A female student held out a tray of muffins towards the group.

" Hey would you like to try these freshly baked zombie muffins with berry jam filling--"

" Well, well. Don't mind if I do." Ryou takes the entire tray and continues walking. 

"...Eh?" The female student was left confused as she watches Ryou walking off while gobbling the muffins.

Nijika's heart almost jumped out of her body-- she quickly runs to the student and puts clasps her hands in pleading position.

" S-She sincerely apologizes!" Nijika quickly apologized on Ryou's behalf.

" Ahaha! It's alright! I hope she enjoys them." The female student didn't seem deterred, rather she looked happy.

Nijika nodded gratefully, the student was an angel for sure.

Suddenly, Kita tugs the blonde's arm.

" Nijika-chan, they're selling spiderweb mini pizza on that stall. Why don't we buy some for the group?" Kita suggested.

" Oh, that sounds good." Nijika nods before doing a shiny thumbs up. " Leave the bill to me! My sister gave me a special allowance just for today!" She puffs proudly.

"Wohoo!" Kita cheered before the both of them happily went to the crowded pizza stall.

" Pizza!" " Pizza!" " Pizza!" The duo chanted.

"...." Meanwhile, it seems the entire group branched off doing something else, while Bocchi and Akihiko were left alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Um...w-would you...like anything, Akihiko-kun?" I turned to him.

" Huh? Oh. Uh. Well, no, not really." He coughs, eyes still not making contact with mine. " How about you? Take a pick, it's my treat." He muttered.

" Well....no, I'm the same..." I awkwardly looked away too. 

I began scratching my arm.

Ever since he woke back up....he's refusing to stare at me...

D...Do I...

DO I LOOK THAT HORRENDOUS TO HIM?!

Oh god. I want to die.

But wait. My family said I looked great, my friends said I look adorable....and...and....didn't Akihiko-kun call me cute as well?

What's with these mixed signals?! Someone! Please, I'm begging you. Tell me what I'm doing wrong. I'm an introvert with horrible social cues-- besides the social cue where I know I'm not needed--!

I'm operating like a headless chicken over here. I can't tell if something is wrong with the way I look ( though that's most certainly the problem ) or if Akihiko-kun just has bipolar disorder ( which is not likely.) So someone for the love of music, tell me!

No....wait....

This could be another sign for character development, right?

The past Bocchi would've definitely suffered in silence, no matter how awkward and suffocating. That Bocchi would never for the life of her-- break the ice.

But I'm past that. I'm the new me.

So...

I glanced to him.

I can't waste all that effort till' now....and chicken out like this.

If he has a problem with me, he'll have to say it!

" Akihiko-kun."

" Hm?"

" I think I want to try one of that stall's ' blood smoothies'." I said, pointing to another crowded drinks stall.

" That so? Well, let's head over and--"

" But before that, I do have to ask..." I did a sharp inhale.

[ Unbeknownst to Akihiko.

Bocchi was beginning to rock.....]

" Akihiko-kun, why won't you look at me?" I faced him, wearing the most seriousness of serious expressions that's ever been serious in the history of seriousness.

"..."

"...."

" No reason."

" I don't believe that..."

" No. Seriously, it's nothing--"

" Akihiko-kun......do I look....horrendous to you--"

" Oh god. Don't you dare finish that-- I....ugh...it's just...." He puts a hand to his face, covering it this time.

" I think...if I look at you......" Was all I heard, the rest of his words after that were mumbled, and incoherent.

If you look at me then what...?

" What did you say? I didn't catch that." I said.

I notice his shoulders stiffen before he releases a deep sigh. 

" Don't mind it. It's better if you didn't...." He said with a disappointed tone. Though it felt directed to himself than it is to me...

" Akihiko-kun....I don't....uhm..." I closed my eyes, trying to tell myself to keep going.

" I feel...horrible if you don't look at me..."

Never in the nine realms, nor of the fourteen million six-hundred and five realities, would I have ever imagined MYSELF saying that.

That's saying something considering I feel horrible when people look at me anyways-- but that's not the point!

"...Are you...being serious?" He slowly asked me, his tone breaking. As if he's failing to suppress something back.

I felt nervous, but a part of me was....thrilled for some reason, to find out as to what exactly is stopping him. It must be some dumb reason, but I can't help but think it's something bad.

