*Kazuha POV*

Someone opened the door for us, at last. When Scaramouche explained to the person how we were late but the door was locked, they decided to remove our remove our absence from class.

I wanted to give Scaramouche his coat back, but he asked me to keep it. I don't know why, only he knows.

We both had our class and after, I joined him to his locker.

"Hi, Scara!"
"Hello, Kazuha. How are you?"
"I'm good, you?"
"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for asking."

He took out a binder of his locker and closed the door. After that, he leaned on it.

I don't get why he doesn't go in the dining area often. Maybe because he doesn't want people to bug him?

I felt a vibration in my pocket. Seems the people from Scaramouche's were online.

"They never keep quiet, huh."
"They seem nice, though."
"...I don't know..."

It seemed that he was the one hiding stuff now.

Well, not for long though.

"Even if I treated them like friends, I think we had more of a 'classmates' relationship. Like, occasional friends when in the same classes. And when something happened, I couldn't see them the same way. A friend is someone that has your back, no matter how hard the situation is or if they'll get in trouble. That's why I don't trust them as much anymore."

I didn't actually know what to answer. But if he talked to me, that means...

"If you need to talk about something, anything, I'm here. So when you'll need help, count on me. I'll do the same if something happens, because that's what friends do, right?"

Scaramouche looked at me for a while, his eyes were getting red. He looked away as fast as possible.

"Yeah, for sure."

As much as I wanted to ask Scaramouche's friends about their relationship, I don't feel like doing that is respectful. It's also dishonest. I'd rather wait for him to tell me himself.

I felt another vibration which was my phone, again. But it wasn't the group chat.

It was a private message from one of the members of the group.

Her name in the group chat is Icy Lady, but seems her actual name is Signora.

Signora
Hi Kazuha

Kazuha
Hi.
How are you?

Signora
Please don't play dumb with me
I know you've been kicked out of my school some years ago
For a reason that the school principal won't disclose
Istg if you try to hurt Scaramouche you're going down

Kazuha
Well of course you don't know the reason.
I won't tell you since I don't trust you.
But Scaramouche knows.

Him knowing is proof about how I care for him.
I never told anyone about the real reason and since I did tell him, it's essentially to protect him.

Signora
Protect him from what

Kazuha
From heartbreak.

Signora
Wait so
Do you like him

Kazuha
I won't answer to that.

Signora
What you do
Omfg

Kazuha
If you even say one single thing about this conversation...
Scaramouche won't ever forgive you.

Signora
I'll tell him what I want
But if you realize he feels the same way
You better not turn him down
He deserves happiness and I don't mind even if it's you
You better have his back, Kazuha

[Signora is offline.]

I closed my phone and put it back in my pocket. So that's the kind of rumours going on in that school?

Seems the principal won't tell it's because of my parents. I'm kind of glad, but at the same time, people will think I'm a bad person.

And that just because they thought I was falling in love with my friend.

If my parents figure out how I'm feeling with Scaramouche, they'll drag down his family and make me change schools.

And I thought I wouldn't feel anything when leaving a school. With Scaramouche, it's much harder than any other thing I lived through.

Even worse than with Tomo.

Maybe it's just because Tomo was a childhood crush and that since I'm older, my feelings for Scaramouche are stronger.

The bell rang and I waved at Scaramouche before getting prepared to get to class.

During all the class, I couldn't focus. I felt like something bad would happen. Like I'm risking something with every single move.

I did the math work the class had to, as hard as it was since I didn't listen. Eventually, the class ended. I put on a coat and wore my scarf.

I walked up to Scaramouche's locker again. This time, he had something in his neck.

It was the scarf I gifted him.

"You're really wearing it?", I asked.
"Of course I am. It's very beautiful, comfy and... you gave it to me."

I felt heat rising up to my face. Scaramouche turned his face away. It was bright red.

"I'm happy you like it."

"Now, we have to go or we'll be late for the bus!"

Scaramouche closed his locker and I grabbed his arm, running outside of the school with him.

"Wait, did we miss it?", I asked Scaramouche.
"No, it's leaving!", Scaramouche answered, pointing our bus.

When we ran towards the bus, someone stopped me.

"Kaedehara Kazuha."

I looked over to the voice. My father was in a car, waiting for me to get inside.

"Seems I won't be able to take the bus with you today. Sorry."
"No worries, Kazuha. Let's talk later, then."
"Yeah. Now go, you'll miss the bus!"

