Golden Scars

Chapter Eight: Pretend

"Takara! Let's go to a tea shop!" I walk quickly, wanting to order up a plethora of sweets.

She stops suddenly and signs to me, But I thought you were sick? Shouldn't we go to your house?

My heart skips a beat at her oblivious innocence, she actually believed me. Her golden eyes look at me with misplaced trust and I find it hard to continue with my little ruse. "Well, I'm not actually sick..." Her pale hand reaches up to my forehead before giving it a well-deserved flick. "Ouch! Fine I deserved that, I'm sorry. I just really wanted to take you out."

I'll forgive you if you take me to a bookstore. She demands of me.

I give her a lopsided smile before shrugging, "Fine, how can I refuse such a cute girl." A small blush lightly dusk her cheeks as I offer her my hand. She raises her hand timidly before placing it in mine. My large hand practically engulfs her delicate hand; her fingers interlaced through my own as I guide her to the Tokyo shopping district. 

💛💙📖💙💛

I glance around the bookshop with Toru right beside me. We end up in the contemporary light novel section as I search for the perfect escape from my daily hell. Contemporary always appealed to me since living a normal life without knowing the constant threat of curses is one completely alien to me. To live normally...to love normally is a luxury I shall never know.

"You've been eyeing that one book for a while, wanna get it?" Toru asks me.

I place the book down to sign to him, I was thinking we could buy a copy for each of us. You, me and Sugu.

"So you wanna buddy read it together?" I nod before handing him a copy of Hyouka. "Sure, why not. So am I forgiven now for lying?"

I think about what else I wanted at the moment, Matcha ice cream would also be nice.

His eyes widen before he goes into a fit of laughter, "Oh really? It seems to me you are taking advantage of my good charity, lady Kubo~" Tone turned teasing. I feel my heart sink and I consider taking back my request. A large hand gently pats the top of my head. "Don't worry about it, I was just teasing~ Let me treat you, we are best friends after all~" his voice thick with a strange, new emotion.

My heart leaps in my chest; completely against my own will. Let's just hurry up and go get sweets.

A pleased smile forms upon his lips, "Of course, of course-"

We are incidentally interrupted by a pair of girls, "Um...excuse me but we wanted to ask for your number."

"Yeah, one moment." Before he turns to sign at me, Please pretend to be my girlfriend for a moment.

I turn my gaze back on the two love stricken girls; and who could blame them? Satoru Gojo is a very beautiful person. It's hard not to fall into those azure eyes. A blue so blue that it puts clear summer skies to shame. Someone that beautiful will never love someone like me. Someone so cowardly. My heart sinks with sympathy for the pair. I told you last time, was the last time I would help you dishonestly reject a confession. Confessing your feelings is such a vulnerable experience, they deserve an honest answer for putting themselves on the line for sting of rejection.

He sighs and rolls his eyes while mumbling, "Fucking goody two shoes." He goes back to sign language, Come on, please? I want to get out of here quickly. Think of it as payment for this little shopping trip.

For some strange reason, completely unknown to me, I felt a sudden and violent need to pinch his cheek. "Takara that hurts!" I'm snapped out of my sudden surge of rage by Toru's voice.

I'm sorry, my hand acted on some strange instinct. I quickly explain.

Now you really owe me for this wound. He dramatically points to the red bruise I just gave him. A pang of guilt shoots through me.

Fine, I'll do it. And this really is the last time. I don't like lying to genuine confessions of love. They really do deserve an honest answer for being so brave and confident enough to confess their deepest feelings. I stare deeply into his playful blue gaze.

Yes, I swear this will be the last time. But his wide smile tells me something contradictory to what he promised me.

Satoru doesn't give me any time to further ponder on that fleeting thought, before he wraps a warm arm around my waist. My thoughts jumble about in my mind and I find myself completely blanking. "Yeah I'm sorry, but I'm here with my girlfriend. And I promised her that I would treat her to some sweets." He says with false innocence in his tone.

"Oh...I'm sorry?" One of them answers awkwardly with confusion present in her tone.

"It's ok, but we really do need to get going." He tells them as he leads me towards the cash register. His arm closely wrapped around me, I gulp down a nervous breath of air. He leans his beautiful face close to mine and whispers, "Just play along till we leave the store. Don't want to be caught on our little lie." His tone seems to suggests a different sort of lie. The lie about my true feelings. All I can do is meekly nod as I walk in close proximity to his strong body. I feel my heart skip a beat and it takes every bit of my restraint to hide my feelings with a mask of indifference. I won't bother him with these feelings.

🍵🍨🍵🍨🍮🍨🍵🍨🍵

Takara has an absent minded look of contentment take over her features as she enjoys a scoop of matcha ice cream. For as long as I have known Takara, she has always worn her true emotions on her sleeve. She doesn't know how to lie and when she tries it's so awkward to witness that I end up pretending to believe her lie out of endearment. Takara signs to me, Don't you have to return the rental to the movie rental store?

She really is so earnest. "Don't worry about it, the store doesn't close till midnight." 

I was also wondering...how is your younger sister doing?

Takara has this knack for spotting other victims of childhood neglect or abuse. It's like she's unnerved by the thought of someone suffering like she did. "She's working herself to death for parents that don't deserve such efforts. She's...a lonely kid."

Can I come by to see her? I'm worried about her.

"I think she would really like that. Thanks." This ancient cycle of abuse needs to end with our generation. We need to change how we treat each other. However, I do look forward to the day I will make my predecessors pay for subjecting me to this bullshit parentification.