invisible string, nishimura riki

𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 , something in between

☆

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

PARK HARI DID NOT know what the feeling was she felt yesterday — what she felt whenever she heard his stupid but unbelievably cute laugh or just seeing him smile the prettiest smile. it was a whirlwind of emotions she couldn't quite decipher, leaving her restless and contemplative.

as she lay in bed, the morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft patterns on the walls of her room. the air was still, save for the occasional rustling of leaves outside her window. she traced the patterns with her eyes, trying to find some clarity in the chaos of her thoughts. she replayed the events of the previous evening, the study session with riki, his awkward yet sincere compliment, and the unexpected warmth that had settled between them.

her mind was a jumble of conflicting emotions. she had always seen riki as a nuisance, someone who was always at odds with her. but now, things were different. they were no longer enemies, but calling them friends felt premature and awkward. yet, there was a connection, an undeniable pull that she couldn't ignore.

she sighed deeply, running her fingers through her hair, frustration prickling at the edge of her thoughts. her heart and mind were at war, each trying to pull her in a different direction. riki wasn't supposed to be someone she cared about.

the door to her room creaked open, pulling her abruptly from her spiraling thoughts. she sat up slightly, glancing toward the doorway as her brother stepped in, his brows furrowed with concern. "why are you still in bed and staring at your ceiling?" he asked, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and worry.

"i'm thinking," she mumbled, her voice distant and introspective.

jay raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "about what?"

"... things," she said vaguely, not ready to share the tumultuous thoughts swirling in her head.

"things, huh?" jay said, his voice laced with teasing. he took a step closer, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "and is 'things' perhaps nishimura riki?"

hari's eyes widened, and her body tensed. the heat instantly rushed to her face, betraying her. "what makes you say that?" she mumbled, her tone defensive, as she avoided his gaze.

jay let out a soft chuckle, pushing himself off the doorframe and walking further into the room. he sat at the edge of her bed, his presence close but not intrusive. "come on, hari. you've been acting weird for days now. plus, i saw you two studying together last night. thatns new. it's not like you two hang out regularly or anything."

"we were just studying for the history test," hari said, her voice firm but lacking conviction. "it was nothing more than that."

jay's smile softened, his gaze becoming more serious. "hari, it's okay to admit if you like him. just because our families have issues doesn't mean you have to deny your feelings."

hari scoffed, though it sounded hollow even to her own ears. "i don't like him."

jay raised his hands in surrender, his smile growing wider. "alright, alright. if you say so."

for a moment, the room was quiet, the only sound being the faint rustle of the breeze outside. hari's mind, however, was loud with thoughts, feelings she was refusing to acknowledge fully. she didn't like riki. she couldn't like him. yet, she couldn't shake the memory of his laugh, or the awkward way he had stumbled over his words when he called her beautiful with those glasses. that was nothing… right?