Tied Together [Book 2]

Chapter 57: Protection

Nagisa's POV

I sighed as I plopped into my bed. I spread my arms out wide as I looked at the ceiling.

My cheeks suddenly heated up as I remembered what happened. I covered my face with my hands and curled up into a ball.

I screamed in my hands, my voice muffled. "AHHH, geez!!"

***

"Shiota-san, I like you."

...

"Eh?"

...

"EEEHHH!?"

Everyone in the table shouted, gaining the attention of the entire reataurant.

"O-oi, oi..." Nanashima-kun looked at Yamaguchi-kun.

My eyes were wide open as my cheeks were bright red. I looked at Yamaguchi-kun with disbelief.

...He's joking, right?

But... Yamaguchi-kun isn't the type to joke like that...

Arisa-chan and Chiyuki-chan clung onto both of my arms. "Nagisa-chan..."

"Y-Yamaguchi-kun..." I stammer, clearly embarrassed.

"Hey..." Karma stood up from his seat, only to be pushed back by Sasahara-kun.

Yamaguchi-kun looked back at me, with no particular expression. But his eyes looked serious, I could tell. "I'm not joking."

"N-no way..." I thought in my head. "Yamaguchi-kun... likes me?" I cupped my cheeks with my hands, feeling the heat in them.

I noticed that even Karma was surprised by his words. I didn't pay much attention to him since I was in the middle of processing what happened.

The blonde boy took one last sip of his soda before standing up and started walking. Everyone was still speechless, and could only stare at him.

"Well, I'm leaving." He put his hands in his pockets.

"H-hold up!" Arisa-chan stopped him. "You can't just say that and leave!"

"Why not?"

Arisa-chan looked away. "Because... 'cause..." She tried to find the right words to say to him. "You just can't!"

Yamaguchi looked at the stuttering Arisa before turning his gaze at me. "You don't have to answer right away, but I'll be waiting."

With that last sentence, he continued to walk and left the restaurant.

Everyone was left dumbfounded, trying to figure out what the the heck just happened.

***

I slowly put my hands aside.

I sat up and rested my back against my bed, hugging my legs.

"All this time, Yamaguchi-kun liked me?" I looked at my bed covers.

I thought about all of Karma said. "There's something we're challenging for."

Now it makes sense... Why hadn't it come to mind?

So Karma knew all along... I knew there was something going on!