Bleh, sorry if this chapter seems shorter than others. But I was satisfied with how this one came out...Sort of. I may replace it with another chapter or add more, if I'm able to come up with more good ideas. I hope you all will be satisfied with it too. Chapter four might take long to be updated...so please be patient with me.
Hoppy-Chan: Of course, there'll be more chapters coming up! I'm thinking of what to write for the fourth chapter right now.. so you can keep expecting more to come. :)
Sayosi: Haha, that's alright. Thank you for reviewing anyway, and I'm glad you enjoyed the second chapter. Yes, Shizuru is indeed fun. X3 Once again, thanks, for reminding me to enable the anonymous reviews. I forgot all about that.
hii dollface: hehe, thanks. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.. It was hard for me to come up with an idea for this chapter, let alone coming up with a title for it.
Nail: Thank you for reading. :)
An answer
'She scared the hell out of me. She really did. I thought something or someone was attacking her…'
My emerald eyes wander over her sun-kissed face, neck and down her slender form…Realizing what I'm doing, my face turns completely red as I dart my eyes back to her sleeping face.
'She looks so serene…I'm just glad she's not crying like last night…'
Fresh memories of the previous night repeated in my mind. I was asleep on Shizuru's couch in the living room. Usually, it would take a lot to wake me up…only a cannon could wake me up. But her crying woke me up.
'I cant explain it… My slumber…my dreams were disrupted. A bad feeling was nagging at me. Then I heard it. Soft cries growing to violent sobbing…I realized it was Shizuru that I was hearing.'
As I heard her cries, I became worried sick immediately. And enraged. I was about ready to beat the daylights out of whoever or what was hurting her, or so I thought. I ran into her bedroom without hesitation, I was somewhat relieved when I found that nobody or nothing was in her room. However, I saw her in her bed with tears streaming down her cheeks. My heart felt like a heavy weight was being beaten into it. My attempts at waking her up at first were useless, she wouldn't wake up. So, I summoned up as much courage and kept yelling her name and shook her shoulders till she finally woke up.
'But…why was she saying that…?'
Not forgetting what Shizuru was uttering in her sleep, my eyebrows then furrow in wonder as I stare at her face…I whisper softly, "Why were you apologizing to me…?" I fall silent and my breath hitches when the sleeping woman stirs slightly but remains asleep.
After I managed to wake her up last night, I didn't know what to say except just to look at her with concern. My mind fumbled with words, thinking of what to say. Inwardly kicking myself by then, I asked her if she wanted some tea and I even offered that I would make some.
'Nice one, Natsuki… couldn't you get any more idiotic?'
But she didn't seem to mind. She merely smiled at me and dried away her tears…then she had to put that infuriating teasing smirk on her face! Heat broke up and welled up in my cheeks, my face turned red when she made an offer that I sleep with her.
'…Even so, I did want to sleep with her…I was afraid to leave her alone again.'
So I crawled under her covers and pulled her to me. Not minding the look of surprise on her face, I could feel tranquility sweep through my body, as it is right now on her sleeping face. I woke up earlier than usual this morning, because I could not help my concern for my chestnut haired best friend. Now I'm sitting here, in this chair and watching her sleep. I don't think I could feel any more grateful than I do right now to see her in a such serene state.
'So, could it be true after all…? I do…feel the same way as she does about me?'
A smile was bestowed upon my face, I did not dare to deny it. I'm tired of running away. This feeling, it does terrify me. But at the same time, it's quite…comforting. It terrified me because it was something new. An emotion I have never experienced before. Before I met her, that is. Every time she enters the room with a breath-taking smile across her face, my heart skips a beat. Every time she is near me, excitement seethes within my soul. Every time I feel her arms around my waist, pulling me close to her so she could hug me and every time I feel her lips on my cheek, my knees become weak and wobbly like gelatin…but like always, I hid my fondness towards her little actions and then I would become terrified all of sudden. Afraid of letting her get too close to me. I would leap away from her arms or push them away. She would get that hurt look on her face, causing guilt to jab at my heart. She would go and hide it behind a smile so quickly afterwards, thinking I wouldn't see it. But I saw it. I wanted to reach out, take her hand and reassure her that I do enjoy her hugs very much. However, my fear of my being hurting her held me back every time.
It amazes me. It amazes me how strong Shizuru is. She's like a woman of steel. She would never let anything get to her or hold her down each time she falls.
'It doesn't matter how many times you've fallen…you'll never give up. Isn't that right, Shizuru…?'
Too entranced by her sleeping face, I did not notice that she had woke up no longer than a minute ago. It was her melodic voice that yanked me out of my trance.
"Ara, ara…I never knew my Natsuki was into voyeurism. You're lucky it's only me because it's a crime, you know." A giggle was then heard.
My face becomes pale within seconds, feeling like all the blood has been drained from my face, my eyes widen and my jaw drops.
"S…s-s-s-SHIZURU!" I finally manage to stutter out and scowl as I cross my arms across my chest, looking away to the side. My face was now blazing red, "…Wait a minute, you weren't naked… so how could I be committing voyeurism?" I loft my brow and peer at her from the corner of my eyes. I see it again, that damned impish grin.
"Yes, but I was having such a good dream…Who knows, I might've been doing something under the covers to satisfy myself!" With that, she gave me a playful wink.
"ARGH! SHIZURU!" If it was possible, my head would explode right now from blushing so madly. I get up and storm off towards the door, growling. Her giggling only agitated me further more.
Pausing at the doorway, I exhaled deeply and spoke back to her with certainty in my voice, "I was worried about you. I was worried that you'd end up having another nightmare…" I then disappear through the doorway and in the living room. In the other room, I could tell that Shizuru was surprised, according to her giggling abruptly stopping to grant silence's entrance.
I plop down on my couch and cross my arms across my chest, staring at the TV screen. Thoughts of my true feelings for her and questions about it lingered within my mind, desperately searching for the right answers…only to end up echoing one true answer in my head.
'…I love her.'
