Erased - What Could've Been (Satoru x Kayo)

Chapter 2

"There you are, remember to call your mom. Need a hand?" John asks.

"No." Satoru says, grabbing his bag.

"Well I'll see ya, kid, stay safe." John grunts before pulling away. Satoru takes a deep breath before walking towards the door. He presses the doorbell. When it opens he sees Kayo in red pajamas. Her jaw drops and she wraps the boy in a tight hug.

"You smell good." Crap, I said that out loud.

"You idiot." she says, smiling. "Well are you just gonna stand there?" Satoru walks in.

Kayo's grandmother enters slowly, talking on the phone, "Is my guest here? Yes he is, Ms. Fujinuma! Of course you can." She hands the phone to Satoru who takes it quickly.

"Hey, Mom. We just made it. He's on his way back now."

"Good. You have a good evening and remember my warning."

"Yes Mom, I love you."

"Love you too."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Satoru hands the phone back to Kayo's grandmother and follows Kayo herself upstairs and into her room where he sets down his stuff, "Oh, this is for you." He says handing her the bag John gave him. Out of it comes a box of chocolates shaped like a heart. That son of a-

Her face is a deep shade of red. "Thank you, idiot." She tears up a little but doesn't cry.

"Happy belated Valentine's Day?" He tries to play it off and she just laughs.

"You didn't have to bring me anything."

"I did. Trust me." He smiles at her, then it sinks, "I'm going to guess that you heard the news?"

"Yeah. I can't believe he'd do something like that." She says, sadly.

"Me either. I'm glad he was caught. Our new teacher is nice, though."

"He seems like it." She says, almost distracted, "Yashiro said that you were going out of your way to stop him. That got me thinking, what am I to you?"

How do I say this? "You started as a way to stop him, then I developed feelings for you. It happened some time after the race. I don't know when specifically, probably after that whole cash fiasco."

"When I heard that, I was scared that you might not really like me, that you were forced to talk to me."

"I was always intrigued. I think when that made me talk to you, I was happy. I'd always wanted to, but I was scared."

"You were scared... of me?" She looks at her feet. "...Idiot."

He smiles, "You don't know how much I missed hearing you call me that."

"I've only been gone for a week."

"I know, but it feels like a month."

"I'm coming back in the summer."

"You know I can't wait that long." Satoru sighs, "Do you know a place for us to hang out?"

"Yeah, actually. Food won't be until eight, so follow me." Kayo grabs his hand and leads the way through the backyard and into the woods, until they reach an old tree house. "The ladder's a little rickety, but trust me."

"Okay." Satoru says, huffing as he waits for her to finish climbing before starting himself. He joins her inside and above them is a glass roof that gives them a perfect view of the sky. "This place is nice."