~ You decide to go and try finding Mika ~
"Mika...!" – your voice faded away engulfed by the noisy atmosphere, as his slim figure disappeared from your sight. And Mika was nowhere to be seen.
You sighed deeply.
The cotton candy in your hand began melting; sweet droplets dripping on the ground in a steady rhythm alike those tears you saw in Mika's gorgeous eyes. You stared at the dripping candy in a trans, your mind going over many things at once.
Should I call him and ask him where he went? – No, he probably won't pick up.
Should I ask someone if they've seen him? – No, that could take a lot of time considering the crowd and the fact that he might've gone to a more remote area when not many people could see him.
Is it best if I just go back and... leave him be for tonight...?
You shook your head.
Not a chance. He's supposed to have fun tonight. There's no way I'll let him ruin his mood.
I'm going after him.
You began pacing in the direction where you lost sight of Mika, following along the tiled path into the park. Not many people were around due to the main party being in the opposite way of where you were headed, so the search for him was fairly easier.
Or so you thought.
The path and your surroundings were pitch black, the only light you could perceive was the one which pushed and managed to reach through the dense park vegetation. Your only navigation were the tiled pavements which crisscrossed from time to time, in some time leading you back to the concert stage.
The slight confusion caused by the unexpected location you found yourself at was replaced by concern which started pouring into your heart as if from a water spring. You bit your lips in though.
WHERE COULD HE BE?!
I couldn't have missed some hidden path or something, right? He probably has no reason for going deeper into the park anyway. It's dark and he's quite frightful.
As you tried to ease yourself, a random idea emerged in your head and your feet automatically moved towards the backstage, speeding up with every other step taken. You circled behind the colorfully lit stage and headed towards the small shed hidden in the murky shadows of the trees.
Your steps quieted down as you slowly approached it and peeked through the smeared windows. A figure was visible within, someone sitting on the ground amidst he messy boxes with their back leaned against one of them and knees clutched in an embrace.
You pondered what to do for a second.
It was obviously Mika, you had no doubt. But, what kind of entrance should you make was the dilemma.
Should you knock on the window and wait for a response or just casually walk in through the door? Maybe just walking in casually could disturb or freak him out. Better play safe.
However, before you had a chance to act, the figure flinched and curved into a ball, stiffening.
"Go away!" – you head a weak yet demanding voice coming from inside.
"Mika, it's me." – you said softly. "Can I please come in?"
Silence.
"Ok." – his voice was heard and you opened the door, walking in. The shed was small and cramped with cardboard boxes stored on many levels, with the only source of light being the two windows which weren't covered by boxes.
The deaf silence greeted you once again, as you made your way through the piled cardboard boxes and kneeled opposite of Mika. You placed your hands in your lap and attempted to sneak a glance at his eyes, which he successfully hid out of your sight.
"Mika," – you carefully said – "I know that Shu not being around hurt you. I understand the feeling when the person which means to you the most won't be a part of the crowd. It's happened to me before."
You swallowed the small lump in your throat when you recalled the memory. You, at the middle school 'Show Biz' project competition, in await of your parents. Attempting to spot them in the huge crowd of excited parents who came to see their kids' presentations. Though it was the most important thing for you, your parents apparently 'couldn't find enough time'.
And it hurt.
Although, when you got home that night, the first thing that was waiting for you was a tight and meaningful hug from your mum, an embrace which lasted for some time as she whispered words of apologies in your ear. You could see your dad through the door, seemingly proud and not wanting to disturb you two. You looked at their dark circles beneath the eyes, their messy hair and clothes.
And forgave them.
You suddenly shook your head and remembered you were saying something moments ago, continuing with a slight change in tone due to the unexpected shower of thoughts.
"But you should always know that there are many people who care for you. And sometimes, even if they don't show up doesn't mean they hate you or don't care about you."
Nonetheless, Mika still sat there motionlessly, his head lowered downwards and almost ignoring your presence.
