Keep It A Secret?

いち (one)

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Kokuhaku

告白こくは

Means "confession", and it is done when a person declares their love to another in hopes to begin dating that person.

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"Argh, I can't help it ... she's just so cute."

Poised above Yuuto's line of vision was the latest publication from Moe Times, but he lowered it upon hearing his friend's voice. Kaito sat across the circular plastic table, absently twirling his fork in loops of limp, flaxen ramen and pork in the pink polka-dotted ceramic bowl in front of him as his dark brown eyes wandered across the café, locked onto a figure that was too busy bustling about to notice his yearning stare. Following his eyes across the room, past the indoor cherry blossom trees and other tables bustling with foreigners and locals alike, Yuuto also came to lay eyes on the object of Kaito's affection, Soejima Chiho, the sole reason for their visit.

Cure Sakura was a great place to be, especially after a hectic day after school; mouth-watering items to choose from the menu, light K-pop instrumentals drifting from the pink overhead Neko cat speakers, a calming ambience and manner stressed upon, but had it been up to Yuuto he would be comfortable sitting on the sofa in his apartment, head buried in an English textbook, or sleeping, more favourably. Yet there he was, another evening sitting at the booth by the wall, squirming in the uncomfortable iron chair, the rails firm and unrelenting against his spinal cord and watching the maids saunter by, all in the name of a good friend.

A desperate groan sounded from Kaito's voice box, causing an exasperated breath to flow from Yuuto's mouth in turn as he laid the magazine on the table, too used to the situation to care much. "You know the sole solution to this problem, don't you?"

Kaito's head swivelled around, his previously thin, slanted eyes then widening twice their regular size as his mouth parted in shock. "Y-you don't mean—"

"I do. Go ask her out."

The Japanese boy froze again, mouth snapping shut this time but cheeks tinting pink with a flush. Yuuto contemplated reaching across the table to snap his fingers before his friend's face to bring him back from the traffic jam in his love-addled mind, but there was no need for that.

"WHAT?!" Kaito erupted, attracting unwanted stares from nearby patrons. Sheepishly smiling, he offered low apologies and slightly bowed his head in apology, all before his attention swivelled back to Yuuto, who sat across from him, leaning back into his iron chair with his unimpressed facial expression. "You can't expect me to do that! She's ... she's ... so cute."

Yuuto let out an exasperated sigh, losing interest in the conversation once he saw that Kaito had too, eyes back to hopelessly staring at Soejima every few seconds. "Besides, asking her out would be against the rules." Kaito pointed out after a long while, jabbing his fingers at the dropdown list of rules listed plastered on the wall next to their table. Some of the other rules specifically spoke to taking pictures of a maid or with one, which was the only thing dissuading Kaito from snapping secret photos of the maid.

Soejima stood on the other side of the room, a round, silver tray in her hands. Without a doubt, she was gorgeous, even more so in the cute Sakura's lolita maidservant outfit; a pink short-sleeved dress with Falbala dangling just above her knees, white apron hanging from the shoulders secured with a large bowtie at the front and white gloves wrapped around her tiny hands. White lace stockings encased her spacy legs, leading down into a pair of pink shoes and disappearing under the lace petticoat that fanned out above her knees. A cat ear headband sat atop her head, completing the cute maid girl look.

As her petite figure vanished behind the 'Maid Only' room, Yuuto faced Kaito, to see that his friend's shoulders fell in defeat. Yuuto looked lower, to the table before them, only just noticing that the squares of Sugoi sandwiches still patiently perched on the table, uneaten, along with the bowl of rice balls and shrimp on the side. It was Kaito's usual plan, ordering as much as he could afford and eating at a snail pace — or not at all — all so they could stay as long as possible, watching Soejima until 6 p.m., the time of Kaito's curfew. It was a poor strategy in Yuuto's opinion, and he voiced his unchanging opinion.

"This is getting ridiculous."

Kaito huffed in annoyance. "Be quiet. Just because you're great with girls doesn't mean I have to be."

Looking at Soejima one last time had them noticing that the girl was looking in their direction, exchanging words with one of her colleagues, another cute girl clad in the lolita dress. Kaito tore his eyes away at once, scooping up a random place on the table and parting the chopsticks, digging into the bowl of pork ramen. He slurped loudly, the rousing scent of shrimp and spicy soup hovering in the air, tickling Yuuto's nose and prompting him to take a sandwich as Kaito shot him a sharp look to 'be cool'.

"No, I mean it's ridiculous because we come here every day, and we do the same thing. Don't you think Soejima already knows you're stalking her?" Yuuto responded, arching an eyebrow as Kaito sucked in oodles of chunky noodles. "I think it's time you made a move."

"No!"

