Befriending the Heartbreaker

Chapter Seven

Sero and Mina continued to hang around the arcade, playing various games with each other. It was until right after a third round of racing each other in the motercycle based game Sero decided to glance at his watch. 

"We have about thirty minutes until another class, so we should head back that way we can pick something up to eat if you want!" Sero suggested.

Mina turned to him with bright eyes and nodded.

"We could get boba at the cafe nearby!" She cheered in response.

Sero chuckled slightly.

"Sure but I'm paying this time." He added on.

Mina huffed slightly causing Sero to chuckle once again. They walked out of the glass door and began to make their way back to school, taking the route that led to the cafe. It was a small shop made with old oak wood and an emerald green sign in the front, but the letters were too sun bleached and faded to read easily. As soon as they walked in the scent of freshly baked cookies and other treats filled the room, along with a small lingering scent of caffeine. 

"What do you want?" Sero asked, turning to Mina as they approached the counter.

Mina pointed to the strawberry boba drink on the hanging menu from above the counter and Sero nodded.

"Two strawberry bobas please." He slightly smiled.

They quickly got their drinks and decided to head outside, as they still had around twenty minutes before class begun not including the extra time of everybody else switching classes.

"Hey I was wondering... Why did you decide to become someone who manipulates people?" Sero blurted out without taking an extra thought.

Mina froze as Sero covered his mouth in disbelief he had actually let those words slip out of his mouth.

"S-sorry if you don't want to tell me I didn't mean to-" Sero began to speak.

"No... It's fine.." Mina sighed interrupting Sero.

Mina took a sharp breath as if she was preparing herself.

"When I was in middle school I was manipulated by my ex, so I guess I thought if I manipulated people too I wouldn't be so weak again.." Her voice trailed off.

Sero's eyes widened, and once again without thinking he stood up. He lifted Mina up from her seat and pulled her into a hug. 

"You don't have to say anything else, I'm glad you even trusted telling me this in the first place." He told Mina.

Mina was left speechless, her mouth slightly opened and eyes widened. She returned Sero's hung none the less, leaving him with the same expression. They stayed there for about a minute until they finally pulled away.

"Let's head back now, we can hang out at the school while we wait." Sero said attempting to sound as reassuring as possible. 

Mina couldn't help but let out a slight laugh, not in humor though as she smiled.

"Yeah let's go." She responded picking up her drink from the table.