Mi-chan and Tatsuo-kun (COMPLETED)

Part Four (END)

"I'm sorry." The handsome teenager bowed deeply.

"No. I should be the one to apologize. I'm sorry for lashing out on you." The girl bowed in response as well.

In the middle of the afternoon in a park, two youths bowed deeply at each other. The winds blew as the chirping of birds became their background noise. The trees littered around them rustled in response.

It was Sunday. It was also a peculiar sight to see.

The two of them rarely fought so Mi was quick to text Tatsuo to meet in the park. Immediately after seeing his bestfriend, the boy apologized.

"It wasn't your fault, Tatsuo. You were just making friends. I was being selfish and an inconvenience. I hope you forgive me." Mi looked up and smiled hopelessly.

"I'm sorry too, Mi-chan. I should've been more considerate of your feelings and made more time for you." He frowned worriedly.

Mi laughed, finding his expression to be funny. "Don't frown. You'll get wrinkles." She teased.

The tension was eased and the two joked with each other. They played around and laughed like how they used to when they were young. Eventually, the sun was already starting to set.

They sat side by side watching the horizon.

"So..." Mi broke the silence. "How is it with Emiko-senpai, ah?" She teased. Inside, she was uncomfortable but kept the amused façade up.

"I don't see her that way at all." Tatsuo chuckled. "I see her as a respectable senpai, that's it."

"The other club members don't see it that way as far as noticed." Mi joked. "I'm sure that'll change in the near future."

"You're going to see the way she looks at you. You're going to notice how beautiful and kind she is. You loving her is almost inevitable." The brunette laughed. "And I'm going to support the both of you."

"Mi-"

"But remember," Mi looked at Tatsuo with a smile. "Don't do it in front of me. Don't let me see how happy you are with her."

"It'll hurt." She smiled, tears welling up in her eyes.

"So so much." She whispered.

"I love you Tatsuo. I'm sorry."

Mi's breath was knocked off her chest. Like open faucets, streams of tears flowed out her eyes. She buried her face in his shoulder, hugging him back. Over and over again, she kept muttering muffled apologies.

"I thought you knew." Tatsuo said, still in the embrace, a small smile on his face.

"Knew what?" Mi looked at him, sniffling.

"I love you, Mi. I always have." He smiled. His long fingers softly rubbed the tears off her cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Why'd you even let them do that to you?" Mi asked while helping me pat off the dirt stains on my bunny. She was holding the large stuffed bunny in her arms.

"I-I can't f-fight them. They're too strong." I looked down in embarrassment.

I'm a big boy, now. I shouldn't let them bully me like that but I was too weak. I don't even know why they do these things. I never meddled with them. At school, I only minded my own business and played by myself.

They said my hobbies were too girly for a boy. And that I was weird and a sissy for playing with stuffed animals and dolls.

"D-Do you think I-I'm a boy, Mi-chan?" I stuttered.

Mi's my hero. She saved me from the bullies again. I tried to stop blushing and stuttering around her but it's hard because she's my savior and the only girl who has ever tried to be friends with me. She's also very pretty, making me feel nervous around her. I think Mi's the prettiest girl in the whole school.

"Hmmm..." She hummed. "You do think you're a boy, right?"

"Y-Yes."

"Then that answers your question."

"Ah?"

"If you think you're a boy then yes, I do see you as one."

"Really? My eyes widened." She nodded. "B-But they keep saying I'm girly and stuff..."

"What's wrong with being girly?" She raised a brow.

"Boys a-aren't supposed to be g-girly, right?"

"But arent you girly AND a boy?" She tilted her head in confusion.

Cute.

I blushed from my thoughts.

"Does that mean I'm n-not a boy?"

"NO! That's not what I meant," She panicked. "It just means there's nothing wrong with being girly. That's what my parents told me."

"As long as you're being you then that's fine." She grinned.

She handed me the bunny. "See? I love Tatsuo-kun the most if he's being himself." The smile she gave me made me feel special.

I felt my heart beat faster than usual. I clutched my chest in surprise.

"Mi-chan! Time to go home!" Mi's father shouted from his car.

"Coming, dad!" She turned to me. "Bye-bye, Tatsuo-kun!"

She took off but before hopping in the car she turned around and shouted.

"Take care!" She waved her hand. "Love ya!"

I gave her a small wave of my own. My face felt warm and they drove off.

I looked at the fluffy bunny in my arms. My hand went to rest above my fast-beating chest. I smiled and felt silly.

Love. So that's it.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Tatsuo, to your left!"

"Thanks!"

The two of us stared at the screen in full concentration. A couple of minutes later, the screen flashed a 'victory' sign. Fake applause coming from the speakers played. The two of us cheered in success and did a high five.

"We still have another one to finish." I chuckled and reached across Tatsuo's lap to get the video game.

An embarrassing shout left my lips as he tackled me to the ground. He tickled my body, making me laugh uncontrollably. When he let his guard down, I enacted my own revenge by tickling all of his sensitive spots. A few tickling rounds later, the two of us were laying side by side in our living room, breathless.

"I-I hate y-you." He panted.

"That's not what you said last time." I teased. His face turned red.

I pinched his cheeks. "You're too cute." I cooed. I was laying on top of him now. His face grew warmer.

I couldn't resist giving a small kiss on his cheek. "I love you so much." I collapsed on top of him. I buried my face in the crook of his neck.

"I love you too." He softly whispered in my ear.

I started to feel drowsy. I closed my eyes. Before succumbing to sleep, I held him tighter in my arms. He responded with a firm squeeze. I eventually heard soft snores below me and chuckled.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh dear." Mi's mother was delighted seeing the sight of the two soundly sleeping teenagers. Mi and Tatsuo were currently passed out on the floor. The mother giggled, hand covering her mouth. She laid a blanket on the two, tangled bodies.

"It took them this long?" She laughed and left to the kitchen to cook their dinner that night.