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Description

You, by the light
Is the greatest find
In a world full of wrong
You're the thing that's right

Finally made it through the lonely
To the other side

READER

My best friend Ai Mikaze stood against the spotlight, singing his hit single “WinterBlossom”. The crowd hushed in hearing his angelic voice. My eyes branded the scene in my mind, not wanting to forget this moment. All my worries, problems, frustrations melted away at the sight of him so amazing, so magical. As unfeeling as he was sometimes, I could tell he truly cares for me. For me, he’s the only right in this world.

            It had been years since I had a best guy friend and it was comforting to have Ai with me through thick and thin.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark

And I'm in love
And I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only life

As I listened to his voice, sparks ignited inside me, bringing me slowly to the edge of my emotions, wondering what it was that made my heart react this way—pounding into my ribcage with all the force it had.

            And then I realized: I was in live with Ai. And I was scared. I’ve had my heart broken before, and I didn’t want a repeat of that experience. It was the first time that I had loved so much and it ultimately led to my heartbreak.

            I didn’t know if I could trust him with my heart, but I was willing to try, just to see if he’ll take care of it.

And this could be good
It's already better than that
And nothing's worse
Than knowing you're holding back

I could be all that you need
If you let me try

AI

I walked backstage after singing “WinterBlossom”, looking for ____ as I stepped out. I found her sitting on a chair some distance away from the curtains. I walked over to her, feeling my heart beat slightly faster as I closed the gap between us. It’s been acting this way for a few weeks now, always happening whenever I saw her. I wondered why it was happening.

            “Ai!” ____’s call snapped me out of my thoughts, and my heart raced even faster when I heard my name on her lips. I tried to keep my cool and any emotion off my face.

            “____,” I said, stoically. “What is it?”

            ____ was blushing. “W-Well, I wanted to ask you something.” She looked me in the eye and said, “I love you, Ai.”

            I just stood there, a rare expression of surprise on my face. ____ loved me? How could she love me? I’m just a worthless replacement, not even a real human, but… what exactly am I feeling right now, if I was feeling anything at all? My mind tried to come up with an answer as I felt my face heat up, unable to control my system anymore.

            And then it hit me.

            This feeling was love. Love for ____. Love for how she smiles; love for her kindness, care, everything. I was feeling the same thing she feels for me. Figuring this out, I hurried to make a reply.

            “I feel the same way,” I hurriedly said. It felt strange to hear the word “feel” come from my lips, but I couldn’t doubt that it was the truth.

            ____’s face lit up with pure joy and she rushed to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. She rested her head on my chest and I gingerly hugged her back, feeling warm all over.

            I could get used to this.

***

A month into our relationship, I noticed something about ____. She was a bit distant from me, like she was afraid of something bad happening. Something about it hurt my heart, knowing she was scared but wouldn’t tell me, wouldn’t let me comfort her.

            If she let me, I would take care of her, I’d never let anything bad happen to her.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark

And I'm in love
And I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only

I only said it 'cause I mean it
I only mean 'cause it's true
So don't you doubt what I've been dreaming
'Cause it fills me up and holds me close whenever I'm without you

READER

My heart was going wild again. It was because Ai was at my apartment, sleeping over because the rest of Quartet Night were going to be doing a photo shoot, that Ai already finished beforehand, well into the night.

            So there he was, on my bed, lounging on it with his arms behind his head.

            But it wasn’t as if this was the first time Ai had slept over. It was just that I was feeling something in the pit of my stomach that I had to let go, but wouldn’t—couldn’t, rather. I knew I needed to, but I just didn’t know how Ai would react and it terrified me if his reaction was more than offended.

            “____,” Ai called from the bed. I was in the closet getting changed and walked out of it and towards him. He sat up and I plopped myself into a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

            “Yes, ____? What is it?” I asked.

            “I’ve noticed something about you these past few weeks.” I immediately tensed up and saw that Ai noticed. “I wanted to ask you about it.”

            “W-What did you notice?”

