A Mark That Lasts Forever

Love | 恋愛 section 4 [NSFW]

CONTENT WARNING: This section contains sexual content that may not be suitable for some readers.

On Saturday morning, I trudge into work for my double shift. I could hardly spend any quality time with Shun the past week with how busy he was making clothes for his shop. So busy that I almost started to feel jealous of that headless mannequin of his. I was looking forward to having a peaceful morning with him today before my manager called and asked if I could change my shift last minute.

Yuki is already in her uniform, turning the lights on when I enter through the backdoor. I rush into the staff room to get ready.

Lunch is hectic. I barely have time to catch my breath while the customers pour in. The five hours leading up to my break feel over in an instant. I thank Yuki when I notice her carrying both our meals to the staff room. Once we've settled into our seats, I immediately begin stuffing my face with fried rice. I'm too absorbed in my group chat to notice right away that Yuki is looking at me suspiciously.

I sit up straight and swallow my food. "What's up?"

"It's nothing," she replies, looking away.

"Oh, okay." I shrug and scoop up more rice, despite feeling a little uncomfortable. Her face doesn't look like 'nothing.'

"Um," she starts again.

I look up at her wary expression.

"I heard from Manami that you and Mr. Adachi are roommates."

The spoon in my hand freezes before it can reach my mouth.

"Is that true?" she asks.

I quickly shove the fried rice into my mouth and stare at the table, mind blank. What now?

I guess it would be useless to deny it. There's nothing wrong with her knowing that we live in the same house, anyway. That's all she can know, though.

I nod.

"Why did you lie about it?" she asks, her eyes still on me as she pushes her food around with her fork.

"About that," I try to make the situation lighter by laughing as if it was all a joke. When her eyes don't soften, I drop the idea and go with the truth. "I guess I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea about me."

She tilts her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," I look away from her interrogating eyes. "I overheard Yasuhiro telling you that he's gay, so I didn't want you to know I live with him."

"That's why?" she says, perplexed. "Did you think I'd assume you're gay too?"

I smile embarrassedly. It sounds absurd to put it into words.

She shakes her head. "It's not like you're dating. You're just roommates, right?"

"R-right."

"That was kind of mean for you to lie right in front of him like that. I get now why he was angry." Her stern words throw stabs at me.

"Yeah, I was pretty stupid then. I guess I wasn't thinking straight."

"I hope you apologized at least," she says as she finally lifts her spoon and stops jabbing at me.

"I did," I state.

She nods while she blows on the steaming rice.

I look back at my plate, feeling ashamed. I've never seen Yuki get angry like this before.