Before we begin this chapter.
I would like to show case @moqchee 's absolute copium. You may know them as the person who first illustrated scenes of this fic from the early chapters. They've done it again. But one of the art was just pure copium.
You'll see what I mean~ :)
Yes they illustrated the halloween booba scene-- AND GLITCHING AKIHIKO STILL GETS ME
Aka Akihiko's death via overdose of Bocchers milkers
but anyways! I present thee thy copium!
Dun-Dah-Dah-Dun!!!
Akihiko and Bocchi kissing? This is blasphemous against me since it's non-canon and Moqchee should repent!
I might just NOT make them kiss simply out of spite!
Moq, I love you, but you've crossed the line with this. You've doomed the ship. And the fic. I blame it all on you~
*Ahem*
Onwards to the chapter!
" Kenji, why're you following me to school--"
" Oh, nothing. Just thought I'd accompany my best buddy, y'know?"
"..."
" Say, why didn't you bring your bike?"
" Today is a Monday. Usually, Gotou-san and I would--"
" Fornicate behind the alleyways?"
" Wha--?! NO! "
" Ah, bad guess."
" We walk home together on Mondays, alright!"
" Eeehh~? I see...."
~~~~~~
I know I said that I'd confess even if I get rejected.
And I'm confident that there's a likely possibility that I'd be rejected and I'm fine if it comes to that but...
How....HOW EXACTLY DO I CONFESS?
Should I confess somewhere here at school? Do the classic ' call them alone to the back of the school and hit them with the confession' combo?
Come to think of it, that's what Mayafumi-san did.
But if I try to copy the same method as her, then won't that put a bad taste in Akihiko-kun's mouth?
That's, like , me basically saying to him that " Oh haha! Looks like I'm confessing to you at the SAME spot where you REJECTED that cute girl a few days ago! Surely, this is alright with you? "
YEAH THAT'S A NO--
'
Knowing Akihiko-kun, he'll just feel unsettled with that and maybe a little guilty since he doesn't like hurting people...
C'mon you useless brain! Think of something! I'm trying to confess to someone here that I like them-- not trying to give them PTSD!
It was still a good hour before our homeroom teacher should arrive. Still few students in the classroom, though as the minutes pass the amount of them only expands. I sat there in my assigned seat, spacing out, anxiously trying to rack up ways on how to confess whilst not looking like a total ***hole or creep!
Maybe try the " confessing under the legendary sakura tree " that's conveniently found in every school..?
I mean...there's literally one right out BACK. So I could actually--
Suddenly, I was pulled away from my thoughts and listened in on a conversation held by a few girl classmates.
" Hey, Nanami-san, how did your confession go?"
" Yeah, like, I'm curious about it too! You confessed at the Sakura tree last Friday , right?"
" Ahaha....about that, I got rejected..."
" Eh, really?!"
" You're not serious, are you?!"
The two girls who were asking their friend wore looks of utter disbelief at what she said. The girl named Nanami only wore a sad smile as she addressed what had happened a second time, to confirm. Again, they were in still in shock that the legendary Sakura tree behind the school wasn't fortunate as it had been said to be...
...
....
.....
I watched as the Nanami girl began crying in pain the more she talked about it.
T-That's going to be ME if I try that method, isn't it?!
Only difference is that nobody will be there to comfort me...
BECAUSE WHO IN THE WORLD IS GOING TO COMFORT A FRESH CORPSE?!
It seems like, all this time, even if I was ready to be rejected. It's not like I wanted to be rejected at all. God, I'm pathetic. I just....want Akihiko-kun to not only know my feelings, but to also return them. In other words, I....r-really...want to be with him as something more than just friends.
So embarrassing to think of that. And it's so depressing to wonder if I even really deserve that type of relationship, what have I achieved to warrant it? I thought I'd be dead-set on reaching my goals, or at the very least, bring Nijika-chan's dreams to reality. To become a super popular band. But...we're not even close to that yet. And I've only taken baby steps in my own development to become better than I was, and I still am not.
So when?
When will there be a time where I can be confident in myself, that I have done enough, just enough so that I can confess to him the best I can?
Just enough so that maybe...just maybe...I do deserve his love?
" Good morning, Gotou-san." As if on cue, his voice enters my space.
