𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙆𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙚 -𝘼𝙣 𝙄𝙨𝙚𝙠𝙖𝙞 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘-

The Truth

"Akito, I need to ask something of you." I say to her.

"Uh, okay." She shrugs.

"Alone."

"Hey!" Keruno shouts. "I'm a human too!"

"No, you're not, you're a bird." I tease.

"Okay, leave Kureno." Akito orders.

"What?"

"This is my house." She shrugs, acting like it's no big deal.

"Fine. Make this quick though, my show is about to come on." Kureno groans, leaving the room.

"So, what did you need to talk to me about?" She asks.

"It's about Koharu. I've been lying to her for ages, and she still thinks I have no idea the curse exists. And also, she thinks I only talk to Shigure, Hatori, and Ayame because of her. And she still thinks I have no clue who the heck you are. And, uh, well, I just think I need to go ahead and tell her the truth, before she finds out from someone else. And then things get messy." I explain.

"Hmm.... Do you have to? Couldn't we keep things like this just for a little bit longer?" Akito asks.

"It's been going on for six months. Before you know it, it'll be a year." I sigh.

"Okay. Okay. Then tell her, it's not like she isn't an inside member. Go ahead and tell her if you feel like you have to. But, hasn't it been fun, lying and sneaking behind her back?" Akito smirks.

"No. It's been making life difficult." Well, that's not entirely true. It has made life difficult, but just a tad bit more interesting. But, Akito doesn't need to know that it has been a bit thrilling to live double lives. But no more. I'm done with that.

"Well. Like I said, go ahead. Tell her. But uh, if she freaks, and goes nuts, then I'm just going to say, I knew it." She tells me.

"Fine. But I know Koharu, she won't freak. In fact, I'm sure she'll be okay with it." I confidently tell her. I don't know that for sure, but Koharu's chill. Surely she won't turn into a monster who's memories end up getting erased by Hatori.....

                                                                            ---------------------------

"This is so unlike you, Tanaka. To suggest that we hang out for the day. Spring must be your season." Koharu excitedly says. 

It's true in some ways, spring does make me feel better. Warmer. But, it's not because of spring that we're hanging out. It's because I have to stop lying and tell you the truth.

 "So, where do you want to go first?" I ask. 

"Lunch! I'm starving!" She says.

"Lunch it is." Great, a restaurant. If she starts screaming or crying, then it's going to be the most embarrassing thing in my life. 

"So, you said you had something to talk to me about, what was it?" She asks, as we enter the restaurant.

"Well, I need to tell you the truth..."

"You're secretly a boy?" She asks.

"What? No! No. That's not it." I frantically wave my hands. 

"Okay... then what?"

"Well, you remember when you invited me to your house to help you with the History of Japan test? The first time?" I ask.

"Oh yeah."

"Well, that day, I met Akito. And, ever since then, I've been going to the Main House and seeing her. And well, I don't only hang out with the guys because of you." I gulp.

At first it's hard to tell what she's thinking. Her facial expression is very odd. "Oh! That's all you had to say to me? I thought this was going to be something serious!" She laughs the whole thing off. 

I've become an expert on lying recently, so I now can tell when someone's lying. And it's clear that she's lying. "You don't feel betrayed or anything?" I try to coax her to say something.

"No! No! I'm just glad you haven't had your memories completely erased because of all of it. I mean, Akito isn't exactly the greatest." She shrugs.

"Yeah, I'm glad too." I laugh along with her. I wonder if Hatori would erase my memories like he did to Kana. This is just so different from Kana. Heck, I'm not even completely sure if he's as into me as I am into him. He might do it so easily, or would he refuse. Finally take a stand.

"Gosh, this makes everything so much easier than. I always felt bad about having you and the boys hang out because I thought you'd be uncomfortable. But, it turns out there's nothing to worry about." She continues to laugh. 

Maybe she is breaking? But in a different way. And maybe I don't want to be here. "Oh, shoot. I'm sorry to blow you off, but I just got a text from Sobo. She needs me home." I lie. 

So much for no longer lying. I think.

"Oh. Okay. Well, maybe another time then. And next time, we should invite the boys to join us. Since it's not awkward." She suggests.

"Sure. Why not?" I shrug, grabbing my cardigan and leaving.

Maybe I should have kept up the charade? Because, maybe I'm being paranoid or reading way to much in between the lines, but, something seems really wrong. 

"Akito might be right." I whisper.