Momo❤︎Tomo [COMPLETED]

❤︎Chapter 5: Another Day Together Begins

On her way to school the next day, Momoka repeatedly checked her phone, waiting for a "Good Morning!" from her sweet Tomomi.

But she was met with the same, inactive chat screen that she'd seen come to an abrupt close last night. Tomomi had read the message -- her phone insisted -- seconds after she'd sent it.

But for some reason, he had chosen not to reply.

To ease her thoughts and get it together for the new morning at school, Momoka settled with Tomomi having just fallen asleep before he could reply.

"I'll text first this time!" She quickly typed a cheerful "good morning!" With several heart emojis and smiley faces to follow up the greeting and slipped her phone back into her bag.

"The second day our relationship had begun...." Momoka grinned excitedly to herself, thinking of walking hand in hand with Tomomi to their classroom. The thought itself made her giddy.

Eager to hurry and get to school in hopes of him waiting for her at the school's front gate, Momoka sped up into a light jog.

•••••••••

Tomomi gazed quietly out of the window of his limousine, his thoughts clouded heavily. He watched the trees and cars passing by outside and let out a sigh.

"Tomomi."

He felt the corners of his mouth twitch with annoyance as he looked at the woman sitting across from him -- his grandmother.

"Yes, Grandmother." It took everything he had in him to answer back "respectfully" and "obediently." Over the years, he had grown to hate her more than any person in his unfortunate life.

"You nearly forgot your pills and protein shake this morning, and I'm getting rather concerned." She spoke without emotion in her voice, despite her "worried" words.

"It simply slipped my mind. Nothing to worry about."

Someone get me out of this stupid car with this stupid woman before I jump out myself!

"Nothing to worry about? Have you lost your mind? Those pills are keeping you alive right now, after all. And just last night you nearly had an episode after practicing your piano!"

"...It was nothing. I just couldn't catch my breath for a minute. It happens sometimes because of my condition."

"It was probably a mild attack. You must have screwed up your daily routine again. What did you do yesterday to cause any unnecessary excitement? You know it's not good for you."

"I didn't do anything, Grandmother. Everything that happened yesterday went as smoothly and as normal as the day before...and it will continue that way tomorrow. And the next day. Unchanged and perfect..so that I won't gain excitement for my weak heart condition. No need to worry." Tomomi felt like spitting the words out, but he was practically trained to speak elegantly, fluidly, and refined. His grandmother would definitely notice something had changed if he let his true free form of speech show at the moment. If he got to defensive, she'd be on to him.

"Good." His grandmother replied. "I believe you. Now, as I always say before you leave for school..."

The limo stops in front of the school gate.

"..Stay away from girls. They'll mean the most trouble at your age. And stay away from those darned rowdy bows from the school soccer team....what was that one child's name...Tadami...?"

"...Tadashi."

My best friend.

"Whatever. Stay away from him, too. He's such a noisy brat. I'm afraid you'd have a heart attack being around him."

"I understand."

"Good."

"I'll be going to class, then."

Mrs. Maruyama places her hand over Tomomi's, stopping him before he can get out of the car.

"Wait. I wanted to know why there were so many sounds coming from your phone last night when I passed by your room. Why were you laughing so much?"

Tomomi's heart beat quickened. Had he really been that loud talking to Momoka last night? He hadn't realized his laugh could reach the old bat's ears.

"...I was watching something."

"Hmm. I see. Well don't watch exciting things before bed anymore, understood? And stay away from those videos with jump scares at the end, you'd pass out in a minute."

"I understand, Grandmother..." Tomomi felt like he was about to explode and start yelling at her to shut up when he caught sight of Momoka standing next to the school gates. She was waiting for someone -- probably him -- while checking her phone repeatedly.

"Oh, and one more thing..."

"I know. 'Stay away from exciting things or it'll mean a trip to the hospital.' If you'll excuse me, I'll be late if I stay in here and chat any longer."

"Have a nice, safe day at school, darling."

Not planning on it.

Tomomi smiles to himself as he steps out of the car and doesn't look back when he hears it leave. Momoka scans the streets before the school gate again, and their eyes meet.

The tingly feeling in Tomomi's chest returns -- the one that he feels when he's close to her, thinking about her, or looking at her. The happiness he feels outside his own home returns as well.

And with Momoka at his side, and all of the loud, exciting friends he had made secretly over the years, Tomomi planned to live his days to the fullest without some stupid weak heart condition to slow him down.

Momoka Namida was probably the most exciting person Tomomi had ever met. His grandmother would never approve of her. Not that he cared. She wasn't ever going to find out.

His heart was weak, but he knew Momoka was good for him.

"Good morning!" Tomomi jogs up to her and takes her hand.

"Tomomi!" Momoka's pretty round eyes sparkle. Something about he way her face lit up made her seem like she was relieved about something.

"Why didn't you text me back? Did something happen?"

Tomomi had already thought of his response, "I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep."

One day, Momoka Namida, I will show you who I truly am. The me that's trapped on the inside. But it's not okay yet. All because of my weak heart.