There was no nightmare.
Haru's eyes fluttered open to a warmth from a body completely enveloping her. As dawn lit the skies beyond the glass, she realised it was day already. It seemed that they had accidentally gotten closer while they were asleep, his arms now encircling her in a hug, and they were mere inches apart.
Haru was a little embarrassed, recalling the moment the night before where she asked for this situation to happen. If Yuki knew she was red now, would he be happy knowing he was no longer the only one?
She buried her face in his chest, remaining in his arms. She breathed so easily around him. Her ear listened to his heartbeat, how thunderous it was going.
... Was this speed normal for someone who was meant to be asleep? Unless someone was being mischievous again.
She shot her head upwards and knocked into his chin. "Ow!" he exclaimed, reflexively letting her go to caress the pain. The boy was awake this entire time. She giggled. "Good morning!" she wished, half-asleep with the brightest smile she could muster, gently pushing his hair away from obscuring his teary eyes.
... He simply looked at her, silent and expressionless, his breathing hitching. Yuki's fingers slowly glided to her lips. He froze beneath her confused gaze and promptly covered his face. "G- good morning..." he replied, his deep, sleepy voice slightly shaky.
She realised she could finally leave. She hurriedly dragged herself out of bed and tousled his hair as she left. "It's still early, go back to sleep. I'm- going back to Kana, okay?"
She saw a frantic nod right as she closed his bedroom door. Haru felt eyes on her as soon as she stepped downstairs. Yuki's parents were already awake, the both of them standing in work clothes preparing breakfast together in the kitchen, the dumbbell still within sight. They were strangely romantic in that way.
Their empty gazes seemed to study her intently. Haru realised she definitely owed them an explanation for having just left their son's room. "I-"
"Haru, Anna and Tohru dropped off some nikujaga just now. Would you like to eat with us?" the woman asked, utterly unfazed by her presence. Haru giggled inwardly, forgetting that they were used to having a kid stay over at their house. Kana was certainly unintentionally making her life easier.
"Right, Haru," the woman called out. She dashed into her room and returned with what appeared to be a knitted sweater vaguely resembling a rabbit for a pattern. "This is for you, I bought it and found it too small for me and Kana. Such a shame, the design caught my eye."
The man raised his eyebrow. "I thought you chose this for-"
The woman force-fed him a spoonful of the potato-meat soup. "The food'll get cold if you don't finish it quickly," the woman said threateningly. The man nodded, unexpectedly savouring the taste swirling in his mouth.
A gift. Haru felt that she had only been receiving these days. She had done nothing to give back. "Take care of Yuki, okay?" the woman suddenly requested. "That boy's a troublemaker, through and through. I'm glad he made new friends. I was afraid Kana would get sick of him before he ever learns to socialise properly without getting scared."
The woman averted her gaze. "Though I suppose... we were to blame for his behaviour..."
The man took her hand and rested his forehead on hers. "And we'll spend the rest of our days making it up to him," he said lovingly.
...
She couldn't take her eyes off of them again. It was a powerful feeling, yet it vaporised moments after plaguing her.
أنت تقرأ
This Warmth Of Yours
العاطفية"You unlovable, utterly dreadful child of mine." - Haru wished for a friend, splashes of colour to perfect the imperfect her. Someone that would cover up the gaping hole she felt in herself. Someone that could multiply her self worth measured in dro...
