4. One year

“Juvia.” Gray said as Juvia fainted into his arms. Gray touched Juvia’s forehead.

“She’s sick.” He panicked.

‘What the hell was she doing with her body?’ He thought and he carried Juvia to her room and lied her down.

“She should have told me she was sick” He said  with anger.

Gray stood up and went to kitchen to get some warm water and a clean towel and he go back to Juvia’s room putting the wet clean towel to Juvia’s forehead. He looked at Juvia’s red face. He felt guilty.

‘Why? What happened here while I was gone? It has only been a year. A year…’ He heard his phone rang and he put his hands on his pocket and held his phone.

“Yes, what do you want?” He said it forward.

“Bad mood, eh?” Loke said. “Well, come with me at the bar later. There were many girls there--”

Gray interrupted and said “Not interested. Go by yourself” Then he hangs up.

‘Loke hasn’t change a bit. Stupid.’

He looked at Juvia’s face again. He was thinking what happened to her Juvia? One year was too long. Juvia waited for Gray to love her back. Juvia assumed that Gray was falling for her. Then suddenly Gray decided to leave their dorm and move out to Loke’s place after Juvia’s confession to him last Valentine’s Day. He hang up with Juvia’s feeling.

“Gray-sama,” Juvia said in her sleep. “Don’t keep me hanging up. I waited too long. I endured ev—every pain, gg—ra—Gray-sama. Ju—Juvia loves Gray-sama,” He heard all of it. Gray’s eyes widened and started to feel guilty again. Now, he finally knows why Juvia is acting weird and different to him.

“Juvia…” No more words came out to his mouth. Gray stayed at Juvia’s bedroom. He changed the towel in her forehead every 4 hours and he was also there to calm Juvia when she was having a horrible nightmares. Most of her nightmares were about him leaving her alone. Gray couldn’t leave Juvia when he was the reason her girl is in pain and now even sick.

It was morning when Juvia woke up. She felt better now. She notices a tray with a glass of juice and water, a pancake with strawberries on top, some medicine and a note. She grabs the note and it said

‘I made you breakfast. Make sure to finish it all and drink your medicine. Don’t worry me again like that. I’m sorry about everything—G.’

“Gray-sama,” tears fell from her eyes. She remembers what happened yesterday until she fainted. Gray look after her yesterday. She knew she was sick from the day she woke up yesterday until Gray shows up. She remembered the argument she had with Gray and she frowned.

“Juvia’s sorry, Gray-sama”

Somewhere in FTail colleges…

“Hi Gray! Why did you call?” Lucy asked.

“It’s about Juvia.” He answered quickly. “What happened to her?”

“What do you mean ‘What happened to her?’ She is the same old Juvia we used to know. Sweet and a bit weird, right?” Lucy smiled. “Did something happen with you two? Did you have a fight with her?” She said with worry.

“Juvia…last night… she was sick and then she talked in her sleep saying I had hurt her or I keep her hanging up.” Gray open up with Lucy.

“You are keeping her hanging up, idiot?” Suddenly a man’s voice interrupts. Gray got irritated. “What do you know about Juvia, Natsu?”

“We know her feelings more than you do, you idiot!” Natsu went over Lucy to give her a kiss.

Gray was shocked and disgusted as he saw that “Whoa—Natsu, Lucy?”

“Yeah. Do you have problem with that huh, droopy eyes?” Natsu narrowed his eyes and then smiled at Lucy

“We are dating for 3 months now” Lucy announced and she blushed.

“Well, congratulations! Natsu is a very lucky man.” Gray smiled at them and at the same time jealous, wishing that he can also do that with Juvia.

Lucy changed the topic and went back to Gray’s problem. Lucy and Natsu were very close to him because of the guild they had joined. The guild was an extra-curricular activity where they get job offers from different companies in a short period of time. And at the same time, they were paid by the companies who hired them. Dorm leader Mira, Loke, Erza, Gajeel, Levy, Freed, Laxus and the others were also part of this guild. Of course Juvia was also a member of this guild. The members were from different departments. Gray and Loke was civil engineering students. Laxus, Natsu and Gajeel were mechanical engineering students. Lucy and Mira were tourism students. Of course they were beautiful. Erza takes law. Freed, Evergreen and Bickslow were fine arts students. Levy and his Juvia were in the marketing department.

“So Juvia problem, right?” Natsu said as he scratches his head “She was really down this past year. Yeah, the day you moved out your dorm and moved in with Loke. She got depressed, man.”

“Oh yeah… I remembered she said that she was jealous of me because I had Natsu. Well, I thought she liked Natsu and then she suddenly cried calling your name.” Lucy said in a sad tone.

