Color - Sorry 5 (final) (Patreon)

 The boy was watching his cousin pack up her suitcase. The quarantine had be lifted and cities were starting to reopen. People were able to move around outside again, and so large family groups were starting to scatter, moving back to their homes.

“I guess you’ll be happy” his mom said. “No more ‘accidents.”

“Yeah! I.. I’m going to be glad she’s gone!” said the boy, faking annoyance. He wasn’t very convincing.

The mother sighed “yeah sure. What am I going to do with you..” she walked back to the kitchen, leaving him to his farewells.

The boy was embarrassed, but he couldn’t blame his mother. He’d put her through so much in these past few days.

He watched his cousin pack her luggage. She didn’t have much. She only planned a short stay before the quarantine hit.

“If I hadn’t been so clumsy” the boy said to himself. “Gah no! Stop thinking about her in that way!”

“You are talking to yourself again…” the girls said, peeking into his room. “Or are you planning something?”

“No! Not at all!” said the boy. “J-just thinking out loud!”

“…sure” said the girl, dragging her luggage out of the guest room.

“I’m… just going to keep my distance. I don’t want anything bad to happen!” the boy said, retreating back into his room. He was doing everything possible to remove the image of his cousin from his mind, Netflix, video games, arguing on the internet, but nothing could get her out of his mind.

“Why can’t I stop thinking about her! She’s pretty but… she probably hates me by now… and she’s so annoying!” He fell back on his bed staring at the ceiling. Despite all the accidents and punishments, he had seen basically every corner of his cousin’s body. He couldn’t help smirk as if he had gotten away with something. “Ugh, I guess I do like her too much” he said to himself, accepting what his mother accepted long ago.

Then, he heard a knock at his door.

“Son, your cousin’s taxi has arrived. Come say goodbye like a good little man.”

The boy went outside with a lump in his throat. He still kind of wished he could spend one more day with his cousin. Maybe he could tell her how he felt.

The taxi had already pulled up to the house and his cousin was loading her luggage. “Well… at least you came to say goodbye” she said in a tone that was both teasing and sad at the same time.

“Y-yeah, I just want to wish you a happy journey… I…”

“I was telling your cousin” his mother said cutting him off. “You’ll be applying to the University of Port Solei next semester.”

“Well, yeah… if I pass” said the boy.

“I know you are a loser but you don’t have to assume you’ll fail..” his cousin said wryly.

“Well, the point is, your aunt has agreed to let you stay in her house if you get in. It would save us a lot of money on room and board, and besides, your cousin is planning to apply to PSU as well.”

The boy was paralyzed. His mother had just told him that he had a chance to liv with his cousin in her own house! He tried desperately to cover up his blush.

“So you’ll be staying in our guest room, as long as you keep your grades up” she laughed. She walked over, gave him a friendly hug, and whispered in his ear “don’t worry. I’ll handle the ‘accidents’ this time.”

The girl giggled, said goodbye to the boy’s mother, and climbed into the taxi. The boy’s face was beat red and hot. He longingly watched the taxis pull away, his cousin waving from the window.

“Now that your cousin is gone, I think it’s OK to lift your punishments. You are no longer grounded. Go play video games if you want.” The boy’s mother said patting him on the shoulder.

The boy looked to his mother and smiled “thanks Mom, but I think I will go study instead.”