Callisto's footfalls were light with excitement as she headed in first. Hinata followed suit.
"Welcome," the girl at the counter greeted them as they entered, a courteous smile on her face. "Ah, if it isn't Calli and Hina. Elesis's not with you guys?"
"Not today," Callisto went and sat on the chair close to where the counter was, claiming the unoccupied table for her and Hinata. "I'd like the usual, Ken."
Hinata sat on the chair across Callisto, adding his own order on top of the young lady's.
"Mine's liempo with 2 rice, please."
The girl called Ken wrote on the small notepad in hand as she reiterated their orders.
"A liempo with 2 rice and a 2 piece chicken with rice coming right up!"
With that, Ken went to pass the two's order to the staff in the back room, leaving Callisto and Hinata to their own devices, an opportunity the young man took.
"So, how did the EPT go," Hinata looked straight into Calli's eyes, his own shining with eager curiosity as he await the young lady's answer.
Callisto was brimming with excitement as she explained what went down when she returned to the principal's office.
Hinata was listening intently to every word, occasionally bobbing his head, offering his soft chuckles, and small comments. He did that until he started doing more than just that, leaning a bit closer over the table.
The young man was drawn at the silver-haired girl's small face, noting every detail.
From Callisto's fair skin and plump cheeks, her beautiful eyes that mirrored the blue sky, her small nose, to her soft, pink lips.
Hinata heard people call Callisto beautiful before. In the convenience store during work hours, in the nature park and the Riverbanks in Marikina when they hung out with Elesis, and now in school.
Just like everyone else, Hinata thought the same thing about Callisto ever since they first met.
She is indeed beautiful.
However, those people who only saw Callisto from a glance had no idea what it was like to see her up close. Not like Hinata.
What Hinata realized from being in the front-row seat was that Callisto couldn't be described by a simple "beautiful" alone. It doesn't give her justice.
After all, Callisto is more than just looks.
Callisto is kind, intelligent, persistent, and hardworking.
Callisto isn't just beautiful.
She is breathtaking.
"I see. So you're going to be grade 10 this year. Elesis would be overjoyed once she hears the news."
"I was hoping that all three of us could become classmates, but that's not really an option."
"It's all right. It's not like we won't be able to hang out anymore because we are in different grades. We still have a lot more study sessions to do, right?"
"You're right."
Being alone with Callisto in a small restaurant, talking to her and seeing her beam such a beautiful smile whenever she's talking about something hilarious, it stirred something within Hinata.
He could hear his heart pounding in his chest. It was pounding with desire.
"I don't want this moment to end," Hinata said in his mind, his gaze remained towards Callisto even as Karen brought their orders on the table top. "I want it to last. I want to spend more time with her, talk with her, laugh with her, alone with her. I want..."
Hinata's breath hitched in his throat, looking down at his food on the table top, a smile curving his lips.
He couldn't believe himself after realizing what he just said in his mind, how incredibly greedy and selfish he sounded.
"Hm? You're smiling. Thought about something funny? Care to share?"
"No. I just thought it really is fun being with you, Calli."
"Really? Thank you. I thought the same thing with you."
He once wondered why he felt as if he was disappointed when Callisto mentioned she was looking forward to their study sessions with Elesis, wondered why he went after Calli when he heard a couple guys talk about her and why he felt the urge to speak for her when Mina got in their way.
It was because Callisto is the first girl he could really call a friend without a shadow of a doubt. Their connection is genuine.
That connection is what fuels his desire to spend more time with Callisto. However, hogging Callisto all to himself would be too selfish, too greedy.
After all, Callisto has other friends besides him.
"Mm! I really like how they make their fried chicken! It's so crispy and juicy!"
"There's breading stuck on your face. Are you saving it again for last like last time?"
"You got some sauce on your face too, so you can't tease me."
And so, Hinata set those unreasonable thoughts aside and decided to be content with the fact that he is friends with Callisto, that he gets to spend time with her like this when there's a chance and cherish every moment.
Yes. It was the right thing to do. Because he believed so.
* * *
A week later...
"Woah, it's a perfect fit!"
Around 5:00AM in the morning, Callisto woke up, took a shower, cooked her own breakfast, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and combed her silver hair.
Then, Callisto stood in front of the mirror, admiring the way her blouse and knee-length skirt fit her just right.
She received her school garments from Adela a couple days ago. Basically, Callisto inherited the ones her mother used to wear back in the day.
Callisto could've ordered brand new ones, but she insisted on using Adela's simply because it was from her mother. Of course, Adela took proper care of her high school uniform, hence they still look good as new after all this time.
She grabbed her backpack from the chair, putting the straps over her shoulders before standing in front of the mirror once again, a satisfied huff coming out of her lips at her own sight.
Time is almost 6:00AM. Callisto's preparations are complete. All that's left is to head out.
"All right. Time to go."
Callisto came out of her apartment unit, a look of excitement, a hint of nervousness, and anticipation on her face as she make her way toward Silangan High.