Behind The Mask

Chapter 16- Akari

He looked shocked and scared, but I could still see worry evident in his eyes. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough. Where are we? The last thing I remember is... the room." I remembered everything I had just been through.

"You're back in my room. You were unconscious. How are you feeling?"

"Terrible. Please don't make me go back down there. Please. I will do anything, but please don't make me go into that room! I can't go back down there! Please. I wi-" And he cut me off in a way I never saw coming. He shut me up and made me feel better all at the same time. He kissed me. It felt like it lasted an eternity, and all that mattered was me, Kian, and the contact we shared. All my stress, my worries, my fears, and my anxieties disappeared.

My brain completely shut off. I froze and just couldn't move, after all: no one was supposed to love me. My father made sure of it. But that moment had me having an internal debate. He pulled away and looked terrified. He felt like he had stuffed up, but I knew that it was me that had. It wasn't until he pulled away that I realised just how much I wanted it to be him loving me. But I had stuffed it all up.

"I am so sorry, Akari! I didn't think, I just wanted to calm you down! Please forgive me!"

"It's alright, Kian." I said, feeling rejected and unwanted.

"Akari... there's something I want to tell you, while I still have the courage. I... I love you, Akari. Not just like a brother- I'm in love with you. I know you don't feel the same way, but I can't not tell you. I just don't want anything awkward to come between us, so please don't think any less of me."

Sensing that he was about to continue his rant and take it even further, I did the only thing that felt right to me. I kissed him. I didn't even think, I just went on instinct, but it made me feel so happy. At first, he was shocked, not expecting it after my earlier reaction, but then he just melted into it and kissed me back. For the first time in my life, I felt accepted and loved by someone I'm not related to.

I shuffled over to sit next to him- shoulder to shoulder- and leaned my head on his shoulder. He leaned his head on mine and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, holding me close. "I think I know the answer now, but Akari: would you like to be my boyfriend?"

"Of course I will. I love you, Kian."
"I love you too, Akari."

"If you want, you can call me Aki. You're someone I trust enough to call me that."

"All right, Aki. Hey, on Saturday, would you want to meet up and hangout?"

"Like a date? Are you asking me on a date, Kian?"

"Y-yes, I am. Would you like to go on a date with me?"

"I would love to. We'll have to organise the details later, but can we just sit like this for a bit? I'm comfortable and you make me feel safe."

"Of course: we can sit like this whenever you want."

And so we did. We sat there for a while in silence, feeling each other's love and knowing that we would be there for each other for many years to come. I felt safer around him and loved him more than anything or anyone else I had ever encountered. Just then, Akai walked into the room holding a plate with a few sandwiched resting on it. "Hey, you're awake. Here, have this: you need to eat. Kian, there should be some left over in the dining room, why don't you get some of them and I'll look after Akari." Kian nodded and lifted me off of him before walking out. Akai sat across from me and placed the plate in front of me, indicating me to eat. "How are you feeling?"

"About the situation or in general right now?"

"Both. You had us all worried. I didn't want to leave your side, but Kian wanted to take over and sent me to lunch about 15 minutes before I came in."

"Thank you for that. And about this whole situation... I'm honestly scared. I don't want any of you guys to leave me."

"That will not happen! I don't care what everyone else would do, you are my honorary brother and someone I care deeply about: I will not leave you no matter what! You are stuck with me, so I just want you to be okay."

"Thanks, sis... I can call you sis, right?"

"Of course. Do you mind if I start calling you 'Aki'?"
"That's fine with me. But thank you. Some other news, though, is that right now I am so happy! Do you remember how a little bit ago I asked you about love? Well... I told him."

"No! wait; are you two a thing now?"

"Yes! He asked me to be his boyfriend!"

"I am so happy for you! Come here and give me a hug. If you ever want help with anything, let me know, yeah?"

"Of course, same here."

"A-actually... in that case, would I be able to ask for your help setting up my confession?"
"Always. Let's come up with a plan: what were you thinking?"

"Well, I was thinking-"

At that moment Kio came rushing in through the doors, and ran towards me- jumping to give me a hug while screaming "AKIIIIIIII!" Akai and I agreed to talk later while I listened to Kio's rant about how worried she was and how she thought that I might never have woken up. I managed to calm the chipmunk down enough to tell her that I was alright and was feeling better than before. Knowing how she'd react, I decided not to tell her about Kian and I getting together- Kian could tell her.

Later that afternoon, Akai and I headed back to my house to just chill and decompress after the events of the last day or two. Akai had started staying at my house a bit more and was there 5/7 days a week. When we walked through the front doors, the first thing I did was seek out Aunt Eliza. She needed to know what had happened. By the end of my story leading up to my unconsciousness, she looked horrified and worried. Then I told her about the fact that Kian and I started dating. Her response was "I knew that was going to happen eventually: you two are perfect for each other. I'm happy for you: just make sure to invite him over more often, okay? And Akari, don't tell Jade. He doesn't particularly like Kian as it is."

Akai and I decided to go into my room and put some music on while chatting about nothing in particular. I felt my phone vibrate and opened it up to find a message from Kio. It read: "WHAT THE HELL!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT YOU AND KIAN HAD STARTED DATING! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU! But just know that if you hurt him in any way, I will hurt you." I rested easy that night, knowing that I had finally found someone who would love me, and I loved him back.