[b]“Please. Just make sure you don't leave. Don't leave us, alright? Safety in numbers... and don't leave me.”[/b]

Sho stared at Suzume. Okay, he was sure of it now: she liked him. He marveled at how he hadn’t noticed earlier. Then again, for all his popularity at school, Sho had never actually dated anyone before. Most of the girls he knew were either air-headed or manipulative. They weren’t the kind of people he would even try to form a lasting relationship with. However, he got a different feeling from Suzume. He suddenly realized she was still waiting for a reply, and he was still staring at her.

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere,” Sho said in a soothing tone. Suzume was trying to encourage everyone by smiling, but he could tell that her happiness was just an act. She was probably scared out of her wits, just like the rest of them. He hesitated, and then moved over to stand beside her, putting one arm around her shoulder.

“We’re gonna make it back from wherever this is,” Sho assured her, returning a smile of his own. “And apparently we’re gonna save the world while we’re at it. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be fun; I’ve always wanted to be a superhero.”