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The best part about college had to be the absolute freedom of being independent. If it were from people other than Hinamizawa, the statement might have been true. Living in a small town had a lot of limitations but it also had a lot of its own freedoms. From day one Keiichi had been given the ability to do as he pleased with no questions and no real restrictions. It had been more to do with his family being busy than anything but even the townspeople never really questioned him when he decided he’d walk around town on personal adventures than do his homework. At least he had been good at school and so he had been looked upon well and had gotten into college easily.
The others, not everyone could come to Tokyo with him. Mion and Satako had stayed in town and started working instead of continuing their education. Satako had admitted to having no interest, though she had wanted to go Tokyo and live with them. Mion suggested the same but teased him more than anything. She had implied about dating Rena but Keiichi had no interest and a few years in had figured out that he was in love with Rika and only saw Rena as a sister.
Rika had decided to live with Keiichi. Well, it was more of, Keiichi finally asking her to move in with him after dating for a year and a half. He had figured that it was long overdue and that it was a logical step in their relationship.
Their dating life had been awkward, at best, at the beginning. Rika had always been a bit shy but strangely mature. He admired her quite a bit and sometimes felt as if he didn’t have a very good understanding of her even though they had known each other since they were young. Going to college did help him to know her better though and without Satako always looming over them, they didn’t have anyone to distract them from getting to know each other more personally. Having a group of friends was fun but being intamate was difficult, especially when all of them spent so much time teasing and pranking.
It started with simple things. Rika was just too kind. She made him lunches every day and came to visit him at his dorm. She would make sure he had clean cloths and took care of him when he was sick. She was truly an angel. It took him a good year of prodding from his college friends to realize his feelings and the fact that she only took care of him that much.
He confessed on a sunny spring day when they were about to head to lunch together. It had been extremely awkward for him. He really hadn’t planned on doing it that day either. It had just started as light teasing since she had brought a bento box tower. It looked like the one Rena had carried back on their first picnic. He had taken it from her since it looked heavy and was surprised that it was similar in weight as Rena’s. Not too many girls were monstrously strong like Rena though. The conversation had caused Rena to pout, which only made Keiichi want to tease her more.
“Keiichi-kun is so mean!”
“What do you mean, mean?” He had simply laughed at her cute expression.
“No girl wants to be called strong.” She continued to pout. This was probably true for a lot of girls but he had learned that some didn’t mind. Most girls wanted to be seen as sweet and girlie in front of guys.
“It’s not a big deal, right?” he dismissed the idea easily but thoroughly enjoyed seeing her flustered.
“It is! STUPID KEIICHI!!!” She suddenly yelled out. With Rika’s voice, it wasn’t very loud but it did get a lot of people’s attention. After her sudden outburst she quickly ran, making Keiichi run after her with the awkward weight of the bento in his arms.
“Rika-chan! Rika-chan!” he yelled after her, trying to keep up. He knew at that point that he had to apologize. Between them as a group, they never really felt the need to apologize often since most of them had always joked around with each other so casually. Yet, he felt like such a terrible person to make sweet Rika-chan upset.
He did catch up to her at where they had planned to eat lunch. Even when she was upset she still kept her obligations. He panted as he slowed to a stop. “Rika-chan… Sorry…” he said awkwardly. She wouldn’t look at him and he had no idea what to do.
“Keiichi is an idiot.” she said dejectedly. That only made him feel worse.
“Sorry. I…” What could he say?
“You really don’t get it!” He didn’t.
“No.”
Her ears became red, barely noticeable behind her long hair. “.. No… no” He came closer to hear. “No girl wants to hear she’s manly by the guy they like.” the words became softer as her admittance continued until the last two words were barely audible. Yet, Keiichi did hear it and everything fit together. His face became completely red and he too became flustered.
“Well…. Um… Well” He couldn’t even form coherent words, how lame. She looked sad and that made him stop. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea and hated the look on her. He had figured out a while ago that he liked her and no guy would ever want the girl he liked to feel sad, especially because of himself. “It’s okay, right?”
“Huh?” She looked at him suddenly confused.
Keiichi looked at her with an expression of embarrassment but still a bit of happiness in his eyes. “It’s okay right? Cause I like you too.”
The look that came over her was something he’d remember for the rest of his life.
In reality, it felt more like she had confessed to him first. Either way, since that day they’d been happily dating. He got to call her his girlfriend and when he called her cute, she couldn't deny it. Moving in was natural and when they did manage to move into a little place together, it was as if it had always been like that.