They got separated at the stairs. The restaurant the group had chosen was obviously a popular one. Chisa neatly side stepped in one direction, while Eri chose the other, and then they were separated by the metal handrails and the press of people moving in and out of the wide doors.

Eri was reluctantly letting Chisa drag her along to a group date for the afternoon. It wasn't the first time, but she usually tried to decline because she didn't like the unspoken expectation that everyone would pair up at the end. It was difficult for her to explain her own reluctance; even to her best friend; even to herself. Maybe it was a form of rebellion against the command to "find a good guy". Maybe she was too critical, or too picky, or looking for something that didn't exist. Or maybe she just didn't want to admit, especially to herself, that she was looking for him.

Chisa disappeared through the restaurant doors at the top of the stairs, just as Eri came to a forced halt in front of a man trying to come down the stairs. He was stunning. She stared up at him in amazement instead of trying to move around him, and he grinned down at her.

After a moment he pulled the lollipop from his mouth and asked lightly, "Want a kiss?"

She nodded wordlessly, without trying to analyze why.

His grin widened. He pulled a wrapper from his pocket, and then stuffed it back into his red leather jacket with the lollipop inside. He reached out to the handrail at either side, and then leaned forward and down, to drop a soft kiss on her lips.

She simply gazed up at him when he withdrew. The person behind her protested her immobility, but somehow she couldn't move. There were other people who were trying to follow him out of the restaurant too, and after another long breathless moment passed, he released his hold on the rails and stepped down beside her.

He drew her into his arms and pulled her to one side against the rail. People began squeezing past and he glanced down at her, to find her eyes still locked on his face. He grinned again and asked with amusement, "In or out?"

"What?" she asked blankly.

"Are we going in or out?" he asked as he returned her gaze questioningly.

"Oh," she responded after a moment. "I need to go in."

"Okay," he replied agreeably and turned around with her still tucked under his arm. He guided her gently up the stairs, into the restaurant that he had just exited.

Eri quickly located Chisa at a table midway along the noisy dining area. She glanced at the man whose arm was now wrapped familiarly around her waist, and indicated her friend with a small gesture. He smiled and shifted in that direction, and they walked over to the table together, without exchanging another word.

Chisa was questioning the pair of girls across the table in an outraged tone, "What is she doing here? I told you that I was bringing Eri today!"

The most handsome of the three young men seated at the near side of the table responded laughingly, "What does it matter, the more pretty girls the better!"

"Group date?" the man holding her murmured into Eri's ear softly.

Eri blushed and nodded. She quickly interrupted Chisa as she started to speak again, and said, "Chisa, I don't mind, I didn't really want to come anyway."

Alarmed by Eri's complacent withdrawal, Chisa spun back toward her friend and then gasped in surprise when she discovered the stranger beside Eri, with his arm wrapped around her waist. "Who are you!?" she demanded.

He grinned at her and replied promptly, "Takeshi Takumi. And you don't have to worry about the numbers in your gathering being off, because I'm taking the best girl away before you start." He pulled Eri against him and hugged her tightly.

Eri blushed and looked at Chisa uncertainly. Chisa stared back at her with such utter surprise that Eri blurted, "Is it okay for me to go now?"

Chisa quickly looked the guy over. He was a little over medium height and really pretty, if you liked that kind. She preferred men with stronger features and more muscle, but she'd been trying to get Eri to take interest in anyone for so long now that she wasn't going to complain. His jacket was rather flamboyant, but the color suited him, and the quality of his clothing was good. After a moment she nodded to Eri, wordlessly giving her permission. Then she took a seat at the table beside the other two girls, pulled out her phone, and began to write an urgent message.

The guy who had spoken up before was still laughing, as he turned and asked Takumi incredulously, "The best one?"

Eri felt the notification vibration as Chisa's message was delivered to her own phone, while Chisa looked up from her phone and glared at the guy across the table.

The guy smirked back at her, before adding, "This one is cuter."

Takumi replied confidently, "Absolutely the best, not realizing it is your loss."

Takumi attempted to pull Eri gently away from the table, but she resisted for a moment and asked Chisa, "Are you sure that you don't need me to stay with you?"

"I'm sure," Chisa insisted.

The girl beside her added, "I'm here too."

Chisa couldn't help rolling her eyes, but she nodded in agreement, and Eri returned her nod before turning to follow the man who had introduced himself to her friend as Takeshi Takumi. He didn't hesitate, and gently guided her back out of the restaurant, down the steps outside, and onto the pavement. After following him away from the restaurant, Eri came to a halt, and he stopped and looked back at her questioningly.

Eri asked uncertainly, "Where are we going?"

Takumi arched an eyebrow at her and suggested, "Somewhere we can talk? On a date? What's the rest of your name Eri-chan?"

He grinned at her again as she blushed, and she replied quickly, "Mitsui Eri."

She avoided his gaze to pull out her phone and read Chisa's message. Her blush intensified and she shoved her phone back into her pocket. He was watching her quizzically, although his smile hadn't disappeared.

Eri just shook her head and then asked abruptly, "Why did you kiss me? I mean, why did you ask?"

Takumi grinned at her and replied questioningly, "Because you got excited just by looking at me?" She gasped and took a step backward. He let her go, but he added a bit sardonically, "You asked."

"How could you even think you know something like that!?" she demanded, with something between anger and fear.

He gazed back at her with a puzzled expression and asked, "Are you asking seriously or are you just embarrassed by your own reaction?"

She looked up at him uncertainly, caught off guard by his reaction. He was only about six inches taller than she was when standing on flat ground, and his expression looked honestly confused. She swallowed and replied, "I am really embarrassed and I really don't understand."

Her gaze dropped to the pavement at their feet, and he watched her for a moment before gently reaching for her hands. She let him take them but glanced up at him nervously, and he explained quietly, "Your pupils expanded, and your breathing changed." He dared a smile and glanced at her chest before adding, "Among other things."

"Really?" she asked dubiously. "And you could see that?"

He grinned at her and suggested, "Let me kiss you again, and maybe you'll be able to see the same changes in me?"

She stared at him for so long that he wondered if he should withdraw the suggestion, and then she nodded.