Romantic Killer But I Made It Gay

Part 16

"W-Wait a second." I pull my arm from his grasp and he keeps walking, making me run to keep up. "Are you sure it's okay to just ditch them like that?"

"It's fine. I didn't ask them to follow me around."

I frown, looking up at him, but he doesn't meet my gaze. "But doesn't that one girl have a crush on you?"

He scoffs, surprising me. "I don't care. I deal with it because she's my classmate, but I'm really not interested in dating right now. Especially not girls like her."

"Ah, I get that," I agree, and he finally looks down at me.

"You were pretty bold with that waiter. I bet a lot of girls like you."

I'm not sure how to take that. "I don't like girls..." He blinks and I quickly add, "like that. She's not my type. I was just helping to be nice."

He smiles. "You're a very caring person, aren't you?"

I smile back, then remember to apologize. "I'm sorry I brought them. I had no idea you felt that way. I bet it stressed you out, so I'm sorry."

He shakes his head quickly. "From what you said, she basically forced you to take her. I'm sorry for blaming you."

I laugh awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm kinda terrible at setting boundaries with people. N-Not that it's that way with you!" I quickly amend, then realize that's actually true. I feel comfortable around him, like I do with Emi. Even though I barely know him, I feel like I relax around him. I trust him not to make me feel uncomfortable or unsafe. How...strange.

"Yeah," he murmurs, stopping. I stop too and he gently smiles at me. "You're different from those girls. You were never trying to use me or get something from me, and you even went so far as to avoid me. That's why I can relax around you. So," he puts a hand behind his head as the sunset lights his cheeks pink. "Thank you, Mori."

I feel my own cheeks heat—I mean, turn pink from the sunset—and I smile. "That's good. I'm glad I can be a good friend for you."

I intentionally put emphasis on the word friend, hoping Kiki's watching from somewhere close by and getting pissed off. If Kazuki has no interest in dating, then there's no way we could ever end up together. That stupid egg chose the wrong love interest! Wait, I should let him know I'm in the same boat.

"You—ah, you said you don't want to date anyone, right?" I ask forwardly.

"I did."

"That's great!" I grin, putting out a thumbs up. "I don't either, so we can be good friends!"

"What?" He stares at me, then lets out a sudden laugh. I blink in surprise.

"What's...wrong?"

"I thought you were dating that girl you eat lunch with, what's her name..."

"Emi!?" I'm speechless for a second until I join him in laughing until my sides hurt. "No! She—She's my best friend. She's like a sister to me, I'd never date her! Where in the world did you get that from?"

"Hey, don't blame me." Kazuki takes a few deep breaths to recover himself. "You said you love her. What else am I supposed to think?"

The memory of the phone call flashes through my mind and I wince. That does look like a pretty clear sign we're dating. Wait, then, now does Kazuki know I could possibly be interested in him? No, even I wouldn't directly jump to that conclusion. Just because I'm not dating Emi doesn't mean I don't like girls. Good. As long as he never figures me out we can have a fine, comfortable friendship without him ever developing feelings for me.

I laugh to myself, hoping Kiki is somewhere around here. This time my plan will come out on top, which is strange, since I'm a bottom, I joke to myself, feeling like a million bucks.

"Um...Mori?"

I straighten, coming back to the conversation like nothing happened. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Right." He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "I was hoping I could store my stuff at your place for the time being."

"Oh, yeah sure. What are you gonna do?"
He shrugs. "I've got a part time job, and an agent is looking for a room for me."

"Right." I sigh. That sounds rough. Maybe, just until he finds a room, I should let him stay over. It'll only be one or two nights, right? I can't really let him out on the street, out of basic human decency. I'll just have to protect him from Kiki and its tricks.

Wait...That's exactly what that egg wants me to think, isn't it? So it broke his phone, stopped him from leaving my house by death threat, and destroyed his apartment just so I'd let him stay over a few more nights? What lengths will that demon go to just to get me laid? Even though I didn't want this, it's still my fault. I have to make it up to him somehow.

"Kazuki, I want to pay for your phone," I decide. "I don't really have the money right now, but I'll get a job and make it."

"You don't have to—" Kazuki is interrupted by his phone ringing and he quickly takes it out of his pocket. "It's the agent. Sorry, I have to take this."

"No problem." I wait patiently while he talks. We'd had the same thought about being comfortable around each other, which makes me feel at ease. Maybe, after I get rid of Kiki, I'd be willing to try being with someone outside of the 2D world, if he would have me. I smile at the thought. God, it sounds like I'm proposing. Seriously, when did I become so lame and lovesick? I thought I didn't want anyone other than my five beautiful boys.

But now there's six of them.

I'm glad I met him.