Beyond, With a Yokai

Chapter 11: Fragile Trust

The next day, it felt like Yesenia and Tomoya existed in two different worlds. No words were exchanged, no meaningful glances—only a tense silence that weighed heavier than any accusations. Yet every time one of them looked away, the other would steal a glance.

Yesenia knew this rift was partly her doing, but she couldn't let go of the anger. They were both to blame, after all. Maybe she should apologize—admit she'd gone too far. Or at least make the first move, especially since he was helping her find a way home.

But her stubborn pride clung to her shoulders like chains, refusing to let her take a single step forward. Deep down, she wished he would be the one to break the silence first.

|Aki|

I'd long accepted it—
No matter how deeply I loved her, she would never feel the same.
Not while I was trapped in the body of a cat.
Even if I stood before her in human form, her heart already beats faster for someone else.

I should be grateful.
She's here. We're finally together again.
I should feel lucky just to hear her voice, to see her smile...

But instead, jealousy poisons me from the inside.
I can't shake the bitterness.
I hate this feeling.
I hate that it's not enough just to be near her.

I want more.

I see how her gaze lingers on him—how something flickers in her eyes when she looks at him that I'll never see reflected back at me.

All I can do is watch.
Watch in silence, clutching the pieces of my broken heart with trembling paws.

But even if I'm destined to stay in the shadows, even if she never sees me differently—
I'll protect her.
Because I love her.
Because even if she never becomes mine, she'll always be the most important person to me.

"Still not tired of making googly eyes at each other?" I said lazily, approaching the fox.
He didn't even glance at me, eyes locked on the endless horizon.

"What are you talking about?" he replied flatly, pretending not to understand. I scoffed.

"Aren't you a little too old to be playing the clueless kid, fox?"
Tomoya finally looked my way, raising a brow.

"Don't you have anything better to do, cat?"

"Maybe I should borrow your human face and go talk to Yesenia myself?"

His lips curled into a half-smile.
"To take my face, you'd have to kill me first. Think you're strong enough?"

"For love? I'd do anything," I said confidently.
"You have no idea how much strength that gives me."

"Even if you had my face, it wouldn't change anything," he muttered.

I shook my head slowly.
"You're just a blind fool, too scared to admit what's obvious."

"You think you know everything?"
Tomoya hesitated, then added,
"I tried talking to her yesterday. She denied everything—harshly."

"Yeah? And how exactly did you ask her?"

He paused again, clearly debating whether to answer. Then, with a reluctant sigh:
"I told her I can sense her emotions... that I know what she feels. I asked her to admit it."

"...Oh gods." I groaned.
"Who even does that?"

He winced slightly at my exasperated tone, but didn't argue.

"What? What's wrong with that?"

"You don't demand confessions. Girls wait for guys to say it first. You have to tell her how you feel—then wait for her answer."