Yukiri looked up to meet Lilith's eyes the same golden eyes she grew up looking at. Yukiri replied with a smile, "Yeah. Was wondering where you were..." Lilith smiled back, with no reply.
She turned away to return to her studies.
Time passed as Yukiri scratched away at her paper with her pen, her mind still focused on that small interaction.
After class, Yukiri hesitated before walking up to Lilith, who was conversing with another sophomore. The girl gossiped endlessly about how it was "love season" and gushed over the latest rumors.
Yukiri stood nearby, listening quietly. She thought to herself that love was a complete waste of time. Even if she ever fell in love, she just knew it would end up like her parents' relationship.
One way or another.
The gossiping sophomore gasped, startled by the girl standing there like a ghost and listening to them.
"Oh, hello? You're one of the... freshmen, right? You scared me! What do you need?"
Yukiri awkwardly pointed at Lilith, mumbling a quick, "Waiting for her." before her gaze fell to the floor.
Lilith giggled before saying goodbye to her friend. She turned to meet Yukiri's gaze, smiling. "Yuki, you still do that."
Yukiri's Point of View
It's nice... she's still the same girl. I haven't seen her in so long. I came to this school mostly for her.
the only friend I had growing up.
Third Person Perspective
They walked down the corridors, Lilith chatting away while Yukiri only half listened. Out of the corner of her eye, Yukiri spotted a flash of red hair Souki walking by.
That brought her right back to the rumors. She realized, strangely enough, that she wanted to know who he was rumored to be with.
A voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Hey! Earth to Yukiri!"
Lilith looked worried as she stood by the vending machine, she was so focused on her thoughts she didn't notice they already arrived. "You've been zoning out for a while now, Yuki. Is something on your mind, or are you sick?"
Yukiri shook her head, muttering under her breath, "I'm fine. Just thinking. A lot."
"A lot, huh?" Lilith retrieved her drink and leaned back against the vending machine, studying Yukiri's face with that familiar, bright gaze that always made Yukiri feel entirely seen.
"You never used to get lost in your head like this when we were younger."
Because back then, I didn't have to think about how complicated people get, Yukiri thought, though the words stayed locked behind her teeth.
"People change. Like how I like sweet things now," Yukiri said quietly, her thumb tracing the rim of her sleeve. "They start caring about stupid things. Like romance."
Lilith raised an eyebrow, a soft sigh escaping her. "You still think love is a waste of time, don't you? But come on, I know you're interested in someone. You have that exact look you used to get when you talked about that 'annoying boy' when we were younger," she giggled.
Yukiri stood frozen, the drink fizzing in her hand while her brain completely short circuited. She had almost forgotten about that boy, that smile, and the times when things were simple and they were both truly alive.