As Teru guided you down the stairs with a hand wrapped around your waist still, it was completely silent. None of you spoke, it was eerily quiet in the stairwell except for the footsteps of yours, Teru's and Kous.
You could only imagine how Kou is feeling right now so you looked behind you once you got on a flat platform for a quick glance and Kou was looking down and had a nervous frown while his hands were balled into a fist. He admired his brother deeply and he could only guess that he wanted to talk because of what happened with Hanako.
Although your opinion on Teru has changed since the talk in your bedroom, he can still be scary and strict at times and you hopes he wouldn't be too hard on Kou.
Teru turned once we reached the first floor and leaned against the wall of the staircase, still holding onto you. You leaned against his shoulder slightly as Kou faced the two of you, more so Teru, nervously at what he was going to say
You looked at Teru and he looked completely stoic, not a smile or a shine in his eyes in sight. A shadow was casted over his eyes and it made his figure seem even scarier. The lighting didn't help at all as well, it was dark expect for a hanging light on the ceiling—but it didn't do much to help light up the place.
There was a tension until Teru spoke up, "What do you think you're doing, Kou? You're supposed to exorcise the Seven Wonders as soon as you find them... right?" He said with furrowed brows and a frown and his hold on your waist tightened.
Kou, who was standing straight with his arms on his side nervously, looked down sadly. He didn't have anything to say back and you looked at him in concern.
Teru continued after some time when Kou didn't say anything, "I've tolerated them this far because they weren't fetal harm to students." He admitted "But lately, I've noticed a change in these pesky apparitions. The Seven Wonders are the most powerful which also makes them the most dangerous. I think we'd be smart to cut them off while we can." You looked at him with mouth slightly agape in shock.
Kou flinched at his words but quickly composed himself "Yeah but, it seem like Hanako hadn't been doing the things that normal jerk apparition usually do." He murmured, defending them. "It still pissed me off that he hangs out in the girls bathroom but he's not hurting anyone. He's actually helped me and the other students a lot." He said with a small smile and blush in thought. "Maybe he's changed...?"
Teru scoffed, and you had a feeling what he was going to say so you brought up your right hand near your face, awaiting his next words. "Don't even. There is no such thing as a good apparition, Kou." You looked at Teru in worry, he didn't even look pissed off, just emotionless.
"I know, but he's..." Kou looked to the side, going back to a nervous state.
"You know what Hanako has done in the past, and now he's been stalking [Y/N] in the hallways." He said coldly and his hold on your waist tightened as he brought you closer to him, near his chest."
Kou stammered incoherent words at that, in shock, you looked at him worried, I guess he had no idea.
But before Kou could answer, Teru spoke again, "I let you take the lead on this because I hoped it would help you grow as an exorcist." He confessed and turned away from him and rubbed your waist to hopefully calm himself down "But it looks like I was wrong" he said disappointingly and began walking slow steps and you let out a gasp at his words at how he can say such a thing to his brother. "Do me a favor and stay away from the Seven Wonders. I'll take care of it from here on out." He stopped in his steps.
Kou came back to his senses after processing and grabbed onto his shoulder "Wait! Just give me some more time!" He looked at Teru desperately and Teru gave him an awkward smile.
He sighed and closed his eyes with a smile still on "Fine, I'll let it slide" he caved in and placed his free hand atop Kou's head "But don't make an idiot out of me. Take care of your responsibilities."
You smiled at the sight, you're happy he was able to be soft on his brother again. Kou looked up at him happy that he was given another chance and nodded. But before he can say anything excitedly, Teru opened his eyes to look at him with a serious face again.
"Tell Hanako to stay away from [Y/N]. And make sure he knows it's coming from me." He said with a flat tone and nobody moved, you looked at him with shaky eyes and a small blush. He was sort of handsome when he was serious and protective like this.
Kou looked at him but nodded with a weary smile.
"Very well, we'll be off—"
"Actually I'll talk to Kou for a little bit then I'll catch up with you outside of the classroom, okay?" You asked Teru who looked at you stunned but smiled and nodded and turned, and walked his way to class.
You turned to Kou and tilted you head at him, he was looking down, he was probably expecting another scolding, poor boy, you giggled at him which made him look up. Placing your hands on his shoulders he looked up at you expectedly.
"Don't worry, Kou. I'm not here to punish you, I just want to tell you that it's very sweet of you that you want to try again just to make your brother proud." Looking at him with a genuinely happy smile, and he looked at you with stars in his eyes. "But please don't take what he says to heart sometimes, he only said what he said because he cares about you a lot—he just does it in his own special way, even if it can come off as mean it's not supposed to be, it just how he is. He's a kind honorable guy, and so are you." You finish.
Kou looks at you with a very flushed face and rubs the back of his neck shyly. "D-Don't worry big sis, I know—but thank you!" He says shyly with closed eyes and you giggle again at his flustered state. He looks at you again and stares for a couple seconds before asking, "Big sis," he asks and you him confused in response, "Do you... like my big brother like that finally?" He asks confused and brought a finger to his chin.
You looked at him appalled and fake coughed into your hand, feeling slightly flustered. "W-Well I like him a bit more than before, he's more tolerable than before." You said "So yes... I guess I do like him a bit more, he's kind and caring to me a lot." You said bashfully while thinking back to when he defended you to your parents, and how unafraid he was, and as well as the conversation in your bedroom where he confessed he cared about you before the arranged marriage, meaning he didn't defend you and wasn't caring for you just for show.
Kou smiled as he looked at you deep in thought, you were fiddling with your fingers while a smile and a soft blush was plastered onto your face "He cares about you a lot you know? More than you think, probably." He said lowly with a smile.
You looked at him directly with soft eyes and a smile and blush still on, "Yeah... I know."
You happily walked to your class where Teru was waiting for you after you finished your conversation with Kou. Students around looked at you softly and whisper to each other.
"Wow! She looks so happy doesn't she?"
"She seems even more princess like than before!" Another said dreamily.
"Was Teru really that go-" a student said but was cut off with a loud smack, to which you ignored.
Once you made it to class, you made eye contact with Teru who was leaning on the wall waiting for you. Once he saw you, he smiled and didn't stop even when you were directly in front of him where you both stared at each other for a little bit longer with smiles. To other student it might've looked either creepy or cute.
"So what did you and Kou talk about." He asked lowly so no one else could hear, and you were thankful your classmates who were outside as well, were standing far enough to not hear him. His hand went to hold yours up in the air, palms against each other.
"Nothing, just about you." You responded softly as you kept staring into his blue eyes dreamily. Not daring to love your hand away from him.
"Nothing bad I hope." He joked and laughed, you could hear a couple students swoon at his laugh, and thankfully not your conversation which they couldn't hear.
"Trust me, it wasn't." You reassured and your smile grew, you put your finger down in between his, interlocking them. Teru looked at you stunned but smiled again as a blush appeared and put his fingers down on your hand, gripping your hand gently.
A/N: this one's a lil longer than the rest🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️
Ex texted me and I'm PRAYINGGG we get back together ik they miss me cus their bestfriend even told me to text them cus they're too sad and my ex is in wrestling so their too sad to even go to practice or the gym WHIXH THEY LOVE??? 🙁🙁So I want to try to talk to them one on one cus even though we aren't together anymore and they did stuff to me I still care about them and I still think of them as my sweet caring beautiful baby🩷🩷❤️ (which is corny and cringey but idgaf cus theyre my fav person)(and I'm also not gonna name drop their name cus I'm scared cus some of yall know my insta and I'm scared you'll find them🙁)