Dark Winds | Sanemi Shinazugawa x Female Reader

𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒

His question seemed so genuine that it hurt me. Could he actually believe I still hated him?

"You've been acting weird recently! It's getting on my last fucking nerve..." He asserted, as he crossed his arms in anger, looking away from me. It was obvious he cared about me and how I felt about him, so I figured I should let up on being so nervous.

Yet, my heart pounded in my ears.

I began to giggle, catching Sanemi completely off guard.

"What the hell is so funny?" He asked, still sounding agitated.

"You are so stupid, you know that?" I said to him, still giggling.

He scoffed under his breath, getting ready to get up so that he could bitterly storm out from under the pagoda, but I interrupted his actions.

"You're way off, Sanemi. I actually care about you, a lot more than I'd like to admit." I said, finally acknowledging my true feelings.

He spun around on the bench to meet my gaze, with a confused look on his face.

"Huh?" He blurted out.

"I like you, Nemi...I like you a lot." I said, with a pitiful smile. My hands began to sweat as my heart still raced in my chest, so loud that I figured he could hear.

Quickly he looked down, as he finally realized what I was trying to say. I noticed his cheeks turn bright pink, as quickly his anger turned into bashfulness. No matter how stoic he tried to be, somehow I was able to break him.

"You don't have to feel the same way..." I said, trailing off.

I was fully expecting him to say at least something back, but he didn't. He got up, and fled himself.

But I quickly got up and ran behind him, clutching onto his wrist now and pulling him back towards me.

"Sanemi! Don't just leave me hanging like that!" I said, desperately hoping this wouldn't ruin what he and I had. "Please, just say thank you or something..."

But he didn't. He just stood there. We both did, just looking at each other.

After what felt like hours, he finally spoke.

"For how long?" He said, vaguely. I knew what he meant though.

I grabbed onto my elbow, sheepishly looking to the side.

"I don't know, a while now..."

"What the hell!" Sanemi yelled, seeming to completely snap out of his trance. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!"

"I didn't know how!" I yelled, growing defensive.

"Cause...I uh-I uhh..." Sanemi said, his hubristic demeanor now crumbling rapidly.

"What?" I said, worried about what words would eventually come out. He let out a frustrated sigh, as he looked deep into my eyes. The moonlight showered him, illuminating the best parts about him. His hair shimmered, his eyes sparkled, and his skin glinted.

"I care about you...the same way..."

His words made my heart almost leap out of my chest. A smile crept up on my face, as it was impossible to keep it back. Quickly, I looked down at my feet, my cheeks growing red and hot from all the nerves I felt. But the tension was so thick between us, not even a nichirin blade could slice through.