Here's the sequel. It sets several weeks after the last chapter of 'Love Grows', probably about how she would ever face and act in front of him.
I won't ask you to read Love Grows, probably it's just a fluffy story about them before everything began on the last chapter.
I will try to stick on friendship and romance.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 1: Look at me, now.
"Wake up, Hikari,"
Slowly, a pair of her crimson eyes opened. Half-conscious, she almost shrieked as her eyes met a pair of blue eyes, a big one, thinking that there was someone beside her cat who woke her up. Before it happened, she had woken up fully, and sat in her bed as she rubbed her eyes rudely.
"Wake up, Hikari," Tailmon ordered. "The alarm has rung up several times and you even haven't woken up,"
Hikari rolled her body and buried her face with pillow. Today was the day when autumn class started, and she even didn't want to face it, nor that she wanted to go to school. She had heard the alarm but she decided not to wake up, thought Tailmon ended up waking her up and it ruined everything; her cat had probably known her plan. As she buried her face, she shook her head and she can hear her cat's sigh.
Tailmon leaved and closed the door behind. Meanwhile the brunette girl, still, buried her head with the pillow and glanced at her phone and later alarm several times. Since summer festival passed, she didn't dare to turn on her phone or any gadgets that she had as she, also didn't dare to accept any phone calls yet any invitation. She spent most of her days by reading the magazines, or doing her homework, although she can't focus with all of that while her mind wasn't there.
And also, she spent most of her days by remembering about that night, that she would end up sobbing and suffering. She'd always thought that she shouldn't do Tailmon's suggestion, to say the truth so that she would act as usual as she did, yet she also regretted with everything that she did. But now, she lost it. She had lost him perfectly, especially, the important one, their friendship.
The words "I'm sorry." really haunted her. Up until now.
More so, today was the day when autumn class starts, which meant they would meet. She has avoided him since that day, and it would end up today. She wasn't ready to face him, to talk with him, but she was ready, ready to run away from him.
Of course she can't. After everything that happened, even though she had forgiven – no- it was his choice if he wanted to reject, or wanted to accept it. So, she thought that he shouldn't say sorry, because he didn't make any mistakes, even though a part of her told that he was a bit sorry, yet regretted with everything that he'd done with her, based on his voice before.
There must be something wrong, or else he really didn't like her. But still, it won't change the fact that they can't be like the way they did before.
She started teary when she thought about it, hiding herself in the blanket.
And surprised as she heard a loud voice was coming from the door.
"Hikari, wake up!"
It was her brother's loud voice.
"W-a-k-e u-p!" Taichi ordered as he took her blanket rudely, and threw it to the floor.
Hikari sat in her bed lazily, then glaring at Tailmon, who was watching this scene amusingly. Although she knew her partner's reason to ask Taichi's help, in order that she can talk and solve the problem. But still, she wasn't ready for that. She took back her blanket, and quickly covered her body. "My holiday hasn't finished yet."
Taichi looked a bit curious with her odd behavior, but he quickly took out the blanket, again.
"I think you've spent most of your days by reading magazine or daydreaming all day," Taichi countered. "And I think it's been enough to spend your holiday."
And quickly, his face changed and he sat next to her, and put his hand on her shoulder. Worry written all over his face.
"Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly. "You know, we're siblings and you can always report me everything that happened."
Hikari knew. His brother, even though he, sometimes, teased her, but of course, it wouldn't be a lie if he looked worried with her condition and weird behavior since the summer festival. But she also knew that, she can't tell the whole story to him, as she also can't imagine him ending up punching someone precious to her, maybe. Yet she also didn't want him to take a part on solving her problems.
So, Hikari shook her head, and also gave up and decided to go to school, in order to avoid another question. She stood up, getting ready as she shut the door behind, without being aware with the others' face.
"Thank you for encouraging her," Tailmon said as she bowed.
"It's my job as her brother," Taichi said. "Anyway, why did she look so desperate? She's been like that since the summer festival, hasn't she?"
"Yeah!" the dinosaurs named Agumon asked as he, also watched the scene between the siblings before. "This wasn't like her,"
Tailmon, of course, can't tell Taichi about this. Indeed, she asked Taichi's help to force her to go to school, in order she could repair her relationship, or at least, she could talk with him or had a courage to talk with him. But of course, after everything that Taichi did, she should at least thank to him. If it were not by him, surely that Hikari won't go to school today. So, Tailmon only said,
"She has a problem with her friend, and she should solve their problems before it becomes more complicated,"
Without mentioning the name.
Hikari gulped as her foots reached the front of the class. Although she had been thinking about escaping and skipping the school, but she didn't want to become a naughty girl, nor did she want him to see her as a naughty girl.
And now, in front of the door, she got nervous, wondering if she was ready to open the door, and faced him soon?
But, before she could open the door, she noticed that someone's hand was tapping her shoulder, and she widened her eyes worriedly, yet biting her lips because she knew whose hand was it. She squeezed both of her hands tightly, as she also tried to make some words to speak.
Her fears confirmed once she heard his voice.
"Why don't you open the door?" he asked softly.
