I'm happy I met you

"Kiryu? What do you want for dinner? Ah, I went shopping after helping with the event, so I bought a lot of food."

"Lila," Kiryu said seriously.

"Um?"

"I want you."

At first, he thought he only wanted to protect her from the harshness of this world. But, before he knew it, his desire for her exceeded the feeling of wanting to protect her. Even if that did not happen a week ago, he would have eventually snapped.

She searched his expression to see whether he was joking or not, and her cheeks turned red.

"Um, Kiryu. You know we've done it quite a bit already today. I'm not saying I don't like it. But um, don't you think you need a break?"

A break, huh? Well, it's true that after she hurried over to him, he started attacking her whenever she was alone. But he wants to feel her warmth right now. If he doesn't, he's going to get lost in some dark thoughts again. Kiryu made his mind up and pulled Lila to the floor with him. The two of them landed with a thud.

"Kiryu?"

"Let me rest for a bit. I'll eat you alongside dinner later. But right now, I want to rest with you in my arms like this."

It is fine for him, even if he does not touch her like that. As long as he can hold her like this, it is more than enough for him.

"Yes. Alright, Kiryu." Her tone and the look in her eyes were gentle and mature-looking.

During their weakest moments like this, he can see other sides of her that she usually doesn't show just anyone. But each new side he learns of her makes him love her even more than he already does.

It is hopeless for him already; he already can't love anybody but her.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kiryu."

He knows that; he knew that she would never leave his side, and yet he's afraid.

Afraid that if he isn't with her for a single second, something will happen to her. He hugs her tighter.

"Kiryu, It's okay. I will never leave you."

His Lila, if only there was a way for them to be together forever, if there was a way for them not to be separated. However, like he told her last time, even if he always wants to be with her, the two are as close as they are; at times, they lead completely separate lives.

One day he has to accept this painful reality. If he closes his eyes, maybe then he can see a reality where they are always together.

It is a reality where he can be with her always, where neither of them has to get hurt, where they can simply hold each other without a single care in the world.

….

When Kiryu opens his eyes, the first thing he sees is Lila fast asleep in his arms. For a moment, he froze and quickly retraced what had happened in his mind. Right, he came here because he heard she was sick, and she ended up drinking his blood.

'Just don't move.' Like a fool, she ended up agreeing, and they fell asleep just like this.

Kiryu extended his hand out towards her face when he saw her eyebrows crossed. What is she dreaming of? Is it a nightmare? She looks troubled about something.

He truly is an idiot; why did he even come here? No, the foolish thing is him dreaming of the past. What use is there thinking of those days, the days that will never return?

His thoughts broke off when he felt Lila stir in his arms. Oh-

"How do you feel?"

"Still a bit weak."

Kiryu placed his hand on her forehead, and heat immediately transmitted to his palm, confirming his question. "You should rest more. Wait here, I will cook something, and you can take medicine."

He turned to leave, but Lila tugged on his shirt.

"What were you dreaming of, Kiryu?"

"The past," Kiryu admitted. "The first time I held you."

"I thought of that recently too. You know I have moments where I think about our past too; we were together for fourteen years after all. It's hard for me to just dismiss everything that has happened."

"But you choose Haruka?"

"Mmm, that's right."

"Let's not talk about this again. Your unwell." Kiryu walked towards the attached kitchen and started to take some stuff from the fridge. He can make a simple meal with this, and her medicine should be in the cabinets.

The moment he started cooking, he felt a pair of arms hug him from the back.

"Lila, I'm not angry," Kiryu said softly. "Lie back down."

"Your angry Kiryu. I know you very well; you can't hide it from me."

"Even if I am mad, I won't lash out at you, even more so since your sick. I won't lie and say I am fine. But Lila just focuses on what is happening right now."

He does not want to trouble her with his thoughts. He does not want her to be burdened by his feelings.

His thoughts broke off when he heard Lila sobbing. Kiryu turned around, and she buried her face in his arms.

"Please just tell me the truth; you're in pain, aren't you? You want to cry, right? Just cry. Please don't hide it from me anymore. Kiryu, please stop suffering alone."

She always knows what to say. From the very start, this girl has always known what to say. She is the only one who has noticed his pain and suffering.

This girl even now has such deep feelings for him. But they both know already they can no longer be in a relationship together.

Kiryu opened the door on the side. "Let's walk and talk in the garden for a bit. The breeze is pleasant."

Normally he would not suggest going out this late at night. But it felt like his emotions would explode if they remained this way any longer. Lila reluctantly followed after him.

Nobody spoke until they arrived at a large fountain in the center for the next few minutes. It surprised him when they bothered to fix this old thing. Surely there are more important matters right now to attend to.

"Kiryu, you won't cry?"

Kiryu laughed at her words. "Do you want to see me miserable that much?"

But he won't cry, at least not in front of her anymore. He does not want to sway her over by crying. He doesn't want her to feel guilty dating Karashima. After all, those two were fated to be together from the very start. He was the one who got in their way.

He was the one who robbed Haruka of those fourteen years.

This entire time the one who was deluded and living a lie was him.

He has no right to cry. Moreover, he truly wants Lila and Haruka to be happy.

"You know I'm happy, Lila, that I met you."

"You're happy? But you suffered a lot because of me."

Kiryu shook his head. "Not once did I suffer any grief after I met you. Sure there were times when I struggled and battled with my emotions a lot, but ever since I met you, I never had to struggle alone. I was a very weak person. I was an expressionless child before I met you. I did not talk much, which caused people around me to worry."

"I think I heard that story too."

"Yes, of course, they would have told you."