#masako hara
“I’m not jealous of you. I'm…” A mumble.
“What?” Mai asked, straining to hear it.
Another mumble, slightly louder.
“I’m sorry,” Mai said. “Once more?”
“I’m jealous of Naru!” She snapped out, falling back on herself immediately, surprised with herself. Over time, Mai had seemed to have that effect on her quite a lot. It was infuriating. Masako was used to having a handle on her emotions. Used to the calm, detached look she kept. From their first job together Mai seemed effective in smashing through that. Annoyingly, Mai just blinked at her. Discomfort settled over her skin. “Well, are you just going to sit there or will you say something?” She asked with as much calm as she could muster.
“I…” Mai looked genuinely confused. Her head tilted to the side like a cocker spaniel. “Why would you be jealous of Naru?”
Masako… could not believe this. Just how stupid was Mai? No wonder Naru felt he had to keep an eye on her. Not only was Mai endearingly kind, she was also infuriatingly dense. This was one of the main reasons Masako hadn’t liked her to begin with. And then she had to go and… Be everything else. Everything she couldn’t always be. Kind. Emotive. Passionate. So, so passionate over everything. Like it just burst out of her because there was so much it had no other choice. “Because I’m in love with you.”
Mai froze and for the longest moment, Masako was terrified. It wasn’t the first time she felt fear. Actually, she has felt fear quite often. Both her own and others. But never like this. Mentally, she knew whatever happened ultimately didn’t affect her seriously. A rejection wouldn’t kill her or give her an irreparable injury. It felt like it could, though. It felt like everything in her life was riding on Mai’s next words and it was terrifying . Then Mai shook her head, eyes down. Masako’s heart plummeted.
“You're… in love? With me ?” Mai asked hesitantly. It felt like Masako was on a roller coaster. Or, she thought it felt like she was on a roller coaster. She’d never been on one before, but this felt like how she’d heard people describe it. Her heart flipped at the tone of Mai’s voice.
“Yes,” Masako said quietly. It felt like if she spoke any louder the moment would shatter and she’d be left behind in pieces. She didn’t think she’d be able to confess again, if this wasn’t real.
For a moment Mai gaped at her. Like a fish. And then her mouth closed and her eyes sparkled. “I love you, too, Masako.” The words were quiet, but full. Full in a way Masako didn’t really know words could be. Hope and joy and love and all the positive emotions Masako felt she could think of as well as a shyness that she’d rarely seen against Mai’s passion. But then… She smiled. And it was small, but determined, and Masako could see that addicting- and yes, infuriating - passion spark in her eyes. When Mai smiled, Masako smiled back. Smaller but no less brightly.
