I'm Sorry, Senpai

Chapter 14: Alone Together

Naoto was home, waiting for Nagatoro to arrive, but he wasn't sure how to face her. His mind was a mess, and he was nervous.

"Ah damn it all. I don't know at what point I should even start thinking. I guess I should quickly take a shower before she arrives... That's gonna clear my mind."

He went into the shower, and relaxed.

After he finished, he put on some clothes and just as he was about to lay down, he heard someone ringing the door.

"Must be Nagatoro..." He thought nervously, he wasn't ready for what was about to happen at all.

Was she mad at him for not being able to protect himself? Did she come to tell him she doesn't want to see him anymore? He did even want to imagine what it could be.

"I'm coming!" He yelled.

He ran to the door and unlocked it, and there she was.
She looked happy? Or was it just a smirk... he wasn't really sure.

"H- Hey..." He said quietly.

She kept looking at him, and it made him a little nervous. He wasn't sure what to even say.

"Look... Nagatoro, I'm really sorry..." He was close to crying.

He was utterly suprised a moment after that... because Nagatoro was crying.

She ran towards him, and hugged him. She buried her face into his chest. They hugged for about 30 seconds, which made it much less akward, but they didn't really care.

She took a step away, and put her hands on his cheeks.
She looked into his eyes.

"Naoto... you don't have to be sorry for anything. I should be the one apologizing." She said, her voice being all trembly.

"No...no no no... why are you apoligizing to me... I... ran away from you... and my own feelings..." He said. His eyes were tearing up at this point.

He tried looking away, but she kept his face straight.

"I'm in love with you."

There was quite a silence. Naoto was dumbfounded.

Suddenly, his face turned completely bright red.

"H- huh??! Wha..." He didn't have a reaction.

But something was off... Nagatoro looked like she wanted something... like she wanted a different response.

It took him a second to realise what she wanted, and he knew it was finally time to stay true to himself and tell her his true feelings.

"I'm... in love with you too... in fact, I've been in love with you ever since I met you... I know our start was rough, but I'm just... in love with you. I was just never sure if I even wanted to tell you, given how you acted towards me about... things like those..."

"If you don't like it, then tell me." She said.

"Huh-"

Nagatoro kissed him. It made him completely red.
It didn't last long. It wasn't really much of a kiss, it was more like a peck to the lipd, but it still meant a lot to them.

Nagatoro pulled away, and hugged him.

"Naoto, whatever goes through your mind, always tell me. I want to hear you out. I know you haven't been able to talk with me like this for a long time, but at least let me do this for you."

She then pushed him down and hugged him. He was beet red, but he liked it.

"Can we... stay like this for a little while?" She asked.

"Sure."

The rest of the day passed on nicely.

Naoto didn't go to school the next week, since he was beat up.

But, he was ready to go the week after that.

It was monday, 6 AM. Naoto woke up. He fell asleep really early after a long time. He took a shower, and went for a short run.

He got into a habit of taking short runs early in the morning, it really helps him clear his mind.

And ever since the day he got beat up, he signed up for a gym program for beginners. So he's got a little more buff during the week.

He got ready and went to school.

He was nervous, since he hasn't seen Nagatoro for a week, after they had spent... that day together.

He made his way past the place they usually meet up, which left him questioned.

He made it to the school's entrance, and before he entered, somebody hugged him, arm around his waist.
It made him beet red, because people could see him.

The person let go, and Naoto turned around. It was Nagatoro, and she was looking at him with a smirk.

"Mornin' , Naoto." Hearing Nagatoro say his name like that made him blush even harder.

"Good morning Nagatoro..." He anwsered nervously.

They walked to school. On their way, Nagatoro started a conversation.

"Oh yeah, my birthday is in a month or so, and I was wondering if you were ok with being at my place.
I'm having a party." She said.

She knew what happened last time, but she wanted to fix some things.

"I know last time was... different, but I wan't you to genuienly have a good time.",

He was suprised by that sentence. Althought he was grateful.

"You know... I't wasn't even that bad if I'm being honest.
At least I had the chance to see how cute you are when you're drunk." Naoto said in a little teasing voice.

"WHA- HUH? HUUUUUH?" is what Nagatoro thought.
She immedietly looked away from Naoto. She was way to embarrased to even look him in the face.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?? SINCE WHEN CAN HE DO THAT?" She thought.

"Nagatoro? Are you alright?" He asked. This teased her even more.

"Y- yeah... I'm fine! I just got something in my eye..." She said, looking in the opposite direction.

"Is it something I said?" Naoto thought.

It seemed like he was starting to turn into a completely different person.

On the whole way to school, Nagatoro felt a little embarrased to talk, Naoto didn't really notice it.

Was this the start of something new?