‘That’ Side Character Chapter 24: Sweet Lolita

As the in-game fight got more and more intense, he placed his hands around yours to hold the PSP while you tapped the buttons that he told you to and from the corner of your eye you could see the monsters tail flashing but just then you were king hit and knocked out.

Kenma grunted, and you pointed to the screen where you had seen the tail of the monster flash.

“Its tail was flashing just before we died,” you commented.

“What?” he asked.

“Its tail.” You turned your face to look at him and your nose almost touched his but he didn’t notice as he was too busy computing what you had just said.

Your heart was thumping so hard you felt like you were going to combust.

“Oh,” he said softly.

Your eyes slowly focused on his lips and how close they were to yours.

“How many times did it flash?” he asked suddenly and you quickly looked away back to the PSP.

“4? I think?” you replied.

“Hmm… how about you defend and I’ll attack,” he offered, “just keep pressing A and B in an alternating pattern and I’ll do this side.”

“Ok,” you said, setting your hands up on the side of the PSP to be able to press the buttons while he got ready with the other ones.

“Ok,” he replied, “go.”

You hit the buttons rhythmically while Kenma pressed buttons on the other side and your character started to attack while defending himself against the monster. 

“Kenma, its tail,” you mumbled.

“I see it,” he replied softly.

“Go! Go!” you cried enthusiastically, “get it!”

“We’re gonna get it,” he replied, rare excitement growing in his voice.

Just then you beat the monster and you cried out with delight.

“Yes! You did it!” you squealed.

Kenma looked happy, but he didn’t screech like you just did, but you still knew he was happy.

With delight, you dragged yourself off his lap and to your feet and turned to him.

“Well! I think everyone had gone by now so I’m gonna get my bag. Wait for me here, I’ll be back,” you said as you hobbled off, super stoked with yourself and how far you had come in your friendship with Kenma.

…………………………..

That afternoon, you walked home with Kenma but then decided to drop by the animal shelter to give the little gift to Lolita.

You had just said goodbye to Kenma and were about to cross the road when your boot caught on the pavement and you tripped, putting your hands out to save yourself.

Unfortunately, the little bag that housed the cat pin got crushed under you and you got up and quickly checked it.

The little cat’s leg had been broken off and you stared down at it sadly.

“Oh… why do the happy things that happen to me always disappear so quickly?” You thought, “when I’m happy, something sad always happens straight after.”

Dejectedly, you put the little pin back in the crushed bag and walked towards the animal shelter with your shoulder’s slumped.

Your mind was still jumping the decision rope, as you entered the place, quickly hopping back and forth between ‘do I give it to Lolita’ or ‘do I not give it to Lolita’, and you gingerly stepped inside and looked up into her smiling face- her bright smile greeting your terrified face.

“Good afternoon, honey bunch, I didn’t know you were on today,” she said with a warm smile, “come in, come in.”

“I’m not on today…” you said softly as you clutched the small crushed bag closer to your chest.

“Oh? You’re not? Well, what brings you here, baby, are you ok?” she asked with concern, seeing the pensive look on your face as she walked around the front desk to come and comfort you.

Before she could get to you, though, you quickly pushed the crushed bag out towards her and dropped your head.

“I-I’m sorry, I was going to get you flowers but then I saw this pin and I … ended up getting it instead but I don’t even know if you’ll like it. And I… I broke it by accident and…” while you had been talking, Lolita had taken and opened the bag and looked in at the small cat pin with the broken leg and her eyes welled with tears.

“Did you get this for me?” she asked softly.

“Umm… yeah… I’m sorry… I really am. Maybe I shouldn’t have given it to you. It’s broken and—.”

“Oh… honey,” she said in a wobbly voice as she reached out and dragged you into her front for a warm cuddle.

You froze up with confusion. Why was she giving you a cuddle? You were used to being yelled at at this point, or told that you were useless… this wasn’t what you had prepared for.

“You can tell me off,” you said softly to her, eyes welling with your own tears.

“Why would I tell you off?!” she asked with sudden surprise, “this is perfectly perfect!”

“Huh?!” you asked, pulling back to look at her with a stunned look on your watery eyed face.

“I have a kitty at home that looks just like this one! She had to have her little leg amputated last year because she got hit by a car and they couldn’t mend it,” she said with a sad smile, “I can’t believe how perfectly this matches!”

“You… what? Really?” you asked with surprise. 

“Yes! And I’m allergic to flowers, they make me sneeze like nobody’s business,” she said with a chuckle, “look, I’ll show you the picture of my kitty her name is Betty Boop.”

Reaching into her shirt, presumably into her bra- to get her phone, she pulled it out and opened up the camera gallery to a myriad of cat photos. 

“Oh! Wow! Yeah, you’re right! It’s a perfect match,” you said, checking the pictures on her phone with the pin she had now pinned to her shirt proudly.

“You have no idea how happy you have made me,” she said in a bubbly voice, “you’re a real darling, you know that? Don’t let anyone every tell you otherwise,” she stated firmly.

Your heart ached. This was a rare genuine exclamation of positivity and you didn’t know what to do with these happy feelings- so just cried.

Lolita could tell that you weren’t used to being told that you were wonderful so she reached out and hugged you again.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know why I’m crying,” you wobbled in a broken voice, “I… thank you for not yelling at me.”

“Sweetness, you don’t need to apologize for that!” she chided lightly with a chuckle, “I won’t ever yell at you.” 

“Thank you,” you whispered as you buried your face into her and hugged her back.

……………………………….

<<< ‘That’ Side Character Chapter 23: Jealousy 

‘That’ Side Character Chapter 25: Life Is Daijoubu (Good)  >>>