Chapter 14

~Teiko Days~

Shirane's POV

My hand really hurts. The wound opened up and my bandage is pretty bloody. I am trying not to groan in pain by biting my lips. More importantly, I am in Kise's arms now and we were running away from the group of high school guys. It felt rather embarrassing that I had to be carried by him but I had no choice.

Still feeling rather embarrassed, I glance up at Kise's face. I realized that all this time I never took a proper look at him and somehow at this moment I felt that he was pretty cool. What's more was that my heart was somehow started beating very quickly. It was a feeling that I never felt before. Trying to shake that thought off, I look over Kise's shoulders to find that the group of guys were still on our tail.

"Kise!"

As though he understood what I meant, Kise immediately took a turn to the alley. Avoiding the obstacles and making several turns, we finally lost them. I am sure that we were several blocks away from where we started to run. However just to be sure, Kise ran towards a nearby park before he finally put me down on the bench. Panting heavily, Kise sat beside me and took a hold of my injured hand to take a good look at it.

"Does it hurt?"

Kise looked at me with concern in his eyes.

"Yeah. But it wasn't as bad as before."

I smiled at him, reassuring him. The pain wasn't that bad anymore but my hand was still bleeding.

"We still got to wrap this up."

Kise reach out behind his pocket and took out a handkerchief. Using his handkerchief, Kise wrapped my hand with it.

"Kise, you don't have to…"

"It's okay."

Kise continued to diligently wrap up my hand. Looking at his profile, my heart started to beat quickly again. I could feel a blush creep across my face. What is wrong with me?

While trying to sort out my thoughts, Kise had already finished wrapping my hand up. Satisfied with his work, Kise looked up at me. When I noticed he was looking at me, my face shot up in redness. However I shook my head in attempt to stop blushing.

"Shiranecchi?"

Kise, concerned for me, put his hand up to my forehead.

"Erm…"

I was confused by his actions.

"Oh. Good. And for a moment I thought you had a fever since your face is so red."

"It is!? It must be the sunset that is making my face red!"

I exclaimed, trying to end the subject.

"I guess you are right."

Kise gave a sheepish laugh after saying that. I sighed in relief in respond to him.

"I'll walk you to your house."

Startled at what Kise said, immediately respond to him.

"It's okay! You don't have to!"

I wave my hands very frantically at him.

"I am worried that those guys might come after you. Just let me do this, okay?"

With a determine look in his eyes, I gave in to his request.

Kise's POV

As I am walking with Shiranecchi back to her house, I couldn't help glancing at her hand. I felt really guilty for it. If only I watched where I was walking, then this wouldn't have happened at all.

Shiranecchi on the other hand was acting a bit strangely. She has been avoiding eye contact with me ever since we started making our way towards her house. I think that she might be blaming me for this. I can't believe I mess it up!

As we made our walk to the crossroad, the traffic light had just turned red. Shiranecchi didn't notice the traffic light and just went on ahead. Seeing a car that was about to run over her, I immediately grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled her towards me. Shiranecchi managed to avoid the car just in time and landed against my chest.

"Are you alright?!"

I asked her as she looked up towards me in realization of what just happened.

"…Yeah…"

I sighed in relief. Too many things had happened today.

Looking at Shiranecchi who's was looking down, I found her face was as red as before. Her expression was as though she was embarrassed at what had happened. In my eyes, I couldn't believe how cute she looked right now.

Feeling a bit brave, I took her hand in mine. When I held her hand, Shiranecchi immediately shot her head up and looked at me with an even deeper blush.

"Come on, let's go."

I smiled at her in return before looking at the traffic light that had just turned green again, pulling her along with our hands held together as we cross the road.

We finally arrived at Shiranecchi's front gate. The entire time, we kept quiet as we held our hands together, never once letting go.

"That's my place."

Shiranecchi spoke up with her eyes looking down. I guess I should let go now.

"…"

"…"

Both of us looked down, still hand in hand.

"…Erm…"

Shiranecchi shook her hand a little, that's when I realized should let go now. I parted my hand from hers, with her warmness still lingering in my hand.

"I will wash this and return it to you tomorrow."

Shiranecchi lifted up her hand that was wrapped in my handkerchief.

"Ah, Right."

There was another moment of silence again.

"I guess I should get going then."

I scratched the back of my head with a sheepish smile.

"See you tomorrow."

I started to head back. I guess I must have acted really weird to her that she couldn't say anything.

