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He couldn't possibly remember the last time he was up that early. Well, he could. Going to school. It would be a pain, trying to find a job like that, his mom was right at least about that little thing. But today he didn't want to think about that, he must put all his concentration, all his effort and love in these cookies. Because he would give them to the best person in the world- Ryou Misaki. Only thinking about his name made a smile magically appear on his lips. Ryou Misaki. Such a beautiful name, that made him blush like a schoolgirl and made his heart thump like crazy. It was a quiet morning, blissful and shy sunshine breaking through the windows, birds chirping. The cookies looked a bit misshaped, but considering it was his first time even baking, they were okay? He guessed? Hopefully they looked better when he puts them in the oven. „Kaoru, what are you doing so early in the morning in the kitchen?“, he heard the tired voice of his mother. He totally forgot she had an early shift today. Sometimes he thought the only thing she could do is ask questions. He loved her though and was sorry for all the trouble he caused her in the past. Anyways, he was too tired and too lazy to explain, so he lied. It was so much easier that way.„Nothing“, he said and his mother sighed and he could feel her body behind him as she gasped. „You are baking?!“, she asked confused. „Are these cookies for me?“„Yes. And no.“ He didn't say more. His mother came to the right conclusion though. „Today is Valentines Day“, she said serious. He didn't answer. „Is there a girl you like, Kaoru?“Questions and more questions. Again, silence. So much silence, that Kaoru looked up- and she was gone. Suddenly he felt a little bit...lonely. He carefully asked: „Mom...?“ She came back with a grin and made a sign for him to turned around. He gladly obeyed, he did have to make the cookies after all, and was secretly relieved she wasn't too mad at him. They had enough episode at the past where she would scream at him and he would zone out. He felt like she grabbed his long her gently and put it in a crunchie. „Your cookies are not going to be edible if they are full of hair. So, who is the lucky one? Did you get to know her over the internet?“ He didn't say a thing. He didn't know how she would react if he told her he was a boy. I mean, he didn't care about genders that much, but she might. „Also, silly, only girls give boys presents on Valentines Day. You should wait for her to make you a present and then give her the cookies on White Day.“ He knew. He knew all girls like Atoli and Alkaid would make Ryou presents. He didn't want to loose that competition. He decided, he had to tell her the truth about Ryou. So he turned around nervously and said slowly. „I know, Mom. What would you say if the person was a boy?“ She looked at him like he hit her in the face. He quickly turned round so I didn't have to see that face much longer. „Well what's his name then?“ Surprised Kaoru looked over the shoulder to see a smiling face. He smiled back slightly. „Ryou Misaki.“„You really like him, do you?“, she boxed him in the arm and he quickly turned around so she couldn't see him blush. „Quite a bit, yeah.“ Silence. „Can I see him? Do you have pictures of him?“ She just seemed...glad that he didn't spent so much time on the internet, he guessed. He shook his head. I mean, he had a few pictures of him on his phone, but it was just too embarrassing. His mother clang onto his arm. „C'moon Kaoru-chan? Please? Pretty please?“, she laughed. He hated at, when she called him with the „chan“ suffix. He wasn't 13 anymore, after all. „You are being annoying.“„Is that a yes?“„It's in my room though and my hands are full of dough“, he reminded her. Her smile disappeared. He still prohibited her to get into his room. That was his room, his sanctuary, and only he might enter it. „Then I'm coming with you when you give him the cookies.“ He panicked inside. „No. You can't.“„Are you sure about it?“, she asked slyly. „You are an old witch, you know that?“„Don't call me that!“So it happened, that when Kaoru went to the big offline meeting with all their friends, his mother accompanied him (at least only till the entrance of the fast food restaurant they were meeting.) When they already saw the group, she asked which of them was Kaoru. „Let me guess. It's the one with the brown hair.“„No...that's Tomonari. He's the one with the white hair.“ She looked at him suspiciously. „You two are pretty similar, arent you? He also has that bored look on his face.“„He looks bored? I think he looks pleased.“„Then you can read him better than I can“, she laughed. „Please invite him home if everything turned out fine okay? I have to see if he is deserving of my son.“„That is not for you to decide. Now scram.“„Rude“, she pouted. I guess she learned to deal with his somewhat cold nature. „Take care“; she said before turning around. Kaoru crossed the street and was awfully nervous. It was one thing to meet with a lot of people online, where you could just log off if something happened, then it was when you met them offline. He did meet Ryou one or two times one on one, but as a group, it was a first time. A lot of people were greeting him, which he replied with a polite nod until he arrived to Ryou. The girls beside him must be Alkaid and Atoli. They seem to get along surprisingly well. „Hey Ichinose-san“, he greeted him. Kaoru didn't understood why he was always so formal in real life, but Ryou was stubborn on that matter. Actually, he was stubborn on every matter. „Ryou“, Kaoru whispered. „It felt like a long time for me, I counted every second until our next encounter“, last word he stuttered, what made Ryou snort. „Was that woman your mother?