Chapter 21

Synopsis
Inomata is frustrated that her desire to spend more time with the day care children conflicts with her uneasy feelings around Ryuuichi. Kirin and Kotaro believe that they can resolve her "dislike" by showing off Ryuu's good points.

Long Summary
Ushimaru's friends ask Ushimaru if she likes Ryuuichi, to which she starts blushing and denies. She becomes quite flustered and panics, wondering if Ryuu heard them. The other boys in the class look at the girls with envy. The girls start talking about the class's heart-throb: Ryuu. They talk about his "healing vibes" and his gentle consideration. Kawata suggests that Hayato is quite attractive, but the other girls say that he is rather scary and cold. Another girl insists that he is caring since he helps out Ryuu in the daycare room. Ushimaru becomes nervous, as she was unaware that Ryuu was so popular. Her classmates assure her that they do not intend in dating Ryuu but remind her that Ryuu is always with his little brother. The girls then start discussing Inomata's relationship with Ryuu. As Inomata walks by the classroom, she overhears the girls saying that she has no affinity for love and is too obsessed with studying. She glares at them, but before she can speak, Ryuu and Hayato approach her. Ryuu asks what she is doing at their classroom, but she does not answer. Instead, she turns around and faces the girls in the class, scolding them for not even having the decency to close the door when gossiping about someone. She quickly walks away while the students look at her in shock and terror. Ryuu's classmate asks Ryuu why he still has his daycare center apron on, causing Ryuu to panic and quickly take it off. He asks Hayato why he did not inform him that he had forgotten to take the apron off, and Hayato replies that he was wondering why Ryuu had not taken it off. He then points out that there are stickers covering Ryuu's butt and comments that Ryuu would probably not notice if he got injured. The kids at the daycare center had stuck several stickers on him while he was organizing the diapers. Ryuu's face turns very red, which makes the girls in the classroom giggle. The other male classmates watch in envy as they ponder what it is that girls are looking for in a guy. Meanwhile, in the daycare center, the children paste stickers on Usaida as he is taking his nap. Kirin looks at her boar sticker with eagerness.

Inomata thinks back to what the girls in the classroom said about her. She tells herself not to become upset over every little thing. She thinks about how she cannot seem to face Ryuu, which has kept her from going to the daycare center. She remembers what Ryuu had told her on Valentine's Day, making her face red. Just then, she hears a voice tell her that her face is red. Inomata swiftly turns around and loudly denies that her face is not red. She sees that Kirin's voice was the one she heard as Kirin begins to cry. Inomata asks what Kirin and Kotaro are doing here and continues to deny that her face is red. She sternly asks them why they are always wandering around, to which Kirin replies that they are not lost and came to play with Inomata. Kirin had drawn a note for Usaida, attempting to tell him that they are going to play while Taka runs around asking where Kotaro went. Inomata says that she is happy that they came for her but tell them to go back to the daycare center. Kirin is shocked and begins to cry once again, believing that Inomata hates them, which is why she never comes to the daycare center. Inomata insists that she does not hate them and that she cannot go to the room because "that guy" is there. Kirin asks if she is referring to Hayato or Usaida, but Inomata stays silent. Kirin then asks if she hates Ryuu, which stuns Kotaro. Seeing that Kotaro has such a hurt expression, Inomata denies that she hates him. Kirin concludes that Inomata likes Ryuu, but she interprets that as romantically liking him. Kirin holds Kotaro's hand, trying to cheer him up since Inomata apparently hates Ryuu. She resolves to show Inomata Ryuu's charm and make her like him. Kirin runs with Kotaro in her hand, instructing Inomata to follow them.

Inomata follows them even though class is about to start. Kirin tells Kotaro that the two of them need to show Ryuu's charms. Ryuu's classmates stare at Kotaro as he opens the door. He reaches out his arms and calls for his older brother, so Ryuu picks him up and asks him why he is here. The girls in the class swoon over the cuteness. Kirin asks Inomata if she likes Ryuu now that she has seen his caring side. Inomata believes that he is too loving, so Kirin enters the classroom to apparently show Ryuu's manly side. She tells Ryuu that if he does not hit her, she will be a bad child. Ryuu is, of course, hesitant to hit her, but Hayato hits her head without hesitation, calling her stupid and instructing her to go back to the daycare center. Kirin jumps into Ryuu's arms, crying that Hayato hit her. Ryuu tells Hayato that he should not hit her even if she asks for it, but Hayato simply states that he only hit her because she said to. Kirin, still sobbing, explains that Ryuu must be the one to hit her so that he can get along with Inomata. Just then, Inomata quickly opens the door, saying that she understands what Kirin is trying to show her. She says that this is simply a misunderstanding and that she does not hate the guy she was referring to. Kirin asks Inomata if she likes Ryuu, which shocks Inomata and all the classmates. Inomata blushes and yells that that is impossible. She storms off as Ryuu calls out to her. He hands Kirin over to Hayato and runs after Inomata. Ryuu grabs onto Inomata's wrist while his classmates watch along. Inomata blushes while Ryuu smiles. Ryuu then points at her skirt, telling her that there is a sticker on it, relieved that he was able to catch up to Inomata to point it out since it is embarrassing. Kirin proudly says that she was the one who put a boar sticker on her skirt. The girls are stunned to see that Ryuu is rather oblivious and aloof. As Inomata walks away, she thinks back to when Kirin asked her if she likes Ryuu. She realizes that her hands and face are growing red and becomes embarrassed.

At the daycare center, Kirin tells Ryuu that she understands Ryuu's charm. Usaida asks if he has any charm, to which Kirin replies that Usaida is not good. The other children join in with teasing Usaida.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Ushimaru Yuki
 * Kawata Rena
 * Yamane Saki
 * Usokawa
 * Inomata Maria
 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Hayato Kamitani
 * Usaida Yoshihito
 * Taka Kamitani
 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Kirin Kumatsuka