I'm Sorry, Senpai

Chapter 7: Reunion

It's been a month since the whole situation escalated. Naoto and Nagatoro have slowly been getting used to hanging out with eachother, but there was a big difference. It was Nagatoro.

Because she let her feelings out, she realised she was in love with Naoto. This made her more nervous around Naoto, and since he is a great observer, he noticed it. He just wasn't sure what it was that made her so nervous.

Nagatoro's friends knew what they had to do in this kind of situation. It was Gamo-chan's birthday soon, and ever since they all knew eachother, Nagatoro's friends would spend Gamo-chan's birthday at her home, but this time, there was a major difference.
Usualy Gamo-chan's parents would be present on the birthday party, since Gamo-would invite every person she knows, but since she invited four people, and they're also older now, Gamo-chan's parents decided to be nice and went on a trip for two days.

Monday, 5 days before Gamo-chan's birthday

"Hey Senpai." Nagatoro asked calmly while sitting on the sofa in the clubroom.

"Hmm?" Naoto made a silent noise telling Nagatoro he's all ears.

"I just hope I'm not the one who gets embarrased from this." Nagatoro thought to herself.

"Senpai have you ever hugged a girl?"

There was a moment of silence, in which Nagatoro tried her best to hide her embarasment. She wanted to make it look like it was teasing, but she wasn't exactly thinking of doing that this time. It wasn't her intention.

She didn't want to repeat what had happened the month before, so she knew that teasing him would only hurt him at this point.

"Huh?"

Naoto was a little embarrased.

"You know what I mean." Nagatoro sounded a little like she was teasing.

"Yo- You're teasing me again..." Naoto was a little embarrased. He obviously didn't expect that question.

"Just anwser the question Senpaii." She was in full teasing mode at this point, or that's at least how it looked to Naoto.

"She's gonna make fun of me again... I'm pretty sure... I don't like where this is going..." Knowing Nagatoro, he already prepared himself for what was about to come.
"Not really... Just friends..."

For a moment there was silence, Naoto looked down at his feet. Nagatoro wasn't saying anything.

"Ah shit... Here we go again..." He got ready and looked up to Nagatoro. She was a meter away from him.

She was looking at him with a somewhat sad face, like she was worried about him.

"Huh...? Why is she so close...?" He was a tiny bit suprised.

When he looked at her, she came close and hugged him, her body being as close as possible to his.

"You know... When you're feeling down... You can just tell me...Just because i tease it doesn't mean that i'm not worried about you..."

Immedietly, Naoto's expression went from suprised to red as a tomato.

"Huh...Nagatoro is... hugging me?" Naoto was completely lost. He never got in physical contact with Nagatoro, let alone hugged her.

He couldn't see it, but Nagatoro's face was a little red. She was obviously also embarrased, but she had the need to help her Senpai out. He was obviously depressed.

"I know you're still sad Naoto... And i just want to make you feel better...I just want to make sure..." She grabbed his hand, and put her other hand gently on the cuts he did to himself... "I just want to make sure that this doesn't happen...ever again."

There was silence again.

"Please work out please work out PLEASEE!!" Nagatoro nervously thought to herself.

After what felt like a whole hour, she could slowly start feeling Naoto's body trembling. Was he scared? Was he mad?

She took what it needed and lifted her face up to look at him eye to eye. What she saw made her heart warm up.

Naoto was smiling, crying tears of joy. He looked relieved, and happy, but most of all, he finaly looked like he used to.

"Thank you!" Naoto said, and then firmly hugged her, his arms around her. He rested her head on his chest.

It was like a reunion between them. They finaly felt comfortable around eachother. Nagatoro was glad, in fact, she was so glad that she aswell started crying tears or joy, but silent ones.

After what was like an eternity, Nagatoro pulled away, still holding onto Naoto. She looked at him and said...

"Naoto... I want you to be happy... and, i know i'm not the one to talk here... but can i make you happy again?"

Naoto wasn't too suprised by this, but he knew what she meant by this. He was glad she asked.

"Just being with you makes me happy."

Nagatoro closed her eyes, and hardly wrapped her arms around Naoto, closing into a hug. She started crying, but this time it was loud. They hugged for what felt like an eternity, and then, they let go. They both had things to do.

As the school day came to an end, Naoto was walking towards the school's exit. He didn't see Nagatoro anywhere, which made him a little suprised.

Before he started his everyday walk home, he waited a little for all the people to leave. He didn't like crowded places, so he would always wait for most of the people to leave, unless he was in a hurry.

About five minutes passed, and the school ground was mostly empty, leaving only those who had club activities.

As he was about to start his everyday routing of walking home, he felt a slight touch on his right shoulder. It scared him, but not to the point where he made any noise. He quickly turned around to see Nagatoro.

"Wassup Senpai, i know your daily routine of avoding people so i got used to waiting five minutes as well."

Naoto smiled, he was relieved it was just Nagatoro, and not someone else who would have made his day worse. He wasn't really fond of strangers, because he hasn't had good interactions with them. This was probably the most important reason why he didn't have that many friends.

They began their usual walk. It was mostly filled with their usual conversations about pointless things, or Nagatoro teasing Naoto.

"You know Senpai... It's Gamo-chan's birthday in 5 days, she told me to invite you." Nagatoro smiled at him. He was tickes off by it. He didn't really like parties, if anything, he hated them.

"O-Oh... I don't really think I'm gonna go... I don't like crowded places... And I'm not good with meeting new people-"

"Don't worry Senpai." She cut him off.

"It's gonna be you, me, and the friends. You don't have to worry about that." Nagatoro insisted. She obviously wanted Naoto to go.

"Oh... I guess i'll go then..." He anwsered.

There was a moment of silence, in which Nagatoro smiled. Not in a bad way, but more like a relieved, glad kind.

"Thanks Senpai."