✍🏻 Little Matchmaker

39 - Coming Up The Surface

Yuzuru

The moment the class was over and Akira left with Elliot for school I rushed to the locker room to change. I had several hours free until the afternoon class and didn't even bother to dry my hair when I left the shower, threw some clothes on, and aimed for Sophie's place.

I have never seen her so distraught, eyes filled with immense worry and confusion about not only what's going on but most of all what is going to happen. I so desperately wanted to be there for her to make sure she knows she is not alone to fight whatever, or whoever she is against, hoping she would let me help her. I parked my car right next to hers, noting she didn't bother to fit into the markings, and hurried to the elevator.

My nose was hit with an intense smell of garlic as I opened the door, a signal that I would find her in the kitchen. I kicked the shoes off my feet and walked over, first seeing only her back behind the kitchen counter, washing vegetables while a pan full of rice was simmering on the stove.

"Sophie?" I cautiously approached not to startle her, seeing she is lost in her own world but she jumped up in surprise anyway.

"Oh," she sighed with relief when she saw me and gave me a weak smile, "you were fast. Expected you in half an hour or so. The food is not ready yet, but--"

"Sophie," I said gently and took a step closer, watching her fidget in discomfort when I didn't fall for her act that everything is alright. There was nothing alright about the scene in front of me. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her bottom lip looked like after an animal attack. Deep bite marks all over with one having a little bit of dried blood on it. I whispered her name again, closing the distance between us before tenderly cupping her cheek, "it will be alright, Sophie."

"I know," she smiled and looked away, turning back to the vegetables, "we agreed on paying. He will leave us be."

"And the evidence he had?"

"Dead end. Got it in the mail and jumped at the chance to earn some money."

She shrugged and even though I couldn't see into her face anymore it seemed as if she wouldn't be telling me the whole story. I moved next to her and reached for a bell pepper she was practically skinning down by how roughly she was washing it. Only once her hands were empty I saw how much they were shaking.

"Come here, Sophie-chan," I put the bell pepper down, kind of hoping she would forget to add it to the dish, and tried to wrap her in a hug but she pushed me away. Gently, but pushed me nevertheless, shaking her head.

"It's okay Yuzu, I don't need a hug," she muttered and grabbed the pepper again, going to the cutting board, "I just need to get my mind off things. To keep myself occupied."

I suppressed a sigh and moved to the sink, spending the next minutes in silence washing the rest of the vegetables and chopping them up. I didn't inquire any further since she didn't want to talk but I hoped she would sooner or later let me be there for her. I wanted her to lay her troubles on me, to ease her mind so I could prove I would always be there for her no matter what. Here and there she opened her mouth to say something but changed her mind and I liked to think she is at least feeling better when I am around than if she would be alone.

When the cooking was done, she plated us two bowls and I took both of them, going to the sofa instead of the dining table. To my relief, she didn't object and joined me there, letting me select what to watch while she began to eat. I was going through the Netflix selection, my mind switching between going for a comedy to cheer her up or something else. In the end, I landed on a historic documentary and when she gave my questioning glance a nod of approval I hit play.