The Bad, The Bidder, and the Daughter (KBTBB)

Ota: Six

"And... that's why... I love you, Asuka!"

Asuka froze. She certainly wasn't expecting this when Haruki asked her to meet him underneath the old maple tree after school.

"Pardon?" Was all she could muster.

Haruki looked her in the eyes with a face redder than the roses at his family's flower shop, "everything about you I love! You're kind, caring, a wonderful cook and actress, you have the most beautiful hazel eyes, and you've always stood up for me when the other guys would make fun of me! You're everything I've ever dreamed of in one! Please... accept my confession. I love you..."

"Haruki..." she sighed and placed her hand on his cheek, "with all due respect... we're twelve. We're barely in middle school. Neither of us knows what love really is."

He put his hand over hers, "we've been best friends since we were seven. I've known you long enough to know these feelings I have for you are real."

He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Asuka's waist and seemed to be on the verge of sobbing.

Her heart broke at the sight of it, she knew his feelings wouldn't go away by simply saying she didn't see him that way. She knew him well enough to know that he would play it off and it would tear him apart inside.

She knew what she had to do.

Asuka smirked and laughed, causing Haruki to look up in a confused daze.

"Did you actually think you'd have a chance with me? You? Pansy Boy? Hahaha, that's the funniest yet stupidest thing I've ever heard. Who do you think you are? I've been nice to you up until now because you're honestly so damn pathetic I couldn't help but pity you. But now you pull this!"

Haruki started crying, "no... that's not true... we had so many wonderful times together... remember our promise?"

She snickered and scowled at him, "honestly, how could a human being be so pathetic? Why don't you run to your mama and cry about this? Get out of my sight, you disgust me."

Haruki, tears still streaming down his face, got up, "Asuka. I've known you for so long now..." his voice kept cracking, "I know when you don't mean something. Find me when you're ready to really tell me your feelings."

She watched start running, glace back at her in hesitation, then run again.

Asuka dropped to her knees with a vacant expression on her face.

She couldn't chase after him. She couldn't allow herself to see him again.

Regret, sorrow, and guilt spread throughout her every being. But as much as she tried to convince herself she was doing the right thing, trying to convince herself that he would get over her faster if she was a heartless monster, deep down she knew.

She could have loved him given only a little more time.

...
ASUKA POV

"Really? A salad? You go to an American themes diner with burgers, scrambled eggs, and bacon, apple pie, milkshakes, etc. But what do you order? A vegan salad with spinach, kale, avocado, and pesto. And arugula! What even the fuck is arugula? What in the hell is wrong with you? Are you even vegan? Either way!"

I sighed and shoved a piece of toast in Yushina's mouth, "I'm a pescetarian."

"Whsm tmb fumbbb ish dat?"

"I don't eat any meat with the exception of fish and seafood. It's actually a very healthy way of eating. I recommend it."

Yushina chewed the toast and swallowed,"you're ridiculous. And because of that, I'm stealing a tomato."

She reached out to grab one of my cherry tomatoes but stopped when she was nearly stabbed with the fork.

She went pale and looked up nervously to see Masa smiling in a sinister manner, "now-now, Yushina. You know better than to go around stealing other people's food. Uncle Hikaru lets you get away with a lot. Since he's retired from his life of extensive criminal activity, he expects his daughter to be a productive citizen and contributing member of society."

She growled and went back to eating her burger. Eito began laughing which caused her to shove his face into his slice of cherry pie.

I looked over to Masa expecting him to do something when he only met my gaze with a soft smile, 'look' he mouthed.

I turned and saw Eito filled with anger and inner disposition while Yushina just laughed.

Finally, he gripped both hands on her shoulders and brought her face mere centimeters from his.

Was he going to kiss her?

She blushed the same shade as the cherries on his face and just when I thought their lips were going to connect...

He brought her face down into the pie.

"Why you-" he pushed her down onto the seat of the booth before she could finish and bent down to whisper something in her ear.

Masa and I looked at each other and motioned for us to leave. I took another good look at Eito and Yushina as well as another large bite of my salad and followed him out the door.

...

We went back to the hotel's basement and for some reason, Masa wouldn't tell me where exactly we were going.

"Wonderland," he would plainly say each time I asked.

"No, for real, where are you taking me?"

"Wonderland~"

I groaned.

He stopped at a door and grinned, "welcome, Alice, to Wonderland."

He opened it.