Always The Spare [ Okkotsu Yuta ]

Chapter 13

Kaede and Maki watch as Panda and Yuta duel —well, it was mostly Panda throwing Yuta all over and Inumaki had gone to a mission.

"Care to repeat that?" Maki blinks. Once more. And a third time as she tried to think if she heard it right.

"Please don't make me repeat myself,Maki." She watched Kaede tilt her head, face slightly covered by strands of hair and flushed with color, she nervously plays with her fingers as she pouts. "I-I think I harbor romantic affection for Yuta..."

"So that means... You like that bean sprout?"

Kaede nods at her question as she brings her hands to cover her face. Maki knew that already but never in a million years, did she think Kaede would speak it into existence. The girl was private and almost never really talks about her feeling at all! So the fact that she was sitting here, telling Mail she likes Yuta romantically made her feel almost honored.

Kaede separates her fingers as she peeks through, still not revealing her blushing face. "Calling him bean sprout is rude, Maki."

Ignoring the warm feeling inside her of her friend opening up to, Maki smirks. "Sure thing, mrs. bean sprout." Maki laughs at Kaede's reaction as steam almost comes out of her head from all her blushing.

Maki reaches out and removes Kaede's hands from her face as she smile, no longer teasing simply curious. "So what made you realize you liked him?" She briefly looks over to see how the training was going and sighs in relief to see the boys were paying no attention to her.

"The way he speaks is just so nice, always so soft and gentle. Also the way he looks at me, Maki— Yuta really looks at me as if I am something more than simply to look at; I don't exactly know how to explain but I feel as if I'm simply precious. I feel seen." Kaede's voice was so low, almost like a whisper; Maki thinks she looks so adorable right now. "Just thinking about all the remaining time— years to come being in his presence has me smiling so much, it feels wrong."

Maki lets out a whistle as she leans back, smiling. She didn't know what has been going on when it's was just the two of them but it would be an understatement to tell Maki was impressed.

"Every time I think back on moments shared with him, it warms me as if I have been stuffed with pure joy." Kaede looks over, her face was slightly unsure. "I think I've surrendered myself completely—all of me to him, Maki. I don't know how to act in-front of him? I've ever felt that way for someone before..."

Maki smiles as she raises her hands and places it on top of her head; gently rubbing it as if to comfort the girl. Maki wasn't familiar to such feelings but still then Kaede confided her and that was enough. "So are you going to confess?"

"Confess?" Kaede blinks, her voice slightly high. "Why would I confess?"

Maki blinks back at her, equally confused. "Isn't that what people do? If you like someone, you confess and if they accept you start to date..." Her voice lost confidence in herself as Kaede continued to look confused with every word.

"Why would he ever like me back?" Kaede said, but the tone she said it breaks Maki's heart a little. It was as if she wasn't ever expecting 'anyone' would like her. There was no hurt laced with it, simply familiarity with such course of action.

"I-"

"Kaede and Yuta—!"

A new voice interrupts the on going conversation. They turn to look to find a familiar tall, white haired man waving at a distance. "You've got yourselves a mission."

Kaede turns to look at Yuta who also looks back at her. Eye contact. The girl looks away just as quick which makes Yuta flatter. Did she just avoid his gaze?