" G...Good morning!" I quickly tried to regain my sanity and returned his greeting with the same vigor.
I watched as Akihiko-kun pulled his chair and took his seat like usual. I tried to bury whatever thoughts I had before or else he'd see right through me. But one thought definitely stayed, the thoughts of that night.
Are things going to be...awkward again?
" Gotou-san, how are you? " I hear him ask. I turn to him only to see him staring right at me.
" I-I'm fine..." I answered meekly before shyly bowing my head in gratitude. " Thank you for taking me home last night..."
" I'm sorry if I troubled you again with my--"
" It's no problem." He assures me, calmly. " Besides, you were drunk last night from that spiked fruit punch. I had to make sure you got home safely."
" Right." I nodded again, but I still had more to thank him for. " You told my parents that it was only food poisoning, right?" I whispered so that only he could hear.
"..." His eyes widened a bit in suprise, it looks like he didn't expect me to find him out. He scratches his head as he chuckles. " I thought that'd work better for you."
" Thank you. You saved me from the panic from having to explain..." I placed a hand to my chest. " I almost got a heart attack the next morning when I thought they knew I was....err, drunk." I said, embarrassed.
" Well, I probably would've been put in a tight spot too if I'd told them the truth. I'm not sure they could trust me with you being drunk after all...." He says.
" What?" I looked at him as if he just grew another head.
" Why do you look so shocked?" He asked.
" It's just, " In that second I thought back to all the times he's helped me out of his own volition, and without failure. Before I knew it, the words just spilled out of my mouth.
" I think I can trust you with my body, Akihiko-kun."
It was then and there, that I accidentally implied something beyond this fanfiction's rating.
" W.....What?" Akihiko-kun uttered in shock, his eyes looking ready to bulge out from his eye sockets.
WHAT DID I JUST SAYYYY----?!?!?
Something must be wrong with me. Why did I say that?! Why didn't I notice sooner-- this impure brain of mine-- what were you thinking?!?!?
Haha....hahaha....
Hahaha....
I think this does it now...
" H...Here..." I handed Akihiko-kun my compass.
" Huh?" He looks to me confused, but I only stared him back with shame. " What is this for--"
" Here." I pointed to a vital point on my neck. " Stab it here, please."
" G-Gotou-san there's no need to take it that far. It was just a slip of the tongue, right--"
" I'd rather be dead now please. I think my trial of living has expired so just," I guided his hand( that was holding my compass ) towards the vital point on my neck. " Stab it here."
" G-Gotou-san, please don't!"
" Please, Akihiko-kun, just kill me--"
" NO-"
~~~~~~~~
" Sorry about that..." Bocchi murmurs, clearly remorseful of both her suggestive wording and attempt at suicide.
Akihiko sighs, she's been apologizing over and over the entire morning. It was lunch time now. She's got her bento out but she hasn't taken a single bite of it. Akihiko really worries about how Bocchi would function without her friends around, either she has other people punish her for her ' sins ' or she finds a way to punish herself as long as it's within human possibility.....or maybe even beyond that considering the other stuff she's done.
But right now, Akihiko brushes those thoughts aside. He picks up her sushi using his chopsticks and gently places it in Bocchi's mouth.
" ?! " Bocchi stiffens, suprised by the sudden move from Akihiko. He had quickly sneaked a sushi into her mouth at the precise moment when she was going to apologize for the 160th time today.
" Eat." He tells her, seriously. " If you want to say sorry, then eat. Keep yourself healthy."
She stares at him for a moment in wonder. Before her jaw began moving, and her teeth began chewing. It takes a moment for her to completely digest it, since she was still a bit flabbergasted by the boy's action. But while doing so, she noticed something quite unusual with her food...
It tastes better than before somehow.
"..." Bocchi inspects her container as if poison had been placed in it. But that wasn't the case, nothing has been placed, and even though she swears something tasted different about it-- it was most definitely not poison.
" Gotou-san?" Akihiko wears a questioning look as he ate his lunch. He noticed that she's been staring at her food in what seemed like confusion.
" Is everything alright?" He asked her.
