ᴍᴇɴʜᴇʀᴀ // ᴍᴀᴛꜱᴜɴᴏ ᴄʜɪꜰᴜʏᴜ

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴ

"WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?"

Your aunt immediately asked once you got in the car. "Hmm? What's what?" You cocked your head. Your aunt exhaled, turning to you. "Check your phone."

You did. And as it turned out, you were still on the call with her.

"Oh." You blinked. "You heard that?"

"Everything, yes." She started up the car, and it began moving. "So, you like him?"

"Hm... Huh?" You tried to process her sentence into your brain, but you were even more confused. "Of course... I like him. He's my friend."

Don't tell me this is one of those things where kids are oblivious to another's feelings. Your aunt knew where this was going already. "[Name], are you sure you don't like him romantically?"

You tilted your head upwards, pressing an index finger on your chin as you gathered your thoughts. "As in... where you kiss, start a family and grow old together?"

Your aunt slowly sighed. "...Yes."

"Hehe." You giggled. "No way! I mean, Chifuyu-san's just a friend!"

Your aunt sighed, turning the wheel to the left of the street. There was no use pushing this topic, so she dropped it. Whether or not you actually liked him, well... That's for you to figure out.

───────────────

Once you get home, you immediately plopped right onto your bed, hugging your beloved Mr. Froppé as you remembered the events of today.

Chifuyu-san didn't abandon me. I was overthinking it.

Knowing that, you felt really happy. You laid there, repeating the memories in your head. Where he held your shoulder, told you that he regretted what he said, you apologizing in turn, and then somehow ended up in his embrace.

His touch was warm. His breath felt hot against your ear. And his words were as sweet as honey.

You sighed a little, spacing off into thinking that specific memory of Chifuyu hugging you.

A part of you wished to be in his hold a little longer. Something in his embrace was... nice. It was really, really... nice.

That was all you really could explain. It wasn't bad, so it had to be pleasant. His arms that wrapped around you, his voice that you've always heard.

It felt like he knew the right words to say. The right words to comfort you.

Just like Mom and Auntie.

It made you incredibly happy. So much so that you didn't know what to do with this emotion.

But... are you deserving of this happiness?

You said things that you can't take back. You did things you couldn't stop.

And now that you think about it, the words you said were ridiculous. It was so ridiculous that even an outsider had to wonder how insecure you had to be to run away from a situation where you thought your friend didn't trust the strength you have.

"...Ah."

That's right.

At the end of the day, you are just a girl with emotional and mental issues. You can't do anything by yourself, and you can't do anything to stop yourself from thinking so negatively.