Stay (Class Trip Crush Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

(Yuki's POV)

"Don't worry. I understand."

Homare gave me a questioning look.

"I'm also not comfortable talking about my family either." I answered his unspoken question.

I look down on my half eaten donut.

... ... ...

"Well... I guess we should settle the score, eh?" I asked.

"You don't have to talk about it if you really don't want to. Besides it isn't your fault you found out about my family."

"The funny thing is... I don't know why but I don't mind talking about it with you..."

"I know you noticed... You're too smart for you not to..." I pointed out.

"Now you said it, I'm was always wondering why a girl like you is attending Ebisu..."

"A girl like me?"

"A normal girl could use a microwave." Homare said.

"What about you?" I asked back.

Homare looked at me.

"If you don't want people to know who you really are you should have used a pseudo name." I told him.

"I don't care if people knew who I am. I don't want unnecessary expenses. Education is all the same no matter what school."

I keep my gaze low, but I know Homare's eyes were on me. Maybe that's why I'm keeping my gaze down, because I can't look at him straight in the eyes at a time like this.

"Use a pseudo name huh? Just like you... Is this like a game to you? Got nothing better to do?" He asked.

"It's not like I'm hiding who I am from my friends. I just have to do it for my own protection." I explained. "It's going to be a long story..."

"I got nothing better to do at the moment."

I took a deep breath and held the pendant of my mother's necklace with my free hand.

"This necklace was my mother's. It was a momento. She died when I was born." I started. "My father died when I was four, so at the age of thirteen my brother became both my mother and father. The only thing I remembered about my father is that I hate him for working too much and breaking his promises so you could say that my brother was all the family I had. When my father died, his brother guided my brother in managing the businesses until my brother turned eighteen. He was robbed of his childhood. While children his age play, he was home schooled and studies way advanced class while dealing with the businesses. At his teens, instead of courting someone he's closing deals. He never gets to attend a real school. He never gets to enjoy and have fun. That's why he allows me to do pretty much everything I want. He wants me to live my life the way I want. My brother gave me the thing he wants the most, freedom. He always says 'at least one of us could'." I paused for a moment.

"Are you bored?" I asked.

"No. Not really. I could relate actually."

"So I spend all of my time with my passion, dancing. I was preparing for almost a lifetime for a contemporary dance competition. I was training that time when I had a bad fall. And just like that, everything I worked hard for went down the drain." I stared at my right knee.

"The nerves, right?"

"Yeah... Some were compressed."

"Can't they do anything about it?"

"They could... But the risk of destroying the nerve completely is greater than saving it." I answered.

"I wasn't able to join the competition and I'll never get to show my brother my routine." I smiled meekly. "I want to show him that I'm living my life and his sacrifices are worth it."