Fate [Ai Mikaze x Reader]

Chapter 9 - Sunny Day

"Care to explain....?"

My complete body froze. I could feel all color fading away from my cheeks, as I stared back into Reiji's cold hazel orbs, which were desperately looking for some sort of answer in my own ones.

"So???" he snapped after a few seconds of silence. I could see it on him that he himself didn't want to believe what he was suspecting me with.
"I-I..." I yelped, snapping out of my trance.
"Answer me. Is Raging Ootori your father?? Did you come here to... to betray us and use us!?" he snapped at me, his disappointment and sadness slowly turning into rage.
"R-Reiji...!" I hissed a bit, looking out the door quickly if anyone heard.
"Don't 'Reiji' me, answer me!!" he did lower his voice a bit, although he looked like he was one inch away from slapping me hard in the face. "Please deny it, [F/N]! Please say that I'm wrong. I beg you!"
"...." I bit my lips and looked down.
"... [F/N]!!"
".... It's true." I slowly whispered.
".... Are you kidding me?" he looked at me like he's been betrayed.
"No. It's true. My name is [F/N] Ootori and I came here to earn Ai Mikaze's trust and lure him away into our own agency." I looked up with my real, cold eyes, switching to my monotone.
'I'm so sorry, Reiji....'
For a moment, I saw shock on Reiji's face. He backed up from me a bit, looking into my eyes. It was clear that he still didn't want to believe it, as all color faded from his face as well.
"... [F/N]-chan... please stop..."
"I am not joking, Kotobuki." I hissed.
'I have to do this... I'm sorry...'
"... [F/N]...!"
"Don't expose me in front of the group, or you will regret it."
I turned my back on him, going to the door. I felt my eyes filling with tears again. This could also mean it was all over, and I didn't want it to be over.
'I don't want it to be over.... But... my friendship with Reiji is over.'
I was about to exit the room, but I heard Reiji let out a groan, and a hand suddenly grabbed my arm harshly.
"L-Let go!!" I snapped.
"I won't until you explain to me!!" he snapped. "Why...!? Why would you do this!?"
"I don't have anything to explain to you...!!" I grit my teeth. My arm was starting to get numb, because he was squeezing one of my bruises.
"Yes you do!! Explain, please, I don't want to believe that you-!!"
"Gh...!!"
I slapped my free palm over my lips as a painful groan escaped my lips. Reiji froze, then after a few seconds, he quickly slipped up my sleeve with one quick move. I was too late to stop him, and I looked down, refusing to look in his eyes.
For a few seconds, I only heard silence.
"..... [F/N].... What is this...?" I heard Reiji ask in a softer tone than before.
"...."
"What is this?" he asked more sharply.
"... A bruise... dummy..."
"I know that! Where did you get it??"
"............."
"[F/N], look at me."
I stayed still.
"Look at me." he repeated, grabbing my chin and raising my face. "Where did you get the bruise?"
"...." I looked away. ".... Father." I slowly whispered.
".... Raging?"
I nodded. A tear slipped from my eye and rolled down my pale cheek.
".... So he forced you."
".... He didn't... force me... I just...."
".... You just?" he made me look back into his eyes - his hazel orbs were much gentler than before.
"... I just... wanted him... to think of me as a daughter... S-So I accepted..."
I let out a sob.
".... I'm sorry, Reiji... I... don't want to anymore, but I have to..."
"..."
He fell silent. I squeezed my eyes shut. I waited for him to slap me. To scream at me again. About how selfish, how cruel I am.
But instead...
... I felt his arms hug me tightly.
"... H-Huh?" I tensed up a bit.
"It's okay." he whispered.
"B-But..."
"It's okay..." he repeated, rubbing my back. "I know how hiding under a mask feels like. How hiding your true form feels like. I also know that you aren't the kind of person who would do this kind of thing out of her own will."
"...." I buried my face in his chest, slowly letting out a sob. "I'm sorry..."
"It's okay..."
".... I'm so sorry..." I sobbed, gripping his shirt tightly.
"It's okay... let it all out." he whispered in my ear soothingly. "You didn't want to..."

I don't know how much time has passed, but I was crying there for a while. Reiji hugged me in silence, not leaving my side and rubbing my back, urging me to slowly calm down. After a while my breaths started to calm, and I sniffled a bit.
"... Did you calm down?" he asked softly. I nodded in silence.
".... Reiji?" I muttered.
"Hm?"
"Can you... please... not tell the others...?" I looked up at him. "... Especially Ai... I... finally get along with him... I don't want to ruin it..."
"........"
"... Please." I whispered.
"..." he sighed. "Fine. But you know that after a while, you have to tell them yourself, right?"
".... Yeah, I know." I sighed as well.
"... Nee~" he sang then grabbed my cheeks, pulling them upwards. "Smile~"
I chuckled bitterly. "Okay, okay, fine." I muttered, sniffling a bit.
"You can trust me, okay~?" he looked at me with a bright smile, as if urging me to go back to my own fake cheerful character as well.
"... Hai!" I smiled back.
'.... I'm glad Reiji is my friend. I'm... really grateful for him. I'm happy that I have him by my side.'
"Nee~" an excited red head suddenly bursted into the room, making the both of us jump a bit. "We are going to the amusement park on the weekend!! Do you guys wanna come~!?"
As usual, Otoya seemed totally oblivious to the situation he just ran into. While letting out a sigh of relief, I chuckled a bit.
"Sure! We would love to." I smiled brightly, cutting off the brunette beside me who was about to politely reject him because of the situation we were in just a second ago.
"Yay~ NATSUKIII, THEY WANNA COME!!" Otoya screamed down the hallway, running off cheerfully.
I chuckled silently, looking down in front of myself.
"... Will you be okay?" Reiji asked me quietly.
"Yeah! Sure. I've been hiding my real feelings all this time anyway." I smiled wryly. Then I looked up at him, and gave him a close-eyed smile. "Thanks, Reiji."
"..." he sighed and ruffled my hair with a laugh. "I guess let's have a fun day at amusement park then, eh~?"
"You know it!!"