ADMIRE ME |Brothers Conflict

12

A short nod was all he gave me in response, but that small gesture was enough to make my throat constrict.

"I'm taking my words back," I conceded, "the fact that I'm too blind to see anything doesn't mean that you don't genuinely like Ema."

Fuuto grimaced and leaned on one arm to be able to flick my forehead with his free hand.

"You're determined to make this as painful for the both of us, aren't you?" he groaned, but a smile graced his lips when I cupped my forehead in annoyance.

"Is my forehead red?" I asked him worriedly.

"How am I supposed to tell when I can't see your forehead?"

Reluctantly, I dropped my hands to my side again, carefully to avoid hitting Fuuto who was still resting on top of me.

"Anyhow, I was still in the middle of my apology," I mused, going over what I wanted to say in my mind.

"Just stop," Fuuto pleaded, "I'm overjoyed with your apology, so there's no need to elaborate."

With a sigh, I closed my eyes, wondering why lying on the rough carpet was so comfortable.

"Your ankle!" Fuuto exclaimed suddenly, rolling from my body. With an angry expression, he grabbed my shoulders from his new position next to me.

"My what?" I asked, not sure what he was referring to for a second.

"The one with the cast around it," Fuuto elaborated, still hanging over me and pressing me deeper into the coarse carpet with the added weight on my shoulders.

"Ah," I said dumbly, lifting my head a few centimetres from the floor to look at my ankle. "I hadn't realised," I confessed, which was true. Fuuto had tackled me so unexpectedly that I hadn't had any time to brace myself against the impact or take a step back.

My back hurt worse than my ankle.

"You should take better care of yourself," Fuuto chided as he grabbed one of my hands to pull me to my feet again.

Reluctantly, I let him help me, wishing that we could have stayed lying on the carpet a little longer.

For a second, I contemplated reminding him of who had pushed me down the stairs, but the memories of our last fight were still fresh in my mind. My careless words had a way of upsetting our relation.

Notwithstanding how they translated to actions, Fuuto's intentions were good.

Thus, I didn't react at all. Fuuto picked up on that and turned in my direction. I was wearing my tongue on my sleeve because Fuuto's expression hardened.

I'm trying, was what he seemed to think.

I know, I wanted to say in return, but I could get the words past my constricted throat. I know that you're trying to be kind, but the past is there regardless of your attempts. Still, you don't have to worry about me or my opinions, because I'll be by your side.

I didn't know to what extent Fuuto understood the words I never uttered, but his expression softened again.

"I'll go home," I said. My dad had permitted me to go on a double date – at least, I hoped Fuuto had told him the truth about today – but he probably wanted me to be home before dusk. Although Fuuto clouded my judgement, I was still capable of responsible behaviour.

"See you later," Fuuto said after a moment during which calculation passed over his expression. Paranoia made me pause, hoping to capture that cold expression again, but a fake smile had returned.