It is a new day, sunlight falling through my window. I check the time, it's 6 AM. I get ready and prepare to leave for school. While I am walking in the streets, I am thinking about Yuki and our previous text. I reach school early, there are few students from sports club practicing. I head towards the literature club room and to my surprise Yuki is already there, sitting in a chair and reading a book. She looks up at me.
"Wow! Yuki, you are here before me even though your house is much further from school than mine."
Yuki is flustered, perhaps at me using her first name casually or at my comment. It's my first time seeing her like this. She recovers and I can see that she is calm and comfortable around me.
"As the club president, I have to be punctual. And I want to know what Shirakawa said." She is worried about me but also trying to fight a smile from forming at my earlier comment.
I take a seat and say, "Well, it's not Shirakawa's first time doing this. She had done it before four years ago and was confronted about it and had to change schools. She only got called out for her behaviour and nothing else happened and I don't think she will do anything reckless."
Yuki is thinking, trying to understand the situation. "I think nothing happened because she was stopped. We don't know what might happen if this continues. But I do see that she is trying to improve. But you can always rely on me, Bopy." She's saying my first name to test how it feels for her.
A small smile forms on my face.
"Yea, I know that's why I texted you. And we have a lot of time now before class begins. So tell me about you, why do you leave early?"
Yuki blinks at the shift in conversation but naturally follows the flow of conversation.
"Oh, about that... well, my mother runs a flower shop and sometimes she tells me to come early to help with the shop. But today is fine, I can stay longer for club activities."
"Oh, that's good. I won't have to be alone with Shirakawa, and it is kind of you to help your mother."
Yuki takes the compliment and pulls a strand of hair from her face behind her ear. "I don't think it's a big deal to help my mother. And I am glad I can make you feel safe with the situation of Shirakawa. But I am curious about your views. I don't think I have figured out everything about you."
I give a smile at her and say, "Oh, you are interested in me, Yuki?"
Yuki moves her head a bit in surprise, her glasses slide down a bit to reveal more of her eyes. She is flustered and is blushing.
"All I said was that I was interested in your views about our previous discussion t.. that's all."
I am still grinning at her, clearly not buying this.
"Yeah, I can see that interest clearly. I like reading romance. What about you, Yuki?"
Yuki adjusts her glasses and is interested in the question. I can see her eyes light up.
"I like the psychological genre. Something like 20th Century Boys. It's a manga where ordinary people discover a conspiracy. It's not an easy read and I like using my mind to understand and connect the dots."
I say, "Oh, I haven't read it but it seems interesting. Instead of a detective finding out a conspiracy, normal people find it out. That's a different perspective. I would like to read that."
Yuki is smiling now. "You want to read it? We could read it together in the future."
I am also smiling now. "I recognize this as an invitation. Yes, I would love to do that."
We let this silence go on for a while before I break it by saying, "Hey, I wanted to ask something. Do you really not know why this club has no members aside from me and Shirakawa?"
Yuki blinks and looks at me like the answer is very obvious.
"It's because the club seems boring. You already read during classes, why read more? Is that the reason?"
I just stare at her, completely baffled by how off mark she is.
"Huh?... So you really don't know? I think I should tell you since you are unintentionally doing it and it's affecting the club's growth."
"It's something else? Please tell me about it, Bopy. I need to know." She's very serious about my next words, which are going to be anything but serious.
"So basically, you are intimidating because of your height and you appear behind them and greet them in your way, but to them, it's kind of the same as a jumpscare. That's the reason they are intimidated by you."
Yuki is surprised by my words. Her glasses slide down far, almost completely revealing her eyes. Her voice is calm but her expression is shocked and bewildered.
"What? I intimidate people? But I don't mean to."
"Yea, I know, that's why I am telling you." I try to reassure her.
She adjusts her glasses and takes a moment to calm down.
"Thanks for telling me, Bopy. I will change my approach from now on. And Bopy, I think I will give you something to thank you." She softly says the last words.
Suddenly my chest feels warm.
"Oh, you will give me something? That's... Thanks Yuki, I will be looking forward to it."
Yuki is smiling and she nods. "It will surprise you Bopy." She then looks at the clock and says, "Our classes will begin soon, we should go."
I nod back. "Yea, we should go."
We both get up and walk through the door together. We walk side by side, shoulders close but not quite touching. Other students walk in the hallway, they take a glance and say nothing. I reach my own classroom door. "We will meet again at the club." She smiles and then walks towards her own class.
As I enter the class Hana smiles and waves at me. I take my seat. Me and Hana sit in the same row but it looks like she has closed the distance. I look back and she isn't two seats apart but one. It seems one of the student is absent today and she took her seat. I look forward and the teacher enters and class begins.
Time passes and the classes end. It is lunch break now. I haven't looked back at Hana but I know she will approach me.
