"Sh-Shinozaki, I adore you. Please, run away with me." Yoshiki's voice traveled across the grassy field flatly as he raised his hand out towards Ayumi's small frame that stood in front of him. The breeze hit his face lightly, the sunlight glaring down on the two of them. The scenery was romantic, or at least it should have been.

"Oh, Kishinuma-Kun. How could I." Ayumi responded in a monotone, shifting her gaze to focus on the trees next to Yoshiki's face. The entire ordeal was extremely embarrassing.

With a snap, suddenly a loud sound erupted and broke the two out of their scene. Sachiko stood up, holding a small wooden movie sign in her hands, yelling "Cut!" at director Fulcin, who had lowered his camera. Judging their performance was Sachiko, the zombie-like director, and Morishige. On the sidelines of those who were waiting were Ms. Yui, Tsukasa, Ran, Azusa, Kizami, and Yuka.

Sachiko walked up the two appearing visibly displeased. "Kishinuma it's no fair, you're not even trying." She frowned, upsettingly. Her eyebrows were drooped as she looked up at the two. "This was supposed to be a love scene."

"It's because this is ridiculous!" Ayumi chimed in, raising her voice slightly. "Sachiko, Kishinuma-Kun and I do not- are not…" Her voice began to grow weaker as she furrowed her brows, raising a fist to her chest slowly.

"The script is totally unusable," Yoshiki interjected, lifting the piece of paper in his hands. "Even I could write something better than this."

"Ahoaohaga!" The frantic gurgling of director Fulcin broke off Yoshiki's sentence. Morishige tilted his head then began to nod as if he not only understood what the director had said but agreed with it.

"Okay!" Sachiko began to become angry, snapping her fingers to change the setting. From what was once a tree-filled park in the sun became their Kisaragi classroom once more.

"I want to see a romance scene now." Sachiko demanded, "Don't make me call in blockhead." She sneered.

The idea of the large monster of a man, Yoshikazu, entering this room made Yoshiki's stomach churn. He found himself turned to Ayumi for her response.

"Are we following the same script?" Ayumi asked, lowering her head to look at the scribbled paper in her hand.

"Duh. Just make it work here." Sachiko smiled, "From the top! Hit it!"

The zombie-like director raised his camera once more, focusing on the two standing in the center of the classroom, surrounded by desks.

Ayumi leaned towards Yoshiki briefly before walking to her stage cue. "Do your best, okay? If we make Sachiko happy, our odds of getting out are greater. Do you understand?"

Yoshiki nodded his head before walking to the entrance of the classroom. Hearing the large snap of the wooden block once more to indicate the scene had started, he slid the door open, eyes landing on Ayumi standing by an open window.

"Hey, Shinozaki, still here after school?" Yoshiki asked, his eyes peering at the paper periodically in-between syllables. He walked further into the room as he spoke, approaching the small girl.

"Mhm, I just can't decide what to do." Ayumi let out a sigh, leaning against the windowsill to make herself feel more comfortable. Being surrounded by the school interior she knew helped calm her nerves.

"What's the issue?"

"The culture festival is this Friday. I want to go, but the boy I like hasn't asked me." She scowled, the situation hitting mildly close to home. She found herself letting real emotion out as she spoke, using her disposition with Mochida-kun to help fuel her acting.

"Who would be stupid enough to not go with you?" Yoshiki raised an eyebrow, taking a step forward, only a few single tables separating the two. The sun was shining through the window, illuminating Yoshiki's face as it cast a shadow over a corner of the room by comparison. Seeing Ayumi's expression was difficult, he began to shift his stance once more.

"Well, he decided to go with Sachiko-san instead, and who can blame him? She's only the most popular girl in school." Ayumi leaned further onto the wall, stealing another glance at the paper and then back to Yoshiki.

"Hey," Yoshiki interjected, moving closer once more. "You know I think you're amazing." His tone was soft and made Ayumi's cheeks feel warm. Was he always this good at acting?

Stiffening her back impulsively, Ayumi looked at her script once more before continuing. "Oh, if only Kizami-san thought that way too…"

"Shinozaki…" Yoshiki raised his head, making eye contact with her as he spoke. "Would you go to this festival with me?"

Ayumi felt her heart thump in her chest. Between the classroom setting and Kishinuma standing so close, the reality of their situation erupted butterflies in her stomach. Anxiously, she swiped her head back to the script, reading her line before lifting her gaze once more.

"Why would you ask me?"

"You do everything you can to see the best in other people," Yoshiki placed the script down on the table next to him before continuing. "That you can't even see the best in yourself. I adore you. Now please, would you accompany me?" He was steadily walking towards her with each sentence.

Yoshiki's figure was now fully in front of Ayumi, his body heat radiating onto her. She had to lift her head to look up at him, and- had he memorized the script? Those were definitely not the lines written down…

"You don't know what you're saying." She scowled, attempting to take another step backwards from the boy only to be stopped by the large window by her side. "I don't get what you're trying to do." She decided she was no longer acting as she let the script sway in the air as she crossed her arms. She looked at him once more, angered.

"Shinozaki… Do you hear me? Do you hate me that much that you can't even be near me?" His voice spiked as he himself became irritated at the situation.

"H-hate you? No… I…" Ayumi's eyes opened in surprise, eyebrows raised as she searched the boys' expression for any give that this was all an act. What was he doing? Why was he behaving like this?

