Haruki stood in front of Yuu. His eyes weren't meeting the shining purple hues of his best friend, but were steadfastly focused on the lockers behind him.

"Haruki, what's wrong?" Yuu eventually said, the silence obviously annoying him. "Why'd you stop me from leaving?"

Haruki swallowed thickly.

"I have to tell you something," he whispered. His peripheral vision allowed him to see Yuu raising an eyebrow, silently telling him to get on with it.

So he did.

"I... I love you," Haruki forced himself to say. "Will you go out with me?"

Yuu's eyes widened, and he dropped his school bag to the ground. "Haruki...?"

Haruki forced himself to meet Yuu's gaze. The shocked expression on his face sent fear through his very being. He'd thought that the feelings were mutual, that it was obvious...

Maybe he was wrong.

That thought caused him to force out a loud, fake laugh. "Haha! You actually thought that was for you?!"

Yuu blinked. "What?"

"O-of course it's not for you, dummy! I was just practicing for when I confess to the person I really like!"

Yuu bit his lip, averting his gaze. "Ah... I see."

"Y-yeah," Haruki mumbled. "So-"

"Don't do it again."

Haruki blinked. Yuu looked back at him, an unreadable emotion in his eyes.

"W-what?" Haruki asked, not sure if he heard right.

"You should practice on an actual girl, Haruki. Not me," Yuu explained.

Haruki stared at Yuu with pained eyes. Eventually, he forced himself to look away. "R-right," he mumbled. "You're right."

Yuu nodded. He picked up his bag, then turned, beginning to leave. "Come on. Let's go get some ramen. I'll pay."

Haruki swallowed thickly. "N-no thanks. I'll just head home," he said softly.

He didn't want to be around Yuu at that moment.

Yuu turned at the rejection of his offer, obviously confused. "Oh. Okay," he said slowly. "Then I'll... See you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Haruki mumbled. "See you."

He didn't move from his spot until Yuu was gone.

~

"Oh, Haruki-kun," Miou whispered. Haruki had come over to her house, and had explained to her just how well his 'confession' had gone.

"Yeah," Haruki mumbled, squeezing Miou's pillow to his chest pathetically. "Who'd have thought that he'd be so damn straight that even a pretend confession from a guy would freak him out?"

~

"I can't believe that guy!" Natsuki shouted.

"Natsuki, keep it down," Yuu snapped. "Hina's studying in the next room."

"But he was totally making fun of you, Yuu!" Natsuki said angrily. "He had no right to do that to you!"

"He was just practicing a confession to a girl," Yuu said with a roll of his eyes. "He wasn't making fun of me. He wouldn't do that. Why would he?"

Natsuki huffed, but didn't offer a response to that question. "I'm still mad at him," she said. "Especially since you aren't. Someone has to be."

"Right..."