“, he changed topic. So he noticed. He noticed everything. The cookies on his bagpack felt like they were weighting down. „Yes.“ Short answer. Not deserving of Ryou, but he didn't have anything to add to that. „So that's were you got your genes from“; he grinned. Kaoru didn't understood and looked very puzzled, because Ryou added: „Nevermind.“„Can we go in? I'm sort of hungry“, a chubby kid asked, which later would introduce himself as Gaspards player. Suddenly he was tackled and almost lost the balance. „Master En!“, a blonde boy embraced him. A blonde boy...„Saku...“, he greeted her politely. As Saku looked up, her eyes lit up. „We've been waiting for you!“, she claimed. He looked up to see how the others entered the building and he shyly patted her head. „I know. I was busy. Please let go of me“; he tried to imitate Ryous formal way of speaking. She didn't notice and took him by the hand, dragging him around. It was a nice, but very long day. Everyone had something to say, and they spent hours talking and eating. Not Kaoru though. He hated the stench of this place, but it was a pleasure to observe the people going by the window an of course, observe Ryou. He seemed pretty relaxed, only talking when he was spoke to, which was pretty much the whole time. To be in his proximity was gift enough for Kaoru, though, and he didn't talk to him. Chigusa was the first that took initiative and asked Ryou if she could talk to him for a second. Of course, Alkaid said she wanted to talk to him two, so the three went for a second outside. He couldn't do it. Not in front of everyone, not in front of the two girls. So, when everyone was starting to leave, he saw his chance. They asked if he and Saku could take care of the bags of the three. Of course, he said, and watched the others leave. He wished though he would be completly alone for that, what he would do, but...oh well. He stood up and went to Ryous Bag, took his cookies out and put them in his bag. Saku right beside him. „Ryooouu“, she growled, her attitude changed completly when talking to him though. „Master En! Why does Ryou get cookies and I don't?“ she seemed like she would start to cry. „I forgot. Next time.“ He shrugged it off. „Do you want to go with me to the beach?“ He was afraid she would sabotage his attempts, and he felt not the slightly inch of guilt about it, to lure her away. „Of course!“ So they waited, until the three came back – Ryou with two bags of very cute and very clumsy homemade cookies- and he and Saku went away without a word of good bye to them. Of course when Saku switched back as Bo again, he was completly confused and remembered he had to go home now too, so he woulnd't get in trouble with his parents. Kaoru loved the ocean. To feel the salty breeze on his face, the wet sand under his bare feet, watching the sun set and the water glitter like diamonds...he forgot about how intensive and deep one could feel about such little, insignificant things. He kind of hoped Ryou would come and find him. But he didn't.So he went home. His mother was still awake when he came back and asked him, if everything turned out okay. He didn't answer. He went straight to his room and fell on his bed. „Mia...what do I do know?“On March, White Day. He didn't talk to Ryou in all these days, probably because he was busy with work. Kaoru cared less and less, until he was just a little bit bitter about the situation. As he heard a knock on his door, he answered tired: „I'm not hungry.“„Open the door.“ Kaorus heart almost missed a beat. It was Ryou! Ryou came to visit him! „Give me a second...!“ He changed clothes and open shyly the door. „Yes. Here I am.“„I need to talk to you. Can I come in?“, he asked. Kaoru hesitated. „I won't jugde“, he promised. He trusted Ryou. He deeply trusted in him. So he let him in. „You may sit down wherever you please“ said Kaoru shrugging and he sat down on his bed. Ryou looked around, but his gaze didn't seem to see anything at the same time, before he turned to Kaoru. „Here. Take this.“ He gave him a box full of chocolates and sat down beside him. „I didn't bake them myself because i don't have the time nor the skill, but it's the thought that counts, right?“„Of course...!“ Kaoru smiled slightly and took the chocolates. „Thank you from the bottom of my heart. But how did you know it was from me?“, he inquired. „Well, there was a sticker on the bag „for haseo“ and you are the only one who still calls me that offline“, he shrugged. Oh. Right. Kaoru completly forgot. „Is that cat-woman on the drawing there Mia?“, he asked. Kaoru wasn't sure if he was ready to talk about her yet, after all these years. „Yes.“ He must have sounded really pained, because Ryou didn't ask any further. „I got another present for you. I didn't give such a present neither to Chigusa nor to Chika. You ready?“, he asked. Kaoru closed his eyes and nodded. And then he felt soft lips on his, and a smell he couldn't quite describe, but that he decided that it was the best thing he ever smelled. Such beautiful, beautiful, insignificant things.