Saki: I Am Cute?

"Adam…" Saki called out to him.

"Yeah?" He looked over with his eyes still shining, like a kid who had walked into a candy shop.

"You won't hold back today right?" Saki asked and his eyes widened slightly.

"You caught on?" He asked with surprise painting his face.

"Yeah, I was able to see that you have precise timing in the street fighter game, and you were a little awkward on DrumMania when you tried to get the timing wrong on purpose," Saki had wanted to tell him about it before, but she understood why he did that right after.

Telling her that it was alright if she wasn't good at something, if she starts making friends properly they'll cover up her shortcomings, and help her when she is in need. And she was thankful for that because, before this, she was too scared to let others see her pathetic side, thinking that no one would want her.

'Now I understand that it is necessary,' But now she understood that a human, can't be without flaws it is something impossible.

"Today, I'll show you why they call me the King Of Arcade," Adam's face was once again dripping with confidence.

"Haha, sure…" But leaving all of that aside, the two had more fun than yesterday competing in almost every game whether they were good at it or not.

And after they were done with playing they had some Shoyu Ramen at the nearby shop.

"Once again the amount you eat is surprising," Saki's eyes were as wide saucers looking at him clear four bowls, along with the broth.

"Good food needs to be appreciated, and I have a big appetite," He still looked like he could eat four more bowls.

"Is that how you got so tall?" Saki tried to make sense of it with his physique, but she had never heard of something like that happening in real life.

"Well… I am not that tall, I have seen people who are much taller and muscular than me after all," Adam shook his head with a smile, after all, he was the one who stopped his body's growth otherwise he'd be much taller.

"What type of monsters were they?" Saki couldn't make sense of that, if there were people who were bigger than him...

"They were indeed monsters now that you say it," Adam laughed, she was correct after all.

"Like a Rosemon compared to a Lilimon?" She tried to compare it in her head and after another trip to the arcade.

And after they played some more setting some new high scores, it was time for the next activity.

"Now let's go to the Karaoke," But there was a problem.

"Oh, actually I was thinking of going back home," Saki said helplessly, and it was clear that Adam did not notice it either.

"It is already 7 P.M.?" He was wide-eyed when he saw that.

"Yeah… I didn't even notice the time passing…" Saki laughed, she was the same as him, the only reason she was able to notice it was because she got a message from her mother.

"We were too lost in playing the games," Adam sighed, the two of them had been indoors, and thanks to playing the games one after another, they just didn't notice the flow of time.

'Well, I did, but she was having fun so I didn't bring it up,' Adam shook his head, that would be counterproductive after all.

"We can do Karaoke some other time, I am interested in that myself," Saki smiled softly while looking at his expression, misunderstanding his current expression, as him being sad about not being able to go to the Karaoke.

'He is so adult-like… but also childlike sometimes,' Saki had seen these two sides of him throughout today and yesterday, and that is why she wanted to tell him, especially after what she had heard him talk about his experience from before.

"Adam, if… if you…" She chewed on her lips, this could be a sensitive topic, and she had no right to reopen whatever wounds he had from before.

'But he helped me, and he even went so far as opening up about that experience, so…I have to tell him…' Saki gathered all of her determination, this is where she needed to be brave just like he was.

"If you ever feel like you are in trouble, you can lean on me as well…okay?" She may not know everything about him, and she may not know what he went through exactly, he just talked about it briefly in a way to encourage her.

"I may not be able to help much, but I'll try everything I can, so talk to me ok? Just don't go back to be in that situation again…" She clenched her small hands into fists, the fact that he helped her was more than enough to give the same, and more to him.

"Is that so?" Adam laughed.

"Why are you laughing? I am serious… because you are my friend… I don't want you to go back to the bad times," She felt like he wasn't taking her seriously, and she understood why.

She wasn't in a state to say those words, but she wanted to because she would stand by it, and that feeling reached him.

"Well, I am laughing because you said it seriously," She was confused at his words, but soon forgot about it when his hand was on her head again, "You've already helped enough but…I appreciate it." Adam was happy to hear that, but he soon spotted the problem.

'I should keep my hand in control,' Adam thought looking at her face that had turned into a tomato, she wasn't even listening to him at this point.

And even after he stopped patting her head, she continued to look down, completely lost.

"You should go home before your parents get worried," Adam said trying to blow the awkward air away, even if this was the result of his actions.

"Y-Yeah, I need to go home," Saki quickly nodded, she just wanted to go back at this point.

'I don't want to show him a weird side of me,' She couldn't help that her mind became blank, every time he patted her head, 'Why am I even thinking about that?!'

But her troubles didn't end there…

"Then I'll walk you home," Adam spoke like it was nothing, but she looked at him in surprise because of that proposal.

"T-There is no need for that," Saki said while waving her hands in a flurry.

There were many reasons why Saki didn't want it to happen, but the main reason Adam wanted to do this was simple.

"I think it will be better if I do that, who knows what kind of unsavory bunch will approach you if you are all alone," Adam had kept her back for too long, so he thought he should at least send her back safely.

It was mainly because he was worried about her, she was simply too innocent, and that is why she suffered so much at the hands of the people around her.

"Ah, you don't have to worry about that," Saki on the other hand found his worry to be funny instantly leaving her embarrassment behind, she knew what he was talking about, but there was no need to worry about it, "They only go after cute girls and I am dull looking, so there is no need for me to worry at all."

"But you are cute Saki-chan," Adam tilted his head, like what part of this did she not understand?

'Ah, now that I think about it…' It was then Adam realized his mistake.

"Eh?" But Saki was not ready for that, did he call her cute just now?

Her brain seemed to have stopped working at that point, she couldn't understand what was going on around her just from that. Saki had never considered herself to be cute, and she never expected to hear it from someone, so it was shocking to hear it from him.

That is why before she knew it, Saki was back at her doorstep with Adam missing.

The reason he left was clear, he didn't need to look after her because she was back at her house, and someone was already there to keep an eye on her.

"How long will you keep standing there? Are you that lost because the boy left?" And here Saki was brought back by a familiar voice.

"M-Mom!! Wait when?" It was none other than Saki's mother, but that wasn't the main point right now. She was confused at what happened, her mind just blanked all of a sudden as it went into sleep mode, and then she found herself here.

"So, who was that? hmm~~, Your boyfriend? I'd have to say you found a real good one,"