"Based on popularity in the class, our class is going to be going with the Western Café." Michi announced, writing it on the board. Takiyo hovered in the corner, letting her do all the talking.

"We need loads of people on hand, like for set up, costumes, menu, serving, advertising... Takiyo-kun, how many things are on this list?!" Michi asked, waving around the list Takiyo had prepared. Takiyo shrugged.

Michi shook her head, and sighed. "So anyway, if you guys have any ideas, don't hesitate to step forward." Then she turned and smiled at Takiyo, although she was still addressing the entire class. "Let's have loads of fun!"

After the bell rang, most people approached Michi, and she happily accepted. She compiled all of the suggestions, and handed them to Takiyo. Takiyo was surprisingly good at managing everything. Finally, he had to sit together with Michi one time during break, to finalize everything.

Working with Michi brought back plenty of happier memories, and when he was about to leave, Yuko, Ren, Arisu and Syo all sent him off with winks and thumbs-up and knowing looks. He disregarded all of them with one swift look.

"Takiyo-kun! Coming?" Michi asked, waving her hand.

He walked over and sat down opposite to Michi, who was going through papers. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Yoichi looking extremely bitter, because there was nothing he could do about the situation.

"Sorry we have to do this during break." Michi said, scanning a paper. "I'm sure you want to go and talk with Yuko-chan and the others."

"It's okay. It's my responsibility now." Takiyo said, fiddling with his pen. "So, what are we doing?"

That question was the start to an extreme long and rapid talk about everything Michi had compromised and short-listed, and all the ideas that were handed to her, and how she thinks it could play out. She went on talking and talking, and Takiyo listened. When she was finally done, she smiled sheepishly at Takiyo. "You got bored?"

"No, no, it's okay." Takiyo replied quickly. He wasn't expecting her to finish so abruptly.

"Okay, so what do you think?" Michi asked, sitting back down on her chair and pulling it forward, knocking her knees against his. She had stood up with the momentum of her talking.

Takiyo wasn't sure whether he would be able to say everything the way Michi had. He was certain he couldn't. So he wrote everything down, and Michi leaned in to read. He was thinking, but it was a little difficult to focus. Not just because Michi was so close, but also because he felt five pairs of eyes staring at him intensely.

He put a hand against his head, in a weak effort to protect himself. Finally, he was done writing, and he turned the paper over and handed it to Michi. Michi read through it with a smile on her lips.

"Oh, this is very efficient. Mm hmm... Mm hmm... It's perfect!" Michi said finally. "Only, here..." She indicated, and Takiyo had to lean in to see. Michi glanced at him, then suddenly let out a laugh.

"What?" Takiyo asked.

"I remembered something. How we used to work together like this." Michi said, smiling to herself and recalling memories. "I think the last time we worked like this...was probably in junior high, right? When we were around 14?"

Takiyo suddenly felt his heart pounding. If Michi remembered all of that, then was it possible that she will also remembered the promise she had made back then? His hand tightened around his pen.

"I remember how fun it was. Do you remember Okemia-chan? And Ainu-chan? And Namie-chan? I'm still in contact with all of them, but I lost touch with Namie-chan for some reason. But I took out Suzuki and Maru and introduced them to Okemia-chan and Ainu-chan not too long ago." Michi said quickly.

Takiyo looked as though he never knew those names existed in the first place. "Who?"

Michi laughed. "You're so antisocial! You don't remember them? I remember. I also remember..." Her face suddenly clouded over.

Takiyo felt tense. Did she remember all of a sudden? Is the realisation dawning on her? Is her promise-loving self going to realise that she and broken a promise, and forgotten about it?

Michi suddenly looked at him, a rather serious expression on her face. Then she reached out and put her hand over his fist, which was resting on the table. Takiyo started but tried not to react to much. He felt like he was sweating bullets. Michi leaned in.

"Takiyo-kun, that day..." Takiyo took a deep breath.

"Was the day Yo-kun and I started going out, right? Then...our three-year anniversary is coming up! I completely forgot! Oh my god! Remembering that moment still makes me blush!" She sqeauled. "I am suddenly very excited!"

