Realize (A Nisekoi fanfic)

Chapter 1

Note that this happens after Raku and Chitoge see Hana (Chitoge's mom) off.

Chapter 1

We're going back to school today, but I'm still exhausted from trying to straighten out the whole Chitoge-and-I-in-a-hotel-suite-for-Christmas thing but thankfully, it's all cleared out now.

While walking to school, I remember Hana-san's words from the airport.

Is this really nothing but a sham, I wonder?

Are your feelings for that girl really nothing more than a sham?

She probably just got the wrong idea with how I acted about Chitoge. Of course, I had to go all out to prove that I have genuine feelings for that brutal gorilla. My life was on the line! You try getting threatened to be drowned in Tokyo Bay.

I still think my efforts were for nothing though, with how she already knew we were just faking it. Seriously, it would have been better if she just told us from the beginning.

"Ohayo, Darling," a familiar voice suddenly greets, making me jump.

Turning around, I see a certain blue-eyed half-american with blonde hair that turns pink at the ends. I've always wondered if that was natural.

"Ohayo, Honey," I greet her back as she joins me and we walk to school together.

"Etto... Raku," Chitoge calls me, making us stop as I turn to her.

"Yeah?"

"Umm, I.. you know.. uhh.." I raise an eyebrow. There's something off with her today.

"What is it? Do you need something? You forgot something at your place? There's still time for us to go and get it," I tell her, beginning to walk towards the direction of their mansion, but she grabs my sleeve, making me stop.

"N-no. That's not it," she mumbles, staring at the ground.

Okay, now I'm starting to get worried.

"Then what is it?"

"A-about Christmas Eve," she starts, surprising me. "What you did for me and Mama. I-I... No one's ever done something like that for me before, and we really patched things up, and it wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you."

Wait, is she saying what I think she's saying?

"S-so I guess, what I mean to say is," she pauses, looking at the side, and I think I can faintly see a light blush on her cheeks. "...is thank you." The last part was almost a whisper that I almost didn't catch it. Almost.

I could feel myself smiling at her rare show of gratitude.

"No problem," I reply with a smile.

"So, what'd you talk about?" I ask, but she looks at me strangely and I realize that that was probably a private matter, so I quickly add. "If it's okay to ask."

Much to my surprise, she just giggled and we continued walking. That giggle was actually cute. I've never heard her do that before.

I-I mean, the giggle was cute, not her. Not saying that she's not cute, it's kind of a well-known fact that everyone knows she's stunning-- not that I think that!- but then again, there's the fact that she could probably beat a professional wrestler any day, but strangely I'm the only one who sees that.