The Shadow Paralyzed (Part 2)
Title: The Shadow Paralyzed
Pairing: Inoo Kei x Yabu Kota (InooBu)
Type: Chaptered
Genre: Romance, fluff, slight angst, friendship, school-life
Disclaimer: All characters here belong to Hey! Say! JUMP.
Summary: Inoo Kei never knows why Yabu Kota hates her so much even from the very first time they met. It really is their first time.
Warning: My English is bad. Inoo Kei is a gurl here.
Since that time, Inoo tries her best not to get involved with Yabu or Yaotome. She reminds herself to always bring her textbook, her jacket, and bento so all she should do is just staying at the class. And by the attitude that guy showed her, it makes her easier to just ignore him. They never talk to each other anymore. Even sometimes if Yabu left her clueless while she haven’t submitted her task just like previous time, Inoo has no concern, she rather choose to give it by herself to sensei. Everything is so plain. No more painful feeling, yet, no more happiness curve on that pretty face.
And today they have sport subject. Inoo chooses to just stay in infirmary because she still feels uneasy about the incident three days ago, that bullshit moment when she got all wet and shivering all the way home. No one cares about her. Even though Inoo can’t attend class, still, none of them asked if Inoo is okay or not, while she actually hopes for once. But yeah, she doesn’t want to get further with them anymore, because she doesn’t know if there will be creepier moments might happen later. She feels all alone. And she just curled her body under the blanket. Even the doctor was going outside which makes her lonelier.
“Cold”, she mumbles to herself, still struggling under the blanket so by it maybe she could feel warmer. No doubt. It’s almost reaching the end of autumn. Which means winter will come soon. Instead of getting cold like this -since she haven’t fully recovered- she prefer to welcome summer breeze. But, season keeps turning on its orbit. And the cold feeling she has becomes colder when that guy treated her like a trash.
Well, even if she tries to just forget it, she knows, a part inside her mind is getting curious about what happen to that guy, more importantly, about what she had done so his eyes just seems hateful. She tried recalling her memories, and no matter how many times she did it, she still can’t get the reason why. That guy’s expression to her is just so fucking different than when he faces other students. He treated her in special way, so special, until it reaches the irritated stage which Inoo barely handle.
“Ah forget it”, Inoo murmurs alone and shoo her hand to the air, as she tries to vanish the imagination of that skinny guy from her mind.
But, right after she wants to forget him, right after she plans to just go to dreamland, the door of infirmary is being opened. The sound isn’t that friendly and sends Inoo annoyed feeling. She immediately looks to the source, but in a moment her eyes gazed wider. Yabu Kota came to her sight along with Yaotome who gives him support to stand. It seems like his ankle got sprained. And now he hardly reaches the bed beside Inoo’s one, before Yaotome help him to just lie down.
“Ah, where is the doctor?”, asked Yaotome to the one and only girl there
Inoo just shook her head, declines to give proper answer.
“Yabee…how’s it then?”, Yaotome sighs and chuckles in frustrated
“Daijobu Hika, I can treat myself well. Just go back to court”, Yabu stated
“Really?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not a big trouble either.”
After a minute thinking, Yaotome finally nods but his face clearly worried. “Okay. I leave you here. Jya”, then he bids goodbye to his best friend, before dashes out his steps back to court.
Inoo, who since then just observe them, feels uneasy with this situation. It’s just her and Yabu. Alone. And more importantly Yabu is sick that makes her feels uneasy. She tries to handle the urge to treat that pain. She confirms herself the one who lies beside her is Yabu Kota. The number one person she should avoid. The only guy who gives her hell experience by choosing this school. But…mind speaks contrary. As now Inoo suddenly climbs from her bed and approaches Yabu.
“Let me put the bandage”, Inoo said and reaches for bandage of certain box. But, when she touches Yabu’s ankle, as always Yabu pushed her away.
“I can do by myself!”, he states, almost shouts
Less than a second, Yabu steals the bandage from Inoo’s hand and curled it by himself. That’s good he steals at the first place. Because if he is not, Inoo will be the one who throw the bandage right to his face because she keeps getting irritated. Inoo sighs harshly and back to her bed, covers herself with blanket, and turns left so she won’t see Yabu beside.
“Aaa ittai!!”, Yabu screams slightly and signaling frustrated feeling from his tone. He keeps mumbling, cursing, because he finally found a fact he can’t move that agile and can’t solve his problem alone.
The girl covers her ears and tries to avoid the sound coming; she convinces herself it’s nothing. The boy didn’t need her after all. The boy is her enemy after all. It won’t bring anything to her if she keeps insisting. Moreover, she pretty sure the guy will just scold her, or who knows if Yabu could be harsher than before.
“Shit! Help me!”, that words escaped from his mouth. Particularly, it’s just slipped out from his tongue, with no one in exact being the target. It’s just an expression of his depressed stage. But now, that girl already stands near his feet for second time, even if her face seems like she approaches him by force.
“Give it to me”, Inoo said and asked for bandage. Yabu doubt first, not even granting what Inoo begged him to. But, after a while Inoo just steals the bandage from Yabu’s hand. Then, without wasting time, Inoo curled the bandage carefully on that sprained ankle. She did it gently and in some ways it seems expert. Yabu just keeps silent, and right inside his mind, he doesn’t want to admit, really doesn’t want to admit that Inoo is good for doing her job.
“Nee Yabu, do you know why I love her?”, that guy asked him again for nth time. Seriously, Yabu gets boring already
“Yeah. You said she is cute, pretty, has pinkish lips, and---“
“I won’t fall in love if it’s just because she is pretty”, that guy grins, makes Yabu twitches his upper lips in annoyance
“Then why?”
“She is…kind”
“Done! Now try to stand!”, she ordered
The boy just unconsciously obeyed what she wished for. And when Yabu steps his feet on the floor, the painful feeling he got while ago left nothing.
“Sugee!! I don’t feel hurt anymore!”
