I like you and that scares me (but only a little)

[yosef1]

Hello.

Finally, I have a new story that isn't about Pokémon (Happy for you and sad for me, because I love writing about Pokémon, even if it doesn't get much attention).

This is the Valentine's Day story I promised about 6 months ago. And now you know that the fandom I chose for this story is ERMA! (applause sound effect).

Erma, for those who don't know, is a really cool webcomic that I discovered in mid-2024. Since then, I've been almost completely involved with this webcomic.

That's why I'm disappointed that there aren't more fanfics of it. It deserves more recognition in other media.

Especially the Erma/Connor couple, because the few stories about them are...well...if you look at Erma/Connor in AO3, you'll understand what I'm talking about.

So I don't want to improve them, change them, etc. I just want to talk more about them, to honor them.

And because they are children, I want to make it clear that there is NO 18 intention on my part in this story, NONE. I'm just going to write about that childhood love, which isn't like adult love, but can't be called just friendship.

So enjoy.

And Happy Valentine's Day.
The camera was above the clouds, seemingly looking down, with something tiny visible in the openings and between the clouds, as if it were being hidden.

The camera then began to descend slowly, approaching the clouds until it began to pass through them.

As it descended, the tiny thing down below grew larger and clearer.

After a while, the camera completely passed through the clouds, positioning itself just below them.

And that tiny thing became very clear, revealing itself to be the city of Blairwood seen from above, more specifically the view from above of Blairwood Elementary School.

The camera then shifted to inside the building, directly in front of the alarm bell.

The bell was a classic copper-colored school alarm, but its metal circle was larger than normal.

And immediately when the camera focused on the alarm, it rang, but with a less high-pitched sound than usual, yet still audible to all living (and dead) beings in the building.

The camera shifted again, now to the school cafeteria, where several children were sitting or were already seated at the large white tables, chatting and eating.

The camera now focused on Terry, who arrived at a table and sat down, placing a lunchbox that looked more like a toolbox on the table.

Amy's head appeared at the edge of the screen, with her huge ponytail falling just below.

She looked at his lunchbox with a disappointed look, then glanced at him, "You're ashamed of liking something, aren't you?"

Terry turned to her with his eyes closed and an arrogant expression as he opened the lunchbox, "Keep your little girl lunchbox to yourself. I'm a boy."

Amy made a sulky face at him and turned to walk away.

But her huge hair rubbed against the side of Terry's head, generating small static sparks and making him uncomfortable.

Part of Terry's hair stood up and tried to go in the direction Amy went.

Terry quickly adjusted his hair and looked in the direction Amy was with an expression that looked like an angry Pit Bull.

He turned to his lunchbox and smiled, taking out a sandwich with cheese, lettuce, ham, and mayonnaise.

He closed the lunchbox with one hand and brought the sandwich close to his face, "No one's going to steal from you now."

Soon after, a rat that looked like it could die any second passed in front of him.

They stared at each other with half-closed eyes as they walked away.

Terry forgot about the rat and then opened his mouth, his teeth becoming comically visible.

But a finger touched his shoulder and he looked to the side.

A black boy, with hair so short he looked bald and wearing what appeared to be a teenage American football team jacket, was staring at him with a bit of seriousness.

The boy tilted his head slightly to the side and Terry's comical teeth straightened, looking in the same direction.

At another table with far fewer people, Connor was sitting with his chin resting on his arms, which were on the table. And he was looking down with a certain despondency.

Terry frowned slightly.

"Connor!".

This made Connor lift his head very quickly in fright.

He quickly got his bearings and saw Terry looking at him.

Terry stretched out one of his arms to him and then gestured for him to come closer.

Connor stood there with a worried look, then looked away, looked back at Terry, and then laid his head on his arms.

Terry looked in the direction Connor had looked.

There was Erma, chewing something while listening to Amy and Miko talking.

Terry looked back at Connor.

He had a hard expression and made a deep "Hhhmmmmmmm".

He turned to the boy as he put away the sandwich and closed the lunchbox, "Are you coming?".

The boy shrugged, "Romeo needs help".

The camera changed to show Connor lying in his arms as if he were sleepy.

Then a toolbox slammed shut on the table, making him jump up in surprise.

He calmed down when he saw Terry and the boy sitting in front of him.

"So...", Terry stared at him and opened the lunchbox without looking, as if it were an interrogation, "What's the problem this time?", he picked up the sandwich and took a bite.

Connor looked away with a distressed expression, "It's nothing".

The boy raised an eyebrow, "Did you confess to Erma by accident or did she kiss your voodoo doll or something?".

Connor's body jerked, his hair becoming sharper and his drawing style simpler, his face red.

The boy gave a confident smile, "So there's something there."

Connor returned to normal, looking down with a defeated expression and a red face.

"Well, it's just...remember what happened before? You know..."

Terry stopped chewing and he and the boy looked at each other, then looked back at Connor.

"Was it because of that kiss?" Terry asked with his mouth full.

Connor's eyes widened and he pouted.

Terry gave him a disapproving look, "Dude, it's been a week, get over it," and he went back to chewing.

Connor stretched his head forward, holding onto the edge of the table, "IT'S ONLY BEEN A WEEK!"

He returned to his seat, "You two drove me crazy over this and now you're telling me to forget about it?!"

Terry finally swallowed the piece he was chewing, "We're kids, a week is an eternity," and bit into another piece.

Connor put his hands near his head as if he were about to have a migraine and looked lost.

He slumped with a groan of defeat and let his head fall onto the table.

Both boys looked on with a slightly worried expression.

Terry lowered the sandwich from in front of his face, "Okay, what's the real problem here?"

"There's no hidden problem, I just can't stop feeling this way because of that kiss," Connor said in a muffled, listless voice.