“What else happened?” Gray wants to know more.

“You really are an idiot Gray! You and Juvia goes to the same school yet you don’t even know what is happening to her.” Natsu got up and shout at Gray. “Juvia is our friend so don’t you dare hurt her anymore.”

“Natsu…don’t.” Lucy stopped Natsu. Gray thought they knew something about Juvia that he didn’t know. 'Damn, what the hell is it?' Gray thought.

“He was right Gray. You didn’t even answer Juvia’s call. She felt rejected, you know. The day you hugged her at the mall on Valentine’s Day last year made her hope you liked her as well as she loves you. But--”

“Stop it.” Gray said not letting Lucy finished her words.

“Well, Gray all you have to do is tell her how you feel. You should be more resolute.” Another voice came. It was the red hair law student. “So how is she? Is she better now?”She asked.

“Yeah. I checked her temperature and it was normal now.” Gray answered thinking the words ‘resolute’

“So are back for Juvia for good or you’re going to left her again?” Erza said now with a threatening voice. “One year is a long wait, Gray. She also thought that you like her as well.”

Gray didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to say anything, he was scared enough with Erza’s stare and her threatening voice. Sure, one year is a long wait. Loooooooooong wait! Gray is such an idiot. Then Gray looked at the happy couple, Lucy and Natsu, even Erza was looking at her phone with a smile wondering why she is smiling at her phone.

“Erza smiles. What is it? Did Jellal ask you to go out?” Lucy teased and Erza blushed real hard.

“Help me with the dress Lucy, please.” Erza begged Lucy.

This was the first time Gray saw Erza blushed. It was unusual. ‘Everything had changed’ he thought. He suddenly felt alone, zoned out.

“Natsu, I will help Erza for a while I’ll see you later for dinner, okay?” Lucy said to her boyfriend

“Sure, babe. I love you.” He answered and kisses Lucy in the lips. Then, Lucy and Erza went out quickly.

And then the atmosphere was suddenly quiet.

“Many things have changed.” Natsu broke the silence.

“Obviously…” Gray said. “Everything changed except for me.” His voice had no confidence in it.

“Juvia didn’t change either. She still loves you more than anyone. She just went through depression. We were worried about her. What have you been doing this past year, anyways?” Natsu asked.

“I love Juvia. But I don’t want our friendship to be ruined. What if we fight? We broke up? What--”

Gray was suddenly on the ground. Natsu grabbed Gray’s collar so tight that Gray could not even breathe.

“OI, GRAY! YOU FOOL. JUVIA LOVES YOU. THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS TO HER. HOW COULD YOU THINK LIKE THAT? DO YOU EVEN LOVE HER? IF YOU LOVE HER THEN WHY ARE YOU HURTING HER? WHY IS SHE IN PAIN NOW? WE ALWAYS SEE HER CRY, GRAY. WE WORRIED EVERYDAY. SHE WAS KEEPING HERSELF BUSY JUST TO FORGET ALL HER PAIN. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE WILL SAY ‘I LOVE GRAY-SAMA’ GRAY-SAMA. YOU BASTARD.” Natsu yelled at Gray and Gray didn’t even move. He was a bit scared but all he could think about is what Natsu said that she was crying every day. Then Natsu let go of Gray’s collar, stood up and he tried to stay calm.

“I don’t want to see our friend like that. Last month, she was admitted to the hospital, Gray.” He sighed. “Lucy and I were there. We were about to call you but she didn’t want you to know this. You know I’m not good in keeping secrets. I really got angry and I was about to go to your dorm room and punch you in the face but Lucy stopped me.” Gray was shock and couldn’t even say a word with what Natsu is saying. Natsu continued his story. “She had a breakdown, Gray. She locked herself in her room for 2 weeks not eating anything not even drinking. And then we got worried. Cana was with us. We break her door and we found her lying on the floor. Man, she’s lifeless but still she was still calling for your name.”

“Natsu…” Natsu looked at Gray. There were tears in Gray’s cheeks. “Juvia… why didn’t you tell me that earlier? I have the right to know. It’s my fault.” He said in a depressing voice. “You can punch me now, Natsu.”

Natsu was shock but he pity Gray. “I don’t want to do that. I want you to think of Juvia. If you really love her, you should tell her right now. Don’t keep her hanging up. A real man doesn’t make their woman cry.”

“You changed Natsu. Thanks I’ll go now.” Gray wiped his tears and stood up as he wave his hand at Natsu.

“I can punch you if you’re ready to fight.” Natsu said with a grin.

“Yeah. I’ll look forward to that, slanty eyes.” Gray replied.