Yumi Of Death

I woke up with a strange sense of excitement, like something was about to happen, but I couldn't remember making any plans. Still, I felt this buzz in my chest that wouldn't let me stay in bed. After tossing on something casual, I stepped outside, only to freeze when I spotted Yumi coming out of her house at the exact same time.

Earlier that morning, Yumi had woken up with the same feeling—an unshakable excitement fluttering in her chest. She sat on the edge of her bed, tilting her head in confusion. "What's today?" she whispered to herself. Nothing came to mind, yet she couldn't help but smile. Dressing quickly, she stepped outside, still unsure of what she was looking forward to, only to stop short when she saw me.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she hesitated before closing her door behind her. "Oh, Kaito-kun? Good morning," she said, her voice soft but with a hint of surprise.

"Morning," I replied, scratching the back of my neck. "Uh... where are you headed?"

Her cheeks turned a light pink. "Ah... um... I don't really know. Just... walking, I guess?"

I blinked. "Me too."

We stood there awkwardly, neither of us sure what to say next. Finally, she fidgeted with her sleeves and asked, "Wanna... walk together?"

I nodded too quickly. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

---

We walked side by side, the air between us filled with an awkward silence that neither of us seemed brave enough to break. Yumi glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, then quickly looked away when I noticed.

"So... where should we go?" I asked.

"Ehh... I don't know," she replied, puffing out her cheeks slightly. "Do you have any ideas, Kaito-kun?"

"Not really. Maybe we could just... keep walking?"

She let out a tiny sigh but nodded. "Okay... but don't blame me if we end up lost," she said, her tone playful but shy.

As we walked, Yumi kept making these cute little noises—soft hums of thought or quiet "hmphs" when she wasn't sure where to step. It was... oddly endearing.

---

Our wandering eventually led us to a small cat café tucked into a side street. The sight of the cats lounging in the window made both of us pause.

"Ohhh," Yumi breathed, her eyes lighting up. "Kaito-kun, look at them! They're so fluffy!"

"You wanna go in?" I asked, already knowing her answer from the way she was practically bouncing on her heels.

She nodded enthusiastically, her hands clasped together. "Yes! Please?"

Inside, Yumi immediately crouched down to pet a black-and-white kitten. "Nyaa~ You're so cute," she whispered, her voice almost musical. The kitten pawed at her hand, and she giggled, the sound so pure that I found myself smiling without realizing it.

"You're really good with cats," I said.

She glanced up, her cheeks turning pink again. "H-huh? I'm not! I just... they're cute, that's all!"

As I sat down with a drink, letting her have her fun, a familiar voice caught my attention.

"Ryo?" I said, turning to see my friend sitting in the corner—with his girlfriend.

"Ah, Kaito!" Ryo waved, then quickly looked embarrassed when his girlfriend nudged him. They were sitting close—too close—and I could see his arm around her shoulder.

Yumi, who had come to sit beside me, tilted her head. "Oh? Kaito-kun, do you know them?"

"Yeah, that's Ryo," I said. Before I could say more, Yumi's eyes widened as she noticed them leaning in closer... and kissing.

Her face turned bright red, and she quickly looked away, her hands covering her cheeks. "Ehh! T-that's... so embarrassing! Kaito-kun, don't look!"

I couldn't help but laugh nervously. "Why are you more embarrassed than they are?"

"Because it's embarrassing! Mou~!" she huffed, puffing out her cheeks again.

But as I turned back to look at Ryo and his girlfriend, I felt an odd pang in my chest. Watching them kiss was... awkward. Not just because it was in public, but because it reminded me of something I didn't like thinking about too much.

I'd never kissed anyone. Never even had a girlfriend. Not once.

The thought made my ears burn, and I quickly looked away, focusing on my drink. Yumi was too busy flailing about her own embarrassment to notice my silence, but I couldn't help feeling a little out of place.

---

When we finally left the café, the sun had climbed higher in the sky, and the streets were a little busier. Crossing a road together, I instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Ah!" she gasped softly, looking down at our joined hands.

"Sorry," I said quickly as we reached the other side, letting go. "I didn't mean to—"

"N-no, it's okay," she interrupted, her face still red. She glanced at me, then looked away, mumbling, "You're so... cautious, Kaito-kun."

I chuckled nervously, scratching my cheek. "Just looking out for you, that's all."

Her lips curled into a small smile, and she whispered, "Thank you."

---

As we continued walking, I noticed Yumi seemed more relaxed, though she still made those little hums and noises that made her seem so... Yumi.

"Kaito-kun," she said suddenly, her voice quieter. "You're... fun to be around, you know?"

"Huh? Where's this coming from?"

She shook her head quickly, her hands waving in front of her. "I-I didn't mean it like that! Just... I don't feel so nervous around you. It's nice."

Hearing her say that made my chest feel warm. "Well, I like being around you too, Yumi."

She made a tiny "eep" noise and hid her face in her hands. "Don't just say stuff like that!"

---

As the sun began to set, we found ourselves sitting on a bench in the park, watching the sky turn shades of orange and pink.

"Today was nice," she said softly, her voice barely louder than the breeze.

"Yeah, it was," I replied.

Yumi turned to me, her blue-black eyes shimmering in the fading light. "Kaito-kun... thanks for accompanying me today!"

I just said "You're welcome, I love it when i hold your hands " why did I even say that!

Her cheeks turned scarlet, and she quickly stood up. "D-don't say weird things like that!" she stammered, fidgeting with her hands. But as she looked at me, her expression softened. "...But maybe it wasn't so bad."

I stood up too, smiling at her. "Yeah. Not so bad."

She pouted slightly but smiled back. "Mou, Kaito-kun, you're such a dork."

As I walked her home, I couldn't help but feel like this wasn't just another Saturday. It was something more—something I didn't want to forget.