"You and Erma are always going back and forth between being friends and looking like you're going to share lunch together and hold hands all the time," he swallowed and shrugged, "What's the difference this time?"

Connor turned his head to rest his chin on the table and look at Terry with some anguish, "Because I'm scared."

The other boy said, "You're always scared, you're the only one who never tries to get wet in the rain."

"I'm scared of her."

Terry coughed a little because he choked, "That's a new one!" he said in a weak voice that was trying to force it.

He composed himself, "It's hilarious that you're afraid of monsters, the dark, and sometimes even leaves, but I've never seen you scared of Erma. You get nervous and paranoid around her, but never scared."

Connor looked away, "I know, I've felt that way since that day. I try to talk to her a little, but it never goes beyond that."

Terry placed the sandwich on top of the lunchbox, without taking her eyes off Connor, "So you're afraid she didn't like it and is angry with you?".

"That's not it," he said, his face turning even redder, "I'm scared of what to do next."

The boys on the other side of the table tilted their heads, confused.

"I'm scared to approach her and she'll want to talk about it, scared someone will mention it and we'll unexpectedly have to talk about it, scared we'll have to decide what she and I are."

Terry looked unimpressed, "Dude, she likes you. Like, in that cheesy, romantic way," he stuck his tongue out with a disgusted expression.

Connor laid his head down on the table, "I don't know. I don't want to take that risk."

Terry looked a little annoyed, "I know you're scared," he made an X-shaped cut with his arms, "But there's no risk. She likes you too."

"Maybe, and that scares me. She might be willing, but I don't know where I want to be."

Terry grew a little more annoyed, "You know, you want to go to her house after school and share a swing in the park."

"I don't have the courage to do those things, I don't want to make a move and disappoint her."

Terry stood on the table stool and almost smacked his head in stress, "You're not going, because you two like each other! Just talk to her!"

"I'm afraid to face this feeling."

Terry finally opened his head, leaning back dangerously in pure anger, groaning irritably.

He threw his arms to Connor while looking stressed at the boy beside him, "Can you help me?!"

The boy looked from Terry to Connor with a surprised look.

"Eeeeehhhhh..."

He snapped his fingers with an idea.

He used the finger he snapped to point at Connor confidently, "You need therapy."

Terry let his arms fall with a disappointed expression, "Wow, you saved the team."

Terry fell back onto the bench with an annoyed expression at Connor, "Fine! Do whatever you want," he took the sandwich back, "But continuing with this mentality might hurt her too, because she thinks like that too. Because she likes you."

He bit off a large piece of the sandwich and chewed tenaciously.

Connor sighed defeatedly.

He knows.

He's not stupid.

He knows they both like each other.

He notices the blush that appears on her cheeks, so similar to his.

The satisfied smile and nervousness of being with each other.

But that doesn't stop him from being scared.

They never did anything, never spoke, never thought, what all this means.

Whenever something happened, when they held hands, when they met and were alone, things like that.

They don't take it further, they don't talk about it anymore, they just accept it.

Sometimes they even take advantage of the strange feeling in their chest and stomach that arises.

But that kiss was too much.

At least for him.

It destabilized him.

He's not shy anymore, he's scared.

Because he knows they should talk about it.

And he's a coward, he can't face the different, the strange...

He doesn't know how to leave his comfort zone.

That it's safe and full of things he likes.

"BLEH!"

Connor turned to Terry.

Terry put one hand to her mouth and pulled out a piece of chewed food with opaque colors.

He looked at it with disgust, "This piece tastes like mold."

He looked all over the surface of the sandwich, "Dad bought this bread yesterday."

Terry shrugged, "Well, I'll hope I don't eat another bad piece," and threw the piece of food behind her.

Then something made a sound like wet paper hitting the ceiling.

Terry and the other boy's eyes narrowed and they slowly turned around.

Sylvia was holding a plate of food in her hands, a comically furious look and expression, and a piece of chewed food squashed against her cheek.

Both boys froze.

And in an instant, they disappeared, with a cloud of smoke in their place and a cartoonish running sound.

Connor showed no reaction.

Then he looked to the side.

Erma was facing him, staring at him with some curiosity.

She smiled and waved at him.

Connor looked surprised and startled.

He laid his head on his arms on the table on the opposite side of her.

Erma's hand fell slightly along with her smile.

She turned back to the table, still glancing out of the corner of her eye with a little concern. She soon returned to the conversation between Amy and Miko.

Connor glanced at Erma out of the corner of his eye.

But Terry is right.

And what does she think about it?

He might be making her uncomfortable because she doesn't get any encouragement to talk about it.

Was this too much for her?

Erma smiled and nodded as she listened to the conversation.

Even if it doesn't seem like it, she might also be feeling out of her comfort zone.

She just doesn't seem as shaken because she's not a coward like him.

She knows not to let something bad ruin a good day.

Like she did when she and Amy were in separate classes.

She knew how to stand up for herself.

…

Maybe them being out of their comfort zones makes the conversation easier.

##

The camera showed a simple doorbell right next to the door.

A finger reached for the button and pressed it, producing an equally simple ring.

Connor lowered his head, expectant.

After a few moments, he began to rock back and forth to pass the time.

Then the door opened and Connor raised his head, clasping his hands behind his back.

Emiko appeared with the door ajar.

She looked down and opened the door wider, smiling at the sight of him: "Hi, Connor!"

He smiled shyly: "Hello, Mrs. Williams."

She leaned in slightly and gave a reassuring smile: "Sorry, Erma left the house on TV a little while ago."

Connor opened his mouth, but quickly closed it, blushing.

He gave another shy smile: "That's alright, I can wait."

Emiko leaned lightly against the door with an admiring smile.

The camera switched inside the house, with Connor walking to the sofa and giving a small jump to sit on it.

