Plan Tokyo (ii)

The warm afternoon sun filtered through the classroom windows as the lunch bell rang. Students filed out in pairs and groups, heading for the cafeteria or their usual hangout spots. Maya and Kaito, however, stayed behind, choosing to eat together in the quiet classroom.

They sat by the window, their bento boxes open between them. Maya watched Kaito as he unwrapped a simple sandwich, his calm expression making it hard to tell what he was thinking.

"So," Kaito began, breaking the silence. "Are you excited about the trip to Tokyo?"

Maya's eyes lit up. "Of course! It's going to be so much fun." She took a bite of her lunch before continuing, "You're coming too, right?"

Kaito shrugged, his gaze fixed on his sandwich. "I don't know… I don't think I'll go."

Maya stopped mid-bite, her brows furrowing. "Why not?"

He leaned back slightly, avoiding her gaze. "I just… don't feel like it. I'm not really into trips like that."

Maya frowned, setting down her chopsticks. She reached out and placed her hands over his, startling him. "Kaito, please," she said softly, her voice filled with sincerity. "It won't be fun if you aren't there."

Her eyes searched his, and for a moment, Kaito felt his resolve falter. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. I'll go," he said, his voice laced with reluctant amusement.

Maya's face lit up with a bright smile, and she squeezed his hand. "Really? Thank you, Kaito!"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're persistent, you know that?"

Maya leaned back, laughing softly. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Revealing the Past

As they continued eating, a comfortable silence settled between them. Kaito eventually broke it, his voice quieter than before. "You've been to my house… so I guess you've noticed how empty it is."

Maya glanced at him, nodding hesitantly. "Yeah, I noticed. It's… quiet."

Kaito gave a short laugh, though there was no humor in it. "There's a reason for that. Back when I lived in Tokyo, at my old school, there was this… incident."

Maya tilted her head slightly, waiting for him to continue.

"It was during a school soccer game. I wasn't even on the team, but somehow, I got dragged into it. There was this one crucial moment where I was supposed to defend the ball, but I froze. I couldn't do it." He clenched his fists, his gaze distant. "Everyone hated me after that. They made my life miserable."

Maya's heart ached for him. "That's awful… but it wasn't your fault."

Kaito shrugged. "Maybe. But after that, my dad expected me to just keep living there, like nothing happened. I couldn't do it, so I transferred here instead."

He paused, staring at the table. "My dad's work keeps him moving all the time. Logistics," he explained. "So he doesn't really stay in one place for long. As long as I keep my grades up, he lets me stay here. But the moment my grades drop…"

Maya frowned. "He'd make you move again?"

"Yeah," Kaito said simply, his tone resigned. "That's just how it is."

Maya reached out again, her fingers brushing against his. "That's not fair," she said softly. "You deserve to stay where you're happy."

For a moment, Kaito didn't respond. Then, his smile grew, and he nodded. "I know. And… thanks for that."

Maya's Bold Confession

As Maya looked around, she found herself gathering courage she didn't know she had. She held Kaito's hand once more, her grip trembling slightly. "I… I know I've been asking a lot of you recently," she began, her voice soft but earnest. "But I just want to be with you, Kaito. I want you to be with me."

Her cheeks flushed as she struggled to finish her thought. "I know it's selfish, but… please just deal with me." She hesitated, taking a deep breath before blurting out, "Please, Kaito… I lov—"

Her words caught in her throat, and she froze, realizing what she was about to say. She quickly pulled her hand back, her face burning red. "I-I'm sorry!" she stammered, looking down at the table. "I didn't mean to—"

Kaito's soft laugh interrupted her panic. "No worries," he said calmly, leaning slightly closer. "I love you too."

Maya's head shot up, her wide eyes meeting his. "Y-you do?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He nodded, his expression as steady as ever. "Yeah. I guess I just finished what you couldn't say."

Her face turned an even deeper shade of red as she quickly looked away, her heart racing. She fumbled with her chopsticks, suddenly finding her lunch very interesting.

Deciding to break the awkwardness, she smiled shyly. "The sandwich won't be enough for you," she said, pushing her bento box toward him.

Kaito shook his head. "No worries, I'm fine."

But Maya wouldn't take no for an answer. "You said it's okay to be selfish, right? So just eat with me, even if it's just this once," she insisted, her gaze soft but determined.

Kaito sighed, unable to resist her persistence. "Why do you always do that?" he muttered, reaching for her bento box.

"Do what?" Maya asked, smiling as she watched him take a bite.

He glanced at her, a faint smirk on his lips. "nothing." he says

Maya giggled softly, her cheeks still pink.

Though Kaito tried to act cool, he couldn't hide the warmth spreading across his face. For the first time in a long while, he felt like being selfish didn't seem so bad after all.