Lifeline

SHOJI

Grabbing a pair of pants from the pile in the corner of his room, Shoji slips them on as he makes his way into bed. Pulling the covers up and around his shoulders, he grabs his phone from it's place beside his bed on the floor.

He opens the lifeline app and logs in, immediately moving onto Akira's private message. He knows she's probably in bed and that he won't get a response but he doesn't mind. He wants to thank her for properly explaining everything to him and his classmates, and he wants to show her that he's glad it isn't sex.

Him and a lot of his classmates could hear in her voice how worried she was, and when she expressed her want for them not to leave the program, he was taken back. He at least wants to reassure her that he will be staying in the program.

Akira Lora

Mezo Shoji
Hello Akira, I hope that you get a good night sleep tonight. I just wanted to thank you for explaining everything before I go to bed. And confirm that I won't be leaving the program, I'm very pleased that it isn't only sex. Goodnight :)

What Shoji wasn't expecting was an almost immediate reply. Halfway through putting his phone back down it vibrated, and he heard the familiar ding of a private chat.

Akira Lora
wbslndbsfn thank fuck cause I was super scared that people went in just wanting sex and now that there's more, I thought maybe you would get scared away????

Akira Lora
Anyways, like I said I really like you guys. WAAA IM SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HAPPY ABOUT IT

Mezo Shoji
I am happy that I could reassure you. And I like you too, a lot :)

Shoji can feel his heart hammering inside his chest. He hasn't felt like this before and even though he's scared he's making sure not to let that get in the way of expressing his feelings. He isn't stupid, he knows he needs to be open with her to develop a relationship like the one he wants.

Akira Lora
😳

Akira Lora
OMG YOU JUST SAID YPU LIKED ME A LOT. STOP IM LOTERALY SIMPING FOR YOU SO MUCH

Shoji can't help the smile on his face. He doesn't know what her real voice sounds like, but he imagines a soft voice- a cute voice- and he can practically hear her through the phone.

Mezo Shoji
You're cute

Akira Lora
STOP IT SHOJI IMA DIE

Mezo Shoji
You can call me Mezo if you want

Akira Lora
Mezo 🙇‍♀️

Shoji didn't expect such a response to her using his given name. But immediately he feels some sort of click. Something inside him became so protective of this girl texting him, right then.

Mezo Shoji
Would you like to call?

"Oh." A blush creeps onto his face as he rereads his message, staring at the screen with wide eyes.

I didn't realise I was typing that.

Incoming call from Akira...

Shoji quickly clears his throat before answering, shuffling around in bed and putting his phone on speaker.

"Hello Akira."

"Hi," an elongated hi greets him, forcing a smile to Shoji's face.

"I apologise if you're busy," the teen adds when he hears things shuffling in the background.