Unexpected Love
Chapter 12
The next day went about like normal. In class, Miki was herself again with a ready smile on her face. When class ended, Yuu saw her taking out her toy robot from her school bag and smiling down at it, clearly remembering the message he left behind. Yuu felt happy that he was able to put that smile and memory on her.
Stuffing the toy robot back in, Miki got up from her table. Yuu made a move to follow her, thinking that they would walk back home together when suddenly Miki froze and the same look that haunted her yesterday appeared on her face.
This time, knowing the cause, Yuu turned to look at Ginta and sure enough, Ginta was making his way towards Miki with a determined look. Yuu frowned at this annoying persistance. Doesn't Ginta know that Miki is still upset with him? Forcing her to listen would only make things worse.
Miki, looking like a trapped rabbit, finally decided to rush out of the class, fleeing away from Ginta. But this time, Ginta was having none of that. He gave chase.
Worried, Yuu walked out to the door and looked at the two fast departing figures down the hall. Meiko was beside him, looking a bit concerned as well.
"What do you think is going on with the two of them?" Yuu asked Meiko. Meiko was Miki's best friend and she would probably know the reason behind it.
Meiko bit her lip, wondering whether she should to tell him,"I can't really say, Yuu. This is a personal matter and it is between Ginta and Miki."
Frustration took over Yuu, but he didn't show it. He wished that Meiko would tell him but he understood that Meiko didn't want to betray Miki's trust by revealing it to him.
Yuu went back in and grabbed his bag. He was going to go after them. Although he wouldn't know the truth, at least he could look out for Miki if Ginta decided to hurt her further.
"Yuu!"
Yuu paused, halfway down the hall. Meiko had called him, walking hurriedly towards him with her own school bag in her hand.
"Yuu, you do understand don't you? I do wish that I could do something for Miki, but I can't tell you," Meiko looked anxious.
Yuu nodded. Meiko looked relieved. With that, they walked together in search of Miki.
As they were nearing the school gate, they saw Ginta running towards Miki who was looking panicked. Suddenly Miki rushed over to the gate and grabbed somebody. Yuu looked to see who it was and froze when he realised it was Arimi. Miki made a show of greeting Arimi and thanking her for waiting for her. Arimi looked confused but played along.
Ginta who was rushing towards Miki, hesitated when he saw Miki was with somebody. A look of frustration crossed his face, but he didn't follow them.
Yuu also fell back. Arimi must have been waiting for him but her plans were foiled when Miki grabbed her to fend off Ginta. Yuu wondered what Arimi wanted. He hoped she wasn't thinking of going after him again. Her comment at the park, had made him worried and seeing her here waiting in front of his school had confirmed his worries.
But at least her being here was a salvation of sorts for Miki. And now Yuu didn't have to worry so much for her since Ginta wouldn't be following her.
And with that, Yuu headed back for home. He figured, he would wait for Miki until she returned.
---
Yuu had bathed and was now sitting in the living room, reading a book when he heard a commotion outside the house. Miki must have just came back.
Yuu looked out the window and was surprised to see Ginta outside at the gate with Miki. They appeared to be arguing. He was wondering on what to do when Ginta suddenly shouted.
"I've always loved you, Miki!"
Yuu's heart stopped beating for a while at those words.
"I love you Miki and I won't let Yuu have you!" suddenly Ginta held out something in his hand at Miki. It was the toy robot! Why was Ginta having it?
It appears that Ginta knew about the message Yuu left for Miki. But that didn't matter anymore. What mattered was, Ginta had feelings for Miki and so did he. Ginta was suddenly his rival for Miki's affections. Yuu's heart started to pound at his chest.
"Do you like Yuu more than me? Is he better than me?" Ginta's demands was getting more persistent and Miki looked harrassed by them.
"Ginta..." Miki looked pained, not knowing what to say. Ginta moved to grab Miki's hand. Miki looked shocked at Ginta's bold move, "Ginta, you're hurting me!"
Yuu decided he has had enough of this drama and went out to intervene before Miki really got hurt.
"What do you think you're doing?" Yuu demanded.
Ginta and Miki went still and turned to look at him.
Yuu leaned against the wall and pretended to look bored, "Must you be so loud, Ginta? What do you think the neighbours will say when they hear you shouting?"
Miki blushed, looking upset that the neighbours might have witnessed the entire spectacle. Without looking at Ginta, Miki rushed into the house, nearly in tears. Yuu almost regretted saying what he did, but he had to put a stop to Ginta's rantings.
