There Might Not Be a Tomorrow

Distance

     Ever since Tendou has been in our group he's been avoiding me for some reason. Gosh, it's confusing me and making me feel self-conscious about myself. Do I seem cold? I'm one of the more opened and welcoming members of our group of friends. Is he still mad about the incident where I bumped into him? Does he feel bad for getting in my way? I mean it's not a big deal; the hallways don't belong to me and I should have been more careful in where I was going. He's usually a quiet guy and speaks when he feels he has something to add to the conversation but whenever I talk or the attention is on me, he just turns away or acts like he doesn't care about what I have to say. And this is especially evident after school when our friends have gone home and it's only me, Yuusuke, and him. I would talk to Yuusuke and he would be silent and keep his head down or looking at the scenery around us. Then, when Yuusuke brings him into the same conversation he gives simple "Mhm", "I think so", and "Hmm that's interesting". Seriously, what's going on here?

     During lunch when Tendou wasn't around, I pulled Yuusuke to the side and asked him if he's aware Tendou is giving me the cold shoulder. 

"Eck! Don't worry, Moa. I doubt he hates you. If someone were to hate you, Moa Kikuchi, then they must have a dark hole in their heart or not have a soul. He's probably still trying to get comfortable with us as well as with this school in general. Let him find his groove in due time." 

"I guess you're right. I shouldn't have made such assumptions about Tendou. He's a good person. But hey, can you do me one teeny tiny little favor?" 

"Yes?" "The three of us are usually the last ones to left when walking home and I'm the first one to reach home; leaving you two as the last ones, right?" 

"Uhh yeah. Haha, it's been that way for some time now." 

"Alright. So when you two are by yourselves--" 

"No, Moa. I'm not gonna touch him inappropriately and have him lose trust in me as a friend." 

"No you idiot. I want you to ask him why he's been ignoring me, that's all. I want to know for sure instead of just speculating. Do that for me, please?" With a deep sigh, Yuusuke reluctantly agreed to do so. "Okay, okay.....I will."

     It's now after school; every has gone their way home as well as Moa leaving the usual suspects to themselves. Before Moa went inside, she gave Yuusuke a signal with her eyes reminding him to do her bidding. A few minutes of silence and walking passed by when Yuusuke went in to execute his promise. 

"So....uh, Tendou. Do you mind if I ask you something?" 

"No, I don't mind. Ask away." 

"Do you like Moa?" Feeling nervous and slightly blushing, Tendou responded. 

"Huh? Well--ah-uh--...As a friend, yeah. Why?" 

"Oh! Um--well, I have a hunch you've been neglecting her and not being as much of a friend to her as you are to the rest of us." 

"Ah! I'm very sorry about that. I didn't mean to treat her coldly. I thought, since, you know, you two are a couple I didn't want you to think I was flirting with her and take her away from you." When Yuusuke heard him say "couple" his mind went into a state of shock. Neurons were shooting across synapses at high speeds leaving him dumbfounded. After a couple of seconds he recovered from the shock.

"W-w-wait what? You thought we were-- Oh no, no, no, no, no we're not--we're just friends. We're not together--hehehe..." He was nervously laughing trying to diffuse the embarrassment on his face.

"Oh--really? You're not? You guys seem to gel so well together that I thought you guys were a thing, you know? Oh man, I'm sorry for thinking like that. I shouldn't make those kinds of conclusion just because you guys are best friends." 

"Eh--no, no it's fine. You don't need to apologize." Awkward silence filled the void of their conversation.

"Ok, so now that that's cleared things up...I guess I can tell you why I'm actually avoiding her. Why I'm purposefully--intentionally--avoiding her."

Shocked to hear those words out of Tendou's mouth, Yuusuke remained silent and paid an attentive ear to what he was going to say next.

"My apologies for being ambiguous but....whenever I'm around her....I feel uncomfortable. I have these--these--sensations in my chest that hurt me when I get them. They're actually quite painful, I tell you. I know it sounds stupid and doesn't explain much but that's why I've been acting distant towards her."

"Awwww! Smoochie smoochie-- Somebody's in wooooove!" Teased Yuusuke in a lovey-dovey voice.

"No, no that's not it. I--" Suddenly a car pulled up next to them. The window on the driver's side rolled down and a woman's head popped out. 

"Tendou, you need a ride? Jump in!" 

"Ok, mom! I guess this goodbye then. See you, Yuusuke!" 

"Yeah, take care, Tendou!" 

"Do you need a ride too, young man?" Tendou's mom asked Yuuske. 

"Oh, no thank you. I'm not too far from my house. I can walk." 

"Alright then. Be safe!" The car drove off and Yuusuke continued his way home.

     Later that night, Yuusuke received a text from Moa reading, "So what did you find out?" He texted back, "Stuff. Oh and thanks for making me have the most uncomfortable conversation with Tendou. You're such a great friend. 10/10 -___-"

"lol i am. so tell me what happened"

"we held hands and walked towards the sunset"

"c'mon b serious now >:l"

"he said he's ben avoiding u b/c he thought u were my gf and he didnt want me to think he was taking u from me. funny right?"

"aww really :3 lol thats so cute! we would never ever EVER be a thing. no chance lol >;D." 

"he told me sumthing else after that. he said that when he's around u he feels 'things' towards u"

"what things?"

"he likes you. do i hav to speel it out?"

" *spell "

"eh?really?"

"i think dats wat he wuz getting at. but idk"

"anything else?"

"nope"

"so that's how it is then. k good job wakaishuu! oyasumi!"

"oyasumi"

"oi! let's not make it obvious"

"make wat obvious?"

"lets just act like this never happened. idk how he'll react if he knew we used him like this"

"no duh. just keep it low key"

"good. oyasumi"

"ZzzzZzzzz....."