𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐭 ❄️

14: Misunderstandings

I slid open the door to the game room just in time to get hit on the forehead with a ping pong ball. My hand flew to cover the point of impact in surprise. "Wah?"

"Natsu!" Momiji gasped. "Oh no! Are you alright?" He asked as he looked up at me with worried eyes. "It doesn't hurt, does it? Kyo, you should be more careful." Momiji scolded. It was cute that he thought a ping pong ball could be so harmful. Although with Kyo's violent swings, maybe it could be.

Kyo crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled in annoyance. "How was I supposed to know she'd walk in? It's her fault for opening the door so suddenly."

"Kyo, you wound me. Literally." I chuckled softly and put a hand to my heart as if his words had offended me.

"Shut up. You're fine," Kyo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah . . . How was your game?"

Momiji pouted. "Kyo doesn't know how to play."

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY!" Kyo yelled.

"I get scared if you serve so hard. What if you hit me?"

Kyo snorted. "So what if I hit you? It's just a ping pong ball," he said passively.

"WAAHH!" Momiji burst into crocodile tears. "Natsu, your boyfriend is being a meanie!"

Laughter bubbled up inside of me, but didn't quite make it to the surface. I was starting to feel better. I opened my mouth to speak, but Kyo opened his first,

"WE'RE NOT―!"

Yuki's voice cut Kyo off. "Would you stop yelling?" His cool tone rang out from behind me. "It's getting late. You wouldn't want to disturb the proprietress."

I hesitated, but turned to look at Tohru and Yuki, who had just entered the room. I could tell by Tohru's aura that she was really happy. Yuki looked relaxed and comfortable beside her, but he also seemed more confident now.

Could it be that he was flirting with her outside?

I brushed that thought away; I needed to stop imagining things without proof. But I couldn't help wondering just what had happened between those two.

"Yuki's right," I said. "We should probably find something quieter to do. But I'm getting tired, so I think I'll just go to bed." Yuki's eyes met mine and I quickly averted my gaze, finding it hard to look at the boy.

"Can I sleep with you?" Momiji asked.

Now that I knew Momiji's age, I almost choked when he said that sentence. The implications of his words weren't nearly as innocent as they were when I thought he was younger. But then again, he surely seemed innocent enough. He wouldn't try anything weird. If he did, I could always just turn him into a rabbit with a simple hug. I shrugged. "If it's fine with Tohru."

Momiji turned to Tohru with cute puppy eyes and I could tell his expression had gone straight to her heart. "Aw, of course you can," Tohru said with a smile. "Since Natsu doesn't mind."

"Yay!" Momiji exclaimed happily.

As Momiji threw his arms into the air, Kyo grumbled under his breath. "He has no shame . . ."

"Natsuki-san," Yuki called my name quietly and I turned to face him.

"Yes?" I asked. He stood closer than I thought. I took a quick, but subtle step back to put some space between us. I wasn't sure if Yuki noticed, but he didn't comment on my actions.

"Before you go to bed, could I talk with you privately?"

The image of Tohru and Yuki together was still lingering in my mind. It was hard to handle the thought alone, but if Yuki used the same familiarity with me, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep all these feelings to myself. I wasn't ready to know if Yuki liked me the same way as Tohru. Not just yet.