...

Both on their way to home. The silence has broken.

Both: Say...

The both spoke at the same time. Reddish face, awkward atmosphere.

Nagumi: You uhm.. go first.

Yuuki: Ah, okay! Uhm...

She connects both pointy fingers with a nervous look. Calmly waiting for the right time to speak, by easing their own self first.

Yuuki: Alright. Uh, since we unknowingly arrived at the playground, wanna hang out here for a second?

Nagumi: S-s-s-s-s-s-sure! Why not?! He.. he.. h.. hk.

Yuuki: What the hell's with your stutter? Hahaha!

Nagumi: Shut up! Stupid Sensei-Complex-Being Baaaaakkkaaaa!

Yuuki: First of all, you were stuttering for no reason so I couldn't really stop myself from doing it, second of all, what does "sensei complexity" even mean?! I have nothing for our teachers at all!

Nagumi: Hope you're right on that one. Maybe you got a sensei you like afterall, huh?

Yuuki: No! It's not like that! I...

The atmosphere suddenly got silent. Her cheeks gotten red and unnerving. Does it mean...

Nagumi: Oy, what happened? What's with you suddenly pausing?

Yuuki: ...

From pausing, she's held onto Nagumi's sleeves and asks him with a body language to sit on the swings, pointing at them.

Nagumi: Don't tell me you REALLY do have a teacher on mind? This is bad...

Yuuki: Listen. I'll.. only say it once.

Nagumi: ...Okay.

Both awkwardly sits on the swings, opposite side of each other.

"Whatisthiswhatisthiswhatisthiswhatisthiswhatisthiswhatisthiswhatisthis?! Is she gonna confess?! She's twitching her body, and is looking flushed all the sudden! No... This can't be. I must break the atmosphere before this happens!"

Yuuki: Nagumi, I--

Nagumi runs as fast as he could, away from Tsumi. Distracting her.

"Wait, why am I running?! I'VE LIKED HER EVER SINCE THEN but... Why?! Why can't I let things flow as is?!"

Nagumi: Look, let's slide down together! We've been swinging around long enough, haha!

Tsumi is close to tearing up, and disappointment in her face. Saddened that he is ignoring her even after giving her the okay.

Nagumi: Listen, it's not that I'm ignoring you.

Yuuki: Then, what does that mean to me?

...

Nagumi: Just, slide down together with me. One try. Let's fall down together, and talk.

Yuuki: ...?

Both the awkwardness, disappears in an instant. It feels like the gap between them has been closed. Both happiness in their faces show, blushed with joy. Like there's no tomorrow, she proceeds to the starting line of the short slide, with Nagumi behind him, letting Tsumi lend her shoulders between his legs.

Yuuki: Huh?! Wha-?! N-no!

Nagumi: Give it up, caught ya red handed!

!!!

Yuuki: ...huh?

Nagumi: First its that... I loved you. Ever since the beginning. You released me from the shackles and taught me the way to living. I've only known loneliness and depressed myself to death. But now I know that, without you, I... I would only be an empty shell, leaving behind no meanings.

Tsumi flushes her face, heat steadily and increasingly become more obvious in her face. Her grin little by little showing, tear visible to her eyes.

Nagumi: I-I'm not expecting any response or anything... But... Please let me lend you my strength!

While in the slide and sitting infront of him being Tsumi, he accidentally bows his head and collide painfully, crashing down the slide.

Yuuki: Ack! Idiot! What are you doing?!

Nagumi: Sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

Tsumi glaring towards Nagumi, gives out a heavy sigh while sitted closely with each other still. Time froze still when she suddenly laughed out loud before Nagumi.

Nagumi: Tsumi?! What's wrong? Did you have a mental breakdown or something? I'm sorry!!!

Yuuki: Hahaha, no it's not like that.

As she spoke with easing and soft voice, this is the first time in 11 years for Nagumi to see her beautiful side. He... feels relieved.

Yuuki: You know...

She turns her back to him. Ignoring his face for now.

Yuuki: I'm happy that you confessed to me with strong couragement. I don't even know what you like about me. However...

... However?

..

.

.

-

Yuuki: ...

For a minute straight, the ambience has gotten silent. Yuuki's expression looks all the more hesitating and confused on what to do.

Nagumi: Like I said! I don't care about your response now. What matters is that I get to share my feelings for you. That's all I want and nothing more. Whatever happens, you're all I have and I will cherish you until you grow tired of me. I need nothing else.

Tsumi: Nagumi...-kun.

As Nagumi has given his resolve, Tsumi in the end has calmy sigh, not knowing what to do.

Nagumi: You know what, how about we go home? It's getting late already. Our conversation's are short but for some reason, the timing is too fast, don't you think?

Nagumi laughs it off, and the clock has really moved fast. Tsumi nods in agreement.

As they walk to their destination, the awkwardness between the two has grown and expanded bigger than before. No one's willing to take the lead to break it.

Both: ...

"What does Nagumi even find special in me? I mean, it's not that I hate him, but rather we have mutual feelings and that's what matters. But in the end, it looks like I'm the one rejecting him. How will I fix the situation?"

As Tsumi dives into deep thinking, side by side, Nagumi notices her biting her finger nails. Confused as to why, he decides to ignore it. After looking away, he notices a strange small bag on the ground, mesmerized of its design. It looks like someone dropped an Omamori. He picks it up without hesitation.

Tsumi: Nagumi. You know, I—

Nagumi: ...hu-

A strange bright light emits from his hand. It is brighter than how a supernova's explosion can emit. But it only lasted for a short while.

In the residence view, it would've looked like it's been shined a million times stronger than the Sun, that it's enough to blind anyone who has their sight into it. Thankfully, no one noticed it, as the streets were empty at the time. The bright light's radius is as big as a sports stadium. Additionally, it would've looked like as if a nuclear bomb was dropped to the said location. No one survived it's beaming gaze, and there was no noise simulated. Only silence.

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