Signora
Kazuha
Kazuha istg
Answer me you little

Kazuha
What

Signora
About time you're here
Scaramouche doesn't talk to us lately
Did something happen

Kazuha
Ofc not

Signora
Are you sure
Bc I swear if you did anything to him

Kazuha
Oh yeah right
There's one thing
We're going out together
Sorry now but I have to go

Signora
Wtf
Wait you little
Don't leave yet you—

This was the message I woke up to. Seems like this 'Signora' person really is overprotective of her friends.

I woke up less early than usual, which is almost a good thing. It means my life is probably settling down. And also...

Scaramouche is here for me now.

What could we do together? A bubble tea date would be good. But... he already came to my work, so maybe we could do something else.

Maybe a movie? But does Scaramouche like movies? Maybe not. We could go shopping, but I don't know if he likes it. We could go to an arcade, but maybe there'll be too much people.

Maybe I should just discuss it with him and we could choose together. Yeah, that's a better idea. Just thinking about doing things with him puts me in a good mood.

I looked over to Scaramouche who seemed to be sleeping well. I wonder how he does it. Well, not sleeping. I mean not caring about his future.

The screen of my phone lit up. What was it now?

I don't know that number. I probably shouldn't answer to that text. Instead, I decided to check out the new messages from the group chat.

[New rumours truly are funny, Scaramouche cannot have a bf...]

Icy Lady
SCARAMOUCHE, KAZUHA, YOU TWO BETTER GET BACK HERE

Tortilla
Woah there, Siggy, Sig Sig, Sigcutie
What's up

Icy Lady
STFU CHILDE NOW'S NOT THE TIME

Tortilla
Siggy Sig, please explain
OKAY I'M JOKING I'M SORRY SIGNORA
What's going on anyways

Icy Lady
AWFUL NEWS

Tortilla
Are you stuck on caps lock

Icy Lady
Well yes but
Caps lock explain the situation well

Tortilla
LMFAO YOU BOOMER
Fr Signora just tell me

Icy Lady
Scaramouche and Kazuha aren't online and I don't trust Kazuha yet

Tortilla
Oh f
Pls tell me the rumours are fake

Icy Lady

What rumours

Tortilla
About the two of them going out together
It probably isn't true tho
It's just some random bubble tea guy that made it up

Icy Lady
Wtf

Tortilla
I mean, Scaramouche could never be in a relationship right
Wait
Oh fuck
Please tell me it isn't true

Icy Lady
Kazuha I know you're a boomer but I can see you're reading the messages
And yes Childe

Tortilla
W h a t
OUR IDIOT FOUND A BF
HOW?!?! 😭😱😂

Icy Lady
Emojis please

Tortilla
Sorry m'lady

Kazuha
How are there any rumours yet
Oh wait the bubble tea guy

Icy Lady
YOU STUPID
WTF ARE YOU DOING HERE

Kazuha
You're the one that wanted me here
Now what do you need

Tortilla
BABY
KAZUBOY
KAZUMAN
KAZOO
WHASSUP
ARE THE RUMOURS TRUE

Kazuha
What's with the nicknames?
And yes ofc they're true

Tortilla
YOU MAY BE STRAIGHTFORWARD
BUT YOURE NOT STRAIGHT
LMFAO

Icy Lady
Omfg Childe
But Kazuha
I won't forgive you if you do something to Scaramouche

Kazuha

Oh so you think I did something bad at your school and that's why I was kicked out
I'm sorry that the school is lying to you but it's just because I had to move away
Never trust rumours ig

Icy Lady
So why are you feared then
Istg you're hiding something

Kazuha
Idk what you're talking about
But stop acting like a mother
Scaramouche can take care of himself
If he didn't trust me, we never would've talked in the first place
Besides, he's the dangerous one
He's the one that threatened a girl with a knife

Tortilla
AYO WTF
LMFAO QUEHWJAIKQOAJDHHDUW
And you're still going out with him after that LMFAO

