Chapter 7: Start Over

Maybe it's best if I start to make her my friend. But I don't know if she'd be okay with that. She would just beat me up again! But I have to try though. After the cafe closed, I stayed by the alley beside the cafe and wait for Bikyu. I waited long for her, then finally she went out of the back door.

She was holding her bag and was thinking deeply. She didn't even notice that I was just right in front of her. She continued walking without stopping until she bumped me and realized I was there.

"Oh. You. Why are you here?" She asked.

"I was just going to ask something. But, what's with you all of a sudden?" I questioned.

"Umm, I just feel strange about myself. I told Gou-kun what I would like in guys and I don't really feel like myself back then. It's not really me to fall for guys in a way." She looked down. I felt like comforting her so I grabbed her head and let her lean on my chest. I expected her to beat me up but I think she really feels confused. I laughed a bit.

"Why?" She asked while she was still close to me.

"I just thought you would beat me up. But you didn't." I said.

"I'm getting tired of it. You don't stop anyway. So why bother?" She laughed a little.

"Say, Would you mind if I asked you that we could start over? You know? Be normal friends?" I let her go and smiled at her.

"Sure." She smiled back.

"Naoya, Shirokawa by the way." I reached out my hand.

"Kyuuri, Tabiki. Nice meeting you." She grabbed mine and we shook hands.

"Could I walk you home?" I said.

"Sure."

"Your hair looks good on you you know?" I said while we were walking.

"You think? I'm still not sure if-" I cut her words.

"You worry too much. You should let go and do what you want! Don't worry about what others would tell you. If you ever feel like hitting someone, do it. If you ever feel like doing girly actions, do it! You can't restrain yourself from being a woman because you're used to it? And... If you feel like falling in love, You should give your heart a chance.." I lowered me voice by my last sentence.

I feel really good in being with her in a normal way. Not trying to piss her off, and her not trying to beat me up. She blushed at the moment. Woah. That's something you don't see in your normal day to day life. I didn't say anything about it. Because I knew she would just feel insecure and worried about it. She suddenly stopped walking.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked.

"I just.. It's just I never felt like this before, you know? No one ever told me to be myself and that I shouldn't care about others.. I'm sorry if I hurt you a ton before." She said. I went close to her and lowered myself 'till my face leveled hers. I felt like kissing her but I thought that doing that would be too far.

"You're welcome." I told her then kissed her forehead instead. She didn't do anything rash though. Her eyes widened and just blushed.

"Y-you're invading my space." she pushed my slightly away from her and looked away. She was still blushing though. She was starting to let go and stopped feeling strange on acting like a girl.

"Wow. I am feeling so proud right now, you know?" I smiled then we continued walking.

"W-why?"

"Because I can see that you're... You're becoming more normal!" I smiled and put my hand in my head.

"You think so?"

"Yeah. I think so. *Silence* You still feel strange about it don't you?" I continued.

"Just a little bit." She smiled at me. When we caught sight of her house, I saw a guy and a woman entering the house.

"Ugh. They're there." I heard her mumble.

"Who's they?" I asked.

"My brother and his girlfriend. She's the one who made this hairstyle." She told me.

"Don't you like your hair?"

"It's not like that. But she'll just talk with me about- never mind." She stopped. When she stepped in front of their door and was about to enter, she turned to me but was looking away. I walked towards her.

"C-could you come in for just a l-little while? I need a friend so Sheri won't talk to me that much." She blushed. Then I laughed.

"Sure. Y-you're blushing a lot lately you know? Haha." I said. I realized that Sheri was her brother's girlfriend's name.

"Shut up." She punched my arm. She still had the guy side in her.

"Tadaima, Kiro!" She said, while we were removing our shoes.

"Okaeri Bikyu-chan!" he went out to greet Bikyu and saw me.

"Is he your-"

"friend!" We both said. Then Sheri came following.

"aww. You look cute together! Is he your-"

"friend!" We repeated. but she still laughed. I followed Bikyu to their living room and sat down. I was with Sheri and Kiro. Bikyu told me that she was going to change.

"So what's your name?" Sheri asked me in an exciting voice.

"Uh, Naoya, Shirokawa. But I prefer being called Shiroyan." It felt strange.

"Since when did you and Tabi-chan knew each other?" She sat close to me. I looked at Kiro and he was giving me the just-go-with-it look on his face. Right. This is why Bikyu asked me to go with her. To avoid her brother's nosy girl.

"I-I don't really know exactly but just recently. Like a month I guess?" Later Bikyu went out. sheri kept on saying things but I didn't try to listen and thought of an excuse.

"Um, I'll just use the bathroom." I stood up and went away from the living room. I didn't really need to use the bathroom. When I turned, I saw Bikyu walking towards the living room.

"If you need something, Shiroyan and I will just be in my room!" She pulled me in her room and breathed deeply. Then I laughed.

"What?"

"That sounded wrong in so many ways. Hahaha" I kept on laughing while sitting on her bed.

"Baka! You pervert. Be thankful that I helped you get away from her." She lied down on her bed with her face down.

"Nope. Not really, I got away before you even tried to help me. But thanks anyway."I lied down beside her.

"Won't remove your clip on your hair?" I asked.

"Too lazy to." She said in a blurry speech. Her head was still facing the pillow. So I just removed the small clip from her hair and brushed my hand through her hair to remove the braids.

After a while, she suddenly turned her head and the next thing I knew was that we were face to face. I noticed that her face was pink while I was feeling my face getting hotter.

"Y-you're face is red!" She laughed.

"Wh-what? Your face is too! And it's been like that since I was with you!" I felt a little embarrassed. We both looked at each other at silenced and realized again that we were too close to each other. We sat right up with our backs against facing each other. Later, i looked at the time and decided that I should go.

"Um, I-I should go." I stood up. She walked with me until I reached the door. She went out for a while to say goodbye.

"Bye then." I smiled at her. I was standing close to her.

"Right. Bye. Thanks for being with me."

"Welcome."

"And thanks for helping me." She thanked me again.

"Welcome. Again. Um, do you want me to stay?" I laughed a little. Because she was saying a lot and thanking me a lot. Like she keeps on talking to me so I could stay longer.

"Wh-what? I'd like you to stay, you know? N-no! You should go home. It's getting late." She blushed again. I just laughed at her. As goodbye, I went close and kissed her forehead again.

"That's for a goodnight and a goodbye kiss." I whispered. Then waved goodbye while I was walking.

Baka. He kissed me twice.. But.. But why do I suddenly feel happy when we were together? Do I... No.. That would be.. I don't know..