Her Last Name || Akashi Seijuro✔

Chapter 37: Back to home

After lunch and that strange encounter with the woman who was also my biological mother in the washroom, Tsunada and I quickly came out of the restaurant paying our bills. I bid her farewell as she had to go back to work.

As I turned around from the restaurant door my phone buzzed inside my pocket and I quickly fished out my cracked phone; yes, I was still carrying that around because I could still use it for calling people and which was basically the only thing I do with my phone.

There was a text. From Akashi. I rolled my eyes. After I cut off his fourth call inside the restaurant while I was eating with Tsunada, he was now relying on texting.

"Where are you?" Short and to the point.

I quickly typed my answer. "Why do you wanna know? I told you I'm gonna return by the evening, didn't I?"

"That didn't answer my question." His reply was quick.

"Wasn't my intention either."

"Turn on your GPS." Now he freaking ordering me around through texts!

"Either you've really gone insane or became stupid for thinking that I'd do whatever the hell you say! Because I won't! Besides, I don't have GPS on my phone."

"Yes you do. Turn it on."

Don't tell me he went through my phone too! I gripped my phone tighter, on the verge of demolishing it into smithereens with my bare hands and as I glared at the message thinking about my next snarky reply, I heard someone call out my name from behind.

"Ena."

That deep, monotonous voice I was way too familiar with. I sighed and turned off my phone completely. Akashi could screw off.

I turned around and instantly greeted by Shu standing in front of me with his hands inside his blue jeans pocket and a pair of headphones hanging around his neck.

I smiled up at him. "Hey, Shu! How's it going?"

Instead of answering my question, he peered at me with a frown as if looking for something.

I sighed. "When someone asks you a question you're supposed to answer them. And none of my external injuries are visible anymore so give up on trying to find one. I really am alright."

He blinked and his deep eyes met mine. "Was I that obvious?"

"Pretty much. Yeah."

He sighed. "I'm glad that you're okay now."

I grinned up at him cheekily. "Yeah, I'm glad I'm okay too."

"..." He said nothing as his blue eyes darted downwards, on the cobblestone pavement.

"What?" I tilted my head.

"... I'm sorry I couldn't save you... back then."

Hearing his low, strained voice, I felt a pang in my chest. I pursed my lips. What in the world was he apologising for? It wasn't like it was his fault or anything. It was an accident- or so I'd like to believe for now. Watching his usual aloof, expressionless features turn pained and appalled made me equally upset for the boy in front of me.

"Why are you apologising? It's not your job or anything to protect me as if I'm some kind of damsel in distress." I put my hand on his shoulder. "Stop putting blame on yourself. It's not your fault."

"But it is..." He mumbled but I couldn't really understand what he said.

"What?" I asked, confused.