Minako arrived, and did a quick survey of who was in the lobby.

Just Akihiko and Shinjiro this evening.

Akihiko seemed to have been reading on a barstool, but once his gaze fell upon Minako, he nodded in Shinjiro's direction, then abruptly got up and left. He seemed to have accidentally abandoned his book, but didn't even glance back at it. Perhaps he felt too awkward.

Shinjiro was facing where Akihiko once was, leaning against a wall in the corner of the room. He simply watched his friend go without even moving. Only very mild confusion was apparent in his expression, followed by a brief grunt of acceptance.

Great, Minako thought. Akihiko knew. He knew it. It was that obvious.

Minako focussed on Shinji - who was wearing his huge burgundy coat and black beanie hat despite being indoors, hands in pockets as usual - and tentatively walked towards him.

"You..." he murmured.

Minako paused her step and swallowed.

"I'm okay..." he said, "I feel better after our talk."

Minako realised he probably mistook her timid mannerisms for concerned ones. Wow, though. He felt better. She'd helped him feel better about something. Awesome.

"...Take care of them," he told her. "I believe in you."

Woah... How does someone respond to that? And, couldn't he take care of everyone, if he wanted to? Why did Minako have to do it? She didn't know some people in the dorm as well as Shinjiro did. Sheesh.

She had an unbreakable bond with Shinjiro himself, though. She could feel it. Minako had always been very attuned to the emotions of those around her, and her ability to read Shinjiro slightly better than everyone else could gave her pride; despite how much of him was still left as very intriguing. This resulted in her feeling more comfortable around him than she was with anyone else in S.E.E.S., but daren't say his feelings were corresponding. She knew he was fond of her, but that was all.

Minako hesitantly decided she would do what she wanted to do. She was going to spend time with Shinji, even if what he said just now may have been his way of letting her know she was no longer of relevance to him. She hoped she was overreacting to that.

Minako leaned on the wall next to Shinjiro.

She would call him "Shinjiro-sempai," but she had heard Akihiko simply call him "Shinji," which was something Minako had unintentionally started doing internally. He was tall, and the angle at which she could see his face was just so flattering. She could've watched him from there forever. So cheesy.

She looked away, self-conscious. So much for being comfortable.

"Shouldn't you be with the others...? I can't give you anything or do anything for you."

Shinjiro's voice almost severed into her nerves, and the world suddenly felt uncomfortably warm. It sounded like he wanted her gone, but his reasoning was that he himself was a waste of Minako's time. Not true. She needed to tell him otherwise. Her heart rate had dramatically increased just thinking about it. She could almost swear it was audible. It was so hot in there right now, in her school uniform. Thinking of Shinjiro in that huge coat almost made her nauseous. He probably wasn't absolutely brimming with nerves at that moment, but Minako still felt what was almost like secondhand discomfort. She was in a state already.

Utterly refusing to look at Shinji, she said with as much confidence as she could muster;

"I want to be with you."

Immediate regret. How on Earth would he react to that? She could think of many possibilities. Which one was it? Well, she wouldn't know, because she was looking at the entrance to the lobby, and not at the person she was talking to. Smooth.

Completely giving up on hiding her feelings now, she brought her head round to see that Shinjiro hadn't been fazed one bit. What? Wasn't he surprised, or, something? Happy, sad, annoyed? Nothing? Maybe he was just so inexpressive that whatever he was feeling was something she had to search more thoroughly for. She looked at his eyes, poking out under that beanie hat, hiding slightly behind his hair. Did they look confused or disgruntled? Pupils. Everyone has pupils. Were his doing things? Dilating?

"...You can stare at me like that all day, I got nothing or you."

There was a hint of amusement in Shinjiro's tone. She'd been staring. He seemed to think it was funny. Great. Perfect. Lovely.

"Haven't you wasted enough time on me?" he went on. "What more do you want?"

The amusement died as quickly as it had emerged. Minako could feel her pulse in her head. So many things Shinjro would say made his low self-esteem incredibly apparent. Couldn't he understand, he was worth her effort? The time she spent with him was anything but wasted. She loved spending time with him. Had she never let him know that? Did he think he was annoying her...? Or was he sick of her? Oh God, she probably hadn't told him she enjoyed his company, directly or otherwise. Did she think it was a huge given, considering her feelings? Or did he mind her being there? He might have thought he was a burden! Not good!

