Chapter 043 - Finally

I leave the office feeling frustrated with Lily's advice. I can't believe she would suggest that I act so aggressive and desperate just to get Saitama's attention! Besides, it's not like I haven't tried to make him notice me before.

But maybe she has a point. Maybe I do need to be more assertive than I am now. I shake my head. My pride won't allow me to do that! But maybe I can test the waters? Should I really make him dinner? Wear something sexy?

As I walk towards my apartment, my mind is filled with thoughts of whether or not I should do it. I feel my heart racing as I imagine doing it. And when I finally get to the apartment, I decide to test it out. So, I spend the next few hours preparing dinner, trying on different outfits, and putting on some light makeup.

As I stand in front of the mirror, admiring my figure in a tight fitting dress, I can't help but feel nervous. I'm not sure if Saitama will notice the change. But something inside tells me to try it, anyway.

Just as I am satisfied with my appearance, I hear a knock on the door. My heart thumps as I approach it, knowing that it could be Saitama.

"Hi, Saitama," I say, trying to sound natural as I open the door and smile at him.

"Hey," he replies.

He doesn't seem to notice my outfit!

He is about to enter, but I bar the door. He frowns. "You are in the way, Fubuki."

"Come on in," I say, feeling disappointed and stepping aside to let him into the apartment.

He moves into the apartment and slumps in front of the TV. I raise my eyebrows, deciding how to proceed. Besides, why am I so nervous? I am just testing the waters! I'm just checking things out.

Testing the waters.

That's all there is to it.

"Saitama?" I call. I move closer to him, brushing my hand against his arm—which I withdraw just as fast, embarrassed about the contact.

He glances up at me, his expression blank. "Yeah?"

"I made dinner," I say, gesturing to the table.

He blinks at me, then turns his attention back to the TV. "Thanks, I'm not really hungry right now."

My mouth hangs open. If he won't even take dinner, it's all for naught!

"It's free! You don't have to pay!" I blurt out.

His eyes flick over to the table and then back to me. "Are you sure? I don't have money in me now. I just ate in a family restaurant."

"It is free. There's also meat."

His eyes widen. "If you insist..." he mutters, getting up and moving towards the table.

I follow him, biting my lip nervously. This isn't going as I planned. I hope that he will notice me, but it's the dinner that he likes instead! Damn it. Why is it that I always need to bribe him with food?!

As Saitama sits down at the table and begins to eat, I can't help but feel a disappointed.

"Meat is really good, no matter how it's prepared," he comments, taking a bite.

I pause from eating. Is it only good because it's meat? I spent hours preparing that!

"Anything else?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"Anything else you'd like to complain about my food?!" I repeat, annoyance becoming clear in my tone.

"Eh?!" He puts down his fork and asks, "Ahm, why are you angry?"

Annoyed, I slam at the dinner table and everything in it takes a little jump. Saitama pulls back as I glare at him.

"It's not my fault!" he blurts out.

I snap. "You know what? Forget it! I'm sick and tired of trying to impress you!" I yell, my voice echoing in the small apartment. "I spent hours cooking for you, but all you care about is meat!"

Saitama looks taken aback, his eyes widening slightly. "I-is this the price of the free meal?"

I groan—very audibly, out of exasperation. "I've told you before. I like you. We are even a couple now but—"

I pause. Instead of continuing, I walk towards him. "Now, tell me. Do you like me or not?!"

"Ahm, Fubuki, what kind of like?"

I watch the way he swallows. This time, I can see a bit of expression on him. Anxiety, that is. At least, it's not boredom. I shake my head. I am going to get answers now.

"I told you before! We are a couple now, so that's the kind of like that I mean!"

He clears his throat and stands up. He taps my shoulders and says, "Good luck, but I don't see you that way."

My lips tremble at that. I bite my lips. This man has the gall to reject my advances!

"Am I not beautiful?"

"You are, but, ah, I don't feel that way."

I glare at him, but his eyes dart around. "How did you know that without trying?"

"I just know."

"How?!"

He points at his chest and says, "I just don't feel it."

"No!" I insist. "I have to check. You need to let me check it."

He laughs nervously. "How are you even planning to do that? Is there some type of test to measure that?"

"Probably..."

I move closer to him, cage his face in my palms, and kiss him. He freezes, but makes no move to push me away. So, I press my chest against him until I am pinning him against the wall.

"You need to kiss me too," I say, temporarily pulling back.

I press my lips against his again and lay my palms flat on his chest. But why is he not responding?! Any normal man should have already responded! Maybe I am not doing a great job at kissing? How does kissing go, anyway? I should have asked Lily.

I take his arm and let it wind around my waist. "Saitama, I need you to kiss me too," I repeat, my hands going up to his face.

"Have you had enough, Fubuki?" he asks.

There's no boredom anymore, but he is angry. And why do I feel like he is looking at me with disgust instead? I feel my heart sink. This time, I pull back.

"You don't want me," I state, my voice trembling. With my beauty, position and figure, he doesn't want me at all! "You can't even kiss me properly," I whisper.

No response from him.

"You think I am so beneath you, don't you?" I continue.

"That's not it. You can't force me to feel things that just aren't there anymore."

Unexpectedly, tears fall at the same time that my chest constricts.

I step back, giving him some space. "I... I understand," I say softly, feeling miserable. "You don't like me at all. I'm not your type at all."

I look up at him, my tears not yet subsiding. He looks anxious about my state. "Ahm, you don't have to cry."

"In the future, will you ever learn to look at me the same way I look at you? Will you be able to, you know, love someone else? Romantically?"

He winces as if I am asking such an awful thing. "I don't think I can."

Something punches through my heart. I control myself from bawling like a little child. I take a deep breath and nod my head, trying to make myself understand. If he doesn't like me, then I just have to accept it.

"I understand." I say again, wiping away my tears. "I guess that's all there is to it."

Before he can say anything else, or before I say something else that I will regret, I move away and escape the tiny apartment.