After walked just a few steps, I felt someone holding my hand from behind. I turned back to find Shiranecchi holding on to my hand, looking down.

"Thanks for today…"

I am positive that Shiranecchi was blushing for sure because I can see Shiranecchi's red face under my shadow since the sunset was facing my front. My heart beat loudly as I looked at her and the warmness of her hand was spreading through my hand.

"No problem…"

Shiranecchi finally let go of me before taking a step back. The expression on her face changed dramatically as though she realised she did something that she shouldn't. She immediately ran back into her house.

Stunned at what just happened it took me a few moments to realise what happened. Once I realised, I smiled to myself in relief. She wasn't angry with me at all. All the guilt was washed away.

Shirane's POV

What had I just done?! What is wrong with me?! My heart is thumbing so loudly that I think he might have heard it!

Leaning against the door, I slouched down and huddled to my knees. My face was crimson red and heart couldn't stop beating.

I never had this kind of feeling before. Usually I don't feel like this when I see Kise but today is totally different. What is worse is that I find Kise cool! How can this be possible?! I am supposed to be immune to people like him!

With so many thoughts running through my head, I clenched my hands. With a feeling of a cloth in one of my hands, I looked down at my hand and remembered that I had Kise's handkerchief. I guess I should focus on treating my hand first.

"Jun? Are you back?"

I heard a voice coming down the hallway. Footsteps followed before my mum appeared before me.

"Why are you on the floor?"

My mum asked in confusion.

"I'm home?"

I gave her a sheepish smile.

Knowing that I didn't want to be asked, my mum answered me back.

"Welcome home."

She diverted her eyes to my injured hand with concerned plastered on her face.

"What happened?"

I looked at the direction where her eyes was and realized she was referring to my hand.

"Well…"

I am now sitting at the living room while my mum treated my hand. I explained to her about the accident at school which cause my hand to have a deep cut. However, I didn't tell her that I have gotten into a fight with a group of high school guys. Instead I told her that I must have somehow opened the wound without knowing.

"I told you to be careful. And sometimes you jump into things too quickly."

"But I have to get it right or else there will be no performance for that."

I smiled at her. My mum shook her head in response as she finished up bandaging my hand.

"By the way, whose handkerchief is that? I know it's not yours."

My mum pointed at the handkerchief that was soaked in a bit of blood on the table. I thought of Kise and I blushed.

Reading my expression, my mum had a smirked on her face. I have a bad feeling about this.

"With that design, I bet it's from a guy. Is it your boyfriend?"

"What?!"

I exclaimed at her, with my face totally red now.

"My my… This is the first time I seen you react like this."

My mum giggled with a hand covering her mouth. A bit annoyed at her reaction, I threw a question back at her.

"What do you mean?!"

"Well, I ask you before about you and Atsushi back then. But you didn't have such a reaction like now. So I supposed you finally found a guy you like."

My mum shrugged at me, clearly pleased with herself. I wasn't annoyed anymore but instead I was blushing once more.

"No, I don't and stop assuming things!"

I stood up and head back to my room.

"Sometimes she is just too oblivious for her own good. I guess I should wash this."

Looking at the handkerchief, my mum sighed. She then took the handkerchief off of the table to wash it.

Soaking in the tub, I thought of all the things that happened today. The cut on my hand, the fight, running away and… The moment I thought of him, my face flushed once more. I couldn't forget the way he looked when he held me as he ran and when he wrapped my hand with his handkerchief.

In attempt to flush the thoughts out of my head, I submerged my head in the water. After a good minute or so, I resurface my head. However, I still couldn't get him out of my head.

"Why…?"

I asked myself as I looked at my reflection in the water. Remembering what my mum said, I thought to myself again. Did I finally found a guy that I like or is it just a spur of a moment thing?

Still deep in my thoughts, I got out of the bath tub and grabbed a towel to dry myself before wrapping the towel around me.

Everything just happened too suddenly for me to take it. All along I thought the concept of love is love at first sight. However, I doubt so because I never found myself liking someone before.

Convincing myself that it was only today that I felt like this, I looked into the mirror and gave a pat on my face. I need to focus on the festival and nothing else.

"Focus, Jun, focus."

With a determine look on my face, I moved away from the mirror to dress myself.

Here's another chapter for this week. My inspiration is all coming back to me again.

I didn't make Kise react weirdly in this chapter because of the sense of guilt he felt for Shirane. And now Shirane is the one acting funny. :0

Till next time! XD