He followed Emiko with his head as she passed through the living room behind the sofa, "If you need anything, I'm in the kitchen," she nodded and disappeared into the kitchen.

Connor then looked ahead, making it seem like he was looking at the TV.

I think it's the first time he's gone to her house without anyone else.

There's always someone to fill the space his shyness creates.

But now he's on his own.

He'll have to be the one to say something when Erma doesn't.

He doesn't want to be the friend who only makes things worse.

Wait...is he a friend of Erma's?

From the day they met, she treated him like she treated everyone else. Her friends.

So he kind of thought he was one of those friends too.

But now that he thinks about it...he doesn't seem to fit in anywhere.

Amy and Terry are definitely at the top of the list of close friends, even if Erma doesn't have

favorites.

Amy and Erma are the most sincere definition of friendship he's ever seen.

And Terry...well...they're definitely very close. Since he never died trying to play pranks on Erma, even though Amy always stopped him.

Sidney is probably right below, as Erma is the force that changed her life and offered her friendship. In addition to their love for WUP.

Sylvia and Miko come next, along with Amy and Sidney, they form the girls' team with Erma. It's a possible sisterly connection that unites them.

And then there are the neighbors and the kids from school, who interact because they share the same space or because they gather for a common event. These are the people she interacts with.

And then... where does he fit into all of this?

He's not someone from school or the neighborhood; he and Erma have some level of intimacy.

He's definitely not part of the girls' group.

He also doesn't have any special connection that comes from a revolutionary event or a shared interest. He's terrified of all the movies she likes.

And he's far from the connection that Amy and Terry have with her.

This makes him simply thrown in there. He's just there, nothing more, nothing less.

And it only gets worse when he thinks about that feeling.

That feeling that arises when they're holding hands, when she gets too close to him, when he compliments her.

His cheeks turn red, his face breaks into a silly smile, his stomach churns.

He doesn't feel this way with anyone else.

He thought that maybe it was the same feeling that adults say they have.

Then his sister said that he is still too young to feel the same way that adults do. But she also calls him a brat and lives locked in her room, so it's all very confusing.

But still, he doesn't feel that way about any of his friends.

He thinks he shouldn't.

Maybe that's what prevents him from being a good friend to Erma.

Whenever they interact, that feeling creeps in between them. It's unmistakable.

And she reacts the same way. With the same feeling.

In the end, he doesn't have a place as a friend, because no friend has that feeling.

That puts him below that level.

Below?

He doesn't think he'd be above that.

But being below seems strange. Erma doesn't treat him as inferior compared to her friends.

But it's different.

It's not like any other interaction she has.

So he's off any scale.

Does he even have a scale?

He lowered his head slightly.

Wouldn't this feeling be just a difficulty, but also a barrier?

That prevents him from being someone to her.

Does having this feeling condemn him to be someone important, but who remains in the background?

And who will always be remembered that way?

Even if you push that feeling away, will it always affect your relationship with her?

His eyes turned into a jumble of moving black scribbles that would surely be the physical representation of his frustration.

So he'll never be anything more than a second choice for her?

Never a good friend?

Or even a friend at all?...

Suddenly, the house lights started flickering, the TV turning on and off without signal, the microwave beeping repeatedly as it was plugged in.

This snapped Connor back to reality, and he looked at the light on the living room ceiling.

But soon, the TV turned off, the microwave beeped one last time, and the lights stopped flickering.

Emiko's head peeked through the wall near the kitchen with a friendly smile, "I think she's back. She must be in her room."

Connor looked at this fearfully and nodded. Emiko disappeared into the wall.

He turned and looked at the stairs, his eyes scanning them to the second floor.

The camera shifted to show Erma's bedroom door.

A knock came from the other side, "Erma?".

Erma was holding two WUP dolls when she looked up at the door in surprise. And with a tiny blush on her cheeks.

Her hair moved and she snatched the dolls from her hands as she floated to the door.

Her hair placed the dolls on a shelf near the door and she descended to the floor.

She opened the door and broke into a huge smile when she spotted Connor.

His expression was one of surprise and admiration, accompanied by an intense blush.

Then his eyes widened when he realized.

He looked around, searching for something.

No, no. Please, not this time.

Erma became confused, with a question mark above her head.

Connor stopped looking around and put his hand to his face, turning his head to the side.

"Can I come in so we can talk?"

Erma frowned slightly.

The scene changed; now they were both kneeling on her bed, facing each other.

They just stared at each other.

Then Erma stretched out her arms to him, telling him to begin.

Connor swallowed, "Well, do you remember the kiss?" he shrugged.

Erma looked surprised.

Then, a huge red line appeared on her face.

She jumped slightly, her hair becoming stiff and even sharp at the ends.

They both looked away with uncomfortable expressions, Erma rubbed the back of her head. She hadn't noticed her hair covering her down to her knees.

Okay, that wasn't a good way to start.

Connor looked at her again, "I don't know what happened to you after that," he said, looking away once more. "And I haven't tried to talk to you until now," he whispered.

He looked at her again, "So I wanted to know. Doesn't it bother you?".

Erma's blush disappeared and her hair returned to normal.

She shook her hands and shoulders in a "more or less" gesture, with an uncomfortable expression.

Connor frowned, "Didn't it bother you for a while?"

She put two fingers together, indicating that it had been a short time.

Connor stepped back.

Wow.

He thought this situation between them was something secondary, but apparently he still considered it very important.

Maybe this feeling is really a problem for their relationship.

Erma held out her hands to him in a "but something happened" gesture.

Her hair was styled into two mouths mimicking others, like the mouths of a sock puppet, one on each side.

The mouths began to speak, and they spoke more and more while Erma covered her ears with a bored expression.

Yes, he understands that well.

Then Erma's hair became lifeless again.

