Ch. 5: As a Man (SUN)
Kaine ran through the streets, still holding on to me.
Kaine: “Ha...ha…OO, are you ok?”
Kaine looked at me in concern, clearly out of breath.
OO: “Y-yeah, thanks Kaine.”
The hands that held me were incredibly hot, and for some reason that made my heart speed up.
Kaine: “Ah! Sorry!”
Kaine said in surprise, then hurriedly put me down.
Kaine: “Sorry…for just picking you up like that.”
OO: “It’s fine! Thanks. But, wasn’t I heavy?”
Kaine: "No way!"
Saying so, Kaine pushed up his sleeves and flexed his arms.
Kaine: "You're really light, plus I'm super strong! I've been training!"
Kaine looked at me, his eyes full of pride.
Kaine: "So I didn't really want to run away but…I'd have fought and hurt that guy, you know…? So I…"
Kaine…you're really nice.
OO: "I know. I didn't want you to get hurt either Kaine."
Kaine: "OO…but I really am strong!"
Kaine flexed his arms again, but his slim arms didn't really seem to have much muscle…
Kaine: "I-I don't really have a lot of muscle though!! And I'm not very tall…But I really really am strong!"
His face turned red as he frantically tried to explain it to me.
But him doing that was so cute, I felt myself smiling.
Kaine: "…"
In an instant, Kaine's cheeks puffed out.
Kaine: "You're so mean~"
OO: "S-sorry."
Kaine: "But you understand right? I'll protect you OO!"
OO: "Yeah, thanks Kaine."
Kaine: "…"
His smiling face was suddenly serious.
Kaine: "I'm not a little brother."
His voice was quiet and I looked at him in surprise.
Kaine: "I'm…a man."
As he looked at me, I felt my chest tighten and my heart quicken.
OO: "Kaine…"
He's really not a little brother. He's an adult.
Kaine: "…"
As I looked into his eyes, the seriousness vanished.
Kaine: "Let's go back to the shops."
OO: "Huh…?"
Kaine: "We were interrupted before, right?"
I stood there bewildered as he put his hand on mind.
OO: "…!"
Kaine: "Shall we?"
With a bright smile, his hand firmly gripped mine.
The throbbing in my chest felt different from before as I walked out of the alley and returned to the main streets.
END