Maki's lies... - Chapter 244
Ren sat in the heavy silence of the room, his mind racing.
'What the hell is going on? Why is she acting like this... it's so abnormal.' He looked at Maki, then back down to the small black box she had pushed toward him. He slowly reached out and lifted the lid.
"Um, okay, sure... but you better explain yourself and your behaviour, you know?"
As the lid came off, the warm, savoury scent of a burger and fries wafted up. It smelt surprisingly good. 'What? A burger? Fries? It feels like forever since I've eaten food like this. 'Ren picked up the burger and took a bite as Maki watched him intensely.
"How is it?" she asked.
"Mmm, good. Better than I expected," Ren admitted through a mouthful. "I didn't know you could cook."
Maki's brow furrowed, and she spoke in a sharp, stern tone. "Yes, I can cook, you fool. How do you think I stay fit? Now just shut up and listen to me."
Ren nodded, continuing to eat.
'Again with the attitude? Is she just in a bad mood? Also, those bandages... it makes sense now. She was making this for me. But why? Wait, isn't there a specific type of lunchbox people prepare for New Year's in Japan? Osechi Maybe this is her version of that? Ugh, I really should have studied Japanese traditions more.'
Maki looked down at her lap, her fingers tracing the bandages on her hands. "I'm glad you like it... but... I want to say something to you. Something I've wanted to say for a long time."
"What is it? Tell me," Ren said. A fry almost escaped his mouth as he spoke; he caught it deftly and popped it back in.
Maki's frown deepened. 'Okay, now he's just trying to piss me off, right?' she thought, rolling her eyes. She took a breath, her voice hardening. "Well, I want to stop talking to you."
Ren nearly choked, the burger catching in his throat. 'What the hell?' He began to cough, and Maki immediately stood up to get him a glass of water. As he drank, she kept speaking, her voice sounding cold and hollow.
"I won't explain myself, but I just dislike you. I want to stop acting like we're friends or anything. We barely even hang out. If we weren't both at Jujutsu High, we would have never even met."
Ren blinked, the water cool in his throat but his chest feeling tight. 'What? What is she saying? Did I do something wrong? No, no, I can't lose her now—not when I'm finally in a position to study her restriction!' He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Before he could respond, Maki pushed further.
"I mean to say, I never liked you. Every time, you were so flashy, so smug and annoying. Always doing your own thing, never listening to me. You didn't even try to text me. And on top of that, you got a girlfriend—Mei Mei—without even telling me or introducing her. It's almost like I don't even exist to you, right? So if that's how you're going to act, I'll do the same. I won't run after your shadow anymore."
Her words were firm, but Ren noticed her hands were slightly shaking where she gripped her kimono sleeves. He spoke without thinking. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt that way, Maki.
I've always been self-centred; I won't deny that.
But that doesn't mean I don't care about you.
I do.
In fact, me being here in your room right now is proof of that.
You of all people know me—I don't just hang out at random people's apartments. What's really going on? Why are you saying stuff like this?"
Maki blinked, turning her head away to stare out the window. The trees in the courtyard swayed slowly in the wind...
"Nothing is 'up'. I've just realised we don't fit, Ren. Simple as that. You're different, and I'm way too different. We can never fit, even as friends. So I'm just going to end this before it gets more annoying in the future."
She grabbed Ren's empty glass from the table and stood up quickly, walking toward the small kitchen area to refill it. Her palms were sweaty against the glass.
Ren sat there, genuinely shocked. 'What the fuck? Did she somehow find out about my plans? Can she read my thoughts? Or is she really just angry? Her words make sense on the surface, but they don't at the same time. Maybe she really does feel neglected? I've tried to keep our interactions at a normal, base level... but I might actually lose her here at this rate!
This doesn't seem normal at all. Just yesterday she was happy and smiling when we won the Goodwill Event. This is a complete 180. '
He watched her back as she stood at the sink. 'Even if her logic holds up, I've made sure to give her just enough affection to keep us as "good friends". I've been trying to do that from the start, ever since I realised she might like me as more than a friend. I thought I was doing damage control... and it should have worked!
I know Maki.
I know her "character" not only from reading about her but also know her as a person since I have spent a year in Jututs High with her...
This isn't how she reacts. She would never flat-out push people away like this unless she was truly pissed about...
Maybe Mei Mei?
but I explained that situation ages ago. '
Ren felt uncharacteristically blank. He hadn't expected any of this outcome.
Maki's voice drifted back from the kitchen, trembling ever so slightly.
"Plus, don't you ever feel weird? Like hanging out with me is a failure? If that's how you feel, just stop acting like you actually enjoy my company. Let's just end this facade... because I don't like you either."
Her hands were shaking visibly now as she held the glass under the tap.