Kazuha
Oh yeah it's because I find it hot

Tortilla
We got two idiots going out together
I like your vibe Kazooman

Icy Lady
So that's all there is to it?
I won't fully trust you yet but
I'll believe you this once
I know there's something weird about you tho so
If you hurt Scaramouche istg you're the one who's gonna get hurt more

Kazuha
Stop acting like Scaramouche's mom he already has one
And I could never hurt him
I think I'm hearing him waking up so bye ig

Icy Lady
Running away again huh

Tortilla
G'bye Kazuboy
Kazuman
KazKaz

Icy Lady
Stfu Childe

When I closed my phone, I saw Scaramouche looking at me, confused.

"Good morning, Scaramouche."
"Y-yeah... good morning, Kazuha."

He rubbed his eyes with his hand and sat on his bed. He looked very tired, but he still faintly smiled at me.

"Sleep well?", he asked me.
"Yes, I did. How about you?"
"Same as usual. It's okay."

He yawned and got up. Scaramouche grabbed his uniform with one hand. He walked up to me and grabbed my face with another.

Scaramouche kissed me on my forehead and smiled. I felt like burning up. He's always so smooth at unexpected times. He ruffled my hair with his free hand and left.

"I'm gonna take my shower now. No peeking, okay?"
"Of course I won't. Hurry up now."
"Alright, alright."

He left the room. I realized I had a big smile on my face that didn't want to fade.

I really love him.

I heard the sound of the shower. I should probably get ready as well, so I took out my uniform from my bag, closed the door from Scaramouche's room and changed.

My phone glowed again. What's with the notifications today?

But this time, I remembered the phone number.

Anonymous
Hey Kazuha, do you remember me
I'm sure you do
Maybe not this phone number, but you do remember me
I'm moving away, changing schools and I'm ending up at yours

Kazuha
Who are you

Anonymous
You dont?!
It's me, Gorou

Oh please, not now. Not yet.

My throat was stuck, I felt like throwing up. When things finally settled down in life, he had to change schools?! He had to go at the same as I?!

The sound of the shower stopped, eventually, the door of the bathroom opened and Scaramouche entered his room. When I saw him, I put my hand over my mouth. His bland look abruptly changed to a worried look. He sat next to me and held my free hand.

"What's going on, Kazuha?"

I had difficulty to breathe, to speak. I could only remember that one time he confessed to me and...

I rested my head on Scaramouche's shoulder and hugged him. He seemed awkward about it at first, but eventually held me in his arms. He brushed his hand through my hair.

"Try calming your breathing. Talk when you're ready. I'm not in a hurry."

I caught my breath and let go of Scaramouche. He looked very worried.

He kept holding my hand, and I didn't want him to let go. When we finally realized our feelings for each other, Gorou's arrived and will probably disturb the short moment of peace we've had.

"I don't remember if I told you about it, but in my previous school, your previous school... there was this one guy, Gorou..."

I finished my morning classes, it was already time for lunchtime. There were people waiting for me at our usual table. Itto, Thoma, Kokomi, Sara and... Gorou.

Itto waved at me, with that usual, big smile on his face. Thoma and Kokomi turned to see me and smiled, Sara had that stern look on her face and Gorou seemed a bit... off.

I decided to sit down next to Gorou, but he wasn't acting normally.

"Hey, Kazuha! How'd classes go?", shouted Itto, with his loud voice.
"Keep it down, oni.", scolded Sara.
"Why are you calling me an oni?! Just because I cosplayed one doesn't mean I am one!"
"Alright you two, no fighting.", said Kokomi.

This group had a funny dynamic. It was always kind of chaotic, but we had some that were always able to sort the problems. Those were usually Kokomi and Thoma, which acted a bit more mature than the rest of us. Itto was the trouble-maker, Sara could either be seen as the overprotective mom or the strict teacher, I was seen as that quiet guy that talks when is asked to talk and Gorou was... Gorou. It was because of him and Itto that we knew each other and became such a tight group.