            “You’ve been distant, like you’re scared of something bad happening between us. It’s really… frustrating seeing you that way and it hurts because you don’t tell me what bothers you.” Ai paused and looked me squarely in the eye. “Can’t you tell me?”

            I felt tears in my eyes and tried to keep them at bay.

            “I-I…” I stuttered. I couldn’t say it. I was too scared of his reaction to tell him.

            But he had to know. “I’m scared,” I whispered, looking at the bed sheets. “I’m scared, Ai. I’m scared that you’ll leave me. I love you so much that I feel like I could die if you weren’t with me. Whenever you’re not around, this fear of you leaving me grips me like a vise and it terrifies me so much that I just had to keep myself from loving you too much, but sometimes I can’t control it.” I looked at him. “I’m sorry I kept it from you. I was just so scared of what you’ll think of me if I told you.”

            Ai looked at me with no expression on his face. I couldn’t call it guarded because that was how he usually looked. But right now, it gave off the air of disapproval, like he’d rather be anywhere but with me.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark

And I'm in love
And I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only

AI

Why didn’t she tell me? Why did she keep it to herself? If I’d known sooner I could’ve reassured her that I would never do that to her, that I’d never hurt her in any way humanly—or inhumanly—possible. This love I was feeling for her was too strong for me to leave her.

            I’d rather be here with her than be somewhere I couldn’t reach her.

            Without warning, I grabbed her arm, making her look at me. My turquoise eyes pierced her tear-filled (e/c) eyes. My body moved on its own and crashed my lips against hers. Her initial surprise at the kiss wore off and she moved her lips with mine. I cupped her cheek with one hand and felt a wet line under my palm. I pulled away and wiped her tears with my thumb. I smiled softly at her, telling her silently that I wasn’t going to leave; I wasn’t going to hurt her.

            “I’ll always be with you, ____. Don’t you forget that or think otherwise.

            “I love you,” I whispered before kissing her again.

            When we broke apart, ____ reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck. I did the same, but with her waist.

            “I love you so much, Ai,” she sobbed.

            “I love you, too, ____.”

THE END

Description

You, by the light
Is the greatest find
In a world full of wrong
You're the thing that's right

Finally made it through the lonely
To the other side

READER

My best friend Ai Mikaze stood against the spotlight, singing his hit single “WinterBlossom”. The crowd hushed in hearing his angelic voice. My eyes branded the scene in my mind, not wanting to forget this moment. All my worries, problems, frustrations melted away at the sight of him so amazing, so magical. As unfeeling as he was sometimes, I could tell he truly cares for me. For me, he’s the only right in this world.

            It had been years since I had a best guy friend and it was comforting to have Ai with me through thick and thin.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark

And I'm in love
And I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only life

As I listened to his voice, sparks ignited inside me, bringing me slowly to the edge of my emotions, wondering what it was that made my heart react this way—pounding into my ribcage with all the force it had.

            And then I realized: I was in live with Ai. And I was scared. I’ve had my heart broken before, and I didn’t want a repeat of that experience. It was the first time that I had loved so much and it ultimately led to my heartbreak.

            I didn’t know if I could trust him with my heart, but I was willing to try, just to see if he’ll take care of it.

And this could be good
It's already better than that
And nothing's worse
Than knowing you're holding back

I could be all that you need
If you let me try

AI

I walked backstage after singing “WinterBlossom”, looking for ____ as I stepped out. I found her sitting on a chair some distance away from the curtains. I walked over to her, feeling my heart beat slightly faster as I closed the gap between us. It’s been acting this way for a few weeks now, always happening whenever I saw her. I wondered why it was happening.

            “Ai!” ____’s call snapped me out of my thoughts, and my heart raced even faster when I heard my name on her lips. I tried to keep my cool and any emotion off my face.

            “____,” I said, stoically. “What is it?”

            ____ was blushing. “W-Well, I wanted to ask you something.” She looked me in the eye and said, “I love you, Ai.”

            I just stood there, a rare expression of surprise on my face. ____ loved me? How could she love me? I’m just a worthless replacement, not even a real human, but… what exactly am I feeling right now, if I was feeling anything at all? My mind tried to come up with an answer as I felt my face heat up, unable to control my system anymore.