That's what I'm asking myself here! Bocchi thought with even more confusion. But as the seconds pass, she began to piece the puzzle together and slowly began to form a rather outrageous theory. What if the food was amplified because....Akihiko fed it to her? Isn't that weird? She only got a similar feeling like this when her mother used to feed her when she was still a child. But right now, to be fed like that, as a girl in her late teens is just..... and don't even get her started on the fact that it's from a guy.
She shouldn't be pampered like that. At least, that's what she believes. Since in her perspective, she sees this as less of a mother feeding her child and more of an owner feeding his dog--
" Gotou-san? " Akihiko calls for her attention again.
Bocchi blinks, finding herself staring at him with a rather blank look.
"...Please eat." His brows scrunch in worry, " Lunch time is almost over and you wouldn't want to get yourself hungry during class, right?"
He's right, Bocchi thinks. No person in the world would want to starve in class of all places. But that theory is gnawing at her insides, begging her to test it, or else it'll only grow worse.
Quick! She must think of a way to solve this issue. A-S-A-P!
.
.
.
.
Haha! Guess I'll starve then. Bocchi concludes in less than 10 seconds.
In the span of those 10 seconds, she concluded that she might do something totally out of her boundaries if she were to eat her food. She might subconsciously act on her little theory, and it might leave Akihiko offended and that's something she DOESN'T want. But by choosing not to eat, he'll continue worrying for her and that's also something she doesn't want. And with this information in her socially anxious fingertips, she's decided...
To die of starvation--
" Gotou-san, if there's anything I can do for you so that you can eat. Then please ask." Akihiko suddenly pleads.
" Eh?" She looks at him in suprised, but he only stares her back with a determined expression.
" Ask me anything, absolutely anything. And I'll do it. But you'd have to promise me that you'll eat after I do it."
" W-What?! I can't possibly--"
" I don't mind! " He exclaims loudly, garnering a bit of attention from the many groups eating in the courtyard. Bocchi flinches, as she feels all eyes on the both of them.
Why did you have to yell that out loud--
Bocchi thought she'd melt from all their stares, but somehow she didn't. Rather, she felt like steel and a blazing resolve was suddenly ignited within her. And besides that, she was also reminded of her own resolve where she'd confess to him and finally lay her feelings bare. This is the perfect chance to make her move and push her theory.
"...Are you sure?" She asks just in case.
Akihiko nods.
" Then...can you feed me my food again?" She said in a quiet tone, closing her eyes shut as her face burns bright red.
Please don't do this to me, Akihiko begs in his mind as he feels himself faltering to her charm again. Why must she do this to him every single time? He swore to not feel anything for her, to not allow himself to feel anything beyond what they already have-- but he can't help it. He can't help but want more. To be more.
Again and again, she tests him. Again and again, he fails.
"...Alright then." Akihiko tries to put on his usual smile as he slowly picks up her food with his chopsticks and slowly feeds it to her again.
Her lips graciously partake of it, and he felt himself frozen as he stared at her lips with the sense of familiar temptation to just....claim it. But it only lasted for a minute before he quickly began reprimanding himself for having such impure thoughts of Bocchi. He mentally punches himself like a punching bag.
Bocchi chews it slowly, her theory slowly confirming itself with this.
It tasted extra good because Akihiko fed it to her.
" Thank you." She says, feeling embarrassed. " Sorry if that was a weird request..." She avoided eye contact with him.
"..." She didn't hear a response from him.
The lack of response sent Bocchi's mind to overdrive.
Oh god, I messed up didn't I?!
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it--!
I shouldn't have made such a weird request...
Hitori, you idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot--!
Akihiko reaches his hand towards her.
" Eh?" Bocchi lets out a suprised sound when she felt Akihiko's fingers suddenly guiding her chin to face him.
" Akihiko--?"
" Eat." He says while holding her food with his chopsticks just like what he did earlier.
Eh? H-He's doing it by himself?! Bocchi was confuzzled beyond belief. Once again, her own over-the-top expectations proved her wrong, she was grateful for that of course but still confused.
" I said I'd do anything to make you eat," He begins to explain. " And you asked me to feed you. So that's what I'm going to do."
" We only have 15 minutes left." Akihiko grins. " Let's make the most of it, yeah?"
Bocchi did not expect it go like this. But she's elated that it has. So she sweeps a few of her loose strands before leaning towards his chopsticks and accepting the food into her mouth.
