Chapter 114: Start Knowing Each Other
"Are you okay?"
Night took a deep breath. It’s weird to see him panicking like this. Did I ask something that makes him uncomfortable?
"I don’t want to make excuses, but it was Tomoe’s action and I couldn’t stop her." He scratched his head.
"Don’t you like her? Wasn’t she supposed to become your wife if it wasn’t for me?"
"That’s what the oyabun wanted. I have no choice but to follow." Night said.
Is it fine for me to ask more than this?
"Are you curious? Do you want to know more about me?"
"H-Huh?"
Night smirked. "I’m happy if you’re curious about me again." He said. ’There’s no way the Night I liked would say something like that.’
"T-Then I’ll take your offer."
"Where do you want me to begin?"
I shrugged. "How you and Tomoe met?"
Night chuckled. "We’re cousins, we met when we were 5 years old." He said. "Tomoe’s attracted to me, and I saw her as someone precious. Someone that needs protection in this violent place." Violent place? Is he referring to the Yamaguchi-gumi?
"She worked hard to become the next boss’s wife. Tomoe wanted to become my wife." Night said as he caressed my hair. "But I didn’t see her more than a younger sister." The moment I heard that I felt relieved.
’Why am I feeling relieved?’
"S-So you don’t have romantic feelings towards her?"
"I don’t have romantic feelings towards anyone... before." Before? "But now, I have. For you."
I felt embarrassed so I couldn’t look him in the eye. "How could you have feelings for me when you despised me. I’m your stalker, and you always ignored me." Even though I’m feeling relieved, I still can’t trust his words.
’But why can’t I trust his words?’
"I didn’t have the time for anything else." He said. "I was forced to take over this organization, and I needed to do well at school for me to stay here in the Philippines."
That’s not an answer... "You didn’t have any interest in me before."
"That’s because I thought your love was superficial. You only liked me for my good looks, didn’t you?"
I can’t deny that...
"I don’t know the reason why you like me. I thought of you as someone shallow like everybody else that was after me." Night said.
"Then how did you fall for me now? I am still shallow." I think?
Night shrugged. "I feel comfortable sleeping with you."
"What?"
"Not in a weird way." He quickly said. "Before, sleeping was like a task I am forced to do. There is no difference between sleeping and staying wide awake." Night placed his hand on top of my hand. "But with you, I can sleep like a baby, with no care in the world. I can finally rest. You give me such comfort."
Doesn’t he just want to use me to be able to sleep well?
"That doesn’t prove you like me. You only want to sleep well, don’t you?" If that’s the way I could help him, then I’ll help him. "You don’t have to tell me that you like me, because it’s really fine."
Night smiled at me. "It’s fine if you don’t believe me right now." He said. "I’ll continue to prove it to you."
His cold hand touched my cheek making me flinch. "It’s fine for you to doubt." He said with that smile. It was fascinating, seeing Night smiling like that was a fascinating sight. "For now, I think you should sleep." Night patted my head as he helped me lay on the bed.
"Would it be fine for me to sleep on the same bed with you?" He asked as if he hadn’t already done that. "I won’t do the things you don’t like anymore, so tell me."
If I let him sleep with me, he might think that I still have feelings for him.
’Do I? Am I still attracted to Night? But I also hated the things he did to me. Even though I can’t hate him fully, I still have things I don’t like about him.’
I sighed. "It’s fine. We’ve been sleeping together already. Just... prevent from touching me and stay on your side." I said.
"Let’s do that."
I lay on the bed beside Night as I stared at the ceiling. He’s following what I told him and even placed a pillow between us so he wouldn’t be able to touch me even if it’s not on purpose.
’I guess he doesn’t go back on his words.’ I thought as I tried to close my eyes to get some sleep, but no matter how I tried, I keep getting reminded of how Night told me he despises me.
Why can’t I forget about it? And why am I remembering it just now?
’I can’t sleep.’
"Are you asleep now?" I asked but I immediately regretted it after remembering that Night has difficulties sleeping. ’If he’s already asleep and I disturbed his sleep, how am I going to help him fall asleep again?’
"I am awake."
"I-I’m sorry for disturbing your sleep."
"I still haven’t slept. Do not worry." He said but I felt bad so I started biting my fingernail. "You can’t sleep?"
"Yeah..."
Silence followed that. I could only hear the sound of the air conditioner and my own breathing. ’It feels scary when I can’t see Night’s face, but I don’t want to turn to him since it’s making me feel embarrassed.’
"Then, if I may ask some questions until you fall asleep."
"Sure. What kind of questions?"
"Who was that blonde guy?" His voice turned serious causing me to blink lots of times. ’Is he curious about El?’ "You don’t have to hide anything from me. I won’t do anything bad to him so you may confess."
Confess what? He’s acting as if I did something terrible. "He’s my friend."
"When did the two of you meet?"
I gulped. Should I really tell him about that time? ’Ugh, I guess it wouldn’t hurt anyone if I answer honestly.’
"I met him when I ran away from this house," I said. "He was the one who helped me find shelter from the rain and tended to my wounds."
"Why would a random person do that?"
"He said I was pretty."
"What!?"
I flinched when Night suddenly raised his voice but he soon cleared his throat. "C-Continue."
Should I even inform him that El confessed to me that he has romantic feelings towards me? "He said that he wanted to become friends, and I really appreciate his help that’s why I accepted him as my friend," I said.
I probably shouldn’t tell Night about the confession for now. He might overreact like how he did when I told him that El thought of me as someone pretty.
"Then... how about me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I’m interested in how you fell for me."
I’ll be telling him that, right now? "Isn’t it too late for that?" I don’t like him anymore.
"It’s until you fall asleep, so isn’t this fine?"
"I guess... you might not remember it though."
"It’s fine, I want to hear it."
I sighed. "It was the first day of school and I was late to the opening ceremony. Oh, by the way, it was when we were freshmen." He was quiet when I said that and I can’t see his face so I don’t know what his reaction was.
"I climbed the school gate despite being told not to, and there I met you."
"You reached out to me with both of your hands, and you caught me as I jumped off the gate," I said.
I don’t know if that sounded too cringe for him, but I guess that’s just how I describe that moment.
"For me, it was love at first sight. I was still delusional and childish back then. I still believed in fairy tales and princes. Which is why I thought you were the perfect prince."
"But you learned that I hurt people and I’m not kind."
"That’s not it!" I got up from the bed and looked at him after he said that. His eyes... I couldn’t explain what it was, but it felt... sad.
"Y-You were the one who told me that you hate me." I started biting my fingernails as I said that.
"I know nothing about Night after all. That’s why you were right. I was shallow and so does my so-called love for you."
I was his stalker, but the funny thing is, I know nothing about him but his name. "I want to know you better too." I looked at my hand and saw that the fingernail I’m biting was already bleeding but it didn’t hurt so I guess it was fine.
"Stop biting it." Night got up too and grabbed my hand away from me. "If you want to know me better, shall we start now?" He looked me in the eye after he said that.
"Start what?" I gulped as I could feel his face getting closer to mine.
"Start knowing each other." When his face became too close it made me shut my eyes due to nervousness.
’Is he going to kiss me?’
