Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 45

_Chapter 45~ Feelings_

         "Kikuchi-senpai! Let's spend lunch together!"

          Groggily raising my head from my desk, I rubbed my eyelids and took in the male standing at the foot of my desk, grinning from ear to ear. I blankly stared at him for awhile, trying to make sense of the presence of the redhead. "What?" I eventually mustered out, attempting to cover the yawn threatening to leave my mouth by the use of my hand.

         Aki let out a laugh, leaning forward so he could catch a good glimpse of my face. "Were you sleeping in class? Tsk, tsk. That's no way for a student to spend their time. Did you not get enough rest yesterday?"

          "Not much at all this entire weekend." I yawned once more, dropping my face back onto my desk in a way of face-planting. I shut my eyes, not wanting to even recall the reason as to why.

         Which was why I wasn't even the least bit surprised to hear the hostility oozing from the voice beside me.

          "Who gave you the permission to come barging in here?"

        My heart heavy in my chest, I bit on my lip to keep it from quivering. Why was he standing up for me?

   "I don't need permission," Aki snapped at his older brother. "I'm just here to spend quality time with my senpai—something that shouldn't concern the likes of you."

          Ryu visibly fumed. "Kikuchi isn't forced to comply to anything you say."

          "Neither do you have the obligation of interfering so butt out," Aki growled. He snagged me by the arm. "Come with me, Senpai. I don't want to be anywhere near this guy."

          Left with no other choice but to relent to Aki's persistent tugs, I rose my head from my desk. Ryu immediately sprung from his seat, clasping onto Aki's arm that was holding me. "Let go of her."

         Aki glared daggers into the male. "I don't think I will."

           Ryu stiffened at first before strain breached his features. "If you're only doing this to get on my bad side, you don't have to keep this up. Trust me, you've already earned yourself on the list."

           A scoff left Aki's mouth. "You flatter yourself too much. I just happen to like spending time with Kikuchi-senpai. What's it to you?"

          Ryu's fingers balled into fists. "Aki, you...."

           A frown tilted down the corners of my lips as I watched this all unfold. The entire classroom, filled with minimal amount of students, were too absorbed in their own conversations to really regard what was going on. I guessed it was because they were already exposed to this all from the Cultural Festival.

          Swallowing back all traces of my lingering resentment, I glanced Ryu's way. His gaze flickered over to me, only managing to make my heart swell with unnecessary emotion. Similar to the other night, only concern and slight surprise coated his expression. Unable to keep our eye-contact up, I dropped my gaze onto the floor. I shrugged Aki's hand off of me, hastening towards the doorway.

          It wasn't long after I turned into the hallway did I hear footfalls come pursuing after me. Aki and I fell into step, his eyelids fluttering opened and closed in rapid motions.

           "Whoa," he eventually mustered out. "I did not expect you to give him that kind of look." Pausing, a tiny smirk plastered itself onto his face. "Does this mean I've moved up to the top of your favourites scale?"