Sitting alone at the top of a play set's slide, [Name] idly played games on her cellphone as she waited. Clouds had started to blow in from the East, covering the sun every so often and casting shadows on the ground below. [Name] hoped it wasn't a bad omen.

Turning her game off, [Name] glanced at the time displayed on the glowing screen before heaving a sigh of disappointment. 12:30.

"He's half an hour late…" [Name] muttered as she felt her stomach rumble.

After Kasamatsu had accepted her offer of going on a date, the two had discussed what days they would both be free. Well, more like she had discussed while he simply grunted in response, shaking in his shoes. Eventually, the two had agreed upon a lunch date that Sunday evening. Something simple that the both of them could handle which would also allow the two of them to get to know each other better. They had agreed to meet in the park where the basketball teams often met and [Name] had arrived twenty minutes early, excited to see the older male. However, as time crawled on, she was finding it difficult to stay patient.

"I can't believe he stood me up…"

Pushing off and sliding down to the bottom of the play set, [Name] resolved to just go home. As she walked, she bit the side of her cheek to stop the tears that were prickling at her eyes from flowing. Blinking back her emotions proved to be a tad difficult as she brushed past strangers walking through the park. She grumbled to herself and glared at the ground while making her way towards the park's exit. It was ridiculous of her to think she could have a happy time with the guy she liked for so long.

Finally reaching the sidewalk outside the park, she took the first few steps that would take her home. By now her tears had receded and the only emotion left was borderline apathy towards the situation. She barely noticed the dark haired male that ran passed her. If he hadn't accidently bumped shoulders with her, muttering an apology as he hurried past, she would've mistaken him for someone else.

"Kasamatsu-senpai?"

Hearing his name, the hurrying male came to a stuttering stop as he turned towards the voice that had called out to him. He was panting hard from running all the way from the station and a thin layer of sweat had started to break out on his skin. He cursed whoever had stopped him on the sidewalk, knowing full well that he was more than half an hour late for his rendezvous by now. When his eyes landed on the Seirin female however, he knew instantly that he had already screwed up.

"[Name]-san, I-I thought we were going to m-meet in the p-park," Kasamatsu said through his heavy breathing. Inwardly, he awarded himself for not stuttering as much as usual, but chalked it up to the fact he was trying hard to catch his breath.

"You're late."

Her near apathetic response shocked the third year. Lifting his shaking hand to rub at the back of his neck, he felt a shameful heat reach towards his cheeks as he avoided her gaze.

"Y-y-yeah… S-sorry…"

He gave no excuse for his tardiness, wondering to himself if it would even make a difference if he had. She was upset with him. He had screwed up majorly and she probably didn't want anything to do with him now. Silence consumed the both of them as they stood on the sidewalk, the people passing by giving them small glances. Two minutes passed with them standing there in silence before Kasamatsu decided to open his mouth and apologize again, but a low rumbling cut him off before he could get a word out.

"A-ah…" He looked down at the younger girl and watched as her cheeks reddened. Her eyes refused to meet his as she placed her hands around her stomach in a vain attempt to hush the organ. Sheepishly, she glanced at him after her stomach had settled once more. "I-I've been waiting for our lunch date all day."

Kasamatsu made a noise of understanding as he scratched at his cheek. "I-If you want, we can still g-go… To l-lunch, I mean."

The offer was left hanging in the air for a tense moment as [Name] thought over his offer. Kasamatsu could practically hear his own heart beating, reminding him of the adrenaline rush he got from being on a basketball court. Only the feeling he was getting now was more sickening, making him want to run. Part of him wished she would reject his proposal so he could go home and save himself from further embarrassment, but the majority of him knew that if that happened, he would be emotionally crushed.

"Sure," [Name] answered quietly. Suddenly, she put her hands on her hips as she looked away with a slight pout. "But you're paying since you're the one who was late for our date." Her cheeks reddened as she reminded him of their date, in turn causing his own cheeks to redden.

"A-ah, y-yeah," Kasamatsu agreed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

Nodding to each other in agreement, the two started making their way to town where most of the restaurants and cafés were located. They walked side by side in silence, not looking at each other as they turned corners and crossed streets. It wasn't until the sun had been completely covered by unnoticed clouds and the first few fat drops of rain had started falling that either of them had made a sound. In a panic to get out of the rain and stay close together, Kasamatsu instinctively latched his hand onto [Name]'s smaller one, setting the pace as they ran for cover. [Name] felt a heated blush make its way towards her cheeks as she noticed their intertwined hands. She had to fight the urge to comment on how adorable she found the action.

"Oh man, my hair is going to get all frizzy," [Name] whined, tugging at a strand of hair with her unoccupied hand as the two of them made their way under the veranda of the nearest café. Though they hadn't been in the rain for long, water still dripped slowly from their hair and clothing. As they both stared out into the downpour, they wondered how each of them would be getting home safely today. "After lunch, I can call my mom to come pick us up. We'll drive you to the station."

"S-sure." Kasamatsu said, thankful that he wouldn't have to brave more of the rain in order to make it home.

[Name] smiled up at him, her eyes meeting his nervous steel blue ones as she nodded her head towards the café behind them. Catching the hint, Kasamatsu stiffly nodded as he led her inside, standing with her in line so that they're lunch date could begin. The smile on her face stayed there the entire time as she looked around the quaint café they had stumbled upon. Slowly, his own small smile made its way onto his face as he watched her.

Maybe he hadn't screwed up so bad after all.

{EXTRA}

"Hey, Kasamatsu-senpai?"

The older teen looked towards his younger companion as they waited in line to be seated, his eyes asking his unspoken question.

"I think it's really cute that you're still holding my hand."

Letting go of her hand, a string of broken apologies sputtered out of his lips as Kasamatsu flushed red, shaking from more than just the cold rain now. [Name] could only grin before she burst out laughing at his reaction, causing him to yell in embarrassed frustration.

No, he hadn't screwed up the date after all.