Winter Warmth

Chapter 27: Small Talk is Harder Than You Would Think

Y/n's POV

"Y/n!" Inasa greeted as my head peeked into the treehouse. "Good to see you again-"

He faltered upon seeing my face hidden beneath a curtain of hair.

"Y-Y/n...What...What happened to you?" He whispered, reaching out his arm for me.

A fresh, ugly, purple bruise decorated my right cheek, faintly resembling the shape of a palm.

"It's nothing." I shied away from his hand, nestling back onto a beanbag gingerly. "I was just training with Father."

"Bullshit," Inasa hissed. "He hit you again, didn't he?"

"I-"

"Don't." He venomously spat. "Don't say anything."

I fell silent at the anger boiling behind his eyes.

"I don't get it Y/n! Why do you do this?" Inasa hissed, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation. "You keep defending that bastard, over and over and over. Why can't you see that it's you who gets hurt every single time?! Why-"

"Because I deserve it, okay?!" I interrupted hotly as a tear slipped its way down my cheek.

His mouth snapped shut.

"It's always my fault," I whimpered. "If it wasn't for me, Father wouldn't be so stressed everyday. It's all because I'm not good enough! If I was just better-"

I broke off, my words getting lost as the dam broke. I began sobbing hysterically, covering my mouth with a hand in a hopeless attempt to subdue the noise I made.

"Y/n..." Inasa exhaled roughly upon the sight, his anger trickling away into the background.

He wrapped his arms around my torso, bringing me into his chest. A hand went up to my hair, stroking it softly. The other rubbed calming circles on my back. Inasa guided my head into the crook of his neck, letting my tears stain his shirt.

"Hey, don't say that..." He comforted. "It's never your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself for other people's problems. And don't be so hard on yourself, you're already so much better than me, and we both know how amazing I am."

I chuckled weakly.

"So...don't do this to yourself, okay?" Inasa consoled as my crying slowed.

I nodded, sniffling. "D-Do you have a tissue?"

"Oh, now you decide to ask after ruining my shirt?" He teased, handing me a piece of napkin

"S-Shut up!"

✍︎︎ ✍︎︎ ✍︎︎

I walked painfully slow to school, wincing with every step I took.

"Hey, aren't you L/n from UA?!" A random lady with a handbag exclaimed.

This was the sixth time a stranger recognized me today as a contestant of the Sports Festival.

I sighed. "Yeah, I am."

"Oh, that's so cool! You were amazing out there!" The woman gushed.

"Thanks."