people pleaser | nishimura riki

4. strawberry milk

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

Somehow the walk to wherever Riki was leading felt unusually comforting. 

Why did he help her?

Was he mad?

Is he a good fighter?

Did she just cause more problems?

The curious train of thoughts eventually came to an end when she accidentally bumped into his back. Luckily, he had acted as if nothing happened, saving her from further embarrassment.

She tilted her head to see what he was doing and just as she figured out where they were, he was already squatting down to collect the drinks he paid for. They were currently standing in front of the super overpriced vending machines with questionable food inside. However, the drinks were the safest options as they were the only brands they were familiar with.

"Here." He handed her one of the two drinks he had purchased.

Instantly realising he was going to spend money on her, she tried to decline. "Oh no! It's okay. You can have it!"

"One is enough for me. I guess I'll just throw it out." He shrugged as he pulled his hand back that was holding the drink initially bought for hers truly.

"NO!" She slightly raised her voice in desperation. "I'll take it. Don't waste your money like that."

"Hm." The corner of his lips curved up but not enough for Aira to notice this time. 

As she walked towards the boy who was now sitting down on the bench beside the machine, she carefully took the strawberry milk that was in his possession. "Thank you." She smiled before popping the straw through the hole and taking a sip.

The pleasant silence lasted for a bit until he finally spoke.

"Are you being harassed?" He spoke with no filter. Yet his tone was gentle...different to the way he spoke to Sota.

"What? No! Of course not!" Aira laughed. Forcefully laugh. She didn't know if she was or not.

"So you like being treated like that."

"Like what...?" She asked, perplexed by where he was coming from.

"Being asked to their homework, randomly picking on you, ordering you run their errands, talking to you and expecting you to agree." He sighed before turning to face her. "You can't tell me you enjoy all that."

There it was. Who knew she would have to hear it from someone else?

 

She often found herself wondering why she was being treated this way too but she eventually came to a conclusion. The answer that made her accept her status.

"It's fine. As long as i can help, I'm okay." Aira replied, looking far into the distance.

"So you really choose to put them over yourself?"

"If that's a way to make them like me, then yes. I will prioritise them over myself." She causally laughed at her response. Even though she knew it was the worst reason ever, it was the only one that kept her going.

To fit in.

"Are you stupid?" He sighed again, this time more heavily.

"Maybe i am. But please Nishimura, don't involve yourself with me next time. You saw what happened back there." She pursed her lips as she stood up and faced him. 

"Do you know what you and dogs have in common?" Riki scoffed and continued before even letting her guess. "They would always listen to their owners, no matter how stupid the orders are."

Taken back by such harsh comparison, she tried her best to ignore his insult. "Thank you for sticking up for me but don't trouble yourself for me." She bowed politely and walked off.

Not even phased by her reaction, Riki was left watching her figure disappear into the distance. He sighed one more time before throwing the finished drink into the bin. Standing up and beginning to walk away, he spoke of words that shouldn't have been remembered. 

They were supposed to be memories erased a long time ago.

"You're just like her."

Perhaps history was repeating itself.