My Peaceful Life Isn't So Peaceful

Chapter 18

  The school day ended, and Chiharu and Nia were now walking home. A somber look was on Chiharu's face; at least, that's what Nia saw.

  To the untrained eye, he was just making his regular face.

  "Was socializing that bad for you?" Nia chuckled as she wrapped her arms and tail around his.

  His eyes slowly moved to meet hers.

  "Mmm," He grumbled. He had expended too much energy and no longer wanted to speak unless necessary.

  "Aww, my poor Haru." She purred as she rested her head on his arm. "You'll be okay."

  "Mmmm." He grunted.

  "Hey, did Yukino bother you anymore after I left?" She asked.

  "Mm-mm." He replied.

  "Not like that, at least." He thought.

  "I'm glad." She purred and rubbed her head against his arm. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to come during the other breaks. I had to help people in my class with some of the class work and share notes."

  "....."

  "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" She frowned. "And why do I have the feeling you're going to say something stupid?"

  "Are you actually smart or something?"

  "There it is." She sighed. "You couldn't hold back even a little, could you." She pouted. "You're so mean. And to your girlfriend, no less."

  He blinked slowly several times. He wanted to tell her she wasn't his girlfriend, but he couldn't. The gazes of the other students who were also walking home rested on them as they spoke amongst themselves about them.

  "That's Chiharu and Nia."
 
  "So that's the famous couple."

  "He's Human, right? Poor Nia. He won't live very long. Not in her eyes."

  "Yeah. It's good that she's happy now.  But how long will that last, I wonder?"

  "He can die at any moment. Humans are so fragile."

  "They aren't made for this new world. There's a reason they died out."

  "....." Chiharu's already dead eyes glazed over even more.

  He didn't know why, but he felt sick. But it was a different sick than what he felt when Nia forced herself on him. No. It was much worse.

  "Haru?" Nia asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

  He didn't respond. He only stared at the ground as they walked. If only her focus wasn't solely on him. She would have been able to hear what the others had been saying.

  "I'm fine." He replied distantly in thought.

  What he was thinking about: Nothing. Absolutely nothing. His mind was as empty as his eyes.

  "Haru...." She went silent for a moment. She had never seen him like that. She knew what it was, too. It was depression, regret, and hatred all mixed together.

  She wanted to ask again what was wrong, to pester him until he spit it out. Even if it meant, as he called it, assaulting him to get that information. She should have. But instead, she tried to make light of the situation.

  "Are you stumped over the homework?" She asked. "I can help if you need it."

  "That's not it." He thought. "But..."

  "Yeah...that'd be fine." He had struggled with the classwork. And he ended up relying on Yukino to help him with it. So, he knew he'd need help with the homework.