Desire - H. Umemiya

Chapter 28. Your Eyes Tell

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"... and then, she told me I wasn't deserving of respect!!... Like, huh?! I may not be the greatest person here in Furin but... to be... to be called that, wasn't that a bit too much? Hmmph."

Umemiya, who was sharing the details of his story for a while now, crossed his arms as he pouted and turned his head to the side, moping at the recollection.

Then he returned his gaze towards Tsubaki who was sweating cold at his disappointed fellow. "Don't you think so, Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki doesn't know how to react to this. He wanted tea but this one looked like a bitter coffee. He wanted to sponge data of youthful and colorful romance from Umemiya, but perhaps this one was a drama of various dark flavour mixed on it.

But, before he knows it, he was laughing so hard.

He didn't know Umemiya can be this childish. Sure, it was new but unexpectedly it's not to his distaste.

The Umemiya, he know can be likened to a warm sunshine, shedding light to everyone it comes into contact with... so comforting and healing, but this one seems like a soothing downpour, one you want to soak with when you feel like everything was so heavy.

It was dim but also refreshing... and is also somehow funny.

Tsubaki realized something, love probably, comes with different forms, and this one was new to his knowledge. Some dark, but anyways, cute, like enemies to lovers kinda troupe but lighter and it seems like Umemiya was so down for it.

And he was up for the drama.

He wiped the tears in his eyes

"...Tsubaki?"

"Oh... Yes! How could she say that." He replied faking sympathy.

"... but... but... i-it's also nice hearing her call my name." Umemiya avoided his gaze and covered his mouth. His eyes shimmers with glee and Tsubaki saw that. 

'His eyes really tell.'

"So, it's fine if she didn't consider you respectable? C'mon Ume-chan be a little bit more angry, stop being such a softie." He tried to taunt him, but Umemiya looked at him, his eyes were smiling.

"No... I can just show her." He muttered. Tsubaki was stunned but gradually smiled too.

"Yes, that's the better choice." He answered, nodding at that.

"Right?!" Umemiya chuckled at his bright decision.

"But Ume-chan, does she know?"

"Know what?"

"...that you like her..."

With the sudden words that Tsubaki let go, Umemiya turned completely cold... like he had become a stone covered in the coldness of the snow.

"...No." he whispered, not finding enough confidence to confess his current situation. A problem he had no knowing how to get out of.

He put on a smile and muttered. "But it's fine I'll take things slow... until I can finally reach her."

"Heh?! What if someone comes and takes her away from you? Don't go slow!" Tsubaki exclaimed and added. "I've been there."

'... Still am.' he then added in his thoughts.

"Imagine... It was one of her classmates... Oh... Sakura is lovable and kind... Suo is handsome and calm... Nirei-kun is cute and approachable... Sugishita's... uh... loyal? Kiryu's pretty and a gentleman... and Tsugeura's passionate? Yes... They are all up my alley."

He spoke as he daydreamed then raises up his index finger. "... Or just some totally hot stranger who gets to meet her?"

"I possess all those traits, though... but...what if someone takes her away...?" he pondered on those words and gazed at Tsubaki with eyes filled with sincerity and truthfulness.

"That's... something I can't let happen."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Eh? You're still asking that? It's simple. I just...." He started.

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"Oh! It's Umemiya-san."

"Tsubaki-san is also here."

Multiple voices started ringing in the hallways of Furin's first years as all the boys kept on staring at the men walking down the hallway oozing with noticeable aura.

One was striking various poses reminding that of a very confident model walking down the runway with his hair swinging beautifully side by side.

The other was boosting a dependable-like vibe. An impeccable captain piloting in the dangerous open waters. It was like the incarnation of passion and charisma.

But these respectable individuals came with conviction for a whole lot nonsensical matter which their current spectators held no suspicions of.

Tsubaki stared at Umemiya with eyes of curiousity, he had no idea what their leader was up to. He just blindly followed him to where he is going without any awareness of his plan.

When they reached the room of Class 1. Umemiya stopped and slid the door open.

"Yukiiii!!!" He shouted.

The person whose name has been called obviously flinches from surprise. 

Her back was turned towards the door as she was busy talking to her classmates. So, she had no idea Umemiya would come to their classroom calling for her attention. She turned to his direction with an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"What?" She unenthusiastically answered and then found her eyes wandering to the long hair behind Umemiya who smiled at her. She lifted her lips in return but couldn't help the twitching of her eyes as she also saw how Tsubaki was holding unto Umemiya.

"Let me sit in."

"Huh...?!!!" The entire class shouted in bewilderment at the sudden request of Umemiya, the leader of their very own Bofurin.

'Let's observe the opponents.'

#unedited.