She placed a fist near a point between her chest and stomach.

She looked at him with her head down, a slight blush on her face and a smile only a little wider.

The blush that appeared on his face was twice as big.

No, please.

He sighed, "I don't think this is good."

Erma's smile faded.

He pointed to the two of them, "We... I feel like this feeling is pushing us apart."

Erma's hand fell into her lap, making her dress sink.

"Every time something like this happens, we just look at each other without doing anything else."

The blush disappeared from her face.

"I haven't talked to you much since that accidental kiss because this feeling won't leave me alone. It makes our relationship difficult."

He lowered his head, "I just wanted to be one of your friends without so much difficulty."

"Or at least someone important to you..." he whispered.

Erma's expression was shaken.

She dragged her knees across the bed until she was closer to him.

She tapped her index finger over his heart a few times, pushing it slightly.

Then she placed her hands on his cheeks, lifting his head and looking into his eyes.

She stretched the corners of his lips with her thumbs into a forced smile. Then she released them.

Connor made a confused expression mixed with a shaken one, "Does this make me happy?".

Erma nodded.

Well, yes.

That feeling worried him, scared him.

But he liked it.

That happiness when she held his hand, when she hugged him, when he smiled like an idiot.

"That's not what matters now-".

She pinched his cheeks slightly, not enough to hurt, but to get his attention.

He sighed, "Yes".

Erma let go of his cheeks.

She pointed at him, then tapped her finger where her heart was.

And then she took his hands and covered them with hers.

She gave him a hopeful and slightly desperate smile.

Is she also happy with this feeling?

Is that why he's important to her?

He looked serious, "But how am I important? What am I, a friend, a colleague, what?".

Erma looked away as she thought.

He's not like the others.

She likes the others, but he's different. There's a feeling there that she doesn't quite understand.

Maybe it was the same as her mother and father, but...

An image of Emiko, wearing a black version of her usual dress, lying against Sam on the sofa appeared.

Emiko's hand appeared on Sam's neck, gently caressing it.

"I know what you're thinking, darling," he said naturally.

Her hand lightly squeezed his shoulder, "Great," she smiled mischievously.

They turned and shared a passionate, very adult kiss.

The image faded.

And Erma stuck out her tongue in disgust.

No, definitely not.

She looked into his eyes again.

But he's very important to her.

She smiled calmly.

Suddenly, they both began to levitate slowly.

This made Connor swing his legs, worried. But he soon stopped.

They stopped about a meter away from the ceiling.

Connor continued looking down.

Then, he turned to Erma.

She brought the cupped shape she had made with their hands closer to her.

An admiring smile appeared, along with a slight touch of pink on her cheeks.

So she cares about him...in a unique way?

In a way that's just theirs?

Because it's ironic that, with her, he's not afraid of the ghost. He's afraid of Erma.

Of what she'll think, say, or do about him.

This feeling they share makes him different, makes him unique.

He looked at her with a certain hope, "Is that what you mean?"

She nodded.

In fact, he's much more important to her than she imagines.

He's not yet her friend, or colleague, or even an acquaintance.

He's just another person to her.

He matters to her.

He smiled contentedly.

This whole problem only existed in his head.

He was the one making it difficult.

He began calmly.

It's good to know that.

Because he likes this feeling.

He likes her.

"It's so good to like you."

They both froze.

They stared at each other with wide eyes.

They slid down smoothly onto the bed, falling harder when they were inches apart.

They continued to stare at each other.

Their mouths opened calmly, in rhythm with the blush on their faces.

But what—?!

He abruptly pulled his hands away from hers.

He quickly jumped out of bed and left, closing the door.

He braced one hand on the door, his expression shocked.

He raised his head and looked at the stairs. He ran towards them.

He tried to go down a few steps slowly, but soon tried to run down them.

He stumbled a few times and almost lost his balance when he finally reached the bottom.

Emiko's head appeared from the kitchen wall again, "Connor?".

Connor ran to the door without looking at her, "Have a good day, Mrs. Williams!".

He quickly opened the door, stepped out, and closed it. Incredibly, without slamming it shut.

Connor ran down the road in the backyard, barely touching the grass.

Erma soared across the rooftop into the sky, floating just above him.

She kept her eyes on him as he left the house's boundary and ran away down the sidewalk.

Her blush was still there, but now there was a shaken and hurt expression.

Connor continued running down the sidewalk, not looking back.

But he began to slow down, and his heavy breathing became more evident.

He finally stopped, breathing rapidly, but not looking as tired.

He lowered his head, his pupils trembling wildly.

What was that?!

What just happened?!

He...he made a confession?

B-but, why is he so scared?

Didn't they just resolve this?

He doesn't need to worry, she likes him. She cares about him.

These feelings aren't a burden.

They shouldn't be...

His breathing isn't even faster, he was just breathing very deeply.

So why is he even more scared than before?!

He hugged himself tightly.

What's wrong with him?!

"I'm scared of her."

…

Ah.

"You're not going, because you two like each other! Just talk to her!"

"I'm afraid to face this feeling."

He's a coward.

He's a coward who's afraid of everything.

He's always been like this.

He's afraid of monsters, the dark, insects, getting wet in the rain...

He's even afraid of a girl because she likes him.

And now he's afraid to talk about feelings.

Everything scares him.

Everything is bigger than him.

Bigger than a coward.

Everything is too risky for him to try.

Everything is too far to reach.

The image of Erma's hands holding his appeared.

But a line of a barrier passed between their hands, separating them by millimeters.

Anything at this point is too much.

He doesn't have the courage to go beyond that.

He had a sad expression, although there was still a very slight blush on his face.

He continued hugging himself as he walked away.

##

The camera showed the elementary school courtyard, with many children in groups playing sports or chatting.

