Love Lies - A Koi to Uso Love Story

Chapter 1: The Girl Who Felt

  There's a boy...that I watch.

  I only do it for a short while...just so that he doesn't notice.

  But I just can't help myself. I guess it's true, I like him.

  I'm fine even if he doesn't feel the same way towards me, it's good enough knowing that he knows I exist. But this tight feeling in my chest that comes and goes even as he get near me. It's unbearable. But at the same time, I know we can't be together.

  Because this is a cruel world. Where love is forbidden.

  There's a law, where when you turn 16, the government assigns you to your future partner. This is someone that the government believes to be the person you are most compatible with, even though you've most likely hadn't even met prior to be arranged.

  It's our way of living now. Not for the good of love but for the good of the people.

  "Hey, Sora-chan?"

  My train of thought breaking as I heard a soft voice calling out my name.

  "Earth to Sora-chan?" The person said again. I looked up and standing above me was Misaki Takasaki. Her face shined with a bright smile and she let out a soft chuckle.

  "Huh? What were you saying?" I asked. Turning my attention away from the person I watched from afar.

  "I didn't say anything," She laughed again. "You weren't paying attention."

  "Yeah...I was..." I hesitated.

  "What were you staring at?" She giggled and turned around in the direction of my staring earlier.

  "M-misaki!!" I blushed. "N-nevermind it!"

  "Oh," she muttered. She turned back around and looked me straight in the eyes.

  Her eyes widen slightly and she looked kinda surprised.

  "Hmm?" I hummed, trying desperately to hide my embarrassment. She knows. My heart was racing a mile a minute. She knows! I felt like I was finished. I felt like I had to pack up my things and move far away under a fake name. My cheeks burned and I could feel that they were a deep shade of red.

  "Sorano-chan..." She said, still looking at me.

  "Hmm?" I hummed again. My gaze was focused down at my lap and my cheeks still felt burning hot.

  "Nisaka-kun..."

  I shut my eyes tightly, afraid of what she was going to say next.

  "You were staring at him weren't you?" I could feel her smile lightly. "Do you like him?"

  "W-w-w-whatever d-do y-y-you mean?" I stuttered forcing myself to not meet her gaze.

  "You do don't you?"

  "I think that depends on your definition of 'liking someone'."

  "My definition starts with the evidence of you staring at him." She giggled.

  "Please... don't say anything." I blushed again.

  "Do you plan on telling him?" She asked.

  I shrugged my shoulders. "I never really considered it. I don't think he'll even like me back."

  "C'mon, Sora-chan, don't be like that, you'll never know if you don't ask him."

  "Ask him?!" I squeaked. "I can't do that!"

  "Why not?" She asked. "You're turning 16 soon, aren't you?"

  "Yeah... you're right..." I looked down at my hands, sadness washed over me.

  "It's okay." Misaki consoled me.

  "But it's probably already too late. Soon, I'll be arranged to marry someone else." I felt tears well up in my eyes. "Why can't I just have what I want?"

  "It's not over yet. You never know, he could be your future partner." She poked me jokingly.

  That single thought stayed on my mind all throughout the day.

  "He could be...my future partner..." I muttered to myself. Just thinking about it made my heart go aflutter.

  I held my chopsticks in my hand loosely and poked around at my food.

  "Sorano? Are you alright?" My mother's voice rang out in my ears.

  "Huh?" I looked up. "Oh, uh, yeah I'm totally fine."

  "Really? You've barely touched your food."

  "I guess I'm just not very hungry." I said.

  "Oh okay." My mother said. Her face looked slightly worried. "Anyways, can you believe it? You could be getting your government notice in just 2 days?"

  "Ehh?!" The young woman sitting across from me yelled out and she dropped her chopsticks. "My lil sis is getting her government notice, so soon?! Just yesterday she was a little tiny baby."

  "Oh, yeah," I replied. "I guess time does fly by quickly."

  "Man, I remember getting mine with Soichi. I was so nervous." She looked off into the distance as if remembering something.

  "You and Soichi...." I started. "...do you guys...love...each other?"

  "What do you mean?" She asked. She looked at me, I could tell my sudden question had her taken by surprise.

  "I dunno," I muttered. "I'm just....feeling a little weird these days."

  "Weird? How?" Her head titled to the side in confusion.

  "I... nevermind." I said. "Forget I said anything."

  I finished the rest of my dinner and got up from my seat. I headed upstairs to my room and plopped down on my bed. A low groan erupted from my throat as I buried my face in my pillow.

  "You never know, he could be your future partner." Misaki's voice rang through my ears and I could feel my face heating up once again.

  In this world, such a thing is a possibility but it's rare. Not everyone becomes compatible enough to be matched with the person they've know all their life. I wish I was that lucky.

  I got up from my bed and moved to my computer desk. I sat in my chair and opened the desk drawer and pulled out a folder.

  I set it on my desk and opened it. Inside were a couple of old photos of the same two children. I picked one up and gazed happily at it. In the picture were said children. The two children were myself and a little boy, of course, Yuusuke Nisaka. The two of us were sitting together and I was licking an ice cream cone.

  Looking at these photos brought a nostalgic smile to my face, and I wished that I could go back in time to experience these happy moments once again.

  As you can probably tell, these feelings of mine had of course been going on for a seemingly long time. For about 8 years, I think. We had been childhood friends and I just ended up really liking him.

  Ever since I was a younger, and knew of the government notices, I believed that I wouldn't need to find love of my own, if I had it picked out for me. It was just one less thing for me to worry about. But now, I realize how stupid a thought that was. Love is something that I find for myself because I feel that I want to be with whomever it is that I love. And coincidentally, that person just ended up being, Nisaka Yuusuke.

  I closed the folder and placed it gently back in my drawer. I stood up from my chair and a sudden idea popped into my mind.

  Misaki's right. Before it's too late, I have to tell him. I have to confess my feelings before I lost the chance to forever.