Now that Miki is safely within their house, Yuu turned to follow.
"Yuu!"
Yuu paused at the sound of his name. He turned to see Ginta looking furious.
"You make me sick!" Ginta finally burst out.
Yuu crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "Funny, you don't make me sick. In fact, you're not even worth my time," Yuu pushed away from the wall and continued into the house.
"Wait a minute!" Ginta shouted again. Yuu paused for the second time. "Why are you going into Miki's house?" Ginta demanded.
Yuu grinned back at Ginta, knowing that would aggravate Ginta even more,"Didn't you know? Miki's house is also my house now. Our parents have a special arrangement," without waiting for Ginta to recover from the shock of his answer, Yuu finally closed the door behind him.
Ginta, who finally realised that Yuu and Miki lived together, shouted out his frustrations with a bellow, loud enough to rouse the entire neighbourhood's curiousity if they weren't already.
Yuu sighed out loud at Ginta's display of emotions. Soon, his thoughts turned to Miki who was upstairs in her room, probably crying. Yuu wanted to comfort Miki however way he could but he resisted the temptation because it was not the best time to talk about what happened when it's still fresh in Miki's troubled heart. He would give Miki some time on her own. When she was ready to share her troubles with him, Yuu would be there to listen.
Later that night after his third bath for the day, Yuu came out of the bathroom wiping his hair with a towel. Halfway down the hall to his room, he came upon Miki who was just coming out from her own room.
Her eyes looked puffy, confirming Yuu's prediction that she had been crying. Miki looked up at Yuu, not quite meeting his eyes, "Oh, you've just finished bathing?" Miki asked.
Yuu decided to tease Miki, "Yeah. What about it? Did you want to join me in my bath?"
Miki looked scandalised at the idea, "Not in your life!" Miki glared back at Yuu.
Yuu laughed at Miki's outburst and turned away and walked towards his room. Behind him, he could hear Miki turned to march back into her room. Yuu glanced back to see Miki's bedroom door closed with a firm click.
Although Yuu may not have been able to broach the subject of her troubles, but at least he managed to take her mind away from it, however briefly. It hurt to see Miki so upset and not able to do something about it. He just hope that one day, Miki would come to share them with him.
Chapter 12
The next day went about like normal. In class, Miki was herself again with a ready smile on her face. When class ended, Yuu saw her taking out her toy robot from her school bag and smiling down at it, clearly remembering the message he left behind. Yuu felt happy that he was able to put that smile and memory on her.
Stuffing the toy robot back in, Miki got up from her table. Yuu made a move to follow her, thinking that they would walk back home together when suddenly Miki froze and the same look that haunted her yesterday appeared on her face.
This time, knowing the cause, Yuu turned to look at Ginta and sure enough, Ginta was making his way towards Miki with a determined look. Yuu frowned at this annoying persistance. Doesn't Ginta know that Miki is still upset with him? Forcing her to listen would only make things worse.
Miki, looking like a trapped rabbit, finally decided to rush out of the class, fleeing away from Ginta. But this time, Ginta was having none of that. He gave chase.
Worried, Yuu walked out to the door and looked at the two fast departing figures down the hall. Meiko was beside him, looking a bit concerned as well.
"What do you think is going on with the two of them?" Yuu asked Meiko. Meiko was Miki's best friend and she would probably know the reason behind it.
Meiko bit her lip, wondering whether she should to tell him,"I can't really say, Yuu. This is a personal matter and it is between Ginta and Miki."
Frustration took over Yuu, but he didn't show it. He wished that Meiko would tell him but he understood that Meiko didn't want to betray Miki's trust by revealing it to him.
Yuu went back in and grabbed his bag. He was going to go after them. Although he wouldn't know the truth, at least he could look out for Miki if Ginta decided to hurt her further.
"Yuu!"
Yuu paused, halfway down the hall. Meiko had called him, walking hurriedly towards him with her own school bag in her hand.
"Yuu, you do understand don't you? I do wish that I could do something for Miki, but I can't tell you," Meiko looked anxious.
Yuu nodded. Meiko looked relieved. With that, they walked together in search of Miki.
As they were nearing the school gate, they saw Ginta running towards Miki who was looking panicked. Suddenly Miki rushed over to the gate and grabbed somebody. Yuu looked to see who it was and froze when he realised it was Arimi. Miki made a show of greeting Arimi and thanking her for waiting for her. Arimi looked confused but played along.
