♡‧₊˚ 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆

17

"yes, i'm sure. i'll walk you home."

"really?" y/n was relieved to hear that. although she knew she would've been perfectly fine going out on her own, something was comforting in knowing that she wouldn't be alone.

"yeah." ayato said, softly, as he looked down at his darling's e/c eyes. the two spent a few moments like this, staring at one another, but they stopped when miyuji cleared her throat. they both quizzically glanced her way.

"himari and i should probably head out too. we can leave you two lovebirds alone, now can we?" miyuji teased.

y/n's cheeks flushed as they shot the musician a playful glare, while ayato chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. he wished they were something more than what they were now, but these things take time. patience and it's a damn shame he doesn't have much left of that to spare. "we're not... we're just friends," the h/c-haired girl protested weakly, but the teasing glint in her friends' eyes told a different story, or so they believe.

"sure, sure," himari chimed in, her laughter tinkling like wind chimes. "well, have fun on your 'walk,' you two. don't do anything i wouldn't do!" with that, miyuji and himari sauntered out of the karaoke bar, leaving y/n and ayato alone once again. y/n couldn't help but feel a mix of embarrassment and amusement at her friends' antics.

ayato cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "so...shall we go?"

y/n nodded, trying to suppress the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "yeah, let's go."

as they walked out into the cool night air, y/n couldn't shake the feeling of what miyuji & himari said early, so as they stole glances at each other under the glow of the streetlights, she couldn't help but be interested in how ayato saw her. was there something that she wasn't seeing? something she has yet to uncover? y/n usually has a knack for these things and she'd like to know just what it was her gut was trying to tell her, but she supposed that it would have to wait until after.

every step felt like an eternity to ayato, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. despite the darkness, his gaze remained fixed on the ground beneath his feet, unable to tear his eyes away from the cracks in the pavement. he wanted to talk to y/n, to make conversation and maybe even confess his feelings, but the words seemed to escape him. he couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't sound awkward or forced.

he knew everything about her, so why was it that he had to be so damn weird when the two were alone together?

just as ayato gathered his courage to speak, y/n's voice cut through the silence like a knife. "we're here," she suddenly announced, gesturing towards her house. what the...? ayato blinked in surprise, realizing they had arrived much sooner than he had anticipated. it felt like only moments ago that they had left the karaoke bar, but now they were standing in front of y/n's home.

"that was quick," ayato mumbled.

y/n walked up the stairs leading up to her porch and as she held out a hand to unlock the door, ayato's heart leaped into his throat. this was his chance to confess, to finally let y/n know how he truly felt. but as he opened his mouth to speak, the words caught in his throat, his mind suddenly blank.

"y/n," ayato called out, his voice barely above a whisper.

y/n turned around with a curious expression on her face. ayato's mouth went dry as he struggled to find the right words, his heart hammering painfully in his chest. "i...i just wanted to say..." he started, his voice trembling. but before he could continue, his courage failed him, and he fell silent.