A little bit of hope MANJIRO SANO X READER

HOPE (20)

Chifuyu had called you, asking if you wanted to go to the mall, you had gone with Mikey and everyone else the other day, deciding it would be fun again you excepted.

Chifuyu and I walked side by side, our laughter echoing through the corridors. It had been a perfect day, filled with joy and camaraderie, but there was still an unspoken tension lingering between us.

As we neared the exit, Chifuyu suddenly stopped, his shoulders slumping. His eyes, usually bright and full of kindness, were filled with remorse.

"Y/n, can we talk for a moment?" he asked, his voice tinged with an unfamiliar vulnerability.

Confusion washed over me, but I nodded and followed him to a quieter corner of the mall, away from the bustling crowd.

Once we were alone, Chifuyu took a deep breath and fidgeted with the strap of his bag. "Y/n, I need to apologize. I know I've been distant lately, and I haven't been the best friend to you."

My heart ached at his words, realizing that this unspoken tension had been weighing on him as well. "Chifuyu, you don't have to apologize. We've all been through so much, and it's understandable that things might be difficult sometimes."

He shook his head, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. "No, Y/n, it's not just that. I've been so caught up in my own pain and anger! I was worried for you, but also for baji, he loves you. I let it blind me, and I forgot that while baji is my friend too, so are you"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized the depth of Chifuyu's regret. "Chifuyu, you've always been there for me. Through thick and thin. We've all made mistakes, but your friendship means the world to me."

Chifuyu's eyes softened, and he reached out to hold my hands. "I should have been there for you more, especially when you needed someone to lean on. I've been a terrible friend, and I'm truly sorry."

His words hit me hard, stirring up a mix of emotions. But in that moment, I understood that true friendship was about forgiveness and growth.

"Chifuyu, we're all growing and learning from our mistakes, it's been a year since I've met you, almost anyways" I said, my voice filled with sincerity. "I forgive you, and I hope you can forgive me too. We're both on this journey together, and we'll figure things out as we go."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Chifuyu's lips, and he squeezed my hands gently. "Thank you, Y/n. Your forgiveness means the world to me. I promise to be a better friend from now on."

"And I promise to be there for you, just like you've always been there for me," I replied, feeling a sense of relief wash over us both.

Chifuyu and I decided to grab a quiet corner in the food court, away from the bustling crowds. As we settled into our seats, I noticed the worried expression on Chifuyu's face. His normally bright green eyes seemed clouded with something that he was trying to hide.

"What's been bothering you, Fuyu?" I asked, using the nickname I had given him. Chifuyu glanced around, ensuring no one was within earshot before finally speaking.

"I've been feeling guilty, Y/n. Guilty for not being there for you when you needed me," Chifuyu confessed, his voice filled with remorse. "You've always been such a good friend to me, and I let you down."

I reached across the table, placing my hand on top of his. "Fuyu, you didn't let me down. We all have our own struggles and moments of weakness. What matters is that we're here now, together."

Chifuyu's eyes softened as he squeezed my hand gently. "Thank you, Y/n. It means a lot to me to have your understanding." A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and I felt relieved to see some of the weight lift off his shoulders.

"You know, Y/n," Chifuyu began, his voice filled with empathy, "Baji thinks of you as a real sister."

I blinked in surprise, not expecting such a heartfelt revelation. My mind raced, trying to process the meaning behind his words.

"He was really worried about you," Chifuyu continued, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "Whenever someone he cares about is going through a hard time, Baji tends to... lash out and hurt himself."

My heart sank as I listened to Chifuyu's words. I had caught glimpses of Baji's struggles before, his tendency to burn things, the anger that simmered just beneath the surface. But I never fully understood the depths of his pain, nor the self destructive ways in which he coped.

"He never meant to hurt you," Chifuyu continued, his voice filled with compassion. "It was his way of calming himself down, of letting out the stress he couldn't put into words. Baji hates himself for it, you know? He despises the fact that he's not good at being of help, that he can't be there for people the way he wants to be."

A mix of emotions welled up inside me, compassion for Baji, anger at the circumstances that pushed him to these extremes, and a newfound understanding of the struggles he faced. Baji, the strong and stoic protector, was battling his own demons, just like the rest of us.

"But he's learning," Chifuyu said softly, his eyes glistening with hope. "He's learning to lean on us, to open up and seek support when he needs it. And now that he knows you're here for him, as a sister, he'll take comfort in that. We all will."

A sense of relief washed over me as Chifuyu's words sank in. Baji's actions were not a reflection of how he truly felt about me; they were his flawed and imperfect way of coping with his own pain. And now, armed with this knowledge, I could approach him with empathy and understanding.

"I want to be there for him too," I murmured, my voice filled with determination. "Just like he's been there for me."

Chifuyu smiled, a genuine one that reached his eyes. "I know you will be, Y/n. And I have no doubt that Baji will appreciate it."

As we sat there, the weight of Baji's struggles pressing on our shoulders, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. We were a family, bound together by love, loyalty, and the shared desire for a better tomorrow. And together, we would face whatever challenges lay ahead, offering each other the support and hope that we all desperately needed.

TBC