Exposed feelings

SUMIRE

Maybe love and her truly aren't meant to be. Every single time she falls in love or gets attached to someone, something goes wrong without fail. Maybe she is cursed, since this has happened several times in a row. Then again, she has to admit it's partially her fault for dating guys she is simply fond of and not in love with. It would have been hard to maintain a friendship with Toh, but Toh would have tried for her sake to keep her by her side. 

Had she never approached Sano, then he would never have become so obsessed with her to the point that his life would end up in danger. Because she keeps making the wrong choices, the balance of the world ends up disrupted.

"I heard you went on a trip with Mashima." Sano suddenly said.

Oh.

"You heard?"

The only way he could have possibly known that was either to ask Ru, or he has someone spying on her.

"I was in the area, I saw you both." Sano admitted.

Oh. So, he saw that?

"You only just started dating him. I didn't think you'd go on a trip with him so easily."

Right, because when they were dating. She remained distant for a long time. 

'I wonder why I could open up so easily with Toh.'

Sano brushed his fingers across her cheek and frowned. "Seeing you injured is painful for me."

She could only let out a small 'oh.' as he continued to caress the wound. It was only a small cut, she's had worse. Moreover she actually let them cut her so she could strike them down. Otherwise there is no way she would sustain such an injury.

"Your wounds--" Sumire started.

"Need treatment immediately. I've done my best to stop the damage, but I'll be in danger if this goes on."

Sumire but her lip. They need to get out of here. But she still has a mission to complete.

'-the blood of a hanyou female has healing properties.' 

She took a deep breath before she brought the knife to her wrist. Sano's eyes widened alarmed and she averted her gaze.

"If you've been working with those people. You must have been informed about evolved humans and hanyous. I'm a hanyou so- I want you to-"

"Drink your blood?" Sano finished for her.

Sumire nodded. She still looked away from him. This is really awkward, she has never allow anybody to drink from her like this and she is still very unfamiliar with her lineage.

Her thoughts break off when Sano suddenly bandages her wrist.

"W-why are you?" Sumire questioned. "Oh, could it be that you find it disgusting? Sorry, I'll look around for a cup or something."

Though she doubts she will be able to find anything in this rubble. 

Sano frowned and grabbed her wrist preventing her from standing. "That's not what I meant."

"Then, what did you mean?" Sumire questioned.

Sano sighed deeply and mumbled something about her being oblivious. "If I bring my lips anywhere near your body woman, I won't be able to control myself. Understood?"

It takes her a few minutes to digest that information. Oh, right. Those books about hanyou's explained that drinking blood is a form of intimacy. If Sano sucked her blood, they would have to get- Sumire shakes her head. It's already bad that he kissed her like that earlier.

"I'm surprised you said that. I thought you'd take advantage of the situation."

"I'm not a beast, I've always been a gentleman towards you haven't I?"

Well, it's true that they never did it. But, he did plenty of other things. Sumire sighed deeply. Well now isn't the time to be discussing this.

"Can you explain more about the deal you made with Lucifer? Why did he want you to break up with me, when he clearly wanted to use your connection with me?" Sumire suddenly shifted the topic back.

Sano paused but nodded. "It was a deal to save my family."

Sumire frowned at those words. She immediately understood. "Did they get in trouble again?"

"Yes."

"Sano, I know your family is important to you. But you can't always be the one the one who rescues them when they get in trouble."

"I had no choice. If I didn't make that deal, we would have been cast out of the elite circle properly this time. The mess with my brother already damaged our reputation. Even after he was found guilty, people still whisper. They still look at me like I'm trash."

Sumire reached over and squeezed his hand and Sano smiled weakly. "You know, I could have easily asked for your help. But, I had too much pride to do so."

Yes, she knows that very well. Had he asked her, she would have done everything in her power to help him. Moreover by that time Aki had already mentioned the Black alice organisation and their threats. She could have easily taken them down. But now it will be difficult, with the Nagawa family's help, that person has grown powerful. 

"It was easy asking for your help the first time though. I already sacrificed my stupid pride once, so I wonder why I couldn't do it a second time."

"I think I know the answer to that. Were you feeling jealous towards senpai?"

Sano flinched and she sighed deeply. "You know San, it's not. It wasn't senpai."

"But there is someone? You said something when we first started dating. I didn't really think it through then."

Of course he wouldn't. She is young. Sano probably assumed that she was talking about a silly little crush. 

"There is." Sumire mumbled. "Someone I can never forget even if I want to."

"You want to forget him?"

Sumire laughed weakly. "Not for the reason your thinking. I want to forget him because our circumstances makes it difficult for us to be together." She trailed off. "Honestly, I've never thought of my feelings being returned, let alone actually imagine a future for us."

"But, this guy returns your feelings?"

"Mm, he confessed to me shortly before I met you."

It was such a silly and clumsy confession. But, it really did make her feel happy. 

"However, he had to go to Tokyo for his career. I knew if I asked him to stay, he would have."

"Did you not think to go with him? Or did he not offer that?"

Sumire shakes her head. "I'm sure he would have asked. But I turned him down before he could say much. You see, the guy I like is a member of the entertainment industry. I am sure you know by now how strict the entertainment industry is. Had I gone with him to Tokyo, I would have only ever been his girlfriend. I could never be anything more, and both of us knew that. I would have caused a hindrance to his career to, he wouldn't have been able to rise with me being his girlfriend. The media would have harassed us everyday, we wouldn't have been able to live our lives."

"So you sacrificed your feelings."

"Yes. Since then we met once, and while we didn't get a chance to discuss it properly. Both of us agreed that this was for the best."

While Yuhi agreed to that, she knew how much it hurt him to say those words. 

Sano is quiet for a few moments. "I see, you love him that much."

"You can tell?"

"I can. You, you've never made that type of face before."

Sumire blinked. But before she could question him, Sano stood up. "We should be finding a way out of here instead of standing around. I'll go see what that crazy guy is up to."

"Ah, I'll go too. It's not safe to be walking around unarmed." 

'You don't have to tell me how much you like Terashima, Sumire. I don't know if you realize but when you talk about Terashima, you get that look on your face. A look that exposes your feelings, even a clueless person will be able to figure out that you like Terashima.'

A face that exposes her feelings huh?