pomegranate ink | y. okkotsu

vi

a/n: sometimes i'm like "this story is going too fast" other times i'm like "nah it's fine"...tbh just think i'm not used to writing relationships that don't take forever to develop 😭 but feel free to lmk if the pacing is ass 😩

Ever since your conversation with Toge, you had been jumpy around Yuta, running away whenever he tried to talk to you, words clipped and any attempts on his part to spend time with you quickly rebuffed. It was all too much to process, and you did not understand how to, so you just avoided the situation entirely. He gave up trying to be with you rather quickly, leaving you to cling to Maki and pretend like you couldn't feel his kicked-puppy gaze from across the room.

It got to the point where even Maki and Tullia realized something was up. They cornered you one day after class, when Toge and Panda had taken Yuta to buy some ice cream to cheer him up. Toge must've known the reason behind your odd behavior and did not question it, though when you looked closer, his violet eyes reflected a sort of quiet sadness at the turn of events.

"So, what's up with you?" Tullia said, crossing her arms.

"This feels like an intervention," you said nervously.

"It is," Maki informed you. "Everyone's vibes are off lately, and I think you have something to do with it. Yuta constantly looks like he's going to cry — even more than he used to, that is, and Toge seems pretty concerned about something, although he refuses to tell either of us what's wrong. Panda's in on it, too, he keeps glancing over at you and sighing, so Tullia and I feel a little left out!"

"Yuta...looks like he's going to cry?" you said. That hadn't been your intention; you didn't want to hurt him. Actually, it was somewhat the opposite — you were subconsciously distancing yourself from him to avoid ruining things between you both.

"Rejection does that to a person," Tullia said. "That's what this is, isn't it? You found out he likes you and had to let him down gently, and now things are awkward."

"Uh, you're a little off the mark," you said. "He likes me?"

"Are you actually dumb? Of course he likes you," Maki said. You buried your face in your hands. Yuta liking you — it had never even crossed your mind that he might feel the same as you did. This complicated things so much that it made your head spin. Before, it had been alright that you liked him, because at least there was no chance of anything happening outside of your silly little daydreams. But if Maki and Tullia were right, then there was a possibility.

"Oh, no," you groaned.

"I don't think he'll make a move," Tullia assured you.

"That's not the problem!" you said. "That's not why I'm avoiding him! It's just that — it's just that —"

"What? It can't be anything too bad," Maki said. "We're your best friends, you can tell us whatever it is. You know I have no loyalty to anyone but you."

"And I'm American!" Tullia piped in cheerfully.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Maki said.

"I have no idea how any of this clan politics stuff works. You're my first friend in this entire country; of course I'm not going to judge you or rat you out or anything. Plus, guaranteed I've heard worse — I knew this one dude at my old school with a massive foot fetish. It's not that you have a foot fetish, right? Anything else, I can handle," she said.

"Yuta," you said, looking through your fingers at them. "I...like Yuta."

"Well, so do I! He's a stand-up guy, really very sweet. Who doesn't like Yuta?" Tullia said.