“Haaah… Classes are finally done.” I sighed in relief.

The morning classes just ended, and I’m already done for the day. Totally done.

Morning classes really drain my energy by a thousand times. No, by a million times. And I can’t even think straight anymore, I want to eat, and maybe sleep on the floor like a worm.

Oh. Do worms even sleep? I don’t know… I guess I’ll crawl on the floor like a worm then.

But what should I eat… A soup probably would be a good thing, but it’s kinda hot today…

“Lost in thought?” A sudden voice asked me.

“Huh?” Startled, I turned my head. “Oh.”

Ari. She’s here again, and exactly right after class.

“What do you mean ‘Oh’?!” Ari asked, clearly looking like she was demanding an answer.

I shrugged. “I mean exactly as what you just heard.”

“Hmmm…” She looked at me with a serious expression. “You’re kind of cold today.” She paused, then continued, “Did something happen?” She said with a worried face.

“What? Me? Why would you even say that?” I asked in confusion. “Nothing happened, just tired from class.”

“Really?” She frowned. “I doubt it. I mean look at your face, it’s colder than usual.”

Huh… Colder than usual. What is that even supposed to mean? And I’m not being cold. I’m hungry. That’s all.

“Uh…” I mumbled, at a loss for words to say.

“Look at you, you’re confused.” She said, her expression looks sad.

Huh!? What is that face even supposed to be about? Looking at me like I am an abandoned puppy at the side of the road. There’s no reason for you to do that!

“Wait.” I stopped. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

She walked in front of me, cutting my way. “That I’m here again.”

“That’s not what I’m asking about.”

“Oh that’s not it?” She placed her hand on her chin, acting like she was deep in thought. “Then what is it?”

I glared at her. “I’m- Haaah… Forget it.” I surrendered, and just continued walking.

“Wait!” She called, rushing to catch up to me. Before I knew it, she grabbed my hand. “I’m just kidding!”

W-why is she holding my hand…?

“Why are you holding my hand?” I asked, flustered.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Ah!” She suddenly pulled her hand away and took a step back. “My body… it just moves on its own…” She paused and looked down at her trembling hands.

She raised her head, and turned to me. Her eyes were filled with fear, and she looked as though she had seen a ghost. “T-this is… scary…” She whispered, her hands were shaking, and she started to look terrified.

“I’m more scared of you compared to your hands moving on their own.” I paused, then added, “Your acting is terrible.”

“Pffft-” She burst out laughing as if I had said something funny. Then, she started wiggling her hands in the air like a witch casting a spell. “Look at my hands!” She said, as she continued on playing in the air. “Kind of scary right?”

I sighed. “Listen, I’m-”

“Hungry. Right?” She said, grinning, as she interrupted me. She then started rubbing her stomach in circles. “Yeah, I think I am too..”

“Ah, I see.” I answered with no emotion, feeling tired.

“Can we… like…” She said, her voice was slow.

“Like what?” I asked, starting to get irritated.

“You know…” She then made a gesture like she was eating. “Can we?”

I stopped, thinking about it. Nothing would go wrong right? It should be fine. I then looked back at her and said, “Sure, just don’t bother me while I’m eating.”

“Nice!” She cheered as she hummed while we were walking.

I took a quick glance at her. I wonder what she is planning to do…

She noticed my gaze and immediately looked at me. “Hm? What is it?”

I shook my head. “Nothing, just wondering why you keep hanging around me.”

“That’s…” She paused, and turned her head to me. “A bit crazy to ask, don’t you think?”

“Uh… no?” I asked, unsure of what she meant. “What’s crazy about it?”

“Everything. I mean why would you even ask that?”

“Because that’s what I’m thinking right now?”

“That’s the only thing?”

“Yeah?”

She chuckled. “You asked me to be your friend, and now you’re asking that question as if we’re strangers? Of course, friends are supposed to hang out. Do you even understand that?”

Ah… So that’s what she meant. I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I understand that. Sorry about that, my head is not thinking straight.”

“I bet.” She smirked, then started pretending like she was crying, making gestures with her hands and wiping her imaginary tears. “Look at you, you’re not the same as you used to be.”

“Ari, I’m hungry.” I paused, trying to calm down. “There’s no way I could keep up with you.”

“Oh that.” She looked at me and smiled. “Don’t worry about that. I would be the one who would keep up with you.”

I frowned, not understanding what she just said. Did I hear her right? “Why should you be the one who would keep up with me?”

“Just because.” She answered immediately.

Just because, huh… I guess such a reason is also a thing…

She took a glance at me, and patted my shoulder. “If I were to guess what you’re thinking right now. It’s all probably nonsense.”

I glared back at her. “What do you mean?”

“You’re worrying too much.”

“Am I? Why do you say that?” I asked, my expression softened.

She shrugged, forming a slight pout. “Your face… It’s not the same as before.” She said in a low voice. Her eyes were looking down, as if she were on the verge of tears.

Surprised, I raised an eyebrow. What is she pouting about? And why does she look like I did something wrong.

I sighed. “You keep saying the same thing, and why are you acting like that?”

“Ah this?” She suddenly laughed, wiping away her sad face like it was nothing. “Of course it’s for a drama effect.”

“I didn’t ask for such a thing though.”

“Is that so?” She nodded slowly. “But I’ll still do it.”

I shook my head in defeat. “Haah… I get it, I get it.”

She grinned. “There’s nothing to think about other than eating lunch. That’s what we should be doing right now.”

“You know… That’s what I was doing before you arrived.”

“You shouldn’t think like that. A certain obstacle is bound to appear when you least expect it.”

“Now listen to yourself.”

“Hahahaha.” She laughed, waving off what she just said. “I told you it’s nonsense.”

“Does that mean you’re also nonsense?”

“Me? What do you think?”

“…” I tried to talk but no words came, and I mindlessly continued walking.

‘I’m too hungry to answer that question’. That’s what I wanted to say, but nevermind that, eating is more important at the moment.

She laughed again, looking at me. “Too hungry to think, huh?”

More like too hungry to talk…

With that we continued walking until we arrived at the school canteen.