re:Happiness | Cell Phone Novel

childhood friend | xxviii - xxx

・・・ xxviii ・・・

Leo took a small, tentative step forward.

Immediately, Ao flinched and backed away.

Leo froze.

Slowly, he retracted his hand.

He shook his head.

"... I'm... I'm sorry," he murmured quietly. "I forgot. You don't like being touched."

Again, his expression was pained.

Ao felt a lump form in his chest.

... Why?

Why are you making that kind of face again?

He opened his mouth hesitantly and gripped the strap of his backpack.

"What... what are you doing here?"

He asked the same question again.
His tone sounded harsh. Cold.

Leo stilled and slowly turned his gaze away.

He rubbed his head with his hand.

"That's... a question I've been asking myself a lot these days as well," he mumbled uncertainly.

Ao blinked, taken aback.

For a moment, none of them spoke.

Tick. Tock.
Tick. Tock.
Tick. Tock.

"... What?"

Leo turned back to him.

There was a forced smile on his face.

"Would it be... wrong if I told you I came to see how you were doing?" he asked quietly.

・・・ xxix ・・・

A few seconds passed.

The silence between them seemed deafening.

Ao stared at the face of his former friend.

... What?

What do you mean by that?
Why would you say that?

"Lying. He's lying."

Ao breathed out.

He didn't say anything.

Just stop.
Just go away.
Just leave me alone.

Leo made another attempt at a feeble smile.

Then, he asked a question that Ao never expected him to ask.

"Ao... would you like to eat dinner at a restaurant with me?" he suddenly offered in a gentle tone.

・・・ xxx ・・・

Ao blinked in surprise, slowly processing the words he had just said.

The expression on Leo's face was filled with a look of resolve and determination.

At the same time, Ao was suddenly reminded of a certain girl who once had the same expression.

Leo continued.

"I... know a really nice place around here. It's not that far..."

He trailed off uncertainly.

A long pause ensued.

Suddenly, in that moment,
Ao remembered what Rie had said to him that lunch.

'... Let him in, Ao-kun.', she had told him.

'Listen to what he has to say.'

He blinked.

I... I...

He shook his head.

Despite how much he willed himself to reject his offer,
Ao was taken aback by the words he chose to reply with.

One word.

He uttered a single word.

"... Okay," he whispered.