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Chapter 16: Hesitations

"Ahhh!" A loud scream resounded which surprised Yukino who tapped Kazutora on the shoulder.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" The woman asked worriedly. She saw the way Kazutora looked at her and around them while panting.

"Kazutora-kun?" she received no reply. She watched the man walk towards the dining area, and took his seat. He exhaled deep and looked down.

When the man turned around earlier, she actually went to her room and took spare shirt, pants and undergarments for Kazutora to use. As a doctor, she always keeps men's clothing in various sizes for her patients to wear. Of course, the same applies in women's garments.

She walked near the man and put a towel on his head. She started to wipe the man's hair because it had been dripping ever since earlier.

"Spend the night here. You can't leave in this weather anyway. For now, why don't you go get a shower while I cook us something warm t--" She stopped with what she's doing when he felt the man's warm palms on both of her wrists. Then, he looked up to her from his seating position.

For several seconds, they shared eye contact making everything so...awkward yet intimate. Yukino starts to feel something weird in her stomach. Her heart started to beat faster when the man slowly stood up without breaking contact, still holding her wrists. Kazutora also feel something stir in him as he continued to look in her eyes.

'That weird kid that Baji introduced to me...turned into a woman.'

"Yukino..." his deep voice engraved itself to the female's ears. She listened quietly, when suddenly everything turned dark.

The power went out, turning everything into pitch black. Still, the man didn't let go.

"Let me go get the emergency l--" she was cut off when she felt warm breathing across her face. It smelled like mint.

"Kazu...tora-kun...?" Within seconds, there was no response. Suddenly, he let go of her wrists and the breathing on her face distanced itself from her.

"Sorry. I'll go get a shower."

And then, all she hears is light footsteps and the door of the comfort room opening and closing.

The brunette exhaled deep and held her chest.

"What was that...?"

-

Meanwhile, with water dripping from his hair and face, Kazutora looked at his reflection in the mirror. He already finished showering, yet he couldn't muster up the courage to come out of the comfort room after what happened. With the dim light from the lightning, he stares at himself. And just like earlier, he starts to see Baji.

He is reminded of the reason why he grew his hair. It is not only to honor Baji, but also to remind him of what he had done to his best and closest friend.

'Have you no shame towards Baji-san?' Chifuyu's voice resounded in his head when they got into an argument last time. He finally understood the green-eyed man even better.

Chifuyu likes Yukino. Yukino likes him back.

But somehow, he couldn't take a step forward and make a move on her. It is because of his connection to Baji. Now, the same thing is happening to him.

He sighed deep and walked towards the door. When he opened the door, all the emergency lights are lit and the tasty aroma of a corn engulfed his nostrils.

"Yukino...?" he called out but it was silent. Only the thunder rumbling was heard in the serene place. He walked around until he reached the living room. There, he saw Yukino in warm clothes, curled up and fast asleep.

He looked at the clock and realized that he spent his precious time inside the comfort room for an hour. She must've fell asleep while waiting for him.

He cannot stop himself from squatting down to her level and look at her.

"Chifuyu's so lucky he got your attention, Yukino. He's such a coward for letting you go." His hand moved itself and went to stroke her face. He faintly remembers that one time in juvenile that he started to feel something towards her. It was his fifth birthday in that place, when he turned 20. Kazutora was confined in that place for ten years, but he never really felt lonely because his friends in Toman visited him. But his most frequent visitor is Yukino.

One month after Baji's death, the girl came to visit him. He remembers how he thought that she would be fuming with rage towards him. But no. On Christmas Eve, a girl appeared before him with a bento box filled with delicious food. It was a quiet night for the two of them since they weren't talking much, but it was comforting for him.

After that, the girl would come visit him twice or thrice a month with plenty of delicious food she made herself. They spent those days quietly, only enjoying each other's company. He further noticed and realized that the girl is an introvert and quiet. Thus, he was the first one to open up to the girl, telling her stories about his days in the juvenile. He was troubled and shy at first, but he appreciated how she enjoyed listening to him.

But the most memorable day he spends inside are every September 16, his birthday. She would come visit him with tasty sweets. When he turned 20, that's when he realized that he has feelings for her. Imagine having someone who would bake a cake for the first time in their life just for you, that's exactly what happened.

"Baji, I respect you so much. But I want to treasure her for the rest of my life. I hope you won't mind." As if his friend would respond, he spoke his mind.

For all these years, he had to suppress his feelings because he noticed Chifuyu and Yukino sharing mutual feelings for each other. But he couldn't take the fact that she is hurting despite being loved by the man she loves.

He lied down on the opposite sofa, across where the woman was lying down while staring at her.