"I love you," Minako blurted.

"Huh...?"

Shit.

She'd type those words out whilst texting him, then delete them. Occasionally, she'd randomly mutter it to herself quietly when she was alone, thinking of him. She'd say it so many times in her own head when he was simply in the same room. It was embarrassing, and something she struggled to admit; even to herself. Apparently, the filter had suddenly broken.

The blood rose in Shinjiro's cheeks, and his eyes widened. More expression than he'd usually let himself show in a week.

A moment of silence. Painful eye contact.

He shook his head. "D-Don't tease me like that!"

Wait, what?

Was he considering her to be toying with him? Now? Over something like this?

"I'm not teasing you!" Minako blurted again.

Shinjrio blinked. "Urgh..."

He placed one hand on his head, lightly gripping his hat, and kept the other in its pocket. He faced away, seemingly trying his hardest to keep it cool. She'd only ever seen him this embarrassed after he'd sustained damage in battle.

Could he be...?

He hastily pushed himself off the wall, and faced Minako. She could see her blurry reflection in the small forehead protector on his beanie.

"I mean, why just blurt something out like that? Here, of all places...?"

His volume was rising. He was suddenly using pretty wild hand gestures. He definitely felt something. Despite the disappointing lack of I love you too. Shinjiro's strange pride stopped him from saying and doing many things. The fact he hadn't immediately rejected her was almost completely decisive. She knew it. Was there any more point in beating around the bush? Minako weighed her options. She wanted the best outcome; and she was thinking clearly, finally.

"Won't you come to my room?" she asked. She could feel her confidence building again, and her carefree attitude allowed her to tease him for real this time.

"I-I can't do that," Shinji told her.

Oh, now he was taking things seriously!

"I mean, you're..." he tried. "Well, people are gonna get the wrong idea."

Wrong idea? Was he not interested?

No, that wasn't it. If he wasn't interested in a person, he'd definitely dismiss them instantly. And he was still very pink.

"That just leaves your room then," Minako taunted.

"Y-You moron." It sounded like his goofy teammate's moronicness was some kind of epiphany to him. Had he realised something? Was he shocked?

His tone softened. "I... I ain't a nice guy. I can't let you in my room. Don't you get it?"

Get what? How embarrassed he was? It was hilarious. And to Minako, he seemed perfectly nice.

"I know what I'm saying," she told him. She didn't usually adopt a such an authoritative tone. She briefly wondered if she should more often, if it got things done.

Shinjiro turned his head and looked at her with one eye.

"No way," he said quickly. "It's not gunna happen. Look, you need to watch yourself. Don't bother with someone like me."

Again with the confidence. It kind of hurt her when he said things like that. Not only was he insulting himself, but he was insulting her standards. The only reason he wasn't letting her into his world was because he believed he wasn't worth it. Minako liked to think she had good taste; and that he very well was.

"I still love you, Sempai!" Minako beamed almost uncontrollably. It was a lot easier to say that all of a sudden.

Shinji averted his gaze as he flushed pink again. "Idiot..."

Under the many layers of sarcasm and insults and thick clothing, he liked her. She had him. It was surprising, how easy it was. All she had done was repeat herself.

"C'mon," Minako said, "let's go. I'm your team captain, aren't I? I need to inspect your room."

"...What? Inspect? No, you're... You're not making any sense. Why would you need to do that?"

"What if you're a super-secret double agent? I must inspect it."

"You're... that's not..."

"It's for the good of the team."

"You... ggrrh..."

Shinjiro pulled his hat down, turned around, and gestured for Minako to follow him.

"Thank you!" she grinned.

"Wh-Whatever. You can look inside my room. That's all."

Minako didn't even bother walking patiently behind Shinjiro. She barged past him and dashed up the stairs.

"Hey...! Wait! What are you doing, you idiot?! Stupid little..."