He slowly turns to me, and seconds slowed down as we finally made eye contact. I felt my heart beating fast again-- stop beating fast! Pathetic heart! Go to the gym!

" Happy?" He muttered. His eyes-- that were for some reason-- looking heavily strained. Still, this felt better.

" Yes." I smiled a bit. 

"..." He smiles too. " I can't  seem to get tired of your smiles, huh, Gotou-san..."

I immediately flamed red and began sprinting to the smoothie stall--

" H-Hey, wait, don't run so fast--"

" IMGOINGTOTHESTALLSEEYOUTHERE--!"

~~~~~~~~~~~

" Enter the new and improved Horror Mansion! It's a lot scarier than Horror Hospital from the cultural festival, we guarantee!" The students of class 2-2 yelled at the passing students.

The group marks this as their first stop.

" Horror Hospital? So they did this back in the cultural festival?" Akihiko inquired.

" Yep! Did you not attend?" Kita asked.

Akihiko chuckles.

Kita realizes and she immediately retracts her question.

" S-Sorry! I kinda forgot you weren't here until just recently..." She laughs nervously. " You fit in so well in our school that it just slipped my mind..."

" Huh, now that you mention it." Nijika hums. " I also kinda forgot Akihiko-kun was a transfer student from Oreha High."

" He's excellent in adapting to different environments-- almost too excellent it seems." Ryou narrows her eyes suspiciously. " Tell me, Akihiko. Are you a spy--"

" I'd love to be, but I don't really have the skills to pull that one off, Yamada-san." Akihiko laughs heartily.

" What about you, Hitori-chan? You thinks so too, right?" Kita nudged Bocchi's arm.

Bocchi nodded.

" I also got used to him being here..." She releases a chuckle. " He settled in this place so perfectly-- that it'd be pretty painful if he were to leave one day." She said.

Akihiko's smile cracks for a moment.

Nijika nods in agreement. " Yeah! I agree! Though that was kind of a dark thought you had there, Bocchi-chan..."

" S-Sorry!" Bocchi apologized profusely.

" It's nothing to apologize for." Ryou spoke up. " I agree too. It's kinda fun to hang around like this, even if we hadn't done anything yet."

" Mhm!" Kita hummed in agreement.

Meanwhile, Akihiko was trying to keep his resolve despite Bocchi's words.

If only he could find it in himself to tell her..... He thinks. But he quickly shakes away that thought. He won't think about it today or the rest of the days until his time has arrived.

For now, just enjoy making memories, and have fun with the people you care about.

" Hey, how about we enter the haunted mansion now? I'm dying to know how scary it can be." Akihiko joked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" BAAAGHHHH!" A bloody banshee jumpscares Nijika and Kita.

" AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" They both yelled before hugging the tall blue haired luigi       ( Ryou ) next to them.

Ryou stares at the banshee blankly.

" I'm disappointed." Ryou spoke to the student in the bloody banshee costume.

" Ah?" The 'monster' let out a confused noise.

Ryou shakes her head.

" This is even less scarier than the last one."

" ?! "

The banshee slumped depressingly.

" R-Ryou, don't hurt its feelings!"

" No, no. Let me cook."

" RYOU!"

.

.

.

" Blugggghhh!" A ghoul scares the next two.

" Whoah!" Akihiko jumps back a bit from suprise, not particularly afraid but...

" H-Haha, damn, you got me!" Akihiko chuckled.

That looks so realistic for a halloween costume....students of this school really go all out, huh.... He thinks.

I wonder what's Gotou-san's respo--

N-Not a single hint of fear?! 

.

Akihiko was amazed once again by a new discovered side of Bocchi. It seems like when it comes to anything horror-related, she has zero fear. Come to think of it, she's showed no reaction this entire time to the dark and gloomy atmosphere or tone that's been set here-- then again, she was used to these type of environments since it was her preference, right?

But still, to remain absolutely stoic in the face of a monster, be it fake or real, is quite the--

" AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Nijika and Kita's screams echoed form further down the hall.

" Geh?!" 

Both the costumed horror monster and Akihiko wore shocked expressions from seeing Bocchi flinch from that.

" G-Gotou-san, HOW?!"

" People are scarier monsters than you think..." Bocchi replied, rubbing her arm nervously.

"...." Akihiko couldn't respond to that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" A competition, you say?" Ryou raises a brow as she considered Akihiko's offer.

Akihiko nods. " Whoever can shoot the most ducks, the fastest, wins." 

" Interesting. And what do I get out of that?" She tilted her head.

" This gift card to the new cafe that'd just opened up." He pulls out Ryou's ' prized' gift card, and as expected, her eyes ignited with interest and a newfound determination.

" Huh? Where did you get that from?" Kita asked.

" I won it in a lucky draw a few weeks ago. I never had the time to check out the cafe due to my schedule, and it's about to expire within a few days so....why not, use this to pit me against Yamada-san?" Akihiko smirks.

" You will deeply regret this, Akihiko. You greatly underestimate the things I can do." Ryou grabs the toy gun.

" Show me wha'cha got, Yamada-san." He grabs his own gun too.

The girls looked to each other, before looking excitedly at the duo for what's to come. A battle between them is unusual, and for Akihiko to start something as random as this with Ryou is certainly a brand new development. Well, whatever it is, this was bound to be interesting.

Who will win; The broke Bassist of Kessoku band? Or will it be Akihiko Asahi of the renowned Oreha prestigious High School.

