In The Bro Zone

Keiko with athletic wear from top to bottom stands before you. Water drips down from her waterproof jacket to her jogging pants and shoes. Her scarlet hair is slightly wet sticking to the edges of her face. You can tell she has been running.

"Keiko? Hey, I was just uhhh...." You say with a nervous look.

Your head begins to try and fill in the pause with something because if you tell Keiko you had just hired a girl she might explode.

"I was just taking a walk in the rain."

"Oh~....really? Who was that girl by the way? You were talking to her right? You even gave her your umbrella."

"Uhhhh-...." You blue screen. Well shit. She saw that?

"We just talked for a little and I didn't want her to get wet so I just gave her my umbrella. Speaking of which- you've been jogging in the rain huh? Working hard?"

You can sense there is a slight awkwardness in the air from the encounter with her yesterday. You tried to change the subject nonetheless.

"Oh, ya! I have a track meet soon next week. I'll be running the 4 by 4. So I gotta keep training! I am pretty confident about it. Perhaps uhh- you'll come watch?"

Keiko says taking a seat next to you. Her hood is still up.

"Well I'm glad you're working hard and of course I'll come watch. How could I not?" You say before holding onto your breath.

....

There is a slight silence that comes over the two of you. The only sound is the pitter patter of rain on the shelter. You hear her gulp, in which case you do too knowing where this conversation will eventually end up. So you speak first getting it over with.

"So about that promise...."

"I-I uhhh you don't HAVE to y'know. It was pretty embarrassing and now that I think about it I'm uhh maybe I was a little too- Uhhh...."

Keiko puts up her hands nervously. You chuckle at her in response of her cute reaction.

She stops trying to explain herself and just gives you an annoyed look. You shake your head and speak again.

"I'm sorry, it was a misunderstanding. I should've gotten on top of things and read the letter sooner. My head's been in the clouds lately and I'm not thinking straight."

You say sincerely to her before you lean back and settle your eyes warmly onto her. Keiko then sighs and does the same. Her long toned legs are stretched out in front of her.

"No, it's okay y'know? I sort of just hit you out of no where with that confession and then....yeah....I'm not exactly the most attractive nor experienced with this stuff so I got a little too excited. Anyways- forget about that for now. What's up dude? Are you....stressed? Not feeling well?"

Her voice comes out a little concerned as she immediately questions your earlier comments about yourself.

"No, the opposite actually. I like life right now. Everything's good. But....there is just this unease that I feel. I don't know what I'm trying to say exactly but there are things that I need to sort out first."

Keiko glances at you, her hood hiding most of her face. Then she speaks again.

"Are you trying to like....find yourself?"

"Ehhh....Kinda???"

You say in with an unsure tone as you bring one hand to rub the back of your neck. The secrets you keep is....a little too confidential to just spill right? You want to tell her....but not until you find out more about what's going on first about this whole Crowned thing.

"I uhhh....care about you _alot, okay? _No matter what it is, no matter what you've done- or or- what it is that is going on in your life I wanna be here for you. I want to be a good friend."

"Thanks, Kei. I....appreciate it alot." You say with a warm smile at Keiko.

You then notice she had pulled down her hood and what you see is....short red hair. A boyish cut but still feminine in nature. It compliments her fiery and wild nature extremely well. You just look at her, taking in her new appearance for a second.

"Yea....I-....I had my mom cut it."

Keiko says looking away to the floor. There is a slight blush to her face as she does.

"I-It looks good. Wow. It fits you perfectly."

You say now rubbing your chin teasingly as you pretend to 'check her out'.

"Oi! Don't look at me like that!"

She says lightly throwing a jab at your shoulder.

"Sorry sorry- didn’t think I'd have such a handsome best friend." You say sneering still, "Why'd you cut it?"

"I just thought that....y'know....it did me no good so....why not? I never really got hit on with long hair and it was a chore to take care of....that and it feels better to run when it's short like this."

Keiko speaks with an impish voice, unsure of her new look. Her tomboyish tone rises and falls with a slight flicker of emotion before she chuckles at the end.

You just look at her with a dull face. You've had a crush on her for quite awhile and she didn't look bad with the long hair....rather she looked good. For the reason that she never got hit on was because well....one, people thought she and you were dating already and two, they dare not approach a beast like her. Keiko can pop someone's head off where they stand with a kick, you're sure of it. That's not to mention her father who is even more terrifying. You met him once when you were young and you dare not ever try anything on Keiko because of him.

Well shit.

You now have a really cute and handsome best friend. What are you going to do when she starts pulling more girls than you?

"Don't worry about it. You look good with both short AND long hair. Though, I'll say the short hair is a good return to your roots, you had it short like that when we were little. I like it."

"Heh....thanks I guess." Keiko says shrugging with a smile. Her lips part slightly. They look really soft now. Despite her going back to having short hair her charm is still there....she's not your kid best friend anymore, she's a woman. Her body had matured into a desirable shape. It makes your heart flutter, making you hesitate to stare so openly like you used to long ago.

The rain seemingly dulls as you stare at her up and down....focused.

You breathe in gently....and then you lean in.