Then, after Yabu turns his face aside, he just recognized about who did such thing. He immediately covers his mouth by both palms, curses under his breath because his tongue just speaks without permission. It’s her. Inoo Kei. The girl whom he hates most. The girl whom he wants to suffer for the rest of her life. He never expects he will say something which looked so bullshit. But, even if it’s bullshit, it’s the truth. He feels like got healed easily after that girl took over his problem.
Shit!
“Well, I am a future doctor after all”, Inoo stated, smirked, showed to Yabu that she is the winner. And it successes make Yabu got mad right away. His mind is boiling, but he can’t be that rude either. Thought so, Yabu chooses to just back lie down and ignores the girl.
“Don’t forget to eat fruits so you can be healed quickly”, she continued and back to her bed also
Then, silent is back to fill their time. Inoo turns left and Yabu turns right so they won’t look at each other. Deep inside, Inoo feels satisfied of herself when he found Yabu’s happy scream while ago. She did her job well. And she really meant by her statement that she wants to be a doctor. So, maybe by it she can’t avoid Yabu even if he is the one she hates most. Yeah, maybe. Not because she wants to make things better between them.
***
Actually, today Yabu found his day is a peaceful one, at least until he reaches the first rest time. Since that day, he tries not to bother that girl anymore, and more importantly avoid having any debt to her. But now, without he could demand, that girl turns her face back and looks to his eyes, along with a bento box and Yabu immediately frowns in confusion.
“Nee, your ankle hasn’t fully recovered right? Eat this!”, she shows what inside the box and Yabu just gazes, got no hint about what she will do.
“What’s that?”, he asks coldly, even though he wants to scold her right away. But, a part inside him tells him not to. He even barely knows why. Or maybe it’s because he still owe her for that bandage incident.
“What? Can’t you see? It’s ba-na-na. I mixed it with honey so it will taste better. You should eat fruits so you will be healed quickly”, she says in one breathe, not letting Yabu to argue. Again, her urge to help someone just commands her to do such thing. Even when she clearly remembers who Yabu is, but this nature behavior of her just fully takes control all over her action.
“I don’t need to---umph!!”, before the skinny guy finish his words, suddenly a piece of banana came to his mouth by force.
“Just eat!”, she orders, and particularly, feed Yabu that honey banana by her hand.
Yabu blinks twice, he is currently confusing about the time he is into. But, his mouth just gratefully munches that sweet dish inside. He, deep inside, can’t believe about what just happened between them. That girl bravely takes a risky action by feeding him clueless, and it’s by force at the first place. But, seems like she has no guilty, she even already puts the second piece in a moment.
Still, Yabu’s eyes being glued to her face but his mouth just depend on the instinct. He keeps swallowing that unknowledgeable banana, until in certain level, he fully recognized what he currently does. He snaps back to reality and those thoughts. And when he found that girl will feed him the nth pieces, he immediately intends to protest her and makes her stop such activity.
“W-what?!! Wait!! You shouldn’t---*cough*”, Yabu unconsciously spill some munched banana because he tries to speak and eat at same time. Both of them blinks amazingly first, but then Yabu immediately wipes the spill on his desk and red blushed covered his face. He cursed under his breath over this embarrassing moment.
“HAHAHAHAHA…that’s why you shouldn’t speak and just eat first!!”, Inoo laughs hardly, makes her eyes thinner a bit.
Yabu is more than ready to scold her, curse her, or maybe push her away. But, right after he sees that smile, right after he sees that perfect cheekbone she curved once she smiled, right after she found how innocent that smile could be, his mind, heart, and whole body are going frozen. That girl still is laughing and sometimes wiping her tears as side effect. Her hair is being messy, got played by the wind. And the more Yabu looks at her, the more he realizes that her skin is as pure as bright sky when summer comes.
“And you know Yabu?”
“What else?”, for nth time today, Yabu chuckles, he wants to end this conversation soon, but the older guy seems still have thousand bullets to blabber about his crush
“The best part of her is…”, that guy smiles sheepishly, makes Yabu furrows his brow and waits for continuation
“What’s that?”
“Her smile.”
He stunned. Honestly, he can’t lie to himself about what he ever said is a truth. That smile felt so magical and he never found anybody else to have this beautiful one. The tint pink which is being complied there, just prove to him, just being enough reasons for him to understand why his step brother loves this girl so much. He hates it. He should remember that her smile isn’t the one he wants to see. He wants to see her cry. He wants to see her into painful feeling. But why? Why now he has no heart to make that smile disappear? It feels like his blank mind suddenly got suggested, distracted, by a shadow that keeps chasing him tirelessly.
“You like it? Eat them more”, Inoo said and offered another piece of chopped banana to Yabu.
She found it’s interesting. The older boy seemed enjoying this moment unconsciously. Even though Inoo knows Yabu’s mind isn’t here -because if it’s here Yabu must already pushed her- but she just happily looks at Yabu’s innocent act. The way he responds to Inoo’s hand without he could realize just makes Inoo giggles. So, after all, he isn’t that scary, Inoo thought. But, above all, when Yabu glares at her intently, somehow she feels uneasy, and just guesses about when Yabu’s brain will work properly, ends it by scolding her.
“This is the last”, Inoo said
Yeah, the last. Both of them even got no clue why it already reaches for an end. But, when Yabu opens his mouth by nerves, Inoo suddenly pulls the banana back and munches it by herself. “I got you”, she giggles, full of satisfied after did a prank to the boy.
Her smile really is magic. Until Yabu didn’t know how many times has passed since his brain turned malfunction. That smile washed away the thought about which false from the true. He can’t be stupid more. Since then, he just stunned like a statue, obeyed that girl without argue, being a robot who suddenly being controlled by his master.
“Yabu?”, Inoo tries to distract the silent Yabu. No respond.
“Nee Yabu”, she says, waves her hand in front of Yabu’s eyes and really is afraid if Yabu’s soul already gone to somewhere else.
That distraction succeeds to break his complicated mind. Slowly, Yabu got back to his current state. Looking at that face, his mind is going boiling. But, he doesn’t know why this time instead of angry to Inoo, he got disappointed with himself. Then, he immediately taps his desk a bit hard, grits his teeth, and makes Inoo jolts in shock. The innocent girl just blinks, can’t utter even any single word, before suddenly that boy dashes out from this class, leaves Inoo behind.
