Making it Bizarre and Weird - The Detective Girl

Chapter 11 - The Writer

As she stood tall surrounded by the green rosebushes, the wind carried words that caused a pounding in her chest. Similar to the spiraling situation she noticed that the wind had started to grow stronger. The petals that were blown into the sky brushed against her skin as they were lifted high. Only the sound of leaves rustling together was audible as she kept her lips together.

She could not find the words to reply to his statement and kept her gaze fixated at the young man that just expressed his love for her. The wind played freely with her short blonde locks of hair; she hadn't yet noticed that her detective hat was blown several feet away. The stretching silence between them was starting to make the both of them uncomfortable. But, when he searched her face for an answer, she intentionally kept her expression blank. "...Rin...?"

The soft word that came from his lips made her tense. He looked at her with such a gentle expression, yet his brows were slightly curved in hesitation. The small question was merely an extension to his previous statement; a long moment had passed without her uttering a word in response. He wanted an answer and she wasn't sure which one to give him. "This is the first time," she stated, her words containing nothing but the truth. "Someone has ever confessed a romantic interest towards me."

His blue eyes seemed to light up at her words. "The time I've spend with you has been strange to say the least," he laughed warmly. He was trying to calm her down, wasn't he? "There were plenty of times where I was frustrated and angry with you, but there were plenty of times where I was genuinely glad to work at your side as well. You're unlike anyone I've ever met... and I've never felt this way for anyone else before." He took a small breath, his words softly spoken. "The last thing I want is us to be apart."

The detective girl shook her head. "I hadn't anticipated a confession," she mumbled.

This caused the writer to take a step closer and she hesitated to stay in the same position. "I'll say it again if you don't believe me," he firmly declared. "I'll say it as many times as you need me to."

She closed her eyes, resisting the urge to heave a sigh. "Do us both a favor and stop embarrassing yourself like this."

His eyebrows frowned at that statement. "For someone who has great self-confidence in their skills as a detective, you frequently insult yourself as a person," the writer stoically replied. She felt her heart leap in her chest. And when she gazed back at him, she noticed that his stance had straightened and he was looking at her with sharp eyes. "Even if you don't believe anything else I've told you, this is the truth," he repeated, the strong determination in his voice wavering her certainty. "I love you."

In the confusing mix of emotions flowing through her, she felt her cheeks heat up. "Isn't love a very strong word?" she decided to question. "Many people claim to love another person, while it is often confused with fixation, admiration and obsession. There aren't many people who can truly accept another's faults and mistakes. How are you sure your feelings are genuine?"

His lips slowly parted. "Why are you so afraid of them?" he countered instead.

She froze. Releasing a low breath, her fingers tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm not..." she quietly protested. It sounded pathetic. Her composure was cracking.

He sighed and took a step forward, wanting to approach her. Startled, she stepped away. He blinked at her once and gave her a questioning look which she answered by eyeing him skeptically. She would always calculate the situation beforehand; surely he knows this well.

"I need you to do me a favor," he told her, indirectly respecting her wish to stay apart by keeping his distance. "...Let the walls that you have built around yourself down."