went up to the roof as well with a book to read. It was the only place he could read in peace and quiet really since even the library_

_was occupied with rowdy students from time to time. And the cafeteria is out of the question.

blinks, looking up from her own book when she hears footsteps approaching.

turned to look at the other when he sensed movement. He had expected to be alone. "A-Ah... Good afternoon." He greeted her with a slight_

_gentleman bow. This is... The female Japan. He had seen her before. Although that had been such a long time ago, he could hardly remember_

_what her name is.

bows her head, since she was seated already, smiling up at him. "Ah... hello Mister Arthur," she said politely, remembering him from when he

had helped her get into her locked house. There was no way she had forgotten the strangeness of the invisible creature.

nodded and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, a little embarrassed. "We have met before... M-Miss...?" He was cursing himself_

_silently for his deteriorating memory.

blinks at this, then smiles. "Sakura Honda," she offers, bookmarks her page and setting the book down.

| It clicked then, the moment she said her name. "Ah yes. I do apologise." He laughed a little. "I guess this is what comes with old age."_

_He gestured to the space beside her. "May I...?"

smiles and nods with that, though she wasn't exactly a young one herself. "Ah yes, be my guest," she moves over a little to give him

more room.

nodded with a smile and sat down beside her. He placed the book on his lap before turning to look at her again. "Thank you." A pause. "It_

_had been some time since we last met. How have you been?" He asked politely.

hums softly. "I suppose it has... I have been as well as one can be... though a little confused as to the purpose of placing us back in a

high school together. One would think they would, if anything, make us go to one in our own countries..." she shrugs. "How are you?"

nodded a little in agreement regarding the issue on placing them in a school in their own country. Maybe their bosses had ulterior motives_

_besides having them be accustomed to the new education system? Who knows. "I have been well, thank you." A nod. "Perhaps our bosses_

_wanted us the nations to bond?"

hums softly, before nodding in agreement. "I suppose perhaps that is the goal here... though with classes, I find it difficult to have the

energy to socialize after.." Of course,she was the type to actually put effort into appearing to be a good student.

"Ah, yes. I do agree." It was true. School was more... Draining than he had initially thought it to be. A sigh. It was rare that he even_

_had time like this to himself to relax. To take a breather from everything. It was funny, how he would much rather have his paperwork to_

_deal with now as compared to school. ((Sorry. Plurk isn't showing me updates at all for this one >~< ))

((that's okay))

smiles a little, looking out to the sky. "At least there's free period... though I do suppose I ruin the social aspect by coming up

here to read," she considers it, and shrugs. She preffered her alone time anyways.

smiles at this as well before gesturing between them. "Whoever said that you had ruined it? We are doing some bonding right now, see?"

laughs softly. "Ah yes, by pure chance though. I suppose it still counts."

nodded a little before he turned to look down at her book. "What are you reading?"

glances at her book, smiling a little. "Ah... one of yours, actually. 1984..."

looks a little surprised initially. His face then turned a little pink, pleased that Sakura is reading a book by an English author._

_"T-That's a good book." He smiled.

nods a little, smiling at his reaction. "Yes... it is a little upsetting to consider at times, but it is very good..." She decided

not to mention she only started reading it because of her courses. "What are you reading?"

looked down at his book then back to her. "I am reading Hamlet actually. It's for Literature class."

smiels at that. "I assume you've read it long before?"

nodded. "I have always enjoyed Shakespearean works so I didn't really mind reading it again."

nods, smiling softly. "I understand. I never tire of reading old classics either..."

"What are some of your favourites?" He asked. It was nice to have someone to talk to for once without going into an argument.

hums at this, considering for a moment before naming off a few Japanese classics. "What about you...?"

held up his book. "Mostly the Shakespearean ones. I do like Jane Austen as well." He then turned a little red. He had indirectly just_

_admitted he was one for romance.

blinks and at this, before understanding what it meant, and smiling."Ah I see. I have heard Austen novels are very good from miss America.."

's blush died down a little and looked up then. "Is that so? I never knew Miss Alicia enjoyed her writings as well... Speaking of which,"_

_He bit on his lip a little. "How is she?"

smiles a little,. "She's well. She's had to attend to some business lately, but I am sure she'll return soon." She wondered if

England knew about them being a couple yet.

does know, Alfred and he even had a short, but awkward conversation about it a few months back. He nodded. "A-Ah. I see..." He had been_

_worried about Alicia ever since their quarrel weeks before. "I do hope to see her return soon..."

would be embarrassed to know so. She nods a little, blushing lightly. "Ah yes... well, I am sure she will be returning soon. I regret

my timing though, I had just moved in and then she had to leave..."

((I would be interested in reading that awkward conversation if you know where I can find it >u> ))

saw the blush from the corner of his eyes and chuckled inwardly. He blinked though at her next words, "... Just moved in?"

(( www.plurk.com/p/cegbtk It really is verrrrryyyy short. And apparently, not as awkward as I had remembered it to be xD ))

bites her lip a little, looking over. "Ah... y-yes, she asked me to come stay with her a while...." She blushes a bit more.