Yabu runs, ignores students’ eyes which naked him. He keeps running and panting until he reaches for boy’s room. When he opens the door, he shocks for second time after saw Hika is doing lip-locking with certain handsome boy. The best friend of him got shock also after someone caught their current secret lovey-dovey moment. Hika stops and looks back, got irritated after knew it’s Yabu.
“A-ah Hika, I leave first kay…”, the another guy said shyly and walks passed Yabu quickly.
“Keito! Matte!”, but no matter how he tries to restrict Keito, that guy already leaves their current place. “You stupid!!!”, Hika points to Yabu’s face
“Watch your words! Who will have a kiss on toilet?!!”, Yabu stated back, sarcastically
“Why did you suddenly come here?!”, still, Hika is being angry with Yabu. He rarely meets Keito tho, except if it’s rest time, but Yabu just ruined their time perfectly. But yeah, Yabu is right. Anyone could come to this place as they wanted to. And thought so, Hika just chuckled between his madness.
Instead of answering him, Yabu just turns the sink, splashes his face by fresh water. Hika doesn’t need any words to know Yabu is not in his usual condition, or at least, something might happen to him which could lead him face palming like this, clueless, sighs in desperate tone he ever heard.
“What’s wrong?”, asked Hika, tries to put his anger aside and gives more concern to Yabu
“I just…”
“What?”
“I hate her, right?”
The only thing Yabu needs is a support. He should be convinced by someone else that he really hates that girl. He shouldn’t feel amazed more. He shouldn’t think that her smile is pretty and melts his ice brain. He knows he shouldn’t do that. That’s why, he needs someone who understands him, who gives him spirit to hate her more, who will tell him how to make that girl feels in pain. But, the truth, he never speaks about this problem except to Hikaru. And Hikaru isn’t that type of person who will grant what he wants.
“Why should you hate her?”, Hika sighs, eventually he knows the reasons clearly
“Because she…”, Yabu can’t continue his words anymore, indeed, he just lets his breath to the air, inhale it once more to make his mind feels calmer.
“Yabu, I always wanted to tell you this but I have no chance yet.”
“What’s that?”, Yabu looks at Hika properly. And the crooked teeth guy now just pats both shoulder of the taller one, gives him reassuring words which he knows it won’t help at all.
“It’s not her fault”
***
Maybe because since that day Hika told him, or maybe since that day the girl had increased her smile face to appear significantly, maybe because he suddenly being spoiled by Hika’s statement, he found it’s harder to hate the girl, instead of getting more into her world. He falls into chaos stage. Just like this time, when he closes his locker with no spirit, and just makes his hair messy in clueless.
“Ohayouuu…”
Again, Yabu cursed himself who gets nervous -believe him it really is nervous- when he heard that sound coming, penetrating his ears brutally as he can’t avoid that voice.
“Yabukun matte! Let’s go to class together!”, she said cheerfully, and then after she wears the white shoes, she pats Yabu’s shoulder softly.
The older boy just chuckles, he doesn’t understand anymore about how he should reply this girl. He wants to scold her, but every time she gives morning smile like this, just perfectly ruined his plan to get further. He sighs desperately and tries to walk first, intends to just let her alone.
“Matte yo! Why did you look so gloomy? Is it because today we have biology test? Aaah I haven’t studied either! Have you study? Is it hard? I wonder how if today I could answer the---“
“Urusai. Why does a girl always talk this much even since morning?”, Yabu asked, turns his face to lower a bit since the girl is shorter than him.
But the girl didn’t reply him, at least not by words, just using her unrealized weapon, by pouting. She doesn’t know how that shape of her lips could make Yabu gazed wider. No. It’s not because she looks ugly like other persons if they are pouting, instead, she looks so cute. And right at that time, he knows his brain can’t work normally any longer. How can he found that girl is adorable while he hates her so much? But, what is actually the definition of ‘hate’ he has now? Did someone get heartthrob if they get closer to the one they hate? Imagines so, Yabu, for nth time this morning, sighs in frustration.
“You too! Keep sighing since then. You look like an old grandpa”, Inoo mumbles
“WHAT?!”
“That’s true!”, Inoo sticks her tongue out to Yabu. Dodge the whack Yabu tries to plant on her head. But then after she saw Sato-sensei is currently walking behind them, Inoo gasps. “Yabu! Let’s run or he will come to class earlier than us!”, Inoo stated, unconsciously, pulls Yabu’s hand with her.
Inoo doesn’t give any shit about when it started. The boy slowly makes his irritated face faded away, makes his sharp tongue not that rebel anymore, makes the death glare not that creepy anymore, and for short, he changed. Like this time, he even doesn’t pushed her and just let Inoo to pull his wrist. Slowly, they move from their current strained stated. Everything melts in a slow pace. Even the thrill grows silently in the heart, but Inoo found it’s enjoyable enough. After all, Inoo knows she becomes dependant on these feelings she planted.
***
When their class is on the last subject, Yabu knows how depressed Inoo could be. Since their test started, her paper is still on its plain white. No answers came out from the girl’s pen. Moreover, Inoo just plays with her hair sometimes, and he could conclude she is currently frustrating until she doesn’t know what she should do. It brings a slight smirk on Yabu’s face. But then he slowly writes the answer on a piece of small paper. After he found it’s enough, he throws it into Inoo’s desk. Lucky, it could catch Inoo’s attention so the girl just carefully opens it.
“AH!”, Inoo shouts, got fast kick from Yabu on her chair
“What is it Inoo?”, asked Miura-sensei
“N-nothing”, she says, gets nervous, but then sensei just back to read his book, not giving any concern.
From the hand-writing, Inoo knows who did such thing. Her smile immediately curved by its own, too wide until she should bents down his face so Miura sensei won’t catch her. She holds for her smile intently and starts to write what’s written there. She knows that boy isn’t that bad after all. If not, it’s impossible her heart will thump faster like this, and she even doesn’t know since when she experienced this feeling every time she gets closer with the guy behind.
