Chapter 4 - "Forgotten Memories"

As soon as I got home. I jumped on my bed and rolled as I try to contemplate everything that has happened today. 'Did I just got a rival?' I thought. 'This is absurd. Does that mean I can't be her friend anymore?' I added.

"Nooooo" I shouted.

My dad and mom came barging in. "Is everything alright, sweetheart?" My dad asked.

"I'm okay. It's just that I got a rival mom!! Dad!!" I cried. I never experienced having friends before. That's why having my only friend call me a rival is really confusing. "Does that mean I can't be friends with her?" I hugged my mom.

"Tell me what happened then, I'll tell you the answer." My mom said. I told her what happened as I cried my heart out. She laughed and my dad sighed.

"I guess I'll leave you girls to it!" my dad said as he shut the door.

(Y/N)'s Dad P.O.V.

As I close the door I can feel my heart pounding so fast. I closed my fist and raised it above my head. 'My baby girl's growing! I'm so happy!' I thought but, I remembered that she mentioned a boy a while ago. "I'm going crush and pound you boy! No one dares approach my precious baby! NO ONE!" I shouted softly..

(Y/N)'s P.O.V.

My mom patted my back. "I think she meant you'll be her rival if you like the same guy. Don't cry too much." she comforted.

"But, I don't like Sakusa.." I said. 'Or do I?' I thought to myself. I wiped my eyes and sat straight to face my mom. "Mom, how do you know if you like someone?"

"Hmmm..." She looked up and smiled then, looked at me. "When your heart race when you see that person and he makes you feel comfortable" she said. She stood up and waved goodbye "Well then, I'll be going now." She goes out and shut the door.

