Astrophile

024

After spending the entire day yesterday to play with Manjirō, Emma and Baji, you went to school. As you sat down at the your chair, you saw Kazutora walking in, making you smile at him. He froze immediately, looking around to check if you were actually smiling at him or someone else.

You chuckled at his confused state before waving at him which made him grin brightly, rushing over to you and beaming a smile at you, "[Last Name]-kun!! You're finally smiling!!" You nodded at his words.

"That's cause something good happened!!" He seemed a lot more happier as soon as he realised that something nice happened to you, liking it when you were happy. Your happiness was very dear to him, and for the past three months you hardly smiled.

He happily took his seat in front of you and placed his bag at the side, and started talking about his day almost instantly. When it came to you, he found talking a lot more easier. You grinned as you watched him ramble his heart out but looked at the side when you heard Yuki's name being mentioned.

You stared at her and as soon as she caught your gaze she turned away, focusing on talking to someone else. Kazutora was quick to notice this and grit his teeth. At first, he liked Yuki since she was one of the reasons you smiled so frequently, but then she broke off her friendship with you and you seemed to be greatly affected by this.

And that was when he started to hate her. Anyone who brings you any harm is his enemy and he will not hesitate to dirty his hands for your sake.

He placed a hand on your shoulder when he saw your distracted gaze and his hand was enough to pull you out of your thoughts, "Don't worry about her, [Male Name]-kun!!"

You nodded but froze when you realised something, "Did you... call me by my first name?!" His eyes widened as he began waving his hands around, "I-I'm so sorry, [Last Name]-kun!!" You shook your head with a gentle smile, "It's fine, really!! I'm actually happy that you're comfortable enough to call me that, that's why I was surprised!!" You comforted the frantic boy.

He calmed down and scratched his cheek, "T-Then... can I call you [Male Name]?!" You gave him a closed eyed smile and he blushed, "Sure, then I'll call you Kazutora-kun, since we're friends, right?!"

He had tears in his eyes and nodded shyly, making you chuckle softly, "Class is about to start, Kazutora-kun..." You stated from behind as he wordlessly turned to the front. You would have considered that he was uncomfortable if you couldn't see his bright red ears, showing he was just embarrassed.

"Yuki, can we talk?"

You had approached her after school had ended as she packed her bag. She looked scared as she remembered your mother's threat, contemplating to go with you or not. In the end, she nodded.

You both walked to a secluded area behind the school, as Yuki got flashbacks to the time when Kazutora threatened her, making a shiver run down her spine.

Finally reaching there, you turned to look at her which making her flinch, "[Male Name]-" You cut her off with a bow, "Yuki, I'm really sorry for everything my mother has done!!" Her heartbeat quickened as she looked at you.

"I said it, didn't I?! That we'll be best friends when everything is okay!!" You turned to look up at her, only to see tears forming in her eyes, "Then... you mean.." She found it hard to form words to question you about the topic.

You nodded with a soft smile, making her rush to you and pull you into a tight hug as she cried hysterically, "I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!! I'm so sorry [Male Name]!! I left you all alone when you needed me!!" You could only smile as you let her cry her heart out, "There, there..."

After some time, she stopped crying and wiped her tears with her sleeves, "You got a new scarf?" She tried to ask, wanting to know how you were faring in the last three months.