[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]my father was a pickle. and his father before him.
not long from now i too will become a pickle.[/color][/right][hr]

[indent]It seemed his ploy had worked. If nothing else, flicking paper at the ornery delinquent had gotten her out of her head and back into the discussion, even if it was to chide him for his behavior. Of course, it became rather obvious that he didn't exactly know what to do thereafter. Himawari was definitely in a foul mood, and he wasn't adept at maneuvering around the feelings of others. Hell, he wasn't especially adept at maneuvering  around his [i]own[/i] feelings, as he had come to realize earlier in their little outing. It was probably best to keep things casual, engage in some inane banter to carry the day, finish their food, and part as amicably as possible.

But that sucked. When the hell had he ever been some witless normie, too scared of broaching the hard topics to say anything of worth? Sure, when he rebuffed the redhead, he had probably hurt whatever feelings the otherwise apathetic girl was capable of mustering, but he couldn't do anything about that. Instead, he could focus on the other thing that was probably gnawing at her, as much as she tried not to let it show. 

The teen used his forefinger to slide the ball that had bounced off his chest so that it sat directly parallel to his companion. Then, winding up his fingers not unlike a footballer taking a shot, he flicked it hard enough to send it flying across the table to its source. 

[color=c0c0c0]"You're the one who invited me out, y'know? It's your responsibility to keep me entertained,"[/color] He chided playfully, [color=c0c0c0]"But I suppose Ariyoshi did go sticking her nose where it didn't belong, so she'll have to take some responsibility, won't she?"[/color]

He peeked over the back of the booth, utilizing one of the few advantages of being so ungodly tall, and gestured for the waitress to approach once he caught sight of her returning from the back.

[color=c0c0c0]"The third pair. What's it mean? I'm... curious."[/color] He lied, but if Himawari was too shy to ask, then he'd do it for her. Besides, what was Ariyoshi gonna do? [i]Mock[/i] him for it? Most people thought twice about doing that—another advantage of height.[/indent]