𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐒 - 𝐒. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐀

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

SEVEN
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      The two beings walked amidst a world filled with scenarios happening around them, though all they were currently thinking about was the warmth that seeped into each other's spaces as they walked alongside each other. It was quite cool for this month of July, and as much as Sayo wanted to stay away from him because of the pride that seemed to hinder her from doing a lot of things, she decided to walk closer beside Shinsuke who didn't seem to mind at all.

      Hyogo was all quiet with Cherry Blossom trees surrounding almost every part of its place, but Sayo unconsciously sought for the hues tainted with purple such as the Wisterias that she had seen in school.

      Cherry Blossoms were fucking overrated anyway, Wisterias were much cooler in her opinion. And though that was her preference and though Wisterias were still appreciated especially when it bloomed around the same time as Cherry Blossoms, there was still something about those pink flowers that unintentionally overshadowed the purple ones.

      And maybe that was why Sayo sought after the Wisterias – because there were already more than a handful of people that admired the other one, so, she almost automatically appreciated the one that was less-noticed.

      While she sought after the purple, er- lilac-colored flowers, the boy beside her instead sought after her attention that he strangely wanted them to direct towards him. He furrowed his brows as he walked, feeling quite weirded out at himself for almost instantly getting attached to a person that he had only known for a few weeks and had only shared a few, though entertaining conversations with.

      Shinsuke opened his mouth and asked Sayo, "May I ask a question?"

      Sayo furrowed her brows and answered, "You already did, but yeah, shoot. Just don't ask anything weird or something because I'll leave you here."

      Shinsuke's stoic face contorted to a blank one at her words before saying, "Define 'weird'." He paused before continuing, "I was just going to ask what you wanted to be when you grow up, though is that considered as 'weird' in your dictionary?"

      His words seemed to strike an ounce of irritation within her, though it wasn't that kind where it was taken seriously. It was more of the way he spoke that made her question if he was being serious or sarcastic – she could never tell, and that was the very source of her annoyance.

     To confirm her thoughts, Sayo decided to ask, "Are you being sarcastic?"

      He shook his head, "No. I was simply asking because I didn't want to make you angry again."

      Ah, he's just naturally straight-forward and blunt.

     "Okay." Sayo answered after a long moment. She then thought over his previous question thoroughly before answering, "I think... I think I want to become a doctor."

      When her answer was greeted with silence, Sayo turned her head to look at the boy who was walking beside her and was also already glancing down at her. She chuckled, thinking that he was inwardly judging her from the way he stared.

     "I know, I know. Weird. A dumbass student like me from Class One, wanting to become a doctor when all I've been getting are seventies and eighties." She muttered and kicked a pebble along the way as they walked the continued, "But... I don't think I'd ever want to see someone suffer like my..."

      She trailed off quietly once she realizes that she was about to share something as personal as the problems that she made sure to store inside her, and kept within her only. She shook her head and cleared her throat, feeling frustrated that almost every single thing that she did and wanted to do, drifted towards her mother instantly.

     "Are you doing this for yourself or for other people?"

    The sudden blunt question caught her off-guard, causing her to give him a look of confusion.

      "What do you mean? Of course, I'm doing this for my-" She was instantly cut off when he asked her almost too sharply that it made her want to recline.

      She heard him say, "I don't think you understood my question properly. Are you doing this for yourself or for other people?" He waited for her to answer but she had come up with none. He then continued, "If you were doing this for yourself, then surely it is something that you like doing. It would have been almost impossible for you to just be stuck in this place if you are giving your best and doing your best to be more. After all, you are only built upon the things that you do every day, and what you are now is simply a result of that."

      "If that was the case, then maybe you aren't giving it your all because it isn't something that you truly like doing. Maybe you're only doing it or wanting it because you felt obliged to do so, and perhaps experiences have brought you to this unsure decision." He finished, glancing at her for a moment before looking towards the street once again.

      Sayo breathed in, taking in each harsh word that only poured salt into a fleshy wound that was split open. It was painful even from the way he worded it, down to what was actually said and it caused her heart to pang instantly when the anxiousness started to seep in.

      Doubts and worries filled her already exhausted and occupied mind – that maybe his words were right. And if it was, then she didn't know what to do anymore and she wasn't sure of what to decide.

      With a slightly trembling whisper, she uttered, "You don't know anything about me or what I'm going through, so shut up."

      With that, Sayo walked past him with rapid footsteps, head ducking down to hide away the dissatisfactions that paved its way to paint itself on her face. She left him in the middle of the sidewalk where he pondered over his own honest words while he watched her figure become smaller and smaller, the longer he stood there.

      He sighed before abruptly running his teeth over his bottom lip when he felt an intense ache occur beneath the center of his bones, causing him to breathe in deeply. It was as if there were multiple metal objects that stabbed over delicate muscle repeatedly that it made him want to keel over the dusty ground.

      He placed a hand on his chest and rubbed it repeatedly and a bit forcefully, almost as if wanting to put his hand inside his chest to just grasp his own heart to stop itself from harming completely. The pain did not end but only numbed. He looked up and stared across the almost empty street before coming to a conclusion;

      Maybe she really is the one who's causing him to feel this way.

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