***
Yabu just erases the white board, doing his routine job as class president after school. Everyone back to their home already, includes Hikaru who will have a date with his boyfriend. Yabu tries to remember what happened on biology test while ago, doubting his decision to give her answers, but then he thinks maybe it’s just because he wants to repay his debt. Right, he still remembers that girl helped him on his sprained ankle weeks ago. So, he just doing the right thing, he thought.
“A-ri-ga-to-u~~~”
The alone class president immediately turns his face back and found he is not alone anymore. That girl now stands behind him while her hand offers for a can of Coca Cola. Yabu puts the eraser and fully face her now. He can’t lie that he is thirsty to death, that’s why he accepts the girl’s offer.
“Wait”, Yabu paused when he wants to open the can. “For me?”, he continued, with a suspicious look he creates
“Of course”
“Oh. I just don’t want to know if later you will send me bill for this one”, he stated calmly
“Stupid!”, the girl hits his arm slightly and laughs. “I am not that rude”, she continued
“Whatever”, Yabu gulps the Coca Cola fast, takes his bag and ready to leave class
Inoo just giggles and follows Yabu to back home, oh maybe not back home together, at least they could be together until school’s gate, or maybe until train station. Inoo looks to that guy from beside. Even if he is skinny, but he seems strong enough to protect whomever he wants to protect. The way Inoo is just about his shoulder height just makes her imagines about how if those thin arms will wrap her later.
“Is it ‘thanks’ from you?”, Yabu asked, shakes the can a bit and brings Inoo back to reality
“Ah-yes”, she answered shortly
“Pfftt…I can’t imagine how if you got 0 later. Or maybe how if you stand outside class for second time. Bwahahahaha”, imagines how silly Inoo’s face later if she will get caught, just makes Yabu bursts his laughter out of sudden.
But, instead of getting angry, this time Inoo is willing herself to be Yabu’s laughing stock. As long as he smiles. As long as he laughs. As long as he shows that enchanting no-eyes smile at the first place, Inoo feels like her rest school-life will be okay, with no particular reason. And this is the first time she sees such smile. Of course, for whatever the reason is, this is way better than their first time which fulfilled by harsh. She doesn’t want to step back. She wants to be forever stayed in this trap. She won’t throw back memories. She will forget all Yabu did to her, as long as this happiness preoccupied her. As that smile upon his face, makes she never wanna leave this place.
“Hey? Why suddenly being silent?”, asked Yabu
“AH! Nope…”, Inoo turns back her blushing face away and steals Yabu’s Coca Cola in a blink of eye
“Hey! That’s mine!”, Yabu confronts her and takes back his can after Inoo gulps some
“Don’t be that stingy! It’s me who bought it!”, Inoo pouts
“But still you already gave to me”, he mumbles, finishes its fast and throws to nearest thrash bin. They already touched down the school’s gate.
Inoo doubts first. There is something she wants to say, but sometimes her doubtful feeling forbids him to let those words escape.
Maybe he will accept it. But the possibility is just fifty percents. Maybe he will reject it. But the possibility is also fifty percents.
“Y-yabu!”, Inoo calls him when his back just gets further.
“What?”, Yabu turns back his face and fully stands in front of Inoo. The girl now seems busy with her bag, looks for something. When she found what she searched, that girl immediately shows two illuminations tickets for the guy.
“Anoo…my cousin got these tickets but she can’t go so she gave it to me. I-I don’t have any friend, yet. Would you want to accompany me?”
For God’s sake Inoo thinks she will faint now. It’s her first time to ask a boy go out. Also first time she experiences this kind of heartthrob. She can’t deny the red flush which suddenly makes her feels hot even tho today is clearly cold. The latter just turns silent and looks plainly to the tickets, by a face which Inoo can’t guess whether he will accept the invitation or not.
“Seriously. Why should I go to this place?”, Yabu chuckles and turns back his body, not even taking the tickets
The pretty girl blinks in confusion. She stunned. Found a fact she just got rejected. Suddenly, his mind feels fuzzy and she can’t really absorb what happened between them. Even from the first time she knows the possibility is just fifty percents, but she still hopes that guy will accept her.
Looking at statue Inoo, Yabu stops. He chuckles for second time and yells out of blue. He steps back to approach the younger, takes one ticket of her hand and slightly taps it into Inoo’s head.
“This Sunday. 4 p.m. I wait you in front of the planetarium”, he says.
And right after he said those words, a beautiful smile creeps on that pretty face. Looks a bit shy. But, who cares? She is happy and just nods full of spirit. Gropes her chest to make it calm down for a bit, before continues walking by singing a song. The boy just smirks and shook his head, hits the girl’s arm slightly to stop her childish act on this street.
***
“Yabu, you support me right?”
Suddenly, a hard panting could be heard in this silent room. Yabu opens his eyes by force and immediately sits on his bed after took a nap. That guy. That guy comes to his dream. He rarely comes, or maybe, never. But why? Why this time he appears? Yabu thought, wipes for sweat which flooded his forehead. And more importantly, he asked for a support from Yabu. Of course, it must be related to that girl.
Yabu keeps panting, holding his chest and breath chasing. That shadow. That shadow looks paralyzed on his mind. But now, he rose by his feet. Clearly smiles on Yabu’s dream, but somehow, it just makes Yabu feels uneasy and guilty. He stands from his bed and looks to a certain photo on his desk. There he stands with that guy. They look so happy. The older guy shows ‘peace’ sign by his fingers while Yabu smiles full of happiness. In a moment, the memories of that guy penetrated his mind abruptly. Yabu holds for his head by both palms. And along with it, the moment when Inoo smiles also came to his mind by force. Mixed brutally and makes him got dizzy.
“Yuuya…”, he murmurs, continues his panting hardly.
Then, he reaches for his phone, calls for certain number.
“Moshi moshi”
“Hika, could you come here?”, he asked depressedly.
And it doesn’t need any longer time before Hikaru hung up the phone.
---to be continued---
A/N: Sorry. I said this story will have three chapters. But the second part is so long that's why I choose to just divide it. Maybe four chapters is enough. Hehehehe.
