58 Impudence - Part 7 (2/2)
”Wow, you've got snot dripping down your nose.”
”S-shut up…”
I cover my nose with the sleeve of his windbreaker look away.
Ugh, how embarrassing…
”Here.”
He wipes the tears from my face.
”…”
Maybe Sigmund was right.
Maybe I am that tsoondere thing after all.
All I've done is call him mean things this entire time.
Despite feeling so strongly for him…
If that's the case, then I should say something to even it out.
Something nice. Something that'd make him happy.
Something like…
”… You were really cool today, Chase.”
When I say those words, his eyes light up.
”You mean that?”
”O-of course I do! Do you think I'd be this happy if you weren't?”
”Haha, I guess not huh?”
This moment is everything I'd hoped it would be and more.
He really accepted me…
I was beginning to lose hope, but here we are.
This is almost too good to be true.
The moment suddenly ends, however, as the sound of the door suddenly opening fills the club room once more.
”Wow! Look at these lovebird, Sig!”
”Woo, woo~”
”Wha… Chase! You didn't lock the door!”
I quickly turn around to hide my expression.
”My face is still a mess! I can't let them see me like this!”
”Relax, it's fine. They're our friends, remember?”
”But…”
This is so embarrassing…
”'I love you Chase! I love you!'”
”Ahhh, young love… Chase-dono and Scarlet-chan really are cute.”
”Ghhh… You two….”
I clench my fist.
”Hey you two. Don't be so mean to my girlfriend. She's sensitive, okay?”
G-g-girlfriend?!
Uah, I'm going to faint.
Everyone else has been saying it all day, but for him to say it himself…
I'm definitely going to faint.
This is all so…
”Tch… Look at this normie. Up until Friday he was still so clueless about her feelings, and now…”
”Now now, Nick-kun. Be nice. Don't you have some kinder words for the new couple? You did say you give the best motivational speeches in the 'Fated Ones', didn't you?”
”Uh… did I?”
Chase nods.
”Yep. I believe the words were 'by far'.”
”Tsk.”
He clicks his tongue.
”W-well, I'm no good with sappy shit like this, okay?! I hate love! You two normies can just go fuck in some bushes for all I care!”
”… Cockroach.”
”Sorry. That was a joke. Uh…”
Wow, seeing him at a loss for words like this is kinda relaxing. I could get used to this.
”C'mon, Nick-kun. Just speak from the heart. The heart!”
”Finee. Haaaa… Well, what can I say?”
Hearing his tone mellow out, I decide to turn back to face him.
”When I first thought the two of you were dating, I was pissed. Here I went through the trouble of creating this safe space from stuff like drama and girls and you go ahead and… whatever, you get the point. I was PLATINUM mad. Didn't help that she was one of the popular kids either. That shit, ooooh I was actually SO mad.”
”Ahaha…”
Don't laugh at that, Chase. He was just a dumb incel back then.
”How to put it though… seeing you stand up for her through Thotifer's tongue-lashing made me think. Like, you never stood up to anyone like that. Ever. Even when they were calling us nerds or whatever. It was a side of you I'd never seen before. And seeing how far she went just to figure out what you were up to after school last week, and after speaking and listening her to a bit more, I came to a conclusion. The two of you wouldn't be too bad together.”
He turns to face Chase.
”Chase, Scarlet loves you. I've seen a few couples back in middle school, and compared to them, her love is really freakin' pure. She even puts up with me for you, dude. How many girls can you say would be willing to do something like that? Only love could make you do that stupid shit. Ahaha, yeah no. She's great. Cherish her, will ya?”
Hahaha… When you put it that way…
After saying those words, he shifts to look over at me.
”Scarlet, Chase was just a quiet introvert before you came along. Sig and I barely had any idea what was really going on in that guy's head. No clue about his family, his job, his troubles, nothing. We liked him, but… he wouldn't really open up to us. It wasn't until you came along that he started opening up about his feelings and stuff. I dunno, I guess there's just a part of you that completes him. That makes him a real, whole human being instead of the quiet kid we became friends with during the first week of school.”
