. ❖ Scopophobia ❖ .

Chapter 41 - Time to Tell

Chapter 41 - Time to Tell
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Yuuki Yoshino, tired and anxious, waits in the kitchen for the few straggling Asahina's to arrive. The only one who may not make it is Hikaru, but he has assured her he wants to see her big moment. In all honestly, she can't tell if that's a good thing or not.

Yuuki's foot bobs up and down against the hard floor, her knee just grazing the bottom of the dining table. But she doesn't mind all that much, her mind too preoccupied to even care. Her eyes glance ever-so-often into the living room, spotting a few brothers already chatting. But her eyes always snap back after a moment or two. Oh, how she can imagine what they will think after she tells them of her lies. It's almost bone-chilling to ponder on the questions or actions that may race through their minds.

The only time Yuuki's bothersome motions stop is when Natsume makes his appearance into the room. He has managed to get off work early, saying there is a family even he cannot miss, so he is still neatly dressed despite the lacklustre wardrobing of everyone else. However, he tries mending this, stripping his blazer while pacing over to the only other in the room.

Yuuki has her back seated to Natsume, her appearance worrying him; her nervous antics are apparent to see. There are many reasons the male can think of as to why her body language is as so, and none are very kind.

"How are you holding up?" Natsume asks, jolting Yuuki slightly from her thoughts.

Turning, Yuuki tries to sound calm as she replies, "As well as I'd hoped."

Natsume pulls up a chair beside Yuuki, dropping his blazer on the back before he does. "I can understand if you're worried, and I won't hold it against you if you back out."

Yuuki chuckles; that's all she could think about moments before.

"But, facing this head-on is the best thing to do. You getting this far is commendable. Just a little longer is enough. And if things go wrong, you have someone to fall back on." Natsume claps Yuuki's shoulder almost hesitantly as he finishes.

"Thanks, Natsume," Yuuki says after a moment. She glances at the hand being removed from her arm and lets a small smile slip by. "For everything."

Natsume smiles back and nods, before rising and gesturing gently to the living room.

"I'm the last one to arrive. It's time."

Yuuki shakily nods, her libs trembling enough to make her afraid to walk. She fears her knees will give way before she makes it two steps. But her worries do not go on for long as Natsume gently takes hold of her arms, helping her rise to her feet and begin the walk to the next room. Before going, though, Natsume snatches up Yuuki's small bag hidden beneath the table, handing it over kindly.

Yuuki and Natsume make it to the large, red couch, circled by men of all ages. Natsume finally lets go of Yuuki's arm, but whispers gently before leaving, "Nice hair, buy the way. It suits you." He ruffles her styled locks playfully before taking a seat beside Ema and Louis. Yuuki chuckles at his antics and looks over to her dear friend. Ema sends up an encouraging smile, and the few standing brothers also take their seats.

Yuuki takes in a few breaths, the eyes of the cohort all on her. She feels her hands shaking violently, and heart beating unceremoniously in her chest, but she can't back down now. Therefore, she turns to the Asahina brothers, readying her speech.

"So..." she begins. "There is something you guys ought to know by now. Something about me that is... I lied to all of you. Y-you see-" Quickly, her words catch in the back of her throat, clenching painfully to prevent her from speaking. She ends up standing there for a moment, mouth slightly opened like a codfish.

Ema worriedly searches for her friend's gaze, catching it momentarily and sending off a reassuring smile. Her gaze urges on the words stuck in Yuuki's throat, attempting in all ways to keep her talking.

"Well," Yu continues. "...I-I'm not actually, um... a guy."

A thick, tension-filled silence befalls the cohort. It takes some time for the words to sink in, and even when they do, not many believe her.

"Bull shit," Fuuto says, amused like this is some form of joke. No-one seems to pick him up on his language around Wataru.

"No, I'm telling the truth."

"Yeah, right. Words are just words. Prove me wrong."

Yuuki, staring Fuuto dead in the eyes, reaches for her bag where a file is kept hidden. Her mind is fixated on the boy's challenge, so her actions aren't wavering anymore.

Fuuto's eyes visibly widen once a file is thrown to him, smacking him in the face with a delightful thud. Inside is her birth certificate, everything that's need-to-know written in large print.

"Proof enough?" Yuuki challenges.

"Miyuki Yoshino?" Fuuto murmurs out. "Nice try, idiot, but you got the wrong file."

"No, I didn't. Miyuki is my given name. I use Yuuki for short. I never told you that was my full name, now did I?"

"...Yeah..."

"If you need more proof, ask Masaiomi if it's real. He's the one who found it."

Another wave of silence sweeps over the lot. It's tenser than before, the various people slowly contemplating the many weeks Yuuki has spent with them.

"Well, finally," Hikaru pipes up. "Took you long enough to fess up, dear."

"You knew?" Kaname exclaims.

"Obviously."

"No, not obviously."

"Okay," Yuuki drags out before something breaks out. "There's still one more thing."

The brothers' attentions go back onto her immediately.

"The reason I even brought this up was so I could make sure I can keep my secret under control. What I have told you can't go any further than this room. I have my reasonings for wanting to keep this quiet. I want you to respect that too."

"We've kept it quiet for this long," Hikaru comments. "might as well keep it up."

Yuuki looks around at the others, watching them all nod their heads respectively. Even Wataru makes a point to zip his mouth closed, which she finds quite charming.

"Thank you."

—

Yuuki finally slumps down against her friend, taking in a well-deserved breath. She lets out a slight chuckle, and the two sit comfortably upon Yuuki's bed, tucked away in her small apartment. Ema gladly accompanied Yuuki back, thinking it best not to leave her alone right now.

"That was much harder than I thought," Yuuki comments.

"But at least it's done with," Ema says. She rests against the female, eyes dropping at the late hour.

"Yeah... Thanks again, Em."

The female can't reply as she has drifted lazily off to sleep and Yuuki only smiles down to her in disbelief. But, her smile fades slightly as she pulls her phone slowly from her pocket. She rifles through her minimal contacts until she finds that dreaded name she is so hesitant to dial.

"Only one loose end left to tie... Here goes nothing."