A/N: Hello everyone! This is the second of the character introduction type of chapters. Today we get to know Amai Kimiko, the mystery girl Akito was going on a date with. Its also the first time Akito, Rein and Kimiko meet, so it's going to be reeall interesting. Also, who could be the lamb referred to in the chapter title? Any guesses?? Enjoy!!

(Oba-San: Grandmother, or old lady; Oji-San: Grandfather, or old man; Ema: Wooden block on which prayers are written in Shinto Shrines; Yukata: A more casual version of the Kimono)

“Wow...” Kimiko sighed as the first bite of her strawberry ice cream melted in her mouth, “this is the best ice cream I’ve ever had.”

Akito laughed, digging into his slice of cake halfheartedly, “That’s what you said about the last place we ate.”

"I changed my mind," Kimiko shrugged, following Akito's gaze to the entrance, as he looked there for the millionth time. He looked at his watch again, every line of his body had been conveying restlessness since their arrival, and Kimiko was trying to find out why. 

“Who is this guy anyway?” she probed, keeping her gaze focused on her ice cream, “He’s late.”

“A schoolmate. No one special,” came Akito’s quick reply, “I’m just getting tired of waiting for him.” 

Silence settled again, heavy but not entirely uncomfortable. Kimiko let it linger, and Akito continued to tap his finger on the table.  

“I’m being lousy company, aren’t I?” Akito said eventually.

“No, but it’s obvious there is something bothering you, Akito,” Kimiko said gently, “what’s going on?”

Guilt crept into Akito’s eyes, “I’m sorry. I’m not used to this sort of thing.”

“What sort of thing?” 

“A date?”

“What?” Kimiko blinked at him, “You’ve not been on dates before?” Akito was entirely too good looking for something like that to be true.

“Not really,” Akito admitted, breaking into a sheepish grin, “I don’t usually have time for that kind of stuff.”

“It's hardly any different from when we usually hang out,” Kimiko assured him, and his shoulders relaxed slightly. He had more or less ensured it would not be romantic by inviting this friend, so Kimiko didn’t really feel like it was a date either. But maybe that was his way of easing into it, so she would try and put up with it this time. “I will consider this my honor then.”

Akito chuckled, and ate a spoonful of that poor tortured chocolate cake, nodding as if he approved of its taste. Kimiko tried to stop herself, to remember that she hated it when men did it to her, but god it was difficult not to stare at him. The blue cardigan over his white shirt was perfect on his gold skin. She didn’t think they would ever be anything more than friends.

“Don’t you two make a pretty pair.”

Both Kimiko and Akito turned around at the voice. A boy around their age was walking up to their table—clearly the one Akito was waiting for. Akito’s entire body language changed at his arrival. He sat up straighter and leaned back in his chair. Kimiko tried not to let her disappointment become too apparent. 

“You’re late,” Akito said, as the boy took a seat in between them.

“I got held up by a fruitcake.” the boy said, stealing a bite of Akito’s cake without hesitation.

Akito knit his eyebrows, somehow accurately conveying ‘don’t be ridiculous,’ with his expression.

“They can be vicious,” Rein assured him, and their banter continued, something about fruitcake being an English euphemism that Kimiko doesn’t understand, till she cleared her throat.

“Hi, Amai Kimiko,” she said, to the well-dressed stranger.

The boy looked her over, his strange eyes sweeping her entire body from head to toe before he met her gaze, “Yamakichi Rein, pleased to meet you. One grade below Himura-Senpai.”

“Kimiko is a first year student at Tokyo University,” Akito said, “an arts student.”

“Tokyo University?” Rein nodded in appreciation, “And you’re dating a High Schooler. Everyone there above your league or something?”

Kimiko laughed, Rein had a playful smile on his face, no malice behind his words, “Akito and I’ve known each other long before I went to college,” she said, “we went to the same tuition classes.”

Rein's gaze flicked to Akito, “I see…”

"She's going to be a mangaka," Akito said, "already has a good online readership for some of her work."

"It's just teen fluff on MangaOnline," Kimiko blushed, "but I would love to create more serious works in the future."

"My sister is always glued to that site," Rein shook his head, “well I’m not really hungry. So if you guys are done eating, let's get the shopping underway, shall we?”

The three of them walked through the crowded Chuo Dori street of Akihabara in the warm afternoon sun, surrounded by computer geeks and shimmery eyed tourists speaking atrocious Japanese. Very few words were exchanged between them, and Kimiko couldn’t help but think she was the only one finding the silence awkward.

It was strange to think that the two of them were friends. Akito hadn't mentioned Rein to her before, and evidently, Rein didn’t know much about Kimiko either. Akito was handsome, wholesome, everything about him reassuring and dependable, while Rein was…she didn’t know how to put it. He was polite, good looking, but his manner of speaking, and the languid way he moved, it was all a little bit too sensual. Kimiko shook her head. There was nothing wrong with that, except it didn't fit in with Akito. These two people would not be friends if this was a manga.

There was a sort of tension between them too. Each fully tuned to the others’ presence while trying to hide it. It set them apart from everyone else, including her, like they were on an altogether different plane.

“What are you thinking about?” Akito asked her while Rein was being accosted by two girls handing out pamphlets in maid costumes. She wanted to say that they had successfully managed to decimate her interest in shopping with all the wordless antagonism. But what would they do then? Be even more awkward? “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything’s great.” Kimiko said. The sun haloed behind Akito’s head, and she had to squint to be able to see him. 

“So where do we start our shopping then?” Akito put his hand on her shoulder, “Kimiko?” 

“Well, I didn’t really want to shop shop, you know?” She said, looking at the long row of electronic stores that Akihabara was famous for, “I have only one place I want to go. The store actually sells Polaroid cameras, but there’s an old lady there that designs Yukata. My uncle usually has her make special ones for my aunt when they have big events to go to and stuff. Her designs are really unique and the girls who shop in Aoyama will never know where I got it from.”

“Lead the way then,” Rein said, finally escaping the maids.

Kimiko did, taking one of the numerous side roads from the main Chuo Dori. The shops grew more cramped together and lost their flashiness. Some of them were there from World War II. And still sold pretty much the same stuff they did back then, with electronics heaped in piles in front of them. The shop her Uncle referred her to was tucked away in a cozy little cul-de-sac, its glass door covered entirely in Polaroid photos, some, decades old. In front of it sat a man whose face was hidden by the newspaper in his hands. He didn’t even spare them a glance as they entered the shop.

An older man, with the most unfriendly expression Kimiko had ever seen, was seated behind the cash counter inside. She asked him about the Yukata, and he hollered his wife’s name at the top of his lungs.

“Wait here. And who is this Yukata for?” He put his glasses on to peer at the three of them. Then he stood up abruptly, eyes wide in absolute terror.  Kimiko and Akito jumped at his reaction. 

He was staring at Rein.

Rein tilted his head to the side, also curious about the man’s reaction, “Hm?”

“I…I’m so sorry!” The man bowed, head nearly hitting the table, “I did not know you would be visiting, Sir.” 

Kimiko turned to Akito for an answer, but he looked as bewildered as her. Did they know Rein? Or did they mistake him for someone else?