Blurred Lines | ✓ [1st Edition]

08 | Fragile Time

"Oh, we gotta turn up the crazy,
Livin' like a washed up celebrity.
Shooting fireworks like it's the Fourth of July.
Until we feel alright,
Until we feel alright."

"Stop following me," I seethed, turning around to glare at Yuko. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't bother to deny anything.

"Leave me alone, or I swear I will-"

"You will what? What exactly can your puny little hands do to me, huh?" Yuko snorted, crossing his arms to give me a pointed look.

"It's my birthday," I said through gritted teeth. "So leave me alone."

"It's your birthday, that's exactly why you shouldn't be alone," he retorted dryly.

"I'd rather be alone than with you."

"Wow, that hurts," Yuko deadpanned. Without waiting for my reply, he clamped his hand down my shoulder and firmly directed me away from my car and towards a different direction.

"I'm not going to back to that blasted theme park!" I yelled, struggling in his grip. Yuko sighed, casting me an annoyed glance.

"We're not going back, idiot. Calm down," he said. I ceased my struggling, but the scowl still remained present on my face.

I have to cease contact with Yuko Hideyoshi, or I'll start to get wrinkles from all the scowling, I thought to myself darkly.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you," I grumbled. "All you do is piss me off."

"You piss me off too," Yuko sighed casually, sounding more like he was simply discussing the weather with me rather than telling me he basically hated me. Well, he can hate me for all I care. The feeling's mutual, anyway.

"So let go of me. I have places to be," I all but demanded. This time, Yuko turned around to look at me clearly. His smirk was replaced with an almost playful smile, and with a free hand, he tucked a loose lock of hair behind my ear.

"So do I. But it's your birthday, so let's have fun," he said. I pursed my lips, searching his eyes for motive. But I found none.

"You're cruel," I finally said, taking a step back from him. Yuko blinked, slightly surprised.

"You treat me like I'm a friend and then you go and take advantage of my fear of heights," I muttered. "You're so cruel."

Yuko let out a short humourless laugh, "You make me this way. When I'm around you, I don't know whether I want to treat you like you're the most fragile thing in the world, or break you."

"Save yourself the trouble, then. Leave me alone," I said, getting ready to turn and walk away.

"Wait."

I stopped, raising an eyebrow at him. I waited for him to continue.

"Let me...treat you like you're the most fragile thing in the world. For the next two hours," Yuko reluctantly said. I blinked at him, slightly taken aback. My heart leapt with excitement, and I struggled to keep my smile from surfacing. I didn't understand why his words had such an effect on me. Instead, I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked, still eyeing him up and down.

"Do you trust me?"

"No," I snorted. Wasn't that obvious enough?

"Good," he replied, throwing me off guard. In a flash, he grabbed my hand and dragged me to his car.

"Come on, we don't have all day."