Second Chances
Disclaimer: I do not own Hiyokoi.
Pairing: Kou Nitobe x Ritsuka Nakano, Hiyori x Yuushin, Onesided Kou x Hiyori.
Summary:
"I've always wondered what it would be like to find that special someone, when I would meet them, how we would meet, what I would feel at that moment..." "That's so cheesy." Kou let out a rare natural laugh. Ritsuka only hoped he couldn't hear her beating heart.'Just like one of those second chances that you see rarely in life.' Kou x Ritsuka, Hiyori x Yuushin, Onesided Kou x Hiyori.
"Nitobe-kun?...Nitobe-kun!"
"Huh?" Brown lazy eyes looked up at the cheerful Teacher, Mi-tan, as everyone calls her.
"What is the answer to 2 (3x + 6)?"
Kou sighed wondering why he had been called on, when everyone else had been raising their hand. He stood up and walked towards the board. Staring at the question for a while, he picked up the white chalk and worked out the problem, coming to a single answer. Setting the utensil back down, he walked back to his seat without a word.
He felt slightly uneasy with so many eyes trained on him. 'Can't they just mind their own business?'
"Correct, Nitobe-kun~!" Mi-tan praised him, even though he didn't need it. Anyone could have done that easy problem.
"Good job, Kou-kun." He felt nervous all the sudden, as he gazed back at Hiyori, the one who had just praised him. She grinned at him, probably happy that he was opening up a bit.
His cheeks were now dusted pink as he turned back to the lesson. Of course now as he tried to write down notes, he just couldn't concentrate enough. Kou mostly blamed it on Mi-tan for not making any sense in her lessons, mostly cause she would only blather on about her pitiful love life, but he somewhat blamed it on himself...for reasons even he couldn't understand.
As the bell rang for lunch, Kou couldn't get out of this uneasy feeling he was getting, just from being in the same room as the tall and short couple. Grabbing his bento, he walked out of the classroom.
"Ah, Kou-kun!..." He heard Hiyori call after him.
Kou picked up his speed, feeling spiteful towards the short girl. He couldn't understand why she cared for him so much, even though she's already gotten a boyfriend. Besides...why would anyone care for someone who didn't like to do anything fun and hated school events.
Clenching his teeth, he walked faster and exited the school, entering the courtyard outside. Slowing down, he found a quiet place underneath one of the trees. Kou sat upon the springy grass and lean against the tree, staring up at the multiple leaves dancing in the wind, creating a kaleidoscope of lights.
Sighing, he let himself relax and control his unknown emotions, with the peaceful atmosphere. Opening his bento, he began to eat. Though he didn't seem to be a bit hungry with his stomach feeling so uneasy. 'Hopefully I'm not coming down with anything...'
"There you are." A familiar voice called out. Kou ignored it, thinking it was just a friend calling out to another friend. "Hey." Kou looked up from his mostly untouched bento, to a pig tailed red haired girl. "Listen when someone is talking to you." Ritsuka scolded him, folding her arms across her chest.
"What is it?" He asked in a non caring way, looking back down at his bento.
Ritsuka frowned at seeing his reaction. "Hiyori, asked me to find you. She is worried about you, you know." Kou felt a slight happiness at her words. "She told me that you have been avoiding her lately."
Kou sighed and looked up at her. "Why should she care anyway? It's not like I'm her boyfriend or anything. Anyway, I don't like being the center of attention and I don't enjoy any types of school events."
Ritsuka blinked at his words, staring down at him with a slightly surprised look. "Nitobe-kun..." She looked down at her feet, her hair hiding part of her face. From what he could see, she looked to be in some sort of pain. "...Are you jealous?"
His eyes widen at her question. The word 'jealous' had never even occurred to him, and why should it? He has never really been in love or even had the slightest hint of being in love feels like. But...what if it is true? That he really feels something for the tiny girl.
Ritsuka watched him, as he pondered over the question, she was a little happy that the once shy Hiyori now had friends and guys fighting over her, but... somewhere deep down she didn't want this. She didn't want this feeling of jealously to overtake her, to separate her from such a long time friend.
