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(3rd P.O.V.)
After your so-called meet-up with Koko. He suggested going on for a little shopping spree, which you highly refused. He couldn't spoil you like he wanted since this battle of wasting money, you won. "Seriously, how long are you gonna deny my money?" he sighed as he walks beside you under the night sky.
The streets still buzzing with people and vehicles rushing through the streets as the lights of each passing building you walk, lit up the dark areas. The moon high up, showering its rays down the world along with glittering stars above. "To the day that I won't need it," you said, holding the leather rope of your purse.
"You do realize you're just wasting your money on me for lavish reasons," you quirked a brow at him. "Can I not?" he smirks at you, then you rolled your eyes at him. "Is there anything else you could do for me instead of throwing your money in every fancy store we go through?"
"Hmm... so you're saying you want me to sweep you off your feet and marry you like a princess?" You nudged your elbow at him. "Very funny, but that won't work on me." You smirked at him, "Then, what would work?" he leans his face closer to yours as you both continued walking. You just chuckled and didn't say anything.
You don't exactly know where this conversation is going, but there's this weird feeling in your gut that has been sending your head tingling vibrations all this time. You both talked yourselves into random conversations just to pass time. You both walked through a mini bridge near the park as the light pole grants all the light you need to see. But then, Koko suddenly stopped on his tracks behind you.
You turned around to face him, "What's wrong?" you ask. He didn't answer for a moment, both of his hands inside his pockets as he gazes up at you, your eyes meeting his, locking eye contact. You tilt your head to the side a bit with a questionable look, he noticed that, and he can't help but smile. "You're really strange," he said. "In what way?"
"Everything."
That caught you off guard. This topic was going somewhere to least you expect. "You were different back then and now," he said in a low tone of his voice. "Why is that?" he questions you out of the blue. "I..." you uttered out for an answer. "I just feel like somebody else each time passes," you simply replied with a faint smile on your face. "You're very complicated too," he added. "Is that an insult?" you raised a brow at him.
"A neutral fact," he replied with a smile on his face. "You're also very unpredictable," he walked towards you, only a few steps closer as he closes the distance between you both. You didn't deny that your shoulders flinched a bit from his sudden intrusion into your personal space. But you didn't push him away. Koko took that as a sign to step closer.
"Those characteristics of yours are making me fall for you each passing moment," he breathed near your face. His hands, slowly make their way to your cheek to cup them. His other hand, brushing a strand of hair to your ear as he looks at you deep in the eyes. You were so beautiful, the moon's light making your eyes shine like crystals is making him more enchanted by you before he knew it.
You were speechless at that moment, your brain not processing what's happening as you stood still like ice. "I've always..." Koko muttered under his breath as he finally moves to close the distance and aims for your lips. But you stopped him. "Koko-san..."
"How long are you gonna pretend?"
Koko froze, only an inch away from your lips. "What do you mean?" he questions you. "Koko-san..." you whispered his name close to him as you slowly pushed him away from you, but not too far. You gently touched his hand on your cheek as you looked at him in the eye one more time with such perseverance.
"You only do these things with people you love," you smiled at him sympathetically. "I know, that's why I wanted it to be with you," he answered. You shook your head after he said that as you noticed the hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Don't lie, Koko-san." You said softly as you slowly pulled his hand away from your cheek, but he didn't let you.
Instead, he uses his other hand to pull you by the waist, closer to him. "I do like you," he admitted with furrowed brows. He refused to let you go as his grip on your waist tightened. "I always have," he rasped near your lips. "Koko-san..." you whispered his name once more as you gently cupped his face with both of your hands. "There's a difference between like and love..." you stated.
"I know you like me. But not that kind of like, and we both know it." You said to him with doleful eyes. You knew it very well from the beginning. The feelings he has felt for you. The wrong interpretation of the way his heart beats every time he sees you. That's not the romantic kind of like people refers to. And you know it best. Because of the way he is looking at you right now. Aren't the eyes of someone who is in love. "Koko-san..."
"I'm Shiori."
"Not someone else."
Those words hit Koko like a stung Beedle. He doesn't know why, but after hearing, you say that. He can't help but feel... guilty. "Koko-san..." you gently pushed him away this time as his hands returned to his sides, and you looked at him with an empathetic smile on your face this time. "You don't need to pretend any further... We both know it's for the best," you said.
"How would you know of how I feel?" he questions you with a grave expression. "Your eyes say it all," you paused. "The way you look at me. The way you confessed. Those words didn't sound like it was for me," you blurted out.
Koko kept silent, he didn't know what to say. In his head, he kept saying it wasn't true, yet why won't his body function in the way he wants it to. You stared at him. And he stared back. You know what he might be feeling right now, but you didn't want to hurt him any further. You wanted to use him for Shuji's sake but after that fight with Tadashi. You soon realized the feelings you have kept deep within you.
You didn't want to hurt them any longer, you didn't want to keep using them. The happiness, the joy, the laughs, the jokes. You enjoyed every moment. And you wanted all of them to be happy."I know it's hard to move on," you started, causing Koko to look at you with wide eyes. "But you still have Seishu nii-chan," you smiled at him.
