The Melancholy Schmaltz

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CHAPTER FIVE: THE ANSWER

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Kahoko spaced out. She felt so bad about what she said to him. She felt really guilty.

"Who can answer this?" The teacher said as his eyes examined the classroom. "Hino."

Kahoko sighed.

"Hino!" The teacher exclaimed.

"Hai!!!" Kahoko stood up.

"Go out. I need to talk to you." He said in a demanding way.

Kahoko was scolded for that but as soon as they were through, she threw the thought away; it was as if nothing happened.

"Kaho-chan!" Nao said. "Are you all right?"

Kahoko stared at her. She needed a listener and the message was returned to Nao. She was her best friend after all. Nao brought her out so that they can talk privately.

"Something is wrong." Nao said.

"I told him that I hate him." Kahoko said with moist eyes.

"To whom?" She asked.

"He is toying me around and I hate it. He wears a mask and I am quite unsure on which is the real him. I don't want to be treated as a doll. I want him to see me as me, not as his entertainer or his toy. It hurts me so much. He kisses me but I don't get anything from it. Maybe I am dumb. He told me that there are things that are to be kept so that it will be discovered someday but I don't get him at all. He wants an answer from me but I can't answer because I am confused." She clenched her hand into a fist. "I told him that I hate him but that is not true. I was just carried away that time."

"Kahoko, A kiss means something if it is given whole-heartedly. The meaning of it will only be decoded by the receiver of the kiss."

"But why can't he just tell me if he is toying me or not?" Kahoko questioned.

"He might want you to be the one to discover it." Nao leaned on the wall.

"But I fear that… he might be playing with me." She closed her eyes, trying to hold her tears.

"Kahoko, have you ever been in-love?" She wondered.

"Nao," Kahoko opened her eyes.

"You love him. You are just afraid to recognize it but you love him." Nao smiled a little. "Your fear explains it."

"But—" Kahoko was surprised by the thought. "Yunoki can't be in-love with me? He—he's too perfect. I don't fit him. He's too much and he does not seem to care much about me. For him, I'm just a toy."

"See? You're in-love. Yunoki-senpai must know how you feel so why don't you tell him that?" Nao patted him.

"But…"

"No buts. If you really love him, you would not waste time. He might be gone one day and you would regret it. He's too perfect. He might be attracted to some women…" Nao threatened Kahoko.

Kahoko bit her lower lip.

"I was just scaring you. Go and tell that to him Kahoko. But if you are still confuse, try to reflect." Nao smiled. "You will see. You love him."

Kahoko turned to the vista. She tried to reflect about it.

"I have to go. Try to reflect some more." Nao said.

Those sleepless nights aren't just for nothing, they mean so much to her.

Every thought about him were nice and inspiring but—Why?

It was because she loved him, truly, deeply.

"Nao!" Kahoko called out. "I—I love him and I will tell him that."

Nao nodded. "Go and be happy."

Kahoko ran to her then embraced her. "Thank you."

"You are always welcome." Nao patted her back. "Make sure to tell him okay?"

"I'll try my very best." She did not promise.

•••

Kahoko waited at the gate.

'Here? Am I going to tell it to him here?' She thought. 'No. No, No, No. Not here. Not where everyone can see us but—what if he will tell me that he is just making a prank out of me since I am his toy.' She was turned down. 'But my heart won't be settled. Not until I tell him how I feel.' She made her way to the music department.

"What? Yunoki-senpai went home?" Kahoko was surprised to get the messaged.

"Well, he's very busy nowadays." Yunoki's cult leader said. "What do you want with him?"

"I don't need to tell it to you." Kahoko looked down.

"You have to go through us before getting to him." She replied.

'He might be home by now.' Kahoko concluded.

"Answer me!" She folded her arm.

'He's at his residence.' She ran.

"Hey!!!" The three girls called.

•••

Kahoko hesitated as her hand trembled. 'Should I back out now? But—he might laugh at me. I love him but I am afraid to tell it to him.' She stared at the buzzer. 'Why does anything so easy ever be so hard to do?'

"Excuse me?" Miyabi arrived. "Hino-san?"

Kahoko turned to her. "Yes."

"It's great to see you here. Come inside." Miyabi smiled.

"No." She looked down.

"Why?" Miyabi wondered. "Don't you want to see my brother?"

'I want, but—I can't do it. It's not easy.' She thought.

"Hino-san, please come in. Brother will be happy to see you." She held her hand. "Did you fight?"

Kahoko was not able to reply.

"Get in." Miyabi pulled her in and Kahoko was not able to oppose. Miyabi became her guide. Suddenly, she stopped in front of a big door. She bowed down. "Brother, I brought someone. She wants to talk to you. It's Hino-san."

Yunoki brought her to the garden. It was a typical Japanese garden with a Japanese landscape.

"What is it that you want?" He said with a stern voice. "Have you come to tell it to me again? Was the last time not enough?"

"No. It's not about that." She interrupted.

"Then what are you doing here?" He turned to her.

I can't say it.

He might just break my heart.

I told him that I hate him and…

I want to take it back.

"I—I want to apologize to you." She clenched her hand tight.

"You didn't have to bother yourself." He neared her. "Just go and I won't bother you anymore… I promise."

'No. That is not what I want to hear. I don't want you to do that.' She closed her eyes. "I hate you because you kept on telling me that I am just your toy. I hate you because you are very deceiving. I want to see the real you. I want to get to know you better. Don't go…" Her tears finally fell down. "Because… I'll be lost without you." She stared at him. Yunoki kept his pace. "I love you… I love you, you make me happy and I want you to always be by my side. Don't leave me." The wind blew and Yunoki stared at her.

Yunoki neared her then held both of her hands. "If you have decided, then I won't go far away from you." He said as he kissed her hands.

Author's Note: Finally! Was that fine? Well I was really challenged at that. A girl confessing her love to the boy she loves, is that really awkward? But hey, I never tried that. These things are all from my imagination. None of these happened in my reality. But I want a serious but a romantic guy confession. I prefer that guys would confess rather than the girls confessing.

Anyway, how was it? Please criticize. I would love to hear your comment. It makes me inspired. Thank you for the support. It makes me work harder. Love you guys. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. Take care and more power to my readers. I wish you good luck. Hope you will accomplish the things that you want to accomplish.