Ah, not good. The tears are coming back…
”I know I joke about relationships and I call you guys normies all the time and everything, but… I think you two make the most sense out of any couple I've ever seen. More compatible than even Tidus and Yuna. You deserve each other. And Sig and I, we'll be here for you to every step of the way.”
”Ah…”
I'm so…
I'm so so happy right now.
”*sniff* Thank you Nicholas. Really…”
”Oh come on, you can call me Nick already.
”Ahaha, no way in hell, cockroach.”
”Dude, why.”
”Thanks Nick. I wasn't sure what you'd say but you somehow pulled off another good speech.”
”You should know me by now Chase. It's just what I do.”
He rubs his nose.
”Nick-kun, you ruined your speech with that Final Fantasy 10 reference.”
”No I didn't you shitty otaku. It complimented it perfectly.”
”Huuuh? Maybe if you made it like… Kyon and Haruhi or something.”
”THAT'S the first pairing that comes to your head? Seriously man?”
Ahaha, what are those two even talking about?
”Oh yeah.”
Chase speaks up as if he's reminded of something.
”This might sound like a weird question, but… do you guys sometimes relate stories to your life too? Like… when something happens in a story, do you guys try to find parts of your lives that you can relate it to?”
The question catches me off guard.
Judging by Nick and Sig's expressions, it clearly caught them too.
”Umm… Chase-dono.”
”Chase, man…”
”W-what? Did I say something wrong?”
I giggle.
”No, it's just… That's the whole point of stories, silly.”
”R-really?”
”Maaan, you sure are dense huh?”
”It's okay Chase-dono, I didn't know that either until earlier this year.”
”That's not gonna make him feel better, dude…”
”N-no, guys… I was just wondering, you know… What this moment reminds you of? I know lots of people do it but… I've never had a chance to experience something like that.”
This one in particular?
”Uhh, Toradora maybe? Chase-dono would be Ryuji and Scarlet-chan would be Taiga and we'd be… wait no that doesn't work.”
”Maybe like Isaac and Miri… nope. That's a dud.”
What are those two talking about? Always with the anime stuff…
Geez, whatever.
Let's see… A moment, huh?
”Oh, I've got it.”
”Yeah? What is it Scarlet?”
”There's this one song from The Lion King that I think fits all four of us perfectly.”
”Lion King…?”
Nick thinks for a second.
”Wait, do you mean that 'Can you feel the love' song?”
When Sig hears the name, he starts giggling uncontrollably.
”Oh god, it's so perfect Scarlet-chan!”
”So we're in agreement then!”
I clap my hands together.
Well, at least, three of us are.
”Wait, huh? I've never seen Lion King!”
If nothing else, I admire his bravery for admitting it.
”Omygod. You haven't seen THE LION KING? What a loooooser!”
”Dude, that's just sad.”
”Seriously Chase-dono… it's a cult classic.”
”Whaaat? Guys come on…”
”Hey, let's go sing it at a Karaoke bar!”
With a giggle, I hurry out of the clubroom.
”Loser has to pay for everything!”
Nick screams the words then hurries after me, with Sig trailing behind.
”Wait come on guys! You know I can't do that! Ugh… You're all so basic!!!”
The three of us laugh as we run through the hallways with Chase trailing behind.
And so, the curtains close on the story of my bitter-sweet first month of high school.
Sorry Jen, sorry Momo, this Snow White really did get her happily ever after.
Chase was right. Now that things are over, I'm actually smiling more than ever.
But still, deep down I can't help but wonder if this was the right thing to do.
Will Jen really change her ways because of what we did? Will she forgive me for betraying her?
I don't know the answer to that.
But.
Even if she doesn't, then at the very least I can take pride in having stood up to her for the first time in my life.
Thank you, Chase.
For everything.
I'll forever be indebted to you.
Momo, however…