I let go of Scaramouche's arm and waved to him while he ran towards the bus. After a bit, I went in my father's car. That sensation I felt during the last class I had, it was back. It made me want to throw up, almost.

"Hello there, Kazuha. How are you?", asked my father in a fake tone.
"Yes, I'm good. You?"
"Maybe."

I felt it coming. I felt like I was going to be yelled at, just because he saw me coming out of a school with a guy.

And sadly, this time, I like him.

"Kazuha, who is that boy?"
"A new friend of mine."
"Probably, since you're hanging out with him. But who is he?"
"I don't know, a transfer student. He arrived this week. I don't know much about him."

I wanted to run away, to throw up, to disappear. I'm scared that he will say bad things about him. I don't want to hear it.

"You better not get any ideas. If you do, you know what will happen to his family and to you. God, you're such an embarrassment to this family."

I wanted to put my hand on my mouth to prevent getting sick, my eyes started getting blurry. I don't want him to know about my feelings for him. I don't want to make him distance me from him.

"Kaedehara."

When he used my last name, that meant something important or a lot of yelling at me.

"Y-yes?"
"I know you'll probably never have feelings for a girl, but your marriage is this year. Get ready for it."

No way.

This was probably all a dream. There's no way they'd marry me so early.

I still have school and stuff. I still have a life.

We're not in the old times where they marry their children at 16 years old.

Besides, don't they already understand there's no way I'll like someone?

When the car parked itself, I left it and walked by my house. It was probably seen as the most luxurious in the town, yet I didn't like it.

I opened the door with my keys and entered.

"I'm home~"

I know my father couldn't answer, but there wasn't an answer from my mother.

"You're mother's sick. She may die in the following years."

No way.

There's no way this day is real.

This is too much.

I want to run away. But where to go...?

I left my shoes at the entrance and ran up to my room.

I opened my phone and texted Scaramouche.

Kazuha
Scaramouche, I need help.
Can I come over to your place today?
I can't stand being at mine.

The bus didn't seem to have arrived yet. A bit after sending those messages, I got an answer.

Angymouche
Yeah, sure.

I'll give you my address.
Are you able to get there by yourself?
If not I can help you.

Kazuha
Yes, I'm okay.
Thank you for being there for me.

Angymouche
It's nothing.
Just be careful.

Scaramouche sent me the link to his place. I figured where it was, prepared myself a bag with some clothes and occupations in it, sneakily put on my shoes and went out of my house. Seems my father didn't hear me leaving.

I followed what my phone was saying on how to go to Scaramouche's place. I eventually arrived and knocked on the door.

A tall, purple-hair lady opened the door. She was elegant, her braided hair almost reaching her feet. She really looked like Scaramouche.

"Who are you?", she asked.
"Ei, it's okay. I told him to come over."

Scaramouche arrived from behind. He wore a white shirt which looked too big for him and joggings.

"Ah, yes, okay. Come on inside.", the woman said, inviting me.
"Thank you."

They almost seemed too nice. They didn't mind for me to come at their place, uninvited?

"You can stay in the living room if you want to. Do you want something to eat or drink?", the lady asked.
"No need, thank you though."
"Oh yeah, what's your name?"
"I'm Kaedehara Kazuha. But please, just call me Kazuha. What about you?"

The woman smiled at me and left to what seemed to be the kitchen.

"My name's Ei. And uh, just call me Ei."
"Pleasure to meet you, Ei."
"Pleasure's all mine. Now, Scaramouche, do you want to eat something?"

Scaramouche made a weird face and sighed.

"No need."

Maybe she doesn't cook well?

Scaramouche eventually got up from the couch.

"Do you mind if we go upstairs?"
"N-no. Lead the way."

I grabbed my bag and got up the stairs. Scaramouche entered a room which I believe is his. It was painted gray, but there was many decorations. Some shelves, bookshelves, some pictures hanging in random places, a wardrobe with clothes hanging.

Scaramouche sat down on his bed.

"You can sit here."

This situation was extremely awkward, I felt like he knew that, too. I eventually sat down next to him and I put my bag on the ground.

"So? What's wrong?"
"Well, actually..."

EHE PEOPLE I FINISHED THIS CHAPTER AS WORLD'S WORST CLIFFHANGER.

Hello fellow readers and authors!
I speedran this chapter because it was way too fun to write. So, did any of you like it?

And I know I'm making this progress too fast I'm sorry I just want them to confess to each other aaaaaaa

Okay then, I'm going back to writing. Until next chapter~

-Author-chan

21st of February, 2022
(1839 words)