he expected the fear, the confusion, but it didn’t mean that he liked it. it hurt, having her look at him like that. maybe most of his personality was an act at school, sure, but most of it was genuine whenever amai was around. doing this.. it feels wrong, even to himself, but he knows it’s necessary. he wasn’t going to mess up again. he would follow what he was taught, properly this time, and keep amai safe.
seeing her in distress makes len want to go to her side, to comfort her, but he knows his presence would just make it worse right now. as much as he longs for closer contact, he knows it is not the time yet. she’s still scared, doesn’t want him close, so he’ll stay away until she trusts him. until she realizes that he would never intentionally harm her.
“you… want me to stay?” he blinks rapidly a few times, eyes wide before he smiles. it’s familiar, the type of smile he had whenever he saw her at school. “i… of course! whatever you want!” she’s asking him to stay. he didn’t expect her to want anything to do with him. it’s a very nice surprise for him.
without hesitation len plops down on the ground. he’s far enough away from her that he hopes she’ll feel more comfortable. amai doesn’t know it fully yet, but if she asks for anything (other than letting her go) then len would do absolutely anything to make her request come true. “amai-chan,” len starts. “is this all you need from me??” he’s hurt her, he knows that, but he’s also still familiar with her and this process. “i would’ve thought you wouldn’t want to see me at all. if you want me to get you anything, i can do that. whatever you want.”
“ I don’t want to see you yet I don’t want to be alone either ”, she was quick to admit as she pulled her legs closer to her chest, wrapping her arms around them in an attempt to further comfort herself, to finally stop trembling in utmost fear. Her gut still telling her that she should run and attempt to escape, but if Len had no trouble kidnapping her in the first place… then it wouldn’t be hard for him to prevent her from doing so. Logic told her to stay right where she is, and so she would listen because what was important is to remain alive.
His behavior was baffling, too, as if this wasn’t the first time that he shaking her head, she chose to push that thought aside, it was better to handle the situation at hand, her safety. “ But I also don’t know what this place is, nothing of this makes sense and you are only one I know, seeing you is helping me not… entirely lose it ”. Considering everything that had happened in a matter of days : the disappearance of Nacchan, the grief that Yamada-senpai was going through and how Amai was worrying deeply about him, going on her way to make meals or offer chocolate since the boy was clearly facing a traumatic experience, her company as well so he had someone to rely on due to his now-withdrawn personality… yet, somehow, she got tangled into a situation that would not be easy to recover from.
“ Len-kun do you… hate me this much? This, this isn’t… I thought we were friends, and I was grateful that you would be my side. The school atmosphere was certainly not the best one but… I felt better because you were there and now I’m scared. This is too much, the police might be looking for Najimi and me too ”.
