After that confession. Riko and Lily hanged out frequently. They were not "official" like Haru and Clara But everyone knew already.
After school-:
Lily-:"Ri, can we hangout?"
Riko-:"You asking me on date?"
Lily-:"Hhmm.. technically yes, I am!"
Riko-:"Sure then!"
Lily-:"Yeah! Then see you at... 6!"
Riko-: "Sure!"
Then at 6 PM
Lily was looking wonderful. Riko couldn't get his gaze off of her.
Riko-:"...You look... Great!"
Lily-:"Thanks, You too!"
After 2 hrs of roaming and exploring.
Lily mat someone familiar to her...Jayden, Her Childhood Bestfriend.
Jayden-: "Lily...is that.. is that you?
Lily-: J-Jayden!!!! Yes it's me!"
Jayden-: "long time no see"
Jayden went there and hugged her tightly.
Riko was confused.
"Who is he?"
"He's my childhood bestfriend, Riko" lily surprised with a cute smile on her face.
Riko in his mind-:
Why is he getting too close with her?
Riko-: "Hello, I am Her BOYFRIEND!"
Jayden-: "Lily, You never told me you got a boyfriend!"
Lily-: "Bro, how can I you're so busy these days"
Jayden: "Haha, fair enough! Still can't believe it's really you."
Lily: "Yeah, it's been so long. You literally disappeared after middle school!"
Jayden: "Work, family, life… you know how it is."
Riko stood beside her, hands in his pockets, trying so hard to look chill — but his eyes kept darting between their faces.
They were laughing. Laughing.
And when Jayden brushed a strand of Lily's hair behind her ear— yeah, that was it.
Riko: "We should probably go, right? It's getting late."
Lily: "Oh, right! Sorry, Jayden, we'll catch up again later, okay?"
Jayden: "Of course! You got my number, right?"
Lily: "Still the same, yeah."
Riko raised an eyebrow. "You still have his number?"
Lily blinked. "Uh… yeah? We used to talk sometimes."
"Right." He forced a smile that definitely wasn't a smile.
---
Later that night.
They were walking home together, umbrellas brushing in the rain.
Lily was still smiling about running into Jayden.
Lily: "I can't believe I saw him after so long!"
Riko: "Yeah, you said that… four times now."
Lily: "He just changed so much! He's taller, and his hair—"
Riko stopped walking.
Lily turned back, confused. "What's wrong?"
Riko looked away. "Nothing."
"You sure?"
He sighed. "It's just… you seemed really happy to see him."
Lily blinked. "Of course I was! He's like my brother!"
Riko muttered under his breath, "Didn't look like it when he hugged you."
"What?"
"Nothing," he said again, a little too fast.
Lily stepped closer, smirking. "Wait. Are you— jealous?"
Riko scoffed. "Jealous? Pfft, no."
"Oh, you so are!" she teased, poking his arm. "You even glared at him!"
"I wasn't glaring!"
"You looked like you wanted to fight him for breathing near me!"
He finally looked at her, dead serious.
"Maybe I did."
Lily froze, caught off guard.
Then—she laughed softly. "You're unbelievable."
Riko smiled faintly, eyes softening. "Only for you."
She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were red. "You're impossible."
"Your impossible," he corrected, grinning.
And even though she tried to act annoyed, her hand somehow ended up in his as they kept walking — both pretending it "just happened."
They walked a little farther until the rain softened into a quiet drizzle.
They stopped under a streetlight, umbrellas dripping, the world around them dim and calm.
Riko glanced down at her. "You really have no idea what you do to me, do you?"
Lily blinked. "What do you mean?"
He smiled a little. "Never mind."
Their eyes met—soft, nervous, full of that weird electricity that made their hearts skip. Lily took a tiny step closer; Riko did too. For a second, it felt like the air between them might actually disappear.
But then—
"Lily! Hey, wait!"
Jayden's voice broke through the rain.
Both of them startled. Lily pulled back immediately, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Riko's jaw tightened.
Jayden jogged up to them, holding out something. "You dropped this earlier. Your bracelet."
Lily smiled kindly. "Oh! Thank you, Jayden. You didn't have to come all the way back."
He shrugged. "It's fine. I was heading this way anyway."
Riko stayed quiet, staring off toward the street. The calm moment they had? Gone.
Jayden left after a short chat, waving. Lily turned back to Riko, noticing his expression.
"You okay?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," he muttered. "Perfect."
She could tell he wasn't. But Lily being Lily, she just smiled and reached for his hand anyway. "Come on, let's go before it starts raining again."
He glanced down, finally squeezing her hand back.
"Yeah. Let's go."
And even though she didn't say anything, Lily could feel how quiet he'd gotten—the kind of quiet that hides a little hurt behind a soft smile.
Lily tugged his hand lightly as they walked, her voice quiet but sharp enough to cut through the silence.
"Riko… why are you fake smiling?"
He blinked, caught off guard. "What? I'm not—"
"You are," she interrupted softly, looking up at him. "You always do that when something's bothering you."
Riko sighed, shoulders dropping. "It's nothing, really."
"Riko." Her tone was gentle but firm this time.
He looked away, his voice low. "I just didn't like how he showed up… right when—" He stopped mid-sentence.
"When what?" she asked, stepping a little closer.
He hesitated, then finally admitted, "When we were about to…"
Lily's cheeks flushed. "Oh."
He chuckled nervously, scratching his neck. "See? It's stupid. I shouldn't be mad about it."
She smiled faintly. "It's not stupid. You just… care too much."
He looked back at her, eyes softening. "Yeah, maybe that's the problem. I care too much about you."
Her heart skipped, but she still smiled, brushing his arm lightly. "Then don't fake smile, okay? If you're upset, just tell me. I can handle it."
He smiled for real this time, a small one, honest and warm. "You're too kind, you know that?"
She shrugged. "Someone has to balance out your dramatic energy."
Riko laughed quietly, finally relaxing.
And as they started walking again, Lily glanced up at him with that tiny knowing smile — the kind that said she saw right through him, and still stayed anyway.
"Riko, Now if you ever fake smile and don't tell me the reason, I'll not leave you, I'll be angry with you!" Lily said laughingly and serious
"Yeah sure" Riko said with his adorable smile he does only for Lily.
--------------
BONUS
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At night-
Lily was going to sleep that two guys message her in same time "I have Basketball competition tomorrow make sure to come tomorrow!"
And the two guys were RIKO and JAYDEN.
Lily was once again confused, but her heart was fully supporting Riko.
_________________________________________________________________::______________________________________
Next chapter sneak peek:
"I think you should support him not him"
Next chapter: "The Match"