people pleaser | nishimura riki

31. admit it

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Taken aback by his sudden question, she awkwardly let out a cough, making the situation even more awkward. Debating on whether to act cool or make a total fool of herself, she let her instincts take over.

"Whattt?" She cleared her throat with a nervous chuckle. "Of course not. Why would I?"

One thing about Aira is that she is a terrible liar. 

"You tell me." Riki knew she was avoiding him, before even asking the question. He didn't know when, but out of everyone, reading Aira was like reciting his favourite book since childhood. 

He wasn't always that interested other peoples' opinions, but with her, it mattered more than anything else. 

"If you aren't avoiding me, then why aren't you looking at me?" He called her out.

Feeling her heart race in both nervousness and anxiousness for being put on spot, she took a deep breath before lifting her head back up from her papers. 

"See? I'm not avoid-" Her words trailed off into silence as she realised he had placed a small cartoon of strawberry milk and cream bun on her desk. Her favourites. 

"Eat." He looked at the food before looking back at her.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry." She tried to maintain her composure. She wasn't going to give in that easily.

"What a shame, I went through so much just to get these for you." He purposely emphasised his struggles. However, they both knew all students would let him cut in front of him to buy food at the cafeteria.

"Fine." So much for strong Aira. It was hard to run away from your roots at the end of the day; people pleaser. "This is only out of courtesy."

He smiled in victory. He knew she was going to give in either way. "How kind."

Now that he was here, focusing on her work was practically impossible. 

HE was the reason she hid herself away int he classroom in disguise of her studying. 

"Don't you have places to be?" Aira broke the ice as she couldn't handle the silent atmosphere anymore. She didn't want the only thing she could here was the sound of her chewing the bread.

"Hm? Where else could I be?" Riki raised his brows. 

"I don't know. With your friends or something."

"Are you not my friend."

And with that, she was silenced.

Feeling yet another sense of victory, Riki only stretched his arms before sitting back straight from leaning on her table. 

"You're really popular these days." He casually changed the topic.

"Huh?"

"You can't tell me you haven't realised more male gazes on you?" He took the strawberry milk cartoon and proceeded to open it.

"Umm.."

"More competitors." He placed the straw in before handing it to her.

"Thanks." She made sure to mutter out despite still processing what he had just said. Aira was definitely not made for directness. Taking a sip to make time, she was conflicted.

"Nishimura-" She began before being immediately cut off.

"Riki." He corrected her. "Sound better."

"But don't you not like it when other people call you by your first name."

"Are you other people?" Riki sighed.

There he goes again with the special treatment.

Was it even special treatment?

Maybe she was just deluding herself. 

Perhaps the lack of real friends made her mistake minimal affection for special treatment.

But was this really minimal affection?

She needed to know.

Taking a deep breath, she began.

"Riki." She locked eyes with his beautiful ones. For the first time in a while, she finally felt like she was talking from the bottom of her heart.

"Yes, Aira?" His expressions so genuine.

"Do you..." Her words trail off. 

She was scared.

What if this was the wrong move?

What if things will never be the same after this?

And if she was wrong about it...what if she loses him?

After what felt like an eternity, she finally made up her mind.

Her eyes still locked with his, she didn't know he could be so patient. Not a single hint of annoyance in those pure pupils.

"Do you like me?"  Aira felt her heart pound like a drum, as if she had just ran a marathon.

It didn't take him to reply.

In fact, there was no hesitation in his answer.

Chuckling, he broke the contact as he subconsciously rubbed his nape. 

"Yeah." He smiled, faintly revealing his dimple whilst looking at her again. "I'm screwed, aren't I?"

Aira immediately felt her cheeks flush as the adrenaline inside her flowed, igniting a rush of excitement and a touch of nervousness she couldn't quite hide.

Not knowing how to react, she was at a loss for words.

Luckily, as if the universe was finally on her side, the bell had rang.

It was class time again.

Without waiting for her reply, Riki stood up which surprised her.

Was he not going to wait for her reply?

"Where are you going?" Aira, out of instinct, held onto his arm. 

Looking at her hand placement, she immediately let go. 

"Roof top to take a nap." He replied nonchalantly.

"Skipping class again?" She asked in a concerned tone.

"Join if you want." He chuckled expecting for her to continue to nag at him. "I'm kidding. Study hard Aira." He spoke before really walking away.

That's it?

After admitting his crush on her, he was just going to walk away?

That was Riki Nishimura for you.

However, but was Aira really going to let him walk away this time after practically admitting his affection for her the second time?

Her mind fought inn dilemma yet her heart already knew what she wanted to do.

Running away one time was enough.

There was no point in playing dumb after all.

And so, she stood up to catch up with him.

She didn't have any speech prepared.

Hell she didn't even know what she was doing.

But all she knew, was that she was going to stay close to him this time.

At the end of the day, the heart wants what it wants.