Chapter 19
Time passed like wind slipping through the leaves, unnoticed until the branches began to sway. What began as a strange and reluctant bond between Kokoro and the so-called "fat guy" had blossomed into something far more significant. They weren’t friends in the traditional sense, at least not according to Mika’s logic, but they spent every possible moment together.
From the quiet hush of library corners to sun-drenched afternoons playing retro games on an old console in Mika’s sprawling living room, their lives began weaving together in quiet harmony. Mika, still appearing to the world as a chubby boy in oversized shirts and a habit of stuffing his face during lunch breaks, would sometimes shyly invite Kokoro to hang out at her place. Kokoro never refused.
It was during one such visit, lying on the living room floor with crumbs of potato chips between them, that Kokoro, with the same honesty that made Mika’s heart ache, turned to her and said:
"You know, fat guy, you’re probably the bestest friend I’ve ever had."
The moment those words escaped his lips, something inside Mika burst.
Her round cheeks flared red, the chips in her hand forgotten. She turned her head slightly away, biting her lower lip to hold back the stupid smile forming there. But her voice, cool and even, came out as it always did.
"Hmph. I never agreed to be friends."
Kokoro blinked, puzzled. His expression dimmed for a second, like a cloud passing over the sun. But he quickly chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, yeah. I guess... I’m fine with whatever we are now. I just really enjoy being with you."
He smiled at her, wide and full of that genuine light. Mika turned away before he could see how red her ears had turned. Idiot... I’m not your friend. I don’t want to be... she thought. I want to be your wife.
The very thought made her insides twist into nervous knots. A husband. She wanted him to be her husband. That phrase echoed in her mind like a bell, loud and embarrassing. Her face turned beet red, and she had to bury her nose in a pillow just to muffle her scream.