little stone statue boy in the chair next to her, "When did you get here??"
"Didn't you remember, Mutsuki-san??" Nino asked, "Thursday is your manicure. It's in the schedule book."
"Yes, but... can't you see I'm in the middle of a conversation with Kaichou??"
Nino had mixed emotions. 'I have to know... Is Mutsuki-san really over her shoten complex? Does she really care for Kaichou?? Is this just a scheme??! Do I really have freedom?? Or is it just false hope?? I have to know!"
"Kaichou, Kaichou~!" Kazumi said, still patting the guy on the shoulder, "Why don't you go order for us?? We'll all have the same thing, except Nino who can't eat anything. Heheh!"
"Aa..." Haruto uttered, getting up from his seat and walking over to the cashier. He suddenly noticed that Jezebella was right next to him, giving him a scary look. 'Waaaah!'
Back at the table, Asahina was giving Kazumi and Nino a very angered face. "What are you two doing here?? You're going to ruin everything!"
"Yes, well... We want to know how serious you are," Nino replied.
"What do you mean??"
"You know... with Kaichou..."
Kazumi cut in, "Of course Senpai isn't serious! Ahahaha! She's only in love with boys under twelve years old!" He turned towards Asahina. "Right???"
There was strange look on her face. Nino and Kazumi got nervous. It was then that they realized that Haruto and Jezebella were standing there. "In love with boys under twelve years old?" Jezebella repeated, "Isn't that a bit odd??"
Asahina replied, "Boys older than twelve years old are a waste of time."
'Oh no...' Haruto thought, 'It's all over...'
"But Haruto-kun is different..." Asahina continued, "I enjoy his company very much, even if he is a bit older than I would hope."
Haruto blushed. "Asahina-kun..."
"Uwah, what's going on??" Nino sighed, holding his head in his hands, "I don't get it at all... What has happened Mutsuki-san??"
"Hm?? What do you mean, Nino-kun?" Asahina replied, "Aa! Look at the time! Let's hurry up and eat then go see a movie. I have to be home by six today."
"Hai!!" Kazumi replied, noticing the girl who had come back with Haruto and was joining them at their table, 'Uwah, she's kind of hot... in some dark, scary style... Woohoo!'
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After the meal, the five of them left the café and went to fall in line to buy tickets. Nino then disappeared because he said he saw Hanako.
"Where?? Where?? I don't see her??" Kazumi said. He then felt a pressure on his arm. "What??"
"Kazumi-kun," Asahina said, leaning in to whisper, "Do you think this is strange?? You know... does it feel awkward?"
"What does??"
"You know..."
Kazumi was completely lost. "Uh... You mean... like... you know... ahahaha, I don't know. What are you talking about, Senpai??"
"Baka," she sighed, "I mean, me taking Kaichou to the movies... That's why you're here, aren't you??"
"Wah, well..."
"You were concerned about me... Arigatou, Kazumi-kun..."
"No, actually..."
"And you were also concerned about Kaichou and the harmony of the holy student council... You're such a good friend..."
He replied, "I just wanted to win the bet with the Chairman and see what Hanako-san was going to wear. Ehehehe."
"NANI!?!?" Asahina hissed, now clenching her fists.
Kazumi simply smiled and gently lowered the fist with his hand. "But Senpai, I was worried about you. Still I know you're strong and capable of handling this. I just don't want to lose you..."
'Hah?' Asahina thought, staring into the face, 'What does he mean??'
Just then they found themselves at the front of the line and Haruto was asking which movie they had decided. "Um... How about the one with the hot babes???" Kazumi asked.
'Baka,' Asahina laughed inwardly, 'Honto ni Baka...'