A girl with red hair and fair skin, wearing a generic green basketball uniform, jumped and threw the ball towards the basket.

The ball fell into the basket and went straight down to the ground.

As the ball bounced in another direction, Connor appeared in the background.

He stared blankly into space with an almost lifeless expression, sitting cross-legged on the floor, his head resting on his palm, which supported his arm on his knee.

He didn't react when a shadow appeared and projected itself onto him.

He slowly rolled his eyes.

Terry stared down at him with his hands on his hips and a completely unimpressed expression.

He shook his head in disapproval with several "tsk, tsk, tsk" sounds.

Connor looked forward again, "Hi."

"I told you I wasn't going to interfere anymore."

"So, are you going to go play soccer?"

Terry sat down next to him, "No, I just came to keep you company."

They were quiet for a few seconds, just looking ahead.

Terry turned to him, "But can we play Marbles in the meantime?"

Further away from the boys, Sylvia and Sidney were on swings, right next to each other.

And Erma pushed them simultaneously, using her hair on Sidney and her hands on Sylvia.

Sylvia turned to them, "I heard there's going to be an exclusive exhibition of WUP content, but unfortunately it's going to be in the next town."

Sidney was disappointed, "Yeah, I guess I'm not quite allowed to leave town yet. Even if it's with friends and a guardian."

Sylvia threw her head back, "I really wanted to know what they're going to announce that would require an exclusive exposé, maybe announce the game they promised years ago, or a crossover with Chloe to increase interest in this more distant saga, or maybe even a WUP x Chloe crossover game. There are so many questions."

Erma continued pushing them almost automatically while staring at Connor's back.

She wanted to know what the problem was.

He seemed so affected by that feeling.

A feeling they both possess.

She knows he likes her too.

She's not stupid.

And she loves every part of it.

The blush, the happiness, feeling that they have something that's different.

That's why she doesn't understand why he seemed so serious about it.

It seemed to hurt him. She was worried.

She doesn't want him to get hurt.

She cares a lot about him.

He tried to make that very clear.

That this different feeling wasn't bad and that it doesn't diminish his worth.

And it worked.

He was relieved.

Then he said that...

"It's so good to like you."

Wow, that was...

For a second she thought her heart had literally come back to life.

But he...

He ran away. So scared.

He didn't even look back.

And it was very strange.

It's not like they hadn't had moments like this before...

She rolled her eyes, a blush spreading across her face.

Several times.

And it always ends in silence, but a comfortable silence.

So, what was different this time that made him so worried and acting that way?

She wanted to know.

She wanted to ask.

But trying to talk about it made him even more distant. She didn't want to do it without being careful first.

But to be careful, she needed to know what was happening.

She had a somber expression.

When did this become a paradox? She just wants to do it right.

She looked up with one hand on her chin and the other holding the arm that was on her chin. Her hair reacted and pushed Sylvia into place.

Maybe if she starts thinking, she'll figure it out. Or at least plan what to do, like Mrs. Tracy taught her.

We'll see... Connor is having a hard time with this.

But Erma isn't.

Is it different for him? Maybe it is.

But what would make that different?

Well, she's half ghost, but Dad said that doesn't make her any less human.

Maybe it's something more abstract, but it's certainly not the appearance.

A slight blush, along with a slight smile, appeared on her face.

She likes his big tooth and his freckles too. It's not a big deal, she just likes that.

Her eyes widened when she realized.

Both her smile and blush vanished, and she now looked down seriously.

Focus!

Where was she? Okay.

So maybe it's because he's a boy.

What do boys do?

They play sports, they like action figures...

Wait, but Erma likes action figures and Amy likes sports.

Erma frowned slightly.

So you mean they...are boys?

No, wait! That's not right.

She and Amy don't make a mess of everything they see or are brats like boys.

But then again, Connor isn't a brat and doesn't mess things up for no reason.

So actually Connor...is a girl?

She frowned even more.

That's not right either.

If boys and girls can like and do the same things, then can boys be girls and vice versa? Well, yes and no...

She furrowed her brow even more.

Boys and girls aren't the same, but they aren't different either...

Are there gender differences?

I don't think so. Everyone says we're all the same.

So are we the same thing?

Or are we actually all the same and things like that?

She lowered her head with a look of "zero patience," placing her hands rigidly flexed around her head.

WHY HAS THINKING BECOME SO DIFFICULT?!

"Erma..."

That made her take her hands from her head and look ahead, confused.

Sidney and Sylvia watched her, confused, standing in front of the motionless swings.

"We're off the swing now."

Erma looked at her hair. It was still moving on its own.

She tucked her hair behind her back with an embarrassed smile.

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "Okay..."

Sidney smiled at her. "Let's find the others before recess ends."

Erma nodded, still smiling shyly.

Sylvia and Sidney walked away.

Erma's smile faded and she looked at him again before following them.

Soon after, Connor looked in her direction.

She ran to the girls and joined the group.

His dejected gaze fixed on her.

He extended his arm, calmly stretching out his index finger.

The finger bent sharply, as if it had touched a wall.

He can't.

Doing so is risky.

He can't take risks.

Because he's a coward.

So cowardly that he hasn't taken any risks until now.

His other fingers moved closer, also bending against the "wall."

Not even when he thought he had left his bubble.

He didn't.

He never left.

The "wall" became more visible, but still transparent.

Just getting close to the limit terrified him.

When he thought he had escaped, in reality he was only taking a risk by thinking about taking risks.

That just proves how cowardly he is.

Terry tapped his knee, "Hey, it's your turn."

Connor held the same position for a moment.

Then he returned to his previous stance.

He stretched out his arm and flexed his thumb against his index finger to hit a small transparent sphere with a red, blue, and yellow line inside.

He better not insist on this anymore.

Because he'll never have the courage to leave.

And she won't have patience forever.

