Chapter 8 - "I'm not your friend."

Komori P.O.V.

I'm walking towards Omi's house. (Y/N) asked me a favor yesterday to help Omi prepare for school. I came at the perfect timing Liliana just arrived and was knocking at the door. The door opened and Omi just gave a cold shoulder to Liliana.

"What are you doing here?" Omi asked, annoyed.

"(y/n) called me here to take her place. She said she caught cold so I should cook you breakfast." She answered. 'What's with this cold atmosphere?' I thought.

"Forget it! I can cook my own food." Omi answered back. I hid myself behind the wall near the gate. I heard everything. It was a painful scene.

After a few seconds of silence. I heard footsteps coming from Liliana. Tears were streaming down her face. She saw me and her eyes grew. She wiped her tears and ran to the other direction.

"Liliana wait!" I shouted. I ran after her until she stopped by the park.

"Why are you following me?! Are you having fun seeing me being pitiful. Well, guess what? I don't need your pity." She shouted as she was trying so hard to hold back the tears.

"Why did you do that?" I asked.

"Did what?" She asked back.

"What you did there, it's not a confession. You're making him realize his feelings. Your giving him a push." I shouted. The wind blew her hair. I saw her eyes grew as I saw the tears streamed down her face. 'She's pretty even though she's crying' I thought.

"I-I can't win a match when there's already a winner." She said as she wiped her tears. "I'm the concrete to his plant. It will never grow because the plant longs for the soil and the concrete is not what he needs."

I walked towards her. She took a step back. "Don't move." I commanded. I pulled her close to me. I held her in my arms. "Cry your heart out. I'll be here. I'll protect you." I said. She cried her heart out.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked hugging me tight. I looked up the sky. 'Because I like you but, I can't tell you that now. I'll wait till your heart heals.' I thought.

"It's because I hate to see girls crying" I replied.

After she calmed down, we parted ways and walked on our own to school. I still need to pick up Omi so I walked towards his house.

'Right on time.' I thought as I saw him walking outside his house. "Omi!" I shouted and waved. He waited for me in front of his gate.

"Did that germ also asked you to walk me to school?" He asked raising me a brow.

"Yeah, she cares about you a lot. I saw Liliana a while ago." I turned to look at his expression. There's nothing. "You didn't have to be so harsh on her."

"What's the point on keeping other people's hopes up? It'll end up hurting them more if you don't cut it on the first try." He said. Well, I can't blame him. He, himself experienced it and he has a point.

While walking I asked him about his feelings for (y/n). "Hey, you like her don't you?"

"Well, she's annoying, clumsy and stupid but, something about her makes me feel comfortable." He answered.

"Like back then when you used to like Liliana?" I asked.

"No, it's much greater. I liked Liliana before for being so graceful and clean. I thought that's the only kind of girl that I can bare to be with." He said.

"So why didn't you choose her?" I asked.

"It's because she and (y/n) we're different. Whenever I'm mad, Liliana will get scared but, (y/n)?" He smiled before continuing. "She saw my pain and took the risk to save me from drowning. I bet even if I was in flames she'll risk her self to save me. She's too bright it's actually scary." He looked up the sky and smiled.

'Sakusa? Smiling?' I thought. 'You're one extraordinary girl (y/n). You're the only girl who can make Omi like this.' I added. "So did you kiss her already?" His ears turned red. "Hoho! So you did?" I teased.

"Shut up! It wasn't a kiss. Her lips just touched against mine indirectly through my mask." He justified.

"I bet you sprayed her disinfectant right after!" I laughed. "Poor (y/n)!" I added

