Unfamiliar Territory (Chizuru Ichinose x Reader)

(7) Shock After Shock

Chizuru's POV:

After joining back up with my friends, we talk for quite some time before ending the day with some beach volleyball. The whole time, my mind was on the situation that had occurred prior. However, this stops me from concentrating and I keep letting my team down, to the point where my friends actually abandon the whole game and start asking whether I'm fine. 

I take this as an excuse to say that I'm not feeling to well and end up leaving. Once I get home, I almost faint on the spot, still embarrassed about being seen half-naked by him.

Why did I forgive him so quickly? If it were anyone else, I'd have at least berated them for a good while! I process internally, my chest feeling hot, a slight light-headedness taking over me before I collapse into my bed, hugging my blanket before coming up with a reason, which I ultimately knew was only half-true:

"It's because I knew he didn't mean to intrude on my like that. From what I know, he's too nice for that." I say out loud, in an attempt to cope with it all.

Wait, how am I going to face him after that? Do I just act like it didn't happen? I really don't want to see him right now, assuming he's back.

Luckily, I remember I've got a 'date' booked tomorrow with a recurring client, so I take my mind off of the recent events by picking an outfit in advance and double checking where they want to meet.

I get a notification on my phone - a message from one of my friends I met through the rental business. They are a rental girlfriend too but they're having a lot of trouble due to their shyness. They tell me about their recent date, yet again a disaster followed by another one-star review.

If only there was a way to make the stakes a lower but still emulate the experience of a date. Hmm... maybe she could find someone to practise with! I text her back, suggesting my new idea, which seems like a bust as it turns out she doesn't know anyone who could help her. 

I should've thought she wouldn't know anyone due to how shy she is... I think to myself, looking for a new idea since the current one can't be executed.

Y/n's POV:

After... that happened, I return to the group, with them wondering why I was taking so long. I notice a very distraught Kazuya, so I approach him:

Y/n: "Hey, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." I joke, trying to raise the mood. 

Kazuya: "M-Mami just k-kissed me..." He says, with every word getting quieter until all that can be heard are mere whispers.

Y/n: "What!?" I yell, before Kazuya quickly tries to close my mouth so no-one else can hear. I continue, much quieter:

"Well, did she say anything about getting back together?" I ask, hoping for more clarification on the kiss.

Kazuya: "No, she just k-kissed me and then went to join in whatever her friends were doing." He blurts out, excited  for what this could mean.

Now, I'm no expert on relationships or girls for that matter but what she's doing is not okay! Especially if she 'found someone else' like she said she had. After a little more thinking, I gulp, knowing that what I'm about to say is not going to go well with the confused boy ahead of me:

Y/n: "Kaz, I'm not going to say I know everything about relationships. Hell, I'd go as far as to say I don't know anything at all." I say gently, with him listening intently.

"But, what she did was very wrong. Despite having 'someone else' she still chose to kiss you. She's playing with your feelings. Now, I could be wrong, so take this advice with a grain of salt but I don't believe she cares for you at all, maybe even when you were dating, and I know that you probably want to use what happened as a way to hold onto your own feeling towards her, but something feel off about this. Please, go forwards, not backwards. From one friend to another, I know this'll be even harder than it was before, but please stay level-headed." I plead.

Honestly, he's been through a lot. Sure he may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he deserves far better than what he's getting at the moment. I just hope he heeds me advice for his own good. At the end of the day, it's his choice though. I've done all I could

Once I get back to my apartment, I get undress and get into something more comfortable, before putting some of the ideas I had written down to use. 2 hours later, I end up having a pretty solid plan for a new story, the name still being a work-in-progress. 

I suddenly remember what happened, trying not to blush when doing so. Of course, it was a complete accident and incredibly embarrassing, but when she eventually came out, wearing her swimsuit, it became even harder to get any words out. She was simply breath-taking, a nice figure and a face that could drive any man wild. I still feel bad, maybe I should apologize again...

After taking a moment to clear these thoughts out of my head, I remember something else. What I had planned to do before the whole beach situation came out of nowhere - the presentation.

I quickly exit my apartment and knock on her door. Maybe I can apologize again and schedule a time tomorrow to get more work done I thought optimistically.

...No response

I try once more, only to be met with more silence. Afterwards, I give up and go back into my room, feeling even worse.

Did that make her mad? What if she doesn't want to associate with me anymore? Will I have to do the project by myself?

...I want to be able to talk with her again, cook with her agai- I daydream before snapping back to reality.

Wait, what!?

I've been ignored by many people for most of my life, especially from those in my college. Other and Kazuya, Kibe and Kuri, I wouldn't really class anyone else as a friend. 

Why am I so bothered about this? Speaking of which, can I call her a friend? I don't believe I've been around her for long enough to call her that. Maybe a class-mate at best... I continue, tormented by these thoughts, before realising the time.

I go to bed, ready to sleep, before coming up with one final thought, even voicing it, despite already knowing it to be an excuse:

"It's because of the presentation. I just want to make sure she's pulling her weight. That's got to be it!" I say, before slowly drifting out of consciousness.