Takashi has been thinking about this for a while. There was the strangeness last night with Cure Gull, and now, he's remembered there's a charity dance for the destroyed gym tonight - as a student people would ask awkward questions if he didn't show up.
Then, after figuring out Madoka Kaname had been helping set it up as part of a way to help those hurt, he remembered the last ball he'd been to where Madoka had appeared. The combination of those thoughts lead him to where he is now.
Once class ends, Takashi walks fast until he's next to Madoka. "Kaname-san... could I ask you about something?" he says, sounding a bit unsure about himself when he asks the question. It's probably different than she's used to seeing him, much less than any interactions they've had in the past.
Madoka has been quietly excited for the charity ball throughout school today, and though she's been mostly paying attention to her teachers she's also idly sketching pictures of people she knows in dashing tuxedoes and fancy ball gowns in the margins of her notebook. It's not the best way to help her catch up to the rest of her classmates, but morale is an important aspect of maintaining high productivity, right?
It isn't too hard to catch up to her since she dawdles a little while putting her things away into her book bag and he's able to reach her before she makes it out into the hallway. She stops and looks back behind herself, "Hm? Agera-san?"
She turns to face him, a tad nervous since there's always something just a bit off about him. "Of course, Agera-san," she replies politely, "What did you want to ask me about?"
Today, like many days, there is something still a bit 'off' about Takashi, but it seems to be a far more honest 'offness' - less like someone trying to sell her on a bad deal and more like someone who's got a genuine bit of nervousness and perhaps confusion.
"I'm going to be going to the charity ball tonight, of course, to support the school - and I know you've been working on it, and you'll be there too."
There's a pause. It's a strange thing he's asking for - and there are some levels where he feels odd to even be asking for it. But the idea of unfinished business rings true in his head - and not in a nefarious way. He's also still just a little bitter about having that dance hijacked, and he does want to make a good impression on Madoka Kaname, because what ever that power he detected in her is, it's a special thing.
And if Gull-chan could ask him out on a date in henshin, surely he can ask for one dance with a perfectly normal girl. That much, he's sure of!
"Kaname-san, I know you'll probably be a little busy running everything, but last time, at the stuffy corporate ball, we were going to dance, and..." there's another breath. "...we didn't get to finish that. So I was hoping I could trouble you for one dance, Kaname-san, tonight at the ball. Without interruptions?" There's a hopeful smile there, now.
It's an easily to recognize change even if Madoka isn't sure what's actually different. Simple nervousness doesn't bother her in the slightest; she can be that way herself after all so she knows exactly what it's like. So without that odd nagging feeling there she faces him directly, wondering why his presence bothered her before. Was she just being unfair?
At the mention of the charity ball and his intention to go she smiles warmly even before he speaks up again, filling that pause while he considers, "You will? I'll be happy to see you there, Agera-san! I really appreciate that you'll be able to make it. I was a little worried at first that maybe it was a bit much... but now I'm starting to get a little excited!" She laughs a little, sending a happy, excitedly nervous smile in his direction.
She's quick to deflect on her involvement, "I helped organize it but I'm not running it! That'd be a little much for me," not that she actually has any idea what would be involved in coordinating such an event.
Then he gets around to actually asking his question and she blinks a little. His own nervousness in asking and the short pauses, they lend an air of a certain kind of embarrassment in asking that may not actually be there. Her cheeks flush a little.
"Ahhhh," she sounds shyly, not quite sure what to say at first. "That's right, we got interrupted, didn't we? Um..." It takes her a moment to break out of her own embarrassment, but when she does the response is quick, "Yes! I mean... of course!" A brief memory of feeling uncomfortable dancing with him last time comes to her mind, but she shoos it away since she feels nothing like that right now. "One dance isn't really a trouble at all, Agera-san." A brighter smile, "And it's all for a good cause! Try to dress up nice, and maybe bring a friend!"
Takashi smiles. It is a rare thing, a genuine smile. Something even he has noticed he's been doing more lately than before he started this experiment. At the very least, he thinks, he appears to be getting better at getting less hostile reactions out of people?
"I think you deserve to be a little proud. Organization is hard." Organization is impossible with some people, actually. He has a few people in mind for which this is true. He's only heard that Madoka was the impetus, and is to a small extent extrapolating the level of involvement /he/ would have with anything he pushed.
"Well of course, I wouldn't dare show up to a charity ball looking like some hooligan - especially not one in which I am going to dance with you." he adds. There's a little bit of his flattering creeping in, but it does seem more genuine than the last compliment he gave her. Either he means it, or he's getting better.
Takashi's not sure which, himself.
"Eheh, I can't deny that. Everyone who helped organized it should be proud of what we've done. ...but only once it's gone off without a hitch!" Madoka is smiling again, and truthfully is rather proud of what they've been able to put together in so short a time.
She giggles a little while trying to imagine what he would actually look like dressed up as a hooligan, "I'd hope not, I don't think that would suit you at all." Then the flattery comes and it makes her flushed cheeks brighten a little more, "Agera-san, don't embarrass me so much," she frets, peeking about out of the corner of her eyes, "people are watching."
They are too, several of their classmates having stayed behind to see what this was about, some more discreetly than others. No doubt there will be rumors; but when aren't there in Middle School?
Takashi smiles. "Thank you, Kaname-san. I look forward to our much belated dance." he adds, as she reacts to the compliment by glowing a bit redder.
"Well, I guess I had better go before those people get any more ideas in their heads than they already have, ne?" he says, smirking a bit. He can only imagine the things that'll be going around tomorrow. He, strangely enough, doesn't find it that annoying. That's probably more to do with him not caring. All sorts of odd rumors always swirl around him, because of his nature.
"I will see you this evening, then. Can't come soon enough." Takashi turns to start walking away - probably past some of the less-discreet watchers - unless Madoka says more.
Another slightly nervous smile as the onlookers are mentioned again and she nods her head. She can't help but admire the way the thought of rumors don't seem to bother him at all, though the smirk seems a little out of place to her.
"I'll look forward to it too, Agera-san." As he walks away Madoka calls after he's out the door, "I'll see you at the charity ball tonight!" There, that ought to make it nice an obvious what they were talking about to any of the especially thick headed, though it may not diffuse rumors nearly so well as she'd hope.
For a moment she considers turning to those that are still watching her and telling them they'd better show up too, but she thinks about it too much and gets more embarrassed before quietly slipping out herself.
Besides, it's not like she can afford to dawdle, she has to get home and change and then head back to the auditorium!