𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 [𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳]

𝐭𝐞𝐧 • 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

𝐀/𝐍: Apologies for the late upload of this last chapter. I have already finished this on Tumblr not realizing that I haven't hit the Publish  button here on Wattpad. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed this little story and I'll be really happy if you ever find comfort in the months we shared here. 

See you in my upcoming works!

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"The plot is great. It is also well-written. The metaphors you used somehow feels like it's very personal, intimate." Your professor praised your novel, something that would make you ecstatic given a different a situation.

However, handing her the manuscript was like the very last period you punctuated in a 9 long years of novel; in 9 years of your feelings for your best friend, Keiji.

You gave her a faint smile and exited her office. Walking down the hallway on your way out of the campus, you bit your lip, controlling the wave of emotions that came crashing in.

You deliberately avoided Keiji the past few weeks, using the reason that you had to focus on finishing your novel, when in fact you're just preparing yourself for the harsh truth that he'd never see you in the way you wished he could.

The harsh truth that all of this was just a fairytale, a work of fiction and some things existed so that you could have a good story to tell.

Deeply breathing in, you forced a smile on your face. Perhaps, that was it.

Yes, that was it.

You kept telling yourself that, but the sting in your chest felt like pages being torn from a book and those pages were one of the happiest moments of your life. Moments you wished you could draw more chapters from. Moments that made you feel empty without and it hurt because his existence were written all over it.

"Y/N," Your heart stopped.

It was him. The very first person you'd see after deciding to let him go.

Shivers ran down your spine. If you didn't now better, you'd think that he missed you. You'd think that his eyes held a sense of longing for you in the days you had never spoken with each other.

That's not it. It's not that way, right?

"K-Keiji, w-what are you doing here?" Your voice half-shaking as you tried to keep all emotions at bay.

"I- uh, it has been weeks since I haven't seen you. You also missed my birthday. I thought I could drop by during your submission, so we can get a cup of coffee together."

"I'm going home." You walked, attempting not to stop by his side.

"Let me walk you home." Yet it was difficult to stop him.

The next thing you knew, you were matching his slow strides. You hated how much comfort you felt just by having his presence this close to you. It's as if you're all too well-acquainted with him that he felt like home and comfort in whatever setting, in whatever season. Internally, you shook your head.

You couldn't be feeling this way!

This was foolish.

You're a fool for thinking that someone would just suddenly have feelings for you.

You're a fool for thinking he'd figure out what you feel and probably what he also really feels about you through a fiction.

Keiji was right. This was probably just a figment of your imagination despite how painfully real it all was for you.

You were taken out of your reverie when he stopped walking right at the playground where you first met. That day seemed like yesterday and it's a pain that you had to walk back through it again, right now.

"I'm sorry." He said.

Tears brimmed at the edge of your eyes. He figured it out after all. Your fist clenched the strap of your bag. "You- You don't have to be sorry, Keiji. It's not like-"

"No, I have to. I really have to." He turned to face you and seeing him looking so vulnerable like this made you made it even harder for you to control your tears. "Y/N, I'm really sorry. I missed the rain the last time we saw each other."

"Huh?"

"In you novel, the male lead he...isn't it that he kissed the female lead under the rain? I missed my chance, right?"

"Wha-What do you mean?" You couldn't believe what you're hearing.

Keiji took a deep breath. "You can never fall in love with someone all of a sudden, it just felt that way because you're failing to realize what has been there all along."

He took your hands and held them firmly. Just like how he held the cherry blossoms the very first time you two had met.

"I can't bring back the days I missed not realizing how much you really mean to me, Y/N. Look, I...I'm not really sure if the male lead in your story was me or if it was all just my irrational judgment. I just know that it has to be me. I have to be the male lead of your life. I.."

You sobbed quite chuckling at the same time. "I thought you're smart, Keiji. Why are you being such a dumbass?"

"What- What do you mean?" He asked.

"You held his hands firmly like they were Autumn leaves almost slipping through the gaps between your fingers. "It was you. It was you all along, dummy."

His face fell blank for a second until he let out a teary sigh of relief, still disbelieving what he just heard and how stupid he really had been.

Without letting another chance slip, he squeezed you in his arms, burying half of his face on your shoulder. You embraced him back so tight. Both of you relishing the feeling as proof that all of this was, in fact, a reality even if it felt like a dream.

Parting a little, he cupped your cheek. "I know it isn't raining anymore, but I hope I'm not too late."

You just stared at his eyes as he slowly bridged the gap between your lips. He tasted like your favorite coffee, warm and sweet. His hold on you tightened as you both got lost in your deepening kiss.

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Christmas lights twinkled from the different stalls lined up at the bazaar. It had been a week since you and Keiji had began dating yet it felt like a lifetime just waiting to be uncovered.

He visited your house often. By often, it was everyday as if he didn't really want to go home anymore. Well, you didn't want him to go home either.

"Do you feel cold?" He asked. You smiled and shook your head no, which made him sigh. "Liar." He blew a warm breath on your clasped hands and slipped them inside the pocket of his trench coat.

You blushed. This all seemed so new yet if felt so natural like you're both meant to be this way from the very first day you saw each other.

He took you to a quieter place somewhere in the park. You were both walking under the trees. Glancing up, you admired how magical they looked like adorned with fairylights, when Keiji held your shoulder to stop you from walking and got on his knees.

You chuckled at his habit and it was something you really adored about him. "Meh," you teased. "Your spidey-senses are wrong this time. My shoelace is fine."

"I know." He pulled out a small dark blue box from his pocket.

"No way!" Your hands flew to your mouth. "Isn't this too earl-"

"No. I'm 9 years, 10 chapters and 14,000 words too late. Let's write the next chapters of our lives together from now on, Y/N. Will you-"

Your face was all red as you reached out your hand to him, not letting him finish the question as you gave him your answer through a nod.

"I hate you." You told him. "You're so corny. I haven't even included that line in my novel."

Keiji couldn't control grin on his face as he slipped the ring through your finger. He stood up and planted a soft kiss on your forehead until he placed a chaste one on your lips.

Brushing your cheek with the back of his hand, he spoke softly, "We have all the time to write it together."