"Then please… Please…" Yoshiki's voice was beginning to quiver ever so slightly, cracking due to the amount of emotion he was mustering. "Notice everything I do for you… See me standing here- For once."

Ayumi placed a hand on her cheek, feeling the heat on her palm confirm the beat red expression she must have been holding. This wasn't nearly close to what was written in the script, yet he looked so emotional and upset. Were these his own words? Or was he possibly still acting… The sun reflected in his blonde hair while lightening up the features on his face. The light in his eyes affecting his demeanor ever slightly as he squinted an eye at the brightness.

"I…" Ayumi's voice gave out, overwhelmed by the situation completely. "Do you mean what you're saying right now?"

Yoshiki, finally for once, remained quiet. The single nod of his head was his answer.

She felt a pained expression on her face as she placed a hand on her head. The conversation taking place was somehow sincere, how could he really feel this way? How could she not have noticed? Ayumi quietly resigned those thoughts, lowering her eyes. In some ways… she guessed she always knew and was only fooling herself into thinking otherwise.

"I don't know how to respond." She faltered, raising her eyes slightly to meet Yoshiki's.

Yoshiki took one more step forward, pulling her into a hug so rapidly she let out a small gasp at the sudden tug of movement.

"Eep!"

Her body had been pulled into his, her entire frame pressed up to him as he held her. She stood there for a beat, and felt Yoshiki's arms wrap around her shoulders, her head nestled on his chest. Feeling her eyes flutter slowly, she didn't know how but she could have sworn she had felt this sensation once before… this warmth was somehow familiar to her.

"I… am in love with you, Shinozaki."

She opened her eyes at the statement, unclear of what she just heard.

"Huh?" She asked, shifting her body weight to move but Yoshiki's force kept her there. She raised her hands instead, letting them rest on the boys back.

Yoshiki let go, taking a step backward while making eye contact with the girl as if to demand a response. Where was all of this coming from, anyway?!

Ayumi acknowledged that there had never been an abrupt "Cut!" yelled by Sachiko, so the scene must have still been rolling. Maybe this was all planned after all. Deciding to continue her act, as this was a romance scene, Ayumi huffed before quietly admitting, "I think I could be falling for you, too."

And with those words, she suddenly felt her lips crash with Yoshiki's. The softness dulled by the force of their lips meeting as his hand raised to her head, cupping her cheek. It was nothing more than their lips colliding, but the butterflies felt like they had doubled in size. Ayumi kept her eyes closed if only so she wouldn't have to look.

His kiss was passionate, his hand delicate. Ayumi was raised on her tippy toes slightly when she realized she was putting equal amounts of effort to meet the kiss as well. Letting her heels fall to the ground, their lips detached as she opened her eyes.

Yoshiki had a wide grin on his face, his eyes hooded as he looked at her expression. His cheeks were red; she could only imagine the hue her own must've held.

Just then, clapping erupted in the room, breaking the two out of their daze.

"Amazing!" Morishige cheered, his shocked expression further proving his point. "Absolutely incredible, I had no idea you two could act."

Sachiko was beaming as well, swinging her feet from the chair she had taken. She appeared almost smug as if this is exactly what she had expected. As if she had a front-row seat to their lives at all times. Yoshiki grimaced at the fact that that statement was most likely not too far from the truth.

Ayumi turned around immediately, facing her back to the boy as she lowered her head, "Yeah, okay!? Are we done?"

Yoshiki felt his smile begin to deteriorate, the realization of what had just happened beginning to dawn on him. He had been "acting". Shinozaki believed he was only delivering a script. He mustered up the courage to give a confession only for it to be misconstrued in front of a live audience.

"Y-yeah Sachiko. Did you get it?" He felt his chest decompress, his gaze shifting as Ayumi's back still faced him.

"Oooouh!" The director's face was, Yoshiki assumed, happy. The scene was a hit, and all things considered, he managed to score a kiss from Shinozaki.

He stepped over to her, placing his hand on her head. "You did a great job." Yoshiki smiled, feeling the softness of her hair beneath his fingers.

"Idiot! Pervert! You went off script!" Ayumi's pigtails bobbed slightly as she raised her voice, turning her head as she angrily stared him down.

"A-ah! It's called acting! I just… said what felt right." Yoshiki grew defensive, he meant everything he said after all. She had to have seen that.

"You stole my first kiss." She frowned, her appearance vulnerable in front of the boy as she fiddled with the hair tie in one of her ponytails.

Yoshiki ran a hand through his hair, looking off to the side as he collected his composure. "Oi… yeah. If it makes you feel any better, that was mine, too."

Looking at the girl slowly, her expression relaxed slightly at his words. A phenomenon never before was seen by him.

"I see." She responded stoically. "Kishinuma-Kun… I-"

There was suddenly a large bang from the corner of the classroom. Ms. Yui was falling as Tsukasa frantically ran to grab her.

"Watch where you throw that!" Tsukasa had yelled, director Fulcin screaming in response nonverbally.

Completely taken out of their daze, Yoshiki stiffened his shoulders and reverted his attention, "Yui-sensei! Are you okay?" He raised his voice as he marched over to the others.

Ayumi watched as he walked away, placing the tip of her index finger to her lips. She could lie to herself all she wanted, but it was growing clear in her mind that the boy hadn't been acting. The dilemma was, she wasn't so sure if she had been, either.