Ginta who was rushing towards Miki, hesitated when he saw Miki was with somebody. A look of frustration crossed his face, but he didn't follow them.
Yuu also fell back. Arimi must have been waiting for him but her plans were foiled when Miki grabbed her to fend off Ginta. Yuu wondered what Arimi wanted. He hoped she wasn't thinking of going after him again. Her comment at the park, had made him worried and seeing her here waiting in front of his school had confirmed his worries.
But at least her being here was a salvation of sorts for Miki. And now Yuu didn't have to worry so much for her since Ginta wouldn't be following her.
And with that, Yuu headed back for home. He figured, he would wait for Miki until she returned.
---
Yuu had bathed and was now sitting in the living room, reading a book when he heard a commotion outside the house. Miki must have just came back.
Yuu looked out the window and was surprised to see Ginta outside at the gate with Miki. They appeared to be arguing. He was wondering on what to do when Ginta suddenly shouted.
"I've always loved you, Miki!"
Yuu's heart stopped beating for a while at those words.
"I love you Miki and I won't let Yuu have you!" suddenly Ginta held out something in his hand at Miki. It was the toy robot! Why was Ginta having it?
It appears that Ginta knew about the message Yuu left for Miki. But that didn't matter anymore. What mattered was, Ginta had feelings for Miki and so did he. Ginta was suddenly his rival for Miki's affections. Yuu's heart started to pound at his chest.
"Do you like Yuu more than me? Is he better than me?" Ginta's demands was getting more persistent and Miki looked harrassed by them.
"Ginta..." Miki looked pained, not knowing what to say. Ginta moved to grab Miki's hand. Miki looked shocked at Ginta's bold move, "Ginta, you're hurting me!"
Yuu decided he has had enough of this drama and went out to intervene before Miki really got hurt.
"What do you think you're doing?" Yuu demanded.
Ginta and Miki went still and turned to look at him.
Yuu leaned against the wall and pretended to look bored, "Must you be so loud, Ginta? What do you think the neighbours will say when they hear you shouting?"
Miki blushed, looking upset that the neighbours might have witnessed the entire spectacle. Without looking at Ginta, Miki rushed into the house, nearly in tears. Yuu almost regretted saying what he did, but he had to put a stop to Ginta's rantings.
Now that Miki is safely within their house, Yuu turned to follow.
"Yuu!"
Yuu paused at the sound of his name. He turned to see Ginta looking furious.
"You make me sick!" Ginta finally burst out.
Yuu crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "Funny, you don't make me sick. In fact, you're not even worth my time," Yuu pushed away from the wall and continued into the house.
"Wait a minute!" Ginta shouted again. Yuu paused for the second time. "Why are you going into Miki's house?" Ginta demanded.
Yuu grinned back at Ginta, knowing that would aggravate Ginta even more,"Didn't you know? Miki's house is also my house now. Our parents have a special arrangement," without waiting for Ginta to recover from the shock of his answer, Yuu finally closed the door behind him.
Ginta, who finally realised that Yuu and Miki lived together, shouted out his frustrations with a bellow, loud enough to rouse the entire neighbourhood's curiousity if they weren't already.
Yuu sighed out loud at Ginta's display of emotions. Soon, his thoughts turned to Miki who was upstairs in her room, probably crying. Yuu wanted to comfort Miki however way he could but he resisted the temptation because it was not the best time to talk about what happened when it's still fresh in Miki's troubled heart. He would give Miki some time on her own. When she was ready to share her troubles with him, Yuu would be there to listen.
Later that night after his third bath for the day, Yuu came out of the bathroom wiping his hair with a towel. Halfway down the hall to his room, he came upon Miki who was just coming out from her own room.
Her eyes looked puffy, confirming Yuu's prediction that she had been crying. Miki looked up at Yuu, not quite meeting his eyes, "Oh, you've just finished bathing?" Miki asked.
Yuu decided to tease Miki, "Yeah. What about it? Did you want to join me in my bath?"
Miki looked scandalised at the idea, "Not in your life!" Miki glared back at Yuu.
Yuu laughed at Miki's outburst and turned away and walked towards his room. Behind him, he could hear Miki turned to march back into her room. Yuu glanced back to see Miki's bedroom door closed with a firm click.
Although Yuu may not have been able to broach the subject of her troubles, but at least he managed to take her mind away from it, however briefly. It hurt to see Miki so upset and not able to do something about it. He just hope that one day, Miki would come to share them with him.