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Nakano couldn't explain how much frustration they felt. Well... they could, but doing so would just be so... frustrating. The stupid dick that had broken her best friend's heart had decided to pick a fight, and said best friend had decided to betray them with their own blood! And now, here came one of the sources of their anger...
"Nakano...?" Aphmau said meekly, stepping quietly as she attempted to break the tension between the two runners. Nakano tried their best not to look her way. They weren't done being mad... not yet.
"Aphmau?" Vance broke the shared glare with Nakano, his gaze like a desperate puppy as he looked at his ex.
Stupid man. Why are you making this harder for me? Why must you be so... cowardly and weak...? Nakano knew all they needed to hate Vance. Before he'd gotten involved with Aph, he'd always been a prick on the cross-country team, acting as if he was above most everyone else. And after he'd broken up with Aph for being too "silly" and "immature" while secretly cheating behind everyone's back, he'd decided that he liked Aph better than his current girlfriend and tried asking her out again! At least Aph had enough self-respect to turn him down.
"Vance, what's going on here?" Aph asked, gazing at Nakano worriedly while being sure to keep her distance from both parties, one out of respect, the other out of personal comfort.
"Well, we were trying to do a scrimmage when she-"
"Excuse me!? Don't you dare start with that shit! First and foremost-"
"Nakano, can you please let him tell his side first?" Nakano finally turned the daggers in their eyes to Aph... only to soften upon seeing the pleading look in her eyes. They bit their lip as Aph turned her attention back to Vance. "And you... don't misgender them. Use the right pronouns. I KNOW you know them. If you want any chance of me hearing you out, you will address them properly." Nakano couldn't help but be impressed by the steel in her friend's eyes that took the place of usual compliance. Vance let out a tired sigh.
"Right, right... My mistake... I apologize. I forgot." Vance looked at Nakano as he gave his "apology," but they could tell it was half-hearted, his eyes seemingly going through them instead of looking at them. "What happened was... we were doing a practice race, and when we were all set to start, I noticed Nakano trying to cheat and go early. I called them out, and then this happened." They bit their tongue at every lie that man told, that being the only way they didn't just burst out.
"Alright... and what's your perspective, Nakano?"
"I started the same time as everyone else. It's not my fault if I'm faster than you! If I had left the line earlier than everyone else, then more than just YOU would be accusing me of such, and I would own up to it! But I didn't! You're just making shit up!" Nakano bit back their theory as to why this jerk decided to drag them out of everyone.
"It's not my fault everyone else is blind!" Vance was back to giving them a look full of rage, as if EVERYTHING only had them to blame.
"Strange, because when we compare our arguments, I have evidence, and you have testimony!"
"Guys! Both of you! Calm down!" Aphmau yelled out as she physically put herself between the two, arms outstretched to try to keep the pair separated. As they both stepped back away from her, she let out a big sigh. "Really, I didn't come for this... I just came for Nakano..." Nakano's eyes met her best friend's, and they couldn't help but feel they're heart melt at her sincerely sad expression. Why was it always like this with Aph...? Why couldn't they be stronger...?
"But Aph! Don't you think you should settle this first!? And you-"
"Vance. I'm not going out with you. Ever again. You broke up with me, and then have the gall to ask me out about a WEEK later! AND not that long after breaking up with your girlfriend after me! I'm sorry... I wanted to become friends again... but I don't know if I can if this is what happens the SECOND you see a chance with me again! C'mon, Nakano." Aph shot daggers at Vance before grabbing Nakano's hand and walking off. Nakano couldn't help the fluttering in their chest upon the physical contact, no matter how mad they were at her.
The short woman ended up leading her lanky friend to a secluded area behind the nearby bleachers, then turning to them as her brow creased with apology.
"Nakano... I just..." Nakano crossed their arms as Aphmau let out a deep sigh, trying to collect herself, but her thoughts were clearly swimming, not forming anything coherent. There was a long moment of silence as Aphmau stared at the ground and Nakano stared at her expectantly. After so long of just standing there, Nakano prepared to turn and walk off when they saw a thin, colorful blur suddenly leap onto their face. They stood there, stunned, as they tried to comprehend what just happened, specifically, what was now attached to their face.