'Do I like him? If I do then, Liliana won't be my friend anymore.' I thought. I stayed up late contemplating if I like Sakusa and how will I approach Liliana knowing that she just declared herself as my rival.

~~~

The next day, I looked like a walking zombie. I have dark eye bags. I look so pale. I can't even pay attention to my surroundings. I bumped into someone and didn't even turned to see who is it. "Sorry.." I said.

"Hey (y/n)! Are you okay?" It was a female voice. I turned to see who is it and to my surprise it was Liliana. I cried. I thought she won't talk to me ever again.

"Liliana!" I cried. "I thought you'll never talk to me again! I'm still your friend right? I promise I don't like Saku—" She covered my mouth.

"Shh! We're in the corridors, a lot of people will hear you." She said. She pulled me to the rooftop. "So?" She asked.

"I don't like Sakusa please still be my friend!" I begged. 'I don't know if I like him or not but, I don't want to lose my one and only friend' I thought.

"Silly!" She pinched my cheeks. "Even if you like Omi you're still my friend. It's for him to decide." She looked at me and smiled.

"So you're still my friend?" I asked for reassurance.

"Yes." She giggled. "But, I don't think you don't like Sakusa though."

"Why?" I asked.

"Nothing, I just felt it. Other than you're indebted with him although, I don't know what exactly is that debt is. I think there's more to it." She smiled.

"But I don't think I like him though." I said. She walked forward to the door.

"Then, try kissing him" She laughed as she ran towards the door. She shouted something but, I didn't hear it.

'Kiss Sakusa?' I thought. 'I don't even know how to kiss a guy. How am I supposed to do this.' I added.

After the classes are over, Liliana brought me to the volleyball gym. We sat in the bleachers. "Look, this is the only time where you'll see Sakusa without his mask." She pointed to Sakusa who's currently spiking. The ball hit the floor and the sound of the ball hitting the ground is somewhat satisfying.

"Are we going to play too?" I asked excitedly. 'I really want to spike the ball just like that.' I thought.

"No, silly!" She poked my forehead. "I'm helping you realize your feelings!"

"Ohh!" I said. "So, what's step one?" I looked at her.

"Step one!?" She asked confused.

"Well, there's always a step by step process in the books I read regarding things like this." I smiled at her waiting for her answer. She turned her face around and massaged her forehead.

"There's no step one. Look at him!" She pointed to Sakusa. "Don't you feel your heart race? Isn't he sexy?" She grabbed my face and turned it to Sakusa's direction.

I crossed my brows and stared at him. I turned to Liliana. "I guess, he looks good with the sweat and all" I said. She facepalms.

"You know what? This isn't working. Let's go." She stood up and started walking.

"Are you sure? Can't we play that as well?" I asked. She just shook her head and we walked home.

As soon as I arrived. "Hey mom! Hey dad!" I shouted and ran towards my computer upstairs. 'Figure my feelings. Kiss sakusa!' I thought. I search the internet about how to kiss a boy.

First thing I read is 'If someone is moving in to kiss you, all you need to do is relax, tilt your head slightly to the right, keep your lips soft and slightly parted, close your eyes, and then meet their lips with yours.' I also read other articles and I think I'm ready.

"Yosh! Noted! OPERATION KISS SAKUSA START!" I shouted and jumped on my bed.

Third Person's P.O.V.

At the other side of (y/n)'s room her parents are listening on her door.

"My baby's going to kiss someone honey!!" Her dad cried as he whispered.

"Shhh!" Her mother covered her husband's mouth. " Let her grow! She's old enough." Her mother whispered.

"Noo!" Her dad whispered as he was dragged by her happy wife to their own room.

(Y/N)'s P.O.V.

The week past by so fast and it's already the weekend. I tried to look good today. I tried to apply make up on my face using what I learned in the internet in a short period of time. 'Today's a special day' I thought. I walked out the house, chin up because I'm proud of myself. I think I look pretty. 'Will he compliment me?' I thought.

We're supposed to meet in front of the school. As I arrive there, I saw him. He's leaning on a wall on the corner trying to avoid the people passing by. I ran to his direction.

"Hey!" I shouted. He looked at me from head to toe then, crossed his brows and bend towards me. His face is about an inch close to mine. It reminded me about what I read in the internet. 'Close your eyes (y/n)! This is it he's going to kiss you! I didn't expect it to be this fast but, arigatou Kami-sama' I thought to myself as I closed my eyes and pouted my lips.

"What are you doing?" He asked. I opened my eyes to see him giving me wipes.

"What? Aren't you going to kiss me because I'm pretty?" I asked.

"What the f*ck? Eww. For an idiot like you, you're bluntly honest, it's scary." He said. "Remove your make up you look like a clown. Who wears make up like that?" He added. I grabbed the wipes and glared at him as I wipe my face.

'I did this make up for almost an hour. I tried my absolute best!' I ranted in my head. "There better!?" I shouted grumpily.

He walked forward. "You look better without make up but, you're still a germ" He said.

I smiled and pretended not to hear what he said. "What?" I asked.

"You're one disgusting germ, I said." His eyes smiled. I saw that even though his face is covered with a mask his eyes shows the expression. I walked alongside him and he push me with pen. "Move forward, keep 1 meter distance please. I'll walk behind you." I pouted and do as he instructed.

We arrived at our destination and he suddenly froze upon seeing the place.