" Mm~!" Again, it tasted amazing.
.
.
.
" You too..." She says, doing the same action to Akihiko this time. Feeding him her food too.
" N-No, you don't need to--"
Maybe she was feeling bolder, or maybe she was just panicking, but she'd already shove the food into his mouth the moment he tried to deny her. Akihiko jolted, in fact he nearly choked, but he kept himself balanced in that moment.
She was looking at him expectantly. He wonders why. And in order to find that out, he just has to dance along to her groove...
"..."
He understands.
" It tastes good..." He muttered.
Bocchi smiles in relief. She clasps her hands in gratitude as she begins to thank the gods that he wasn't appalled at all.
Arigato, Kami-sama.... She mentally thanks.
Akihiko pauses, feeling a bit too at ease for a moment. As if there was no need to worry about anything else for now. He's letting his guard down, he's aware of it, and he isn't repelling himself from it. He isn't doing anything against that.
...
10 minutes.
10 minutes before lunch ends.
10 minutes where he can act like himself with her.
Just 10 minutes.... He repeats in his head.
" Want to try my food?" He asked.
She quickly nods, feeling delighted at the offer.
He repeats the action...
" It's good!" She says in amazement.
" Thank you. Cooked it myself." Akihiko laughs.
" It's really good." She praises with a genuine tone. Akihiko felt giddy from it, he couldn't lie. Hearing her say his cooking was good filled him with a certain pride.
" But your mom's cooking tastes better." Akihiko states, " After all, nothing can beat a mother's cooking."
Bocchi couldn't refute that, because it was simply the truth, indeed there's nothing in the world that could out-taste the feeling of home.
" I can't disagree..." She answers honestly.
" We have 9 minutes." Akihiko reminds her, " If you want to, we can just feed each other our food at a super fast pace."
" Like...a race?" Bocchi tilts her head.
" Yeah, sure. Let's go with that." Akihiko readies his chopsticks.
Bocchi puffs her chest, ready for the challenge....
~~~~~~~
Kita stood in the courtyard, staring at the pink haired introvert and her brown haired ' more than companions, less-than-lovers ' in silence as the former and latter were currently choking on the food they fed to each other.
" Wha....What even is this? " Kita asked with an unsure smile. She wonders if this is how the both of them flirt with one another. She knows Bocchi had zero game but she could've sworn Akihiko of all people would have potential....
Mayafumi also stood beside Kita with an even more confused expression.
Don't tell me that this is in preparation for when she's going to confess....? Mayafumi holds onto the copium that it isn't. Or maybe it is some bizarre ritual that only Bocchi knows, a ritual that could possibly increase the chances of having her feelings returned to skyrocket.
Mayafumi swears she's going to re-evaluate her life if that crazy theory is realized.
The bell rings....
[ Bocchi and Akihiko were late for class.]
[ Bocchi and Akihiko will now make sure to feed each other their food slowly the next time they do this. ]
~~~~~~
" I'll meet you outside, Gotou-san." Akihiko-kun gives me an apologetic smile. " I promised to help the guys in the soccer team, they've been begging me since the other week to at least provide them some tips."
" Will it take long?" I spurred out without even thinking. Akihiko-kun looked suprise when I had asked him that instead of just nodding and going along with it.
Why am I so bold today?!
As if a girl like me has the right to bend his time to my will--! Gods, the nerve of me!
I backtracked immediately before he could call me out on it.
" S-Sorry! I-I'll wait, please just take your time--!"
" I'll be quick."
" Huh?"
He gives me that bright smile I love.
" I wouldn't want to make a fair lady wait too long."
H..How...do you always say these things so effortlessly?
I couldn't give a response to that. Any word I try to utter next will only fall to comparison to that...
" I'll see you in a bit, Gotou-san." He finally departs from his seat and jogs out of class.
Meanwhile, it took me a lot of time to process what had just happened. He'll tugging my heartstrings oh so effortlessly...
Urgh! Curse you, Akihiko-kun!
Why must you be so good at dismantling me like this!!!
I swear, if I go home, take a bath, and during that bath I come up with an even smoother comeback to your reply which I could've used just now but couldn't because by then it's already too late and the moment's passed-- then I'm going to R.I.O.T!
