TWENTY-THREE

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The day went by more quickly than I was expecting, and before I knew it, it was time to speak with Kiyo—uh, Sakusa. I was taken aback at how nervous I was about talking to him again, and my heart raced with anxiety.

"Hype me up, babes," I asked Kira and Yuji, leaning in with an eager grin.

"Yes, bestie, you can do it," Yuji cheered, their enthusiasm contagious.

"I've found myself a girlfriend," Kira suddenly exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.

"YOU WHAT. ARE U FR? OMG AAAA I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU," I exclaimed, unable to contain my joy as I jumped up and down in excitement for my friend.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way, I'm all hyped up," I declared, refocusing on the task at hand.

"Now, don't be a simp for you know—," Yuji warned, their tone teasing but with a hint of sincerity.

"Who's a simp?" Komori piped up suddenly, joining the conversation unexpectedly.

"No one, Mori," I replied quickly, hoping to divert attention away from any potential drama.

My pulse beat with anticipation as I headed to the designated meeting place. I plucked up the bravery to approach Sakusa and gave him a little tap on the shoulder to catch his attention.

"Hey," I greeted, my voice filled with a mix of nerves and determination.

"Y/N. I have to tell you something," he replied, his tone sincere, though he didn't even bother with the usual pleasantries. But in that moment, none of that mattered.

-

Sakusa's voice faltered for a moment, as if he was searching for the right words to express the weight of his emotions. He collected his thoughts throughout the long, expectant quiet that spanned between us.

"I've been thinking a lot about... well, everything," he began tentatively, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. "And I've come to realize how much I regret... how I treated you."

His eyes met mine, with regret and longing in a single glance. It seemed as though he was revealing his vulnerabilities to me, baring his soul. "Maybe I really was the one who was ignoring you back then, pushing you away."

His words gradually broke down the barriers I had built around my emotions, hitting me like a soft wave. It was a side of him I had never seen before; it was surprising, real, and vulnerable.

He paused, looking into my eyes as though he was seeking for the right words to express what was on his mind. I was struck by the level of passion that his hesitancy showed. It spoke volumes.

"I've spent so long trying to bury my feelings, to push you away," he began, his voice soft yet filled with a quiet intensity. "But I can't deny it anymore. I've realized how much you mean to me, how much I need you in my life."

His words lingered in the atmosphere, filled with unsaid feelings. I felt his confession weighing heavily on us, enveloping us in an envelope of mutual sensitivity.

"I'm done hiding from the truth," he continued, his voice gaining strength with each word. "I love you,
Y/N. I always have, and I always will."

I couldn't help but cry as I listened, moved by the depth of his emotions and the courage it took for him to share them. I knew then and there that we would both be alright and that everything would work out.

"If I never ignored you, we wouldn't have ended up like this. I cherished every moment I've spent with you. When you left, I felt like a part of me was gone. I missed you dearly for God's sake."

His words hung heavy in the air, filling the space between us with a newfound sense of clarity and understanding.

"I like you. In fact, I love you. This might sound cheesy, but I think I'm in love with you. I want to spend my whole life with you. I know, it's weird that germs scare the living shit out of me, but you never thought differently about it that way. I've never felt like I needed to love someone, but when I met you, that changed. I learned that everyone in this world needs to find love. At least that's what you taught me."

I was surprised and shocked by his confession. How could I describe it? I never thought he could be this... expressive. I had not seen that side of him before, and it brought a warmth to my heart that I had not had in a long time.

"I'm- I don't know what to say I-," I managed to stammer out, struggling to find the right words to express my own emotions.

"Look, I just needed to get it off my chest. I understand if you no longer want to be friends with me or if you reject this confession. It's perfectly fine," he stated, his voice filled with resignation.

"Wait- wait, who said I was going to turn you down?" I interjected, cutting off his train of thought before he could spiral into self-doubt.

He looked at me, his eyes wide with surprise and hope, but before he could respond, I took a step closer, closing the distance between us.

"Did you really think I lost feelings for you?" I asked softly, my heart pounding in my chest as I awaited his response.

-

As he poured his heart out to me, I couldn't help but feel a rush of emotions swirling inside me. His confession was raw, sincere, and unexpected. But as he spoke about regretting how he treated me and his newfound realization of his feelings, I felt like I needed to share my own truth, too. It's about time.

"Sakusa, I... I've liked you too," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I never had the courage to say anything because I thought... I thought Emiko was the one you liked."

His eyes widened in surprise, and he reached out to gently cup my face in his hands. "Y/N, no," he said softly, his gaze intense as he held my cold hands. "Emiko is just a childhood friend, nothing more. I never had feelings for her. It's always been you. In fact, she even gave me a shit ton of advices on how I should confess to you.."

My heart skipped a beat as his words washed over me, filling me with a sense of warmth and relief. All this time, I had been holding back, convinced that he harbored feelings for someone else. But now, hearing him set the record straight, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

"I loved you all along, Y/N," he continued, his voice filled with conviction. "And that's that."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but honesty and love reflected back at me. In that moment, I knew that we were meant to be together, that our love was stronger than any doubts or misunderstandings.

"Kiyoomi," I whispered, unable to contain the overwhelming surge of emotions welling up inside me. "I love you too."

a/n:
cheesy aaafffff

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