((aw dang I was looking forward to the awkwardness. >u> ))

nodded a little and put away his book once more, "Ah right, Alicia and you are dating, right?" He asked, making the word 'tact' seem like_

_it never existed. ((So sorry D: ))

nods at this, blushing worse. "Y-yes... I am sorry if I forgot to mention that..."

shook his head, "No. Please do not say sorry. You are not at fault." A pause. "How long have the two of you been...?"

bites her lip a little. "Ah... i-it hasn't been very long I suppose, only...nearly four months, I think...?" >//<

chuckled a little at her shyness. "I see." He could picture them together quite nicely. Opposites attract, after all.

wouldn't dare admit how long she had admired Alicia. She nods a little. "Y-yes..."

would very much like to know, actually. "Since when? That you fell for Alicia? I-I mean, if you uncomfortable with answering, that's fine.."

flushes deeper at the question, shifting a bit in her spot. "A-ah..... a-a little while, I suppose..." she answers hesitantly. It was

definitely longer than a little while.

raises an eyebrow. "How long is a little while?" He did notice her discomfort though and wondered if it is rude of him...

bites her lips a little. "J-just...a while...." She had been fascinated by the American for a while, and slowly turned to a crush (with

mixed feelings at times, of course) over the years, though it had taken her many years to even admit it to herself.

nods. "Is that so..." He decided not to press further since he was sure he is making the Japanese to be quite uncomfortable. Although, he_

_is curious how the confession went.

nods a little, glad he didn't ask again, blushing still. T-the whole start of her relationship with Alicia had been very... awkward and

clumsy. There may have been an alcoholic night involved too.

((ohhh boy looking back and rereading it now... would you like links? xD))

scratched at his cheek, feeling a little guilty now. "I-I am sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable..." Although, he was glad that she had_

_shared something so personal with him. Ge smiles a little before looking up into the skies again.

((If it is not too much trouble, I would love to! :3 ))

flushes a bit still, shaking her head. "O-oh uhm... do not worry about it..." She goes quiet again too, glancing at him before following his

eyes to the sky.

(( okay... uhh theres four main ones I guess. www.plurk.com/p/b5a36j | www.plurk.com/p/bmhk96 | www.plurk.com/p/bpsd9c

and their first actual date www.plurk.com/p/bticva ))

"The skies are a really beautiful shade of blue..." He thought aloud as he continued to watch it as if it were the most interesting thing_

_in the world.

((Thank you! *hurries to read 'em now* >3 ))

blinks at the sudden revelation, but nods. "Yes... it's a great day out today.." She wondered how used to grey skies England was.

blinked, having not realised he had just said out loud. He flushed a little in embarrassment. "Indeed. You don't get much of them in_

_England." It was not particularly a bad thing, since the rain held both bad and good memories for him. You could say it was a love-hate_

_relationship.

smiles a little at that. "Ah yes, I remember my visits well..." she hums softly. As much as she loved when it rained, a clear day was

always good.

turned his head to look at her then. "Do you visit England often? Miss Ann, I mean..."

hums softly, before shaking her head. "Not as often as I used to, I'm afraid..."

frowned a little and nodded, "I-Is that so..." He was not sure why *he* would feel upset but perhaps it was the fact that he could relate_

_to how Ann might feel...

nods a little. "Yes.... perhaps I should visit her again soon." She hadn't realized how long it had been.

nodded a little, as well. "I am sure she would be pleased." Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he had seen Japan as well.

smiles a little. "How is she doing, anyways?"

"She is doing well." To be honest, he hardly sees her around since he was mostly out doing... Work. "Have you seen Japan lately? That is,_

_Kiku..."

would wonder if work meant being with America.. but shakes the thought from her head. "Ah... I haven't, actually. I assumed he got caught

up in some business." She didn't live with him, so she had no idea.

... Definitely... 'Working' with America, all right. Not that he would ever admit to that. I-It was *proper* work! He nodded a little,_

_"I do hope he is fine."

would... let her mind doubt that... though she's not about to say it out loud. She nods. "I hope so too. Perhaps he just

wanted time alone..." she knew she still did sometimes.

raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, perhaps." An idea then suddenly hit him. "Sakura, could you tell me more about the Summer Festivals you_

_have in your country?"

blinks, glancing up at him. "Ah... tell you what about them?" she asks, unsure what he already knew from knowing Kiku.

"Well, for one, you hold them during this time of the year, correct?" He wasn't too sure. "I was thinking, perhaps, we could hold one_

_in school."

nods a little in answer to the first question, looking a little surprised at the next. "Ah, you want to hold a summer festival

here? That might be interesting..."

nodded as well, "It would most certainly be." He agreed. "And it would be lovely if you could help me out with it, i-if you don't mind_

_t-that is..."

smiles a little at him. "Ah, I would be glad to help you with it. But why not bring in festival activities from around the world as

well?" They did have the entire world here with them at the school after all..

blinks at this and smiles as well, "That sounds like a brilliant idea." A pause. "We can get the other nations to help, too. And do some_

_research."

nods a little. "Yes, that sounds like a good plan. That way we can offer something for everyone."

"I will have to see if the student body displays any interest in this, however." He turned to her. "Thank you, Sakura."

nods again, looking over at him. "You are welcome Arthur.. if you need any help, please just ask."

nodded. "I will appreciate that." He then averted his eyes back to the skies.

smiles softly, looking back out over the skies as well.

relaxed a little before he suddenly took a look at his watch and cursed under his breath. He then turned to her, "Apologies, Miss Sakura._

_It appears that I have a class now. I will see you some other time."

blinks at this and nods, smiling. "Ah, I'm sorry to have kept you from reading then. Have a good day," she smiles at him.

shook his head, "Not at all, Sakura. Talking with you had been much more pleasurable than any book could do." He opens the door. "A good_

_day to you too." And with that, he exited.