It only took a smile - Chapter 18- Problem?

“How do you feel now?” Chihiro asked as she helped the black-haired boy onto the bed.

Only the two of them were inside the room, but Chihiro no longer felt the same butterflies she had the first time she came here.

Rather than being nervous, she was concerned at the moment.

“I’m fine, Chi-chan,” Hiramatsu Ryouta said with a small smile. “The pain’s gone now.”

Chihiro gave a wry smile. “Then why don’t you shake my hand?” She held out her right hand.

Ryouta’s cheeks turned red before he coughed. “Laughing at a patient isn’t cute, you know.”

Chihiro sighed and shook her head.

A few weeks ago, Ryouta had been beaten by delinquents right outside his home. His mother was the only one there, and all she could do was beg them to stop. By the time a police officer arrived, the men had already left, leaving Ryouta bruised and broken.

His left wrist was fractured, and he had been stuck in the hospital for three weeks.

Chihiro was devastated—not just because Ryouta was her close friend, but because he was hurt protecting her.

Ryouta didn’t come from a wealthy family. His father had died when he was only seven, and his mother worked two jobs just to keep them going.

Chihiro and Ryouta had grown close because their struggles felt so alike. They both carried the weight of having to achieve something in life.

And he is quite a good student as well, who is aiming for the best university in Tokyo.

Everything was going fine in his life…until he saw her one day getting dragged by Takuya across the corridor by her hair.

And after that…the school became a hell for him as well.

“Are you thinking something sad again?” Ryouta asked gently, holding her hand.

Chihiro met his eyes. “I never said sorry.”

“You don’t need to, Chi-chan. I did what I had to. I’d do it again—”

“Don’t,” Chihiro pressed her hand against his lips before he could finish. “Never.”

Ryouta sighed and stayed quiet when he saw her eyes start to glisten. But deep down, he knew that if it happened again, he wouldn’t hesitate to step in.

That thought reminded him of something. “Are they bothering you again?”

Every day he’d been stuck in the hospital, he wondered about her. Usually, when someone steps in for a victim, the bullying only gets worse.

That fear never left his mind—that by helping her, he might have made things harder.

However, Chihiro quietly said, “They stopped.”

Ryouta blinked, not quite understanding. “Stopped?”

She nodded and explained, “A transfer student showed up a few days ago and completely thrashed Fujiwara Takuya. The very next day, Ikue walked into class with her head shaved and hasn’t bothered me since. And lately… the others have been avoiding me, like they’re scared.”

Ryouta’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait—really? Did that person beat them up because they were bullying you?”

Chihiro smiled softly. “He acted like he was only annoyed with the things they did to him, but I know better. He was only targeting the ones who hurt me.”

Chihiro wasn’t a fool.

Haruto never went after anyone else—only the people who had bullied her. Ignoring the rest completely.

She would have to be blind not to see what was really happening.

“I feel like Haruto is someone my father sent to protect me,” she whispered.

Ryouta was shocked, “Kenji-san? Did he actually hire someone to protect you? Does this happen in real life?”

Chihiro heaved a sigh, “You know his past, Ryo. He…wasn’t exactly a normal doctor. He had connections at that time with people all across the globe. So maybe he used one of those connections?” All of this was an assumption but the arrival of Haruto in her arrival was not natural.

It was set up by someone.

Ryouta hummed, leaning back he asked, “D-Do you…like him?”

This new student had done something Ryouta wished to do. To protect Chihiro.

That’s why…Ryouta grew a little insecure.

Chihiro frowned and looked at him.

While he pretended to be all casual, the way he tapped his leg on the floor, it was apparent that he was anxious to hear the answer.

Chihiro suddenly leaned toward him and planted her lips against his.

Ryouta was caught off guard as he nearly lost his balance.

However, Chihiro wrapped her arm around his back and deepened the kiss.

His warm, quivering eyes met her fierce ones.

They parted soon, a silver lining connecting their lips as she asked, “Was that enough for an answer?”

Ryouta gave two nods, making Chihiro giggle before she got up and said, “I will go now. After school tomorrow, let’s hang out.”

Ryouta was still too shocked to say anything as he just nodded and saw her walking out of the room.

….

Chihiro’s face was hot all the way until she reached her house.

‘That was quite bold.’ They had only kissed once before and it was more like a spur of moment thing. This was the first time she took the initiative.

While giggling, she stepped inside the house and froze upon seeing a few men standing inside and before them was her mother.

Her mother’s face instantly told Chihiro that something bad had happened.

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.