Secrets Of Spring | Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso ;; Watari Ryota |

Chapter Seven

Maika
The Next Day

The bell rings for lunch and I head to the dance studio. As I open the door, I see Watari leaning up against the windows. "What're you doing?" He asks.

I avoid eye contact with him and look around the room. "Just... Hanging out,"

"You were gonna practice, weren't you?"

I pretend to be baffled at his accusation. "Dancing during lunch? Pssh, no!" I try to stand my ground but he cocks an eyebrow. He can see right through me, huh? "Fine, yes! I was going to practice! What's the big deal?"

"You're not practicing, not after you passed out for hours yesterday," Watari recalls the events of the day before.

"But--!"

"No buts, your butt should be sitting and eating a nutritious lunch. Fuel yourself before you hurt yourself, that's my motto!"

"Fine, do you even have lunch with you?" I question him now.

Watari suddenly becomes sheepish. "Eh, no..."

"And you're telling me to eat?" I hand him one of the bao buns in my hand and he takes it.

"You're not gonna eat?"

"I brought two. I usually eat both because I get hungry after I practice," We sit down against the wall and start to eat. "So how's the team?"

"Good, I guess. They were being stalkers yesterday when you fell asleep but I got rid of them. Other than that, they're fine," He responds and takes a bite.

"Ugh, were they being creepy again?"

"When aren't they being creepy?"

"Honestly, why do they have to be like this?"

"It's because you're pretty," He responds. I freeze and almost choke.

"Wha-" I start to say when he stands up.

"Heh, sorry I need to go to the bathroom, be right back!" He yells and runs out.

Watari

I finally stop running as I come up to the bathroom door. "Why am I running? We've been friends forever, so why is this happening?"

"Oh, hey, Watari." I hear a voice say. I look up and see Kousei walking up to the bathroom. "Is everything okay?" He inquires.

"Kousei! I need to talk to you," I say. I explain the whole story to him and he listens without saying a word. "And now, I don't know what to think,"

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you so worked up about a girl before," Kousei finally speaks up.

"But this is Maika we're talking about," I clarify.

"Do you not see her as a girl?" Kousei asks.

"Well, I mean yeah, obviously but not in that way. I wouldn't say she's like a sister but she's one of my best friends," I try to explain even though I don't think I make sense.

"If you're so caught up on this, maybe she is more to you than you think," Kousei hypothesizes. "I mean, she does like you,"

I cock my eyebrow and scoff. "Of course, as a friend though," Kousei looks at me with a judgemental look, disappointment and disgust filling his eyes. "What?!"