Chapter Text
Kazuichi had to admit; being around Sonia made him quite nervous. Back before he knew any better, it was because he was head over heels smitten with her. She was pretty, smart, kind… not to mention a princess. Any guy would be nervous if he were trying to impress her. Although, anybody could tell that his infatuation… wasn’t good for him. Kazuichi was the last one to cross that finish line… but now he was nervous for a different reason altogether.
He was never an eloquent person, and next to Sonia, he’d flounder over his words constantly. Perhaps that’s why he was putting this off for so long… finding excuses to tell her “some other time”... and his anxiety escalated into outright avoidance. But he couldn’t stop fate… or coincidence. It was when Kazuichi visited Jabberwock Island’s Supermarket. Nothing too special, as he just went to grab a few snacks… but when Sonia came in after him, his trepidation skyrocketed.
“Kazuichi?” Sonia asked, approaching the Ultimate Mechanic.
“Eh! S-Sonia!” He gasped, suddenly overcome with a prickly nervousness. “Um, er… nice weather, huh?”
Sonia gave him a look halfway between concern and suspicion. “Are you… feeling alright?”
“M-me? Uh, yeah, sure… I was just… on my way out. Sorry to get in your way.” He stammered, trying to find his escape route.
“Kazuichi, wait,” Sonia said. “Something is clearly bothering you. Don’t think I have not noticed.”
Uh oh. The cat was out of the bag… if he brushed this off now… he’d only make it even harder. If there was any chance to do it, it was now.
“Well, I guess there’s no point putting it off anymore... there’s something I want to ask you,” Kazuichi sighed. He could see her expression harden. She was preparing herself for something… raising her defenses.
“Is it… okay if I don’t have a crush on you anymore?” He finally asked. And with that, Sonia looked at him as if he had grown a second head.
“Huh?”
“Ah crap, that's not what I meant to say!” Kazuichi cursed to himself. “I-I mean, it kind of is, but not how I wanted to say it!”
“Is that… true?” Sonia asked. “You seemed so infatuated with me before… and now you’re just… not? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”
“Uh… well, I guess,” He answered. “I wanted to tell you earlier… but I didn’t have the courage to say it right away. I’m sorry if you thought I suddenly hated you or something… it’s not like that at all.”
“Well… to answer your question…” Sonia began, taking a deep breath. “I… would not mind. I can’t deny that you came off as clingy at times, even when I scolded you. But… I would be lying if I said I never liked you.”
“Wh-what?”
“Breaking your heart is… well, it’s the last thing I want to do right now. If you no longer have feelings for me, I cannot change that. But… I do hope we can remain friends.”
Kazuichi sighed a breath of relief, feeling a great weight off his shoulders. “Oh thank God… that turned out better than I hoped.”
Just as it was over and done, the doors to the Supermarket slid open, and a melodious voice rang out.
“Yo! Kazuichi! There you are!” Turning back, the two of them saw just who entered the market. One Ibuki Mioda. “Jeez, what gives? You said you’d only be gone a couple of minutes!”
“I did, I just—” Kazuichi began, before Sonia interjected.
“It was ‘my bad’. I did not know you were waiting for him.”
“Oh, it’s no biggie,” Ibuki said. “At least now, Ibuki has the chance to grab her own goodies for the sleepover!”
“Sleepover?” Sonia repeated. “I… did not know there was a sleepover happening tonight. Who is invited?”
“It’s our own little two-person soiree.” Ibuki chuckled, sauntering over to Kazuichi . It was then Sonia noticed… everything. The blush on Kazuichi’s cheeks. The playful grin Ibuki wore. Their hands so casually held together. The way their eyes met. The real reason behind Kazuichi’s strange behavior… was Ibuki.
“Ibuki, c’mon… T.M.I., y’know?” He muttered. “We should probably just… get what we came for and go.”
“Hmm? Ah, your right. Any longer, and our blankets will get cold.” Ibuki chirped. “Sorry to pop in and out like this, Sonia, but maybe we can toootally chat next time.”
Sonia… didn’t know how to react. She didn’t move, or speak, or even process anything until Kazuichi and Ibuki had already left the Supermarket. In the wake of her realization, she was left stunned for a moment, before her mind finally caught up with her.
…
“Huh?”