red string || sano manjiro/ mikey

chapter lxxvii: spider lily

"i haven't seen manji in awhile now." kazua frowns to herself, dropping the book she was reading on her desk. she pushes her wheeled chair back and slouched against it, looking up at her room's ceiling with a pout. "did something happen?"

kazua decided to be the one to visit mikey at his school the next day, waiting outside the gates for him to come out. it didn't take long. mikey was one of the first few students to come out of the gate, a lollipop sticking out of his lips.

"hey!" kazua happily jogged towards him, stopping the latter from walking home. "you stopped coming to my school, so i thought i should go to yours instead.

"how have you been? are you okay? we haven't talked for awhile now."

he only stared back at her bluntly. deep in his mind, he didn't know how to respond. mikey has been avoiding her to respect her father's wish, but he can't just tell her that.

she won't be okay with it.

and he can't accept that.

"you should head straight home." he said. "also, don't you have practice today? why are you here?"

"like i said, i wanted to see you." she smiled. "is there something wrong?"

mikey sighs. "yes, there is." he said. "you're too careless. this is why you were nearly raped last week."

sting!

his words pierced through her heart, bringing tears to the corner of her eyes as she processed it all.

this isn't mikey.

he can't be.

"but i'm fine, aren't i?" she nervously chuckled. "manji, it was one time."

"one time?" mikey raised an eyebrow. "is it really? you've been in danger your whole life, sazu. this isn't anything you can take lightly!"

"but you were there and—"

"and if i wasn't?!" mikey raised his voice. "if i was too late, huh? what would've happened to you?!"

kazua didn't like that he was raising his voice when she was trying to help him. she glared up at his face, holding her ground. "don't talk to me like that." she grumbled. "i would be fine either way."

"really?" he feigned a laugh. "sazu, you're weak. you can't even fight for goodness's sake! i don't want to hang around someone who can't protect themselves."

stab!

another pierce through her heart. "what is wrong with you?" tears were released from her sacs. "why are you being like this? what did i do wrong?"

"i don't want to be your friend anymore." mikey's voice was quivering, but he stood his ground in front of her. "stay away from me. we're done, kazua."

her eyes widened at the way he addressed her.

mikey walked past her shivering figure, forcing himself to walk away before he regrets it all.

kazua turned around frantically to face him, still crying. "manji...

"manji! don't walk away from me!" she screamed. "i'm sorry, okay?! i'm sorry that i didn't protect myself! i'll be better! please!"

she tried everything she could think of, even begged for him to stay.

however, sano manjiro continued to walk further away and left her there to pick herself back up again.