Zen X Reader [Akagami no Shirayuki-hime]

Chapter 18: Finally, I get to exhale...

(Y/N)'s POV:

HELL. YES.

Zen, Obi and I get a free day for having experienced such a traumatic event.

I just woke up, and I feel motivated to do important things, change the world, make a difference, be- oh. It's 7 AM. Well, I can get an hour or two more of sleep...

TIME SKIP BECAUSE I LIKE TACOS

I woke up for the second time today, feeling the need to kill myself.

Maybe I should go check on Zen, he might be bored... Or not... Ugh, ROMANCE IS HARD!

Wait... Did I think romance? What the hell is wrong with me?

Do I love Zen?

I don't question it any further.

I look at the time. Holy shit, it's 2 PM.

I should reeeeeaaaaaally get up.

I really should.

No, seriously; I should.

I sigh and get up. I dress up and go out for a stroll in the castle gardens. I never really got to appreciate those, now that I think about it. I've been so busy ever since I got here...

They're...

"Beautiful, right?"

I hear someone say behind me. I turn around and I see Mitsuhide standing there. I haven't really gotten to know Kiki and him, actually.

"Good afternoon. Mitsuhide-san."

He chuckles deep in his throat while he waves his right hand and scratches the back of his head with the other.

"Please, just call me Mitsuhide. It's highly uncomfortable for me when people treat me so politely."

"Oh, yeah, sure."

He smiles at me. I sit down on the grass and eventually lay down to watch the clouds moving on the blue sky.

"May I join you?"

I jumped a little, Mitsuhide being so quiet I forgot about him standing there.

"Why not?"

I smile at him and he smiles back, before carefully laying on the grass next to me.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it Mitsuhide?"

He turns his head to look at me.

"It really is."

"Hey... Do you happen to know if Zen likes me?"

I can't help asking. Mitsuhide chuckles.

"Well, of course, he likes you. He wouldn't hang out with you otherwise, right?"

"I... don't mean it like that. I mean... like-like."

Mitsuhide stared at me for a few seconds and then started gazing at the sky. I could tell he was choosing his words, so I didn't say anything. Zen was his friend, after all.

"Every time Kiki or I ask him, he denies it. It is very obvious that he's in love with you, though. I thought you knew."

I thought about it. He was always so kind to me, but that's just Zen. Is it really wishful thinking of me to believe that he would like me?

"I think I'll leave you alone now. You are still sorting out your feelings about the whole thing, I assume."

"I'm not, actually. I love Zen, as more than a friend. But I kind of knew that already. I've only just realized something that deep down, I've always known. It was always Zen. The only thing I'm unsure of is Zen's feelings towards me. I guess I will eventually know, though."

Mitsuhide smiled at me, shooting me a look of approval full of meaning.

"You know you love him, he obviously loves you. I say you should take your chances. Go big or go home, you know? That's what I'd do if Kiki..."

He stopped mid-sentence and cleared his throat.

"That's what I'd do if I were in your position right now. I really should get going, there's a lot of paperwork and no Zen to do it, so I should go find the aforementioned Zen. And I think that's what you to should do later."

Mitsuhide winked at me, smiled and left.

He left me alone with my thoughts, alone with my dying need to tell Zen how I feel.

I probably will, soon enough. I just have to work up the courage to face him.

Maybe tomorrow...

There it is, guys! I'm really sorry about the wait. The end is getting closer with each word I write, and it makes me sad because I really don't want this to end. See you next chapter!