This Warmth Of Yours

Chapter 16 - You're in pain, aren't you?

The demure girl's eyes fluttered open, blinking as beams of sunlight shone directly on her. She looked around. This place was neither the cave she passed out at nor the hospital. In fact, there was no rhyme or reason at all to the fact that she was here.

Dust gathered easily in the corner of the library. This was Haru's secret place, one most would not be able to find without a keen eye. Voices don't often pierce this side of the library, no matter how loud one spoke. Golden rays of spring illuminated her secluded haven, away from the voices of those who could pry.

Yet, she could hear them louder than ever.

The girl gulped, utterly frozen. She buried herself deeper in the corner, breaths taken deep and quiet. She shrunk, shaking.

They weren't going in. The voices remained outside.

... Well, that's convenient. I just have to stay... in here.

...

"Haru! Let's bake!"

Voices sanguine echoed besides those she feared. Why were they out there? She can't go to them...

"We're already friends!"

To go out there would mean to face those voices. Why were they with them? She was afraid, so deathly afraid.

As she wallowed in her own thoughts once more, the library began to rumble, toppling her over. The shelves that sheltered her were being pulled apart, a deeper voice calling out to her.

... It was him.

...

Her eyes opened once more, this time unfettered by the imaginary.

It was dark, but she could tell this was a hospital room. They must've found her and rushed her here. They greatly overexaggerated the situation, she thought. She would've woken up at most a few hours later even if they had left her in the cave. Time and resources... shouldn't be wasted. She must've ruined everyone's day by taking up the spotlight.

A piece of paper was on the desk, seemingly written by Rika. "Haru... are you okay!? We're all gonna visit as soon as we wake up in the morning!! The doctor said you were fine but I wanna hear it from you!! I had to force everyone to stay over at my home since everyone insisted on staying here overnight. They'll definitely disturb your sleep if they do... We're all very worried about you, we'll talk more later, 'kay?" Everyone? Haru turned, confused, the letter clearly not mentioning the presence of this person sleeping by her side. He must've really wished to stay.

His hair curtained his face, his head rested on the bed beside her. She lifted her hand, then realising that he was holding it. It seemed that this might have been the reason Yuki appeared in her strange dream. She stared at him, realising she had never seen him asleep before.

Her other hand pushed his hair out of his face, she herself not quite knowing the reason behind it. She didn't want him to let go of her hand. Her racing heart had calmed, thoughts of her sadness disappearing. She even had the luxury to wonder if her friends with conflicts with each other resolved their problems while she was away.

She was safe here.

... But she was tired. It was evident that no matter what she did, feigning ignorance of her family in general wasn't working at all. She didn't get it. Why wasn't it working? She tried so hard. All the joy she felt was capable of being sucked away in a blink of an eye every time she returned home or even thought about herself for a mere second.

Thinking of "home", her hand instinctively shot to her face, gasping. She didn't have her mask on anymore. They saw her face? Haru turned to Yuki yet again, tears spilling from her eyes. Everything was falling apart in front of her. They must've been repulsed by her, just like her parents. This was horrible, disastrous. Their kindness was immeasurable. They promised to return even after seeing her. Here she was, tricking them into thinking she was kind. She didn't deserve them.