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Nikei lay flat on his back and stared up at the ceiling, reluctant to get out of bed.
He didn't want to get out of bed at all today, which was unlike him. Normally the only reason he didn't get out of bed was when he was sick, and that was only when Hajime forced him to stay there.
But today was different.
Today he didn't want to get out of bed, simply because if he did, he'd have to face them.
Nikei groaned and rolled over, face planted in his pillow. The worn plush tiger he was holding tightly rolled over with him, and Nikei adjusted his hold so that she had more room and could breathe.
He did not want to face them today.
It wasn't his fault. Setsuka and Mikado were just so... so... amazing. He always felt himself freeze up, face go red, stutter over words. He was so confused on why that always seemed to happen when Setsuka and Mikado were near him.
He tried to combat it so much, by doing this like denying liking anything they did and trying to turn away from them, but they always saw right through him.
It was so frustrating.
But he... liked it?
Nikei was so confused.
Why were his feelings like this. He hated this. He hated everything.
Except Setsuka and Mikado apparently, Ember whispered from next to him.
Nikei glared down at the tiger, willing her to shut up. Ember didn't.
After all, she teased. You talked to Emma, didn't you? You remember her conclusion of your feelings loud and clear, don't deny it.
Nikei cetainly did.
Emma had diagnosed him with something that he didn't understand, something he didn't want togo through, something that was most likely the cause of all his problems.
Love.
But Nikei was not in love. He couldn't be. He was the great Ultimate Journalist, Nikei Yomiuri! He had no time or reason to be in love.
And yet, according to Emma, he was.
This was confusing, this was frustrating, and Nikei was not in love.
Of course you are. You notice little things like changes in appearance, you worry over them, you try to help them and you're as red as a strawberry around them. What could you be in besides love?
"Shut up Ember." Nikei grumbled, face still muffled in the pillow. He heard Ember laugh next to him, and contemplated smothering her in the pillows again.
He didn't though. He cared about her too much, and she was already torn as it was.
Come on, Ember teased, you're definitely in love. Emma said so and your feelings are saying so. You're in love, love, loovveee!
Nikei tried to block out Ember's teasing. He didn't need reminders, because he wasn't in love. Not at all.
Or maybe he was.
Was he?
Nikei didn't know.
This was too confusing for him.
He wanted to forget everything. Maybe he could go back to sleep.
So he tried. But Ember's teasing and images of Setsuka and Mikado kept filling his head, making it impossible.
Impossible to sleep, impossible to get any peace, impossible to figure out his feelings.
Everything was impossible today.
And it was all because of his damned feelings.
Nikei really disliked them sometimes.
...His feelings, not Setsuka and Mikado.
He disliked his feelings sometimes.