~~~~~~~

" I can't believe it...."

" Akihiko-kun...you..."

" That was the saddest defeat I've seen ever in my entire life..." All three girls said in horror/pity.

Akihiko was on his knees, staring at his gun in shame as he sweat dripped from his face for dramatic effect. The student in charge of the shoot-the-ducks stall was amazed by Ryou's massacre and they were also shocked of how bad Akihiko was shooting with the gun.

Not a single duck was hit.

" N...No...I couldn't have been....so terrible....how? HOW?" He teared up.

He hears her footsteps nearing him. Her big plumber boots clacking against the soil, he stiffens the louder and quieter it got soon after.

Ryou bends down to Akihiko's level, lifting his chin with two of her fingers as if mocking him.

" I win, bi--"

BEEEEPPPPP!!!

Nijika blows the airhorn to keep it PG for the audience! :D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" This pumpkin burgah tastes amazing!" Nijika praised.

" Thank you!" The stall owners said.

" Hey, let me take a bite." Ryou immediately steps in.

" I wanna buy one too!" Kita rushed too.

" Everyone is having fun..." Bocchi muttered, with a small smile.

" What about you?" Akihiko asked, suprising her a bit that he came back from his bathroom break so soon.

" A-Ah! Well..." Bocchi looks away sheepishly. " Of course, I'm having fun too..." She said. The old Bocchi would've been in disbelief if she had seen her now.

Akihiko smiles a bit. " Then so am I." 

He releases a deep sigh, stretching his arms back before resting them behind his head.

" In such a short amount of time, I've made plenty of memories."

He's going to miss it all.

" I want to continue my three years just like this."

Before he has to go.

" And, if possible....I'd love to...."

Be able to spend all my time with you.

" Love to?" Bocchi asked.

" Nah, it's nothing." He brushed it off.

" Anyways, we should--"

" Akihiko-kun, Gotou-san. Happy halloween!" A new voice enters their space.

The both of them turned to see Mayafumi waving at them with a nervous smile on her expression.

" Oh, Mayafumi-san!" Akihiko waved back, and so did I.

" H-Hello, Mayafumi-san..." I said. She smiles at me and gives Bocchi a wink.

Bocchi felt her heart sink.

Don't tell me...she was planning to do it now? She thinks in alarm.

" How's the event faring for you guys? It's not too bad, is it?" She giggles.

" Definitely not. It's great! It's a lot of fun, and I've got to give it to you and the student council. You guys did great organizing this." Akihiko complimented.

" Aw, that's sweet! But you helped out too, and you deserve just as much thanks for helping me make this event a success." She said, putting her hands behind her back.

" You're too kind, Class rep. But I know how to take a compliment-- so thanks." Akihiko grins handsomely, making Mayafumi pause for a moment.

" Actually, Akihiko-kun...I was....hoping to--"

" I-I have to go." Bocchi suddenly spoke, the both of them turned to her.

" Huh? To where?" He asked.

" B-B-Bathroom...?" She said.

" Well, then I'll just wait for you here."

