Dandelions | Yuki Ishikawa

Meet Kasumi

Time passed and I slowly healed, well, my bruises healed. Yuki and I are in some sort of... uhh... relationship? I don't know what to call it. We're not going out, we don't have a label, we just kind of.. uhmm.. hit it off? Mutual understanding? I don't know how to explain it.

"When?" Shimada-san asked as we started our study session that Friday afternoon.

"When what?"

"You and Ishikawa, is that why you said no to me?"

I looked through some of the problems for their homework and wrote a few of them on the board. Shimada-san was following me.

I sighed, "It's not because of him and Yuki and I... weren't just good friends" I told him

"Good friends, like us?"

"Exactly"

"But he gets to hold your hand and hug you an-"

I put down the chalk rather harshly, "Shimada-san, whatever is going between Yuki and I is between us two. I'm sorry that I don't feel the same way as you do, you just have to accept it and move on"

Yuki arrived with the other two for the study session and he instantly knew something happened. I had the 3 solve the problems on the board while Yuki and I talked.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"He's... I don't know.. a little jealous?" I whispered.

"About?"

"Us?"

"What about us?"

"Exactly my point, what about us that's making him.. like that?" I asked.

"I'm done" I heard Shimada-san say. I walked up to the board to check his answer.

"You missed a step over here, so the final answer that you wrote here is incorrecr" I told him, circling the incorrect answer and pointing at where he missed a step. I checked the other two and their solution was correct. I had him re-do it.

"Great job today" I told everyone as we started packing up.

Yuki went to the bathroom and told me to wait by the gate. So, the four of us walked to the gate together. Kobayashi-san and Haruno-san left together, so it was just me and Shimada-san. It was awkward to say the least. I didn't know what to say. Ever since I turned him down, he's been acting weird.. different. He used to be kind and sweet, but he's standoffish now.

"Fujioka-san" he said.

I turned to him and was really close, too close for my comfort. I took a step back to put some distance between us.

"I think I know what it is now," he added, taking step forward.

"What?" I asked, taking a step back.

"Friends with benefits"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Shimada-san"

"You and Ishikawa, that's why you two have gotten close these past few weeks because you let him screw you after school"

I slapped him.

He was shocked.

I did not think about it nor do I regret slapping him. What he said was inappropriate and a complete lie.

"You are out of line, Shimada-san, whatever my relationship is with Yuki, it's none of your business" I told him.

"Mio?"

I looked to my left and Yuki was there. I'm not sure how much he's heard or seen, but I'll explain it to him if needed. I have nothing to hide.

"Let's go home" I said, taking his hand and pulling him to go home, leaving Shimada-san there. He didn't say anything until we were a few blocks away from the school.