I realized that I shouldn't have underestimated my own heart, especially if it concerns you... -- Florence Joyce
xxxxxx
[Rinako]
With the loss of direction as to where I wanted to go, I just found myself walking towards the large mango tree where I would always stay whenever I was truly pissed or just wanted to get away from... I guess about everything. To my sanctuary.
But it wasn't far from the ball's venue. Maybe a department building away from the place.
The only light illuminating my path was the moonlight in the night sky. Let's just hope that a ghost won't decide to play a trick on me or else, it would be another talk of the school. News travels fast in that school, after all -- or should I say gossips were those that traveled fast.
To my surprise, the weeping willow tree there suddenly lit up. The tree was surrounded (and decorated) with paper lanterns and Christmas lights. My goodness! It was beautiful. Wait, was this a part of the set-ups done by the student council?
Until it occurred to me. That thought would be a bit impossible. This tree was humongous for them to include with their preparations for the ball. Not to mention, this was a bit far from the location of the event.
So now... Who in the world did this kind of stuff to this tree?
"You have the habit of walking out whenever I was being serious with everything I wanted to say to you. It makes me annoyed at you. Do you know that?"
I froze when I heard that voice. I didn't dare turn around. I couldn't. So what I did was sense my surroundings. I heard approaching footsteps that only sped up the beating of my heart.
Seriously! What could be the reason for me to be this nervous? That person didn't exactly have any plans of attacking me or anything, right?
"So now you don't even want to face me. My face doesn't look that bad, right?" That person continued.
If this was a normal time, I could've snorted at those words and punched this guy. But of course, I knew it wasn't.
With a heavy sigh, I turned around. And there was Setsuji. He was wearing a serious look on his handsome face—no matter how much I wanted to puke for actually admitting that he was handsome—as he continued approaching me. I guessed that it wasn't enough to say that he looked dashing in a formal suit. His hands were in his pants pockets as he approached.
"What are you doing here? Are you following me?" I asked casually when he finally stopped just a few steps apart in front of me.
"Yes. You suddenly walked out. I couldn't help getting worried for you."
Those words only made me surprise. Setsuji was worried about me?
"Why would you even worry about me? I don't have any plans of committing suicide if you're thinking about me doing something like that. So I don't see any reason for you to worry."
"Was it really bad for me to feel worried about you? With the way you're talking, it's as if you're depriving me of a reason to meddle with your life."
"Because there's no reason for you to meddle with my life, even with my decisions!" I exclaimed due to this guy's persistence.
But I don't know why but it felt like blurting out those words turned out to be the biggest mistake I'd ever done with him. Why? Both of us felt shocked because of those words. Speechless, even. At least I could tell that. It was as if no right words would come out once we both opened our mouths. I couldn't take his stare at me so I looked away from him and turned my attention to the Christmas lights surrounding the tree.
The area was magical. But the scene wasn't. More like heart-wrenching, if you'd asked me. How many times that everything between Setsuji and I would end up to this? Seriously, this was frustrating.
"Just leave me alone, Mitsuta. Do it before I end up saying something bad to you. I don't want to make that mistake while I still have the will to prevent that from happening."
Geez! Why did I say those words as if I was about to become insane?
Until I couldn't settle the fact in my mind that everything should return to the way it was before, I wouldn't be able to rest. Besides, the truce was over. To hell with that truce! Why did I even suggest that? If I knew that everything would reach up to this point during that truce, I shouldn't have suggested something like that at all!
"So it's about that damned truce again, huh?" I heard Setsuji mutter under his breath before he exhaled. "This is so damn frustrating!"
Seriously? He still had the guts to curse like that? But what exactly was frustrating about all this?
'Umm... everything? The situation is already agreeable between you and Setsuji, and yet, here you two. Making things complicated for the both of you.'
What situation was agreeable about that? It just got messier than before.
"Fine! We'll just end it here. Formally," Setsuji declared moments later.
I suddenly faced him as soon as I heard it. Say what now? "H-here? You mean, in this place?"
He nodded. But this time, his eyes were devoid of any emotions. I couldn't tell why but I ended up having a hard time breathing when I saw that.
"G-good. I thought you would still insist on what you want. It's a good thing that we're agreeing to that." Oh, great! How was it that my voice was shaking as I said those words?
All I knew, my voice was slightly quivering. Surging emotions, perhaps?
"Yeah. But I'll end that damned truce with this!"
It was late for me to realize that he closed the gap between us with just a few strides.
On that fateful night, Setsuji ended the truce for the two of us... as I found herself enveloped in his strong arms with his soft and warm lips claiming my quivering and cold ones. I could only widen my eyes at that.
And I could swear, my heart stopped beating for a few moments because of that.
What in the world was going on?