Secrets Of Spring | Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso ;; Watari Ryota |

Chapter Twenty-Three

Maika
Two Weeks Later

The next two weeks are grueling. I thought I could muster up the courage to face Watari but whenever I try, I chicken out. He hasn't said anything to me either so I have no idea what he's thinking. Kioshi's been keeping his distance but he's checked in with me every so often to make sure I'm okay. I always say I'm alright but in reality, I'm racking my brain over this. I definitely did not see my first free summer going out this way. If I knew that things would end up this way, I would go to the dance camp again but I have to face these problems head-on sooner or later.

Preferably later though, I still don't have it in me to face him.

"It's been two weeks and you still haven't made up with Watari?!" Tsubaki asks, baffled. She sits at the edge of my bed and I lean against the wall next to her while sitting on my bed.

"Yeah... I don't know what to say to him,"

"And that dumbass hasn't said anything either... He needs to be taught a lesson!!" Tsubaki shouts.

"No! I'll handle it... Soon, just let me do things, okay?" I ask.

Tsubaki sighs and nods. "Yeah, sure, just make it happen soon, okay? Watari's been quiet during class so maybe if you guys make up, he'll go back to normal--you too, you've changed because you're so worked up over it too,"

"I'm sorry for making things awkward between everyone, I didn't mean to,"

"Don't be sorry, Watari's the one that should be!" I don't blame Tsubaki for not knowing the entire situation but if she did, she wouldn't be so quick to take the blame off of me. But whenever I try to tell her everything, she just says it's Watari's fault for everything.

She plops down on my bed with her arms sprawled out. "You going to the summer festival tomorrow? I wanna go, I need a break from homework,"

"Yeah, I should go and get my mind off of all of this," I say.

Tsubaki springs up and cheers, "Yay! Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then, and wear your prettiest yukata!" 

• • •

The following day consisted of me staying inside in my pajama's for the whole day. Going outside or doing anything seemed too exhausting after staying up all night again thinking about the situation. As late afternoon rolls around, I finally start to get ready for the festival. My mom helps me put on my yukata, just like Tsubaki told me to. The cotton fabric is dyed a soft lavender and decorated with the pattern of white hydrangeas and petals. My mom wraps the pink obi around my torso and then sits me down at my vanity to help with my hair.

"You haven't gone to a festival in your yukata since forever ago, what's the occasion?" She asks. "Are you going with Watari? Or Kioshi?"

I fake a laugh. "No, I'm not. Just going with Tsubaki and Kaori,"

"That's a shame, they won't get to see how pretty you look," She finishes tying my hair into a low bun and pulls out two locks of hair to frame the sides of my face. "Ta-da! Perfect, now you're ready,"

I hug my mom goodbye at the door and slip into my sandals, then make my way outside. As I close the gate behind me, I look over at Watari's house. The lights aren't on so I guess his family isn't home--I wonder where they are right now, I wonder what Watari is feeling...

I push those thoughts aside and shake my head. "Come on, Maika, you're supposed to get your mind off of it, that's what Tsubaki wants,"

I walk to the bus stop and board it when the bus arrives. Many passengers are dressed up for the festival as well so it's our next stop. I hop off the bus when we get to the event and sit on a bench near the entrance of the festival. Ten minutes pass by and I start to question where she is. I pull out my phone from my purse to text her when a familiar voice speaks up.

"Maika?"

... That can't be who I think it is.

I look up to find Watari sporting a navy yukata with a confused expression. His caramel hair is ruffled like always and my heart flutters after not seeing him for so long. I try to snap out of it though.

"Hey, Watari..."

"What're you doing here? Waiting for someone?" He asks.

"Yeah, Tsubaki invited me so I'm just waiting for her. Did she invite you too?"

He nods and scratches his head. "Yeah, she kept nagging me about it and told me to dress up," Watari comments. "Can I sit?"

"O-oh, yeah, of course," I say and he takes a seat on the opposite end.

"Tsubaki, please hurry up..."

Third

As Maika and Watari sit silently waiting for Tsubaki, three figures hide behind a tree out of the two's sight.

"Come on why won't they talk?!" Kaori and Tsubaki whisper yell, frustrated.

"You realize that they're not gonna communicate until you show up, Tsubaki," Kousei comments.

"But they need to make up on their own!!" Tsubaki exclaims.

"Maybe forcing them to see each other wasn't the best course of action," Kaori notes while peeking at them again. The two don't even spare a glance in the other's direction.

"I'll text them that I got caught up in homework..." Tsubaki pulls out her phone and starts typing.

Kousei stifles and laugh. "That's not convincing at all, you and homework?" Kousei remarks.

"Oh, shut up!!" Tsubaki fires back and sticks her tongue out.

Seconds later, Maika and Wataris' phone buzzes and they check to see. 

"Hey sorry, I can't come, I have a project due on Monday and I haven't started yet. I'll see you later!!" The two recite the text to themselves.

"Really, Tsubaki? Ditching us last minute like that..." Watari grumbles.

"If I don't say anything now, I don't know when the next opportunity will be for us to see each other without me directly having to go up to him..." Maika thinks to herself.

"Watari," Maika speaks up, breaking the silence. "Those things I said last time, it was horrible. I'm truly sorry. I don't even know what I was thinking--I actually wasn't thinking at all. I let my temper get the best of me,"

"The fact that you said it though means that it's true though, doesn't it?" He asks and Maika bites her tongue

"He's not wrong," She thinks to herself.

"It's okay, Maika, I realize that I've been suffocating you lately,"

The brunette turns to face him and shakes her head . "No! I'm happy that you're looking out for me, I shouldn't have gotten mad at you for thinking of me,"

"It's one thing to look out for you, but it's another to pry into your life and control you--it's not right of me to," Watari faces Maika finally, his caramel eyes looking into her sage ones. "But can I ask, why Kioshi? Am I not enough for you anymore? I thought we were inseparable,"

"We still are, it's just--"

"He was in the right place at the right time, and you needed comfort, right?" He basically takes the words right out of her mouth. She nods hesistantly. "You know you can always come to me, right? I'll always be here for you Maika, no matter what,"

Maika tackles Watari with a hug, fully and tightly embracing her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. "Thank you, Watari... Thank you..."