Despite enjoying herself, Minako did feel guilty about this. She didn't want to make her own friend feel uncomfortable. However, Shinji was the type of person to force himself out of almost any situation which he might have found, well, nice. Minako still didn't know why he did it, and she hoped she wasn't touching any nerves; but she wanted this all sorted, and everything about Shinji's feelings for her to be out in the open. If it was going to be painful on the way, so be it. She was fed up of constantly being so unsure. Besides, Akihiko seemed to give her a good go-get-'em signal when he left the two of them alone. Maybe Shinjiro had told him something.

Being so huge, Shinji caught up with Minako easily.

"Moron, I have the key!" he scolded.

Oh. Oh yeah. Maybe following him was the best idea after all.

Shinjiro grumbled at Minako irritably as he led her across the landing. She knew he was being playful. He'd be scary if he wasn't.

"I need to see your room, Sempai," she affirmed.

"Yeah. You can see it. Nothing else."

"But I need to go inside..."

They reached the door. Shinjiro looked for the correct key on his keychain. He didn't have many keys, yet he was taking surprisingly long.

"Please let me in," Minako asked bluntly.

"No."

She childishly tugged his coat. "Pleaaase?"

"H-Hey! No! Lemme unlock the door!"

"But Sempai," she begged, "I need to go in! It's for everyone's safety."

"No, you don't. There's not much in there, so - get off, dammit! - so you can stay out here and not cause me any trouble. It's better that way for you, too."

He unlocked the door, and it let it open. Minako edged past him, giving him a cute stare with her scarlet eyes, and let herself into his room. He knew she was going to do that, and she knew he was going to let her. She grinned at herself. She'd managed to get quite far.

Shinjiro sighed, entered and closed the door behind them. He walked around Minako, so that she was between himself and the door.

He was not lying when he said there wasn't much in his room. It was practically empty, except for a bed and a desk. It was almost sad to see how little personality the place reflected. It was just so dull. Not even cookbooks, anywhere. Didn't he have any stuff? She couldn't see his battle gear. Where did he keep his things if they weren't in there? He was so full of mysteries...

Shinjiro interrupted her thoughts; which was probably for the best as standing there doing nothing may not have been a very good romantic tactic on Minako's end.

"...So? Happy now?" her sempai questioned. "You're always pushing me around all the time... You're just gunna ignore what I want, huh?"

Minako readied a retort but paused when she realised her mouth had already fallen open.

Shinjiro looked her in the eye and sighed. His expression... had it become... determined?

"Yeah, well, two can play that game."

Minako had no idea what he meant.

Shinjiro stood up straight. His posture was usually terrible, and him drawing his form to its full height had left Minako utterly stunned.

Man, he was impressive.

Shinjiro took one long stride forwards, and embraced Minako tightly. His head just about rested on top of hers.

"This is your fault you know," she heard him say. She could feel his voice's low rumble, and hear the smile in his tone. "I'm all confused."

He... he what?

"You're all I can think about, day and night," Shinjiro said tenderly. "Dammit, this isn't how it's supposed to be..."

Minako could feel the heat rising in her head. He'd said something similar not too long ago. And she had no clue what he was currently thinking - the exact same as last time. What was supposed to be? Was something wrong? Why wouldn't he let himself like her? How long had he wanted to hug her for? Were they completely misunderstanding each-other? He thought about her all the time...? So was this him admitting it? This was happening? So many things Minako didn't know. She could feel how warm he was; she enjoyed being so close to him. She had never seen him display affection on this level before. She realised she probably hadn't considered him capable until now. It was strange.

Minako could feel herself becoming dizzy. Thinking about too many things at once. What would happen? Were they going to start dating? What would Akihiko think? So lightheaded. What was Shinji thinking? Too bad he didn't wield a persona with Re Patra. Minako would've loved to have had a clear mind again.

He let her go. Everything was taken away, and her thoughts were interrupted by Shinjiro's voice again. She didn't mind. He had hugged her.

"You get it, right? Go back to your room. If you don't go now, you're not gonna get another chance."

His tone was neither firm nor joyous. What did he even mean?

"I'm not going anywhere!" Minako declared without thinking too hard.

Shinjro closed his eyes and sighed again. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?" he chuckled.

Minako's heart lifted. Was he happy?

Shinji snorted to himself, and briefly glanced away.

"I'm gonna make myself clear," he finally spoke with some assertion. "I ain't holding back any more."