Tora stares at his phone and closes his eyes. I glance curiously at him, then back at my worksheets. Seriously, I shouldn't be here. I should be helping to work. If I had started work after school, I'd have had 3 more hours, and more pay. Instead I have to be here managing school affairs.
Tora speaks. "My mother is dead."
I blink. What???
He looks at me, grief etched in his face. "She's dead. Someone poisoned her, then fled. We don't know who."
I suddenly feel pity for him. He looks so sad, sitting there. So I go to him and pat his arm.
Tora looks up at me disbelievingly. Then he relaxes and a few silver drops of tears leak out from his eyes. "I loved her, (Y/N). Even though she was so cruel."
He continues talking for a while. "She loved me too. I know she did. She was the only one who truly cared for me. Even my father did not care for me. I know she was vicious to those she hated, but she loved me."
More tears leak out of his eyes. Tora doesn't seem to notice that he's crying. He reaches for a knife on his desk. I realise with a jolt of fear why he'd always had that knife on his desk.
"Stop," I whisper. Suddenly, my voice works. But when I try again, all that comes out is the horrible raspy sound.
I cough again. Tora stops, though. He stays quiet while I cough. Once I stop, I take the knife from his trembling hand. He never told me.
Tora looks away, not meeting my gaze. He says softly "Thank you."
He rolls up a sleeve of his uniform. A small series of cuts, some healing, some scars, are on his arm. Very small and faint, but there. I gasp and look at him. He points to the freshest one. "This is when you were hurt. I was worried." He gives me a weak smile.
I rarely see this Tora. The guy who does get hurt. Usually it's perfect, calm Tora Igarashi. The rich heir of the Igarashi Foundation, the President, the guy who's good in sports and gets good grades. Not this one.
I lean closer to him, trying to tell him wordlessly that I'm here for him.
Even though his parents humiliated me, hurt me, I still care for him. Maybe deep inside me, I always did. I don't want to see Tora in pain or sad. It just isn't him.
Tora eases the knife out of my hand. I jerk forward in alarm but he just shakes his head and puts the knife away in a drawer in his desk. "I promise I won't ever again," he says, his voice low.
He stands up. Tears drip from his beautifully golden eyes and he hugs me, gently. We stay like that for a while. I just hug him back, knowing he needs some comforting, especially after his mother died.
After a while, Tora straightens and pulls away. His arm is still around my waist, though. He looks into my eyes and says softly, "I need you in my life."
I just nod okay to him. His grip tightens. "No, you must understand. I-I feel happier with you." HIs voice breaks a little. "Please, stay."
Stay with me, he's asking.
I realise now, that life is too precious to waste. I should be there for Tora now, instead of letting the distance between us grow wider and wider until our relationship can't be saved.
So tentatively, hesitantly, I smile at him. My first smile the whole week.
My smile stays there. And I know that this smile is sincere. It isn't just one of those flirtatious shallow smiles. I want to say that I'm here for Tora.
And I want him to know.
I wrap my arms around him first and hug him.
I hope you can be happy. That's all, Tora.
