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The day started fine until about midday when a gossip goes around your wing. You heard that some girl got rejected after confessing to a guy in the other wing.

"Are we in high school? Kids never really grow up," were some of the comments you heard from your colleagues.

But what really caught your attention is the fact that Fumiya's name got dragged up in the situation. It is said that Fumiya was actually the one who rejected the girl.

Ignoring the gossip, you went on for a restroom break. But as you enter the comfort room, you hear a girl crying and some girls comforting her. It seems the gossip is true. There is really someone who got rejected on this day and time. It makes you reminisce the times you were on the same boat. The only difference is you weren't shameful enough to let everyone know. You were so discreet about your heartbreaks. Nobody but the other person knew. That was your way to handle the heartbreak faster.

Your trance breaks when the girl suddenly says Fumiya's name. "I really love Fumiya." Is what you heard from all their talking. So it's really true. That Fumiya rejected someone.

That fact somewhat pulled you down. Who's the girl Fumiya really likes? Why did he reject this girl? It is really not her? She was one of the girls he was with more. But then, who is the girl? Who really is she?

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You stare at him as he sits across you, drinking his coffee. Is it really possible that he's still waiting for that girl to like him back? Who is this girl?

"What?" He asked when he noticed you.

"That girl was crying in the restroom," you said so blatantly. "Poor her."

He wants to ignore the issue but from the look on your face, he might not be able to. So he sighs hard and explains to you, "Do I have to force myself to love her back just to make her feel better?"

"You have a point, but still. Why hurt her that much?"

"Is it gonna hurt less if I said I'd think about it when I have the same answer from the start?"

"She confessed to you. Do you know how much that cost?" You're kinda getting emotional at this point.

But he's also quite getting annoyed, "So what? There's a girl I like Kisa-san. And I'm not giving her up for some other girl."

"Do you really have that someone?"

"What?" He's a little pissed off about what you said, but so are you.

"Cuz it's been a while, you told me that, but you haven't even said her name. Are you really waiting for that someone? Or are you just making excuses?"

"Kisa-san!..." he's kinda mad right now, but you're not backing down.

"I know exactly how that girl feels. And guys like you, just need to give it a rest. Stop playing with girls' hearts cuz you don't know how hard it is to mend it all back once it's broken!"

You don't know what came into you, but you walked out on him.

"Kisa-san! Kisa-san!" He called you back.

But you just can't seem to stay calm. You felt the pain again even just by watching that girl cry. And facing the person who did that just made you burst out in anger.

You know it's not his fault. You know it's never a person's fault for not loving back another, but still. You can't ignore the pain of those who suffered like you. Cuz you know exactly how it feels. You know exactly how it scarred you. And you know it won't be easy for them to get back on their feet.

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After arriving home, you finally cleared your head. You were wrong about shouting at Fumiya. You'd apologize first thing you see him tomorrow.

But it seems it's going to be a long night again cuz not so long later, you hear the sound of your doorbell. And when you open it, there appeared a serious faced Fumiya looking back at you.

"Can I talk to you?" He said in his deep tone.

You have no idea what he's here for, but you let him in, and you might apologize as well.

He sits on your couch, and you sit beside him, one space apart. Silence surrounds you at first, but it's him who breaks the ice.

"I'm sorry about this afternoon. I don't know what triggered you to feel that way. But it seems I was wrong. I'm sorry," he said in all humility.

"No, I was the one in the wrong. You were right. Feelings can never be imposed. It was wrong of me to shout at you that way. Gomenasai," you bow to him.

"But you were still right. I was using the girl I liked as a shield when I haven't even done anything about it. I should be ashamed of myself."

"I'm sorry for that too. I think I crossed the line intruding in your business."

"Well.. I tried. But I just don't want to risk everything at the wrong time. I'm always with her, but I just can't seem to tell her. I want to touch her, I want to kiss her, I want to hold her. But she just seems so distant to me. She seems too far away when she's always just by my side."

"Why? Why does she seem so?"

It's the first time you're seeing Fumiya like this. He's nervous and he sounded desperate, but he's also certain about something.

"She always seems guarded. She has this space for herself all the time. We seem close, but it doesn't really feel like that to me. She doesn't let anyone in. And I can't seem to break that space. She's not letting me. What should I do, Kisa-san?"

"She must be protecting herself from something," you said, speaking from your own experience. It seems this girl and you are quite the same, you realize.

He's staring at you with pleading eyes, you just notice. Why does it feel like he's purely communicating to you without words. He doesn't say anything anymore. But your eyes are still on each other. There's something about him tonight that you can't understand. And it feels so heavy.

Until he jerks close to you. You're surprised as he leans forward, shoving his face with the intent of doing something. You froze as you realize he's scooting over and bending his head close to yours. And it completely shocks you to realize that he's aiming to give you a kiss.

His face is almost only an inch away from yours, "Fumiya-san..." you murmured as his lips aligned with yours.

But he doesn't seem to have heard you cuz he's still inching closer.

This time, you utter a bit louder with eyes begging him to stop cuz you couldn't move, you froze seeing him doing something like this, "Fumiya-san!"

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To be continued...

nantokanarusa 23.12.30