stars

seven

"it's... my ex-boyfriend."

"oh?" she asked, cocking her head to the right, "boyfriend?"

"i'm bi. sorry if that disgusts you."

"no, no, i don't care," she chuckled, and suddenly, i saw him.

"iwaizumi-kun..?"

"sorry," i remember whispering, "you just... you have the same laugh."

"why do you miss him?" she frowned, "usually, people hate their exes."

"he died," i sighed, wiping my forehead dry. "he had a heart attack a few months ago. they only found him the next morning." my throat started closing up again. "he was only seventeen. we'd been together for a short while, but ever since he was born, we were friends. and he just left. just like that."

i felt a hand on my own, and i looked up at her with a tear-stained face, her kind, blue eyes smiling back at me, though her expression was paved with sadness.

"i'm sorry, iwaizumi-kun, that must be horrible. no wonder you'd have nightmares like that."

"just... iwaizumi. is fine," i mumbled, "if you will."

"naomi for me, then," she smiled, "hey, shall i stay here?"

i looked at her, eyes wide, blushing red. "isn't that a little inappropriate? we only just met, and you're a very nice girl, bu—"

"no! not like that!" she said quickly, waving her hands in front of her as she lit up like rudolph's nose on a very intense christmas eve, "on the floor! mattress! just for support! no weird things!"

i laughed at her reaction. a genuine laugh. one of the first in so, so long.

"i normally would decline, but... maybe, it would help," i admitted, "if it's not too much trouble."

"i'll go get my stuff!" she grinned, jumping up. "i'll protect you from all your nightmares, iwaizumi-kun!"

"iwaizumi."

"iwaizumi!"