Keep on living dear

Chapter 12

"Hey, hey."
She feels light tapping on her cheek.
"Wake up."
Yashiro shakily opens one eye and then the other. As they slowly pan into focus, she sees two mahogany-coloured eyes staring back at her guiltily.

Yashiro:"Hanako...kun?"
She suddenly realises it's him supporting her neck and head; she becomes alert and pulls away shyly.
Yashiro:"H-how long was I asleep!?" She looks to both sides.
They're back in the old girls bathroom but outside Is engulfed in darkness; it's clearly beyond the time school has finished.
Yashiro:"The time!?"
Hanako:"It's 9:07pm." He mutters.
Yashiro:"Shoot! What will my parents-?"
Hanako:"Ah, don't worry, I figured out how to use your phone and texted them that you were at that girl-Aoi's house for the night." He sighs getting up.
Yashiro:"B-but that means-!"
Kou kun was chased away so I'd be all by myself with Hanako kun!? And I haven't gone back to normal yet! I'm still ill!"
She squints her eyes.
Hanako:"Come on. You shouldn't sit on the floor." He puts his hand out and pulls her up.

Yashiro:"Thanks...Actually that's not it!" She shouts balling her fists. This is no time to be worrying over an uneasy heart Nene!
Hanako:"Yashiro?"
Yashiro:"You know what, I AM mad." She sniffles, her eyes glossing over unknowingly.
Hanako's eyes widen.

Yashiro:"You treated me like a toy all day." Her tears spill over and it's out of her control.
Her face indeed is reddening but this time it's because of another emotion- she's feeling hurt; extremely hurt.

Yashiro:"First, you possessed me and caused misunderstandings and then you put me to sleep without any care for what I wanted at all!" She hiccups, wiping away her tears with the back of her palms.

If he actually cared about me, I doubt he'd use me like that. Just what is he thinking!?

Hanako:"Yashiro..."

Yashiro:"You're confusing! You really are!" She bawls, crying like a child.

Yashiro:"I don't understand! I don't understand what's going on with me or you or if what your brother said was true! I'm so confused!" She squashes her palms up to her magenta eyes in an attempt to stop the tears.

Hanako:"Yashiro, please don't cry." He says sombrely.

Yashiro:"You're such a pain." She says almost inaudibly, letting her knees hit the floor.

Hanako:"I know."
He kneels and wraps his arms around her, hugging her into his chest-cocooning her with his cape.

Yashiro:"Let go." She whimpers.

Hanako:"That's not the only reason you're crying, is it Yashiro?"
He says as she's shaking in his arms.

Hanako:"You're scared aren't you?"

He moves his hand to pat her head.
Hanako:"You, all this time-you tried to stay positive, isn't it? Was it for the shounen's sake?"

Yashiro continues to cry, her head jerking with every sob.

Hanako:"There, there."
He strokes his fingers through her beige and turquoise hair; gentle as can be.

Hanako:"It's okay, it's okay."
He whispers comfortingly into the top of her head.

The stars are visible tonight; it's so beautiful that both secretly felt as if they were wasting the opportunity to appreciate it. The night isn't cold either-the heat had settled to just above 25•  and the crickets chirrups sound soothing and so, isn't it the perfect night to appreciate?