He hit the transparent ball.

That's why nobody likes cowards.

##

The scene shifted to inside a classroom, with all the students heads down, writing nonstop on their tests.

Meanwhile, the physical education teacher looked out the window with his arms crossed.

The camera focused on Erma, who began to slow down her writing.

She stopped writing for a moment, her pencil raised just above the paper.

She rested her head on her open hand, which gripped the table as she scratched the blank side of the paper.

She frowned.

She needs to do something.

She was still thinking about what to do.

And she came to the conclusion that thinking wouldn't get her anywhere.

Maybe she could ask the others, analyze some things, or just talk to his parents…

She looked up.

The teacher continued looking out the window, without any other movement.

Erma's head spun about 135 degrees in a humanly impossible way, making low snapping sounds. The boy with Asian features behind her choked with fear.

Further back, Connor was writing nonstop. And right behind him was Sylvia.

Connor didn't seem to notice Erma looking at him.

Connor's pencil drew a leg on the circle of the question, making it look like a horizontal question mark.

Connor breathed calmly.

It must be her.

He raised his eyes very subtly and then looked back at the test, almost imperceptibly.

Yes, it's her.

That feeling of someone watching you.

But he won't look at her.

He can't.

He won't try to leave anymore, he'll just accept it and move on.

He'll talk to his friends, study, one day have a life...

And he'll be with her without letting these things happen again.

If they don't happen, there's no risk.

So he doesn't want to give her false hope.

He doesn't want to make her waste time with this.

He went back to writing.

Erma looked hurt.

She put her head back in place, still making twisting sounds.

She looked at the test, there were still some questions left to answer.

But this might not be worth it.

He's already becoming distant from her.

She doesn't want to act like an investigator who wears a trench coat and when she finally knows everything she needs to solve the problem, he'll be even further away.

Maybe even distancing himself completely from her.

She doesn't want that.

She doesn't want to lose all of this.

All these constant moments that come from this feeling.

She doesn't want to lose him.

Her hurt expression mingled with frustration.

But trying to talk to him is still too risky, it might scare him and push him away even faster.

Any decision she makes will leave their relationship hanging by a thread.

Maybe even end it altogether.

*Some time later*

The bell rang again, some teachers opened the classroom doors and the students left, and through other doors the students left alone.

A door opened and Connor walked through it, letting go of the doorknob.

He walked with his hands on the straps of his backpack and a neutral look, moving forward.

After two more children came out the door, Erma also appeared.

She walked to the middle of the hallway and stood there, watching him pass.

The children began to appear in large numbers and fill the hallway.

She tightened her grip on her backpack straps, puffed out her chest, and looked determined.

There were so many children that they seemed like the center of the city, dodging Erma like water against a rock.

But she won't prolong this.

Connor kept walking without looking back.

Just keep going.

Go home, sleep, and start another day.

Just keep living your life.

He was startled when he was pushed, looking around.

The children were appearing and overtaking him, but still pushing him to go faster.

Initially, he resisted, trying to plant his feet firmly on the ground and being hit on the shoulder.

But, over time, he stopped resisting, being dragged and hit with his limp body.

He tried to maintain a calm expression throughout all of this.

Don't resist.

Let yourself go.

If he just accepts it, it's easier.

It's more comfortable.

There are no risks.

He just needs to live life like this.

Without resisting, without taking risks, just existing.

Existing following the flow.

That way he'll never get out of—

His eyes widened.

He looked at his shoulder.

There were strands of black hair trying to wrap around his arm, but they were slipping away.

Then he was pushed on the shoulder again, forcing the strands of hair away forcefully.

He looked further back.

There were children dodging Erma as her hair stretched towards him, but it was falling behind.

Erma had a serious expression.

Aunt Fumiko was right, she needs more practice.

She made her hair move forward again.

The hair approached her arm and touched her elbow.

But it ended up falling back again.

Connor kept his gaze on her hair.

No.

Don't do that.

If you do that, you won't be able to leave things unfinished.

He'll have to face them.

And he won't have the courage to do that.

And he...

He's going to hurt her.

His feet made him slow down, causing the others behind him to swerve.

He stretched his arm back.

Her eyes widened.

Her hair caught up with him, sliding through her fingers and tying itself around her forearm in loose, messy strands.

He finally stopped, now the children dodging them both.

They stared at each other motionless, Erma with a surprised expression and Connor neutral.

After perhaps a minute, the mass of children vanished and only a few more passed by them.

Now the hallway was completely clear. And quieter.

They were both more visible to each other.

Erma's hair began to pull at him. And he walked along.

Why did he do that?

Why is he prolonging this?

Why is he so confused?

Well, it seems he's not just a coward.

He stopped walking.

Now they were much closer, perhaps an arm's length apart.

Erma's hair came loose and fell back to its normal length.

They continued just staring at each other.

Connor's expression became slightly uncomfortable.

What's going to happen now?

Erma placed her open hand in front of her body and brought it to the front of his body, indicating distance.

Then she shrugged with a "why?" hand gesture.

Connor looked away sadly, placing his hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry."

Erma frowned, feeling sorry for him.

"I take a step back and approach you. I must be very confused right now."

He gestured as if measuring something. "It's just that I..." he let his arms fall. "I'm a coward."

Erma's eyes shone with empathy.

"Nothing I do, my actions, are influenced by courage, self-confidence, or faith."

He shrugged. "It simply depends on my fear."

"I was afraid of what you would think of me, and then I was afraid to go further. I'm always afraid."

He brought his fingers together as if squeezing her hand, "And I gave you so much false hope just because I don't know how to overcome this."

His eyes gleamed as he made several gestures, "I can't take risks, and I can't even leave my comfort zone. Neither you, nor this feeling, I can treat them as if they were in my comfort zone."

