第５話
"Realization"
.:.11 YEARS.:.
"Mello, guess what! Guess what!"
"What?" Mello said, trying to get his breath back after having Matt throw himself on him.
"I got in too!" Matt cried, shoving a paper under Mello's nose.
"Mello studied the paper for a minute and his eyes widened. "Matt, how did you...?"
"I studied! That's all I've been doing for the past two weeks! I can even read a little German now. It's not much, but at least I can understand the lessons better..."
"Matt..." Mello was at a loss for words. "What made you decide to do this?"
Matt blushed a little. "Well, when you got in...I figured I should work harder too! After all, who's going to be able to translate the lesson for me?" Matt joked.
"Matt..." Mello's expression became serious, and he gently guided Matt over to sit on the bed. "I'm really proud of you, don't doubt that. But...what's the real reason that you applied to the school?"
"I just told you."
"You've never cared about your grades, Matt," Mello stated matter-of-fact.
Matt looked down at the ground, searching for an answer. What was his reason for doing this? To be with Mello? Just to be with Mello? No...there was something more to it than that. Why did he suddenly feel tears in his eyes?"
"Matt, what's wrong?" Mello said, placing a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Why are you crying?"
"I'm not," Matt protested, at the same time he wiped his eyes. He couldn't very well explain to Mello his real reason for wanting in the same school. Mostly because he didn't know the answer himself.
Mello sighed and wiped the tears from under Matt's eyes. "I wasn't trying to upset you."
"I know..." Matt's voice shook as he spoke. "But you – I didn't think about whether you'd even want me in the same school or not."
"What are you talking about?" Mello said, smiling slightly. "Of course I'm happy we're in the same school, silly."
"Yeah, but...you would've been perfectly happy going there without me, right? So long as you felt like you were smart..."
"Matt..." Mello sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm aware that sometimes I end up leaving you behind. And I know you try hard to follow me. I'll take that into consideration, I'm sorry."
"But I don't want to keep being a burden. I hate thinking that I'm dragging you down with me. It's not fair to you."
"You aren't dragging me down," Mello said. "Getting into this school is something, Matt. It takes a lot of work and talent. I'm flattered that you worked that hard just to be with me." He smiled.
Matt could feel a blush creeping up his cheeks again. I'd do anything to be with you... he thought.
"Matt, you can stop crying now," Mello said gently, pulling the other boy into his arms.
Surprised slightly by this sudden gesture, Matt remained still for a moment, before wrapping his arms around Mello and burying his face in the other boy's shirt. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?" Matt said, his voice slightly muffled.
Mello gave a small laugh. "Of course not." He gently detached the other boy's arms from around him and brushed the hair from his face. "But everything's fine. You can stop crying."
On a sudden impulse, Matt wrapped his arms around Mello's neck and buried his face in his friend's shirt.
"Matt..." Mello laughed. "What's with you?"
I don't know. I have no idea of why I want to hold you in my arms so badly, of why I want to be with you this much.
Mello allowed Matt to hold on to him until he calmed down.
When the other boy finally stopped crying, Matt sat up and wiped his eyes.
"Hey," Mello said. "What do you say we go to the town arcade today?"
"You mean that?!" Matt said, his face immediately brightening.
"Yeah." Mello smiled. "It'll be fun."
Matt returned the smile.
I now know...why I want to keep up with Mello so much. Why I want to be with him so badly...
I think that I'm...
That I...
I'm in love with him.
第５話 － 終
Author's Notes:
It was hard to write this chapter, because I'm so used to writing 'love' scenes between MelloXMatt, so it was hard to restrict their actions and dialogue in this chapter to 'friends only'.
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