"Why are you bringing Inupi into this?" he questions you. "Because during the whole day..." you paused. "You've always talked about Seishu nii-chan."
"I know you don't see Seishu nii-chan as his sister." You stated, "I know you care for him. That's why you never left his side."
"What are you implying?" he questions.
"Is that I'm not the one who you need to stand side with." You answered him honestly.
The atmosphere between you both felt heavy. But not that heavy to take you on the verge of tears. But these were your honest thoughts, and the ones that hit home the most. You know what you said was the truth, because when you said you weren't the one to stand by his side. He averted his gaze from you.
You thought realizing this wouldn't hurt, but it kinda did. Heh, looks like you're still human after all. You wanted this to end quickly. If not, then you have a feeling things will speculate way too deep than you could expect. "Koko-san," you gently held his hand on your own and raised them slightly. "It's still not too late for you to chase your own happiness."
He knew. He always knew. That you were too good to be with him, and the fact that you both don't hold the same feelings he wished to have with you. But he also knew it was for the best. A relationship without love could only lead to certain ruins that every people would expect in a relationship.
You looked at him with doleful eyes, and he could see his reflection on your crystalline orbs. And after a moment, he realized you were right along. Just by looking at himself in your eyes. He now knew that the feelings he harbors for you, weren't love. But a certain fondness that he wanted to keep. A fondness that he wanted to experience once more. But that fondness only reminded him. It didn't give him the same affection he used to have.
"Yeah..." he breathed before he gazes back at you with a faint smile. "I hope you find your happiness too," he said before slowly embracing you in a hug. It felt awkward at first after everything that happened in your conversation, but soon, it turned to comfort.
And you embraced him back...
"You should go back to Seishu nii-chan's side," you patted his back. "I know," he chuckled near your ear before he breaks the hug. After a moment of eye contact, he started walking away from you. Leaving you standing alone on the mini bridge under the light pole. But he wanted to say something, something that he wanted to say in return.
So he stopped midway from the bridge and turned his head to look up at you. "I know you also have someone," he started, making you look at him with shock. "I know you've been waiting," he added. From the very day he gets to know you, he knew something very similar to you to him. You were waiting for someone, even longing for that person's existence. Just like him back then.
"If that person doesn't come back," he paused. "Go look for somebody else!" he grinned. You were still in shock from his statements but seeing him grinning like that. You can't help but escape a bubble of laughter from your mouth. "I'll think about it!" you laughed, gaining a chuckle from Koko before he completely walks away from you. Now leaving you alone, and running off to Inupi.
You weren't sad to be left alone, it was never dramatic about it. Though it did feel a bit cliche, causing you to laugh stupidly at yourself. But you felt better than before, except for the tingling bitterness in your guts. You sighed as you gaze up at the moon above you. You thought back at what Koko said. He knows you've been waiting, and you know it's only a spare moment of time before you see him again, and hopefully, this time...
You would make it up to him.
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When you said that you'd be meeting with Koko. Tadashi didn't want you to be alone with someone, except for Shuji. His concerns about you got higher by the time you almost got raped, and he didn't want you to suffer like that again.
So he followed you and Koko, at first all he could react was squealing and grinning like an idiot, thinking that a new potential boyfriend has appeared. But after eavesdropping into your conversation with Koko. He felt like he shouldn't pry any longer and left.
He realized that you already had someone you love, but why do you look so downcast when Koko mentioned that. Tadashi didn't want to interfere with your feelings, especially this one. He doesn't want to cross the line again. He sighed to himself as he fixes the black cap on his head. He was heading home, walking alone on the dark streets with both of his hands inside his pockets.
But then, only a meter away. He saw two familiar figures, sitting together adjacent to one another through a glass window in a pizza store. Once he realized who they were, he swiftly made his way over to the piles of boxes on the other side of the glass window as he hid. He took a peek through the window, seeing Choji and Kisaki conversing.
But it didn't seem like a normal conversation right after Choji got up and slammed his hand on the table before leaving and slammed the door's entrance open. Tadashi was struck in bewilderment on what just happened between them both. What exactly is happening, though?
According to you, Choji Ahane was a calm type of character. Tadashi didn't even expect this side of him. But before Choji left and left Kisaki frustrated as he stretched his temples, Tadashi swore he heard what Choji said before leaving. "Just kill that Snake already!"
that's what he said. 'Snake?' Tadashi pondered inside his head. Who could Choji Ahane be referring to? Since he said kill, it's obviously a person, but who--
Then, it hit him. The realization after hearing two words. Snake and Kill. Tadashi doubt, but it was clear who Choji Ahane was referring to, causing Kisaki to be so frustrated. Gaining a mountain of worry to Tadashi's hunches. He gulped as he immediately run off to the opposite direction of where he was heading before. With shaky hands, and heavy breathes, he took out his phone from his pocket and dialed your number.
"Please pick up...!"
A/N: I am still alive. (*°∀°)=3