"I didn't." I turned to him. I was shock. 'Am I hearing this right? The great germophobe didn't even flinch?' I thought. "I liked it." he added. I was shocked. I can't believe it.

~~~

Sakusa's P.O.V.

After volleyball practice, I walked home and passed by a drug store. 'Yeah, she's sick so? Why do you want to buy her medicine?' I thought to myself as I walked inside the drug store and buyed some medicine for cold.

I walked to her home. I was still contemplating whether I should do this or not but, I remembered what Liliana told me earlier, 'You can't make the sun shine just for you if you won't take the risk.' That thought keeps bothering me.

I knocked on her door and a man showed up. I think that's her father. I bring down my mask up to my chin so, I wouldn't look so disrespectful. "Hello! I'm Sakusa Kiyoomi. I'm a friend of (y/n)." I introduced.

He glared at me. "A boy!? Hmm...." He gestured me to come inside but his face speaks the other. As I sit on the couch he started asking questions.

"What's your relationship with my daughter? Do you like her? She's pretty isn't she? She's—" He keeps on asking questions when a woman came out of the kitchen with some biscuits in hand. I think she's her mother.

"Ara ara honey~ Please don't scare the guest that much. You must be her friend, right? Sakusa-chan?" Her mother asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Where's (y/n)? I just came by to give her these medicines." I answered.

"Don't call me ' ma'am ' Sakusa-chan. Call me ' mama ' " Her mother winked at me before placing the plate of biscuits in front of me. Her dad glared at me when he heard his wife telling me to call her "mama". It's like he's indirectly threatening me saying 'Do that and you'll never see the next sunlight again'

"She's out for a second, I think she'll be back soon." Her mother added as she sat down on the other couch. "So, how's my daughter at school? You can be honest with me Sakusa-chan. I know she can be quite a handful."

'Should I tell them?' I thought. My inner angel tells me that I should, since honesty is the best policy. "She's a really annoying person..."

"You rascal—" Her dad grunts but her mother stopped him. 'Now, I know why her name is called 'Daddy's little girl' on the rent a boyfriend app.' I thought.

"Let him finish honey." He mother said.

"She's annoying but, she's actually a warm and caring person. She's the type of person who'll risk everything just to make you smile. Although, she comes up with stupid ideas sometimes." I felt my face smile on it's own.

"You like her don't you?" Her mother teased. "Just kidding! I'll let you guys discover that on your own." Her mom added. We talked for a little bit more when we heard the door open. "Hey honey you're back."

Her eyes widens as she saw me sitting on the couch with her parents. "Saku-chan?" She blinked her eyes checking if she's dreaming. "What are you doing here?" She glared at her parents trying to check if they did something to me.

"I'm just going to drop this medicine for you but, I was invited inside by your parents." I said. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me outside.

"Mom! Dad! We'll talk later. I'll be back." she shouted.

We walked towards the park. She's still pulling my wrist. And when we stopped she was shocked to see her holding my wrist like I was a normal person.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." She bowed several times.

"Stop." I said. "I'll just take a bath later." We sat on a swing and started talking.

"So did Liliana and Komori helped you today?" She asked.

"Yeah... You don't have to do that though." I said.

"I have to. I promised someone that I'll take care of you." She said as she looked down on the ground playing the sand with her feet.

"Take care of me?" I said. "You're being delusional again. You really is sick. I can take care of myself with or without you."

"Yeah, right." She giggled. "You always say that but, deep down you always wanted someone to take care of you isn't that right?"

Her words it's so accurate. She always see right through me. No matter how thick the wall I build she's pierces through effortlessly.

"Ain't I right?" She asked again.

"You're not wrong but, you're not right either. Here! Get well soon" I handed her the medicine. I pulled my mask back up. "Meet me here on the weekend let's do whatever it is on your list." I said before I left without even looking back to her reaction.

(Y/N)' P.O.V.

I arrived 5 minutes early at our meeting place. I was planning on inviting him to try boating with me in Lake Kawaguchiko.

A few minutes later he arrived. He's wearing jacket, gloves and of course his face mask but, this time it's the face mask I gave him.

"Ohh! You're actually wearing it? It looks so cute on you specially with the germ patch on the side." I teased. He just rolled his eyes.

"What shall we do first on the list?" He asked.

"Let's go boating!!! Lake Kawaguchiko here I come!!" I said as I ran towards the train station with him following me from behind.

After a several minutes we arrived at our destination. It was so pretty. There's a lot of Sakura trees around the lake.

I ran towards the are where they're giving boat rides. "Shall we?" I turned to my back but, Sakusa wasn't there. "Saku-chan?" I shouted. I walked back to the places I walked through.

There he is walking slowly trying not to bump into anyone. I laughed at the sight. 'He looks like a baby.' I thought. I knew this would happen so I took a long piece of blanket inside my bag and cover him with it. He looks like a kid cosplaying a ghost.

"What are you doing, germ?" He asked, annoyed.

"I'm keeping the baby away from germs." I giggled. I removed the ribbon tied to my hair and gave him the other end. "Hold it!" I commanded.

Once, he took the end of the ribbon I started shouting repeatedly. "Give way! Passing through!" I was laughing the whole time. It was like I was pulling a ghost.

We arrived at the destination and pulled the blanket back to my bag. To my surprise he was laughing too. His mask is placed under his chin. I can see his whole face. 'He's laughing.' I thought as I smiled at the look on his face. 'You look handsome when you're like that.' I added.

"That was hilarious (y/n)!" He said. "I never thought you could pull off something so stupid yet, satisfying." He added. My eyes widens as I hear him call my name for the first time.

"You!" I shouted and pointed at him. "You called my name!! You called me using my name for the first time!!!" I was jumping out of shock and happiness.

"Oh sorry! My bad. I meant germ." He said although I can still see the smile on his face as he walked towards the boat. "Shall we?" He asked.

We walked inside the boat and I was looking at the scenery with awe. "This could've have been nice if only it was raining." I whispered.

"Idiot, we can't go boating if it's raining." He teased.

"But, it says on the song. Boat in the rain." I pouted.

"It'll rain soon. Just you wait." He said. The wind blew and the sakura leaves came down falling. "See, it's not rain like water and stuff but, it's much better. It's raining sakura" he said.

"It's so pretty..." I whispered.

"Yeah, it's so pretty..." I heard him whisper. I turned to check his expression and to my surprise he's looking at me. 'Did he just say those words while looking at me? Does that mean that he was pertaining the word 'pretty' to me?' I thought as I felt my cheeks getting hot. I turned around and looked at the scenery a bit more.

After the boat ride, I turned to him."You liked it? It's nice right? I told you, you won't ever feel lonely again. I'm here." I boasted. He just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." He said.

I offered him my hand and he just stared at it. "What's that?" He asked.

"I'm officially announcing that we're friends from now on." I smiled him.

"I'm not your friend." He said as he looked straight into my eyes. I felt a chill down to my spine.

"Stop being bitter! We've been bonding for the last few months. Now let me be your friend already." I protested.

"No. I don't make friends with a stupid, clumsy and annoying germ like you." He said as his face showed a sincere smile. A smile I never knew I'll be able to see. "I date them." He said.

TO BE CONTINUED.