*Kazuha POV*

"Well, actually..."

The events going on were hard to follow. In one day, I learned that I'd have arranged marriage this year and that my mother would die. I couldn't help but cry.

All of my feelings are kept bottled up when I'm at my house, I couldn't help it. At this point, I cried enough in from of Scaramouche to not feel ashamed or embarrassed.

I could feel tension. Like he wanted to do something.

Scaramouche eventually held my hand. My cold fingers were warming up. It was so comforting, I stopped crying soon.

"T-thank you..."
"So? What's going on?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I told him everything. About the forced marriage, my mother's life slowly fading away by the second. He didn't let go of my hand at all.

"I'm sorry, all I seem to do around you is vent about my life. I almost never ask about you-"

His hands, which always looked so strong, were delicately holding the back of my head. I was able to hear his heart beat, it was fast, yet soothing. He smelled really good, yet simple, just natural. So warm, so comforting, so fleeting. I would've loved if this embrace lasted forever.

I could feel Scaramouche's breath on my ear. He calmly whispered to me.

"There's no way you should be sorry about that. You listened to me, I listen to you. If you have no one you can trust to talk about that, I'll always be free to talk to you. And... I don't mind listening to you because it's you. I don't want any harm to befall you."

I felt a bit of droplets touch my hair and back. He was crying. I couldn't help but cry, too.

This time, though, it wasn't because of the things I'm living. It's because I know what will happen to Ei and him if I keep hanging around him. I know my family will drag them down, manipulate them, make them suffer.

"I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Scaramouche almost seemed to understand and brushed my hair.

"I don't mind if it's for your good."

Eventually, he let go of me. I felt calmer and much more collected, now that I told him about my problems.

I saw myself in a mirror hanging on a wall of his room. My eyes were very red.

"I look awful."

Scaramouche looked at me and then at the mirror.

"Ugh, me too."

We both laughed. Then, a voice was heard.

"Boys, dinner is ready."

Scaramouche sighed, got up and looked at me.

"Do you want to stay over for dinner?"

I didn't want to impose, but I know that I already did impose. Anyways, I think that if I agreed, Scaramouche would be pretty happy.

"Yeah, sure."

Suddenly, a big smile appeared on his face and he exit from his room. I followed him to the dining area where the food was ready. And there was also someone else.

"Oh, who's that?", asked the lady sitting right next to Ei.
"Um, hi, I'm Kazuha. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, Kazuha~ I'm Yae Miko, Ei's girlfriend."

Ei sighed.

"Why do you always seem to say it this way?"
"What? I'm completely normal!"

As the two ladies were bickering like children did, Scaramouche sat down on a chair and I went next to him.

I was looking around since, let's be real, it's obviously very nerve-wracking to visit someone and eat at their place, and I spotted a mess in the sink.

I stopped the two ladies from bickering and pointed the sink.

"What's with the mess in here?"

Ei put her hand on Miko's mouth to stop her from talking and smiled nervously.

"You see, I just made a mistake when cooking and-"
"Ei sucks at cooking, so Miko probably had to help her out.", bluntly continued Scaramouche.

The pink-haired lady laughed, but Ei did not.

"Scaramouche, why do you have to be mean like that?"
"Just stating some facts. Don't worry, your secret is safe with us."

Ei rolled her eyes and sighed. Yet, she didn't seem mad.

I wish my family was like that. They may be chaotic, but they are in a good way.

"Hmm, speaking of secrets, who here wants to talk about secrets while we're all here together?", asked Yae Miko, playfully.
"No way.", rudely answered Scaramouche.

This time, Miko was the one to roll her eyes.

"Come on, it's not every day we get to see your boyfriend, Scaramouche."

Scaramouche put his hands on his face to cover it. I felt heat rising up to my face.

"What is it?"
"Miko, they're not boyfriends.", answered Ei.
"Ohhh~"

I swear she knows something. Maybe I gave it away too easily? Or...

No, I don't believe he likes me that way. He probably has a girl on his mind or something.

"Miko, what are you planning?", asked Scaramouche, who seemed to sense it too.
"Well, I just thought that-"

Ei put her hand on Miko's mouth again to stop her from talking and smiled nervously.

"Let's all forget Miko's stupid ideas."

"What— they're not stupid!"

And back to the bickering again. I chuckled and felt Scaramouche's gaze on me. He smiled, one of the best ones I've ever seen him do.

"Feeling better?"
"Yeah, I am. Thank you."

He nodded as an answer and started eating the ramen lying in front of him.

Our dinner was nice, despite the two girl's bickering. It was a nice change of pace.

"Haaah, that was good. Thanks for cooking that, Miko.", Ei exclaimed.

Miko smiled as an answer. There was an awkward silence, which Ei broke.

"Say, Kazuha, do you want to stay the night?"
"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose-"
"Please, you're not imposing. If you're in a hard situation, you're invited here whenever you want."

