Try Again?

“You're impossible."

It was all that Kanae could reply for God's know where Keiji hit his head that he even began to bother asking questions with obvious answers, to begin with. Did too much studying have caused him so bad? Did Kanae go overboard on their study sessions? Visibly, Keiji's brain isn't working as well as it should be right now.

"Okay, let me rephrase it. I mean, not just me, including my friends." Keiji defended and Kanae mentally facepalmed.

‘God, this guy had completely lost it, ain't he?’

"That's way more impossible," Kanae said monotonously, but her eyes are telling she is not as calm as what her voice implies.

Keiji ran his fingers through his dark, messy hair which did nothing to make it look a little less messy.

"What if Rika is—"

"It's Ritsu." Kanae butts in, realizing Keiji isn't really the type who pays so much attention to girls, contrary to what the rumors say about him. He couldn’t care less about names and formalities.

"Okay, what if Ritsu is with us?" He asked, seemingly desperate in convincing Kanae and she wondered why Keiji even bothered.

He should have known better than trying to brainwash someone as smart and as responsible as Kanae. Did he think he could easily get her just because he could do the same to other girls?

"Really? You think bringing Ritsu along would help change my mind?" Kanae asked, still confused as to why Keiji would go that far. And there she was, thinking that Keiji was smarter than what he looks but that doesn’t seem to be the case now.

"And no, even if Ritsu agrees, I'm not letting you get her involved on your reckless plans." She added, thinking that even if Keiji could not do anything to convince her, things will probably go different if he asked the same question with Ritsu so it's better to save her while it's not yet too late — just to be safe.

Keiji concedes, "thought so," he sighs, "Should not have asked, it was a stupid question, to begin with."

See? Even Keiji was aware that was a stupid question.

Silence then filled the room, and Kanae couldn't concentrate on her notes because there's a question that continues to linger on her already occupied mind, making her feel even more stressed and uneasy.

She finally gave in.

"Tell me," she said after closing her notebook and facing Keiji. "What made you ask those silly questions?" she added and gave Keiji a challenging look.

The truth is, it was all Ryuu's idea. Well, partly Keiji's and Ryuu's to be fair.

Yesterday, Keiji told his friends about the nearing solar eclipse and asked if they want to join him on watching it instead because surely, it would be more entertaining to do that than to watch and listen to their English teacher blabbering something from their textbook which Keiji doubts if she even understands what was she discussing because her students surely did not. And of course, being the ever-supportive friends (especially if it's about doing something that would get them into trouble but thrilling regardless), Ryuu and Hiro didn't even make an effort to think about it, they said yes as soon as Keiji finished his question.

And Ryuu, who had grown fond of Ritsu, and apparently began declaring her as the love of his life even though they only officially started dating recently, begged Keiji to take Ritsu along with them, insisted it would be romantic to watch the eclipse together but Keiji cringed on that idea because, for the love of God, it's a solar eclipse, which means it'll happen in a broad daylight so what's so romantic about it? Ryuu only laughed at him saying “of course, you wouldn't know what I’m talking about because you’ve never been in love”.

Keiji almost said out loud, “and that’s why I don’t want to be in love.” but he is not that worst friend to ruin the mood.

However, taking Ritsu also means getting Kanae's permission and maybe they could ask Kanae to come along too, giving them more chances of successfully convincing Ritsu.

Keiji realized Ryuu's idea doesn't sound that bad (not as bad as those reckless shenanigans that made them suffer unbearable punishment from their teachers). But still, he doesn't want to involve other people, especially someone as nice and innocent as Kanae in their mischiefs. That's why he felt a sense of relief when Kanae refused albeit he already expected it. At least, he wouldn't feel guilty for getting Kanae and Ritsu involved, nor feel bad for Ryuu because he did his part — granting his friend's request to ask Kanae.

He intentionally left the other details as he asks, completely ignoring the part of him that wants Kanae to come.

But then Kanae sensed something, and so there goes her interrogation.

Keiji squeezes his eyes shut, why does he feel like he cannot lie now? Really, why can't just Kanae stop being too curious and smart for her own good? Even for once and pretend like nothing happened, like Keiji never asked something stupid except now, she leaves him no choice but to tell her everything. She completely got him cornered.

He opened his eyes, "Well, it was Ryuu's idea," Keiji admits as he can feel Kanae's gaze focus on him, patiently waiting for his next words.

"On the twenty-fifth, there would be a solar eclipse. It will be a partial eclipse, so not many people would probably give a shit,” Keiji looks away, “Even the school may not give a damn about it."

'Ah, so Keiji's really in to this kind of stuff; like that time' Kanae told herself as she recalls that day when she saw Keiji in the library reading an astronomy book.

She thought Keiji must have been more driven with things outside the earth than those found within the planet.

"I asked my friends to watch it with me at Higashino hills, and Ryuu begged me to ask you and Ritsu to come along,” Keiji lets out a small laugh, “He’s totally whipped with your friend, I guess.”

Kanae chuckles in return, “Ritsu really have that effect on guys,” obviously proud of her charismatic best friend.

‘Well, not on me.’ Keiji mentally said and grins proudly as he thanked the Gods for it because having the same love interest as your friend sounds like a real pain.

“What time will the eclipse start?” Kanae asked hoping there is still a way to watch it without having to skip her classes.

Keiji saw through Kanae’s enthusiasm. It triggered the part of him that wanted Kanae to go with them (which he desperately tried to suppress, a while ago), to come out and take over.

“Around two o’clock, if I recall it correctly,”

Kanae frowns, “so there is no way of watching it without skipping classes then,”

“Absolutely,” Keiji responds with a small nod and silently prays for Kanae to forget that she is a model student who does not get brainwashed easily by troublemakers even just for that day.

Kanae bites her lower lip as she contemplates what to do. Keiji thinks she looks cute compared to her spine-chilling glares from time to time as he subtly observes her.

Unlike a while ago, Keiji wants her to say yes this time. And again, unlike a while ago, Kanae might consider saying yes this time.

He wonders if he can convince her for the second time like what he did when he asked her to be his tutor.

He did once, maybe he can do it again.