fever dream | miyamura izumi

twelve

The weekend after the festival was quiet.

It wasn't the peaceful or serene kind. It was the quiet that left Kisa feeling empty and lonely and confused and sad and... abandoned.

Every time she would try and distract herself to think of something other than him, he would creep into her mind like toxic fog, and she was left staring off to space, just wondering.

Why did he block me?

Does he hate me?

And the one question that haunted her the most: Is he hurt?

Kisa contemplated going to see him and getting answers. She was never that forward of a person, and to be truthful, she was afraid of confronting him.

It hurt that he blocked her and she wouldn't know what to do with herself if she showed up and he told her they couldn't be friends.

She decided that she would face Miyamura at school. It gave her the time to clear her head and prepare for the worst. And if he rejected their friendship then she wouldn't have to walk away from his house with her tail between her legs like a kicked puppy.

Kisa busied herself in the meanwhile, cleaning up the house (her father wasn't home), and studying. When she saw a funny picture on the Internet she itched to text Miyamura— it was almost an instinct—but obviously she couldn't.

Instead she messaged Minako, who gave her advice on what to do.

I'm sure Hori made him block you, she assured. Don't stress, Miyamura wouldn't end your friendship over this. Talk to him.

When Monday rolled around, nervous butterflies swarmed Kisa's stomach at the anticipation of seeing him. It felt like years since she met his crystal eyes, and everything about him felt far away.

Walking into class, her gaze went directly to Miyamura.

Who had a yellowed bruise on his jaw.

Hori did hurt him.

Why did I let him go with her? I'm a bad friend. No wonder he ghosted me, I would block me too. I stood by and did nothing, even though he protected me from my father. What is wrong with me?

Miyamura looked at her for a second, making Kisa's heart drop to her stomach. He turned away immediately, as if her stare burned him.

Pushing aside the fear in her chest, she walked up to his desk with shaking hands and noted the way he froze up at her approach.

"Izumi... Um hi... is everything-"

"You have some nerve talking to him," A shrewd voice interrupted, and Kisa slowly turned in fear to face Hori. "And don't call him Izumi, it's Miyamura to you."

Kisa clenched her fists, fire stirring in her stomach. "You didn't even hear him out, did you?" Kisa accused.

Miyamura tensed up in his seat, keeping his eyes on his hands resting on his desk.

"Are you serious? I know everything I need to know. You're a no good slut who went after my boyfriend, Takagi Kisa," Hori spat, and murmurs spread out through the classroom. Kisa's cheeks burned as she felt the stares of every student in the room on her.