Still, she still bit her lips, feeling so nervous His soft voice kind of reminded her with everything that happened, especially when he asked her if something happened. His voice was innocent, as if he didn't know something that had happened, meanwhile something had really happened.
As if he didn't know that he had rejected her, and pretended that everything was okay.
She didn't dare to turn her face, wondering if she dared to turn him and see him in this morning, maybe, just maybe, she will give him a smile, a fake smile that would flatter away soon?
Besides, she needed to avoid him, in order not to disturb him, not anymore.
And yet, she should try to avoid all of his questions.
"Hikari-chan?" he asked.
She realized that she had taken much time to think, and had made him waiting enough. But still, she didn't dare, yet ready to face him, because he was the least person that she wanted to see today.
She bit her lips, and squeezed both of her hands tightly.
"Ohayo, Takeru-kun," she said softly after having enough courage to say it.
"Ohayo, Hikari-chan,"
Hikari noticed some awkwardness on his tone, so was hers, yet an innocent tone. She, for sure, knew that he was trying to be as kind as he could, as calmed as he could, in order not to make her afraid to face him, or in order to ask her problem.
Again, her fears confirmed once she heard his mouth opened and spoke something that she didn't want to hear.
"Is something happened with you?" he asked, a bit concerned. "I tried to –"
"I'm fine." she cut him off, not wanting to hear his voice anymore. "I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine."
"But –"
"I'm fine." she repeated.
There was a silent between those two teenagers. She felt him tightening his hand around her shoulder she felt more nervous than ever.
"What are you two doing here? Class has started. Don't date around the school,"
Before Takeru could speak again, someone was saving Hikari's life, that none other was their teacher. The two teenagers widened their and Hikari took this chance to open the door and sit on her seat. Takeru came as well, and seat on his seat, before noticing that the teacher has come, calling for an absent and starting the lesson soon.
Hikari tried to listen and resist the teacher's lesson, and she can't. On the other hand, she secretly gazed towards the blond guy, who was sitting not far away from her seat. Every time he made some movement, she felt nervous and quickly hid herself with book, or saw the blackboard. She thought that movement can be inferred as his boredom, and he can just turn his head to have some chat with his friends, or maybe with her, every time he wanted. She can't, she can't let him see her.
But, there was something that she didn't know: She didn't know that he had been glancing at her several times, secretly, just like she did. Worry written all over his face.
Break came, which meant that she should come to have her usual meeting. She stood up and went through the door, without noticing or even caring that Takeru still on his seat, having some chats with his classmates, a book and a pencil were held by him. Based on her mind, she was a bit relief because he wasn't noticing her. If he did, surely that he will chase after her, and she can look as frozen as she did before.
Hikari felt completely uncomfortable once she noticed that Takeru came a few minutes after her, and she didn't dare to see him, nor meeting his eyes. She thought that he was too busy to have a chat with his classmates, and he forgot that he should come and join today's gathering. So, she tried her best to avoid Miyako by talking about Ken, or the magazines, dorama, or even some love story that Miyako had always come into it, though she can see Miyako's face who looked weirder when she talked about dorama; Hikari never liked dorama at all.
"Anyway, Miyako-san," Hikari said as she smiled, although she wasn't sure if it was the real one, or the fake one. "Have you read –"
The bell rang before Hikari can finish her statement, and later noticed that Miyako was quickly standing, and started running.
"I should go back! Or else, my teacher will kill me!" Miyako said quickly yet panicky, waving her hands. "Ja Ne!"
The rest waved her back and stood up, be ready to go back to each class. The three of them ended up walking together, though it was good that Takeru ended up talking with Daisuke about the soccer match they watched yesterday, and it was good to hear his activity as well.
Once Daisuke waved and entered his class, and before she could ever react, she had felt his tighten hand around her wrist. She knew that this would happen and she failed to escape.
"wait," Takeru said as he held her arm, trying to be as calmed as he could. "can I ask you something?"
She bit her lips, not knowing that she should nod or shake her head. She can't run away from this, not anymore because she remembered that it was their time to study alone, which meant that there would not be teachers that will save her like before. So, she tried her best not to look on him, and he could only see her back.
"I'll take it as a yes if you don't answer it," Takeru continued.
He cleared his throat before speaking with her, which made her scared, really scared. Though she can hear his shuddering sigh.
"Honestly, I wanted to ask this earlier, but Masamu-kun kept asking me about today's lesson over and over again, so I didn't have a chance to go with you before,"
Now, she knew that he wasn't had a chat. He taught his friend before.
"Hikari-chan," he started, without being aware that she was stammering, getting afraid, and getting nerbous. "you seemed so strange since last summer festival. You didn't answer my messages yet my calls,"
"I asked you once more and please, just please, tell me if something happened with you? Maybe it's a dark ocean again?"
He gulped as he continued it, still trying his best to be as calmed as he could be. "Or… maybe I made a mistake with you?"
She wasn't sure if he really didn't know everything that he'd done with her, or maybe he was just pretended to know nothing, like an innocent eight years old blond boy that she used to know. She was in a dilemma, wondering which one was the real path.
