After story:Devotion male reader insert version

Chapter six-Unexpected Support

On Monday I sat in my usual spot next to Fuuko's bed, scratching my head over the course book that I had in my lap. English was never one of my favorite classes. Hell, I never saw any use for learning it in the first place, since I had no plans for leaving Japan.

I was holding Fuuko's hand while trying to find something I could teach her from the English book when I heard the door open behind me. I turned to see... "Kotomi-chan?"

She looked my way and smiled brightly as she made her way over. "F/n-kun..."

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Sure, she had been out here for Fuuko's birthday, but if I had thought about it, that would have been a once-in-a-lifetime for her. "Aren't you usually at home, reading?"

"Nagisa-san told me that you have been tutoring Fuuko-chan during summer break. I want to help."

"Well, I can't say that you wouldn't be any help," I mused. "Are you good at English?" I asked her. I figured she would be, but I thought I'd ask to be sure.

She nodded. "I am, but I have difficulty with the dialects, American slang in particular. Why do you ask?"

I lifted the book slightly to show it to her and saw her take on a thoughtful expression. "This is the last book I need to cover before I go into the next set of assignments." I explained. "But I never could understand English. Would you help me?"

She smiled again, and her eyes seemed to sparkle as she clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Of course, F/n-kun."

Knock-knock-knock

I smiled to myself. "Come in!"

I figured it was Ryou when the door opened but no one immediately appeared. I wasn't disappointed when her head appeared around the door a full thirty seconds later. "Oh!
L-L/n-san! H-Hi." She stammered her usual greeting to me."M-May I come in?"

"Sure; I already said 'Come in'."

"O-Of course," she squeaked and made her way to the other side of the bed and took a seat. "S-so this is Fuuko? I didn't get to r-really see her at her birthday."

I looked down at my comatose friend. "Yup. She's been here for the last two years, since she was in the accident on the way home from our freshman-year orientation. Do you still have the wooden starfish at home?"

"Y-Yes. Onee-san still has hers, as w-well." Why couldn't this girl relax around me? "How d-do you know about them?"

"Fuuko carved those out of blocks from the art supply room and gave them to everyone at the school to invite them to her sister's wedding."

Ryou's eyes widened. "A-Are you talking about the one that happened last month?"

I nodded. "The bride was Fuuko's sister. In fact, if you saw a wooden starfish in her hands, that's because Fuuko gave one to her at the wedding."

Ryou shook her head. "But I don't understand; how could she be at the w-wedding if she's been here the whole time?"

I sighed. I understood why I kept having to repeat the story, but that didn't mean that I wasn't tired of it. "Fuuko's...spirit appeared at school in the room next to the Drama Club and apparently did nothing but carve those starfish and give them to people. Shortly before the wedding, Kouko-san told me that her sister had stopped breathing on her own. About that time, people started to forget about Fuuko – not just her work, but the girl herself. As far as I know, I'm the only one who remembers her anymore." I stopped to give her a minute, and to see if I had forgotten anything.

I could tell from Ryou's expression that she was giving my words serious thought. "I wish I could remember. I feel sad, like I lost something important...a-and I feel like the starfish has something to do with it, but...." She looked at me sadly. "I wish I could remember."

I tried to give her a comforting smile. "It's okay. You were at the wedding, so Fuuko was happy. Really, all she wanted was to use all of us to communicate her feelings to her sister, and I think she succeeded..." I spread my arms apart "...hugely."

Ryou giggled softly. "I'm glad I could help." She came around the bed and sat in the chair next to me. "Um, L/n-san..."

"Yeah?"

"Why are you doing this for her? I-I mean, I can think of a few reasons, but I w-want to know yours."

I ran a hand through my hair. "Well, originally it was because I didn't want her to be forgotten by the school, but I know that I can't really do anything about that. Now I think it's because she hit my 'help me' button back when she was giving away the starfish, so I kinda feel responsible for her."

Ryou bit her bottom lip. "L/n-san...do you...like...Fuuko?"

"Friendship or...you know..." Just because I was a delinquent didn't mean I could say anything.

Ryou gave me a meaningful look.

"Ah-hah," I stammered. "I, uh...really don't know at this point. I know that...um...never mind."

"I see," she replied quietly. She then gave me a smile that seemed...forced. "Well! I didn't mean to keep you from what you're doing." She gestured to my pack. "What's the lesson for today? Maybe I can help?"

I forced a smile of my own and dug around inside my pack. "Looks like it's Japanese today. Are you interested?" I held out the book.

"Sure!" She accepted it, but it seemed like she was forcing herself again.