He froze for a moment, seeming to strain his face.

Then small tears fell.

"This cowardice only causes problems."

More tears welled up.

He wiped them away with his hands, but there were still plenty, "There's nothing good here."

Erma's expression was completely shaken, her eyes shining with empathy and her face seeming to feel his pain. It looked like she was going to hug him any second.

But that won't work here and now.

She lowered her head, trying to think.

She doesn't want to say everything is okay, because it isn't.

He's putting himself down and it hurts him.

He doesn't deserve to hurt himself.

He's amazing, more than he thinks.

She nodded.

And she's going to tell him that.

He wiped one eye, but soon after another tear fell.

"Your tooth...".

A soft voice, echoing and like the whisper of a spirit, emerged. It's as if the wind had spoken to you.

He stopped wiping his eyes and stared.

Erma looked at him neutrally.

"I like him. And the freckles too." Her voice sounded like a whisper blown in her ear.

"And also your red hair."

"Those things aren't a big deal, and your hair isn't even blood red."

She gave a slight, gentle smile, "But I still like it. And your 'cowardice' doesn't make me like it any less."

"You matter. I care about you for who you are."

A soft blush appeared on her face.

"I like you."

He blushed similarly.

He already knew, but hearing it directly was still a very hard blow.

His blush disappeared.

"Until when?..."

Her expression became a little more serious, "I'm a coward, I can't do the same. You won't wait for me forever."

She placed her hands on his shoulders, "Are you happy like this?"

He frowned, "I already—".

"That was different," she looked into his eyes, "Now I want to know if you're happy hiding in this bubble."

He looked away.

Should he say yes?

He should…

The bubble is safe. No complications.

A life of comfort and calm.

Far from everything that scares him.

So why is he so bothered?

He has to try so hard not to regret it.

He gets so discouraged at the idea of leaving her.

He feels out of place inside this bubble he's never seen before.

What should he answer?

…

"No."

"Do you want to be happy inside this bubble or outside of it?"

"I just want to like you."

Her eyes widened, her mouth tightened, and she blushed deeply.

"I just don't want to be afraid of what I feel to the point of pretending it's nothing."

His eyes shone, "I just don't want to drift away from you again."

She calmed down, now with a gentle smile, but still with a slight blush, "If you're happy, that's what matters."

She held his face, "I will always be patient with you. You would never make me angry."

"And I understand if you want to stay inside," she placed a hand on her own chest, "I don't like to talk so much. I prefer to shout, roar, or stay silent almost all the time."

She released his shoulders, "Our preferences are an important thing to consider."

His eyes widened.

How could he not have understood this before?

He's not the only one with fears.

Everyone has their reasons for doing or not doing something. Out of fear or something else.

And it's hard to get out of that.

But she's here and now, risking stepping outside her bubble.

To be with him.

Because she's doing it for someone she likes. Who cares.

She's making an effort for him.

She doesn't want a bad ending to all this either.

Maybe he's a little selfish.

"No."

She tilted her head slightly.

"I don't want to be inside my bubble."

"Because inside that bubble, you're not there."

Her eyes shone with admiration.

He carefully wiped away tears from his eyes, "Because you are more extraordinary than anything inside this bubble."

She blushed beautifully.

"And how could I not be? You are brave and passionate. You are doing so much for me because you care."

She was speechless.

He shrugged, "While I say I like you and then run away. It's not fair."

He reached out his hand to her, "I'm not going to let you do everything alone anymore. I'm going to do my best, for you."

She reached out her hand to his.

"I care about you too. I'll never stop being who I am, but I'm not going to let who I am ruin that anymore."

He took her hand, sliding it into contact until it was comfortable.

Then he stretched out his arm and reached for her other hand, holding it with the same comfort.

He looked at her with a sincere gaze.

"I like you very much."

He gave a silly smile.

She gave a completely crooked smile and a very relieved expression.

They were both blushing deeply.

Their blush lessened when she spoke, "And how are you going to do that?"

He looked at their hands, "I said, I'm not going to change who I am, I'm still afraid and I'll still be afraid."

He looked at her, "But I won't let this fear stop me from trying something I really like."

He shrugged with a slightly frightened expression, "But I can't immediately…"

She rested her forehead against his, making him relax with her gentle gaze, "And I also said that I will always be patient with you. You decide when you're ready, even if it's one step at a time."

They stared at each other with their foreheads pressed together, their eyes full of brightness and sweet smiles.

Then, a giggle escaped.

They looked away, surprised.

Professor Tracy was leaning against the door of a nearby room, laughing with her arms crossed.

She stopped laughing, looking at them with an admiring look and a proud smile, "Don't you need to take the bus?"

They both continued to look at her fearfully.

Then, Erma pulled Connor away to leave, both with very red faces.

Tracy watched them leave with a slight blush, "Love between two young people is so beautiful."

They continued walking briskly down the hallway, but soon slowed their pace.

They were now walking normally, side by side.

Their blush faded, and Connor looked at their hands, holding each other tightly and tenderly.

He looked up and met her gaze, which was fixed on him.

They smiled shyly.

The camera shifted to the outside of the school, right in front of the main entrance.

They emerged from inside, Erma looked around.

The bus was still near the designated parking sign.

She placed her hand on her chest and sighed in relief.

They looked at each other again.

And gave each other sweet, sincere smiles.

Erma let go of his hand and almost fell on top of him, hugging him tenderly. And her hair enveloped him like a cloak, but also embraced him.

He smiled and hugged her back.

He needed that.

After a few seconds, she, and her hair, let go of him.

She waved to him and walked away to the bus.

He waved back.

He gripped the straps of his backpack, pressing his lips together.

One step at a time, right?...

He put his hands around his mouth...

"I LIKE HOLDING YOUR HAND!"

She froze.