~~~~~
During dismissal, Bocchi would usually just head straight home or wallow in self-pity at a nearby abandoned playground. But for the past few months, things have changed drastically. Now she's actually waiting for a person so they could walk home together, how crazy is that? For Bocchi it was more than just a milestone or an achievement in life.
It was a blessing.
" Gotou-san, what was that display I saw during the end of lunch time?"
Bocchi was quickly knocked out of her train of thought, she blinks three times, and finally registers Kita and Mayafumi's presence. The redhead stood there with a curious grin, while the latter girl looked astonished, and still in disbelief.
" Eh? What display?"
" Oh, you know, the one where you two began choking--" Kita didn't hesitate to answer and Bocchi spasmed.
" N-NEVERMIND! D-DON'T REMIND ME ABOUT IT!" The pinkhead covers her face in deep shame.
Kita giggles in amusement.
Mayafumi sighs.
" How about I lend you some of my best realistic romance mangas? Maybe it could give you an idea on how to confess to Akihiko-kun." she suggested.
" E-Eh...would that really work--"
" DO NOT DOUBT THE POWER OF MANGA!" Mayafumi aggressively states, causing a scared ' eep ' from Bocchi as she backed away in fear of being crushed for offending Mayafumi.
Kita raises a brow. " Even with that power, you got rejected right?"
" ?! " Mayafumi feels like she got stabbed right in the heart again.
" K-Kita-chan...you know?" Bocchi was suprised.
" She told me just today." Kita explains, " This girl was actually spying on you throughout the day and I was curious. She looked very guilty and I pressured her into telling me!"
" Kita-Kita's interrogation skills are always on point~!" She winks.
I'm even more terrified of you... Bocchi says in her head. Her bandmate is only growing stronger and stronger as time passes...
" Anyway, Hitori-chan, there's no need to listen to a girl who got rejected. Just follow your heart!" Kita beamed.
" A-At least I confessed to someone!" Mayafumi cried out.
" Sorry, Sorry, I was just teasing." Kita apologizes, patting the girl's back.
Kita was acting a bit too high and mighty when she's beyond obsessed with Ryou-san... Bocchi thinks.
" But in all seriousness, maybe you should consider taking Mayafumi-san's suggestion. One can learn plenty from books, and if her manga selection is as practical as she claims it to be; then it's worth a shot!" Kita is now encouraging the idea. Anything really, so long as Bocchi can finally confess before the fanfiction reaches chapter 50--
Sorry, things are getting out of hand.
Ahem.
Mayafumi recovers from her depression as soon as she heard Kita's support of her idea. She immediately perks up, back to her enthusiastic self as she nods her head vehemently as if marketing her products to her first client with desperation.
" Yes! I'll send you the physical copies by tomorrow, I'll bookmark the important points so you could understand the context before the confession-- but I highly recommend that you read it in its entirety so you can really feel the wholesome fluff between two leads who found each other, as if they were soulmates this entire time, overcoming any and every obstacle known to mankind--"
Suddenly Mayafumi was forcefully silenced with Kita's hand being shoved to her mouth. Only incoherent muffled noises were let out.
Bocchi was just confused.
Kita's eyes seemed to be focused on a certain someone approaching their vicinity. She smiles.
" Well, before Mayafumi-san goes full otaku mode on you. I'll take her and leave while you," She boops Bocchi's nose before pointing to Akihiko's approaching figure. " Deal with your lover boy."
" H-HE'S NOT--!"
" Not yet~" Kita teases and Bocchi fumes.
Kita quickly drags herself and Mayafumi away from Bocchi soon after. Bocchi watched as they distanced themselves, until Akihiko finally arrived to her side with a curious expression.
" Why is Kita-san dragging away Mayafumi-san like that?" He asked.
"I...it's nothing. I don't really know either." Bocchi lies.
" Well, shall we go then? Sorry to have kept you waiting." He turns to her.
Bocchi shakes her head. " I don't mind."
As they walked side by side in a comfortable aura, they finally reached the exit of the school gates. As they were about to make the usual turn towards the direction of their district, they were halted when a voice spoke out from behind them.
" Asachin! Gotou-chan! Over here!"
" Huh? Is that--"
" It's nobody, Gotou-san."
Akihiko smiles.
