*.✧The Most Beautiful Flower*.✧ {Shigeo Kageyama x OC}

✧*。CHAPTER 8 ✧⁠*⁠。

As Yuri woke up, she could hear the birds chirping as usual.

The sun was shining much brighter than usual. Yuri turned to her side to look at her clock and saw that it was late.

'Huh? What time is it right now....WHAT?!? I ONLY HAVE 15 MINUTES LEFT TO GET READY!!'

Yuri jumped off her bed and immediately hopped into her shower and tried to get ready as fast as she could.

She didn't have time to put on her makeup today so she only sprayed her perfume and put on her hair accessories.

She immediately packed her school bag and made some toast as fast as possible.

Yuri was getting worried so she peered outside to see the two were about to come any second.

She panicked as she took a bite of her toast and left the house.

Saki and Mob were already waiting for her and they were wondering what was taking her so long. Just as they thought that, they could hear some light pattering of shoes running at his direction.

Yuri was standing next to Mob, trying to catch her breath as she put her hand on her knees.

"W-why do you seem so tired?" Mob asked slightly worried.

"It's....haah....nothing.."

Yuri gripped on Mob's arm while still trying to catch her breath. She motioned for them to get going and so they did.
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As they were walking, Yuri was trying her best to look as confident and unbothered as possible.

She wasn't wearing any makeup or skincare like usual which made her feel hideous. They were talking as usual but Yuri couldn't focus most of the time.

Growing up with the expectation to look your best at all times isn't a healthy mindset, but you can't help it since it was enforced onto you. Yuri knew this, yet she still feels like if she wasn't at her best, then no one would accept her.

Without realizing it, Yuri had a small frown on her face and her aura felt gloomy. It was subtle, but quite obvious if you're good at reading other people.

Mob noticed that Yuri was acting a little strange today. She was less bright and cheery than usual, which worried him.

He thought her strange behaviour was because of yesterday, but Mob still wanted to know what was wrong.

"Yuri-chan, what's wrong? You're acting strange." Mob asked along with Saki who was peering at her side.

Yuri was starting to feel nervous, so she put on her signature smile the best she could.

"A-ah, uh, haha, it's nothing, really! I'm just a little tired." Yuri lied.

"Hm? Are you sure? You're not as bright as you'd usually be to be honest." Saki butted in.

Yuri waved her hand around and reassured them that everything was fine, when in fact, she was lying through her teeth. She hated making people worry and lying, but she hated opening up even more.

It took a while to convince them but eventually they fell for it. Surely, she wouldn't lie to them, as they were friends, after all. Friends tell each other everything. Right?

Wrong.

Everyone lies. No one is innocent. But some do it for good reasons. Like Yuri. Telling a little white lie never hurt anybody.

It hurts to lie to the people you care about. Unless you're a sociopath or are apathetic, then you really don't feel bad in doing so. But that's not always the case. Everyone has their reasons to which we can't understand or refuse to. Like Yuri.