"Talk to me." – you finally said after a few moments of silence.
"Well what do you want me to say? It's not like it'll make a difference in how I feel." – his words, heavy and distressed, hung in the air for a while after he said them. And he had a point.
"Well then," – you leaned forward in fast motion, pinning one hand against the cardboard box behind his back and swiftly lifting his chin up so that your eyes meet – "how do you feel?"
His eyes widened in confusion and unpreparedness, lips slightly parting in the same manner. "I... You... I-" – it was dark and you couldn't see well, but the room's temperature seemed to grow.
"Don't stutter, make up your mind." – you cut him off and were surprised to hear yourself speak in such firm way, especially to Mika.
He kept staring at your face, his eyes moving up and down indecisively. "Then..."
You intensified your gaze while he had his eyes anchored in yours, making you blush more and more with every second, as if you both finally becoming aware of the position you were in.
Just as you were about to pull away in apologies, feeling guilty for letting your intrusive thoughts win over you, Mika reached one hand at the back of your neck and leaned forward, closing in on you with a kiss. His tender lips gently touched yours for a few moments, before he pulled back and sat upright.
You kept blankly staring at him, your face completely flushed.
"There. That's how I feel."
The silence grew again, the only sounds audible being your intense breathing and the engulfed music coming from outside. Mika gazed at you in expectation, indifference reflecting in his sparkly eyes, as if attempting to predict your next move.
You leaned forward closing the gap between the two of you. He didn't seem surprised but rather expectant of the kiss you dived in for. You could taste the sweet flavor of cotton candy in his mouth while mildly caressing his lips, something which seemed more of a tease.
Unexpectedly and yet without breaking the kiss, Mika suddenly pushed you backwards and you found yourself in a sitting position while he hovered over you, his knees pinned at both sides of your legs and his hand still at the back of your neck. You were supporting yourself with your own hands beneath your back leaned backwards, falling prey to his sudden dominant side.
The measly kiss you offered him at the beginning had become something passionate and contagious, thus rendering you immovable. Suddenly Mika quickly pulled away, curving into a ball once again and turning his back at you.
You took your time to slowly sit up, leaning onto a box behind you and examining Mika's reaction the whole time. Your brain finally began processing information again, and you felt heat rise up through your body.
AHH WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
You shifted in your place, suddenly remembering that Mika will now probably be accusing himself of making moves on you even if you didn't get to actually confess your feelings for him.
You opened your mouth, taking a deep breath. "I... I liked that."
"I'm glad we came clear, then." – is all he answered.
"Do you want to head back at the party? I'm sure everyone can't wait for the firework show, and we need to take all of these boxes out of here."
"Speaking of which, Y/n," – he finally looked at you again – "how did you know I was here?"
You chuckled. "I figured you'd like to be alone yet safe in the darkness, and then remembered how fond you seemed of this shed when the workers were delivering the firework boxes here."
Mika seemed amused. He smiled at your remark with a witty snort. "I knew you were too smart for this. I really can't hide from you, can I?"
Then he stood up, extending his hand to help you up. You took it and stood up on your feet, the feeling of weakness in your knees still lingering around.
"Out of all people," – Mika said with his gaze glued to yours – "I'm glad I fell for you."
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Hello everyone! As busy as I am with all of the first term tests at school, I have decided to rush all of the parts this last week and even try my hand at writing some Christmas surprises for you all who've supported me~ (I will post them before 2022 ends I PROMISE)
I'm really grateful and never even thought my story would get 1k+ reads, let alone that I'll be receiving comment notifications by people who've enjoyed. You have no clue how much it means to me <3
If anyone ever wishes to send me their feedback about any of my stories or just ask me some questions, you can always go to <Conversations> on my profile and post a message there which I'll do my best to answer as genuinely as I can.
Thank you for your support again and stay tuned for some Christmas and Valentine's Day surprises ;)