So.
Ah.
It's been a while?
Oh gosh I am literally the worst I can't believe it's taken me this long to write this up. I'll try to post the next chapter in the next few days since I have a break and plenty of writing time comes with that. I have a few things to say about this story.
1) Look at those reviews. My heart is literally exploding from happy. Thanks to all of you wonderful, amazing people. ThePeachDragon (not sure if you're going to read this but w/e) left a super long review I feel I should acknowledge. Thank you all so much for your wonderful support 333333
2) I have set up this chapter to have Yuuma either like Teto or Kaito. Readers will pick who I go with :3
3) The plot got away from me
4) Sorry this is so short. I will definitely update soon.
5) It's four in the morning and I've been writing for about eight or nine straight hours so forgive typos. Please.
6) Officially going to change the title to "Obsessed" next time I update!
It was cold when he woke up.
Mikuo tried not to think of this as some sort of universal irony, but he couldn't help but feel that it was a sign. Maybe he just wasn't supposed to get out of bed today. Maybe if he just stayed here, things would be fixed on their own. Maybe.
Maybe he could stop being an idiot for five minutes and accept he needed to fix things.
With a sigh, he sat up in bed. Yesterday had been… Well, it had been a mess. Not even the good things were good enough to make up for the bad. The memory of kissing SeeU and the conversation he and Rin had engaged in shook him to his core. To think, hardly a few months ago, he had been a normal, boring guy with no prospects for a girlfriend and few worries. Everything was just so messed up. So very, very messed up.
Mikuo ignored his phone, which probably had at least twenty messages from both SeeU and Mayu at this point. He just wasn't ready to deal with that. Honestly, he would probably never be ready, but he could take a few more minutes.
He stretched, looking around his room wearily. Goosebumps rose up on his arms and he couldn't help but feel a little empty and alone. Maybe it was just leftover emotions from the previous day, but… Hm, no that was probably the only explanation.
He tapped out a quick message to Mayu, telling her that he had an appointment that morning and couldn't walk to school with her. That was a lie, but skipping a period or two sounded better than facing Mayu right now. He knew he had to tell her about kissing SeeU at some point, and sooner was probably better than later. But he was scared. Not because he'd hurt Mayu. He was scared of that. God, hurting Mayu… She'd only ever adored him. But he was also scared of what she might do. Not just to him, but to SeeU.
The best way to go about it would be to invite her to a public place. Telling her face-to-face was what she deserved. Honesty was what she deserved.
But after that? Mayu had done so much to hurt the people he loved, and he doubted she would stop. He had to admit that. He saw it, despite ignoring it.
Maybe if she got help. If she got help and they learned how to make their relationship healthy, it would work out. Because Mayu was worth that. The part of Mayu that helped him with homework and baked him cookies and helped his friends study was worth the effort he would put into fixing this relationship.
He rubbed his eyes and decided it was really time to get up.
"Mom?"
His mother, who was munching on toast in the kitchen when he entered, turned to look at him.
"Yeah?" she asked, her voice muffled by toast.
He shifted on his feet. "I, uh. I have to study. For a test. And since I don't have anything to do in my first few classes, I was wondering if I could stay home for an hour or two to do that."
His mother raised an eyebrow. It was an unusual request.
"Are you actually going to study?" she asked.
He nodded.
With a sigh, she waved her hand at him. "Go on, you goof," she said. "Permission is granted."
A certain amount of relief flooded Mikuo. It was this relief that gave him the courage and the energy to check his messages once he got back up to his bedroom and shut his door.
To: Mikuo 3
From: Mayu
Sent at 6:58 AM
Oh. Okay. Well, I'll see you later then.
To: Mikuo 3
From: Mayu
Sent at 6:58 AM
I love you.
To: Mayu
From: Mikuo 3
Sent at 7:03 AM
Love you too
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 5:25 PM
Shit, mikuo. I'm so sorry. I screwed up.
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 5:31 PM
I know you're probably really mad but we need to talk about this.
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 5:47 PM
Mikuo?
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 5:54 PM
Mikuo goddammit I know I messed up but you kissed back you cannot lay this all down on me
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 6:36 PM
I don't know what to do anymore. Just please respond.
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 6:39 PM
i called rin i just don't know how to deal with this anymore i'm sorry
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 9:41 PM
Again, I'm sorry. Please talk to me in the morning. I really don't want to lose your friendship, Mikuo.
To: SeeU
From: Mikuo bby
Sent at 7:11 AM
I'm sorry, too. Rin talked with me and I figured some stuff out. I promise we'll talk later.
To: Mikuo bby
From: SeeU
Sent at 7:13 AM
okay.
