𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘; 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢 𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Ethylene

For the rest of the month, you spent it avoiding the others. You'd sometimes have the mind to skip some of your classes where you sat close to Maki and hang out in the courtyard to think about what Panda said.

Is what Panda said really true? Does she actually like me? How should I react? What should I do? Do I like her back?

Those questions kept running laps in your head, tiring you of your mental energy while you were trying to focus on the book you would take with you every day.

You hummed, turning to the next page in your book while crossing your legs and sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard. The sound of the water pouring into the fountain was one of the loudest noises heard in that space next to the birds chirping.

Your eyes scanned the page until you reached a certain line from one of the characters.

' The scandal and the hero could never be together. They'd always spend time contradicting each other's points and end up even worse than when they started. Strangers. That's why I cannot be with you, Jenny. '

You read that line one more time before taking out a piece of paper and writing those words down and highlighting it. You wondered if the outcome would be just like that if you responded to Maki's feelings.

"Are you going to talk to Maki again anytime soon?" You heard Ryo ask. You put the paper up as well as the pencil and highlighter then picked the book back up. "I still need time to think about it." You answered as your eyes began to move along with the words on the page.

"It's been 3 weeks since then, Y/n. What if she's worried?" He pressed, "What would she have to worry about?"

"You not liking her back, or you not wanting to ever talk to her again." He answered. You sighed before shaking your head. "It's not that I don't want to talk to her. It's just that I can't."

"She doesn't know that."

"And she doesn't need to. If I walked up and told her that, she'd expect me to talk to her again sometime soon while I still need time to think." You replied, getting back to your book. He huffed at your response. "Either way, I think you should talk to her. You don't know how she's doing." He pressed once again. You rolled your eyes before shutting your book and putting it in your bag.

"Hush. You'll make her magically appear." You said before getting up, about to make your way over to the dining hall earlier than the others, only for you to stop on your first step when you find Yuta creeping through the gate.

"Oh, hey, Y/n! Didn't think I'd find you here." Yuta chirped as he took a few steps. You smiled back at him. "Yeah. I found this place on my second day here, and now I come here everyday...don't tell Maki I said that. She might come looking for me and give me an earful about my silent treatment." You joked, earning a chuckle from both of you. He huffed then looked at you.

"You might not wanna hear this, and before you start wondering, no, they didn't send me here to find you. But, Maki really does like you. She says she'll never understand why or even how she managed to like someone as 'cocky and snooty as you are,' or so she says. Anyways, I'm not gonna make you, but I really think you should talk to Maki." Yuta said before smiling and walking past you to sit and play with the squirrels who seemingly did not like him. You huffed before you continued walking.

You grunted at your warm cheeks, taking the turn around the corner to the dining hall. You heard a muffled conversation going on behind the next corner so you figured you'd just ignore whoever it was and just get your food and go.