"... Kasumi-chan, calm down."
Her voice is frantic, and he could hear it from the rhythm in her speech. Is she nervous? Scared?
"No, I have to let you know. I'm serious Mikami, I still love you, and it wasn't because I was lonely."
So, there were circumstances.
Like Yumeko-chan, and even Lila-chan said it. 'I don't think, Kasumi's feelings would change just like that. Right, before I left. There was no doubt she was still in love with you. There.' But, people change in two weeks. Half a month has passed. In just a few hours, a few minutes. People are exposed to change, especially when they are in a new environment.
Mikami recalled something, what something could have led to her breaking her promise with him? What something, could have led her to date somebody else?
"I explained all this in the letter. Have you not read it?" Kasumi said.
"Letter?"
He realized a second too late. He should have gone along with the flow. If he did that, then perhaps he wouldn't have felt it, the pain in his heart.
"I asked Wataru to--"
Kasumi paused and noticing how long the pause was; he called out to her, "Kasumi-chan?"
"I'm so selfish... ah...obviously he wouldn't," Kasumi said.
She sounds like she is about to cry.
Cry.
He doesn't want that anymore, to see the girl he loves in tears. Back then, it was unavoidable. But that day, he shouldn't have turned her down the way he did. Even after he came back from the training and became a different person, Kasumi still treated him the same. She didn't question his strange behavior or being around girls other than her. Perhaps she was afraid of what he would say.
But she would treat him the same as usual, yet sometimes she openly displayed her feelings. Whenever she saw a girl cling on to him, she would look at him for a few minutes and leave. Even though he shouldn't treat her as someone special, he still pushed the girl away and ran to Kasumi. He would run to her, embrace her and she would turn around and look at him with those piercing eyes, before lightly brushing her lips on his lips and telling him, 'Let's go?'.
Now that he thought about it. He never even questioned that action of hers; he didn't see the need too. It felt natural, for Kasumi to kiss him. It was so natural, and yet he should have said something then. If he asked her what their relationship was.
What she felt towards him before he got in too deep - then, perhaps. Perhaps, there's so many what if scenarios that come to mind? But currently, he's thinking he could have found a way that prevented her from crying.
He doesn't want her to cry. He doesn't want to make her cry anymore. But, even more than that. He doesn't want her crying for another guy.
A bright light was glowing around him.
The corridors vanished.
And in the next second, he was in another space slowly forming. But there on the other side was caramel curly hair.
"Mi-"
He immediately rushed over and engulfed the girl in his arms. Ah, it's her — his Kasumi.
"Mikami, hold on a second moron. I can't breathe."
He pulled back and examined her from head to toe. She really has been left untouched. But that guy who agreed to be her boyfriend likes her. Why didn't he touch her? Mikami wondered.
"We ...haven't met in so long. Yet you're already acting like an idiot."
"My bad. I should have done this sooner, but, I wasn't sure whether it would work. My powers have stabilized now since Mother has been working on a cure."
He doesn't necessarily have to see other girls anymore. But, there are still times where it gets especially bad.
"Then, can we meet often?" Kasumi asked. Her tone was hopeful.
"It only works when I'm not that tired." Once Kasumi heard this, her expression becomes downcast. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her, "But, I have a lot of stamina. Or have you forgotten? "
He received a punch for that comment.
"I—I know that dummy."
. ....
"Wh—why did you make a bed appear?" she stammered.
"I mirrored it off my house, and we were just in the hallway. Naturally, there would be a bed here." Mikami replied calmly.
Kasumi hesitantly sits down, and Mikami does the same.
"Kasumi-chan, you're too nervous.,"
"Be-because you keep staring…"
Why wouldn't he stare? He hasn't seen her in such a long time he wanted to look at her, more closely. Before he knew it, he had her pinned down on the bed.
"Are you nervous?"
"Yes, it's been so long." Kasumi trailed off and looked away. "I'm all sweaty since I've been at the shoot all morning."
"That's an issue?"
"Of-of course, it is."
"I don't mind."
He doesn't. It won't make a difference. He just wanted to touch her.
"Mikami. Don't look so closely? Okay?"
"Kasumi-chan, that's unfair. I could say the same for you."
Their hearts are connected.
That's the sort of feeling he gets.
And, that's the only feeling that mattered.
.........................
A short while later. Mikami finished up quickly noticing how she was tired. The two lay on the bed and he found himself asking about her boyfriend.
"Mikami, don't talk about him."
"All right. " he agreed.
He asks her a few more questions while avoiding the topic of her boyfriend. It's natural not to want to discuss it. But, it's natural to talk about it too. Does he ask her again later? It's only been an hour since he saw her. He should bring it up when several hours have passed.
He still doesn't have the qualifications to stand by her side. Even holding her like this is a luxury he shouldn't have, "Enough about me. I want to ask about you. I've been so worried." Her soft hands caressed his cheeks, "Mikami."
It contained so much love so much affection only for him.
This girl loves him.
He doesn't know why she got a boyfriend. But, her feelings are still there. Upon realizing this Mikami relaxed and decided to tease her. "Are you more confident now?"
"It-It's only because I missed you. Don't get the wrong idea."
"The wrong idea?" Mikami repeated, amused.
Kasumi was beat red as she said the next lines, "Y—you know my feelings?"
"That you, love me so much. That being near me makes you nervous."
"Your… not wrong. Mikami..." Kasumi replied softly.
Huh? What? Come to think of it. He caressed her hair as she laid on top of him.
"Tell me something else, why didn't he sleep with you? Your boyfriend?" Mikami decided to ask her upfront.
Kasumi seemed flustered, "What—didn't sleep? How did you know?"
"Oh, I would know. Your body didn't pick up any habits I didn't know of."
He teases her; half expected her to get angry at him. So when she goes along with what he's doing, he almost gets angry. She's silly. His Kasumi, so silly. Mikami doesn't know who her boyfriend is, but he's surely a good person. He's someone who deserves her. In contrast to him, that guy suits her better and yet here she is. Once again, she's with him.
"Mikami, Mikami, I love you."
…!
She's such an idiot.