True Love

Asphyxiation

- - -

The classroom felt heavy, like the air was thicker than usual, suffocating me in its mundane repetition.

I sat at my desk, staring blankly at the board, the teacher's droning voice a distant hum in my ears.

My eyelids were heavy, and no matter how hard I tried, they kept fluttering shut, only to jerk open again as I forced myself to stay awake.

It was the fourth time this week that I had stayed up all night, worrying, thinking, dreaming about Aiko.

Aiko Takahashi.

My everything.

She sat beside me, her presence like a beacon of light in the dullness of the classroom.

Her long, black hair shimmered under the fluorescent lights, and her posture was perfect, poised, like she was above it all.

Everyone adored her, and why wouldn't they?

She was beautiful, intelligent, and confident-everything I wasn't.

Yet, she was mine.

She chose me.

The thought made my heart flutter, and for a moment, the exhaustion seemed to melt away.

But it was only a moment.

The weight of the sleepless nights crept back in, and I could feel my head growing heavier.

I blinked rapidly, trying to keep my focus on the teacher's words, but they blurred together into a senseless noise.

I stole a glance at Aiko, hoping that just looking at her would give me the strength to stay awake.

She was taking notes, her delicate hand moving gracefully across the page.

I smiled to myself, feeling a surge of pride.

How lucky was I to sit beside her, to have her in my life?

When nobody else wanted to be?

My thoughts began to drift, the words on the board turning into a hazy fog.

I imagined a world where it was just the two of us, where I didn't have to worry about anything but making her happy.

A world where she didn't have to put up with someone as weak as me, where I could be strong enough to protect her, to deserve her.

The more I thought about it, the more my eyelids drooped, and before I knew it, I was slipping away into a soft, warm darkness.

Aiko:
"Ka-z-u-o~"

Her voice was like silk, wrapping around my mind and pulling me back to the surface.

My eyes snapped open, and I felt a jolt of panic as I realized I had dozed off.

I looked around, disoriented, and then up at Aiko, who was leaning toward me with a smile that was both sweet and sharp.

Aiko:
"You're not falling asleep in class, are you?"

She asked, her tone playful, but with a subtle edge that sent a chill down my spine.

I opened my mouth to apologize, to explain, but the words got tangled in my throat.

All I could do was shake my head, but the sleepy confusion must have shown on my face because Aiko's smile widened, and she tilted her head slightly, her eyes gleaming with something I couldn't quite place.

Aiko:
"Aww, did you not get enough sleep last night, Kazuo?"

She cooed, her voice carrying just loud enough for the students around us to hear.