" Eh? But I'm pretty sure I just heard--"
" Gotou-chan! Asachin! Let's walk home together!"
"-- Sakurai-kun's voice--"
" Pfft, what? You must be imagining it. Oh! How about we start running?"
Bocchi was confused by Akihiko's sudden suggestion. She tries to turn around and confirm if it was really Sakurai calling the both of them, but then he felt Akihiko gripping her hand, causing her to freeze.
" H-Huh?"
" Let's run."
" B-But--"
Then they bolt.
Well, more like Akihiko was the one who bolted...
And Bocchi was just dragged along--
" ASACHIN! HEY! WHERE ARE YOU TWO GOING-- HOLD ON!!!!"
Exactly, where are we going?! Bocchi repeats that same question.
~~~~~~
" Damn it." Akihiko muttered.
Sakurai had caught up to them, the boy slinging his arm over Akihiko's shoulders. Trapping him successfully, preventing any escape.
It was a waste of energy, Akihiko already knew. After all, between himself and Sakurai-- the taller boy was the more athletically gifted individual with his tall height and impressive build. Along with his ' extra ' personality, running was something he could never hope to win against him on.
" Wew, that was fun!" Sakurai releases a sigh before eyeing him. " Now why did you run."
" Just felt like it." Akihiko answered. In all honesty, he really didn't want to have Sakurai butting into him and Bocchi's walk back home. Failing to prevent it would only lead to horrible future scenarios-- and he did indeed fail.
This is going to become a horrible future scenario.
" Oh and um," Akihiko cranes his head to the exhausted Bocchi. " Sorry for that, Gotou-san..."
" I...It's....fine..."
" No, you don't look fine." Sakurai remarks.
" What do you mean?"
" I look perfectly okay."
"..."
Her expression is anything but okay. The two boys thought simultaneously.
The boys just left it at that. From what they could observe from Bocchi's condition as of now, she was just tired. Running wasn't a good idea, and Akihiko regrets making such a spontaneous decision for his own selfish attempt to avoid Sakurai as much as possible.
" Still, that was selfish of me." Akihiko hands her his handkerchief. " Please use this..."
" ... " She silently accepts it and begins to wipe herself off of her sweat.
.
.
.
.
" Um...Sakurai-kun, if you don't mind me asking. Why're you all the way here?" Bocchi craned her neck in a curious manner. " Oreha is far from here, and you came on a school day. It must've been a long journey, right?"
" Oh that? Ah, right! Well, you see I'm actually staying over at Asachin's place over the week." Sakurai grins while Akihiko shoots him a bitter glance. Still not exactly sure of Sakurai's intentions of being here.
" Eh, really?"
" This guy over here arranged that without even giving me a heads-up." Akihiko palms his face, and heaving a sigh. " I'm still against it."
" So mean, Asachin!"
But then Sakurai visciously smirks.
" Or are you just pooped over the fact that I probably interrupted you and Gotou-chan having--"
" STOP IT! I TOLD YOU, NONE OF THAT IS HAPPENING!" Akihiko interrupts frantically.
Bocchi stares at them confused.
" Having what?" She dared to ask.
" Hehehe--" " Please don't ask, Gotou-san!"
While Sakurai only cackled, Akihiko was pleading.
Bocchi was still confused but she felt disappointment running through her at the moment.
She was going to talk to Akihiko and maybe address a certain topic pertaining to that alleged ' kiss' on the forehead he gave her, according to Futari....
But she guesses that this is not the right time to discern his true feelings for her now...
~~~~~~
" Looks like a cozy home." Sakurai comments as they drop Bocchi off at her house, finally.
" T-Thank you..." Bocchi said, though Sakurai must've been saying that just to be polite--
" I mean it, by the way." He breaks her expectations. He gives her a soft smile. " It's a nice home. Just from the looks of it, I can tell you have a nice family."
Wait till' you actually meet them... Akihiko mentally chuckles.
" Thank you, " Bocchi smiles before waving goodbye. " Thanks for walking me home."
She turns around, heading to her door.
" Sorry I butted into your romantic walk by the way~" Sakurai calls out.
" ?! " Bocchi disintegrates.
" G-Gotou-san?!"
~~~~~~
" You shouldn't have teased her like that." Asahi reprimanded Kenji.