"Kurosawa-kun." I look back and Hana is standing and is holding her bento box with both of her hands. "I wanted to talk with you, and I think the roof is the best place. It is quiet and no one will be there. A private place." She says this while looking at me with her blue eyes and a smile that can somehow glow.
I stare at her and laugh, "The rooftop? Shirakawa, I didn't know you watched anime. We are not in an anime world. Going to the rooftop is prohibited and it is usually locked."
She tilts her head slightly then smiles, she has a thoughtful look on her face. "I know, that's why I unlocked it."
My laughter dies. "What?"
"I unlocked it." She repeats, saying it as if it's not a big deal.
"How?" I ask, as I still wonder how it is possible.
She gives a soft laugh and replies, "To unlock a lock you need a key. It's simple as that."
"How did you get the key?" I ask a follow-up question.
She dismisses it with a wave of her hand. "It doesn't matter, and besides you aren't really scared are you? I can see that you are calm."
"Calm, huh? I guess I am calm as I kind of want to see the rooftop. I am curious about it." I shift in my chair to face her properly.
Hana's smile widens. "Oh, you want to see the rooftop? I am glad to hear that." She steps closer to me. "Kurosawa-kun, you have changed a lot. You are getting comfortable with me."
"Comfortable? I think I am just getting used to you, there's a difference." I stand up and begin to walk towards the direction of the rooftop. "Let's not wait. I really want to go to the rooftop."
"I am glad you are talking to me, Kurosawa-kun." She walks beside me, holding the bento box and smiling. We then move and walk upstairs. We reach the door of the rooftop. My hand goes towards the handle. I turn it and it clicks, it isn't locked. We now enter the rooftop. I can feel the warmth of the sun and the wind blowing. I go towards the railings and look at the view.
"Wow, this is actually really nice. The view is amazing!" A smile forms on my face.
"Yes, I am also enjoying this. This is my first time seeing it. I didn't take a peek as I wanted to experience this with you." Hana's hair moves with the wind, her blue eyes are now still like the ocean. She isn't smiling but her face is peaceful and content.
"Honestly, that's smart." I reply back, not dismissing her.
"Smart..." She repeats to herself and then presents the pink bento box towards me. "I prepared food for you Kurosawa-kun, I hope you will enjoy it."
I take the box and then we move towards the centre of the rooftop and sit down. "Last time she made three different tamagoyaki for me, so will there be five this time?" This thought crosses my mind and I smile, not taking this situation seriously, even though we are breaking the rules of the school. I open the box and I am surprised. "Wow..." I involuntarily say the words. "This actually looks neat, Shirakawa!" The food is very simple. It's rice, tamagoyaki, and vegetables. I take a bite of rice and vegetables. "Shirakawa, this is good! It's simple and has my favourite veggies."
Her hands are on her lap and she gives a gentle, genuine smile. "You made me confident. So I didn't make three different types of food because I was confident that you will like any food prepared by me."
"That's... surprisingly normal of you." I reply as I continue eating.
She laughs. "Normal? We are here on the rooftop and I unlocked the door. That's not normal."
"Well, this is the type of stuff me and my friend Akira would do. Instead of with him, I am here with you. So I guess this is normal."
She says nothing and continues to watch me enjoy the food. As I continue to eat I ask, "So what about your parents? How are they after everything that has happened?"
She doesn't look away, and answers. "They are distant." She says this in her normal tone like she has accepted this.
"Yea, I get it." Silence continues. I finish the food. "Let's go towards the club. Yuki will be waiting for us." She nods and then we move. After a while we reach the club. Yuki greets us and we begin. The club seems alive and time passes. The club activities end, it's evening and we three walk together. At an intersection of the road, Hana waves us goodbye and walks away. Now it's just me and Yuki.
Yuki fixes a strand of hair on her face and asks, "Shirakawa seemed normal today. Did you two talk?" We continue to walk side by side and I reply, "Yes, we did." We continue walking and she doesn't say anything, waiting for me to say more. She stops and I also stop. She looks at me and is worried. "You aren't going to say anything else?"
I look at her and reply, "I just don't want to talk about it right now." She steps closer and says, "Bopy, I have been noticing something. You don't immediately talk about Shirakawa, and when you do, you usually change the subject and talk about something else." She has a soft and worried look on her face. "I think you are still scared of Shirakawa but don't notice it."
I can feel my body becoming warm and my heart beating faster. "S-Scared? I don't know. Maybe I am scared." Our eyes make contact, her eyes aren't still anymore, they are like moonlight shining down on me, that want to calm me down. "Hey, I have a good idea. Do you want to hang out with me this Sunday? We will talk about Shirakawa on Monday. On Sunday, let's just chill."
She tilts her head slightly to process my words. "A hangout," she repeats to herself. She knows that my meaning of hangout is basically a synonym of a date. She then tries to hold back her laugh and is smiling. "I suppose we could hangout on Sunday. It will be fun."
I give her a smile and say, "So we will be hanging out on Sunday then." She nods and then we walk together, we both have the date on our minds, marking the end of the day.