I Want To Be With You!

You And That Guy

"What do you think of Anija?"

Ritsu had been loud and clear, hadn't he? After all, he wanted to get straight to the point with this. No sugarcoating, no beating around the bush, no fumbling around. Just one question, one very simple question. And yet Ann would still look at him in utter confusion, as if she had not understood what he was trying to say. Did she not understand what he had said, literally? No, that was not the point of the confusion, he was able to tell. She had heard him, she understood the phrase. Something else had her confused perhaps, or so was his guess.

"Uhm... This... Where... You know... Coming from?" She fumbled around a little with her words, trying to phrase it so he would at least understand.

"I'm just curious." Ritsu began, first being rather dry and simple with his words but soon continuing with a sharper tone than before. "You two seem very close recently."

This only resulted in her staring at him for a longer period of time. And not just she was, it seemed that it had also gotten Nyeli's attention, given his ears wagged over and over and Ritsu could feel the kitty moving in his grasp, his head having most likely lifted itself up. Not to mention the quiet 'Nye?' from his lips...

"Close? Rei–San and I?" Ann repeated, tilting her head a little sideways. She was really clueless, wasn't she? Ugh... What a pain.

"Yeah. You even use his first name." Ritsu responded quickly. And yet he gulped all the same. It was as if he was terrified just asking and maybe in an odd way he was. After all, she could have many answers to that. No, there were many possible answers to his question. He wanted to know but at the same time something told him not to... It was a scary thought. What if he didn't like the answer or something across those lines? What if something would be up with it? What if? What if!? He wasn't sure. What if he was to regret this question? What if ignorance would have been bliss in this case? But could he back out now? Because if he did not ask her on the other hand he would be left clueless and wide awake... Or at least in a very light sleep. Could he handle the answer though? That was the better question... Maybe, maybe not. He hated the thought.He hated that it could plague his mind like that... Honestly, he didn't know what the better option was – Ignore it or face it head on. He was scared of both outcomes after all...

"That? Ah— W... Well... There is you and Rei–San so—"

"You don't call me 'Sakuma–San'. do you now?" He countered, his voice forcing the calm tone yet the sharpness was all too obvious. He may as well be trying to throw daggers at her. Ugh... Why was this pissing him off!?

"I... Never did but—"

"So it should be fine to call that thing by that name, shouldn't it?"

"Well... I... He offered too back then so—"

"Back then?" One of his questions was answered, some detail which really should not bother him at all. But it did... It did. Even worse, it hurt in some sense. Hearing that he offered... Ritsu just felt like making a fist and punching the next best wall in, preferably blowing it into pieces. This was just... Just...

And yet, she nodded, even if it had been a bit more on the timid side in the end as her nod was slow, very slow in fact, her face uncertain what type of expression it was supposed to make. "Yeah. Back then... When we met."

"Right... Of course you two met..."

"Ritsu? Are you alright?" There it was, she didn't exactly answer, only asking him with her voice. She had taken note of his unusual behavior and he had to sadly admit, it was difficult to keep up his usual poker face. He was so conflicted, his mind felt like some weird mess. His head hurt, kind of. He wasn't sure what to believe exactly.

And yet, he decided to lie. Then again, she might have had a clue, regardless of his words. "Yeah, I'm fine."

All she could do was nod, she had no idea after all. Or at least no direct confirmation. And yet, he proceeded, pressing on. Both options were killing him so it didn't matter. And yet, he couldn't believe his own words sometimes. "Don't you think it's too personal though?"

"Too personal? Not really..." Ann responded, then seeming to think for a moment yet thought aloud for a second there... "I mean... For a little while... Liking Rei–San—"

"You what!?" He interrupted her train of thought, his voice at the brink of cracking. He was loud out of nowhere, unusually loud. So much so that he felt Nyeli jumping out of his arms out of mere surprise and tapping somewhere to safety, though Ritsu was honestly not sure where. And it did not matter to him, not at this very moment. He just heard it... Didn't he? Something he didn't want to hear. Something which may as well be the equivalent to some bad horror movie... Not to mention that he stood there with wide eyes, his own face must be red from the sheer fury this thought put him into. Like? Did Ann just say she liked Anija!? And not just the usual like but— What kind of twisted joke was this!?

She had noticed though, the moment he raised his voice unusually high, making her shut up and cover her mouth for a moment. She knew. This should have never been said. And she clearly didn't want to. He didn't need to know. And if that was the case she was right, he did not have to know this nor did he ever want to know! She's just mentioning this while getting cozy with his 'older brother' like that!? Oh how he hated to have even crossed his mind! He couldn't think straight, now for sure not! He would just say whatever could come out of his mouth! Though the words would be stuck in there, he couldn't say much else... This was just... Just...

Ritsu found himself shaking, trying to hold himself back. He just wanted to let loose but should he? No, he shouldn't, not here. It cut deep though, very deep. How was he not supposed to stand there, trembling? This was just... All of it... To hell with it! Can't this guy just go to hell already!? It was already enough that he disappeared but now—

"R... Ritsu! Explaining! I—" He heard Ann stutter yet he paid no attention to it. Instead he found himself yelling out of nowhere. It was one simple phrase yet it said everything he wanted to say at this moment. No more! Just no more! Just... Just...

"Shut up!" It was all he said, the last two words he would lose in front of her before suddenly going for the door and dashing right out. She probably told him to wait, wanting him to stay, but it was of no use. He just wouldn't listen. And honestly, right now he just didn't want to listen. An abrupt end but he couldn't help himself.

'Just stop talking!'