#uihei

“I thought we wanted to study…”, Ui wasn't too pleased with the project partner he had to work with, he had known Ihei for quite a while now but they weren't friends. They came from two different worlds, both of their families were wealthy but while he was stuck in a golden cage, she was rebellious and free at heart.

“We will study but lie down with me now,” she was different. Bleached her dark hair and dyed it pink, she inherited the family's light coloured eyes, he had never seen a Washuu with dark eyes now that he came to think of it.

“Why should I - … I came here to study, you know, I have to write a term paper later I really don't have the time to play around,” but she was persistent and he knew they wouldn't get anything done if he kept on complaining.

“There’s something I wanted to ask you for a while now,” she was smiling but there was something in her words that sent a shiver down Ui’s spine, “Why do you hate me so much?”

It felt like swallowing one ice cube after the other, he opened his mouth but his lips were shaking, “I-I don’t hate you…?”

Ihei sighed and tapped her fingers against her stomach, “Then why do you always avoid me? When we go out with my cousin and our friends you always glare at me. Hey, you even like Souta and I’m the bad one all of the sudden?”

“It’s not like that…”, it was hypocritical of him, wasn’t it? After all they came from the same family, then why was her behaviour rubbing him the wrong way…

“Then what is it like?”, she turned to him and rested her head on her hand, “I’m listening.”

Of course she was, she wasn’t as dull as he liked to make her out to be. No. She was incredibly intelligent, sensible, aware of things he would never even notice.

“I don’t know…”

“Then tell me what you don’t like about me, there must be a reason why you’re so resentful towards me,” there it was again, this knowing smile, she was mocking him but he didn’t mind.

“... you’re so different from what I’m used to…”, still it didn’t make him hate her, “I’m jealous to be honest.” It felt like something inside him broke, his hands resting on his chest.

“Jealous of what? You can have my cousin and I can change your style,” she laughed again, this bellbright and carefree laughter that made his chest feel tight.

“You’re so easy going and carefree, you’re honest to yourself…”, he reached towards the light of the lamp and blinked slowly, “I always had to live up to my parents’ and my own expectations of who I am and what I have to be. Seeing you… just being you hurt me, because it reminded me of something I lost…”

“So being around me hurts?”

“No, not at all…”, now that he thought about it, being around her he had had the most fun in years, “I always thought I’m better off on my own. But now I want to be around people all the time, it’s such a pleasant feeling to belong somewhere.”

“Even though you hate me?”

Ui turned his head in her direction and saw her smile, her plump lips shimmered in the soft light the old lamp above their heads emitted, her dyed hair fell in front of her soft pale skin and her grey eyes were overflowing with emotion.

“... I don’t hate you…”, did this feeling even have name in first place, “You’re the most unique person I have ever met… and I think I was just… bewildered. That’s all.”

Her soft touch made him feel like he wanted to die, where he once convinced himself he didn’t need anyone else he was craving her now.

“Am I some kind of alien to you?”, she bend over him, knowing exactly what he thought but she wanted to make him feel the same pain she did at first.

“If anything… you are…”, good question, what was she to him?

“I am…?”

“... something I don’t want to miss in my life.”

Ihei sat up and laughed, “Is that so, Koori?”

“Yeah,” there was not much he could say, everything was a mess and blur right now. It felt like loose ends connected and all of the sudden everything made sense.

“So, what do you really think of me? Do you like me?”, her eyes could pierce right through his soul but he couldn’t complain.

“I think you’re amazing… and smart, I mean you already know what I’m thinking anyway,” he hid his face behind his hands, “You always make me so nervous, when I’m around you I don’t want to say anything because I don’t want to come off as an idiot but I also want you to admire what I do. … even if I can’t ever be the kind of person you like.”

“But I like you, silly,” her sweet giggle made him sigh as a soft pain ran through his chest, “I don’t think I ever left you feeling anything but that, did I?”

“You never acted indifferent towards me, I have to admit that…”, that again was something she was so much better at than Koori himself, “Still… I don’t think we’re on the same level, here.”

“But if you say I know what you think before you even get the chance to say it…”, she bend over him again and smiled, her usual sleepy smile with the cunning eyes that could read him oh so easily, “Do you love me, Ui Koori?”

“... I do. I love you, Ihei,” what an odd feeling, his chest was heavy and light, he felt like crying but he smiled, shivers ran down his spine while his face was glowing.