Chapter 78: Hidden Bravery

Sayuri

Kai let out a soft chuckle as his mom walked away, his cheeks still tinted with a rosy hue. "Sorry about my mom. She can be quite the character."

I smiled, shaking my head. "No need to apologize. I think she's lovely. It's nice to see the playful side of your family."

Kai's gaze softened, a hint of gratitude shining in his eyes. "Yeah, they're a handful, but I wouldn't trade them for anything."

There was a moment of silence between us, filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Despite the weight of our individual struggles, there was a sense of understanding and connection that transcended words.

"I'm glad you're here, Sayuri," Kai finally spoke, his voice gentle and sincere.

Touched by his words, I reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "I should be the one saying that, Kai. Thank you for being such a good friend."

He blushed again and stood up. "W-well. I better do my homework."

I chuckled softly at his adorable nervousness. "Sure, Kai. But shouldn't you put those groceries away first?" I gestured towards the forgotten bag on the table.

Kai blinked, as if he had completely forgotten about the task at hand. "Oh, right! I-I'll do that now." With a slightly clumsy movement, he reached for the bag and hurriedly made his way to the kitchen pantry, his steps a bit quicker than usual.

I couldn't help but smile at his endearing clumsiness, a characteristic that I had come to notice during the short time I had known him. As I watched him organize the groceries with a touch of awkwardness, I felt a surge of affection for my new friend, grateful for his presence in my life.

Once the task was completed, Kai turned back to me, his cheeks still flushed but a shy smile playing on his lips. "Thanks for reminding me, Sayuri. I... I appreciate it."

I returned his smile, feeling a warmth bloom in my chest. "Anytime, Kai. That's what friends are for, right?"

He gave me a paper-thin smile.

I stood up. "Say, how about as thanks for the chocolate, I help you with your homework?"

"E-eh? Y-you don't have to," he said, shaking his hands at me.

I giggled. "Well, I have yet to start on it myself, so it will help both of us."

"O-okay," he said smiling.

"Great! Let's go to your room then."

"E-eh? My room? W-why?"

I chuckled. "I just wanna see it."

His gaze flickered with a mix of surprise and uncertainty, as if caught off guard by my proposal. Despite his initial hesitation, Kai nodded shyly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"O-Okay," he stammered, his voice slightly uneven with a touch of nervousness. "Let's go to my room then."

Entering Kai's room, the cozy warmth enveloped us like a comforting blanket, the soft glow of the desk lamp casting a gentle light over our study space. I took a seat at his desk, while Kai settled down beside me with his textbook and notes, his hands slightly trembling as he flipped through the pages.

As we delved into our homework assignments, the quiet ambiance of the room was punctuated by the sound of flipping pages and the occasional rustle of papers. Despite the focus on our studies, there was an unspoken tension in the air, a palpable sense of connection and shared vulnerability that lingered between us.

In that moment, as we studied side by side in the dim light of Kai's room, I couldn't help but feel a little flustered myself.

"S-say, Kai. Do you like me?"

He jumped, closing his notebook. "W-why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

I looked down as guilt hit me. What was I doing? Was I really going to give Kai a chance so soon after breaking up with Ava? It would seem as if I was only using him to get over her.

"I... I'm sorry, Kai," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "I shouldn't have asked that. It was... it was unfair of me to put you on the spot like that."

Kai's expression softened, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. "It's okay, Sayuri. I understand," he replied gently, his voice a soothing balm to my troubled conscience. He took a deep breath. "H-honestly, I-I do like you."

My face warmed up.

"I've liked you since we met. But I didn't say a thing because of Ava." He gulped. "Well, guess I probably should've kept it to myself. I-I don't wanna make things awkward between us."

"I-it's okay. Ava and I, we broke up."

He gasped. "You did? Why?"

"She slept with Sehun."

All color drained from his face. "No." He stood up. "How could they have done that to you and Sou?! Those jerks! Wait until I give them a piece of my mind!"

The intensity of Kai's reaction caught me off guard, his protective instinct shining through the veil of his shy demeanor.

"It's okay, Kai. I already gave Ava a good verbal takedown."

"Then I'll give Sehun one! He broke my friend's heart."

I smiled. "You really are a cute guy."

He blushed and looked down. "S-so. S-since y-your single now. Do you... Wanna go out?"

Once again, I was taken aback by him. He was a lot braver than I gave him credit for.

"I-I'm not sure," I whispered.

He nodded quickly. "I understand."

I appreciated Kai's understanding and his willingness to take a step back, giving me the space and time I needed to process everything that had happened. His sincerity and kindness shone through his actions, deepening the bond of friendship and trust that had developed between us.

"Thank you, Kai. I... I really value our friendship," I said softly, meeting his gaze with a mix of gratitude and affection.

His shy smile returned, a flicker of warmth in his eyes. "Me too, Sayuri. You mean a lot to me."

My face heated up. Kai's mom really wasn't kidding when she said Kai cared more about me than I knew.

I couldn't help but smile. Maybe giving him a chance in the future wasn't such a bad idea.