Chapter 13: I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU!
I slept for quite some time.
I think it's evening now.
Wait, I can feel something warm.
Someone is gently moving their hand over my face.
"Why do you always make me worried?"
I didn't need to open my eyes.
"Harumi-senpai?"
She stopped and pulled back her hand.
She wasn't expecting that.
"Huh?"
"Harumi-senpai, is something wrong?"
She got up from her seat in an instant.
She didn't like it one bit.
She was confused.
"Why...Why are you referring to me in that way?"
"Don't act as you know me. That was all in the past. I'm not the same anymore."
"Wh...?"
"A girl once said that to me on my first day of high school that resulted in me being a punching bag for her slave and finally confronting a man I never should have. I believe that girl was Yukiko Harumi and she is my senpai. You're Yukiko Harumi, aren't you?"
I said that with a cold tone and a straight face.
"How could you just say it like that? Is that all I am to you? After all, we've been through?"
"You mean after all you've put me through?"
"Wh...What are you saying?"
"Don't get me wrong Harumi-senpai. I'm grateful for what you've done and what you've been doing for me. I'm in your family's debt for treating me over and over in your hospital, and for what you've taught me over the years. But that still doesn't change the fact."
Yuki-nee was quiet, and rightly so. Because that's how it should be. I have to clearly define what our relationship is.
"Yukiko Harumi. I hate you!"
I don't think anyone would want to hear that. Especially from someone you care about.
And Yuki-nee wouldn't want to hear that. Especially from me, someone who can't even understand this stuff properly.
"Nao! Please don't say that....."
"Harumi-senpai. I'll say this to you so that we're clear about one thing. Stop bothering me. And stop hurting yourself by pretending something. You have to choose between loving me and hating me. Half-hearted feelings are only going to hurt you even more. I just want that to be clear."
She was on the verge of breaking down.
"What can I do? I don't want this."
"I don't care about you. I don't care about the fact that you have a boyfriend nor the fact that you've slept with many men and under different types of circumstances. I don't care whether you're a bad person, whether you have some slaves who admire you, or whether you're the queen of the school. The longer you care about me and are biased, the more it's going to bite you back. You're going to lose everything you have again, and I'm going to be at the center of it, again."
"So, that's how it is? All of this for nothing?"
"You have your life. Don't tangle up with mine."
"Why? Why won't you judge me or hate me."
I got up from my bed. I started moving towards the window. It was nightfall. The glucose drip dragged along with its stand and made a squeaky sound.
"Yuki-nee!"
She turned towards me as she was overwhelming with so many emotions.
I was looking outside the window the whole time.
"A person who's a sinner and has demons from his past, ready to pounce at him and destroy him, would never bother judging a person."
She was confused.
"Nao, what do you mean?"
"Stay away from me and mind your own business is what I mean."
"Why?"
I turned around looked at her with a serious face.
"I'm not a good guy. I have done some terrible things. And I'm yet to face the repercussions. And you'd only be heartbroken."
"You should already have an idea of why I'm here. I refuse to believe if you say otherwise. Sooner or later, I'll have to act. But you don't want to go back to how things were. So being involved with me further will only hamper your chances, 'cause...."
I went close to her and whispered into her ear.
"I will never let you go."
I pulled back from her and went back for sightseeing from the window.
There was a few seconds of silence.
Yuki-nee wanted to say something.
But the door slid open.
I greeted.
"I was expecting you. Took you a while."
I turned towards the door behind Yuki-nee.
"What are you doing here?"
Yuki-nee was surprised as she fired a question to the guest.
"I'm here to meet him, Harumi-senpai!"
Well, I'm certainly sought out.
And this person was someone I couldn't evade now.
She's part of my high school life now.
It was Katanari Michiru.
"What business do you have with him?"
She was adamant.
Oi, stop acting like my sister.
"No, particular reason. I just came to check on him. Your dad called me and said he was fine and I could visit him."
"My dad? Why would he..."
"I want to be alone with him. I hope that's fine with you."
To think there would be a girl who would stand up to Yukiko Harumi.
Yara Yara. This is a beautiful sight.
"We're pretty much done here. Harumi-senpai has things to attend to. I wouldn't be a nuisance to her."
Yuki-nee understood what it meant.
She wiped her tears off and started heading towards the door.
She stopped near Michiru and spoke to her.
"Take care of him, please."
"I would have done that without you requesting anyway, he's mine now."
Oh, that's right. I'm her slave.
Michiru closed the door.
She walked towards me.
"You said you've been expecting me."
"Yes."
"How did you know I was here?"
"Your family car. The number plate is the key."
"I'm really surprised. Very few people can guess that. You don't look like it, but you're quite smart."
"Nah. It's because I save my energy from thinking about useless stuff, so I use the extra energy to think about these scenarios. You'd be disappointed in me pretty quickly."
"I wouldn't mind that."
"Please, have a seat."
I lead her towards the seat as I sat on the bed.
She was seated comfortably.
But she got up and moved towards me.
She came close to me.
She lay me down on the bed and covered me with a blanket.
"You have to rest now. You still haven't recovered."
Now that I realized it, she said that in a soft tone, unlike the way I remembered her until now.
Her voice was soft.
It was so sweet. I'm gonna melt away. It was something like that
I looked at her. She was flustered.
"Don't look at me like that."
"You're cute."
It was too sudden for her.
"How can you just say it like that?"
"I said what was true."
"Anyway, here. Take your medicine."
"Oh!Thank you."
I took in my medicine.
"You know, I'm really sorry for getting you involved in this. I was really happy when you did all that for me. But..."
She gripped my arm as teardrops fell upon them.
This was a sudden turn of events.
"Please don't do something reckless like that and hurt yourself like that again. I don't want to lose you."
I am lucky. I found a master that will cry for me.
"I can't see someone getting hurt for me. It hurts a lot. And even more, when it's you."
I rubbed her tears away.
"I can't give empty promises, so you'll have to put up with it."
She wiped her tears off and gave a slight smile.
"I'll take care of you since you are my boyfriend. So just relax."
She continued.
"I want to go to school with you as your girlfriend. And this time, I'll protect you."
That's nice...
Wait a minute!
Boyfriend?
Did she just say, boyfriend?
But wait, didn't I lose the fight?
Wait, she's getting up.
She's getting close.
Oh, she's going to whisper in my ear.
"I really like you, Naofumi."
A confession!
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