<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/a/ac/Taro03.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Taro Ikeda (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=257738.msg12730054#msg12730054)<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Cafeteria >> School Grounds<br/><strong>Time:</strong>Flashback - a few days before school starts, morning >> early afternoon<br/><strong>With:</strong>Shizuma + Open<br/><hr/>What Taro saw in Shizuma's eyes made him smile. He was smiling a lot more than usual today, and he liked that almost as much as he liked the gentle warmth in Shizuma's eyes. No matter what exactly his feelings for her were, being with her just felt right somehow. All the more it pained him to throw a spanner into her works.<br/><br/>"Yes, it's been a while since we have eaten. But I can't go into the girls' dorm. I'd be in trouble if I were caught there. The school may be co-ed, but the dorms are not."<br/><br/>Taro sighed and gently turned Shizuma around with the hand he still had on her shoulder. His right reached out to her so he could hold her by both shoulders, facing him. "Perhaps I should just walk you to the dorms and say my goodbyes for today. I wouldn't mind staying a little longer, but I don't want to monopolize your time. You deserve more than one friend, Shizuma, Now that we are friends, now that we have already made plans to meet again, perhaps you would like some time to meet other people too?"<br/><br/>It was a good way to excuse himself, or so he thought. He did want to stay, but he also knew he would soon need a little bit of time to himself to sort out his feelings. But one thing he was certain about, no matter his mixed emotions about his day with Shizuma – she did deserve friends. Warm, caring, gentle – how could she not?<br/><br/>He looked down into her eyes, caring and appreciation for his friend written all over his face. "But it's your choice. As I said, I have no real plans for today."