-Maika's POV-
I woke up to a sound asleep Minato, looking so safe and calm compared to yesterday. After the endless amount of Minato's passionate kisses, I made sure I never let him go throughout the entire night as we slept peacefully. Looks like he felt good cuddling me to sleep.
"I'm glad you slept well..." I muttered to myself as I touched his face lightly.
"Hmm..." Minato's hand reached out for mine, which was caressing his face and locked them together.
"You're awake?" I asked gently.
He slowly batted his eyes open like a sleepy cat...
"M-Maika." I'll never get tired of this husky voice I hear in the morning.
"I'm sorry for last night." He grabbed my waist, as his face landed on my chest.
"What are you sorry for?" I chuckled as I stroked through his hair.
"I...kissed you so many times, I'm sorry if it was overwhelming."
"That's nothing to be sorry about." I giggled.
"I...like seeing a new side of you, y'know?"
"The raw and intense Minato..."
He looked up with soft puppy eyes and I gave him a smile.
"Feeling better?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Let's have a feast after school today!" I beamed.
"W-Wait, speaking of school..." He paused.
"OH MY GOD, we're going to be late!" I flipped the blanket off us immediately.
• • •
-Minato's POV-
Ren avoided me the whole day...
It's his first time behaving like this. No matter what happens, he would always go back to normal after a day.
It's okay, Maika said I should give him time. Well, I definitely should.
"Minato~"
My eyes widened at Maika's voice.
"O-Oh, hey."
"We're going for a feast!" She beamed excitedly.
"Oh, yeah. Let's go." I smiled at the sight of Maika trying to cheer me up.
She whisked me through and we ended up at my favourite restaurant.
"Gotta eat well no matter what, okay?"
My heart felt so warm at the thought of her doing this just so she could make me feel better. I can't let Maika's efforts go to waste.
"Minato, what do you feel like eating?" She asked as she flipped through the menu.
"Hmm...I think I want the hamburg steak."
"Oh yes, I know you love that!"
Maika's so excited today...it's cute.
"What about you?"
"I want fries!"
"That's all?" I frowned in amusement.
"Hmm..."
"Eat more, you'll get hungry." I leaned forward and ruffled her hair.
"I'll get the club sandwich with fries then." She looked at me with enthusiastic eyes.
"Good." I grinned.
The waiter came and took our orders. As we were waiting, I noticed Maika staring at me.
"Maika?"
"Hm?" She was still staring at me.
"W-What's up?" I tried to avert her gaze.
"Just looking at how handsome my boyfriend is." She replied, with one hand on her chin.
I bit my lips nervously. My heart...can't take it when she teases me like this.
"Okay, I'll stop teasing you." She chuckled.
"I know what's bothering you..."
"Just wait a little more...you'll be able to talk to him."
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." I reached out for her hand.
"I want to enjoy my time with you...so don't leave me alone today, okay?" I requested.
She takes my hand in hers gently.
"You betcha."
Oh...that cute grin, I would never get enough of her.
• • •
With a happy tummy, we walked down the streets, stopping by shops that caught our eyes.
"Akiyama-chan."
My eyes diverted to the group of students from another high school, who called out to Maika.
The look on Maika's face...
I don't think this is a good thing. It seems like she knows them and she doesn't want to see them.
"I have nothing to do with any of you." She grabbed my hand, ready to leave.
"With that attitude, you'll never make friends, Akiyama-chan." A girl from the group scoffed.
I felt Maika gripping tightly onto my hand, like she was containing her emotions. I gave her hand a little squeeze, hoping to remind her that I am here for her.
She looked up to me and smiled a little.
"Let's go." She ignored the stare that was on us, and headed towards the opposite direction from them.
I followed along, and we reached an empty park, away from the streets.
She plopped down on the bench, looking kind of gloomy all of a sudden. I sat down beside her quietly while my eyes never left her, thinking of what to say that would make her feel better.
Meeting that bunch of people must have affected her...
"I'm sorry, Minato."
"Eh?"
"I'm supposed to cheer you up today but...I'm kind of perplexed about how I feel right now."
"It's okay, Maika..." My eyes softened.
She still thinks about me even though she's clearly upset...It's my turn to make her feel better then.
"Who are they?" I asked.
"They used to be my friends from junior high."
"Funny, huh? To think I had 'friends'." She chuckled with a bitter tone.
"Well, it didn't last long anyway."
She let out a sigh.
I caressed her hand and just looked at her patiently instead of saying another word. I know Maika would speak out her thoughts if she wants to.
"Y'know...I don't believe in things like ride or die."
"Or...forever."
"I hate the thought of being abandoned, by anyone. That includes friends."
"I've always felt that no one would like my true self."
"Usually, people don't have enough patience to deal with me, y'know?"
"I'm emotional and complicated."
"I've had my heart torn apart so many times that I don't know how to believe in people anymore."
"They left me when I got upset at one of their insensitive jokes."
"It made me feel that I couldn't even express how I feel without getting my heart trampled on."
"If they truly cared about me, wouldn't they get worried when I feel hurt? Instead, they got angry and ditched me instead."
"I hate that I would always be the one who wants to hang on to something. I'm always the one wanting to keep things together."
"They were fine without me, but for me? They were the only friends I had in school."
"If only they knew how I was actually dying for someone to just care about how I feel."
Damn...my heart literally aches as I listened to her. Maika's such a wonderful person...she doesn't deserves to feel this way. For her to be expressing these thoughts to me must have been so tough...
Even though we've been together for a long time now, but things like these are never easy to be spoken about.
I know the roots behind Maika's insecurity...her parents abandoned her, all the more when her friends leave her, she would lose faith inevitably.
She might not believe in forever but...I believe in my forever. She's my forever. I'll always chase after her, I'll never want to leave her alone when she needs me.
-Maika's POV-
"H-Hey..." Minato propped me forward, wrapping his arms around my shoulder.
He didn't say much but I could feel that he was there for me, every second as I breathe.
"It's okay, Maika. You don't have to force yourself to believe in people."
"Because...your heart would naturally do it when you meet the right ones."
"So...trust your guts like you always do."
"That's what been getting you through, right?"
I nodded.
He's right.
"Aren't you...sad that I said all of that in front of you?"
"Like...we're together and yet I still don't believe in forever."
"Feeling that way doesn't mean you don't have faith in me. You're just expressing how you feel, you even gave me the reason behind why you feel this way."
"That's amazing. You're so aware of your own feelings."
"Also...I understand why you would have that insecurity. I'm accepting that, y'know?"
"W-What?"
"I'm serious." His palm held my face gently while his thumb caressed my cheek repeatedly in a slow and soft motion.
"Meeting you...is the best thing that has happened in my life." I snuggled up to him.
"You're the first person to have accepted me wholeheartedly. You never once judged me for anything, you would always listen to my worries and thoughts. What more could I ask for?" I smiled.
"I might not believe in forever but...I really want you to be my forever..." I sighed a little.
"You're right..."
"There might not be a 'forever'..."
"We wouldn't know what would happen in the future."
"And it's going to take the both of us to keep it going."
"But...Maika, in my heart, you're my forever."