It was okay if he acted in front of her, knowing that he didn't want to destroy their friendship. But for her, it was over already. His rejection had told her more than anything, and surely that he didn't have the same feeling as she had. There would be a frostiness between the two of them, and surely they can't act like before anymore.
"I'm fine,"
This time for sure, she probably noticed that Takeru was a bit doubted with her answer, considering that she had said it so many times.
And his next statement… really made her scared. Really scared.
"If you're fine, then prove it to me," he said. "look at me, now."
She gulped. "Why should I –"
"Because you haven't looked at me today, or yesterday, or since the last summer festival."
Hikari gulped again. Surely that he had known that she was trying to avoid him, yet trying to make a distance with him. She can't run away, especially because Takeru was holding her arm. She didn't have another choice right now, or else, Takeru would be suspected, and would ask another question, or force her to tell her problems.
She turned, not sure if she were ready to do this. Slowly, she opened both of her eyes that she used to close, and she faced him. And finally, after a few weeks, their eyes met to each other, and the reflection on his eyes were as bright as always, but it also told her that he was worried about her, and it was one of the reasons why she fell with him. She started falling into those bright eyes, just like she got hypnotized with that, but remembering soon about the rejection that had happened, that made her regain her conscious.
If it wouldn't make him worry, then she will cry in front of him. She remembered that night's incident perfectly and she can't pull it away from her mind. She wanted to tell him, to ask him the reason, but was afraid with his answer, and it was like a nightmare for her.
Before she could open her mouth, he beat her in one way.
"Your face told me that you're not okay," he said calmly. "seriously, Hikari-chan. Is something happened?"
"I was… getting worried about you…"
His last statement hit her. For her, it was just like he knew nothing, and he was just an innocent little boy that knew nothing, if she took a look at his voice, his innocent face, yet his curiosity on his blue eyes. If world allowed it, she would have embraced him right now.
But yes, she should walk away from him, in order that she won't feel another heartbroken, though it would happen when she saw him with the girls he desired, hand-in-hand with her. She asked herself, was she ready to face it?
"I said I'm fine and you shouldn't have worried about me," she said, eyes looked dull, while she tried her best to say something that she had never imagined before.
"and I think… you shouldn't have pretended to worry about me,"
Takeru widened his eyes as he received Hikari's last statement. But, he still tried his best to looked calm. "What do you mean?"
"I told you not to pretend to worry about me," she repeated, tones were cold.
"Wha –"
"I know that you're just trying to pretend to be worry, right?" Hikari asked, she gave her a smile that she never imagined it would ever come in her entire life. "Please, Takeru-kun, I think you shouldn't do it."
She bit her lips and ready to give the cruelest statement that she'd ever thought, and she told it to her best friend, to her crush.
"Besides, you're nothing, not even my family member," she said as she, of course, knew that it was a lie, because the truth was, he was more than anything. "I think oniichan is the one who should be worry about my condition,"
"What do you m –"
"So, I think you should stop asking it," she said, pretending to be a cold person. "the conversation is over, huh? I can go –"
"Wait a sec!" Takeru asked as he held her arm tighter. "I haven't finished it!"
She knew that this would work, and this would make a distance between them.
"What do you mean?" he asked. "I think I've ever told you that you shouldn't be depending on Taichi-san, right?"
She swapped her head, looking at him. "Yeah you have, but does it mean that I should depend on you?"
"What?" he asked and this time, he was a bit rude. "Is it a mistake to get worried about you?!"
"And now, you told me that I was nothing?!" he asked without allowing Hikari to reply him, couldn't resist his kindness anymore and became rude with her. "Why did you say it?"
"This wasn't like you!"
She knew. She knew that it didn't sound like her. But she didn't answer and only looked down. She clenched both of her hands, and tried to hold her tears as well.
"I just tried my best to ask you if something happened!" he said. On the other hand, she noticed that some of their classmates were watching on them, and some of them were whispering such as "look, Takeru and Yagami-san were fighting!" meanwhile some of them were wondering if they could have fought, because they were so close.
"This morning, you even scared when you met me, just like I would bite you. You scared of facing me, and even scared to talk with me!" he said without even cared with his classmates' comments about them and now, based on his tone, Hikari surely knew that he was angry with her. "You also didn't answer my calls or messages, to make sure that you're –"
"I told you that you shouldn't have worried with my condition, right?" she cut him off, without looking into his eyes, in order to finish their arguments, yet to run away from him. "So, it's my reason. The conversation is over. Excuse me."
She had imagined that Takeru will be angry like that, but she hadn't imagined that the whole classmates will watch the whole scene. She ran away to the bathroom, locking it and crying inside. Some of her classmates chase her and knocked the door that she hid into, but she didn't want to open it.
She knew that it wasn't her heart who talked to him before. But, this was the best thing that she can do. For her, it was better to destroy it completely than standing up with the frostiness yet awkwardness between their friendship, so that he didn't need to get worried about her, not anymore. On the other thing, she can take her eyes away from him, and he can let him walk away from her.
How she wished she can turn back the time, to the time when the firework started, or when she can stand beside him and laugh together, and she shouldn't do this, shouldn't make a distance with him, the things that she actually hated to do, but she should do it.