Take a chance | mikey

6

I blinked my eyes open slowly, the softness of the bed beneath me unfamiliar. The room was bathed in the soft light of morning, and as I stirred, it hit me—I was still in Mikey's room.

Confusion crept in. How did I...? I blinked again, trying to shake off the grogginess. My mind replayed the events of last night: reading manga together, Mikey falling asleep on my shoulder, And then... sleep. I must have drifted off. But how did I end up here—in Mikey's bed?

A wave of warmth spread through my chest, my cheeks heating up as the thought hit me. Did Mikey carry me to his bed? The image popped into my head—Mikey, lifting me effortlessly, his arms strong but careful, laying me down gently. My heartbeat quickened, and I could almost see it, his expression unreadable but tender as he made sure I was comfortable.

No, no, no.

I shook my head, trying to banish the mental image that was making my cheeks burn. I could've climbed up here myself in my half-asleep state, right? There's no way to know for sure, and letting my mind wander in that direction was... not helpful.

Definitely not helpful.

I sat up slowly, trying to piece together the missing moments. The room was still quiet, and as the memories of the previous night faded, I couldn't help but feel a tiny flutter of something—something I couldn't quite place—settling in my chest.

-Timeskip-

Mikey had left earlier, saying he needed to meet up with his gang. Now, it was already afternoon, and the house felt too quiet without Emma's usual cheerfulness echoing through the halls. My worry grew with every passing minute. It was time to check on her.

I gently opened the door to Emma's room and peeked inside. She was curled up on her bed, her face peaceful but slightly puffy—probably from tears. A pang of sympathy struck me. I tiptoed closer, careful not to wake her, and pulled a blanket over her, tucking it around her shoulders.

Just as I turned to leave, I heard her voice, soft and groggy. "Yuri..."

"Emma?"

The tension in the air thickened as I saw the mix of frustration and sadness on her face. I braced myself, knowing this was going to be a conversation I didn't want to have.

"What happened?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

"I still don't wanna tell anyone, 'cause it's embarrassing," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Emma's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "I tried to kiss Draken, and he dodged me. Can you believe that? He dodged me!"

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "He... what? Are you serious?"

"Yeah! All he cares about is the gang, fights, and my stupid brother. I thought he liked me, but apparently, I was wrong."

I searched for the right words, feeling a protective instinct kick in. "Come on, Emma. He probably has his reasons. Don't be upset." But inside, I felt a familiar dread creeping in—how crushed I'd be if something like this happened to me.

Emma's expression hardened, and I could almost see the walls go up. "Why are you taking his side? You were the one who said he might ask me out!"

Annoyance flickered within me. "I'm not taking his side, Emma. I'm just saying there might be more to it. You know how complicated things can get."

"Whatever," she snapped. "I'm done with this."

Before I could offer any more comfort, she stormed out of the house, leaving me in a sea of frustration and helplessness. I sighed heavily, feeling even more adrift. I pulled out my phone, hoping for a lifeline, but realized I didn't even have Mikey's number.