Rika smiled as if she's deeply in love with Jousuke. She thought to herself "Let's see if you're still in love with her after what I've said."
Leah was kind of speechless and replied "I-is that s-so? I'm amazed with your feelings for him..."
"Actually, I love him more than that. I love him more than anything. And I'll make sure that he'll reciprocate my love for him!" said Rika.
"I've never seen you so expressive before, Sakurai-san..." said Leah and then she remembered what Litsuko have said "If you really love a guy, you should do your best to make him yours."
"Well, you see, Boutsuki-san, a person shows some side of them that they've never shown before once they're in love." said Rika.
"Once they're in love..." Leah murmured.
"That's why I'm so expressive! I really really really like Daikuhara-san!" said Rika.
Leah replied "I-I see! I don't know what to say but I'm so happy for you!" and then she thought to herself "If she like Daikuhara-san this much and she's my friend, how can I confess to him today?"
"No worries! I'm telling you how much I like him!" said Rika and then she thought to herself "Well, I mean, I really do like him so much. So please stay away from him!"
"As time flew, it is now 5:28PM. Leah and Rika became closer through their chats." said... the author?
As Rika looked at her watch, she calmly said "Oh crap, I think should go now."
Leah thought to herself "She really is a calm woman except when she's talking about... him..." and then she replied "Okay! Take care, Sakurai-san!"
And then, Rika left. What they didn't know, Jousuke was behind them sitting in another bench but he's unknown because of his mask and hat. He secretly eavesdropped all that time.
He remembered what Rika have said "That's why I'm so expressive! I really really really like Daikuhara-san!"
He thought to himself "She finally left. But how should I approach Boutsuki-san at this point? She might realize that I'm listening to them."
A few moments later, Jousuke came running towards Leah as she's calling her.
Leah blushed as she heard Jousuke's voice and then she thought to herself "Daikuhara-san?" as she looked at him.
Jousuke stopped while running and he's panting so heavily. Leah saw it and then she hesitated for a moment. But then, she ran towards him.
She thought to herself "Daikuhara-san! He's in trouble!"
And then, she tripped. Before she even fell, she thought to herself "Fricking clumsy, Leah."
Jousuke saw it and thought to himself "Fricking clumsy, Boutsuki-san."
Fast forward, Leah is sitting in a bench as Jousuke is kneeling in front of her.
Leah thought to herself "He looks like he's going to propose..."
"Tell me honestly, Boutsuki-san! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?" Jousuke asked.
"O-oh… uhm, I'm fine! It doesn't hurt anywhere!" said Leah.
"That's obviously a lie!" Jousuke thought to himself and then he asked "You're holding your leg. Be honest, does it hurt?"
"Y-yeah! Don't worry about it! It doesn't hurt that much though!" said Leah as she's avoiding eye contact.
"Let me see. If it's bleeding, you should let me clean it, okay?" said Jousuke.
"W-what? N-no, it's fine! You don't have to-" said Leah but she was interrupted by Jousuke.
"Boutsuki-san, come on. If it gets infected, you'll regret it. Just for a second, okay?" Jousuke calmly said.
"Fine… I guess… just don't laugh or anything!" said Leah as she slowly lifts her dress over her knee, revealing a bleeding wound.
"Yeah, I think you're not 'Okay.' You should've said something immediately." said Jousuke.
"B-but... i-it's just that... I didn't want to bother you..." Leah shyly said.
"Bother me? Boutsuki-san, I literally ran towards you just because I was worried. Of course I care." said Jousuke.
Leah blushed and then she thought to herself "Care? For me?" and then she replied "T-thank you!"
Jousuke gently smiled and then he said "Wait here. I'll grab some water to clean it. Don't move too much, alright?"
Leah nodded and replied "Y-yeah… t-thank you again, Daikuhara-san..."
As Jousuke stood up to buy some water, he replied "Don't mention it. Just promise me next time you'll tell me if you're hurt."
Leah replied "Y-yeah. Sorry about that!"
A few moments later, Jousuke came back with a bottle of water and a handkerchief.
He once again kneeled in front of Leah and then said "All right. Please lift your dress up for me."
Leah blushed and replied "P-please, say it in another way next time!"
Jousuke blushed as he was embarrassed and then he said "Y-yeah! Sorry about that!"
He added as he asked "By the way, why did you run?"
Leah replied "I-I saw you and you were panting so hard so I just ran in all of a sudden."
"I'm fine. Just ran too fast. You didn't have to run. You didn't have to get hurt just because of me." said Jousuke.
As Leah was wathcing Jousuke prepare the water and handkerchief, she replied "You looked like something was wrong."
"Yeah, well, now you've got a wound in your knee because of it. You didn't have to fall like that for me, y'know." said Jousuke.
"I-It's not like I wanted to fall!" said Leah and then Jousuke slightly laughed.
She added "H-hey! Don't tease me!"
Jousuke replied "I'm not!"
Jousuke was done preparing the handkerchief and water.
He said "This might sting a little. I don't have a first-aid kit or anything, just water and… this" as he showed the handkerchief to Leah.
Leas was shocked and asked "Wait, your handkerchief? Won't that get dirty?"
"It's fine. It's already stained. But it's not dirty though!" said Jousuke.
He gently dabs the wound with the wet cloth and Leah's slightly flinching.
"Ahhh!" said Leah in all of a sudden and then said "S-sorry. I made you clean my wound."
"It's okay. It's small anyways. You were trying to help me. That's honestly so kind of you." said Jousuke.
"Not really. I just got scared. You looked so out of breath." said Leah.
"I was out of breath. But I've never had someone run toward me like that before. Even though you fell. Thank you!" said Jousuke.
"D-don't mention it!" said Leah as she blushed and slightly covered her face.
Jousuke was smiling as he finishes gently wiping the wound. He said "You know, you came running like a hero. A clumsy one, but still."
Leah shyly murmured "I thought you were hurt. I didn't think, I just... moved."
Jousuke stood up and sat down beside her. He said "You did something brave. And a little reckless. And I'm really grateful that you did it for me."
And then, he folded the dirty handkerchief and tucks it away.
"By the way, it's not perfect, but you'll be okay." said Jousuke.
Leah first looked at her knee, and then at Jousuke. She said "Thank you. You didn't have to do all that with just water and cloth."
Jousuke replied "I didn't need anything fancy. Just needed you to stop bleeding. You acted as my hero though." and then he calmly smiled.
Leah blushed as she heard him.
She said "S-stop teasing me..."
Jousuke laughed and replied "I'm not."
They sit there in the quiet for a moment while waiting for others.
"Next time you think I'm dying, yell at me." said Jousuke.
"Only if you promise to slow down before you scare me again." said Leah.
Jousuke replied "Okay, okay."