" N-no, that'll take too long!" She shook her head vehemently. " Why don't you hang out with Mayafumi-san for a while instead?" Bocchi pushed him to her.

" Huh? Well..." He pauses, seemingly taking it into consideration as he looked towards Mayafumi's slightly red face.

"Sure, I guess I could..." Akihiko shrugs. " The others seem to busy with their own little shenanigans and if Gotou-san insists....I guess I'm left with no other choice huh."

" Have fun!" She told them before leaving as soon as she can, unable to bear this deep emptiness in her stomach once more.

But before she left them....

Mayafumi-san sent her a thankful gaze.

If only she knew...I did it for myself.

To spare myself the extra hurt...

After all...once she becomes upfront...Bocchi is sure he'll accept her. They're too perfect, and there's no doubt that there is no better girlfriend for him than Mayafumi-san who is devoted to treating him well, a reflection to his own kindness.

This is okay, she thinks.

This is better. For sure.

~~~~~~~

How long has it been?

I was just by myself in the least crowded part of the school, shrouded in dreariness and everything that screamed my calling. I come to these sort of places to seek comfort or to hide away from the world-- and this time it's the latter. I didn't feel like hanging out with the band to try and hide away my feelings, because I'm sure they'll see through me. I've come to learn that all of them have gotten used to me, that they can read me like a book.

That's why it's risky to be with them in my current state. Even if doing this will lead to them being worried about me and searching around for me-- at least that's some time being stalled for me to process it all, right?

But how long have I been here?

" Huh?! I've been here for an hour?!"

I was wallowing in my own self-pity for this long...

That's--!

Far shorter than usual....

" I'm out of my element...."

Usually my depression will last for the day, and then tomorrow, and then the day after that....and then the day after the day after that--

" Oh this is pointless." I finally come to terms with it.

I could only stay here for so long....the others must be worried ( or not-- ) so I have to get back to them ( or maybe stay here a while longer-- )

Depressed voice in my head STOP TALKING!

Up we go now. I stood up, dusted away some dirt from my skirt, and was just about to head out the corner until I saw two figures which instantly made me hide back behind the wall.

" What is it, Mayafumi-san?" I hear Akihiko ask.

Why are they here--!

" Akihiko-kun...I like you!"

....

And all attempts to escape the spot I'm in had suddenly ceased. I stood there behind the wall, hands close to my chest, as I tried to not to make a single sound to give away my presence. I should take the other exit, with this amount of time-- I could still leave without being spotted....and yet, I can't do that.

" ....Well....I uh...." I hear Akihiko-kun say in a nervous tone. I take a glance from the wall and see him nervously rubbing the back of his head.

" That, I know...." He admitted, rather guiltily. 

" I know you know..." Mayafumi predicted that.

" But I want to know why." Akihiko sighs. " Why do you like me?"

" Mayafumi-san, we barely know each other--"

" No, that's only on you, Akihiko-kun."She interrupted.

" Huh?" I hear Akihiko let out a suprised noise.

Huh? What is she...

She then continued to speak, in a composed but passionate tone.

" The truth is, I've known you since middle school, Akihiko-kun. I was there on that day too."

"..."

She doesn't mean...

" I was there, the day when you lost that game ."

~~~ To be Continued ~~~

This chapter was not supposed to be cut. But I wanted the information to be processed at a good pace, rather than having it all happen in one chapter. I actually finished the entire chapter, it's just that I felt this had to be cut here and then I'll publish the next part tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to keep the progress smooth. Also just in case I plan to add something extra at the end too.

I hope this reveal wasn't too out of place for you guys. If you feel like it is, then I highly suggest reading ' 20. Lie' again and make connections from that to this chapter. It should give u some clarity for the meanwhile! ( hopefully... I did plan this reveal when I first made Mayafumi. And personally, I think i've dropped enough hints, kept it subtle, and hid any obvious notions to make this a reasonable reveal. But if it needs work, then I'll consider rewriting certain chapters to suit the narration-- )

It seems like there really is another suprise up in Mayafumi-san's sleeve. Which will be dived further into in the next chapter! It will reveal why Mayafumi holds unusually strong feelings for Akihiko.

Also a glimpse to the old Akihiko who had the fiery ambition for soccer!

See you in the next chapter~