Yuuto sighed and looked across the room, where he perked up at the sight of Soejima, her pigtails whipping out and bouncing behind her as she transcended the distance, heading towards their table. In front of him, Kaito's face paled, and seeing the look that abruptly crossed Yuuto's face, he warned, "I know that look, Yuuto! Whatever you're planning, just give it up or else — oh shoot! Here she comes! Be cool."

Yuuto scoffed but said nothing as he and Kaito fell silent, hyperaware of Soejima's approach but neither looking in that direction. Yuuto reached for a sandwich, nonchalantly elevating it to his lips as he took a bite, chewing, swallowing. The Japanese girl arrived at their table, bowing politely in acknowledgement as her eyes darted between them. Looking at her so closely, really paying attention, Yuuto could pinpoint exactly why Kaito crushed on her so hard.

She possessed doe anime eye eyes that blinked cutely in confusion whenever something puzzled her, an impeccably sculpted button nose hoisted over the rosy, heart-shaped pair of lips that lay below. Her dark brown hair fell just over her eyebrow in a fringe, curling before her eyes whilst the rest swept into two messy pigtails, braided and flopped down her back, secured with pink ribbons tied in bows at the front of her petticoat. A hint of blush makeup tinted her cheeks, and eyeliner added to the roundness of her eyes.

She beamed at them, her chalk white peeking out from the part in her pert pink lips. "Good evening, Masters! May I interest you in anything else on the menu?" she asked in her regular tone, though it came across as forced and overly girly in Yuuto's opinion. His eyes lingered on her face for a split second before looking at Kaito.

Kaito wasn't in any shape or form to respond. His mouth opened and parted continuously, eyes glued to the criminally cute girl standing by their table. She blinked at him in confusion, and he snapped out of his hazy stupor, diving for the menu and burying his reddened nose in the list of food items. "Y-yeah! Of course, I'll just have the um..." his eyes trailed down the list, his eyebrows quirking into uneven slants as his eyes fluttered over the prices listed beside each item. "The er..."

"We won't be having anything else, thank you," Yuuto cut in, plucking the plastic menu from his friend's hand. A sharp yet subtle gasp sounded from Kaito, head snapping up to focus a heated stare on his friend's impassive face. Yuuto cocked an eyebrow, waving his hands at the barrage of uneaten treats still lying on the table before them. He laid the menu at his side of the table before picking up the magazine he'd been reading.

Soejima's smile faltered, her pouty lips jutting out in a tiny pout as her eyes moved from a bored Yuuto to a gaping Kaito. "Nothing?"

"We'll have the couple's option."

Yuuto clicked his tongue in surprised annoyance whilst Soejima gasped, taking a large step back to peer between Yuuto and a guilty-looking Kaito. The latter straightened in his seat, clearing his throat and briefly glanced at a stunned Yuuto before leaning across and retrieving the menu. "Y-yes! That'll be two strawberry parfaits and the omu rice. Thank you."

"Right away, master!" Soejima giggled cutely as she lifted the shiny tray in front of her face, the light overhead reflecting from the smooth surface and hitting a nearby table. She bounced off, leaving Yuuto and Kaito to stare at each other in impenetrable silence.

Yuuto looked at the menu. Then Kaito. And repeat.

"Your genius plan -- to get the girl you like to notice you -- was by pretending to be in a relationship with me, a guy," Yuuto said, eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed into slanted slits behind his glasses. "Masterful. Pure genius."

"You think so?" Kaito perked up as the sarcasm flew over his head. "The couple's option was the only thing on the menu but I didn't think it was—"

"Idiot."

Yuuto sullenly melted back against his seat, brushing his fingers through the amber strands on his head as a group of girls emerged behind the 'Maids Only!' door, two carrying pink heart head bloggers whilst another held a tray with their requested food items. Two other girls tagged along for the fun of it, bright smiles spammed across their blushing faces as they stopped by Kaito's table. The petite girl with the food lay down the tray; two omu rice balls resting against the shiny white, heart-shaped plate, dotted with ketchup and mayonnaise crafted into cute cat faces and heart eyes. The maid swiped a pink magic wand from behind her, holding the firm black shaft by the end as she swung the flashing star tip at the food.

"We bless this food and wish you two a long, fruitful relationship!"

"So do we!"

Yuuto scowled but said nothing as a maid appeared by his side, sliding the bands of the head boppers through his messy hair. The latches hugging Yuuto's head once she released it, the two large hearts on top bouncing frantically every time either boy shifted their head.

"Ah! T-thank you for the food!" Kaito sputtered to the mass, bowing and shooting a look at Yuuto for him to do the same. He reluctantly complied and the mass dispersed, leaving behind one last girl.

"Chiho-chan will be right with you for the parfaits, hm?" she announced before skipping off with the other girls. Some maids glanced back at their table, whispering amongst themselves excitedly.

"He's pretty cute, don't you think?"

"He looks like a supermodel!"

