[center][h1][color=black]T[/color]OTSUKA [color=black]R[/color]YUSEI
[color=black]戸[/color]塚 [color=black]竜[/color]星[/h1][/center]
[hr][right][color=gray]introduce a little pickle juice. upset the established order.
and everything becomes chaos.[/color][/right][hr]

[indent]The way Shiori went out of her way to conspiratorially look around before speaking clued Ryusei in on what she was going to say before she even said it. Granted, he hadn't expected her to be so forthcoming with her actual feelings on the matter. He'd lose all credibility if he let a little comment about him being cute managed to get him all flustered, so he swallowed down that embarrassment to deal with later. He had to maintain his cool, if only so he could continue to maintain control on the situation—he had decided he [i]liked[/i] when he kept the redhead on the defensive, and thankfully, her comments had more than opened her up for a few good counters. 

[color=c0c0c0]"It's like I'm going out of my way to rile you up because I [i]am[/i]. You said it yourself, right? There's nothing fun to do around here, so I'm making my own,"[/color] He explained matter-of-factually, [color=c0c0c0]"You shouldn't be so fun to tease if you don't want to be teased. If anybody is to blame for Ariyoshi getting ideas, it's you for blushing like a schoolgirl whenever I make a comment."[/color]

He could practically feel the outburst coming in response to that one. Frankly, he probably deserved it, considering his propensity to poke the proverbial hornet's nest. But, he had already so thoroughly prodded her over the course of the day. Maybe she had earned a reprieve. Before she could start barking in protest, he leaned forward, giving her the smallest hints of the smile he had wore earlier.

[color=c0c0c0]"But, that's fine with me. I like it when I make you blush. You're pretty when you're flustered,"[/color] It was probably for the best that he had lowered his voice as the words left his lips, if only because he didn't exactly have confidence in his ability to keep his own cheeks pale if he had said that within earshot of the proprietor's daughter. As he withdrew back to his side of the table, he pushed the deck towards Shiori's, and then snagged his tea back from where he had placed it, swirling about the little he had left before taking a sip.

[color=c0c0c0]"Your turn."[/color] He had all but returned to his previous bored facade by that point, which, he hoped, would only worsen the effect his words would have on her. [/indent]