Your Name

22| "Can P'Yin talk to them about us?"

╰┈➤𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐏𝐎𝐕*ೃ༄

The night unfolded as a dark shroud enveloped the room and the gentle knock on the door signaled P'Yin's arrival. He entered, carrying our dinner but his initial expression bore a furrowed brow curiosity etching lines onto his features as his eyes locked onto my face, scrutinizing the change he had noticed.

"Why are you wearing your old glasses?" P'Yin inquired.

For a fleeting moment, I considered remaining silent, allowing the unease to persist in the room. But then, the memory of P'Earth's words resurfaced, echoing in my mind like a relentless refrain. The conversation we had shared during the car ride earlier in the evening had planted the seeds of courage within me.

I met P'Yin's gaze, my eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions. "P'Yin..." I began, my voice trembling slightly. With those words, I recounted the unsettling incident involving P'Fourth and P'Jimmy at the cafe, their cruel actions and directed at me. P'Yin remained silent throughout, his expression growing increasingly unreadable as he listened to my story unfold.

Once I had shared the last painful detail, there was a palpable stillness as if the room itself held its breath. Seconds stretched into minutes as P'Yin did not utter any words. He seemed lost in thought. I could only watch, my heart pounding as he struggled to find the right words to respond.

Finally, breaking the silence that had settled between us, P'Yin reached out and gently took my hand in his. "I'm going to talk to them," he said, making me bite my lower lip. "I will ask them to apologize to you and they won't bother you again, okay?"

"Thank you, P'Yin..." I murmured, my gratitude mingling with the residual pain of the memories I had just shared.

While P'Yin's words were undoubtedly comforting, a nagging doubt lingered in the recesses of my mind. I could not shake the feeling that P'Fourth and P'Jimmy would never truly change, that their cruelty was deeply ingrained.

It felt as though P'Yin was once again attempting to justify his friends' behavior, a pattern I had noticed in the past. My lips tightened into a thin line as I contemplated the complexity of the situation.

"P'Yin..." My voice tinged with uncertainty. "I know P'Yin means well but...it's not the first time they have treated me this way. I don't think they will change just because P'Yin talk to them. They-they have always acted like this."

P'Yin's expression faltered for a moment, his brow furrowing as he grappled with my words. It was evident that he was torn between his loyalty to his friends and his desire to support me.

"It...it feels like P'Yin always trying to justify their behavior," I said in a low tone.

Silence.

P'Yin gradually withdrew his hand from mine and rose to his feet. He heaved a deep sigh, the sound carrying the burden of dilemma and locked his gaze onto mine, seeking answers.

"Then, what do you want me to do?" He inquired with a subtle hint of frustration. My words had struck a nerve, causing a ripple of unease to wash over him.

Another spell of silence fell upon us, punctuated only by the soft rustling of thoughts within. My lips found refuge in a nervous nibble and I instinctively adjusted my glasses.

"Can...can P'Yin talk to them about us?" I stuttered, the words escaping my lips hesitantly.

P'Yin's expression shifted as though my request had struck a discordant chord within him.

"About us? What do you mean, 'about us'?" He retorted, his features contorted with a blend of surprise and discomfort.

My fingers tangled together in a restless dance as I grappled with the courage to elucidate. "I mean that...P'Yin loves me," I admitted in a low tone, audible enough to be heard clearly.