The school day had just ended and Nishikata was gathering his things together while thinking about the mysterious letter he received. 'Takagi didn't hint at the letter at all today, could just mean she wants it to be a surprise ... but still.'

"Hey Nishikata." Takagi began, catching his attention. "You wanna walk home together today? I mean we weren't able to walk to school this morning, so I was thinking we make up for lost time."

"Can't." He said as he put his last textbook into his bag. "I ... have something else that needs to be taken care of."

"You going to try and get tickets again?" She asked jokingly.

Nishikata groaned slightly as he looked at her, only to notice that her expression went from playful to curious. It only took him a second to realize that her attention was fixed not on him, but on his bag, or more importantly, the letter that he kept in it which was now very visible. "It's nothing." He said as he slammed his bag shut.

"Huh?" She straightened her posture and looked at Nishikata. "Well ... can I come with you?"

"No." He said as he threw his bag over his shoulder. "Sorry, it's just ... something I need to take care of myself."

"But you said we could walk home together today."

"Huh?" He tried thinking back until he remembered what he had said just before running out the day before. "Oh yeah, well ... this kinda came up last minute so ... I'm sorry."

"It's ... okay." She glanced at his bag then turned around. "So ... how about tomorrow?"

"Yeah." With that, he walked out of the classroom leaving Takagi behind and a heavy feeling in his heart. 'Damn, this again.' He grabbed his chest as he walked until the feeling subsided and he drew closer to the top floor. 'Well based on Takagi's reaction, it's safe to assume that she didn't write it.' He thought. 'But who could it be? And why?' He stopped momentarily as he felt something strange, almost like he was being watched by someone. Normally that would be expected at the school, with all the people there, but it felt like someone was watching him specifically. "Maybe it's just my imagination." He continued on his way to the roof, stopping just before the top stairwell to pull out the envelope and look at it. "They used hearts instead of dots for the I's, and this isn't supposed to be a love letter?"

He shoved the letter back into his pocket and walked up to the door that lead to the roof and pushed it open, revealing an empty roof with no one in sight. "HEY! IS ANYONE UP HERE!"

"Are you alone?" Came a voice from behind him that caused him to jump.

Nishikata turned to see the door to the roof close by someone wearing a pink hoodie that obscured their face, but was probably a girl judging by the fact that she was wearing a skirt. "Are you alone?" She asked again.

"Uh ... yeah ... what did you want?"

She pulled her hood back revealing a brown ponytail and a somewhat familiar face. "I need ... advice."

"Wait." Nishikata began as he scratched his chin. "I know you, you're one of Takagi's friends ... uh ...I don't think I ever actually learned your name."

"Takagawa." She replied.

"Okay, it's nice to finally know your name, so why did you give me a 'not a love letter'?"

"Because I ... wanted to ask you for some advice."

"You mentioned that, what did you want to ask me?"

She blushed and looked off to the side as she began playing with the sleeves of her hoodie. "Well ... there's ... a guy in the school who I wanted to get closer to." Nishikata began to blush a little before she quickly continued. "It's not you! It's definitely not you!"

"Definitely not me, huh?" He asked feeling a little offended.

"I didn't mean it like that, it's just ... well ... I wouldn't be asking you if it was you."

"Okay ... but ... why me?"

"Because I'm envious of your relationship with Takagi." Nishikata was about to open his mouth but Takagawa was quick to interrupt him. "I know, I know, you and Takagi aren't dating, but that's not what I was referring to." She took a deep breath. "You and Takagi are close, and I want something like that with this boy. I want to get closer to him and get to know him better before thinking about asking him out."

"Okay ... couldn't you have asked Takagi for that same thing?"

She threw up her hood and walked over to the fence surrounding the roof and leaned against it. "I tried, but she gave me advice that ... kinda went along the lines of 'taking control of the situation to think it was his idea' and other things like that." She looked off to the side and began nodding.

"Yeah." Nishikata said feeling defeated. "That sounds like her." He walked over and leaned against the fence next to her.

"And I'm ... not as clever, confident, or as smart as Takagi."

"And you want to ask me because I'm not as clever, confident, or smart?"

"Yes." She said deadpan as she looked right into his eyes.

Nishikata sighed. "Well, Takagi and I ... I'm not sure what you mean by 'what we have' because that's ... well, not really ... well you see, the thing is ..."

"Then whatever the 'thing' is, how exactly did you two ... get ... it."

Nishikata thought back to the first time he and Takagi met. "That's ... wait, you were sitting right in front of her, right?"

"I wasn't paying attention at the time."

"Well okay." He thought back to the situation again and ran it through his head. "Well, it was chance for the most part; we happen to sit next to each other, I found her handkerchief and returned it to the lost and found, which got me late. I, not knowing her name at the time, blamed Takagi while she was sitting right next to me, and when I found out, I was super embarrassed, and she laughed at my reaction." He hung his head in despair. "And ever since she's teased me and I have tried and failed to get back at her."

"Well there aren't that many ... boys and girls that are as close as you and Takagi at this school."

"You mean there aren't many who aren't already dating?"

"Oh, you guys are closer than some couples in this school." She said as she looked off and to the side. "One comes to mind but that's not important." She turned back to Nishikata. "So, can you help?"

He began thinking for a moment before giving her a response. "Well, I'll be frank, I don't know much about you, and I don't even know the guy you have a crush on ... but if all you want from me is how to become friends, then I suggest finding an excuse to talk to him."

"Could ... you be a little more specific?"

"Well ... are you two in the same class?"

"Yeah."

"Well ... you could try coming early a day he has to come in for day duty and just say hi, ask questions about school, like homework or an upcoming test. Maybe try to lead into asking him about his hobbies ... but that would depend on how the conversation goes. You could also try 'randomly' bumping into them and trying to start up a small conversation, like asking them how they've been, but that would only work if you two know each other to a small extent."

"You think that will work?"

Nishikata shrugged. "I have no idea, but that's the best I can think of seeing as ... I don't know the people involved."

"Guess you have a point there." She pushed herself off the fence. "But it sounds like good advice so ..." She turned around and faced him. "Thanks."

"No problem." He said as he also pushed off the fence.

"And please ... don't tell anyone about this, not even Takagi."

"I wasn't planning on it."

"Thanks."

Takagawa took her leave, leaving Nishikata alone with his thoughts. "Well that wasn't exactly what I expected, but it wasn't so bad." He began walking down the stairs, but once again, he had the feeling that he was being watched.