UtaPri: Ai x Reader

Ch. 11

"Ne, Ai-kun." I said, sitting on his bed while he did whatever he did on that computer of his.

"Hmm?" He asked, looking away from his computer.

My insides melted, and I felt a sense of victory. I was the only one in the whole world who could get Ai to look away from his computer. "Do you think I will be able to sneak in after your kohais move into your room?" I asked.

He knit his brow together, probably running every worse case scenario, and every solution. That's what I loved about him.

"Yes." He answered, nodding. "Just as long as you are quiet."

I sighed, relieved. "Good."

But, then, I had another question. I stood up and sat on his lap. "Ai-kun, how does it make you feel to pretend to be friends out in public?"

His facial features suddenly hardened. "I... I..." He couldn't explain.

"Does it make you feel sad? Angry? Maybe lost, like you don't know how to act or what to do?" I asked.

He nodded, a forlorn look appearing on his kawaii face.

"Me, too." I said. "It hurts me just as much as it hurts you."

I turned to face him, and hugged him.

"Aishiteru." I said, burying my face into his chest, so he won't see the hurt and unshed tears on my face.

"Boku mo, aishitemasu, __________." He said, hugging me close.

~*~* The Time Skips to about a week after Ai's birthday. You are both 15 now~*~*

The time I spent in the months that passed were full of loneliness and stress. I would wake up early, and come back so late and tired that I couldn't bring myself out of bed the next day. I barely saw Ai, the only chances I got was when QUARTET NIGHT gathered, but, that was rarely anymore, since we are busy with our own work. Or, when I bumped into him during business or in the dorms. Even during our birthday, we spent it alone.

And it killed me, and I saw that it killed him. We would act casual, as friends. And it made me want to scream so loud that the whole world would go deaf.

But, today was the day. I would get a kohai today! And maybe, she wouldn't be a timid, mumbling idiot. Or, that's what I hoped.

And I would get to see QUARTET NIGHT again. We would perform Poison Kiss. All of us, except Camus. For he didn't have a kohai... just yet.

***

"Squee! I can't wait!" Rei-chan cried, we all sat behind screen doors of a practice room. "We get to meet our kohais today!"

I held both his hands. "Same!" And we jumped up and down. "Ne, Ai-kun!" I said, turning to Ai. "Aren't you excited?!"

"Depends on your meaning of excited, __________." Ai said, but, his eyes sparkled.

"Ne, Rei-chan," I said. "I'll make a bet with you. If your kohais call you senpai, then, you owe me 500 yen!"

Ranmaru suddenly looked up. "I'm in on that."

"Same." Said Ai.

"Iiee na, Camus," Ranmaru said, "He's not getting a kohai."

"I just hope my kohai isn't a timid, mumbling idiot." I said.

There was commotion outside. "Ara! They're here!" Rei-chan cried.

"Shh!" Ai said. "They can't see us, but, they can hear us, baka!"