Set You Free
Written for the drabble theme "Sensitive".
Title: Set You Free
Series: Free!
Length: 300 words
Genre: Humor
Character: Gou
Summary: Gou has to discourage Momo once and for all.
Gou didn’t want to be cruel, but she couldn’t take it anymore.
So before he was halfway through reciting his usual bio-again impressing upon her his affinity for stag beetles and his showering habits-she interrupted him.
“I’m very sorry, Mikoshiba-kun,” she said with as much sincere regret as she could muster, “but….” Her eyes slanted toward the boy next to her, and he gave her a slight nod. “But I already have a boyfriend.”
Rin’s hand, poised to snatch Momo up by the collar, froze in midair. “What? No, you don’t.”
“Who is it?” Momo asked, his eyes overly bright and intense.
This wasn’t how she would have chosen to tell. Not on the street in front of her brother and her other clubmates. They’d kept it a secret, worried about upsetting the club dynamic or making anyone feel awkward.
It was always going to be awkward, she realized now, and so it was time.
Beside her, Nagisa grinned sheepishly and raised his hand. “Yo.”
Momo stared. Rin’s mouth was agape, as was Rei’s. Makoto smiled like a mother who knew all her children’s secrets. Haru was captivated by rotating skewers of grilled fish in a restaurant window.
Rin’s itchy fingers closed around Nagisa’s collar. “Excuse us,” he said as he dragged the younger boy away.
“Now, now, Rin-chan….”
Momo sighed and frowned down at his shoes. “Huh. Well.” He looked so deflated and dejected that Gou felt a little stab of guilt pierce her heart. He’d been harmless enough, and seemed like a nice kid.
“Mikoshiba-kun,” she said gently, “I really am-“
“Oh, I know!” His bouncy enthusiasm was back as his eyes met hers. “What about your cute friend, you know, with the hair?” He drew invisible circles over his head. “Does she like swimmers?”
Title: Set You Free
Series: Free!
Length: 300 words
Genre: Humor
Character: Gou
Summary: Gou has to discourage Momo once and for all.
Gou didn’t want to be cruel, but she couldn’t take it anymore.
So before he was halfway through reciting his usual bio-again impressing upon her his affinity for stag beetles and his showering habits-she interrupted him.
“I’m very sorry, Mikoshiba-kun,” she said with as much sincere regret as she could muster, “but….” Her eyes slanted toward the boy next to her, and he gave her a slight nod. “But I already have a boyfriend.”
Rin’s hand, poised to snatch Momo up by the collar, froze in midair. “What? No, you don’t.”
“Who is it?” Momo asked, his eyes overly bright and intense.
This wasn’t how she would have chosen to tell. Not on the street in front of her brother and her other clubmates. They’d kept it a secret, worried about upsetting the club dynamic or making anyone feel awkward.
It was always going to be awkward, she realized now, and so it was time.
Beside her, Nagisa grinned sheepishly and raised his hand. “Yo.”
Momo stared. Rin’s mouth was agape, as was Rei’s. Makoto smiled like a mother who knew all her children’s secrets. Haru was captivated by rotating skewers of grilled fish in a restaurant window.
Rin’s itchy fingers closed around Nagisa’s collar. “Excuse us,” he said as he dragged the younger boy away.
“Now, now, Rin-chan….”
Momo sighed and frowned down at his shoes. “Huh. Well.” He looked so deflated and dejected that Gou felt a little stab of guilt pierce her heart. He’d been harmless enough, and seemed like a nice kid.
“Mikoshiba-kun,” she said gently, “I really am-“
“Oh, I know!” His bouncy enthusiasm was back as his eyes met hers. “What about your cute friend, you know, with the hair?” He drew invisible circles over his head. “Does she like swimmers?”