*A/N: Sorry, it's been a while, hasn't it? ( / - \ ) but it's one more chapter towards ending! Hope you enjoy it.
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~ Central's Waiting Room, Eizan's POV ~
"Damn it... DAMN THAT BLONDIE KID!!" I yell loudly and punch the wall in front of me with my fist. "What's wrong with those first years?? They don't seem like real first years! Their skills..." I bite my bottom lips, making it bled. I don't really want to acknowledge their skills, but their skills... are really better than most of us upperclassmen...
The image of that blonde's smug smirk when he won the match really irritates me. But what hurts me more is... how Ichi reacted toward his dish. She seems so happy and proud when tried his dish... while she looked like she's trying to hold herself when she tried my dish. Am I totally... a loser...?
The fist I place on the wall slowly loosened up and my arm fall beside me. I look at the ground with grim face. 'My team hasn't lost yet and I don't even think the third years would lose to those brats, but... why do I feel like it's all over..?'
I was deep in my thought I didn't notice someone has enter this room.
"Etsu-kun?"
What? That voice...
"I don't think I should ask this, but... are you okay?"
Now you ask me if I'm okay? After what you did before?
"Why do you care? Just go to your beloved juniors. They will cry in agony soon after the third years beat them all." I answer with cold tone.
"We don't know the result until that happen." I could imagine the frown on her face. "And of course I do care about you. You're my... best... friend..." She seems to think the right term.
'Best friend' huh...? Yeah, we are just best friend... no, we WERE.
"...best friend don't betray each other. Yet, you betray me by leaving my side and joining with those brats."
"Etsu-kun, I'm not–"
"Don't you 'Etsu-kun' me!!" I finally turn around to face her. "You like them much better than me, right?? Just go back to them, especially that blonde kid!! You look so happy when you tried his dish, but what about mine?? You looked so annoyed that my dish had such great taste!"
I had barely time to register before Fuichi suddenly tackles me into a hug.
"ETSU-KUN YOU IDIOT!!" She screams.
"W-what??" My body become stilled, not knowing what to do in this current state.
"Tch, I didn't think I would be this emotional... but since you misunderstood too much, I can't stand it anymore!" She grabs my face with both her hands and brings my head down so she could place her lips on mine.
My eyes widen at the sudden action. I always think that we're just a good partner and friend. That she's just someone whose skills I acknowledge. But after all of these happened... after seeing her being so close with Saitou-senpai, being too friendly with the first years, seeing her getting off the train with Kuga... I finally realized that I want her to be more than just a friend. I don't want to be in the same term as them. I...
'I love her.'
Once that thought crossed my mind, I don't waste any time to kiss her back and embrace her tightly in my arms. She gasps in surprise, but I don't want to let her go yet and place my lips back to her. After about a minute, we finally pull apart to take a breath.
"...why did you do that?" I ask, breaking the silent and looking at her intently.
"And why did you kiss me back...?" She stares back at me.
"I ask you first."
"Fine." She sighs. "I just feel like... I need to do that to get you understand my true feelings. If I just keep talking, you might not want to hear me and choose to leave this room."
Well, she isn't wrong. That might be thing I'd do.
"Listen, Etsu-kun. I... really enjoy your dish actually. If I were to eat it NOT in this current condition, uh... you might really see the kind of reaction you wanted..."
Now I didn't really expect that.
"But we're on a different team right now. I don't want to make my team worry, so I had to hold back my reaction." She continues hesitantly. "You know, if I was the judge... I would vote for your win. Although Takumi's dish was amazing, I still prefer your dish today." She says shyly while averting her eyes.
"......"
I just stay silent and look at her dumbfounded. I'm not really expecting this confession. I thought she has left my side. I thought she wants to get rid of me so she could live the school life happily with her juniors. I thought-
"Hey." Her voice snaps me from my thoughts. "...have any comment? You make me nervous by standing there and just looking at me without saying anything..."
Comment... yeah, there's one thing that I really want to say to her right now. And that is... "Idiot."
"What?!" She seems mad and embarrassed judging by her reddening face.
"I said..." I walk closer to her. "You're an idiot."
And with that, I close the gap again by embracing her in my arms. This time, I take the initiative to kiss her. Now it's her turn to become frozen by my action. I smirk as I feel her lips tremble into mine.
"Heh, cat got your tongue? Where's the confident girl who dare to steal a kiss from me before?" I give a smug smirk, making her annoyed.
"Y-you...! What does that kiss supposed to mean??" She yells with red face only amused me more.
"Well, what do you think it was~?"
"I was the one who confess first, and now you want me to guess about your answer too? I feel like I'm the guy here and you're the girl~" She says in mocking tone.
"What did you say?!" I pinch both her cheeks.
"Heeyy no violence!!" She pinches back my hands who pinch her cheeks.
"Ow ow ow fine!!" I let go of her cheeks after she pinches me so hard it starts to get real hurts. Damn.
"Okay." I take a deep breath and release it. "It seems like... I... l-like you too..." My voice died down, but I do hope she hears that because I'm not repeating it! That's embarrassing!
"......" She just blinks at me without saying anything.
"W-what, don't tell me you don't hear what I say?!"
"Hmm Etsu-kun?"
"Yeah..."
"Did I say 'I like you' in my confession? I thought I just say 'I want you to understand my true feelings', but does that mean I like you?" She said with innocent face.
"WHAT?!" I scream in pure shock.
I feel like my head would burst from such embarrassment. I-isn't 'true feeling' usually refers to love?! Or is it just me?! FUUU** WHAT HAVE I DONE?
While debating with myself in my thought, I hear a loud, satisfied laugh from the girl in front me.
"Oh my God, Etsu-kun. I can't hold my laugh any longer!!" She clutches her stomach while still laughing her ass off.
"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?!" I shout at her angrily.
"Aawww I'm so sorry, Etsu-kun~ I just want you to pay back for making me confess like that. Don't worry! In fact, I do really like you!" She hugs me happily.
THIS. WOMAN!!
I could feel the veins in my face could pop at any moment. But seeing her so happy like that... seeing that I could finally claim her to be mine... it makes all my anger go away and replaced with happiness itself.
I let out a deep sigh. "Just this once, woman. I'll forgive you just this once." I hug her back.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll keep that in mind... my yankee*~"
I just growl at her adorableness. Damn she knows well how to make me blush.
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*yankee = Japanese delinquent