This Warmth Of Yours

Chapter 20 - Fireworks Bloom In The Night Sky [INTERLUDE]

"One plus one is?"

"Twooo!"

Snap!

Rika excitedly hopped over to the passerby, checking the photos they took. Her face gradually shifted from an overly cheerful grin to one of pure confusion. She whipped her head around, searching for the passerby that was already long gone.

"What's up?" asked Kana.

"They asked us to smile... but none of these pictures were taken while all of us were ready! In fact-" she flipped her phone towards Kana and Nami. "In this one, the both of you were messing with my hair! And this one was the best looking one too!"

Her voice sounded fierce. Nami and Kana laughed as if trying to aggravate the poor girl even more.

"Augh, that's it!" Rika began editing the picture, mimicking the style of photo booths, adding demon horns onto Kana and Nami's heads. "Evil, both of you!"

"Lost Kids Agency? What's that?" Kana asked, ignoring the edits made to her likeness. Rika feigned a laugh, substituting that as an answer instead of the actual explanation. Diplomacy wasn't her strong point.

"Why do I have a question mark next to my head?" Kyoya randomly dropped in upon taking a peek at the edited photo.

"Duh, it's cause you look dumb in here," Nami interjected.

"Haha, at least a girl several years younger than you didn't write stupid onto your head, haha! I can't even say anything back because I'd be the immature one if I did, haha!"

Everyone ignored Aoi's remark.

As the group grew more and more agitated over a simple photo, Haru's attention naturally shifted to the boy standing away from them, sitting on the sand.

"Yuki?"

He was gazing at the colourful night sky, almost bewitched by its beauty. Shoots of light bloomed in the sky, splashing it unnatural hues. Haru couldn't tear her eyes away, even though the one she was looking at wasn't the fireworks.

The boy turned, their eyes meeting. He chuckled. "It's real pretty, right?"

"I..." Her heart was pounding, racing.

His golden eyes glistened as it reflected the lights of the night. She gulped, her hands cupping her own face. "... Mhm, really pretty."

... Really pretty.

His soothing giggle graced her ears. "I actually never saw fireworks with other people before. Other than Kana, I guess."

He watched her movements as she sat next to him before he continued. "Before I met you, I thought I'd never be able to make a new friend, someone that wouldn't be scared of me because of who I was."

"That night, you ran away from me as soon as we first met. I thought you were scared of me too."

Haru let out a nervous chuckle. "I forgot to explain what I was doing..."

"Yeah, I know," he laughed. "But then you came back and stayed with me. In the end, you asked me to be your friend, then brought me even more friends who weren't scared of me either."

He leaned onto her shoulders. "Did you notice? How happy I was when you asked me to be your friend? You were so shy, but you managed to say something I could never directly say. You're amazing, you know that?"

She remained silent. But Yuki, everything I did was just for myself. I never even thought about the good it would bring others. Would a wonderful person do these things with motives so impure?

"You changed my life too."

That deep, lazy-sounding voice came from neither of them. Yuki flinched and sat with his back straight, looking back to the source of the sound.

"Oh, Kyo, since when were you standing here?" Haru asked.

He pretended to push his imaginary glasses up. "As a romance writer, I sensed a romantic scene about to unfold, so I followed Haru as she walked over to you."

"Oh, so you were mad because Nami called you stupid?" Haru interjected.

"... Yes."

How did Haru translate his words like that to that extent so accurately? Yuki was dumbfounded by the exchange that occurred before him.

Kyoya sighed, putting his hands into his pocket. "My reputation was like Yuki's, though I actually deserved what I was known for. I didn't particularly mind being alone, but spending time with you guys wasn't so bad either."

He continued, "If you never gave me chocolate that day, I probably wouldn't have greeted you, so I wouldn't have been dragged into our little agency."

"Rika's the one that initiated you into it though, so the thanks should really go to her!" Haru replied.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes. "You really don't like accepting gratitude, do ya?"

She paused for a moment. The only thing she could say back to that was a mere giggle.

Kyoya faced the other boy. "And you, just stop caring about what other people think of you. It's not that hard."

Yuki slumped his shoulders. "Easier said than done, Master Kyo..."

"Listen here, disciple. It's impossible to change what other people think of you when they're adamant, so just leave it be!"

Was this kind of "tutoring" a way that Kyoya thought of to make up what he did to me? Even though he already apologised so many times to all of his victims. Maybe Kyoya cared more than he led on, Yuki thought.

It's really all water under the bridge by now, though it was kind of hard for me to accept at the start.

"But Kyo," the girl's voice suddenly rang out. Both of them turned to face her, noticing her eyes widening to an unnatural degree.

"Manipulating what someone thinks of you... is so easy."

"What?" Kyo wasn't sure if he heard her correctly.

"Yuki, you've done it before too. Your one simple act of kindness towards Rika was the reason she thought highly of you, you know? I bet you don't even remember carrying her books for her a while ago."

"Haru...?" Yuki unconsciously felt like backing away.

She smiled, "Hehe, it's nothing! Just ignore me!"

"..."

"Haru! We were looking for you!" Rika linked arms with her, dragging her away. "Leave these boys here! Us girls have to take our pictures together now, hehe!"

Just like that, the girl was whisked away.

Yuki's hand remained suspended in the air, as he tried to reach out to her before she left. He looked at Kyoya, who seemed equally as clueless.

"What did she mean by that...?"

Kyo shook his head, "I... I don't know either."