I love you...
...I want to kiss you...
...I want to hug you...
...I would marry you if I could.
As those words left her lips, she could only gape at her best friend. Did she... just confess? She was speechless; she could feel the tears coming on. Why was she crying? She wasn't sad... nor was she happy... she felt... confused. Yet the tears came anyway, spilling over and streaming down her face. Her best friend blinked; worried that she had done something wrong as she stood.
"Naomi, why are you crying-" She didn't let the smaller brunette finish as she rose herself, wiping the tears away.
"N-Naomi... Naomi, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to... I thought... that this would be a good time," She started to stammer, and she could hear the brunettes sorrow. She didn't want to cause her pain or sadness.
"S-Seiko..." She started, but the brunette continued, her body shivering as her own tears fell. At that moment, she knew she couldn't settle this with words.
Stepping forward, she wrapped her arms around her smaller friend, letting the girl sob into her shoulder. More tears spilled over as the smaller girl continued to shiver and sob, out of control of her feelings...
So they stood there...
...One girl let her feelings out through the tears...
...the other could do nothing but hold her as she did...
...but through the tears and the pain...
...the taller girl couldn't help but give a small smile...
...I love you too...
You were saving me...
...you helped me...
...you brought me out of my shell...
...and I met wonderful people...
...that's when I came to realize...
...that I could not live without you...
...because...
...I love you.
The two of them stood there at the base of her property. Tonight would be the last time they would see each other in person. Not forever... but for a while. She would need time to adjust to her new home, new school... maybe new friends.
It pained him. She was truly the only person that saw who he really was. And she loved him for that. She had told him more than once that everything would be fine. He still had their group of friends. Even if he didn't know them that well, they still accepted him as a friend.
Many said they had been together. That they were a couple, but in actuality, it was anything but. Though, he wouldn't mind the idea of being together... at least that told people she was his... and only his.
"I'm going to miss you... Shig-nii," She sniffed, rubbing her eye. She used his nickname again... she was the only one that did. He would let her too... anybody else, and it felt weird.
"I am too... but we can still call each other Mayu," He murmured, and she nodded, her eyes clouding up with sorrow.
"Yeah... but it... just hurts to know that I won't be seeing you in school," She choked back a sob. She had cried many times since the news of moving came up. But tonight... she had cried the most. She couldn't hold back the tears as they came, spilling down her face as she shivered with a sob. He blinked, and frowned, saddened by her crying. Reaching out, he pressed a hand to her cheek, wiping away her tears. She didn't move away from his touch, she leaned into it, enjoying his warmth. He leaned down, their foreheads meeting as their eyes closed.
They didn't pull away. They enjoyed the closeness, the warmth...
They didn't need words to confess...
...words were overrated...
...they didn't want a clichéd confession...
...he wasn't one for clichés...
...and she didn't like basic romances...
...they knew that something new started between them...
...with that simple gesture of compassion...
...they would never have to worry for the other's sake...
...because they loved each other.
...for years I protected you.
...You didn't see it...
...But I was only returning the favor...
...because you stood up for me...
...even if it was your job...
...no one had shown that sort of kindness to me...
...so I cleaned up, I changed...
...I looked out for you...
...you might have had your eyes on my best friend...
...I had my eyes on you...
...I fell for you, hard...
...and I couldn't escape...
Two days before school was out... and over for them. They were seniors, two days away from graduation. She was actually proud of him; he had worked so hard to graduate with the rest of them.
After the last school bell rung, the two of them were in charge of cleaning the classroom up. She found it silly that the teachers would do such a thing, especially when they were so close to getting out. But she wouldn't argue with them nonetheless.
He laid the desks on top of each other as she swept. The dust she was kicking up caused her to sneeze, and he let out a chuckle. She glared at him before continuing to sweep.
He decided he would confess around the time they graduated. He didn't know when, but at a time where they were alone. His hopes went up when the two of them were assigned to clean after school.
He knew that her lovely little crush on the prince charming of 2-9 had dissipated. Ever since that prince charming started dating. Seeing that her chances were blown away by the prettier Nakashima, she wouldn't dare to do anything to separate them.
He saw his chance. It felt as if she needed companionship... she didn't have a need to crush over someone anymore... so she was growing lonely. She wasn't lonely when it came to friends. Oh no, she had plenty of close friends. What she needed was somebody she could be close with... a significant other.
"Hey... Shinozaki?" He broke the silence between the two of them. He didn't know how this would turn out.
"Hm?" She made a noise, still sweeping.
"W-Well... I was wonder if... uh... you'd like to go-" A flash of lightning and thunder cut him off, and he mentally cursed Mother Nature for its brilliant timing. The rain started to pour as well, beating against the windows.
"Aww! Dammit! I forgot my umbrella! The one day I don't bring it and I actually need it," She cursed, huffing as she stared out the window.
"You could borrow mine..." He muttered, and she turned to him.
"What about you?"
"We can share," He replied, and she made a noise of surprise.
"W-Wha- But-" She stammered.
"But what? You can't share an umbrella?" He inquired, and she let out a sigh.
"Yes, I can. Alright, I'll share one with you, Kishinuma," She gave in. He couldn't help but smirk. It wasn't a confession, but it was something.
After cleaning the rest of the classroom up, they exited the school building. His umbrella over the two of them as they trudged through the rain. He noticed how close she was to him, and he smiled softly. He reached his hand out, finding hers and wrapped his hand around hers.
The moment she felt his hand wrap around hers, an intense heat crawled up to her face. It had been a simple touch, yet it made her stomach flutter. She would never admit, but she liked it.
...the two of them continued to walk through the downpour...
...their minds were confused...
...but their hearts were not...
...they were just human...
...the feeling to love someone strong in their hearts...
...maybe he isn't such a bad guy after all...