Pairing: Inoo Kei x Yabu Kota (InooBu)
Type: Chaptered
Genre: Romance, fluff, slight angst, friendship, school-life
Disclaimer: All characters here belong to Hey! Say! JUMP.
Summary: Inoo Kei never knows why Yabu Kota hates her so much even from the very first time they met. It really is their first time.
Warning: My English is bad. Inoo Kei is a gurl here.
Since that time, Inoo tries her best not to get involved with Yabu or Yaotome. She reminds herself to always bring her textbook, her jacket, and bento so all she should do is just staying at the class. And by the attitude that guy showed her, it makes her easier to just ignore him. They never talk to each other anymore. Even sometimes if Yabu left her clueless while she haven’t submitted her task just like previous time, Inoo has no concern, she rather choose to give it by herself to sensei. Everything is so plain. No more painful feeling, yet, no more happiness curve on that pretty face.
And today they have sport subject. Inoo chooses to just stay in infirmary because she still feels uneasy about the incident three days ago, that bullshit moment when she got all wet and shivering all the way home. No one cares about her. Even though Inoo can’t attend class, still, none of them asked if Inoo is okay or not, while she actually hopes for once. But yeah, she doesn’t want to get further with them anymore, because she doesn’t know if there will be creepier moments might happen later. She feels all alone. And she just curled her body under the blanket. Even the doctor was going outside which makes her lonelier.
“Cold”, she mumbles to herself, still struggling under the blanket so by it maybe she could feel warmer. No doubt. It’s almost reaching the end of autumn. Which means winter will come soon. Instead of getting cold like this -since she haven’t fully recovered- she prefer to welcome summer breeze. But, season keeps turning on its orbit. And the cold feeling she has becomes colder when that guy treated her like a trash.
Well, even if she tries to just forget it, she knows, a part inside her mind is getting curious about what happen to that guy, more importantly, about what she had done so his eyes just seems hateful. She tried recalling her memories, and no matter how many times she did it, she still can’t get the reason why. That guy’s expression to her is just so fucking different than when he faces other students. He treated her in special way, so special, until it reaches the irritated stage which Inoo barely handle.
“Ah forget it”, Inoo murmurs alone and shoo her hand to the air, as she tries to vanish the imagination of that skinny guy from her mind.
But, right after she wants to forget him, right after she plans to just go to dreamland, the door of infirmary is being opened. The sound isn’t that friendly and sends Inoo annoyed feeling. She immediately looks to the source, but in a moment her eyes gazed wider. Yabu Kota came to her sight along with Yaotome who gives him support to stand. It seems like his ankle got sprained. And now he hardly reaches the bed beside Inoo’s one, before Yaotome help him to just lie down.
“Ah, where is the doctor?”, asked Yaotome to the one and only girl there
Inoo just shook her head, declines to give proper answer.
“Yabee…how’s it then?”, Yaotome sighs and chuckles in frustrated
“Daijobu Hika, I can treat myself well. Just go back to court”, Yabu stated
“Really?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not a big trouble either.”
After a minute thinking, Yaotome finally nods but his face clearly worried. “Okay. I leave you here. Jya”, then he bids goodbye to his best friend, before dashes out his steps back to court.
Inoo, who since then just observe them, feels uneasy with this situation. It’s just her and Yabu. Alone. And more importantly Yabu is sick that makes her feels uneasy. She tries to handle the urge to treat that pain. She confirms herself the one who lies beside her is Yabu Kota. The number one person she should avoid. The only guy who gives her hell experience by choosing this school. But…mind speaks contrary. As now Inoo suddenly climbs from her bed and approaches Yabu.
“Let me put the bandage”, Inoo said and reaches for bandage of certain box. But, when she touches Yabu’s ankle, as always Yabu pushed her away.
“I can do by myself!”, he states, almost shouts
Less than a second, Yabu steals the bandage from Inoo’s hand and curled it by himself. That’s good he steals at the first place. Because if he is not, Inoo will be the one who throw the bandage right to his face because she keeps getting irritated. Inoo sighs harshly and back to her bed, covers herself with blanket, and turns left so she won’t see Yabu beside.
“Aaa ittai!!”, Yabu screams slightly and signaling frustrated feeling from his tone. He keeps mumbling, cursing, because he finally found a fact he can’t move that agile and can’t solve his problem alone.
The girl covers her ears and tries to avoid the sound coming; she convinces herself it’s nothing. The boy didn’t need her after all. The boy is her enemy after all. It won’t bring anything to her if she keeps insisting. Moreover, she pretty sure the guy will just scold her, or who knows if Yabu could be harsher than before.
“Shit! Help me!”, that words escaped from his mouth. Particularly, it’s just slipped out from his tongue, with no one in exact being the target. It’s just an expression of his depressed stage. But now, that girl already stands near his feet for second time, even if her face seems like she approaches him by force.
“Give it to me”, Inoo said and asked for bandage. Yabu doubt first, not even granting what Inoo begged him to. But, after a while Inoo just steals the bandage from Yabu’s hand. Then, without wasting time, Inoo curled the bandage carefully on that sprained ankle. She did it gently and in some ways it seems expert. Yabu just keeps silent, and right inside his mind, he doesn’t want to admit, really doesn’t want to admit that Inoo is good for doing her job.
“Nee Yabu, do you know why I love her?”, that guy asked him again for nth time. Seriously, Yabu gets boring already
“Yeah. You said she is cute, pretty, has pinkish lips, and---“
“I won’t fall in love if it’s just because she is pretty”, that guy grins, makes Yabu twitches his upper lips in annoyance
“Then why?”
“She is…kind”
“Done! Now try to stand!”, she ordered
The boy just unconsciously obeyed what she wished for. And when Yabu steps his feet on the floor, the painful feeling he got while ago left nothing.
“Sugee!! I don’t feel hurt anymore!”
