A Bond Beyond Blood

Just a push is needed.

Is that really true?

I never saw Chiori as willing to give up with that little bit of resistance, though her offer seemed earnest. Why would she be quivering in front of me otherwise?

I didn't push her, even though she offered,

Instead I slid away, my eyes focused on the emergency exit beside me.

It's cowardly, but I didn't know what else to do. I knew the alarm wouldn't trip, so at that moment, it became the most appealing option.

How am I otherwise supposed to act here? Flat out rejecting her would feel terrible, but I can't just let her go ahead on a whim.

I wanted time to think. Get everything sorted, maybe reach an agreement or an understanding later with her.

So I ran through the door before I'd let her do something I'd regret, idiotic and pathetic as it may be.

As I frantically closed the door behind me, I breathed a deep sigh. Before I could let myself rest, I ran off, away from the school, not certain where I was even heading to.

It's certainly ironic. Talking about the importance of being on time for class while in a reflex skipping out on school altogether. I wish I could blame anyone else for it, but the fact that Chiori shakes me up this way is only on me.

If I acted like any normal brother, thought like one, none of this would have even occurred to begin with. I was the one letting it escalate this far, being so careless by not addressing her feelings for this long.

I looked back while running, yet she didn't seem perturbed or confused at all.

Looking at me from the other side of the door, she had a smile on her face. The type of smile that is both confident and almost consoling, like one of a mother having to deal with her child's outburst. Though, within that smile laid a bit of loneliness as I ran from her farther and farther away.

With her lips, she gestured words that I couldn't hear, but reading it, I realized what she was saying.

'I'll be waiting for you.'

I ran through the streets, face flushed and breathing heavily, desperately back towards my home. It was the only place I could think of at that moment, and given the choice I wished to just go back to sleep and wake up with it all having been a weird dream.

It didn't feel real, but despite it my heart was thumping loudly, and my arms and legs quickly grew sore, breaking that illusion.

I soon arrived home, I shut the door behind me as soon as I was inside, paranoid that someone would be chasing me, even though I wouldn't know who.

Still, I definitely fucked up.

I suddenly won't be present for class, without having given any notice.

I went up to my room, and crashed onto the bed, exhausted in every sense.