Undeniably Yours

26: No one else mattered.

*****

After some time, she wearily took a seat again.

‘Just what was that?’

She hadn’t been able to fully process what had just happened when another voice called out again.

“Miss?”

She look at the person with a glare. He was a guy, about her age, with a tall build and wavy black hair.

“Yes?” she hissed, irritation obviously showing in her voice.

After all that happened today, she was not up in the mood for a conversation, especially to people she doesn’t know. Everything was just slowly taking a toll on her.

The guy seems a tad affrighted at her attitude, but still pursued. “Are you alone?”

Shiho fought the urge to roll her eyes. She looked at her left and right sides before answering, “Can you see someone beside me?”

The guy looked at her stupidly. “No.”

She shrugged her shoulder. “Then that answered your obvious question.”

“Oh”, the guy exclaimed in embarrassment. “Then maybe I can sit here.” He pointed to the empty space beside her, and before she can even answer, he proceeded to take the seat, and showed her a smirk.

This time, she really rolled her eyes. She was annoyed. She wanted silence at the moment.

“What’s your name?” the guy inquired. “I’m Matsuda, by the way.”

She gave her a look before she answered in monotone, indicatinh her uninterest.“Sherry.”

The guy smiled. “Oh, nice name! Like the one put in fruitcakes, it suits you! You look sweet.” The guy, trying to impress, commented stupidly.

Shiho looked at him in bewilderment. She felt the urge to laugh sarcastically at the guy. ‘Seriously? How can this guy be so stupid?’

She tried to reply in a polite manner, but it came out sarcastic anyway. “It’s Sherry, not CHERRY, Matsuda-san.”

The guy blushed an embarrassingly shade of red. “R-right…I’m just joking, you know.”

Shiho smirked. “For someone joking, you sounded pretty serious to me.”

Matsuda just laughed awkwardly. ‘Damn it.’

There was a brief silence after that.

‘At last…silence.’ Shiho thought.

She felt sorry for embarrassing the guy, but she really is not the type to entertain people, especially guys that are hitting on her. She sighed, and glanced at her watch. It reads 7PM already. Shiho scanned the surrounding. It was getting really late, and she wanted to go home.

The chiming of the bell caught her attention. It was the signal for the start of the bonfire. Several couples then began to dance on the open ground. It was time for the yearly traditional dance.

Again, she searched the ground for Nicholas. He was nowhere to be found. Instead of finding his blonde bestfriend, she caught a glimpse of the detective at the other side of the field. And surprisingly, his cobalt blue eyes gleamed with intensity as it stared at her. He was frowning. She immediately averted her gaze. She felt her heart thundered.

‘He’s looking at me? For how long now?’ she asked mentally. She can feel her cheeks warm a little.

She wanted to look at his side again, but stopped herself. ‘Stop, Shiho. He might get the wrong idea.’

She decided to leave the place. She will go home. She’ll just text Nik.

She stood up silently, but before she could even take a step, a hand swiftly stopped her in her tracks.
She looked back, stupidly half expecting it was the detective. It was not. It was Matsuda. She scowled.

‘Right, this guy existed.’ She thought with a frown.

She raised an eyebrow, and gave him a what-do-you-want look.

“Are you going?” he asked stupidly.

“Obviously. Duh.” She replied rudely. She wanted to get out of here immediately.

He also stood up, his hand still holding her arm.

She looked at his hand, and threw him a deathly glare.

“Let me go.” She hissed, as she attempts to pull her arm away, however, to no avail. He was still a guy, after all.

“Let’s dance first.” He replied, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

“No.” she coldly replied.

Matsuda does not seem to be affected. “Oh, you’re so cold, Sherry-chan!” he exclaimed as he tightened his hold. She tried to pull her arm again. His hold just tightened more.

Shiho winced a bit. “Let me go!”

“Just one dance.” He said as he started to drag her to the open field.

“Hey, you—" She didn’t get to finish what she was saying for she was suddenly yanked backwards by an unknown force as Matsuda was thrown off to the ground.

It happened so fast, everyone gasped. Matsuda lay flat on the ground, his hand feeling his now bruised face. Nobody dared to talk, or move even.

It was the first time they had seen Kudo Shinichi flipped out like that.

Surely, it was not a good thing for his image. But he did not seem to care. To him, only the astonished auburn-blonde girl beside him mattered.

Before everyone had the chance to react, the detective already dragged her away from that place. 

*****