Then, after Yabu turns his face aside, he just recognized about who did such thing. He immediately covers his mouth by both palms, curses under his breath because his tongue just speaks without permission. It’s her. Inoo Kei. The girl whom he hates most. The girl whom he wants to suffer for the rest of her life. He never expects he will say something which looked so bullshit. But, even if it’s bullshit, it’s the truth. He feels like got healed easily after that girl took over his problem.
Shit!
“Well, I am a future doctor after all”, Inoo stated, smirked, showed to Yabu that she is the winner. And it successes make Yabu got mad right away. His mind is boiling, but he can’t be that rude either. Thought so, Yabu chooses to just back lie down and ignores the girl.
“Don’t forget to eat fruits so you can be healed quickly”, she continued and back to her bed also
Then, silent is back to fill their time. Inoo turns left and Yabu turns right so they won’t look at each other. Deep inside, Inoo feels satisfied of herself when he found Yabu’s happy scream while ago. She did her job well. And she really meant by her statement that she wants to be a doctor. So, maybe by it she can’t avoid Yabu even if he is the one she hates most. Yeah, maybe. Not because she wants to make things better between them.
***
Actually, today Yabu found his day is a peaceful one, at least until he reaches the first rest time. Since that day, he tries not to bother that girl anymore, and more importantly avoid having any debt to her. But now, without he could demand, that girl turns her face back and looks to his eyes, along with a bento box and Yabu immediately frowns in confusion.
“Nee, your ankle hasn’t fully recovered right? Eat this!”, she shows what inside the box and Yabu just gazes, got no hint about what she will do.
“What’s that?”, he asks coldly, even though he wants to scold her right away. But, a part inside him tells him not to. He even barely knows why. Or maybe it’s because he still owe her for that bandage incident.
“What? Can’t you see? It’s ba-na-na. I mixed it with honey so it will taste better. You should eat fruits so you will be healed quickly”, she says in one breathe, not letting Yabu to argue. Again, her urge to help someone just commands her to do such thing. Even when she clearly remembers who Yabu is, but this nature behavior of her just fully takes control all over her action.
“I don’t need to---umph!!”, before the skinny guy finish his words, suddenly a piece of banana came to his mouth by force.
“Just eat!”, she orders, and particularly, feed Yabu that honey banana by her hand.
Yabu blinks twice, he is currently confusing about the time he is into. But, his mouth just gratefully munches that sweet dish inside. He, deep inside, can’t believe about what just happened between them. That girl bravely takes a risky action by feeding him clueless, and it’s by force at the first place. But, seems like she has no guilty, she even already puts the second piece in a moment.
Still, Yabu’s eyes being glued to her face but his mouth just depend on the instinct. He keeps swallowing that unknowledgeable banana, until in certain level, he fully recognized what he currently does. He snaps back to reality and those thoughts. And when he found that girl will feed him the nth pieces, he immediately intends to protest her and makes her stop such activity.
“W-what?!! Wait!! You shouldn’t---*cough*”, Yabu unconsciously spill some munched banana because he tries to speak and eat at same time. Both of them blinks amazingly first, but then Yabu immediately wipes the spill on his desk and red blushed covered his face. He cursed under his breath over this embarrassing moment.
“HAHAHAHAHA…that’s why you shouldn’t speak and just eat first!!”, Inoo laughs hardly, makes her eyes thinner a bit.
Yabu is more than ready to scold her, curse her, or maybe push her away. But, right after he sees that smile, right after he sees that perfect cheekbone she curved once she smiled, right after she found how innocent that smile could be, his mind, heart, and whole body are going frozen. That girl still is laughing and sometimes wiping her tears as side effect. Her hair is being messy, got played by the wind. And the more Yabu looks at her, the more he realizes that her skin is as pure as bright sky when summer comes.
“And you know Yabu?”
“What else?”, for nth time today, Yabu chuckles, he wants to end this conversation soon, but the older guy seems still have thousand bullets to blabber about his crush
“The best part of her is…”, that guy smiles sheepishly, makes Yabu furrows his brow and waits for continuation
“What’s that?”
“Her smile.”
He stunned. Honestly, he can’t lie to himself about what he ever said is a truth. That smile felt so magical and he never found anybody else to have this beautiful one. The tint pink which is being complied there, just prove to him, just being enough reasons for him to understand why his step brother loves this girl so much. He hates it. He should remember that her smile isn’t the one he wants to see. He wants to see her cry. He wants to see her into painful feeling. But why? Why now he has no heart to make that smile disappear? It feels like his blank mind suddenly got suggested, distracted, by a shadow that keeps chasing him tirelessly.
“You like it? Eat them more”, Inoo said and offered another piece of chopped banana to Yabu.
She found it’s interesting. The older boy seemed enjoying this moment unconsciously. Even though Inoo knows Yabu’s mind isn’t here -because if it’s here Yabu must already pushed her- but she just happily looks at Yabu’s innocent act. The way he responds to Inoo’s hand without he could realize just makes Inoo giggles. So, after all, he isn’t that scary, Inoo thought. But, above all, when Yabu glares at her intently, somehow she feels uneasy, and just guesses about when Yabu’s brain will work properly, ends it by scolding her.
“This is the last”, Inoo said
Yeah, the last. Both of them even got no clue why it already reaches for an end. But, when Yabu opens his mouth by nerves, Inoo suddenly pulls the banana back and munches it by herself. “I got you”, she giggles, full of satisfied after did a prank to the boy.
Her smile really is magic. Until Yabu didn’t know how many times has passed since his brain turned malfunction. That smile washed away the thought about which false from the true. He can’t be stupid more. Since then, he just stunned like a statue, obeyed that girl without argue, being a robot who suddenly being controlled by his master.
“Yabu?”, Inoo tries to distract the silent Yabu. No respond.
“Nee Yabu”, she says, waves her hand in front of Yabu’s eyes and really is afraid if Yabu’s soul already gone to somewhere else.
That distraction succeeds to break his complicated mind. Slowly, Yabu got back to his current state. Looking at that face, his mind is going boiling. But, he doesn’t know why this time instead of angry to Inoo, he got disappointed with himself. Then, he immediately taps his desk a bit hard, grits his teeth, and makes Inoo jolts in shock. The innocent girl just blinks, can’t utter even any single word, before suddenly that boy dashes out from this class, leaves Inoo behind.
