petty fight

For the past three months, you and Matsuda had been close friends.
You spent almost every day together, joking around, talking about whatever came to mind, and generally knowing each other well.
But lately, small things had been piling up.
Arguments were brushed aside, little comments bothered both of you, and moments where one of you got irritated were simply ignored.
None of it was enough to ruin your friendship on its own, but together, it slowly created tension neither of you wanted to acknowledge.
That night, you were at Matsuda’s house, the two of you chilling like usual.
Everything was normal at first, until Matsuda suddenly brought her up.
“The girl you’ve been talking to.”
You looked over at him.
“What about her?”
“You know I like her.”
There was a brief silence.
“I know. We’re just talking.”
Matsuda’s expression tightened.
“Then why do you keep talking to her?”
“Because she talks to me too. I’m not trying to take her from you.”
Matsuda was already getting angry.
All the frustration from the little things that had happened between you over the past few months seemed to rush to the surface.
“You knew I liked her.”
“And I told you I’m not doing anything.”
“Then leave her alone.”
The argument grew louder.
Neither of you was thinking clearly anymore.
Things you’d both kept bottled up for months were suddenly being thrown at each other.
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Act like you don’t care!”
One thing led to another.
Before either of you could stop yourselves, you were throwing punches.
The fight was short and messy, fueled more by anger than anything else.
Then your fist connected directly with Matsuda’s nose.
His head snapped backward.
Everything stopped.
The anger disappeared almost instantly.
Matsuda stood there silently, his head tilted downward, his eyes fixed on the floor.
“This is so stupid…”
His voice cracked.
“Why couldn’t you just leave her alone?”
A few tears slipped down his face.