ALL NOVEL Chapter 10- Strangers
After parting ways from her Senpai, Kohana remained seated on the floor with her back pressed against the door, for a long time.
Remembering what happened today, she couldn't help but giggle and feel a little embarrassed.
Today, she had a list of events to think about. She saw her Senpai's different sides. The fake brave one inside the theatre was the sweetest treat to her eyes. He looked so adorable, that Kohana intentionally prolonged her stay. She just couldn't get enough of her Senpai.
Then, in the restaurant, she confessed to him, and by his reaction, it felt that her Senpai was far from being offended to be secretly watched by her. He was smiling warmly at her. He looked at her with those eyes which said, 'Kohana-chan really loves me, huh...'
"I do Senpai...I really love you!" She wanted to shout those words to him today. To declare how passionate she was for him. The feelings she had been hiding for long...she wanted to let it all out.
But not now. She would easily scare her Senpai away if her real self popped up. She couldn't let him see what the depth of her love was for him. The extent she could go to be with him.
"Hehe~" Looking at the picture she captured during this whole date, which easily exceeded two hundred, she couldn't help but giggle. Tomorrow is a home date, another opportunity to be with him.
'I wonder if you are excited about it as well, Senpai~'
***********
"Why are you here?" Katori reflexively frowned upon hearing that tone from Kazuki, but she wore a mask of being pitiful and asked him,
"How have you been, Kazu-kun? Since yesterday...you never contacted me." She inched closer and, like always, held his hand, which was hanging by his side.
Her eyes radiated such innocence that even the coldest being in existence would have knelt before her.
However, all Kazuki possessed right now was pure indifference. He slowly removed his hands from her hold while he uttered, "Isn't it weird for you to care about me? The person who harassed you?" His tone leaked with fake sarcasm and his eyes grew darker with an unfamiliar emotion.
Katori was stunned by his cold tone; the old Kazuki would have been overjoyed just to see her visit. However, the current Kazuki was nothing like that.
He...he was rejecting her presence.
Her eyes became red and tears threatened to spill as she said in a shaky voice, "I was worried for you...worried that you might *sniff* end up doing something..."
"Why would I? I ain't guilty since I never did something bad. It was you and the whole school who declared me guilty." Kazuki shrugged, not understanding what she was trying to imply here.
....he would be lying to say that he didn't feel anything by witnessing her current self. His hands trembled, and for a moment, he nearly lost his control. However, before he could have taken another step, the smile of a certain water boy flashed by his eyes and he woke up from his trance.
'What was I even thinking? To cheat on Kohana-chan?' For Kazuki, that would have been an actual reason to feel guilty.
Katori didn't raise her head. She knew that Kazuki was hurt and the plot had shifted. She shouldn't have slapped him yesterday, she admits.
However, accepting defeat was not something she ever learned.
With her head lowered, she said, "I wish I had talked things out with you..." Slowly raising her head, she weakly grabbed his sleeve before asking, "...will Kazu-kun talk things out with me?"
"No."
The instant rejection was probably the most shocking thing she had ever faced. Her eyes widened as, for a whole minute, she couldn't utter her next words.
Kazuki heaved a sigh, clearly getting a little tired of this pointless conversation, so he told her, "Listen Katori, I know a misunderstanding happened between us, but I don't feel we could ever get back to where we were-"
"Why?!" With her head lowered, she nearly shouted—startling Kazuki.
Her shoulders were trembling as she lifted her head, and with her eyes brimming with tears, she asked, "What just happened because of a single slap that you now are ignoring me?! Have I not forgiven your misdeeds in the past?! Then why can't you?"
Kazuki's eyes, which previously held some emotions now turned completely blank.
In a quieter tone, he said, "If you had felt the same way as I did yesterday by my mischief, then you are foolish to tolerate me for this long."
Seeing him walking away, Katori hurriedly turned and held his hand before hugging it tightly, "Please don't leave me, Kazu-kun. Let's talk things out. I am sorry. I really am! So please don't leave me."
Kazuki didn't turn to look at her, and while he removed himself from her hold he straightforwardly told her, "We are nothing but strangers now, Nanase-san. So let's not come in each other's way anymore."
Saying so, he finally removed her hand and walked inside the building.
Katori burst into tears and fell to her knees while crying. Many people tried to comfort her or ask what happened but she didn't say anything and continued to wail.
Finally, a person arrived in a rush to the scene and crouched down in front of Katori, "Katori?! What happened? Did you come to see him?!"
"Ko-kun!" Katori wrapped her hands around his neck, and after embracing him, she continued to cry again.
Kohta clenched his fist in annoyance as he looked up at the building and some words left his lips,
'You shouldn't have done this!'
What none of the three noticed was a person who was hiding in the alley just opposite the apartment building. What was strange about that person except for their clothes was the big camera in their hands with which they recorded everything.
This was going to be fun~
*********
A/N:- I had it in me. This drama thing. I just suppressed it for a long time. Drop a comment.