A groan left his mouth and he let his face fall into his pillow. He was tempted to actually study, just to get his mind off things. But his head ached and everything was so confusing. He had chosen Mayu, he knew that. So why did his stomach not seem to agree with his brain?
About half an hour later, Mikuo was incredibly surprised that Yuuma of all people showed up at his door.
"Yo," the boy greeted when he opened up the door. "Mind letting a guy in?"
Mikuo basically just shrugged and gestured inside lazily. He had been sitting in the living room, his textbooks and homework spread out on the coffee table and a chess set off to the side. He hadn't played, but sometimes just staring at it and imaging moves helped.
Yuuma looked around. "Wow," was all he said.
"How do you know where I live?" Mikuo demanded.
"Asked Rin," Yuuma shrugged. "After I reassured her I wasn't here to destroy your sweet innocence or steal your gal, she complied happily. Well, maybe not happily, but something close to that area of emotion."
Mikuo shook his head. "You talk too much," he stated. Yuuma only grinned in response.
"So, you ditching?" he asked after a beat of silence.
"Technically not. Got permission to stay home and 'study' for a while," Mikuo told him, putting air quotes around the word "study." "I tried for a while, but… Well, thoughts, you know?"
"Don't I know it, brother," Yuuma said in agreement.
"Why are you here?" Mikuo asked without missing a beat. "I mean, not to be rude, but this is kind of a weird… thing."
"Dunno, bro. I figured after last night, we're kind of friends?" Yuuma shrugged. "Like I said. I dunno. You seem chill."
Mikuo didn't even bother questioning that. With his hand, he gestured halfheartedly to the chess board on the coffee table. Yuuma returned his lazy offer with a grin.
"Oh, now you're speaking my language," the other boy said.
/
The two began the game in silence. It wasn't long into the game that Mikuo finally got the courage to ask one of his burning questions.
"So," he began, "your thing for my girlfriend."
Yuuma waved away the question as though it mattered as little to him as the state of affairs in Hawaii. "Not a thing anymore, bro. I've got my eye on another piece of eyecandy."
"Yeah, that wasn't really my question," Mikuo clarified as he moved a pawn. He winced as Yuuma took it. Damn. Stupid move. "I meant something like 'why was it even a thing in the first place?'"
Yuuma shrugged in a noncommittal way. There were a few seconds of silence before he spoke, which drive Mikuo more than a bit mad. "I guess I have a thing for her type," he replied.
Mikuo looked quizzically across at the other boy as he moved his knight. "And what is that type?"
"Unavailable psychos."
Mikuo huffed indignantly. "Mayu is not a psycho."
The raised eyebrow and look of general disbelief from Yuuma showed him the guy clearly did not believe him.
"You know her type, though. You see them in movies. You've heard about them online in horror stories we all wish weren't true. She's a little crazy, man. Accept it," Yuuma told him. Shift. Jump. Another pawn gone.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Stalkers, man. As soon as I got to the school, I started hearing the rumors about Mayu. Haven't you ever wondered why she doesn't have many friends?"
"I just figured she was shy," MIku muttered unconvincingly.
Yuuma scoffed. As he did, his knight was taken, and he huffed in irritation. "Nah. Everyone's heard how at her last school she drove her boyfriend crazy. Well, maybe he wasn't her boyfriend. But some guy she liked ended up in a crazy house somewhere, and it certainly looks a lot like it was her fault."
"And how would you know that?" Mikuo asked irritably. He was starting to get real sick of everyone making comments about his girlfriend.
"He was my older brother."
That brought Mikuo up short. He paused, his hand floating over his queen. "What?" he croaked.
"Yeah, I know. Pretty wild story. Don't entirely expect you to believe me, but at this point I've got nothing left to lose, you know?" Yuuma shook his head as though he was trying to dislodge unpleasant memories like clumps of dirt stuck to his hair. "Look, I don't think Mayu deserves anything horrible. I think she needs help. And it's not like I've followed her to try to help her. That's creepy. I just… I'm trying to make the most out of a situation I never wanted to be in, y'know man?"
"I… yeah, I get it," Mikuo said. "I don't see why you'd lie. But I'm not breaking up with Mayu."
Yuuma snorted. "God, no, that's a terrible idea. She'd probably kill you." Mikuo couldn't tell if he was kidding. Worst of all, he wasn't sure if he believed that or not. "But, bro, you're cool. And you're friends with the one I've got my eye on. It would be nice if you stayed sane."
Yuuma smiled at him, and there was something so entirely relaxing about that expression. With a swift flick of his finger, Yuuma knocked his king over.
"I give," he said. And he stood and left.
Mikuo stared at the board and wondered why someone who was winning by such a landslide give up.
I used the "mom I gotta study" trick once. It worked.
Please review if that's your thing! If not, see you next chapter!