Wavering Feelings

“I'm beat...”

“Finally!”

“I've a good feeling!”

“No need to study anymore!”

A great sense of relief was spread across the classroom as each student submitted their last papers of the final exams.

“You know what time it is, right?

“Do you already have plans?”

“I'm so excited!”

For the last couple of days, they were all busy with doing the exams. Now, those depressed faces turned into faces full of excitement due to the next big event which awaited them.

“Summer holidays!” they all yelled in unison.

The summer holidays. Every teenager circled those days of freedom red in their calendars. It is a month where they enjoyed their youth. Hanging out, sleeping over, traveling or visiting festivals. During that period, one could do anything.

Amidst the crowd of excited students, Kazuma stood up from his seat and left the room without speaking a word.

“Hey, hey, wanna go to Kyoto?”

“Let's play games all night!"

”Me? I'll visit my grandparents.”

While Kazuma walked in the hallways, he would always hear the conversations between his school mates concerning the summer holidays.

In the beginning, he appeared to be calm but the more conversations he heard, the more annoyed he became.

“Geez, can they shut up already?” he muttered after heaved a sigh.

He arrived at the lockers where he changed to his outdoor shoes.

“Summer holidays, huh? It's been years since I had plans for that period.” he said to himself as he stared into the clear sky.

He smirked melancholy.

Kazuma left the school ground and was on his way home.

Pow.

“Ouch!”

Someone hit his back with a large object.

“Why didn't you wait for me?!”

“Yui?” he stroked his back.

He turned around and saw Yui who was currently puffing out her cheeks.

“Sorry, I forgot. But did you have to hit me with your bag?!”

“Huh? You deserved it.” she tilted her head in confusion.

“...” he burst a vein.

“Oh, how about going to my house today? Let's celebrate the end of the exams!” she changed the topic.

“Ugh, another celebration...?” he was put off by the idea.

Kazuma remembered the last time they had a celebration. It was after he was discharged.

It may have been lots of fun and he was genuinely happy about it. However, after the Nagisa household left, he stormed the bathroom and occupied the toilet for more than two hours. It was truly a painful memory for Kazuma. He swore to himself that he would never eat so many things again.

“Don't worry. My family is away today which means that mom won't prepare the food. This time I'll do the cooking!” she patted his shoulder to lessen his worries.

“I see...” he sighed in relief as he stroked his stomach.

“Well, let's go buy the ingredients then.” he said.

“No need. Everything is already prepared.” Yui replied.

She grabbed his arm and dragged him.

“Now let's go!” she smiled happily.

Thus, they walked home.

They talked about random things on their way until they arrived.

After entering the house, they took their shoes off and went to the kitchen. There, they prepared dinner together while they continued their chitchat. After they were done, they took a seat at the table and began to eat.

It was times like these when Kazuma truly felt like a teenager who experienced youth normally.

“And have you met Emma yet?” Yui asked him suddenly while they were still eating.

“Emma? No, not yet. I thought it would be better to talk to her after the exams are over.”

“I see. So you're really fighting...” she looked down.

Since Kazuma was discharged and went back to school, he did not met Emma whereas Yui was still eating lunch with her together. But Yui was still in the dark about the current situation between Emma and Kazuma because nobody of those two told her about it.

“Geez, don't look like that. After tomorrow, everything will be normal again.” he tried to cheer her up.

“Really?” she looked at him with an innocent gaze.

“I promise.” he smiled slightly.

“It's a promise!” she said as she returned back to her happy self.

“You know, you've missed so many funny stories from Emma! Like that time when...”

She started to retell some of the conversations between her and Emma.

Then, they were done with dinner.

Yui began to clear the table.

“Oh, let me help.” Kazuma stood up and tried to reach out for the plates.

“It's fine. I can do this alone! Just sit down and relax!” she declined his offer while she pointed at his seat.

“A-alright...” he sat down again.