" Sorry, I couldn't help myself!" Kenji laughed heartily. I sighed in response.
They were currently walking back to the direction of the apartment complex where he lives.
" So you're just going to attend school in Oreha, then come back here, for a week."
" Mhm."
" Isn't that a waste of gas?"
" Well, I have important business here. So sacrifices shouldn't come as a suprise. Besides, it's no problem for someone like me."
Ah, right. This guy is too rich to worry about the qualms of common folk...
Even when Akihiko's family was practically adopted into the Sakurai family. His mother made sure to keep their lives separated from theirs so as not to trouble them more than they already are. Thus, they lived off of mostly Fuyuko's salary while staying in the Sakurai household, but from time to time the Sakurai family gets pushy and forces them to accept the huge amounts of checks they gift them.
Really, they were too kind. And Asahi thanks Kenji and his family till' this day.
But those thoughts aside...
Akihiko glances towards Sakurai.
He's doing it again... Akihiko thinks.
Sakurai was discreetly looking around, especially at dark corners and alleys. As if he were searching for someone, or even expecting them.
He didn't think Akihiko would notice, but he was wrong.
.
.
.
.
" Kenji, is there something going on?"
" Huh?"
As Sakurai uttered that, he realized that Akihiko had long stopped walking beside him. He turns around only to see Akihiko standing a few centimeters away, wearing a serious expression.
" You've been looking around a lot the entire day," He begins to recount. " In dark corners or alleyways, or potential places a person could hide behind like a wall. It's as if you're expecting to find someone there."
"..."
Akihiko narrows his emerald eyes in deep suspicion.
" Something tells me there's something more than you're letting on. You came here for special business but now I wanna know what exactly that is." He says.
" ... "
Sakurai averts his eyes for a moment, wearing a look indicating he was contemplating on something. Akihiko won't lie, he feels a bit nervous touching upon the subject like this. It might be something completely serious or something absolutely comical-- you can never be too sure with a guy like Sakurai Kenji.
But it seems like things are leaning towards the former in a straight line. The vibe right now doesn't scream the usual chaos that Sakurai carries around with him everywhere, instead it feels deep and almost anxiety-inducing. Akihiko wonders if this is how Bocchi feels almost everyday? He concludes that it's horrible. Waiting anxiously and weighing in on your thoughts and crushed by the endless doubts.
As if putting Akihiko out of his misery, Sakurai releases a decisive sounding sigh.
" You caught me. Not only that, you're actually spot on with your theory. I am waiting for someone to show up here. That's the reason for my visit."
"...."
Now that leaves only one question.
" Who is it?" Akihiko asks.
"..."
" Kenji, who are you waiting for?"
" You might not like it if I tell you."
He couldn't possibly be... Akihiko had a deep pit feeling in his stomach. A dreadful aura infecting their once comfy atmosphere. There was only one person that Sakurai could be referring to....someone that Akihiko himself knows of...
" Tell me."
Sakurai sighs again.
"...Alright."
Akihiko needed to know.
He wants to be wrong.
" Ryuji plans to visit you."
" Y...You must be kidding..."
Sakurai denies it. He wasn't joking.
Akihiko's lips closed to a thin line at that.
He was right.
~~~ End ~~~
I'm sorry this chapter came out so late!
A placement exam is coming up this Wednesday and I....did little study and mostly played roblox--
But truthfully, I was just drowning in anxiety as to how I'll do in that exam. So I couldn't really focus on my chapters and publish because the only things going through my head is " Oh god I'm going to fail- " over and over. And yeah you get the point. :')
But miraculously, I managed to write this chapter within the day and publish it.
I won't update till' my exam is finished, so this fic will probably be placed on hiatus for....let's say 2 weeks. Since there's another exam on the week after this.
After that, I get a mini vacation break and I can upload plenty of chapters and possibly finish this arc and if I feel ambitious, maybe even two arcs within that time span of freedom.
But let's just hope for the best!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue looking forward to more!
This new OC introduction will be a bit tricky for me to write, so I'm also gonna use the time of NOT publishing to figure out how exactly I want this character to be portrayed properly on this fic the way I envision him.
Also before I go
Remember; The ship is doomed because of Moqchee. :)
See ya~