            And then it hit me.

            This feeling was love. Love for ____. Love for how she smiles; love for her kindness, care, everything. I was feeling the same thing she feels for me. Figuring this out, I hurried to make a reply.

            “I feel the same way,” I hurriedly said. It felt strange to hear the word “feel” come from my lips, but I couldn’t doubt that it was the truth.

            ____’s face lit up with pure joy and she rushed to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. She rested her head on my chest and I gingerly hugged her back, feeling warm all over.

            I could get used to this.

***

A month into our relationship, I noticed something about ____. She was a bit distant from me, like she was afraid of something bad happening. Something about it hurt my heart, knowing she was scared but wouldn’t tell me, wouldn’t let me comfort her.

            If she let me, I would take care of her, I’d never let anything bad happen to her.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark

And I'm in love
And I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only

I only said it 'cause I mean it
I only mean 'cause it's true
So don't you doubt what I've been dreaming
'Cause it fills me up and holds me close whenever I'm without you

READER

My heart was going wild again. It was because Ai was at my apartment, sleeping over because the rest of Quartet Night were going to be doing a photo shoot, that Ai already finished beforehand, well into the night.

            So there he was, on my bed, lounging on it with his arms behind his head.

            But it wasn’t as if this was the first time Ai had slept over. It was just that I was feeling something in the pit of my stomach that I had to let go, but wouldn’t—couldn’t, rather. I knew I needed to, but I just didn’t know how Ai would react and it terrified me if his reaction was more than offended.

            “____,” Ai called from the bed. I was in the closet getting changed and walked out of it and towards him. He sat up and I plopped myself into a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

            “Yes, ____? What is it?” I asked.

            “I’ve noticed something about you these past few weeks.” I immediately tensed up and saw that Ai noticed. “I wanted to ask you about it.”

            “W-What did you notice?”

            “You’ve been distant, like you’re scared of something bad happening between us. It’s really… frustrating seeing you that way and it hurts because you don’t tell me what bothers you.” Ai paused and looked me squarely in the eye. “Can’t you tell me?”

            I felt tears in my eyes and tried to keep them at bay.

            “I-I…” I stuttered. I couldn’t say it. I was too scared of his reaction to tell him.

            But he had to know. “I’m scared,” I whispered, looking at the bed sheets. “I’m scared, Ai. I’m scared that you’ll leave me. I love you so much that I feel like I could die if you weren’t with me. Whenever you’re not around, this fear of you leaving me grips me like a vise and it terrifies me so much that I just had to keep myself from loving you too much, but sometimes I can’t control it.” I looked at him. “I’m sorry I kept it from you. I was just so scared of what you’ll think of me if I told you.”

            Ai looked at me with no expression on his face. I couldn’t call it guarded because that was how he usually looked. But right now, it gave off the air of disapproval, like he’d rather be anywhere but with me.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark

And I'm in love
And I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only

AI

Why didn’t she tell me? Why did she keep it to herself? If I’d known sooner I could’ve reassured her that I would never do that to her, that I’d never hurt her in any way humanly—or inhumanly—possible. This love I was feeling for her was too strong for me to leave her.

            I’d rather be here with her than be somewhere I couldn’t reach her.

            Without warning, I grabbed her arm, making her look at me. My turquoise eyes pierced her tear-filled (e/c) eyes. My body moved on its own and crashed my lips against hers. Her initial surprise at the kiss wore off and she moved her lips with mine. I cupped her cheek with one hand and felt a wet line under my palm. I pulled away and wiped her tears with my thumb. I smiled softly at her, telling her silently that I wasn’t going to leave; I wasn’t going to hurt her.

            “I’ll always be with you, ____. Don’t you forget that or think otherwise.

            “I love you,” I whispered before kissing her again.

            When we broke apart, ____ reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck. I did the same, but with her waist.

            “I love you so much, Ai,” she sobbed.

            “I love you, too, ____.”

THE END