I thought about it for a bit and decided.

"Yeah, I'd like it if you allow me."

Ei smiled and Scaramouche too, but him more subtly.

"Alright, I'll have Scaramouche prepare you a place in his room."
"N-no, I can sleep on the couch if-"
"No need, Scaramouche will allow it. Right?"

Scaramouche became slightly red, and sighed.

"Sure. I don't mind."

He was really awful at lying. He seemed very glad, actually.

"Alright. I'll stay today. I won't bother you too much, though."

Ei smiled and left to go to the kitchen. Yae Miko took our plates and gave them to her partner. Scaramouche seemed to wonder if he had to help, but he eventually left to go to his room.

I followed him most of the time because I didn't know what to do at a friend's house. He seemed a bit ticked off though.

"You know, you don't have to follow me everywhere. Just wait in my room or something."
"A-alright."

This was much weirder than I thought it would be. Guess that's what people feel when they visit a friend's house for the first time.

Instead of standing up, staring into nothing, I decided to inspect Scaramouche's room more than I previously did.

I noticed that, on one of the shelves, was the box I gave him for Valentine's Day. His scarf was well folded and put on a small desk he had. There was pictures hanging on the wall, but he wasn't on any of them. There were some of nature, some of drawings or something.

The thing that caught my attention, though, was a small notebook. Is it a diary?

On the page was written yesterday's date. The time indicated about when he came back from school.

It was tempting to read, but I'll leave him privacy. Though... if I read, maybe I could understand how he feels about me...?

"Kazuha, I'm back."

I turned to see Scaramouche standing in the doorframe with blankets and a pillow in his arms, but his face turned red.

"D-did you read this?"
"No, I didn't."
"O-oh..."

He sighed and entered the room. He put down the blankets and pillow on his bed and closed his diary.

"Sorry about reacting that way. It's not that I don't trust you, but..."
"I understand. After all, a diary contains someone's entire life and thoughts."

He nodded as an answer. Still, the embarrassment on his face made me want to read it even more now.

Scaramouche jumped on his bed and lied down. And slightly closed his eyes and sighed.

"It mostly used as a way to keep my anger issues in check. These last few days, though, I don't get as frustrated as I did before. Now, I just use it to write about the days I spend at school and my feelings in all of that."
"So you had anger issues?"

"Yeah. I think Ei can confirm that, since changing schools, I've become more collected and calm. I think it's mostly thanks to you, though."

He looked straight into my eyes. I never realized how pretty they looked. If he was my boyfriend, I would just kiss him or something.

Wait, what am I thinking?! I closed my eyes, I was probably bright red right now.

"Kazuha, you okay?"
"Y-yes, sorry."

I tried laughing it off and Scaramouche did, too, but he was as fake as me. Probably thinks I'm not doing well again.

"Scaramouche, there's a mattress here for Kazuha. I've put it in front of your room. You have the covers?"

The voice came from outside the room. Seems Ei was looking out for both of us.

She really is what you would think of a mother. Except the cooking, of course, but that's part of her charm.

"Thanks, Ei."
"Ugh, can't you address me in a nicer way?"

There was a few steps that were heard, until there was none. Seems she already left.

Scaramouche brought the mattress to his room and settled it down at the feet of the bed. He put the pillow and covered the bed with the blankets.

I looked at the time on Scaramouche's alarm clock. 8 P.M.

That's not late. I won't be able to sleep at that time.

But Scaramouche laid down on the bed anyways and closed his eyes.

"Tired already?", I asked him.
"Mentally, yes. To sleep though, not at all.", he answered, chuckling.
"Same."

I sat on the small mattress and looked over to him. He looked truly peaceful.

"What are you thinking about?"
"...your situation made me think more about my future. What do I like? What are my ambitions, my hopes? Those are questions I never had the answer to. And now, I see how important it is to think about that, even if you have a predefined future ahead."

My predefined future, huh...
That's one way of saying it. Still, I never actually realized that was the case. It's true: my future was already planned from the day I was born. I couldn't have much of a choice.

I suddenly started feeling sleepy. One last thought crossed my mind before I closed my eyes.

"Say, if I tried going against my parents, I ran away or something...
...would you follow me and help me on this risky path?"

I couldn't hear Scaramouche's answer as I fell asleep right after.

HELLOOOOO PPL!!
So, how are you all?

I'm happy to announce another chapter of this fanfic that supposedly blew up?? I'm glad ppl like this, but I didn't expect so much comments and stuff like—
I don't deserve it, but thank youuu!!

now I realized after rereading this that I screwed this up by making it progress too fast I'm sorry it's not enjoyable—

BUT BEFORE I FINISH THIS... THING! (let's call it afterword or something), I want to thank everyone reading this!

oh and everyone's comments are so funny to read and answer to lmao I love you guys

UNTIL NEXT CHAPTER!!

-Author-chan

24th of February, 2022
(1998 words)