Takiyo's hands loosened. He didn't bother to say anything. He didn't hold a special place in her life anymore. Rather, a more overshadowed place. She loved promises, yet she couldn't remember the one she had made with him? Had he become that unimportant? Yuko held a higher place than him, and she hadn't grown up with Michi. Why was it only him who had become unimportant?

"Anyway, I think everything has been finalized." Michi said finally, holding up the paper and looking satisfied. "After school today, we can show it to everyone."

"Okay." Takiyo replied, not looking at her.

"Brighten up, Takiyo-kun! There are only two weeks left!" Michi told him.

Takiyo nodded, then got up. He started to walk away, and then Yuko popped in his way. "Hello there, rep." Ren, Arisu and Syo came by too, grinning. "How is everything going?"

Takiyo put on a very straight face. Syo was a master of reading face expressions, and Arisu was the goddess. Yuko was also fairly experienced, and Ren had a psychologist father. But he was the master of masking face expressions. It is a difficult battle.

"I'm busy." Takiyo said, sitting down.

"Oh no, poor Takiyo is tired?" Ren asked, leaning on his table.

"Yes, I'm tired, and you guys are bugging me." Takiyo said, burying his head in his arms.

"Wow, and I thought I was the only one who found interactions exhausting." Yuko said, grinning.

Bell rang.

"Noooooo, we didn't get to spend time with Takiyo." Syo said, pretending to be very upset.

"Now, now, Syo-kun. Our Takiyo is going to be very busy now. He's the cultural festival rep." Yuko told him, while patting his back solemnly.

"Are you guys my parents or something?" Takiyo asked skepticially.

"Pretty much! We raised you to who you are today!" Ren said proudly.

Takiyo gave them a look and then buried his head in his arms. It wasn't a complete lie.

***

Everybody has been assigned all of their roles, and everybody was going through the plan of action. Takiyo was going through the budget list, and then Arisu suddenly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Takin! How's it going?" she asked cheerfully. "You seem to have a good hold on everything." She looked around and spotted Syo and Hikari, who were handling set up. They seemed to be immersed in a deep conversation, pointing around the classroom. At one point, Syo suddenly put his hand on Hikari's shoulder and leaned in to point something out, and Takiyo and Arisu noticed her jump ever so slightly and her cheeks tinted slightly pink.

Arisu grinned. "Wow...good job pairing up Syo-chi and Hikarin, Takin. They look so cute together! I ship it!"

"Kaneshiro, you shouldn't just randomly ship your friends with your other friends." Takiyo told her, turning away and going back to reviewing the budget list. Arisu grinned at him sheepishly, but then she suddenly adopted a more serious expression.

"Hey, Takin." The tone of her voice made Takiyo uneasy. She sounded serious. "I noticed that you were a little off after you and Michi-chan talked about all that stuff."

The goddess has descended.

"It felt like something was wrong. Is there anything wrong?" Arisu sked, frowning. This wasn't just joking around. She was serious about it, and serious is a rare expression you see on her face. Even when she is writing exams, she still looks very bright and cheerful.

Takiyo turned back to her, not taking his eyes off the paper. "I'm fine. I don't know why you would think that."

Arisu pursed her lips.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be working?" Takiyo asked suddenly.

"Oh yeah! See you later, rep." Arisu waved and left.

Takiyo sighed. It wasn't just Arisu he should be wary of. He had to try harder to mask anything and everything. He was going to work hard so as to push down this feeling that just beneath his surface.

It wasn't going to be easy. It was already rising to the surface again.

Author's note
Confession time: I'm a shipper by nature. So, I'm like EVERYONE MUST BE SHIPPED. Therefore, I was just writing out the scene and then I'm like, wait...
Shipper.exe is loading....
OH MY GOD YESSSS SYO AND HIKARI LET'S GO!! WHOOP!
But Syo is the clueless bro guy, so Hikari is currently friendzoned. (sniff)