"Can you believe that he sees someone like that as a man?"

Kaito parted his chopsticks, licking his chapped lips. Shooting Yuuto a sheepish smile, he said, "We have to keep the act alive then, right?" his cheeks shaded in pink of embarrassment as he picked up a rice ball from the main plate and transferred it, along with morsels of shrimp, to Yuuto's empty bowl. "Eat up, Yuu."

"And what is the plan, exactly?"

"Huh?" Kaito dumbly replied, looking up. He sheepishly fell back against his chair, scratching his cheek. "W-well, I don't know. Do we eat? This is the cheapest item on the menu and—" he paused, swiping a creamy shrimp-infused potato ball into his mouth and nodding as the enticing flavors melted onto his tongue, awakening his senses. "—it's pretty good. Try it. Here, eat more."

Yuuto stuck his chopsticks out just in time, rejecting the projected riceball. "No thanks. I'm—"

"Ah! Here comes Soejima!"

By then, a foolproof idea popped into Yuuto's head, but he waited until Soejima came close enough. He abruptly stood as she stopped by his table, meeting her perplexed countenance with a charming smile, and a polite nod of the head. "Let me help."

"Oh! It's fine," she tried to reject, but Yuuto had already lifted the chocolate parfaits off the tray, parking it at his side of the table. The table fell silent as Yuuto swiftly worked, k-pip from the overhead speakers flowing between them as he reached for the other parfaits, raising it and moving it over to Kaito's side. Instead of laying it down like with the elegance and poise he'd utilized with his own, his fingers slipped, and everything went pouring over Kaito, tainting his blue and white striped turtleneck in patches of brown and shrouding him in the appetizing scent of chocolate.

"Master!"

Yuuto stepped back, away from the table whilst Kaito shrieked. "Oh, my bad." he casually said, watching as Kaito freaked out and Soejima's eyes widened in shock. She didn't waste a second in diving to his assistance, firstly by kneeling, picking up the half-empty container from the floor before it could spill any further.

"I'm sorry about this!"

"Chiho-chan!" two maids came hurling over at the ruckus, but Yuuto swiftly acted by stepping between them and Soejima, barring them off. He swept his hair to the side, away from his piercing dark brown eyes as he fixed them both firm looks, topped the display with a forced smile.

"It's my fault. Can you let Chiho and I handle it? It would be embarrassing if we made an even bigger scene, wouldn't it?" he humbly lowered his head as he cast hesitant glances at the nearby patrons, most of whom looked on with concern etched into their features. Yuuto glanced back at the two girls in front of him, who were still yet to be convinced enough to leave.

Please leave, please leave.

It was for a good cause. It was for Yuuto's sanity.

The girls smiled sheepishly as they glanced at each other.

"Surely Chiho-chan can handle this alone, don't you think?"

"Un!"

And with that both girls ambled away, casting one last wistful look over their shoulders at Yuuto before attending to other customers, leaving behind a hysterical Soejima. As Yuuto turned and watched the Japanese girl kneeling, working to pick up the broken pieces of glass he knelt too, gently taking her hand and moving it away from the mess on the floor.

She inhaled sharply at the unexpected touch, her doe eyes moving up and locking with his for a brief moment. They were like pools of dark chocolate, deep, warm, almost like black holes luring in anything or anyone they fell on.

Yuuto looked away first, focusing his attention back to the mess in front of him.

"You'll hurt yourself. I'll do it."

"I can't possibly—"

Ignoring her, Yuuto shuffled closer to the mess, nimbly working around the sharp shards, picking them and dropping them on the saucer. He peered up at Kaito with an urgent look, watching as his best friend's pained look morphed into one of shock as Soejima moved closer to him.

"Come with me, we'll get you cleaned up. Your meal's on the house too. I-is that okay, Master?" the cute girl asked with an equally cute stutter embellishing her words and a charming batt of her lashes to accompany her request.

Kaito sputtered idiotically for a bit, his face reddening as he stood and awkwardly cleared his throat. "I can't do that, Soejima. It was a mistake, clearly," he said in a high pitched voice that almost made Yuuto snicker. "I don't want to trouble you too much."

"Trouble? It's no trouble at all."

"No, really. It's fine."

It was a back and forth game between a bumbling Kaito and the hyper-patient maid, and even though anyone else would indulge in the revelry and cackle at the pathetic display, Yuuto was having none of it. He abruptly cleared his throat to catch his friend's attention, and when he did, he fixed him a silent look, making him know what's up. Surprisingly, this didn't go over Kaito's head as it usually would, and despite his flustered countenance, he stepped forward.

"W-well, I guess it can't be helped then. I'd be, um, honored for you to...help me?" he stammered, uncoolly trying to shove his hands in his pockets but missing at the last minute. He rectified the er anyway, tucking his hands away as the girl stood, her lacy dress fluffing up behind her as she made a low bow.

