StarLit / Yaoi

StarLit / Chapter 8

My thoughts were spiraling in all directions. I couldn't get the look on his face out of my head. He looked so betrayed. Obviously I had destroyed what little trust he had in me. He probably wouldn't go near me again.

"So why did he run off like that?" My mom asked, staring at me. She had to yell a but to reach her voice over the exploding noise of fireworks.

I sighed irritably. Should I go after him? That might be best, right? I mean, I still have a chance to make this right again. If I do nothing he'll just hate me and we'll never talk again. Then he'll have to go to his uncle's place and now I knew why that was a bad idea.

I ran after him.

My parents shouted after me, but I didn't stop. They called out to Kioko to grab me, but she didn't move. As I passed her she gave me a monotoned expression as she ate a bun. I said thank you to her, but I'm sure the reason she didn't stop me was to help me but rather because that meant effort.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs I frantically looked for him, then realized he hadn't gone far at all. He was sitting on the ground by a tree that stood right beside the gate. His shoulders were shaking and his face was shielded in his arms. "Yasuma..." I reached out, but he flinched away. "I'm sorry" I knealed down to him, but he ignored me. "I shouldn't have done that"

He still didn't respond and I was beginning to get a bad feeling about it, until he put his head up and stared at me. His face wasn't covered in tears like I originally thought. Instead, it was red. Really red. Like he got a burn from the fireworks, red. He stared at me and the red in his face only reddened more. "W-why did you d-doing that?"

"Um... I just wanted to... I guess"

He flinched for some reason and looked down at the concrete. He was blinking so fast I thought he'd get a headache before he could get another word in. "So... Um..." He trailed off again.

"You don't hate me, do you?" I asked. He quickly looked up at me, then back down at the concrete.

"N-no. I don't hate you. No"

"Then why'd you run away?" I asked lazily.

Okay, so I may be lazy, but I'm not an idiot. I knew exactly what he was feeling, I just felt like I'd get him to admit it.

He moved further from me as I sat down. "Well... See... I ran cause... It's a difficult situation, you and me"

"It's not difficult. We're pretending to date so those guys stop targeting you. And I felt like kissing you. That's all there is to it" I felt like if he got any further from me I'd have to start screaming over the fireworks. I could barely hear his stuttering as it was. Thankfully no one was paying much attention to us and focused solely on the brilliant display in the sky.

He looked over at me again. "So does that mean you... You know?"

"What?"

He turned away again. I swear he was getting so hot he could burn someone simply with one touch. "L-like me?"

I nodded. "Your fun to hang out with"

"I meant as a... Real boyfriend. Not just faking"

Somehow I felt bad for making him say all this, but it made me feel better bearing that I hadn't completely ruined everything. "Do you want to start dating? For real?"

He faced me again, his face burning hot with embarrassment. Just that alone was adorably cute. "Um..."

"Gross" I heard Kioko say as she knealed down. I glared at her. "Hey, I'm not happy either. Dad made me come down and get you. Apparently we only have today to hang out, but really whose fault is that?"

"Why are you here?" I demanded, kind of annoyed she ruined the romantic flow.

She shrugged. "I was going to just leave but then I overheard you say that and I just had to say something"

"No one asked for your opinion"

"I know no one asked for it. I just wanted to express it. But do whatever you want, I don't care"

"Then go?"

She groaned. "I'm just going to sit here"

I frowned and turned back to Yasuma who finally calmed down. His face wasn't as red and he was cracking a smile. "You guys are really lazy, aren't you?"

I nodded with a bit of a laugh. "We are. Don't know where we get it from though"

"Certainly didn't come from our parents" Kioko grumbled, referring to how actively adventurous they were, no doubt.

Sighing I turned to face him, ignoring my lazy sister, and stared at him. "So?"

"Hm?"

"Do you?" I really didn't feel comfortable with her sitting there. I felt limited to the things I could say and do.

He shrugged. "Wouldn't it be weird?"

"Probably. But wouldn't you rather be with someone you love rather than someone who's just using you?"

He put his head down to stare intently at the concrete. He must have seen that I was right. After all, I was probably the only person who actually cared about him. Those other idiots were just using him and that made me pissed. I wanted him to say yes to my proposal just so I could keep him at my side. Just so I could do all I could to protect him. I wasn't even sure if I was really in love.

"It'd be nice" he admitted with a smile on his face. "Ye-"

"Yuki!" A sudden, roaring voice seemed to overpower even the fireworks. We heard him from the otherside of a huge crowd, but no one looked, they were completely awe struck by the fireworks to notice this huge, muscular man approach us. He grabbed onto Yasuma and yanked him up. "Went to the festival?"

Just from the look in Yasuma's eyes I knew exactly who this person must have been. "I'm sorry" he replied quickly, not bothering to force his arm out of the man's grasp, but still flinching in preparation for a slap to the face.

"Get over here" he threw him at another man who was standing just behind him. "Get going. Go!"

I just watched. After Yasuma was dragged away I finally jumped up. The entire time I was perfectly paralyzed. There was nothing I could do, it was all so sudden and so... Terrifying.

Kioko stared at me with the most unforgettable look of fear plastered on her otherwise emotionless face. "What the hell was that?" She gasped.

All I could do was reply and regret. "His uncle" the only words I could seem to say.