CHAPTER TWENTY ONE ∆ A KISS
∆∆∆
after finishing their meal, the two decided to stay inside the cafe for a couple more minutes to talk. after all, shirabu did tell her that they were going to talk about everything they needed to clear out about them after all was done. kana nervously waited for him to speak, not really knowing where to start if she were to make the first move.
"i'd start with the most obvious thing right now: i like you. if that's not quite clear yet. all of this is new to me, so i really don't know if what i am doing is right. if you have any questions you would like me to answer, please do ask." shirabu started, giving her a slight smile— a smile that only appears in the presence of sashihara kana. "i'll try my best to answer them all."
"alright," kana replied, smiling back at him. "when did you realize that you actually like me back?"
the male blushed, covering the lower half of his face while looking away. did she really have to ask that question so early? then again, the question was inevitable and he did tell her to ask him anything she wanted to.
she is really not holding back with the questions, huh?
"it was... when you first talked about futakuchi. it made me upset for some reason knowing you looked at him as a guy while you only looked at me as your best friend. or something like that." he replied, quite embarrassed about his own words.
was it really at that moment? if he can recall correctly, it probably was. he felt every bit of him wanting to pull kana away from futakuchi, to take her away just so she can only stay by his side like she always used to.
"oh... that. i just found the guy cute. i didn't really like him in that way or anything. especially when he said they were gonna win against you guys. i know it too well that you guys will win. and you know, you will always be my favourite, jiro."
"so i got jealous for nothing..."
"haha! seems like it. i have another question," kana replied, giggling at the thought of her best friend realizing he likes her through the hard way. "why me, by the way? of all the girls out there."
"you're simply way more exquisite than everyone else. they could try to be the prettiest but you are the most beautiful in my eyes. i know that sounds like it's out of those silly romance movies, but i really feel that way. it's like a spotlight is placed only on you. i don't know... you're just genuine with everything and you're caring, i like that a lot about you. i wasn't even your business but you approached me that one day and here i am, so attached to you. then gradually, i realized that i felt warm and that you felt quite like home to me."
they were silent for a couple of seconds, shirabu was to shy to speak more and kana...
the copper haired male widened his eyes at the sight in front of him— is kana crying?! why?
"o-oi, why are you crying?" shirabu asked, moving his seat closer to hers, nervously trying to take kana's hands off of her face. he took his handkerchief and wiped the girl's tears away when she took her hands off of her face, concerned and confused about how kana felt.
"kenjiro..." she muttered, her lower lip trembling which made the male chuckle at how she looked quite like a baby. "why are you laughing at me...?"
"you look like a baby," he replied, shaking his head and playfully covering kana's face with his handkerchief. "why were you even crying? did i say something wrong?"
"it's just that... your words really touched me a lot. it made me really happy that you're really comfortable with me and that your eyes are only trained on me. it reassured me a lot, and it's so nice actually knowing how you feel." kana explained, using the handkerchief to wipe away excess tears.
he was left speechless. it made him all warm and fuzzy inside when he heard how his words actually affected kana. he felt like he was such an important person to her, in the same way that she is to him. it was a truly beautiful feeling when you have someone who will meet you halfway— all is fair and you love each other dearly.
"in that case, then i will start actually speaking out what i truly mean." shirabu replied, a soft smile plastered across his lips as he stared at only kana.
it was safe to say that she is the only one that his eyes will ever look at in the most lovely of ways, and that she is the only person that he will ever smile at in the most sweetest. for kana, he can be whoever he wanted to be, and he can love as much as he wanted to be loved.
"that would be lovely, jiro." kana said, smiling back at him in the same lovely smile that she ever gave him when they first met— although this time it was more intimate, and much more filled with love.
"you gave me a new nickname."
"w-well... i wanted to call you something that only i can call you, so..."
"then perhaps you would want to call me your boyfriend?"
thump.
thump.
silence filled their table as both teens blushed at what shirabu kenjiro just uttered— something that kana never truly expected for him to say at that moment. if anything, even the second year male was surprised with how much braver he was with kana. if the two third years did not even give him the talk, he will probably stay crushing madly on her in secret.
if he were to choose between liking kana in secret and actually being able to express himself right in front of her, it was no doubt that he will choose to adore her freely. although it was such a very nerve-wracking step for him to actually admit how he feels, he was glad that he stepped out of his comfort zone which got them where they are right now.
"i... if you're okay with me, then... i suppose it's okay if you call me your girlfriend, too."
the guy wanted to cover his whole face with how warm it was— he wanted to jump around and slap himself so as to have himself woken up. not that he ever wanted to wake up anyway, if staying in this dream meant having kana as his girlfriend. it was such a shock to him that she would actually like him back, in the same way that it was a shock to her that her best friend actually reciprocates her long and supposedly unrequited love.
if she were to compare it to the mangas that she used to read back then, she would have just a couple of words in mind that relates to their situation— slow burn, oblivious, and special. all of it seemed to describe how their story unfolded, and how special it was to them. after all, they had each other's backs even before deciding that they actually liked each other in some way that was not platonic.
"are you being serious right now? kana, if you're kidding around, you'd better-"
before he could even finish his sentence, he was surprised when he felt something soft that came in contact with the corner of his lips.
something soft.
something...
my first kiss?!
"hah?!"
"sorry! you were just blabbering a lot and i didn't know how to shut you up..."
"kana... you're messing with my thoughts, what the-"
"would you like another kiss?"
shirabu kenjiro, although wanting to talk more, stayed silent immediately. he was way too embarrassed and his heart was beating way too fast for all of kana's shenanigans.
"maybe another time."
oh, did kana want to melt on the ground out of embarrassment— although being the first to tease. only when she fell silent did she realize something,
hold on... that was also my first kiss!