He watched her as she cleared the table and washed the dishes. He felt a little bit guilty for not helping her. But this feeling faded soon after he remembered that she was the one who insisted that he should just relax.

“Girlfriend, huh...?” he suddenly murmured.

In that instance, Kazuma's face began to blush madly.

Why did he say it? Was it because the two of them looked like a married couple right now? She was wishing the plates while she wore an apron whereas he just sat there and watched her. But was this situation enough to think about the term 'girlfriend'?

They knew each other for more than a year and eating dinner at her house with just the two of them was nothing new. So why was he blushing today?

“!”

He realized it. Kazuma slowly began to be conscious about the fact that Yui was also a girl. Usually, he saw her just as a friend whom he could hang out with but he always ignored the fact that they were a girl and a boy.

Yet he did not know since when he saw her in that way.

Kazuma shook his head in denial aggressively.

He did not know what was wrong with him. He had eyes only for Emma. Even though it was currently awkward between them, he was still madly in love with her.

He visualized all the moments he shared with Emma in his head.

“Ehm, everything alright?” Yui asked him.

“!”

He did not realize that Yui was already done and stood beside him because he was fantasizing about Emma.

“N-n-nothing, why are you asking?!” his voice cracked a little.

“Because you were constantly muttering Emma's name like a creep.”

“Huh?”

Kazuma did not notice that he was doing that.

His face became even redder than a tomato.

“Y-y-you must have misheard!” he tried to lie while he was sweating nervously.

“I see...” she said with a not completely convinced look.

“Whatever. Want to watch TV?” she did not pursue the topic further.

“Oh, yeah! Let's watch TV!” he agreed of course.

Kazuma and Yui continued to hang out at her house until the sun was gone.

“I guess I'll go home now.” Kazuma said while stretching his body.

“Ah, I didn't realize that it was already that late!” Yui commented.

The two went to the entrance where Kazuma put on his shoe. After he was ready, he turned around to say goodbye.

“Huh? W-what are you doing?” he was surprised.

Yui was currently on her knees with her hands in front of them and bowed so that her forehead touched the floor.

“I haven't had the chance yet to clearly express my gratitude so let me do this. Kazuma, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for rescuing me! So let me repay you in the way you wish!”

“Raise your head, Yui. It's fine. I mean it.” he said with a soft and comforting voice as he smiled at her.

At his words, she slowly raised her upper body.

“Kazuma...”

Tears began to form in her eyes.

“I... I was so scared! Thank you, truly!” she wiped her tears away as she cried.

Kazuma crouched down so that their eyes were on the same level.

“It's alright... Everything is over...” he patted her head to comfort her.

“Sniff... Kazuma!” she hugged him.

Yui appeared to be unaffected by that incident but she was also a fragile girl. Something like that would naturally affect one's mind. And Kazuma realized it now.

“This may sound embarrassing and I want to cringe at myself for saying that but hear me out.” he hugged her back as she continued to cry.

“You are really important to me. Therefore, I will always be on your side if you need me. If you are in such a situation again, then I will find you. I don't care if it's a trap for me. I don't care if 20, 40 or even 100 people want to beat me up. I will see to it that you will be safe. So don't be scared. I've got you.”

Yui calmed down a bit and slowly let go of him. He also let go of her.

“...sniff...”

“I... sniff... I will try...” she said with a still crying voice.

He nodded his head with a warm smile.

“I guess you need time for yourself right now. Now hurry and go to bed.” he said as he stood up again.

“Yeah...” she also stood up.

“If you still want to talk or write just contact me. Otherwise, see you tomorrow!” he waved his hand as he stood outside now.

“Yeah...” she walked to the door and held the doorknob.

“Kazuma?” her face reddened a little.

“Hm?”

“You are also important to me!” she said in a rush and closed the door.

“Huh?” he blushed again.

With the door separating them, each one of them stared at the door.

Both faces were red.

And both hearts beat faster than usually.