Yabu runs, ignores students’ eyes which naked him. He keeps running and panting until he reaches for boy’s room. When he opens the door, he shocks for second time after saw Hika is doing lip-locking with certain handsome boy. The best friend of him got shock also after someone caught their current secret lovey-dovey moment. Hika stops and looks back, got irritated after knew it’s Yabu.
“A-ah Hika, I leave first kay…”, the another guy said shyly and walks passed Yabu quickly.
“Keito! Matte!”, but no matter how he tries to restrict Keito, that guy already leaves their current place. “You stupid!!!”, Hika points to Yabu’s face
“Watch your words! Who will have a kiss on toilet?!!”, Yabu stated back, sarcastically
“Why did you suddenly come here?!”, still, Hika is being angry with Yabu. He rarely meets Keito tho, except if it’s rest time, but Yabu just ruined their time perfectly. But yeah, Yabu is right. Anyone could come to this place as they wanted to. And thought so, Hika just chuckled between his madness.
Instead of answering him, Yabu just turns the sink, splashes his face by fresh water. Hika doesn’t need any words to know Yabu is not in his usual condition, or at least, something might happen to him which could lead him face palming like this, clueless, sighs in desperate tone he ever heard.
“What’s wrong?”, asked Hika, tries to put his anger aside and gives more concern to Yabu
“I just…”
“What?”
“I hate her, right?”
The only thing Yabu needs is a support. He should be convinced by someone else that he really hates that girl. He shouldn’t feel amazed more. He shouldn’t think that her smile is pretty and melts his ice brain. He knows he shouldn’t do that. That’s why, he needs someone who understands him, who gives him spirit to hate her more, who will tell him how to make that girl feels in pain. But, the truth, he never speaks about this problem except to Hikaru. And Hikaru isn’t that type of person who will grant what he wants.
“Why should you hate her?”, Hika sighs, eventually he knows the reasons clearly
“Because she…”, Yabu can’t continue his words anymore, indeed, he just lets his breath to the air, inhale it once more to make his mind feels calmer.
“Yabu, I always wanted to tell you this but I have no chance yet.”
“What’s that?”, Yabu looks at Hika properly. And the crooked teeth guy now just pats both shoulder of the taller one, gives him reassuring words which he knows it won’t help at all.
“It’s not her fault”
***
Maybe because since that day Hika told him, or maybe since that day the girl had increased her smile face to appear significantly, maybe because he suddenly being spoiled by Hika’s statement, he found it’s harder to hate the girl, instead of getting more into her world. He falls into chaos stage. Just like this time, when he closes his locker with no spirit, and just makes his hair messy in clueless.
“Ohayouuu…”
Again, Yabu cursed himself who gets nervous -believe him it really is nervous- when he heard that sound coming, penetrating his ears brutally as he can’t avoid that voice.
“Yabukun matte! Let’s go to class together!”, she said cheerfully, and then after she wears the white shoes, she pats Yabu’s shoulder softly.
The older boy just chuckles, he doesn’t understand anymore about how he should reply this girl. He wants to scold her, but every time she gives morning smile like this, just perfectly ruined his plan to get further. He sighs desperately and tries to walk first, intends to just let her alone.
“Matte yo! Why did you look so gloomy? Is it because today we have biology test? Aaah I haven’t studied either! Have you study? Is it hard? I wonder how if today I could answer the---“
“Urusai. Why does a girl always talk this much even since morning?”, Yabu asked, turns his face to lower a bit since the girl is shorter than him.
But the girl didn’t reply him, at least not by words, just using her unrealized weapon, by pouting. She doesn’t know how that shape of her lips could make Yabu gazed wider. No. It’s not because she looks ugly like other persons if they are pouting, instead, she looks so cute. And right at that time, he knows his brain can’t work normally any longer. How can he found that girl is adorable while he hates her so much? But, what is actually the definition of ‘hate’ he has now? Did someone get heartthrob if they get closer to the one they hate? Imagines so, Yabu, for nth time this morning, sighs in frustration.
“You too! Keep sighing since then. You look like an old grandpa”, Inoo mumbles
“WHAT?!”
“That’s true!”, Inoo sticks her tongue out to Yabu. Dodge the whack Yabu tries to plant on her head. But then after she saw Sato-sensei is currently walking behind them, Inoo gasps. “Yabu! Let’s run or he will come to class earlier than us!”, Inoo stated, unconsciously, pulls Yabu’s hand with her.
Inoo doesn’t give any shit about when it started. The boy slowly makes his irritated face faded away, makes his sharp tongue not that rebel anymore, makes the death glare not that creepy anymore, and for short, he changed. Like this time, he even doesn’t pushed her and just let Inoo to pull his wrist. Slowly, they move from their current strained stated. Everything melts in a slow pace. Even the thrill grows silently in the heart, but Inoo found it’s enjoyable enough. After all, Inoo knows she becomes dependant on these feelings she planted.
***
When their class is on the last subject, Yabu knows how depressed Inoo could be. Since their test started, her paper is still on its plain white. No answers came out from the girl’s pen. Moreover, Inoo just plays with her hair sometimes, and he could conclude she is currently frustrating until she doesn’t know what she should do. It brings a slight smirk on Yabu’s face. But then he slowly writes the answer on a piece of small paper. After he found it’s enough, he throws it into Inoo’s desk. Lucky, it could catch Inoo’s attention so the girl just carefully opens it.
“AH!”, Inoo shouts, got fast kick from Yabu on her chair
“What is it Inoo?”, asked Miura-sensei
“N-nothing”, she says, gets nervous, but then sensei just back to read his book, not giving any concern.
From the hand-writing, Inoo knows who did such thing. Her smile immediately curved by its own, too wide until she should bents down his face so Miura sensei won’t catch her. She holds for her smile intently and starts to write what’s written there. She knows that boy isn’t that bad after all. If not, it’s impossible her heart will thump faster like this, and she even doesn’t know since when she experienced this feeling every time she gets closer with the guy behind.
