Fate [Ai Mikaze x Reader]

Chapter 8 - Suspicions and Confusions

~■♡■~

With my stomach in a knot, mumbling to myself, I slowly knocked on the door of the practice room.

"It's open." I heard a blunt voice say, and I took a deep breath, stepping into the room.
There he was, sitting by the piano as we used to together. The sunshine fell on him through the open window, making him shine somehow. As I found myself remembering things once again, I gently closed the door behind myself.
"What are you doing here?" he mumbled, not even looking up.
"....." slowly finding my courage to speak, I looked down. "I... could ask the same from you."
....
Mikaze jumped up from beside the piano, looking at me first shocked, then annoyed. "You-?? Where have you been!? You missed several of our lessons, you haven't been picking up the phone, you.... you have been completely ignoring me....!"
".... I'm sorry." I slowly muttered.
"You're sorry. You do know that I could simply fire you for such a behavior, right?"
"......" I refused to look up, biting my lips.
"..." I heard him sigh. "So... why have you been avoiding me?"
"..... I....."
I slowly looked up at him. "I know."
He raised an eyebrow. "Know what?"
".... Your... secret."
"My secre--......."
He slowly let out a slight gasp, widening his eyes.
"... Yeah. I'm sorry."
"... I see."
Sitting back down by the piano, he refused to look at me. "Go, then. I suppose I have nothing to explain, do I?"
"... Mikaze-senpai..."
"I'm busy. Go. I don't want to hear it."
"... No. I..." I slowly muttered. "... I first... freaked out a bit, and I didn't know what to do..."
"..."
"... But... I, realized now... Mikaze-senpai. It's... it's okay. I accept you for who you are."
I slowly found myself smiling, as I placed my hand on my chest.
"Someone told me to follow my heart." I muttered softly. "And... my heart is full of the memories that I got here with you. You teached me a lot. You... showed me a lot of things and... you were... nice to me... most of the times." I added with a chuckle. "... Ai... to me, you are more human than anybody else. And I... want to keep learning a lot from you. I want you by my side until the moment I debut... that's... what I really want."

Ai's POV

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

Looking up at her, I saw a soft smile on her face. I've never seen such a gentle expression on her before.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

"... Huh?" I muttered.
"Eh?" she sweatdropped, a concerned expression coming onto her face. "Did I say something wrong...?"
".... You called me Ai." I slowly answered, blinking at her.

... I don't understand... what is this? My heart... it's... beating so loudly.

"O-Oh..." her face turned slightly red. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"No..." I cut her off, shaking my head. "It's... it's okay. Please call me that. It... makes me happy."

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

My heartbeat only got faster. I feel something hot on my face... Huh, am I malfunctioning?

"Oh... okay then... Ai."

Ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum.

"But..." she smiled at me once again. "Call me [F/N] then too, okay? [L/N] sounds... mean."
"Ah... hai..." I nodded.
"Thank you.... So, are we good then? Work partner?"
Giving me her right hand, she looked right into my eyes with an almost daring smile.
"..."
I looked down at her hand. My heart was beating like crazy. I slowly grabbed her hand and shook it.

Soft...

"... Partner." I nodded.

Huh?

I didn't intend to smile.

It's strange, but...

... I... somewhat like it.

[F/N]'s POV

Now if I think about it, something changed at that moment. That handshake started something else in my relationship with Mika.... Haha... Ai.

I wasn't his kouhai anymore. He wasn't my senpai anymore.

With that handshake, although we didn't say it out loud...

... We agreed to start a friendship.

The world is sometimes really ironic...

... I can't abandon my job, though. I can't let this new friendship stop me from finishing my duty... Or I will never earn Father's pride...

".... Well, I will go." I slowly sighed. "Don't wanna be late on my schedule, haha..."
"... yeah... I need to work, too." he also nodded. "Don't push yourself too hard, though... It's okay with me if you don't follow everything step by step."
".... I... will try." I nodded with a small smile. "Thanks, Ai..."
Nodding to me with the slightest smile, he turned back to his work.
I also grabbed the door's handle, and walked out of the room silently.

That changed too, huh....

~■♡■~

I let out a satisfied sigh, walking back into our room. After closing the door behind myself, I turned to the couch - but yelped in surprise.
"Reiji? You're still here?"
"... Oh uh... yeah! Yeah, I am." he slowly nodded, then clapped his hands together. "I just... remembered that some paperwork needs to be done and... I have to ask you something about it."
"Oh... sure. Go on." I nodded with a chuckle, plopping down on the couch.
"Thanks. So uhm... is your last name like, 'Otori' with one 'o', or 'Ootori' with two 'o's?"
"Ah, it's-............"

............

No.

Did he just...?

With a pale face, I slowly looked up at the brunette. The kind look from his hazel eyes was gone - instead, he narrowed his eyes at me with a cold yet somewhat hurt expression.

"Care to explain.....?"

~■♡■~

So short. I can't believe I was going to do this is two chapters.

Sorry if it's a bit messed up ^^;

Thanks for reading ^3^