HE'S MINE

005

"Why did you cause all that drama?" Emma came to Baji's twin's rescue. I don't know why she would hang out with a senior girl and, not only that, defend her so badly. The day passed, and when night arrived, Emma stormed inside my room while I was studying.
 
"Standing up against my bully is a drama?" I asked, my voice normal but my words decent. I had to make sure I wasn't making any mistakes while talking to her.
 
"How dare you talk to me like that?" She stomped her foot and shouted. I knew she was going to create a mess to satisfy Baji's twin. I frowned in confusion; this would mess up my image really badly.
 
"I didn't say anything wrong," I mumbled, closing my book and walking in her direction. I didn't want to turn her against me, even when she was already against me. She slapped my hand away when I tried to reach her to comfort her.
 
"Don't try to be nice now; this is why nobody wants you because you love drama." She yelled with her full power, making Shinichiro run inside my room to see what the commotion was about. My heart began to pound in my chest. I would do anything for her to lower her voice.
 
"I swear I didn't do anything." I was shaking in fear. How can she lie at my face like that? How do people even do that?
 
"She yelled at me and called me names." Emma began crying, faking the crocodile tears. My mouth hung open in shock, and Shinichiro shook his head. I retreated from my steps, gawking at his face incredibly.
 
"Emma, you say one more word, and I will tape your mouth." He grasped Emma's arm and shook her up. Something inside my heart felt the warmth of Shinichiro's love and affection for me.
 
"But bro—," confused at her brother's words, Emma watched his face in surprise. I'd be lying if I said I was expecting Shinichiro to be on my side, but seeing it happen boosted my confidence.
 
"I am your brother; I know you and her as well. She never lies." Shinichiro eyed Emma angrily, and when I saw behind Shinichiro, there was Mikey on his foot, listening to us.
 
"Well, I don't want this conversation to linger on," Shinichiro mumbled, finally acknowledging Mikey's presence. "Mikey will take both of you for an ice cream treat to cheer you guys up." He smiled, rubbing his palms sadly due to the fight between his younger sister and me. Emma hadn't blink once as she glared at her brother blankly.
 
Mikey watched Emma's face as she faked some more tears and walked out of the room. Walking after his sister, Mikey was gone too.
 
"Get ready, okay?" Shinichiro apologetically rubbed my arm and left after them. I appreciated his effort to do the right thing and choose the truth over his sister.
 
As for going out with Mikey, I was ready to put up with Emma for him. I spruce up, debating if I should apply lipstick, which I usually never consider doing, or would it make me look desperate? Finally, after deciding not to put on lipstick, I was ready to go. I marched to the lounge, waiting for Mikey and Emma to join me.
 
"Hey!" I saw Mr. Grandpa getting inside the house with his office bag in his hand. I ran and took the bag off of his hand and offered him some water.
 
"Thank you," he mumbled, handing me back the empty glass. "Are you going somewhere?" he scanned me and asked, and I smiled shyly.
 
"I am going out with Mikey and Emma," I said, watching his face change expression.
 
"But they left already," he said, watching my face in confusion. I blankly stared at him, feeling insulted and stupid. I thought he would forgive me for making his sister cry, even when it wasn't my fault, but I guess he believed her. The thing that stung more was the fact that they probably knew I was getting ready.
 
"Oh!" I whispered, "I will get you dinner." I pointed in the direction of the kitchen, but he denied it as he had already dined in his office.
 
After spending a few minutes in the lounge, I jogged back to my room.
 
I cried the whole time they were out. I have no idea what else she has been feeding him against me. Fresh air might help; keeping this in mind, I sat in the viewing area and watched the wind blow the leaves rhythmically.
 
I sat there silently, thinking about my life choices. Was running after Mikey a good idea? If he was going to notice me, he would have done it ages ago. I was just simply not his type, and now that I was the reason that Mikey's sister and his friend Baji were hurt, I don't think he was ever going to develop feelings for me.
 
I have spent years chasing after him; I have never thought about anyone else or talked to anyone because, in my head, I wanted to be loyal and save myself for Mikey. All that struggle, just to get his attention, and I got what? Nothing.
 
"Y/n!" I shook back to reality as the voice from behind me, Shinichiro, came and perched with me.
 
"I heard what happened," he whispered, his head lowered in pure guilt.
 
"It is okay. She is his sister, and he doesn't know me." My vision became blurry as the tears came to life.
 
"That's not the case." He quickly mumbled, "He probably did it because he knew Emma would find a way to hurt you or insult you." He defended him like he always does.
 
"Shinichiro, it's not a secret that you and I understand each other; we both know what we want." I tilted my head to him and murmured.
 
This conversation should have been done months ago, but for some reason, both of us acted ignorantly.
 
"I want you to be with my brother. There is no girl better than you for him." He quickly snapped, interrupting me from speaking anything further.
 
"But he doesn't want me," he said aloud, breaking my heart. "I have been fooling myself with ah---," I gasped as tears rolled down my eyes. "I hope that he will someday feel the same for me, but it is a lie." I continued, sobbing silently.
 
"You are giving up hope?" He slipped his hand off from between my hands as I tried to hold his hand.
 
