The students around me stood up as the bell rang, all bowing in unision before packing up to go.

Himawari had told me earlier that she would be busy with club activities, so I was going to walk to Yuuko's shop on my own. I didn't want to be on my own.

My legs were walking, as if of their own accord, like the day I had first stumbled into Yuuko's shop two years ago.

I walked and walked until I reached the archery range, sitting near a large group of Doumeki fan girls. The most annoying group ever.

I sighed, why did they have to be here watching the kyuudo club practice? Even worse, what would they think if they saw me here? What was worse was, I didn't think it really mattered, I was just here to get the bento box so I could bring it back with me to Yuuko's. There was no other reason for me to be here.

I'm sure I had started to blush around then, because getting the bento box really wasn't the only reason that I was sitting here, waiting like an idiot. I wanted to see Doumeki.

He was on the line right now, bow aimed, string pulled back. He released; the arrow soared through the air, hitting dead center on the target.

He knocked another arrow, momentarily glancing at the crowd of watching fangirls, and he looked right at me. When he shot the bow this time.. It still hit the Bull's Eye but was very far to the side. He was distracted, by me?

I could hear the coach scolding him, telling him not to look away from the target. Doumeki only shrugged it off, saying nothing. The way he always did.

I shifted behind the crowd of girls a bit, hoping that he would not look back again, and if he did, he wouldn't see me there. But he already knew that I was there.

An hour later practice was finally over. I waited outside; he would be back out after he changed anyway, right?

Yuuko was going to kill me.

I saw Doumeki talking to another guy from kyuudo club not long later, so I waited where I was anyway. Would he come to me, or would I have to go to him? I didn't want to bother him while he was in the middle of a conversation, did I? It couldn't be much of a conversation anyway, this was Doumeki after all.

When I looked back, they were gone.

I stood up and looked around, no one was in sight.

I sighed and turned around to go to work, and my doom. Yuuko was going to be mad.

I turned around to look back again when I was halfway to the school gate, hoping to see Doumeki following, but nothing.

With yet another heavy sigh, I began walking again, only to bump into something large and solid, I fell back, but was pulled up by a strong hand.

"D- Doumeki," I stuttered, looking away from his face, my eyes fixed on the ground next to my left foot.

He handed me the empty bento box, and I looked up once more. As usual, his face was just as stoic as ever. I never knew what he was thinking. Why? Why did he have to be like this?

"H..How was it?" I finally managed to ask after a few moments of silence.

"Less soy sauce next time," was his quick, monotonous reply. Jerk.

"WHAT THE HELL! I was being nice making you that! The least you could do is say 'thank you' you big dumb jerk! You should be saying 'Thank you Watanuki-sama' and bow before me!"

"Idiot."

I stopped talking then as he let go of my arm and began to walk off again. Doumeki. I was the one pushing him away, right? And I knew I didn't want to watch him walk away again.

"Doumeki," I said, and he stopped again, not turning around.

I couldn't speak, but there he was in front of me, I staring at his back. The minute dragged on far longer then it should be able to. I hated it. I lunged foreward, putting my arms around him, and... he just stood there. He didn't even turn around to return my hug, he didn't say anything. He just let it happen.

"Doumeki..."

"Hn?"

"Why- why are you ignoring me?"

"You haven't learned anything, have you?"

I was shivering, but... It wasn't really cold out, was it?

I let go of Doumeki, taking a step back. My heart hurt, and it was getting harder to hold back tears again. I needed him, and why couldn't I say that? Why couldn't I tell him?

"WATANUKI! DON'T DISAPPEAR!"

A hand reached out of the darkness, grabbing at me. What the hell? Wasn't I just standing in the school yard with Doumeki?

But now there was darkness all around me, and then a man in a hakama that looked suspiciously like the boy I was talking to.

"Haruka-san!"

I was in a dream again. I must have passed out. But why did I have to pass out now?

"Watanuki, you need to wake up!"

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