***
Yabu just erases the white board, doing his routine job as class president after school. Everyone back to their home already, includes Hikaru who will have a date with his boyfriend. Yabu tries to remember what happened on biology test while ago, doubting his decision to give her answers, but then he thinks maybe it’s just because he wants to repay his debt. Right, he still remembers that girl helped him on his sprained ankle weeks ago. So, he just doing the right thing, he thought.
“A-ri-ga-to-u~~~”
The alone class president immediately turns his face back and found he is not alone anymore. That girl now stands behind him while her hand offers for a can of Coca Cola. Yabu puts the eraser and fully face her now. He can’t lie that he is thirsty to death, that’s why he accepts the girl’s offer.
“Wait”, Yabu paused when he wants to open the can. “For me?”, he continued, with a suspicious look he creates
“Of course”
“Oh. I just don’t want to know if later you will send me bill for this one”, he stated calmly
“Stupid!”, the girl hits his arm slightly and laughs. “I am not that rude”, she continued
“Whatever”, Yabu gulps the Coca Cola fast, takes his bag and ready to leave class
Inoo just giggles and follows Yabu to back home, oh maybe not back home together, at least they could be together until school’s gate, or maybe until train station. Inoo looks to that guy from beside. Even if he is skinny, but he seems strong enough to protect whomever he wants to protect. The way Inoo is just about his shoulder height just makes her imagines about how if those thin arms will wrap her later.
“Is it ‘thanks’ from you?”, Yabu asked, shakes the can a bit and brings Inoo back to reality
“Ah-yes”, she answered shortly
“Pfftt…I can’t imagine how if you got 0 later. Or maybe how if you stand outside class for second time. Bwahahahaha”, imagines how silly Inoo’s face later if she will get caught, just makes Yabu bursts his laughter out of sudden.
But, instead of getting angry, this time Inoo is willing herself to be Yabu’s laughing stock. As long as he smiles. As long as he laughs. As long as he shows that enchanting no-eyes smile at the first place, Inoo feels like her rest school-life will be okay, with no particular reason. And this is the first time she sees such smile. Of course, for whatever the reason is, this is way better than their first time which fulfilled by harsh. She doesn’t want to step back. She wants to be forever stayed in this trap. She won’t throw back memories. She will forget all Yabu did to her, as long as this happiness preoccupied her. As that smile upon his face, makes she never wanna leave this place.
“Hey? Why suddenly being silent?”, asked Yabu
“AH! Nope…”, Inoo turns back her blushing face away and steals Yabu’s Coca Cola in a blink of eye
“Hey! That’s mine!”, Yabu confronts her and takes back his can after Inoo gulps some
“Don’t be that stingy! It’s me who bought it!”, Inoo pouts
“But still you already gave to me”, he mumbles, finishes its fast and throws to nearest thrash bin. They already touched down the school’s gate.
Inoo doubts first. There is something she wants to say, but sometimes her doubtful feeling forbids him to let those words escape.
Maybe he will accept it. But the possibility is just fifty percents. Maybe he will reject it. But the possibility is also fifty percents.
“Y-yabu!”, Inoo calls him when his back just gets further.
“What?”, Yabu turns back his face and fully stands in front of Inoo. The girl now seems busy with her bag, looks for something. When she found what she searched, that girl immediately shows two illuminations tickets for the guy.
“Anoo…my cousin got these tickets but she can’t go so she gave it to me. I-I don’t have any friend, yet. Would you want to accompany me?”
For God’s sake Inoo thinks she will faint now. It’s her first time to ask a boy go out. Also first time she experiences this kind of heartthrob. She can’t deny the red flush which suddenly makes her feels hot even tho today is clearly cold. The latter just turns silent and looks plainly to the tickets, by a face which Inoo can’t guess whether he will accept the invitation or not.
“Seriously. Why should I go to this place?”, Yabu chuckles and turns back his body, not even taking the tickets
The pretty girl blinks in confusion. She stunned. Found a fact she just got rejected. Suddenly, his mind feels fuzzy and she can’t really absorb what happened between them. Even from the first time she knows the possibility is just fifty percents, but she still hopes that guy will accept her.
Looking at statue Inoo, Yabu stops. He chuckles for second time and yells out of blue. He steps back to approach the younger, takes one ticket of her hand and slightly taps it into Inoo’s head.
“This Sunday. 4 p.m. I wait you in front of the planetarium”, he says.
And right after he said those words, a beautiful smile creeps on that pretty face. Looks a bit shy. But, who cares? She is happy and just nods full of spirit. Gropes her chest to make it calm down for a bit, before continues walking by singing a song. The boy just smirks and shook his head, hits the girl’s arm slightly to stop her childish act on this street.
***
“Yabu, you support me right?”
Suddenly, a hard panting could be heard in this silent room. Yabu opens his eyes by force and immediately sits on his bed after took a nap. That guy. That guy comes to his dream. He rarely comes, or maybe, never. But why? Why this time he appears? Yabu thought, wipes for sweat which flooded his forehead. And more importantly, he asked for a support from Yabu. Of course, it must be related to that girl.
Yabu keeps panting, holding his chest and breath chasing. That shadow. That shadow looks paralyzed on his mind. But now, he rose by his feet. Clearly smiles on Yabu’s dream, but somehow, it just makes Yabu feels uneasy and guilty. He stands from his bed and looks to a certain photo on his desk. There he stands with that guy. They look so happy. The older guy shows ‘peace’ sign by his fingers while Yabu smiles full of happiness. In a moment, the memories of that guy penetrated his mind abruptly. Yabu holds for his head by both palms. And along with it, the moment when Inoo smiles also came to his mind by force. Mixed brutally and makes him got dizzy.
“Yuuya…”, he murmurs, continues his panting hardly.
Then, he reaches for his phone, calls for certain number.
“Moshi moshi”
“Hika, could you come here?”, he asked depressedly.
And it doesn’t need any longer time before Hikaru hung up the phone.
---to be continued---
A/N: Sorry. I said this story will have three chapters. But the second part is so long that's why I choose to just divide it. Maybe four chapters is enough. Hehehehe.