Scam My Heart | Ryoku✅

Chapter 11

"Yusaku!" I snapped my head up. "You've been spaced out since you got to school. What gives?" "Have I really? Didn't notice." He really did what he said he would. Naturally I'd be happy with the turn of events, but I didn't feel that. I didn't feel anything if I were to be honest. Numb was probably the best word to describe it all. I felt something grab me and I instinctively flipped them over. "Ow!" "Takeru...? Dude, I'm so sorry." I helped him up as he rubbed his backside. "Could've told me you had defensive reflexes." "Sorry." What didn't help was that my tour of Matsu University was creeping upon me. What would I do if I saw him? I wish I had an answer.

We sat in the classroom as we waited for the teacher to arrive. "Hey Takeru, Yuloser." I frowned at the new nickname she decided to give me. "What?" "Nothing much. Just haven't hung around you both. I'd say it was a smart choice since I haven't lost brain cells." She knew how to tick someone off. "Listen, Aoi. I'm giving you three seconds to walk away before you start feeling a draft around that neck of yours." "Cruel..." She stuck her tongue out then walked away. "Yu, that was pretty mean." "So you're on her side?" "N-" "Forget it. I don't care." I turned my back to him. Why was I so irritated today? Why aren't I acting as if I'm walking on clouds? "Why am I affected by this...He was just an imbecile. That put others first rather than himself..." Memories flooded my mind. He really was a decent guy.

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I had an internal battle on whether or not to find a way to message him or not. "You've been staring at your phone for half of this lunch period." "Huh? Really? Didn't notice..." Takeru plucked my phone from my hands and forced me to eat. "So it's a guy...and his name is Ryoken." "Hey!" I lurched over the table and snatched my phone back. "You're invading my privacy." "Sorry, I-" I silently packed up then headed for our next class. Takeru seemed to press all the wrong buttons on this bad day. I could only hope I didn't reach the boiling point.

The school day ended and I still hadn't made up my mind. I had left without Takeru as I was afraid that he'd irritate me again and cause me to lash out. Everything was Ryoken's fault. If it wasn't for him, I'd be my usual self. My friends wouldn't worry and everyone would just be chill. Why did it bother me so much? We weren't friends and we certainly weren't on good terms. I started to stress over my feelings. How long had it been since he sent me that last message? "Hey." I turned around and saw an unfamiliar person standing by the gate. "Are you talking to me?" "You are Yusaku, right?"

I started feeling skeptical as he apparently knew my name. "No." "Sure? You look like him." "I said I'm not. I'm not your guy." I turned to walk away then heard him say something of interest. "I have something from Ryoken." It then clicked. The voice was the same as the one I heard on the phone back then. "Are you his friend?" "I thought I had the wrong guy." I hated wise guys like him. "You already know that I am, so stop beating around the bush. What did he give you to give to me?" He shrugged then handed me a small bag. "He told me not to look. Enjoy whatever it is." He patted my shoulder then left.

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I stared at the bag that sat on my desk. Why did he send his friend and not come himself? It wasn't like I had told him to never appear before me ever again. I quietly sighed as I continued to eye it from my bed. Did I want to see him? Impossible. I had no attachment to him. "Yet I feel blue..." Everything was normal again, but to me it didn't feel normal. I had reached my conclusion after reflecting and evaluating. I had formed some form of attachment to Ryoken without knowing it. I actually tolerated his presence. I picked up one of the books he had bought me then sighed. I knew what I wanted now, but what if he felt the opposite? I could never tell what he was feeling nor thinking. The only way I'd know was attending that campus tour of Matsu University.

I picked up the bag then decided to look in it. It was a book. One of the books he bought for me to be precise. There was also a sheet of loose leaf. "'You left this in my car. Take better care of it. Ryoken.' Did I...?" A small part of me still wished he had delivered to me himself.