"How could you turn your back on your love? I thought you loved him. I never for a moment thought you would give up so easily." His eyes glared at my face. I didn't expect that reaction; he badly wanted me and him together.
 
After that happened, Shinichiro didn't talk to me for the next three days, and neither did any of the siblings, except for Mr. Grandpa, who was never a part of the show happening under the roof. It was hard to sit in the same car as the siblings in utter silence and feel left out.
 
"Did something happen between you and the siblings?" Yuzuha matched her pace with mine as we walked towards my car after school.
 
"No, it's just like every day," I answered. Yuzuha's asking me that question shook me. She knew I never had conversations with either of them; then what made her think there was something wrong?
 
"Okay, see you tomorrow, bye." I hugged Yuzuha and sat in the car with Mikey. I saw Emma waving her hand at her brother from her friend's car. So she was not going with us, and that leaves me alone with Mikey. I held my breath and kept my posture straight as he started the engine.
 
"Ehm!" He cleared his throat and frowned. I was looking at him through the rearview window.
 
"Emma is innocent and childish; if she says something, she doesn't mean it. She is like an innocent person who loves everyone." So he began talking to me, or more like bragging about his sister, like I didn't know her. She loves everyone. When?
 
"I didn't expect you to act this childish." His voice raised a little. Wait! So it's okay that his evil sister is childish, but it's wrong for me to be childish? Was that even fair?
 
"I didn't say anything to her," I mumbled, feeling the heat in my veins.
 
I would always feel hot in my head during arguments, but my self-restraint was strong.
 
To not upset him or anyone else, I've kept my anger under control. For me, my image was very important.
 
I felt like I needed to keep everyone happy, or they would think I was a bad person. I was desperate for the world's approval of my character.
 
"Now you are going to lie on my face? First, you said Baji bullied you; I believed you; and now you are telling me that Emma is lying?" He grabbed the steering wheel tightly and put pressure on it.
 
Wait! Wait! Why was I listening to him? It's not like I owe him something. He was my crush; I get it, but that doesn't give him the right to accuse me of a lie that his sister made up.
 
No, Y/N, what are you thinking? You shouldn't upset him; you love him, remember?
 
I was holding my bag's strap tightly in my fist, trying to calm myself.
 
"Say something!" He yelled, shaking me up on my spot. I've never talked to him after we grew up, and this was the kind of conversation we were having right now.
 
"Stop the car," I muttered under my breath, closing my eyes tightly and feeling my ears turning hot.
 
"What?" He questioned; he honestly didn't hear me. "Y/n?" He pulled me back from my imaginary hell, where I was burning with anger.
 
I opened my eyes and felt relieved after hearing my name in his mouth.
 
"I said, you are right." I retracted from my own words, "she must have heard it wrong, but I didn't say anything wrong to her." I took a U-turn; despite the three-day struggle of not dreaming about him, I failed when I heard him calling my name just once.
 
"Hmm," he loosened his grip on the steering wheel, "I'm sorry if I was being rude to you." He lowered his voice and whispered in his sweetest tone. See, it was easy to calm him down; all I needed to do was just agree with him.
 
"It's okay. I understand." Even though I was mad, raging, and burning in the fire that has started in my heart, I lied. I can't upset him; I need to show him that my love for him is above everything and that no one can ever love him as I do.
 
"You are the first girl who said that to me. Otherwise, girls these days, no matter what you do for them, they always have a reason to complain and even cry about it." He smiled, and his compliment soothed my soul. At least something good came out of this fight. I had crushed my ego and my self-esteem for him, and it was worth it.
 
"I'm sorry for ditching you that night. I owe you." He smiled, and his compliment soothed my soul. At least something good came out of this fight.
 
Wow! Thanks, Emma.
 
"Thanks." But my lack of speech would always bring me back to zero. Instead of expanding the conversation, I always ended up finishing it before it even began.
 
He parked the car and waited for me to come out. We went inside together, matching paces. Those few steps that we took together were going to brighten up my mood for the whole day.
 
"Shinichiro?" I mumbled. After I quickly took a shower and slid into my pajamas, I headed towards the kitchen after Shinichiro.
 
"Hm?" He didn't turn around to see me or greet me. I could conclude his anger was at justice; he never wanted his brother to be with someone who wouldn't love him like the dwarves are loved.
 
"I know you are mad at me, and I am sorry. It is just the failure that impacted my emotions that night. And guess what happened in the car today? We talked for the first time." I cheered and waited for his reaction. A tear rolled down his cheek as he closed his eyes.
 
"Shinichiro, did I hurt you this bad?" I made him turn to me and watch his face.
 
"Y/N, I know I am always forcing you, but you two will be perfect. I can't trust any other girl; he will see the good in you." He smiled through tears. I was happy to have a major vote on my side.
 
"He will." I smiled, hugging him.
 
"But don't ever give up again," he reassured with a smile.
 
"I won't," I mumbled. After chatting with him for a few more minutes, I went inside my room to grab some rest. I laid on my stomach, the most relaxed position.
 
As I was lying down, I had a feeling that I was being watched. Unaware of Mikey standing at the door, his eyes at my butt, which vibrated every time I slammed my feet together, I neglected the feeling for a few
minutes and then finally turned my face towards the door. My heart skipped a beat as my eyes caught Mikey staring at my buttocks.