*:･ﾟHard To Love ･ﾟ:*

CHAPTER 19 - i was all over her

SOUSUKE
—❁—

While Kou tended to my injury, my gaze remained fixed on him.

I was thinking of how I could get this out the right way, and I was finally starting to understand exactly how he felt when he was keeping all of that information away from me.

"Basically.. I got involved with not so great people after graduation. I spent a majority of my summer with this guy named Natsuhiko, and some girl named Sakura. They always warned me about coming near you, which I never paid much attention to since I had no idea who you were." Kou pulls the ice pack away from my face and looks at me. His brownish toned eyebrows furrowed while he listened to me continue my story. "When I tell you I never thought of what they told me up until now, I mean it.. nothing they said to me stuck around in my head long enough for connections to be made. My dislike for you was a result of me, not them."

I turned my head slightly downward before looking up into Kou's eyes and meeting his gaze. I watched as the information processed through his brain, my face following his while he looked away from me. "I'm sorry I never said anything.. I completely forgot about all of it until now." I then brought my eyes down to his lips for a moment before I also looked away, thinking. "I don't hate you now that I've been reminded—" "That's not what I'm worried about." Kou looks back at me. "I'm worried about how that asshole has had surveillance on you this whole time without either one of noticing. There's no telling how much of a shitty tab they have on us." I softly frown. "I doubt they have much.." "They still probably have one, that's what I'm trying to say."

I could tell that he had gotten somewhat furious now, and my eyes followed him as he got up and walk out of the bathroom. He had taken my ice pack so I had no choice but to follow him.

When I walked out of the bathroom, I saw that he was on the phone trying to get ahold of someone.

He refused to give the ice pack back to me before he left, so I had to follow him in order to continue having the ice held on my injuries.

"Teru, this is serious." Kou mutters into his phone as he glances down at me. I had situated myself up near his frontside so that he could acknowledge me needing the ice. When Kou placed the ice pack back on my cheek, I started trying to hone in on what his brother was saying on the other end of the phone. "We have an issue." Kou then handed me the ice and walked over to his closet so he could grab a jacket. "Where are you going?" I mutter to him as I watch him situate his phone between his ear and his shoulder. He then pulled the phone away from himself after he got his jacket on. "I have to go see my brother.. I won't be gone long." "You're just gonna leave me here by myself?" I follow him over to the door and watch him slip his shoes on. "I won't be gone long, Sousuke. You'll be fine." I frown a bit and pull the ice pack away from my face. "Are you mad at me?" He disregards my question and continues on the phone with his brother, obviously nervous. "Yeah, I'm on my way." My eyes follow him as he leaves and shuts the door behind him. I was left where I was standing with furrowed eyebrows, unable to make sense of what was going on.

Was I really causing him this much trouble so suddenly? I told him I didn't even really know until now.. there's no way he's pissed at me..

I then sighed and walked over to the door, locking it up and walking to the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and noticed the injury that Natsuhiko left on my cheekbone from slapping me when I refused to listen to what he had to say.

I had no idea how sketchy he was. At first.. he was just so charming and confident, so it was hard for me to think twice about spending more time with him and his friend Sakura. Even if there was something totally strange about them.. I felt that they just got me.  Though, I guess it doesn't really help that I was so vulnerable during that time.