Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 71595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“Fine.”
Like now.
“Thank you.” I’m proud at how casual my voice comes out. It’s the polar opposite with how my heart’s doing all kinds of somersaults inside of me, just like it used to, when we were going out. Yuki is stiff as he falls into step beside me, and when we get on the escalator he stays a good three feet away from me.
Oh, Yuki.
If he thinks the deliberate distance he’s placing between us would hurt me, he’s so, so wrong. It only confirms all my hopes – even the ones I can’t make myself speak out loud because they seem too good to be true.
“How did you know where to find me?”
I bite my lip. “Well...” I was hoping he wouldn't ask this, but I should’ve known better. Giving him a sheepish smile, I confess, “I asked Momo and she made Seiji ask you.” I check his expression worriedly. “Are you mad? If you are, please be mad with me and not Seiji—-”
“I probably should be,” Yuki murmurs, “but I’m not. I know how persuasive Momo can be.”
I flash him a relieved smile. “Thank you.”
He steps back to let me get on the escalator first, and I feel his gaze on me as the stairs descend to the lower floor. It’s making me nervous for all kinds of reasons, but even so I wouldn’t trade it for the world. When we get off, I turn to face him but almost bump into his chest.
The contact is all too brief, but it’s enough to have my face burn as I rear back.
Yuki frowns. “Are you alright?”
“Umm, yes, I’m fine, sorry.” But it’s not exactly the truth. I am fine, but the feel of his chest has also sent my heart racing faster than ever now. I point to the café across the street. “How about we talk there?”
Yuki gives me a clipped nod. I’m thinking he remembered that he’s not supposed to be talking too much with me. He probably even thinks he’s successfully pushing me away with it, but he’s wrong. He’s so, so wrong, and I can barely contain my sheer happiness as we cross the street. He’s acting exactly the way I—-
Yuki suddenly stops before we reach the café, and I stumble to a halt next to him.
“What is it?” I ask, startled.
“You skipped.” His voice is grim.
“I d-did not.” But it’s a lie. Now that he’s pointed it out, I realize that it’s true, and that my excitement has gotten so out of hand I had started skipping like a kid heading home after the last day of school.
Control, KC. And stick to the plan.
Pretending I don’t notice the grim expression on his face, I say, “We’re already here. Can’t we hash it out inside?”
Yuki doesn’t answer right away.
“Please?”
His gaze locks with mine.
Come on, Yuki. You know you want to do this. You know you do—-
There’s another long moment, and then Yuki slowly nods.
—-because you love me.
“T-Thank you.” This time around, I can’t just keep everything bottled up inside me and my voice becomes gruff with emotion. In the corner of my eye, I see him starting to frown again, and I quickly duck my head, not wanting him to see my face. One look at it and he’d know just how happy I am—-
And that won’t do, or at least not just yet.
Looking around, I realize that the place is almost full, leaving us with two choices: the bar stools facing the windows, and the couch in the corner that could work as a tight squeeze for two.
My eyes light up. “Let’s sit—-”
But Yuki’s already strolled towards the bar stools.
Blast it.
It’s disappointing, but I tell myself not to be greedy and take things one at a time.
Stick to the plan, you must. Too important to wing, this is.
I know my inner Yoda is right, but oh – is the fact that I just miss him so, so much a valid excuse? Every time I look at him, I have this urge to throw my arms around him.
Yuki raises a brow when I finally take my seat next to him. “What took you so long? Having second thoughts about talking?”
You wish.
Yuki blinks. “Excuse me?”
Oh, shite. Did I say that out loud?
“I said I, umm, took a piss.”
“A...piss?”
“Anyway.” I hurriedly change the subject. “What would you like to order? Since I invited you, it should be my treat—-”
Yuki’s blue eyes are boring through me.
“Or not?” I do my best to sound like I’m second guessing myself, but actually he’s still doing the exact thing I predicted. It really is just like before. Yuki had always insisted on being the one to pay, and even after Sascha stealing the family fortune, he had made sure things wouldn’t change. He had started working after school instead, still wanting to be the one to take care of things.