My Second Lead

Chapter 10 - Ask

The clock's ticking echoes through the room, matching the rapid pace of my heartbeat. Silence envelops us, creating an atmosphere of suspense. It feels as if the entire world revolves around one thought—I am undeniably in love with my childhood friend, Akira Kaneko.

The stillness persists as the clock strikes nine, and restlessness fills the air. I find myself questioning the situation, feeling unsure and confused. Why does being alone with Akira now feel different? Is it because my feelings for her have taken a strange turn?

"Hey, Gin! What's with that shy and foolish expression on your face? It's not like you at all," Akira teases, breaking the silence and bringing a hint of playfulness to the room.

I laugh and play along, retorting, "Well, excuse me. I happen to be incredibly gorgeous!" We exchange light-hearted jokes, a familiar dance between us.

But then, Akira calls me over to sit beside her on the sofa in the living room, suggesting we watch our favorite anime series. She poses the question, "Gintama or Bleach? Which one do you prefer?"

Caught off guard, I struggle to respond. Suddenly, the words slip out before I can stop them, "Um, what do I like? I like you!" It surprises me, and I quickly brush it off as a tease, hoping she didn't hear the confession buried within.

"Huh? Pardon?" Akira's puzzled expression reveals that she didn't catch what I said.

I sat beside her, unable to move, secretly wishing this moment would never end. Deep down, hidden in the recesses of my heart, my true feelings for her grow stronger with each passing second.

After an hour passed, I gathered the courage to bring up the topic of Mr. Mizuki with Akira. "Can I ask you something?" I ventured, and she murmured, "Of course; what is it?"

With a mix of frustration and confusion, I blurted out, "What's the deal between you two? And why didn't you mention that he was a teacher at our school?" Unbeknownst to me, my irritation seeped into my tone, causing my words to come out as a yell.

The atmosphere between us immediately shifted. Akira couldn't provide an immediate answer, as she was taken aback, and tears welled up in her eyes. She seemed hurt by my outburst. "I... I'm sorry, Gin. I didn't realize you felt this way. I never thought you cared about me," Akira managed to say between sobs, her voice filled with sorrow.

Feeling guilty, I quickly moved closer to her, standing before her. "I'm sorry, my dear Akira. I didn't mean to yell at you," I said sincerely, my voice filled with regret. I instinctively pulled her into a comforting embrace, gently patting her head to help calm her down. My heart sank as I witnessed Akira's tears. At that moment, the world around us seemed to stand at a standstill. The realization of the pain I had caused her hit me like a ton of bricks. I scolded myself for my thoughtless actions, feeling like the biggest fool. If only I had called the courage back then to express my feelings of jealousy, things wouldn't have escalated to this point. Now, all I wanted was to be by Akira's side, to cherish her and make amends.

"Kira, are you feeling better now?" I asked, my voice filled with genuine concern. "I'm truly sorry for what happened. Let's change the subject and talk about something else. I'm not angry at you, so please stop crying. Look at you, all red-faced and puffy. You're quite a mess," I teased, trying to bring a small smile to her face and alleviate some of the tension.

She nodded, indicating that she was okay now.

Akira shared everything with me about Mr. Mizuki Inei, our history teacher. She poured her heart out, recounting her feelings and attraction towards him. As she spoke, I couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in my own heart. Why did it seem like she was so happy talking about how much she liked Mr. Mizuki?

However, her expression suddenly changed to sadness, and I could sense her unease. I immediately asked her what was wrong, wanting to understand her distress.

"You know, Gin, Mr. Mizuki Inei is a womanizer. Ito Ayumu, my teacher, is his best friend, and he revealed everything about Inei to me," she said, her voice filled with a hint of worry.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Akira was in love with a womanizer like Mr. Inei. I couldn't help but murmur in disbelief, "What the heck?"

Unknown to us, time had slipped away, and it was already midnight. We decided to end our conversation for the night, leaving the lingering thoughts and emotions to be contemplated in the silence of the late hour.

"Oh, come on! It's already midnight. Let's go to sleep, Gin," Akira suggested, and we went to her room.

"Kira, are you sure it's okay if I sleep in your room too? It might feel awkward," I expressed my concern, but she seemed to ignore me, not hearing what I said. "Huh?" I responded, realizing she wasn't acknowledging my question. "Never mind."

Akira started preparing my bed, but luckily, I was conditioned to sleep on the floor. In our younger days, we used to sleep side by side, so it wasn't a strange arrangement for us.

"Hey, remember when my mother scolded me, and I would run away from home and come to your house to sleep?" I reminisced.

"Hahaha! I remember that, Gin. You used to cry so much. What a crybaby! We would sleep together in my bed, and it felt like I was your big sister," she teased, laughter escaping her lips. "How annoying," I replied, pretending annoyance while secretly cherishing those nostalgic memories.

I settled myself on the floor while Akira went to her bed. I couldn't help but extend an invitation. "Hey, let's go for a walk tomorrow. How about catching a movie? It's on me. I've been missing my best friend, you know. So, what do you say? Are you up for it?"