"Hospital?" he asked.

I nodded. "This is where we first met c'mon!"

"No, let's go somewhere else." He suggested.

I crossed my arms. "No! You promised so, you obey." I commanded. He's about to turn away when I said. "I'll touch you if you don't come with me!" He stopped and I smirked at my mini victory.

"As if you can keep up with me with that short legs of yours." He said.

I moved forward and tried to touch his hand. He sprayed disinfectant on my face. I cough while waving my hand.

I glared at him. He rolled his eyes. "Fine." He said. My face lit up as I skipped down the hospital entrance.

"Weirdo." I heard him say.

We stopped on a bench placed under a Sakura tree. "Do you remember this?" I asked.

"No, what's with the bench?" He asked.

"Sit!" I said. He sprayed the bench with Lysol before sitting.We sat on the bench one human apart from each other. "This is where we first met." I looked at him and continued. "You introduced yourself here."

Flashback (11 years ago)

A boy was sitting on a bench outside the hospital; that's my usual spot whenever I want to go out for air. I sat beside him, about one human away from each other not minding what he's doing.

"I'm Sakusa Kiyoomi" He suddenly started talking while facing front. 'Is he talking to me?' I thought. I just shrugged and looked at the sky in awe. " And you are?" He asked again. He turned his head to me.

"Why do you care?" I said as I give him a pissed look.

"You look like a germ." He insulted. I don't know if he means it or not. His face shows no expression.

"What?!" I asked trying to check if I misheard him.

"But, I hate germs..." He smiled as he looks up the sky but, his eyes speaks the other. 'Sakusa Kiyoomi huh? Seems interesting.' I thought to myself. I was about to ask him something when suddenly a man wearing a clown suit came looking for him.

"Omi! Omi! Where did you go??" He ran towards the man.

"Papa!" He shouted as he ran towards the man in the clown suit.

He bended on one knee and looked at his son. "Where did you go?" Sakusa pointed to the bench I'm sitting on. "I told you not to wander around." His father sighed.

His father walked towards us holding his son's hand and bowed. "I'm sorry! Did my son caused you inconvenience? He can be grumpy sometimes please forgive him."

My nurse smiled at the man while I stared at the young Sakusa hiding behind his father's back. "Not at all sir, he just sat there quietly looking at the sky." My nurse said.

He turned to his son. "Did you talked to your mom, again?" The boy nodded.

'Talked to his mom?' I pondered.

We walked to my ward after I had enough taste of fresh air. The man in the clown suit was there talking to his son again.

'Tch, it's that not so funny clown again' I thought. He's here in my ward every weekend making the other kids happy but, not me. I walked passed them as I heard their conversation.

"To the room over there" The clown pointed towards the direction to where I'm confined. "There are kids who needs my help. They're sad and lonely, Omi so, we need to make them smile." he continued as I clench my fist.

"But dad—" He was interrupted by his father. Shaking his head indirectly telling him 'No buts'.

I got inside my room and sat on my bed. The food was there. My parent's are out. My dad needs to work while, my mom needs to go out to buy my medicines.

The man in the clown suit came inside while his kid sat on an available chair. The man started to joke around, everyone was laughing and having fun except me. I thought of the man as a annoying person who mocks people who are sick, like me. I threw my food bowl to the clown.

"Stop!" I shouted. "Stop mocking us! We'll never be happy. No matter how hard you try to make us laugh you can't cure us!"

"(y/n)!" My nurse shouted as she tried to hold me back.

"Don't touch me!" I shouted at her then, looked at the young Sakusa and his father. "You!" I pointed to his dad. "You're doing this out of pity aren't you!? I don't need your pity! We don't need your pity!" I shouted as tears came running down my face I took my pole of IV drop and pulled it myself as I walked out of the room.

A boy came running to me, it was Sakusa. He walked in front of me trying to stop me. "Move!" I shouted and before I knew it he slapped me.

"My dad was sad too! My dad was in pain too! He lost his hopes too but, no one came to make him happy like you do." Tears came streaming down his face as my eyes grew. I can see the exact pain I saw when he was staring at the sky. "You should be indebted to my father! He go out his way to make you happy! He did his best to make you happy even though, you're a germ and even though he himself is hurting" He was about to say more but, his dad pulled him.

"Omi, stop! I'm sorry! I'll do better next time!" His father bowed to me.

"Why are you bowing!? What are you saying sorry for, dad!?" The young Sakusa shouted and ran away shouting. "All of you are stupid! All of you are germs!"

My mom came rushing as she saw the commotion. She asked what happened and my nurse explained. I felt the sting from the slap I got a while ago. 'I'm indebted?' I thought as I cupped my swollen face. 'Then, I'll make sure to pay that debt' I promised to myself.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Do you remember now?" His eyes grew.

"Yeah..." He sighed. "Sorry for doing that but, you're still a germ though." He said.

"No, I should be sorry." I said. "Close your eyes. I'm going to give you something." I added. He looked at me to check if he's safe with me before closing his eyes.

I moved closer to him and whispered. "I'm going to remove your mask." He got shock. He opened his eyes and his sudden movement made me kiss his lips indirectly to his mask.

Both our eyes grew and my heart started to race.

TO BE CONTINUED.