One In A Thousand; Yamaguchi Tadashi

ten

"Are you okay?"

Those words make Kawakami finally break down. Her hands raise to her face and she rubs her eyes. For days her emotions have been bottled up and she hasn't let out one single tear. She thinks crying makes her seem weak and vunerable. There's no point in crying. It won't make her dog magically come back. Crying about a dog will make others make fun of her.

"I'm not okay."

She's finally letting out all of her feelings.

"S-Samson's gone. He has- h-had a bad heart and he grew t-too weak. We had to put him d-down."

Her voice is muffled due to her hands and sobs escaping her lips. She's embarrased that she looks like this in front of him but she can't control it.

Yamaguchi feels his heart break at her words. He doesn't know how she feels at all but he can hear it in her voice. Sure, he has been through hard times, but he's never felt the feeling of losing something you love dearly. He has never felt her grief before. His hand finds its way to her upper back and slowly pulls her into his chest. Her hands leave her face and they wrap around his stronger figure. Their hugging position makes Yamaguchi's heart race.

"I've had him for almost ten years. He was there with me through e-everything. He went on walks with me and he listened to me when I ranted. I-I don't have him anymore and I don't know what I'll do. I wish he was here." Sniffles and sobs fall out of her lips between her words.

"I'm sorry, Kawakami. I wish he was here too."

He doesn't know what to say at all. The boy doesn't know a thing about comforting people and he already struggles talking in normal everyday situations. He hopes that whatever he said and says isn't offensive or not good enough.

"God, I probably look so dumb right now crying over a dog." She giggles faintly, wiping her nose with her sleeve.

"You d-don't look dumb at all. You're allowed to feel this way."

She lays her head down more onto his body.

"Really?"

"Y-Yes. It's normal to cry over him. He was apart of your family and he still is."

His voice is unsure but all he's doing is saying what he's thinking; although, this works for the girl as his voice soothes her and makes her feel better. If he never showed up she would be in the same positon she was minutes ago, her mind with thousands of thoughts - her holding everything in.

"Thank you." She whispers to him which causes him to smile.

"Mhm."

They lay there for however many minutes and in between them she finds herself playing with Yamaguchi's fingers. He didn't mind this at all as he enjoyed her presence - no words were spoken. Kawakami's tears have slowly dried with only a couple tears falling here and there. She's lost in her thoughts and she's been thinking about the last few days. So much has changed in their relationship but she hasn't had time to process it all.

"What do you like about me, Yams?"

Yamaguchi raised his head a little since her voice was muffled.