*:･ﾟHard To Love ･ﾟ:*

CHAPTER 18 - mannie's smile

KOU
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"You boys drive home safe! I love you guys but not enough to see you two on the news on a bad note." Sousuke's mom smiles and walks over to him, giving him a tight hug and kissing his face all over. "Please come and see me again soon, I miss you deeply." I softly smile as I watch the interaction between the two. She then walked over to me and gave me a hug before giving me a soft kiss on the cheek. "Don't kill my son." I nod. "You got it." I notice Sousuke smiling in my peripheral, but he was quick to drop it when I actually looked at him. "Alright, bye you two! Sousuke.. text me when you make it to wherever you're going." "Don't worry, I will." The two of us then walked out into the hall and began to make our way back down to the car.

I glance over at Sousuke as we walk and softly smile. "I think she likes me." His eyebrows raise. "Ew! Gross.." He smiles and nudges me again. "What's with you always nudging me?" "It's the only way to keep you in check. You say a lot of weird things you know." "Not all the time." "Okay then—" He presses the elevator call button and looks up at me. "—most of the time." As the elevator doors open, I follow Sousuke inside and press the button for the lobby floor. I then look over at him once the doors shut, leaning against the left elevator wall. "So.." Sousuke looks up at me. "I heard there's some good shit playing at the theater—" I bring my hand up and gently squeeze the back of my neck. "Are you asking me to a movie?" I nod a bit and bring glance back up off my dirty sneakers and over to him. "I guess if it's good shit, then sure. Plus I can stay away from having to study for my English exam." "You're taking English?" He nods. "Yeah, I had to because I missed credits from stupid Kamome. They somehow didn't transfer correctly so now I'm forced with having to take it." "Damn.. I could totally help you if you need me to." "Nice try." He smiles and looks at the doors as they shoot open. "What's that supposed to mean?" I narrow my eyebrows as I walk behind him. "You know exactly.. now hurry up I want to go see a movie!" "Alright alright!" I smile as I unlock the car and get in.

As we both got in the car, there was a voice that called out for Sousuke from an area in the parking lot. I looked over at him as he looked out the window and looked back at me. "Sorry, I'll be right back." He then gets out of the vehicle and shuts the door.

The voice was one that I recognized. One that I recognized from a long time ago. I couldn't match it to a name or a face though, so I stayed seated in my car as I watched through the passenger window to try and see if I could see anyone. I didn't want to make it seem obvious that I was listening in, so I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and opened up my calculator app. The conversation was muffled but I collected what I could.

"What are you doing here?" said Sousuke.

The voice of whoever began to get increasingly louder as they walked up closer.

"I figured that I'd find you here. How are you?"
"I'm fine. What are you doing here?"
"We gotta talk.. who's in the car?"
"One of the Minamoto's, why?"

My eyebrows narrow a bit as I listen. Now I'm just one of the Minamoto's.

"A Minamoto, huh? That's a pretty big name for someone like you.. which one?"
"What's it matter? Seriously.."

I glance over at the window and notice Sousuke backing up towards the door. I was unsure if I was meant to interfere, so I just decided to listen in a bit more.

"I thought you were told to stay away from him?"
"Okay.. in my defense, you never told me who to stay away from. How was I meant to know?"
"We didn't know that you had your shit wiped that bad."
"So then it's true? About my memories?"
"Have you not been believing everyone else that's been telling you?"

There was a silence that broke out between the two of them before Sousuke spoke again.

"How do you know that people have been talking to me about it.."