Later that afternoon, Kokichi and Himiko waited at Cookies 'N' Cream for Ryoma and Ibuki to arrive. Himiko grumpily leaned her head onto her arms.

   "Nyeh...I can't believe I was dumb enough to pick off Ibuki's hair from Celeste's dress," she grumbled. 

   "Nee-heehee....don't worry about it, Himiko!" Kokichi replied. "Besides, this is the part where we sit back and enjoy the fun!" Right after he said that, they both heard the bell on the front door jingle, indicating more customers. In stepped Ryoma and Ibuki. Kokichi and Himiko slid deeper into the booth they were sitting in to hide from sight as their classmates sat down at a nearby table.

   "Soooo, Ryomaaaa...hee hee...what made you wanna hang out with Ibuki today?" Ibuki asked. "Were ya hopin' for a music lesson?"

   "Well...not exactly," Ryoma admitted. "I just...had a sudden urge to want to be around you."

   "GAAASP!! MEGA GAAASP!! SUPER DUPER, FANTASTIC, EXTRA SPECTACULAR GAAAAASP!!!" Ibuki gasped as a cloud of foam emerged from her mouth. 

   "What's wrong?" Ryoma asked.

   "Are you confessing your love to me, Ryoma?!?!" 

   "Well...I'm not exactly sure," Ryoma replied, scratching his head in confusion. "I...I just woke up this morning, and the first person I thought about...was you. I...couldn't get you out of my mind. I guess that's when I knew I had to see you." Ibuki's face was beet red.

   "Wowie, wow, wow!" she gushed. "You just made my heart go all ba-thumpity, thump, thump, Ryoma! I didn't know you felt that way about me!"

  "To be honest...it happened all of a sudden," Ryoma admitted. "I don't know why, and I don't know how, but part of me feels like...like..."

   "Like what?" Ibuki asked in a soft, enchanted voice as she curiously leaned towards Ryoma. 

   "Like...we were meant to be together...?" Ryoma finally answered with a puzzled expression. Ibuki, however, was over the moon.

   "Aaaaaaaa!! Oh, my gosh!! I've never had anyone confess their feelings for me!" she squealed. "Ibuki feels so lucky! So honored to be in your presence, Ryoma!"

   "You mean...you're not bothered by it?" Ryoma asked.

   "Why would I be?" Ibuki said with an ecstatic smile.

   "I'm not exactly the easiest guy to get along with," Ryoma explained. "I'm always bringing down the mood and ruining the fun of others."

   "D'oohhh...so what if you're a negative Nancy?" Ibuki replied. "You just need some sunshine in your life to chase those gloomy clouds away!" Ryoma blinked in surprise.

   "What...did you say?" he asked.

   "Hm? Oh, I just said that you need some sunshine in your life to chase the gloomy clouds away!" Ibuki repeated. Ryoma stared at her in disbelief for a few seconds. A small smile then crossed his lips. 

   "Yeah...I suppose you're right," he answered. "Listen, Ibuki, you can order whatever you like. It's on me."

   "Really?!" Ibuki gasped. "You'd really buy something for me?!" Ryoma nodded. "Well, okay!" They walked up to the counter to order from the menu. Meanwhile, Kokichi and Himiko were watching with fascination.

   "It's working so far, HimiCocoa Bean!" Kokichi whispered excitedly. 

   "Nyeh...that love potion is good!" Himiko exclaimed. "Maybe Ibuki was right for Ryoma after all!"

   "Well...we still have to wait and see when the potion wears off," Kokichi pointed out. 

   "Oh, yeah...there's that," Himiko mumbled dolefully. They continued to watch as Ibuki and Ryoma ordered ice cream and sat back down. 

   "So, Ibuki, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Ryoma asked. 

   "Well, anything!" Ibuki replied. "I like taking walks! Ooo, I love playing video games! I even like taking naps! Ibuki's dreams are the best! Basically, I'm down for anything so long as it keeps me from being bored!"

   "I see," Ryoma replied, nodding. 

   "I also love writing and playing music, of course!" Ibuki added. "Though...lately, I've been wanting to write a new song, buuuut...d'oooh, I'm having some trouble coming up with lyrics!" Ryoma perked up a bit. He remembered what Himiko had said about taking up poetry. 

    "I don't mean to be a bother, but maybe I could help you write a song," he said. 

   "Seriously?! Rock on, Ryoma! You are so totes amay-zaaaang!" Ibuki exclaimed, giving Ryoma a tight squeeze. 

   "Hmph...I'm glad to help," Ryoma said with a small smile. 

   "So...so...would you like to meet up at 7th Island House after we're done here?" Ibuki asked eagerly.

   "If that's cool with you," Ryoma replied, giving Ibuki a thumbs up.

   "Yeeees! Yes, it's awe-to-the-some!" Ibuki squealed happily. 

   "Great," Ryoma replied. They proceeded to finish their ice cream while chatting lightly with each other. 

   "By the way, Ryoma, Ibuki's curious to know...what's your favorite genre of music?" Ibuki asked.

   "Oddly enough...opera," Ryoma replied. "I didn't think much of it, until one day, I was scrolling through radio stations, and I happened to come across it. My cat, Sasha, would curl up on my lap and listen to it nonstop. But before that, I listened to some jazz, a bit of rock, and some bossa nova."

   "Oooohh...I see, I see!" Ibuki said. "You have some interesting tastes, Ryoma! It's also really cool that you got into opera because of your cat!"

   "Hmph...it's nothing that fascinating, really," Ryoma simply replied, trying to hide his appreciative smile.

   "Are cats your favorite animal?"

   "Yes," Ryoma answered. 

   "Then, I'm the perfect girl for you!" Ibuki said proudly. "My hair looks like cat ears! Your hat looks like cat ears! We both like music, aaaaaannnnd, you can call me....Ibuki Meowda!  Me-oooow!" Ryoma let out a hearty chuckle. 

  "Huh...I haven't chuckled like that in quite some time," he said. "It...does feel good to laugh again." 

   "What do you mean?" Ibuki asked.

   "No, it's nothing," Ryoma replied. "I'm sorry. It's not like me to ramble on like that." He stood up from his chair. "Anyways, are you ready to go?"

   "Yup! Ibuki...Meowda...is always ready!" Ibuki cheered. Ryoma gave Ibuki a large grin, something Kokichi and Himiko hadn't seen from him.

   "Well...let's go, then," Ryoma said. Together, Ryoma and Ibuki walked out of the ice cream parlor. Himiko turned to Kokichi in utter disbelief.

   "Nyeeeh!! Did you see that, Kokichi?!" Himiko exclaimed, shaking Kokichi's shoulders. "Ryoma just...just...smiled!! Like...a big smile!!"

   "Yeeeaaahhh, I know!" Kokichi replied. He looked out the window. "Whoa!"

   "What's the matter?" Himiko asked.

   "Nee-heehee...I think I saw a pig fly by," Kokichi joked. Himiko playfully jabbed him with her elbow.

   "Stop it," she said. "But...wow! Maybe Ibuki and Ryoma might be a thing! Nyeeeh...I'm so glad I picked the wrong strand of hair!"

   "Welp, since this is your evil plan, what's the next step, Monkey Buns?" Kokichi asked. Himiko grinned deviously at him.

   "Nyeeeh...we're gonna become spies in disguise," she answered.