You were nervous, you were about to see Ushijima again, and you knew what you had to do. And you weren't looking forward to it in the slightest.

You'd end up hurting the person who gave you hope and courage to dream about living a normal life, even if only for a little while.

Funny how unfair the world is, huh?

You picked at your nails anxiously and waited for Ushijima to arrive, your eyes glancing to your phone every few minutes.

It was almost 6 and he'd promised to be here 30 minutes ago. You were praying nothing had happened to him.

Eventually you gave into temptation and picked up your phone to call him when he came in through the door. "Sorry, the convenience store was really busy today." He apologised and dropped a plastic bag onto your bedside.

You smiled, relieved and put your phone back on the desk and watched as Ushijima made spicy pot noodles for the two of you. "It's past 5, so everyone's probably crowding the stores huh?"

"Mhm." He hummed and boiled water in the kettle. "Have you been resting? You look tired."

Everyone seemed to be saying that. You slept most of the day, but that didn't necessarily mean you slept well.

You would wake up in cold sweats time and time again in a dark hospital room with no one to run to. So the fact that Ushijima was here right now was of big comfort to you.

"I'm okay, maybe I shouldn't stay up reading." You chuckled.

"No you really shouldn't." Ushijima sighed and brought you your pot noodles. "Be careful, it's hot."

You laughed. "Wakatoshi, I'm a pro at eating these. Pot noodles is my breakfast lunch and dinner since I'm not a good cook."

"That's not healthy." He said matter of factly.

"Your bad sleep schedule just to walk me to and from school wasn't healthy either but that didn't stop you."

"I see your point." He sighed in defeat. "But eat better food."

"Aye aye captain." You smiled and broke your chopsticks in two before digging into your meal. "Ohmygod I forgot how good this tasted."

"I thought you had these often?"

"Not the spicy flavour, it costs more so I only get it once a month to save money but it's heavenly!" You explained.

"Uh Huh."

The two of you ate in silence until Ushijima spoke up again.

"Uh, (f/n)?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it still too early to ask about your father?"

You began coughing when the question caught you off guard and reached for a bottle of water, which Ushijima handed to you without missing a beat.

"I- I'll tell you soon. Just not today." You managed to say.

"Okay." He responded with a soft gaze. "Take your time."

Both of you finished up your noodles and you pulled out your (favourite/flavour) of ice cream from the plastic bag.

Ushijima got spoons for the two of you and you didn't hesitate to dig into the tub like there was no tomorrow.

The day was coming to an end and you knew you couldn't keep Ushijima around for much longer. He had homework to do and his family to return to. But he'd always come back to you. At first, it's what kept you safe but now it's putting him at risk.

So you had to do this for his sake. Ushijima has collected anything for his that he was bringing home and sat down next to your bed to say bye to you when you took his hands in yours and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Wakatoshi, I think we should take a break."

Ushijima froze, you felt his body physically tense up and saw his eyebrows furrowing. "Did I do something again?"

"Wakatoshi, that's not it—"

"Did I visit too often?"

"No, hear me ou—"

"If you don't want to call in the mornings that's okay too."

"Wakatoshi, stop. You didn't do anything wrong." You assured him. "But I can't handle a relationship right now. That's it. So please, just respect that and move on."

There was a long pause before he met your eyes again. "Okay." He mumbled before slipping away from your grasp. "Get well soon, (f/n)." Was the last thing he said before leaving the hospital room.

And for the god knows how many-th time that day, you were again reduced to nothing but tears and you had no one to blame but yourself.

You shouldn't have let yourself get close to Ushijima in the first place, thats why its painful now.
But you knew you did the right thing.

Because Ushijima Wakatoshi, I swear I will protect you from my father, or I will die trying.

You knew this was bad. The more you have, the more you could lose.
You just gained one more person you had to protect, and that wasn't easy in your case.

You just hoped your father was stay away from Ushijima as promised, since you pushed him away. Or all of this would've been for nothing.

~•~

HA did y'all think there wouldn't be angst in this book?
It's probably gonna be crack again next chapter but ykyk it's all good in the hood

N e ways sorry for disappearing from writing for 2 weeks but I'm back!! And I will update a few times a week so thank you all for waiting for me and my loser ass

Mwah! <33