THE FORGOTTEN SPRING

CHAPTER 14

"THE FORGOTTEN SPRING"

by: Dark Flame Master

KAI'S POV

"I’m... not exhausted?" I muttered to myself, slowly opening my eyes. This is strange. After a panic attack, I’m usually drained, my chest tight, and my head spinning. But today, I feel… calm. Relaxed even. My body doesn’t feel like a heavy weight pulling me into the mattress.

I lay there, staring at the ceiling. Bits and pieces of yesterday came back to me in flashes—Haru carrying me home, Dad punching him, Haru’s burn scar… And then it hit me.

"Please… Haru… hug me…"

Did I… Did I really say that? My face immediately heated up as I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Why? Why did I say that to him of all people? So embarrassing! That perverted i***t must be laughing at me right now.”

I rolled onto my side, staring blankly at the wall. But then I remembered the burn scar on Haru’s shoulder. It was large, raw-looking, and impossible to ignore. What happened to him? Who could do something like that to a kid? A chill ran down my spine.

"No, no. Stop it, Kai," I told myself, shaking my head. "Don’t waste your time thinking about him. Remember, he’s the one who caused this mess in the first place. I wouldn’t have had a panic attack if he hadn’t kissed me."

But no matter how much I tried to push the thoughts away, they kept coming back. His voice, his actions, the way he smiled despite everything… it felt different. I sighed and decided to get out of bed. Maybe some breakfast would clear my head.

As I walked downstairs, I heard the sound of Mom’s footsteps. She hurried towards me, holding a plate in her hands. Her face lit up with relief when she saw me.

"Ah, you’re awake! Are you hungry? You didn’t get the chance to eat properly yesterday, and you didn’t even take a proper bath," she said, her tone full of concern.

"Yeah… I guess I am hungry now that you mention it," I replied, smiling weakly as I reached out to hug her.

"Stop that. You stink," she said with a teasing laugh, smacking my back lightly. I let go, chuckling softly. It was comforting to see her smile after everything.

.

.

.

.

As I sat at the table, eating my breakfast, Mom spoke up. "I called the school and told them you won’t be coming in today."

"What? Why? I’m fine now," I protested, standing up abruptly.

Mom crossed her arms, giving me that stern look she always does when she’s serious. "No. You’re staying home. Rest, or… we can go to the hospital if you’d prefer?"

Her voice was calm, but that little smirk told me she wasn’t bluffing. She knew I hated hospitals.

"Fine," I muttered, slumping back into my chair. "But I’m not going back there again."

She nodded, satisfied. As I continued eating, something popped into my head.

"Mom, what happened to H-Haru yesterday?" I asked hesitantly.

Her face softened at the mention of his name.

"Haru? Oh, he’s fine. Your dad apologized to him. He’s a good kid. I didn’t know you had a friend like that."

"Friend?" I repeated, startled.

"Well, isn’t he? He helped you yesterday, didn’t he? And you said he was your friend," she said, tilting her head.

I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth. Did I… Did I really call him my friend? Why would I say something like that?

"Anyway," Mom continued, pulling out her phone. "Here’s his number. We exchanged contacts yesterday. Why didn’t you already have it?"

"I… I forgot to ask," I lied, taking her phone and saving his number into mine.

As I stared at his name on my screen, my phone buzzed with incoming messages from Cyrus and others. They were checking up on me, worried about what had happened.

Cyrus… That reminded me. Didn’t Haru say something weird about him yesterday? Something about a ‘boyfriend’? What did he mean by that?

.

.

.

.

After breakfast, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling again. I should call him. Maybe thank him for bringing me home or… something. But what if he thinks I’m weird? Or worse, what if he teases me? He’s already insufferable enough as it is. Still, the thought wouldn’t leave me alone. Before I knew it, I grabbed my phone and pressed the call button.

The phone rang a few times before he picked it up.

"Dare da? Nande boku no bangou shittenda yo!?" (Who are you? Why the f**k do you know my number?) came his sharp, irritated voice.

I blinked, stunned. Was this really him? That two-faced p*****t! What was I thinking calling him?

"Looks like you don’t want to hear me. Bye," I said coldly, ready to hang up.

"Wait! Kai? Kai, is that you?" he asked quickly, his tone changing.

"Yes. But you don’t want to hear me, so I’m—"

"No, wait! Sorry! How do you know my number? Did your mom give it to you?"

"Yes!" I snapped, feeling my face heat up. "I just wanted to say—"

"Aihara-san, what are you doing?" I heard a teacher’s voice in the background.

"Meet me at the park after school," I blurted out, cutting him off. "You know, the one where we met. Bye."

Before he could say anything else, I ended the call and threw my phone onto the bed.

"What the heck did I just do?" I muttered, burying my face in my hands. Why did I ask to meet him? What was I even planning to say?

The hours dragged by as I tried to distract myself with books, TV, and anything else I could think of. But no matter what, my mind kept drifting back to him. Eventually, I decided to head to the park early. The fresh air might help clear my head.

When I arrived at the park, it was quiet. I sat on a bench, tapping my fingers nervously against my knee, fidgeting as I waited. After what felt like an eternity, I heard footsteps behind me. They were hurried, uneven, and getting closer.

"Haa… K-Kai… haa… I’m he—"

I turned to see Haru, panting heavily, hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath.

"The heck is wrong with you? Did you run here? Are you stupid?" I said, raising an eyebrow at him.

He sat down next to me, still gasping for air. He reached out, placing his hands on my shoulders, his wide eyes scanning my face.

"Are you okay now? Hontou ni gomenasai! I didn’t mean to do—"

"Thank you," I cut him off, my voice firm but quiet.

Haru froze, his mouth slightly open in shock. "Ehh? What?!" he said, blinking rapidly, his face quickly turning red.

"And don’t touch me," I added, my gaze falling to his hands still gripping my shoulders.

He pulled them away as if he’d touched something hot. "H-Hai, gomen!" (O-okay, sorry) he stammered, flustered.

I sighed, shaking my head. "How many times are you going to say sorry?"

"De… demo boku no sei da," (But it's my fault) he muttered under his breath, barely loud enough for me to hear.

At least he admitted it. Good. If he had said something else, I might’ve punched him right then and there.

"Mada, kirai da," ( I still hate you) I said bluntly, meeting his gaze. His face twisted slightly, like my words had cut deep.

"But I still want to say thank you," I continued, my tone softening as I glanced away. "I’m not a jerk who can’t say a simple thank you."

For a moment, silence hung between us. When I looked back at him, he had his face buried in his hands.

"H-Haru…?" I muttered, unsure of what to do.

As soon as I said his name, he lowered his hands and looked up at me, his expression softer, almost vulnerable.

"You’re being so cute right now," he said, a small, teasing smile on his lips. "Calling my name like that… it’s cheating."

His cheeks were flushed, and I could feel mine heating up too. What was wrong with this guy?

"You’re such a weirdo," I said, looking away to hide my embarrassment. "I-I won’t call you that again, pervert."

Haru laughed softly, and the sound made me glance back at him. His usual smirk was gone, replaced with a genuine, shy smile.

"K-Kai," he stated hesitantly, his voice is quieter than before, "Can I ask you something?"