Caught in Between | Sukufushi | Itafushi

chapter 23: the truth

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For the rest of their classes, Yuuji was feeling down. He snuck glances at Megumi, feeling confused and awkward. I guess Megumi didn't really like me after all, Yuuji thought. The image of Megumi kissing Sukuna on the roof flashed through his mind, and he shook his head.

Then why did he kiss me that time on my birthday!? What did that mean? Yuuji was going crazy trying to interpret all of Megumi's actions. Is it possible that he liked both him and Sukuna at the same time? But that just made Yuuji even more down, because he didn't want to share Megumi. He wanted Megumi all to himself. 

Finally, school ended. Yuuji thought about going home and just watching a movie to feel better, but seeing Sukuna at the house would just make him feel worse. And then he remembered that he had cleaning duty, and he went back to the classroom.

Megumi was already there, sweeping the floor silently. Yuuji entered, and he didn't say anything. He just picked up another broom and was sweeping along with him.

For a few moments, things were silent and awkward between them. They both had something to say, but they both didn't know how to say it.

Finally Megumi broke the ice. "Um, Yuuji, you saw what happened on the roof right? So...about that..." he started, but Yuuji stopped him.

"No it's okay, I understand. If you want to be with Sukuna I'm fine with that. It's totally fine with me, haha!" He laughed a bit too enthusiastically to hide his disappointment and sadness.

But Megumi yelled, "It's a misunderstanding! It's not true." He walked closer to Yuuji, who was a bit confused about what he was talking about.

"Listen Yuuji, I didn't mean to kiss him. He basically grabbed me and forced me into the kiss," he shook his head, feeling annoyed at what happened. "The point is I...um..." Megumi stopped. Didn't Yuuji like someone else? Megumi remembered being told that. He didn't want to confess and then be rejected. And Megumi was also the one who gave Yuuji that birthday kiss, so he didn't know how Yuuji felt about it.

Megumi looked down, not knowing how to say his next words. "The point is, that I don't really want to be with Sukuna. And, well, I guess that's it." He scratched his head, then he continued sweeping the floor.

But Yuuji was surprised. "You don't? Really? You don't want to be with Sukuna?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Megumi was still looking down. "He's not right for me. I shouldn't even have gone out with him in the first place."

Yuuji hesitated to say his next words, but he managed to get them out. "Th-then...if you don't want to be with Sukuna...you should be with me instead." He said, his cheeks turning pink.

Megumi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Did you really just ask me that? You want to be with me?" He pointed to himself. "But I thought that you liked someone else?"

Yuuji got confused. "What are you talking about? The person that I like is you! Have I ever told you that I liked someone else?"

Megumi froze, trying to remember where he heard it from. "But Sukuna told me you were in love with a girl named Aiko, who was also your girlfriend back in middle school! And that you were even going to the school dance with her..."

He looked up at Yuuji, who had an expression of immense annoyance on his face. "He really told you that? I can't believe that guy. He's always lying about me!" Yuuji gave out a big sigh.

"So it's not true?" Megumi asked. "You don't have someone else that you like? You don't like a girl named Aiko?"

Yuuji shook his head. "I liked her back in middle school for a short time, and she was also my first girlfriend. But Sukuna stole her from me. But I haven't liked her since then. And then when I met you, I started liking you. But Sukuna was interested in you at the same time, and you ended up dating and I..." he trailed off, and let out another deep breath. "I never got the chance to tell you that I liked you."

"But at least I can tell you now," he said, looking right into Megumi's eyes. "I like you, Megumi. And you're the only one I like. And I want to be with you," he said a little embarrassed but he was firm in his words.

Megumi dropped his broom and pulled Yuuji in for a hug, which surprised him. "I've liked you the whole time Yuuji!" He revealed. "I liked you since the time we got spaghetti together and you stood up for me!"

That was a while ago, Yuuji remembered. He's liked me for that long?

Megumi continued. "But since Sukuna told me you were interested in someone else, I just ended up dating him because, well..." he trailed off. "Because he looked like you I guess. I basically just used him as your substitute, even though you two are nothing alike. You're much sweeter. And cuter." He complimented.

Yuuji couldn't believe what he was hearing. He thought that people only liked him or got close to him because they thought of him as a substitute for Sukuna. Even his first girlfriend thought that way. But now Megumi was saying the opposite. 

He squeezed Megumi tighter. "Then it means that we can be together right? From now on?"

Megumi pulled away a little bit so he could look at Yuuji. "Yeah, that's exactly what it means. From now on, you're going to be my boyfriend."

And then Yuuji pulled him in for a kiss.