Maybe two steps?...

"AND I HOPE TO HOLD YOUR HAND AGAIN TOMORROW!"

And didn't turn around.

Then she lowered her head and walked very quickly, holding the straps of her backpack and blushing and smiling broadly.

She reached the bus and climbed the stairs as the doors closed and the bus began to move.

She stared at the children in the seats.

Amy had both hands giving a thumbs-up, along with a huge smile and immensely bright eyes. And behind her, Miko was just giving a thumbs-up with a proud smile.

On the other side, Sylvia and Terry, sitting on the same seat, had mischievous smiles as big as the Grinch's smile.

She had a wavy smile of embarrassment, like the waves of the sea.

Connor let his hands fall as he watched the bus drive away.

He smiled.

Then he began to laugh happily, with a little relief.

He stopped laughing, turned around, taking one last look in the direction of the bus.

He noticed his father, leaning against the car, looking at him with his arms crossed, but with a neutral expression.

He looked away with the same wavy smile as Erma as he walked towards her.

He looked down.

At his feet.

Well, it's begun.

The first steps on a path, probably a long one, out of this bubble.

A quick scene of him and Erma appeared, with Erma holding his hand with a gentle look as he cowered in fear toward her.

They were both sitting on the floor right in front of the couch, watching a horror movie.

Each day, at least one step at a time.

The scene changed to Erma and Connor sitting at a table while, along with their other friends, they watched Amy and Terry argue as if they were a couple arguing about who liked the other more. Erma and Connor were glued together as he offered her a french fry from their shared meal and she opened her mouth to bite, without them taking their eyes off Amy and Terry.

Everyone was a little taller and wearing different clothes, including him, who now wore a white long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Everyone except Erma, who still had her usual white dress on.

He doesn't want this to last long, but maybe the maturity of growing up will help him overcome it.

The scene changed again, and they had grown a little more. Now, Erma, wearing overalls that ended in a knee-length skirt with a long sleeve underneath, held his hand with a worried expression, while he, now wearing a coat with a black shirt with a large white stripe underneath, shrugged, looking away.

Not every day will be the same. Especially if it takes a long time.

Some days will be harder.

The scene changed again, now Connor, even older, with shorter hair, but still wearing the same clothes as before, stared at Erma with smoke coming out of his head and a huge blush on his face.

Erma was now wearing a white sleeveless dress that didn't cover her back, with a long black sleeve underneath that went down to the middle of her palm. She rubbed her hair, which was now extremely short, but longer than his.

She looked away with a slight blush and her free hand in front of her dress.

And other days will be like receiving a punch of happiness.

Those will certainly be easier.

The scene now changed quickly, showing them younger, spinning in circles with their arms linked.

But regardless of the days to come...

Then it showed them a little older, sleeping very close to each other, along with their other friends, on top of a pile of pillows.

He'll never take a step back...

Now they're even older, embracing as Connor holds a bouquet of wine-red Daylily flowers on her birthday.

Always ready to remind her that his feelings are still there…

And finally, like grown teenagers, Connor wore swim trunks without a shirt, showing off his thicker, more muscular physique, while Erma, wearing a black bikini with shorts on the bottom and a light jacket over it, held a parasol above him to block the beach sun.

And every moment with her mattered...

Until it finally happened…

The scene changed completely.

Now, in their grown-up teenage phase, they were at Prom night, dancing calmly while gazing at each other.

Connor wore a white suit with a red bow tie and his hair was more styled than usual.

Erma wore a black dress with light shoulders that fell below her collarbone, with white edges that looked like torn wool. She also had a sharp-looking black necklace around her neck, and her hair was longer, but still shorter than usual.

They kept to the rhythm with sweet smiles and light blushes.

Then Connor's smile faded as he swallowed nothing in particular.

Erma noticed this and made them stop dancing.

A second passed.

Suddenly, Connor stepped forward and kissed her lips with his eyes tightly closed, leaving her shocked.

And her hair swelled up, standing on end and sharp.

But he soon returned to normal, now disheveled, when she closed her eyes and returned the kiss.

They remained with their lips still, but joined, for a decent amount of time.

Then they separated.

"I finally...", he paused as if catching his breath, or his courage, "I have the courage to say...that I really like you. Truly."

"I have the courage to show what I feel...and how much you mean to me."

He looked at his hair, "But I think I messed up your hair a little-".

She pulled his head and joined their foreheads.

She gazed at him, silently, with eyes shining with love like the sun and a sweet smile.

He returned the gesture.

They laughed with their foreheads joined and both their hands on each other's backs.

One day he will be outside this bubble and will have the courage to do and say everything.

He smiled with satisfaction.

One day…

Well, that's it.

It's amazing how much longer this turned out than I expected, because I was hoping for a maximum of 5,000 words. But I'm very detail-oriented.

And it also became very elaborate; it was supposed to be more subtle, but I was overcome by the power of writing. I hope that power gave me good writing.

One thing I want to highlight, for those who don't know my stories, I have a habit of saying "the camera, the focus, the angle" because, honestly? I would love to create at least visual content, but since I'm a terrible artist and I don't have money, I stick with writing. But it's still fun.

And another thing is that I didn't emphasize colors much because the comic is in black and white and I wanted to be faithful.

And the last thing is that this has been ready for a few days, so maybe it's faithful to the current canon, but it will certainly diverge soon with the new arc.

Now, some trivia:

I made MANY references to the comic in this story, many indeed. Anyone who knows it or will read it someday will recognize all the references.

When I imagined Amy's reaction on the bus, I immediately thought of Zoey's reaction from K-Pop Demon Hunters because I thought it made a lot of sense.

Daylily flowers are used because Erma kills every flower she touches, and Daylily flowers are very difficult to kill.

That's all.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Now I'm going to sleep.