-+~ Forever ~+- A Tanmui Story~

++ Next to me ~-~ Chapter 2! ++

\/

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~+* Muichiro's POV *+~

Tanjiro insisted on walking with me to the next class. How did he notice we were in every class together? I have no clue.

Of course, people were staring at us in shock and jealousy. I didn't like having everyone's eyes on me more than they already were. Once we made it to the next class I sat down in my regular seat in the back. 

When I sat down I realized that Tanjiro followed me. Why does he insist on hanging out with someone like ME and not a popular girl or something still confuses me. He sat next to me eyes still on us.

This class was just as boring as any other. But while I felt our classmate's eyes slide off me, a pair of two didn't. I looked beside me to see Tanjiro staring at me, then turning red when he realized I saw him. He quickly looked away and pretended like nothing happened by tapping his fingers on his desk.

'Maybe he was red because he was embarrassed he was staring, plus he was probably in deep thought and was unaware of where he was looking...' I also pretended like nothing happened and turned back to the board.

After the bell rang the period was officially over. I sighed in relief when I realized the next period was lunch.

"Ready?" Tanjiro asked me. I slightly nodded as I zipped up my backpack.

Suddenly the same girl with the side ponytail approached Tanjiro.

"Hey Tanji~ Would you like to eat lunch with us?" Then I noticed there were two girls behind her... Rekelle and another girl I didn't know.

"No thanks," Tanjiro respectfully declined. "I have plans with someone else."

'Was he seriously declining THEM for me?? That's not a fair trade...' Rekelle scoffed when she realized who Tanjiro was talking about. 

"Don't tell me it's HIM," Rekelle said sarcastically. Tanjiro looked at me confused. 'Shit... he must not know the things people say about me...' Well, I enjoyed hanging out with him while it lasted... He'll probably want nothing to do with me once he hears.

"What? What about HIM?" Tanjiro said looking back at Rekelle and quoting her words.

"He's a loner! No one likes him ya'know!"

"Think about what that will do to your reputation if you're seen hanging out with... him," Side ponytail bumped in.

"I don't care, I think he's decent."

He grabbed my hand and walked out of the class. "Rooftop right?" I slightly nodded looking down at the ground trying to his my wet eyes.

"Okay we're here," tanjiro said once we made it to the Rooftop. He noticed I was keeping my head down. "Muichiro?"

He delicately lifted my chin showing the tears weld up in my eyes.

"Muichiro! Are you okay?- Well you're not... Hey, you know what those girls said isn't true right?"

"What do you know..." I mumbled.

"Huh?-"

"What do you know about me?!" I said tears falling down my face, "You barely know me! Im not worth the trouble..." I said calming down when Tanjiro softly smiled, regardless I tried my best to stay mad at him.

"I-I thought you di-didn't know I ex-existed..." I said struggling to keep my words together when he continued smiling at me. 

"Ya done?" Tanjiro asked sarcastically.

"Not if you had smiled..." He laughed.

He pulled me into a hug... so warm so... so gently. "No, you're wrong... I've known about you for a while now- heck I've known about you for a LONG time. Just too cowardly to say anything..."

"To me? But why? Im nothing special? Im not even popular! And I'm ugly-"

"That's where you're also wrong," He clarified.

"About what??" He only laughed.

"Two things, you are special and not ugly- quite the opposite."

I blushed red when I realized what he meant. "You know how earlier you said you were too cowardly to talk to me? You're not proving any point of cowardness here."

He laughed again. "Perhaps I am being too forward... sorry."

I pulled away from him, "I-Its fine."

"Muichiro?"

I looked up at him. He raised his hand and wiped my tears, "Come to me if anyone talks to you like that okay? I'll deal with it."

"P-Promise?"

"Promise," I hugged HIM this time.

He chuckled and hugged back. "Why though... why do you care so much?"

"Erm... d-don't worry about that."

I just shrugged. 

"Why DO you like coming up here anyway?"

"It's quiet... and no one bothers me here," I admitted I felt Tanjiro's sympathetic eyes on me.

"Im sorry you have to go through that... It's not right," I smiled.

"It's not your fault..."

We stayed like that for a while, for some reason I felt safe in Tanjiro's arms. He was so caring it felt nice...

Then we sat down on a bench and pulled out our bentos we opened them and started eating. I felt Tanjiro's eyes on me again but I wasn't as bothered this time. It kinda felt good knowing he knew that I had existed before we had met. That he thought I was something special.

It made me warm inside, 'What is this feeling?'

We talked and laughed and it was fun to have someone to talk to, refreshing actually. After we finished we threw our bentos away and walked to the next period together. Of course, Tanjiro still INSISTED to sit next to me, and I accepted- after giving in.

The last two periods were normal enough for me to handle. 

The dismissal bell rang and I gathered my things and looked at Tanjiro. 'Oh... looks like those girls are talking to him...' It made me sad but I walked out of the classroom. 

"Muichiro wait!" I heard as I opened the double doors to the school's exit.

"Tanjiro?"

"Sorry, those girls were bothering me wanting me to walk them home or something. It gave me an idea," Tanjiro said out of breath from running to me.

"What idea?"

"To walk you home of course!"

"You're not giving me the option are you?"

He laughed, "Of course not!"

I rolled my eyes and laughed. 'I laughed? That's a first...' 

"Alright alright, c'mon."

He smiled and hopped to my side. 

"This way."

He followed by my side.

'He's even cuter up close..."

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I got kinda lazy with this one sorry. The amount of words is killing me.

Words: 1115