Serendipity

VI - Need to Feel Needed

 Suzuka gazed into Yousuke's unassuming eyes awaiting his answer. "Uh, I... I guess? What do you need help with?" "I... I...," Panicking, she decides to drop the subject fearing it would only make the already uncomfortable atmosphere more uneasy for the both of them. Relieved and disappointed Suzuka left for the laundry room to check up on her clothes. 

"Hey Suzuka, do your parents usually work this late?"

"Whaddya mean?"

"It's almost midnight and I haven't heard anyone walk up to the porch."

"Oh! You see... they don't live here... anymore."

"What? So then where do they live?"

"Just around the block. They bought another house in my second year of high school and they've been living there since. They moved into their new home while they left this for me and Himeka. But then she moved out not too long ago I've had this place all to myself."

"Wow. So your parents left you here just like that? Why?"

"They said something along the lines of wanting to prepare me for the real world. Living on my own, being independent -- things like that. I at least help them pay the bills for this house while they take care of other things for me."

"Interesting. So they gave you your childhood home while they live somewhere else. I'm pretty sure they drop by every now and then to check up on you right?"

"No, not really. Because I work with my father at his studio they don't need to worry about where I'm at because I'm never too far from their sights." 

Yousuke was quite intrigued, and slightly envious, with Suzuka's current living situation. Having a space of your own with minimal interference from others felt like a far stretched dream to him. Suzuka prepared a futon for Yousuke as they got ready to head for bed.

"Is this really okay for you, Su-chan? I don't mind sleeping in the living room, if you want."

"No, no this is fine. I rarely have any guests spend the night and it's been a long time since I've had a sleepover." The two friends laid on their backs, staring blankly into the darkness above them; a clock hanging on her wall tediously ticked away the seconds. 

"So Yousuke," "Yeah?" "What do you... think about girls?" "Eh? Is...", he shook his head snickering, "is that a trick question?" "Mmmm... no, I'm just curious. We rarely, if ever, have deep, heart-to-heart types of conversations you know." "That's probably because we were too young to even wrap our heads around such topics. The only thing I can recall that was anywhere close to a deep conversation was wondering what we would wish for if we had the genie's lamp."  

"True, but still: what do you think about girls?"

"Well, they're okay I guess -- I mean there's not too much to like or dislike about them, if that makes sense. Do you have any problems with girls?"

"Being one myself I can't say I do. Either I do and I've just gotten used to it is also quite difficult for me to say." She waited to see if Yousuke was going to say anything else. When nothing happened she continued.

" So then... what would you do if, oh I don't know, some girl were to tell you they like you?"

"What do you mean?"

 Suzuka was confused. "What do you mean 'what do I mean?' Like, for example, you met this girl, right, and you guys click right away. So far so good?" 

"So far, yes."

"Then somewhere along the way this girl starts to catch feelings for you but she doesn't know if you like her back. She really wants to tell you how she feels but she is afraid of being rejected by you, or worse, destroying the friendship she's built with you. And then years go by in which you two lose touch with each other only to reunite years later. Although feeling a bit foolish she still has these feelings for you. She confesses that she likes you and...." Fearing she had revealed too much she fell silent. "And?", questioned Yousuke, "And what else?" "And... that's it. What would you do?"