Unspoken

CHAPTER 27 : The fox plushie

THIRD PERSON POV

Mikha knocked softly on the door of Y/n's dorm, her heart doing that familiar flutter when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. The door creaked open, and there she was— Y/n, wearing an oversized shirt that swallowed her frame, her hair a little tousled as she pushed a stray strand behind her ear. The sight of her, radiant as always, made Mikha's heart skip a beat.

"Hi," Mikha said, holding a book in her right hand. Her left hand was casually tucked into the pocket of her pants, though it was a struggle to appear nonchalant when her pulse was racing.

"Hey, Mikha. Come on in," Y/n said, her voice warm and inviting, like it always was, making everything feel a little brighter. Mikha couldn't help but smile back.

As Mikha stepped into the room, her eyes immediately locked on the bed, where a small plush fox rested between Y/n's pillows. There it was—the very same fox Y/n had won just two days ago at the fair, the one she had playfully teased Mikha about with that confident, mischievous smile. The sight of it brought a rush of memories flooding back—the way they had laughed until their sides ached, how effortlessly Y/n had hit every dart, and the warmth of Y/n's hand brushing against hers, sending a surge of warmth straight through Mikha's chest with each stolen glance. It felt like magic, like the universe had conspired to create that perfect, fleeting moment just for them. Mikha had fumbled with the game, missing every throw, but none of it mattered—not when Y/n's presence made everything feel so right. That day, with Y/n, was now etched in Mikha's heart as one of the most cherished memories she'd ever carry.

"Finally gave that cute thing a name?" Mikha asked, her voice light and playful as she pointed toward the plush fox. Her heart thudded a little faster when she saw Y/n's gaze linger on it.

Y/n hesitated, her fingers brushing the soft fur of the fox as if it brought her some kind of comfort. "Not yet," she replied, her voice soft. "Still thinking about it."

Mikha chuckled and sat down on the edge of the bed, pretending to be annoyed as she shook her head. "I still can't believe I suck at every game we tried," she said, the playful tone not quite hiding the admiration in her voice. "You were a pro at that dart game. It was like you'd done it a million times."

Y/n shrugged, clearly trying to downplay her success, but Mikha could see the glint of pride in her eyes. "I just got lucky, I guess," she said, a mischievous twinkle in her gaze. "But, um..." She trailed off, her gaze flickering to the fox before meeting Mikha's eyes. "It's actually kind of special to me."

Mikha raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the way Y/n spoke. "Special?" she repeated, a playful grin tugging at her lips.

Y/n shifted slightly, her fingers brushing the fox again as if gathering her thoughts. She bit her lip, glancing down at the plushie before looking back at Mikha, almost shyly. "Yeah," she said softly. "It's just... every time I look at it, I think of that day. It was so much fun. And... um, it reminds me of you."

Mikha froze, her breath catching in her throat. It reminds her of me? Those words echoed in her mind, sending a warm, fluttering sensation through her chest. She quickly looked away, trying to hide the smile that threatened to escape, not wanting Sophie to see how much that simple sentence affected her. But Mikha couldn't stop the blush creeping up her neck, the heat of it spreading across her cheeks. Why does that make me feel like I'm about to burst?

Y/n, sensing the shift, smiled nervously and reached up to push a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I mean, I'm not saying it's exactly like you, but... there's something about it. Something about the way it's, like, unexpected but still cute. And, um... I don't know." She let out a little laugh, clearly embarrassed. "I just... I guess it makes me think of you, that's all."

Mikha's heart skipped a beat. She could feel her chest tightening, her stomach doing flips. The words Y/n had just said lingered in her mind, playing over and over again. Mikha was certain her heart was about to explode from how fast it was beating.

Trying to regain her composure, Mikha cleared her throat and looked back at Y/n, a teasing smile on her lips. "You think I'm cute now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow playfully. "I'm gonna start charging for compliments, you know."

Y/n's face flushed, and she quickly shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant!" she exclaimed, her voice a little flustered. She bit her lip, clearly trying to recover. "I just... I don't know. You're always surprising me, Mikha. In the best way."

Mikha's heart melted at the sincerity in Y/n's voice, the way her eyes softened as she spoke. She couldn't help but feel that familiar warmth spreading through her chest—the kind that made everything else in the world feel distant, just the two of them, in that moment.

"You know," Mikha said, her voice quieter now, "I think you might be the one who's been surprising me all along."

Y/n looked up at her, the vulnerability in her eyes making Mikha's chest tighten again. "Really?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mikha nodded, her gaze never leaving Y/n's. "Yeah," she said, her heart pounding in her ears. "You, Y/n... you've got this way of making everything feel... different. Like I'm seeing the world in a new way when I'm with you."

Y/n's breath caught, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke. There was something between them now, something that neither could ignore. The air was thick with tension, and Mikha couldn't remember a time when she had felt this much hope—and something else, something that felt like it might be the start of something new, something more.

Finally, Y/n broke the silence with a soft smile, though her cheeks were still flushed. "Okay, enough of this sappy stuff. We've got a quiz to study for, remember?" she said, though her voice was light, almost teasing.

Mikha couldn't help but laugh. "Right, the quiz," she said, trying to push aside the feeling that was blooming in her chest.

As they settled into their study session, their laughter mingling with soft glances, Mikha couldn't help but wonder if this was the start of something they were both trying to hide—but secretly hoped for all along.