A Hero I Look Up To

Hidden Emotions

Tension has spread throughout the group. Mia started to notice what was coming. Her palms started to sweat as Chris took a deep breath. Tobio also started to slightly realize what Mia was feeling, confused if he should feel the same way or not. As he locked his gaze into Chris' eyes, he heard him say something he never expected from him–something out of the blue.

"Yes... I'm tired of having to babysit everyday, but please... don't take it in a bad way."

Tobio raised his eyes in shock, trying to process if what he really said was true. Loid looked at Mia and wondered why she had to force an answer out of Chris, and Mia got really worried about Tobio–looking at his horrified face. Noticing the expressions on Tobio's face, Chris realized the explanation he gave to Mia was a big misunderstanding, so he had to simplify it a little.

"I'm not saying this because I hate Tobio at all. Everyday, I get reminded of his parents to wake up early to take care of Tobio. When I was first hired by them, I just thought it would be temporary... but it's like I'm an everyday caretaker now..." Chris sighed.

"What do you... mean by that?" Loid got confused. When it came to babysitters, he thought about coming to take care of a child who can't be at home alone without their parents. "You don't just come whenever Tobio's parents can't take care of him for a while?"

"They said because of financial struggles with their business, they couldn't take care of Tobio, so I had to do it in their stead," Chris replied. "I just hope this doesn't happen all the time..."

Tobio was still horrified of his response, but he died down a little as he heard a better explanation. Chris–his babysitter–was tired of taking care of him all the time? After all he did, he's tired? Chris never showed any signs of tiredness to Tobio. He would always smile... and smile... and pretended like he always cared. Except... this is how it turned out to be? Tobio was about to cry, but Chris had to add something.

"Of course... working all the time as a college student and a babysitter is tiring, but when it comes to Tobio... what can I say? I'm worried about him."

"You're worried about him...?" Mia asked with a bit of tears in her eyes, as if she was about to cry.

"Yes... throughout the entire day... even when I'm still in college, I'd have to take care of him all the time. His parents never gave me the list of things to do with him, so I'm unsure what I'm supposed to do..."

"You... cared about me that much?" Tobio asked with fear in his voice. "I thought... I thought I...!!"

"Tobio, you were never a bother to me...!" Chris shouted. "Hey, please... don't...!"

Chris saw Tobio cry, so he ran and hugged him. Mia and Loid were in a lot of shock seeing Chris do something like that.

"Don't cry... don't cry... everything will be alright..." Chris said in a comforting voice. "I never said I don't love you, so... you're fine."

Meanwhile in the back, Mia was watching with so much tears in her eyes, while Loid just watched her cry.

"Oh maaan... I'm crying too now, you seeee??" Mia said with emotion. "You get what I mean, right Loid?"

"How long are you going to cry?" Loid annoyingly asked. "Won't you end up coughing after that much crying?"

"But this is wholesome!!" Mia shouted with tears. "Chris really does care about Tobio!!"

"Yeah..." Loid agreed with Mia and smiled. "I'm actually surprised that was settled quickly..."

Everyone calmed down a few seconds later. Chris, relieved that he made Tobio feel better, stood up and prepared to walk away, but Mia grabbed onto his hand and said,