Chapter 23:

I Will Be

Looking the Wrong Way

The following morning, Akio was awoken by the faint buzzing of his phone.

"Hello?" He groaned, half asleep.

"Akio?" Junko's voice came through. "Sorry to wake you, but have you heard from Miyo?"

"Miyo? No. Why?" His voice was hoarse from sleep and sickness.

"According to Shinichi, she hasn't come to work, and she isn't answering her phone. I figured I'd ask you."

"Sorry, I don't know..."

"It's okay. Feel better soon, you sound awful." Junko said before hanging up.

Akio groaned as he curled up in the blanket. Miyo...?

A moment passed.

Miyo?

Another moment.

Miyo! Akio shot out of bed, stumbling over himself into the room across the hall.

Akio stopped in the doorway, his breathing heavy as his eyes scanned the room. Soon, landing on the bed.

Miyo lay there, wrapped up in the blanket, fast asleep.

Akio blinked. "And here I was panicking for nothing."

He turned to leave but his eye caught glimpse of the clock. Work!

He instantly spun towards the bed.

"Miyo, you need to get up."

No response.

"Miyo," he said a little louder.

Nothing.

He reached out, gently shaking her shoulder. "Miyo~"

Still nothing.

Akio exhaled, grabbing more firmly. "Wake up!"

Miyo groaned as she tried to pull the blanket up.

"Yeah, no." Akio yanked the blanket off and threw it on the floor. "Come on, wake up."

Miyo whined as she shifted, her eyes reluctantly opening. "Akio? What are you doing here?"

"This is my house," he sighed. "You're late for work."

"Work?"

She slowly looked around, her eye catching the clock. "Work! Why didn't my alarm go off?" She scrambled for her phone, only for it to be dead.

"Why is it dead?" she whined.

"Maybe because you didn't charge it."

"I shouldn't have stayed over."

"You make it sound like it was such a bad thing."

"That's not-" She quickly jumped out of bed, opening the closet. "I don't have time for this."

"Want me to make you some food?"

"You're sick, and I don't have time." She turned to him, throwing her phone. "Charge it, please."

Akio clumsily caught her phone and left the room.

Moments later, Miyo fumbled out of the room to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she rushed to put her shoes on. "Good enough, I guess."

"Forgetting something?"

"What?"

Akio held up her phone. "It's still low battery, so charge it once you get to work."

"Thank you." She turned to leave.

"Wait."

"What now?"

Akio stepped closer, closing the space between them. He reached out, gently adjusting her collar. "I know you're stressed, but you're already late. At least make sure you look presentable before you go."

Miyo's face warmed. "R-Right."

Akio's fingers lingered a second longer than necessary as he fixed her collar. Without thinking, he lifted his hand and softly brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

Her breath caught as she felt her face grow warmer.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Akio's hand hovered, barely touching her cheek.

Then, absentmindedly, his gaze wandered and he immediately stilled.

A faint blush rose to his face as he quickly withdrew his hand.

"W-What?"

He avoided her gaze. "The buttons are uneven..."

Miyo quickly looked down, her face reddening as she started fixing the buttons.

Akio hesitantly stole a glance. "Need help?"

"Of course not," she squeaked. "Stop looking!"

He quickly turned around. "I-I'm not!"

She finished fixing the last button, carefully smoothing her shirt out. "There. Done."

"Can I look now?"

"Yeah. Do I look okay?"

Akio slowly turned around, looking her over. "Yeah... You look good."

"T-Thanks." She reached for the door handle. "You should go back to bed."

"I will."

As Miyo stepped out the door she paused, glancing back at him. "Text me if you need anything..."

Before Akio could say anything, Miyo was already gone.

When Miyo reached the office, she was completely out of breath.

After she managed some sort of explanation to Honda-san, she took a seat at her desk and got to work. I'm so behind...

As she worked, she couldn't help but notice Shinichi wasn't at his desk. Though she was relieved, she still wondered why.

A little later, a cup of tea was placed on Miyo's desk.

She blinked, looking up.

Shinichi met her gaze as his voice lowered. "After work, can we talk?"

Miyo hesitated for a moment, but something in his eyes made her slowly nod.

Later, Miyo found herself in a cafe with Shinichi, a cup of tea and a plate of cookies in front of her.

"I think," Shinichi started carefully. "I understand finally."

"Understand what?"

"You."

Miyo's chest tightened. "O-Oh."

"I'm sorry for not noticing and for hurting you and not even realizing it."

Her eyes lowered as her voice grew quiet. "It's fine."

"It's not," he said quickly. "I completely misunderstood and-"

"No, I'm the one that misunderstood," she softly interrupted. "I'm your friend but I didn't realize your... preferences."

"I should've been clearer about it. It's something important and I assumed you understood. Because of that, I didn't think of the possibility of your... feelings."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Are you okay?" Shinichi hesitantly broke the silence.

Miyo took a slow sip of her tea. "I will be."

Another moment passed.

"Can we still be friends?" Shinichi quietly asked.

Miyo nodded. "I'd like that."

Shinichi smiled softly as he lifted his cup of coffee. "Here's to hopefully no more misunderstandings between us."

Miyo blinked, taken aback. Then, a small laugh escaped her as she lifted her cup of tea to meet his.

After Shinichi walked Miyo to the station, she stood on the platform alone.

As she waited for her train, her mind wandered. I wonder how Akio is doing.

She took out her phone, fingers hesitantly hovering before calling.

"Miyo? What's up?" Akio's voice came through, slightly groggy.