"I... why is there a sticker on my face?"
"It's... it's a friendship apology sticker..." Aph said, her cheeks heating with slight embarrassment as she forced herself to make eye contact with Nakano. "I... wanted to apologize... for not telling you about my relationship with your brother, and..."
"Aph..." Nakano bit the inside of their cheek, cursing themself. They were mad at her, sure... but at the end of the day... "I'm... not mad at you... not really."
"What?"
"Was I upset that you didn't tell me? Kinda. I mean, how would you react if two people you promised you'd love absolutely got into a relationship? It feels... weird, and especially given YOUR recent track record with romantic relationships, is it so unreasonable for me to think about what might happen if you guys break up?" Aph looked away, considering Nakano's words. With this pause, they sighed. "More than anything, though, I wasn't angry or upset that you guys got together, or that I was at either of you guys specifically. But... I know it came off that way... and for that, I'm sorry." Nakano bent down into an apologetic bow.
"If you weren't mad at us, then... who were you mad at?" And this... was the question Nakano was dreading. Sure, they could push it down and suppress it just like any other time, but... they had made a point of being mad at Aph for not being completely honest. And either way, this felt like a moment that, regardless of their honesty, it would still be a moment that could make or break their relationship, whether it developed past friendship or not.
"I was mad at... myself."
There was a long pause that held the air as they stood there. Nakano kept their eyes on the ground, feeling their cheeks burn as they expected judgement.
"Why... were you mad at yourself...?"
Nakano couldn't help the laugh that escaped their lips. It was almost maniacal in sound, and yet, Aph still stood there, innocently waiting for a response with all the patience in the world. Eventually, the laughter subsided as Nakano cleared their throat and regained their composure.
"You really don't know, do you?" They couldn't believe now, of all times, was the moment. "Aph... I'm in love with you. And I have been since freshman year of high school." Aph didn't respond when Nakano stopped talking, so they continued. "And I was mad at myself because I love you... because I never took the chance to let you know how I felt before it was too late... because I always told myself it was better to not risk losing you in my life than to allow you further in... I... I'm sorry this is how you had to find out..."
There was heavy tension that stayed in the air, but this time, Nakano didn't have anything to add to try to break it up, so they just let it hang there, hoping it would bring Aph to a response quicker. With every moment the silence stayed, the more weighed down and hopeless they felt.
Suddenly, there was another blur of color flung at their face, this time in a different shape and different colors, all being hues of red. They touched it lightly as their eyes trailed back to the flinger, the girl standing there quietly, expectantly, as she subconsciously picked and peeled the remaining stickers on her sheet. They stood there for a second before tears welled up in Aph's eyes and she flung herself into Nakano, it only being due to her small size and low athleticism that she didn't knock them over- thank Irene.
"Aph-"
"You... you're the first person to leave... to leave them on..." Aph sobbed happily into her friend. "All the others..."
"Wha-what? What about Ryo-"
"Him and I... we decided to end things after we realized that... we just didn't want the same things. We... we were hoping to maybe be able to try again, but... it's really not looking that way... and I think I'm at peace with that." Aph met their eyes. "Nakano... it doesn't have to be right now or anything... It doesn't have to be rushed or even overly romantic. But sometime, I'd like to... try it with you. To go on at least one date. You don't even have to answer now, but-"
Nakano cut her off as they pressed their lips against hers. It felt so natural, so long-awaited, and yet, Nakano was sure not to overstay their welcome.
"I- I'm sorry, but... I guess you know my answer now..." They looked away, hoping Aph wouldn't hate them for that, only to feel their hands lifted up and put between the pair. Nakano met Aph's eyes as they shone.
"I vote for our first date... to be the flea market that's visiting this weekend! Who knows, maybe we'll find some new stickers!"