Yes, that's right. Ritsuka is jealous of Hiyori, jealous that Kou likes her best friend. Of course, Hiyori already knows that Ritsuka has feelings for him, but...it is a never-ending cycle of bitter love for her.
"...I don't know if I would call what I'm feeling 'jealousy'." Kou finally said after a while, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Since I've never known what the feeling of being 'in love' feels like."
The red haired girl sat down next to him, leaning up against the tree. "Well maybe we're the same...I've always wondered what it would be like to find that special someone, when I would meet them, how we would meet, what I would feel at that moment..."
"That's so cheesy."
"Oh, shut up!" Ritsuka yelled at him, her cheeks going red at being a couple of inches away from him.
Kou let out a rare natural laugh, one that she had never seen before, probably no one that had seen till now, and she been the one to witness it. She hid her bright red face from his view, her heart beating a mile a minute.
"...N-Nitobe-kun?..."
"What is it?"
"H-Have you ever been asked out before?" Ritsuka hoped he couldn't hear her beating heart, from he was sitting.
Kou thought about it for a while. "...Not really. But I've seen a lot of people ask out other people before. Why?"
"Well..." She let out a breath to calm down. "...I was asked out a lot by guys in middle school. But, I could never understand why. Most of their reasons were because they just like my appearance, which for me was a total offense. If I ever find that special someone, I want them to like me for who I am, not for what I look like."
The sound of rustling leaves and birds happily singing filled in the silence between them. Time seemed to stand still for the moment, creating a slight peace. "Nitobe-kun, your really a nice guy. Even though you seem to be very nonsocial, it is very peaceful talking with you. When I'm with you, I feel at peace and safe, like nothing can hurt me if I'm with you."
"Are you trying to flatter me?" Kou asked confused.
Ritsuka covered her mouth, she had just basically confessed to him. "N-No! I'm just trying to say...that...that if you have feelings for Hiyori...you know..."
"I know."
"Huh?"
"I know that it won't work out between us." Kou replied. "She already has a great boyfriend and I'm only a friend to her, she'll never see me in that way."
She blinked at him, he had already figured it out? Ritsuka smiled slightly, because Kou wasn't even going to get in the way of Hiyori's and Yuushin's love. And...it also gave her a second chance...a second chance for her to get to know him more...a second chance for him to find that special someone.
A second chance for them to maybe find love together.
"Do you..."
"Hm." He looked over at her.
"Do you want to go somewhere together this weekend?" She closed her eyes waiting for the answer with baited breath.
"Why?"
"Um..Because Hiyori and Yuushin are going on a date together...and I'll be really lonely. Also I wanted to go try out this new cafe that just opened but, I don't want to go alone."
Kou narrowed his eyes. "This isn't another one of your stalking trips, is it?"
Ritsuka waved off the idea. "Of course not! I just...want to be friends, maybe we'll get to know each other better too... That is if you want to.."
Even though he felt reluctant to go, Kou felt that he kinda wanted to get to know more about her too, also it may help him heal from his breaking heart. 'Just like one of those second chances that you see rarely in life.'
"Sure I guess...I have nothing else to do." He agreed as he secretly watched her face light up with happiness.
"Great!" She stood and looked down at him with a grin, a light blush covering her cheeks. "I'll text you the details later. See you later, Nitobe-kun!" Ritsuka then ran off to tell Hiyori about her little date coming up.
Watching her run off, he felt slightly warmer inside. It was almost like he had been giving another chance to bask in the sunlight, after surviving a harsh winter storm of heartbreak.
A/N: I hoped you enjoyed! I know I should be working on my other fanfics but, I've been obsessed with this manga recently. And when I found out there was only one fanfic for a amazing manga such as this, I had to write one. Especially for one of my new fav. pairing Kou x Ritsuka. Also I hope I didn't make the characters too OOC, I tried keeping them in character as much as possible. And I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes.
Thanks to anyone who reads this and reviews.
Read and Review Please! :)