Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Yume Wants to Secure Her Noah.
"Noah."
Yume’s voice sounded far too calm.
Noah sat on his bed with the phone pressed to his ear.
That calmness didn’t soothe him. On the contrary, it made him even more nervous.
"Yume."
There was a brief silence.
"My sister came home today telling a strange story..."
Noah closed his eyes.
’I was too late.’
"Let me explain."
"I hope so."
Yume’s voice stayed low. She didn’t sound angry, but she did sound hurt. Noah could picture her sitting in her room, hugging a pillow, or pacing back and forth while trying to keep herself together.
"Today, after leaving the movies with Luna..."
"You went to the movies with Luna?"
Noah froze.
’I started off badly.’
"Yeah, but it wasn’t a date. She invited me to see a horror movie and I accepted because turning her down felt weird, so we just went as friends."
"I see..."
Yume didn’t sound convinced, so Noah hurried on.
"After the movie, Luna went to the bathroom and I waited for her. That’s when I saw a girl drop her wallet. I picked it up, caught up to her, and gave it back."
"And that girl was my sister, right?"
"Yes. I didn’t know until she introduced herself as Mirai Hoshino, so I figured she was related to you. But everything happened so fast in the moment."
Yume breathed on the other end of the line.
"My sister said Luna showed up and took you by the hand."
Noah put a hand to his forehead.
"That happened too, but only because Mirai misunderstood everything."
"What did she misunderstand?"
"She thought Luna and I were a couple."
Silence returned, and Noah spoke again before things could get worse.
"I tried to clear it up, but Luna interrupted me and said something weird, then took me by the hand. It was awkward, but nothing happened between Luna and me."
"What did Luna say?"
Noah hesitated.
"I’m not sure repeating it helps."
"Noah."
He swallowed.
"She... said she could support me by herself and that she wasn’t interested in sharing me."
Another silence, this one heavier. Noah sat up straighter.
"Yume, I swear it was a misunderstanding. Luna was acting strange, Mirai got the wrong idea, and I didn’t get a chance to fix it right then."
"Luna was acting strange?"
"Yeah."
"How strange?"
Noah thought about the motel district, about how Luna had gotten close to him, and how she had stopped right before doing something neither of them could ignore.
He couldn’t tell her that over the phone. Not yet.
"I don’t know how to explain it, but she seemed upset about the way Mirai was talking to me."
"My sister can be intense sometimes."
"Yeah, I noticed."
"She can also be really persistent."
"I noticed that too."
Yume stayed quiet for a few seconds.
"Noah."
"Yes?"
"Come to my house tomorrow."
Noah blinked.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"To talk?"
"Yes, to talk."
The answer came too quickly, and Noah felt like there was more to it, but he didn’t want to argue.
"Okay, I’ll come in the afternoon."
"No, come early. There’s no school tomorrow, so we can take advantage of it."
"Alright."
"Noah."
"Yes?"
"I want to hear it from you in person."
Noah looked down.
"I understand."
"Good."
Yume’s voice softened a little.
"Good night."
"Good night, Yume."
The call ended.
Noah set the phone down on the bed and stared at the dark screen.
’This is getting way too complicated.’
The next day, Noah stood in front of Yume’s house, more nervous than he wanted to admit.
He stared at the door, having rehearsed several ways to greet her.
If Yume was angry, he should start by calmly explaining everything.
If she was sad, he should apologize for causing the misunderstanding, even if he hadn’t meant to.
If she was distant, he should give her space.
If she was too calm... he was probably in danger.
Noah took a deep breath.
’First I look at her. If she’s mad, no jokes. If she’s sad, I speak slowly. If she’s serious, I don’t panic.’
He raised his hand to ring the doorbell, but before he could, the door opened and Yume appeared in front of him.
Noah stood still.
She looked at him for a second, then hugged him.
"Noah."
There was no anger in her voice, only relief.
Noah took a moment to react, then carefully hugged her back.
"Hey, Yume."
She squeezed a little tighter.
"You came."
"I told you I would."
"I know, but I still wanted to see you."
Noah felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.
"I wanted to see you too."
Yume lifted her head to look at him.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"Come in."
Yume took his hand and led him inside.
The house was quiet. Too quiet.
Noah glanced toward the living room and then the kitchen.
"Is no one home?"
"My mom’s at work."
"And Mirai?"
"She went out with her friends."
Noah paused for a second.
"So we’re alone."
Yume looked at him.
"Yes."
The answer was simple, but the way she said it made Noah even more aware of the situation.
Yume smiled softly.
"Let’s go to my room. We can talk quietly there."
Noah wanted to say they could talk in the living room, but he didn’t want it to sound like he distrusted her. Besides, they had already been alone before, they were dating, so it shouldn’t feel that strange.
"Okay."
They went up to Yume’s room.
Noah already knew it, but seeing it again reminded him of the last time he had been there and how he had to escape through the window.
’I hope nothing like that happens today.’
Yume closed the door behind them.
Noah sat on the edge of the bed while Yume stood in front of him.
"So..."
Noah said.
"About yesterday."
Yume crossed her arms.
"I’m listening."
Noah explained everything from the beginning.
He told her about Luna’s invitation to the movies, the horror film, how he had gotten more scared than he expected, and how Luna had taken his hand during the movie.
Yume narrowed her eyes at that part.
"She took your hand?"
"Not exactly. I grabbed hers because I got scared, and then she didn’t let go."
"That sounds worse."
"I know, but it wasn’t romantic..."
"Are you sure?"
Noah hesitated for a fraction of a second and Yume noticed.
"Noah."
"I don’t know what Luna was thinking. All I know is that for me it wasn’t a date."
Yume watched him for a few seconds, then sighed.
"Alright. Keep going."
Noah continued with the part about Mirai. He explained the wallet, Mirai’s questions, Luna’s sudden appearance, and the misunderstanding.
"So Mirai thought Luna and I were a couple. I tried to clear it up, but Luna wouldn’t let me finish."
Yume sat down beside him.
"My sister said Luna seemed really sure of you."
"That was part of the misunderstanding."
"Noah."
"Yes?"
"Do you like Luna?"
The question caught him off guard. He opened his mouth but didn’t answer right away.
Yume watched him closely.
Noah finally spoke.
"Luna is important to me. She’s my friend. But you’re my girlfriend."
Yume lowered her gaze a little.
"That doesn’t exactly answer my question."
Noah felt a weight in his chest.
"Yume..."
She took a deep breath.
"Sorry, I don’t want to fight."
"You’re not fighting."
"It just scared me."
Noah looked at her.
"Scared?"
"My sister came home talking about a nice boy named Noah and a girl named Luna who took him by the hand. I tried to convince myself it was some other Noah, but I knew it wasn’t."
Yume tightened her fingers on her skirt.
"And then I thought about Luna."
Noah stayed quiet as Yume went on.
"Luna is beautiful, strong, serious, and she does everything right. Sometimes she understands you in a way I don’t."
"Yume."
"I know. I shouldn’t compare myself."
"You don’t have to."
Yume looked up.
"Then look at me."
Noah did. Yume moved a little closer.
"Did you miss me?"
"Yes."
She placed a hand over his.
"I missed you too."
The tension in the conversation shifted. It didn’t disappear, it simply took on a different shape.
Yume laced her fingers with Noah’s.
"I didn’t like imagining you with another girl."
"Relax. I’m not with another girl."
"I know."
Yume leaned her face closer.
"But it still hurt."
Yume is going to claim what is hers.
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