I knew that I couldn't get too attached to someone because my parents would make me move away, but Gorou has been with me so much since I started coming to this school, I think I'm developing feelings for him. And it's not good.

That obviously made me rather worried about his state today, as he seemed off. Sad, maybe?

"So, Kazuha! Will you answer or...?"
"Oh right. Yes, my classes went well, thanks for asking. How about you all?"

I ignited a conversation in the group, Gorou was the only one that didn't join in.

"Gorou, what's wrong?", I whispered to him.

He didn't answer, he looked like he was going to explode.

"Gorou, are you okay?"
"I am absolutely normal."
"No you're not. Please, you can tell me about it, I won't mind."
"You're so annoying!", he screamed.

Everyone in the dining area looked at us, with weird looks on their faces. The ones that were the most surprised were my friends, of course. They knew how well we got along, and couldn't understand the situation.

Gorou held my wrist tightly, so tightly, as if he wanted to make me suffer, and dragged me away from the dining area. On my way out, I saw someone who was about my height standing up and walking towards us, but was stopped by someone else. Did that person want to stand up for me in some way?

Gorou dragged me over to where there was the least people, the supplementary lockers for transfer students. There was no lights or almost none, I almost couldn't see his face.

"Gorou, what's wrong?"

I didn't know what to say, but a feeling of fear came over me. I would've ran away if he didn't hold my wrists so tightly.

"Answer me, please."
"I hate it so much. I hate how you're still able to talk so normally with me, how you're able to smile so cutely with me. I hate how I love you, Kazuha."

My mind went blank. I didn't know what to think, it was as if I lost my senses. But what I knew, though, was that I couldn't return my feelings, because my parents would make me move away from him.

"I'm sorry..."
"And you're still lying, after I told you?! I talked to everyone, everyone you know! They know how you feel about me, they know it all. You're still attempting to push me away?"
"It's not because of that, I swear."
"So why don't you risk it? If you actually love me, why don't you risk going out with me?"
"I-I..."

Gorou pulled me in for a kiss. He let go of my wrists and gave himself extra permission, his hands going down my back and my hips.

I didn't like it though. I wasn't ready for it.

I pushed him away and he had an awful look on his face.

"Why then? Why give me hope?"
"I told you I couldn't. I'm sorry."

I felt sick, as if I would throw up. I hated it. I despised it.

He wasn't allowed to do that to me. I didn't agree, he should've known my limits and in the end, I'm the one who's guilty. I can't go back to my friends like this, they'll think I'm a horrible person.

I ran outside of the school and found a place with a bench. It looked like a calm place, I could sit down here.

I went over to the bench but saw someone was actually sitting down there. It looked to be the same guy as earlier, who looked as if he wanted to stand up for me.

He looked at me, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but didn't. I walked away.

I'm such an idiot.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry this is happening."

Scaramouche actually looked surprised by the story, but eventually that look faded away and he smiled at me.

"It's okay. You did what was right. Still, I just have a question to be sure."
"I don't have feelings for him anymore. I don't think I loved anyone as much as I love you."

Scaramouche's face turned bright red and he looked away.

"...that's was unexpectedly smooth, Kazuha. But um... thank you.", he whispered.
"It's only the truth, after all."

When we got past the situation, I decided to bring up what I wanted to talk about this morning.

"So, you see, I was thinking on going on a date on our day off, but I'm wondering where you would like to go. Is there an activity in particular that you like?"
"Hm, I don't know. Let's go eat our breakfast downstairs and we'll check it out together."

If only words could describe how much I love you, Scaramouche.

Hi there everyone reading this!!

How are you all doing?

Finally worked on this chapter and ughhh I'm trying to find things for them to say and do, but I think that if I just wrote about their classes, it'd be boring, so I might do timeskips more often.

And btw it's drama time~ which is pretty obvious now, especially because of the events in this chapter but— let's just put this aside for now, thank you.

Well then, I'll go back to writing.

Until next chapter!!

-Author-chan

12th of March, 2022
(2337 words)