Kaito is taken aback by what Zoe says, his curiosity piqued. Meanwhile, Zoe instantly regrets her words. She can't believe she has blurted them out so thoughtlessly.
Fantastic word choice. Appropriate? Seriously?
"Interesting," Kaito says but decides not to dig deeper.
What will he get out of it?
He glimpses at Zoe who appears flustered. Maybe he struck a heartstring.
"You sound like an expert," Zoe suddenly utters, shifting the topic away from her. "Have you been in a relationship before?"
Kaito snorts, "Nah. I am just a silent observer."
"Nosy observer," Zoe murmurs unbelievingly. Kaito chuckles.
"Why do you sound so cynical when you haven't even dated anybody?"
There is another red stoplight. Once more, the image of Kaito's mother leaving reappears in his head, making him nauseous.
Zoe glances at Kaito who doesn't reply. He's only staring ahead.
Then she sneezes unexpectedly, changing the entire atmosphere. Kaito is secretly grateful for it. He fears that their conversation will give him flashbacks he has always kept locked in the deepest corners of his mind.
"You okay, Zoe?"
"Yes." She wipes her nose with her white handkerchief. "The weather's finally gotten under my skin, that's all."
"I have meds in my room."
"Thanks, but I'll survive. It's only cold."
The light turns green, and they start cycling again. After a few minutes, they stop in front of the dorm's entrance.
"Good night," Kaito says, looking back at her. Zoe is wiping her nose again. "Are you sure you don't need meds?"
"Nah."
He smirks and then wiggles his eyebrows. "I'm offering it as a friend. Nothing more."
Her cheeks turn pink. "Can you please drop it?"
"Never."
And then Kaito cycles away quietly, ignoring all the memories that have started to flood back in his head.
******
Zoe flips the light switch open and turns the heater on as soon as she arrives in her room. She slips out of her shoes and then sits on the floor, deep in thought.
When Kaito came riding next to her, she was happy to see him, for the bicycle ride home has always been more fun with him around. He listens to her. Meanwhile, he has always spoken less about himself or his ideas, and that is why he caught her off guard.
The exchange between them is stuck in her head. Zoe didn't expect him to say much about love, yet what surprised her the most was her own response.
What did she even mean by 'appropriate'? And why didn't Kaito reply to her question?
She leans her head on the bed frame, arms wrapped around her knees.
Zoe has always relied on Seth. He's always there when she needs him. He can be controlling, yet he makes her feel safe.
When Seth asked Zoe to go out with him, it felt wrong to reject him. Even though she didn't know what their boundaries were, she thought she needed him to be by her side. Always.
Because Seth is smart and responsible and often knows what's right. And he tells her what to do so she doesn't mess up.
He fixes her.
YOU ARE READING
The Spring I Met You
Romance"Things that are special, though temporary, tend to last longer in our memories," Kaito says. Zoe recalls the Hanami party that they had and everything that has happened since she arrived. She remembers every detail perfectly. She nods slowly. "You'...