"Follow me, Master."

She turned and walked ahead first, her ponytail swinging out and bobbing after her retreating figure. Aiming one last terrified look Yuuto's way, Kaito almost seemed frozen in time and space with that dumb blushy look on his face, but they'd come that far, and frozen or not, the plan would go as Yuuto planned, dumb blushing boy, butterflies, sunshine and rainbows or even natural disaster. So, being the good friend he was, Yuuto jabbed his elbow into Kaito's ribcage just as Soejima realized that she was walking alone and turned to look back.

Kaito swallowed his yelp at the last second, swallowing thickly as he glared at his best friend. 'Thank me later,' Yuuto's annoyed look said as he hurled his friend forward. Kaito's found his footing a second later, nervously scratching his head as he caught up to his love interest, who giggled at the pathetic display. Yuuto watched them go, deducing that it was going well, as told by their moving mouths and how closely they mirrored each other's movements.

Though Yuuto would have loved to settle on that comfortable seat and wait until his friend came back alive, hopefully, (or leave, better yet) the plan wasn't complete yet, and he knew that. He reached down next to his chair and hoisted his shoulder bag into his lap, running the zip along the rails and stacking it to the other end before sliding his finger down the pages of his Physical Education book, later sliding out the tell-tale fruit of his labor.

It was a tiny square envelope splashed in pink and white polka dots, sealed with a heart that prevented the flap from opening to someone it wasn't intended for. Inside was the generic love letter Yuuto wrote time and time again for his customers, except that this one was for his best friend so he changed a few things, adding flamboyant words here and there for the same cost of 20¥ like everyone else. Yuuto gazed at the neat envelop a second longer, admiring his handy work. However, lounging around wasn't a luxury he could afford and so he slipped out of his chair and walked to the counter, tapping his fingers along the pink and white countertops as he waited.

Because the theme of the establishment was a kawaii maid girl cafe, there was pink everywhere, and while Yuuto waited to be served, his eyes did a quick sweep of the insides. He suddenly felt nauseous. Too much pink, he really wouldn't miss that place.

"H-hello there. You're the young master from earlier, right?" came a soft voice, which drew Yuuto's eyes to the girl in the questioning. It was one of the girls from earlier, her cheeks glowing a light pink as she toyed with her bangs, eyeing the couple-themed heart bongers still wore. "What would you like?" she took up the menu from the side of the counter, about to open it when Yuuto interrupted her.

"It's fine," he chimed in as he yanked the retarded-looking bongers from his head and placed them on the counter, sliding it over to the girl. "First of all, take that back. Secondly," he placed the envelope on the counter too, nudging it in her direction too. The girl's eyes widened into saucers as she stared at the envelope. "Do you mind giving that to Soejima for me?"

"Oh, I wouldn't, but is this a love letter? In that case, I'm sorry but that's against our policy."

Irritation.

Yuuto really didn't like pulling out all stops by relying on his physical features alone, but to get things done, being overly superficial, especially to girls, was the only way to get things done, or more specifically, to save his own ass from the constant torture of going to Cure Maid Cafe every week.

Forking his long fingers through his hair, he ruffled it a bit and let a melancholic sigh flow out of his mouth. "Is that so? Bummer." he moaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I really worked hard on this and, good grief, it's such a waste now that I have to throw it away, don't you think? Policy is policy, though, even at the expense of a loyal guy. I understand." he flashed her another bedroom gaze through his half-lidded eyes, sweeping his hand through his hair again to charm the girl yet again. Her resolve was clearly cracking but remained intact, so Yuuto slowly pushed himself off the counter, bowed politely, and turned to walk away.

Three, two—

"Wait," the girl said, and Yuuto resisted the urge to smirk as he fixed his expression, facing the girl once more. Her pink lips were set into an unsure smile but her body language was forward, which had her reaching across the counter to pluck the letter from his hand. "Chiho and I are good friends. I don't mind delivering it to her for you."

Success.

"You will? Thank you so much. You're a lifesaver." Yuuto said, forcing his face into a grin to mimic the girl's expression. All hesitance fell away after that and she put the letter away. One last smile and Yuuto turned away and headed for his seat, his smile vanishing in the instant he no longer saw the maid's face. He could feel his layer of sparkle roll away as his expression melted away into the blank one he always wore.

As he sat on the chair at their table, he mentally replayed everything in his mind, surprised that everything went so smoothly, so successfully. With Soejima and Kaito off on their own, they would make small talk and gradually get to know each other. With the letter delivered, Soejima would receive it as soon as the boys left, and with Kaito's name and number scribbled on the card inside, she would call, they would arrange their first date, and Yuuto's job would be done.

Mission complete.

Perhaps it was too soon to say that, for a reason Yuuto would later regret.

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