SaneGiyuu: Loving You Is Easy

PART 61: AN ILLUSION.

Shinobu chuckled softly, a little curious about Giyuu's sudden change in demeanour. She reached out, her hand moving up to gently pat his cheek.

"What's wrong?"

Giyuu's gaze was fixed on the floor as he took a deep breath in.

Shinobu leaned closer, nodding understandingly.
"Go on, tell me."

Giyuu looked at her, his eyes shining under the golden light.
"T-There's something I didn't tell you..."

He swallowed hard, his heart pounding inside his chest.

Shinobu's expression turned curious, and she leaned in even closer, her ear practically pressing against Giyuu's lips as she waited for him to continue.

"What is it...?"
She whispered.

Giyuu was quiet, unsure if he should really tell her.

"Spit it out, Tomioka-san."
She insisted, and Giyuu knew he couldn't stay silent now.

His head seemed to swim in all sorts of directions, but he tried to control himself. He took a long, deep breath in, preparing himself before he told Shinobu everything.

"W-Well... the other day..."
He closed his eyes and swallowed.

"I-I met Uzui-San."
There was a certain shaky pain in his voice, and Shinobu could tell.

She sat back, staring at Giyuu with a certain glint of curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Uzui-San?"
She repeated his name, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What did he say to you?"
Her gaze was intense, searching for any signs of what had transpired between the two.

Giyuu's eyes saddened, and he let out a deep, shaky breath.

"Kocho... I-I only trust you, and so I'm telling you this..."
He held both her hands, squeezing them gently. His gaze was way more serious now, as if he wanted to seek help from her.

Shinobu squeezed his hands back, her expression filled with concern as she nodded slowly.

"Understood, Tomioka-san... You can trust me. I'll always be here for you."

She forced a reassuring smile.
"Tell me, what happened...?"

Though it was extremely tough for Giyuu to open up, he gulped and began.

"I... I encountered Uzui-San not long ago, and he asked me if everything was going alright with Shinazugawa-San..."

Shinobu's eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward again, her eyes sparkling with suspicion.

"...And?"
She urged him on.

"What did you say to him?"
She could feel her heart pounding rapidly in her chest, anxious to hear his reply.

Giyuu looked at her with a mixture of sadness and frustration.

"I-I couldn't understand how he had found out..."
His voice trembled slightly as he continued.

"H-He told me that he... he overheard..."

He closed his eyes, holding back tears as his voice cracked, his breath hitched in his throat.

Shinobu's eyes widened, and her grip on his hands tightened in shock.

"Overheard...?"
Her mind was racing, trying to piece everything together and figure out what had happened.

"Overheard what?"

Giyuu's eyes were closed shut, his voice barely audible as he answered her.

"O-Overheard... Sh-Shinazugawa-San..."
He swallowed hard, his grip on Shinobu's hand loosening slightly.