i like you but i cant say it

CHAPTER 4: the villain who needed saving (page 16)

"Those eyes." Kenji thought while walking down the stairs. For once they weren't mad or even upset, it was like something sparkled in Caleb's eyes for a moment.

Kenji blinked a few times, processing his thoughts.

"Goodnight bro." Atsuko passed by quickly but Kenji still seemed stuck in his head. She turned around from his lack of a reply, but seeing that he was deep in thought, she decided not to bother him just yet, and continued up the stairs.

Meanwhile Caleb layed in Kenji's bed. His chest still boomed fast and he couldn't sleep, the room was dimly lit in an orang-y yellow light from the lamp on the study table.

Caleb looked across the room at the books and papers scattered across the desk, and the notes taped to the wall above it made it clear just how much was really going on in Kenji's mind. A sense of guilt washed over the blonde boy, "I can't believe I made him do my work."

As someone who wasn't born academically gifted or anything, Caleb felt like school was something he had to survive in, not tolerate or experience but to survive, and that goes the same with his views on life itself.

The clock read "11:56". Caleb's mind started to calm, his senses tinggled as a couple drops of tears fell from his eyes. He dug his chin and mouth into the fluffy blanket, for once he could enjoy a clean and pleasent room.

"But what about Kenji?" He thought, his eyes opened and glistened in the warm light. His mind started to fog, thinking about if it was selfish to hold the whole room to himself, but his tiredness won in the end, he rolled his face over and dug into the muted light blue pillow, the pleasent smell filled his lungs as his consciousness started to morph into slumber.

[...]

|sᴀᴛᴜʀᴅᴀʏ|

Kenji still hasn't forgotten about Caleb's eyes.

They held the innocence of a child's, but it being Caleb's made it ironic, and Kenji wondered how the blonde boy could turn from his bully and into whatever he is now. It was like he saw a bit of what Caleb truly was for a second.

Just another kid who's been through the effects of life.

Kenji wondered how this even happened in the first place, but something in him told him it was best not to wonder, all he was there to do was help, and thats enough for him.

He yawned, his eyes ready for sleep, he looked at the time at his phone, "12:38".

His arm fell in exhaustion as warm tears stained the edges of his eyes from that yawn, as his still-awake mind recalled what happened earlier.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Atsuko turned to where Kenji was staring at, the calm music playing in the restaurant was quite opposite from the brother's concerned and confused expression.

Kenji felt like something was wrong, "Why is he running?" he thought, his eyes tried to follow the last frame of dirty blonde tips but they left in seconds from his field of vision, then, without a second thought, Kenji got up from his half-standing position and raced to the entrance.

"Hey what the heck!?"

"I think someone I know is in trouble!"

And the next thing he knew, Kenji was standing behind a fuming Atsuko, witnessing Caleb in that situation.

He looked distressed for once, and even Kenji thought it was disturbing. They had tried to get Caleb to report the incident to the police but no matter what the blonde just refused to do so.

"I wonder why..." But Kenji stopped himself from wondering again, his head was getting heavy and he knew if he kept thinking it would soon turn into a headache, but even so that nervous feeling in his stomach went on like a storm.