“I like you. No, I think… I’m in love with you.”

The words I rarely hear from anybody. The words conveyed by the actors in the dramas airing on TV; comes from someone who is always been yearning to convey it all out.

Now, I heard it from the actual person sitting beside me. This is my current reality now. Hearing the words that never supposed to convey with me taunt my ears. Why? Kei isn’t supposed to.

She isn’t supposed to say those words for me. I’m not the one, but Kagome.

At the speakers inside the train announces the next station boarding. I quickly stand up without saying anything to Kei, and rushes on the door. “Kira, wait!”

Kei intended to follow me, but I dashed through the exit area without looking back. I run as fast as I could, managing to stale away from that place. To manage myself to stay away from her.

This isn’t the thing I want. This isn’t the way how the story should go.

This isn’t the way how I end things. My existence itself is the wrong thing here. Yet… yet, why…?

I slowly jogs after exiting the station, recalling everything that happens. I turn to glance back where the platform is, but the train proceeds on running. It’s a relief that I got off from the station, but not the feelings left out for Kei.

My heart keeps pounding fast. Recalling her solemn expression as those words conveyed stunned me. What should I do? I said to Kagome that I’ll be the middleman for the two of them.

How should I face her tomorrow? How should I make the two end up together?

I must think of a plan. A better plan for them to end up being together. I mustn’t interrupt anything about the story. After all, my character is non-existent in the story at the beginning.

This life is a fiction. My reality was obsolete for a long time now. My true existence was wiped out from my own foolishness. Now, this is the only redeeming thing I want to happen.

This story ‘must’ end in a proper way.

And for that to happen….

***

The next day….

I decided to research an alternate route going to school. Boarding on train would make us see each other, and that will make everything worse. I must at least, distance myself from where she is.

At least for this, my words of encouragement for Kagome should reach. I am pure to my intentions, after all. There’s a bus coming forth and goes along the way near the riverside.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It’s a little time consuming since the travel might be around 40 minutes away from house. But it’s way better than to meet Kei at the station. This time, I really, really want this to fall into the right place.

I told mom about my new route, but never said anything further at all. I don’t want her to think I did something suspicious. So for today, I’ll be going with my plan.

From my house to the bus station, I’ll consume 10 minutes of walk. Unlike in the train station. The eagerness for this is to show my true intention for the two. Let them be together.

Plugging my airpods on my ear, I started to play a music on Spotify application. The song played: ‘Futarigoto’ [ふたりごと] (Each Other).

The mellow strum of the guitar and beat of the drum comforts my feelings. I should face this new morning with a smile. Since there’s nothing more for me to change my life, this should be the thing to do.

The bus arrived a few minutes with the route going to school . Boarding in, I pay the fare from the entrance and proceed on the seat inside.

> Watashi no kataware wa tabun kimi nanda

> Kimi no kataware ni watashi ga naru yo

>

> (My missing piece is probably you

> I’ll become your missing piece)

That certain part of the song oozes in my ear glimpse to the view of the empty seat near the window at the left side.

It’s the certain image of the person the last thing I want to see. A girl bathing on the morning sunbeam, her silhouette glimmers. I got froze on the aisle. As per she thought that someone’s glaring, the girl named Kei tilts her head and sees me.

“Why…?” I mumbled.

That’s right, the last person I want to see right now is none other than Kei. Her lips form a sweet smile as our eyes meet. “Kira… hey.”

I attempted to go down the bus but Kei grabbed my arm quickly.

“Where are you going?”

“Uh….? Huh?”

My words stutter as she asked the question. “There’s no one sitting here… you can seat.”

What the…?

“Uh, I can seat somewhere so…”

“Kira.”

My body jolts out as Kei called my name. Her eyes seems serious about this matter right now. Is it because I ran away from her yesterday? If it is… then …

“I’m sorry—”

“Sit down…”

Kei pulled my arm to dragged me on the seat. I reluctanlty followed her and sits quietly. We both become silent along the way, not among us dared to crack the silence.

I decided not to think much of it. That might just be something she just said at the spur of the moment.

“You’re familiar with the Suspension-Bridge effect?”

In the midst of the eerie silence, Kei cracked it by asking a question. “Huh?”

“What I said yesterday…. I think it’s all about the spur of the moment where you saved me. I thought much of it yesterday.”

Her way of saying it taints with melancholy, but Kei looks at me in the eyes. “… I’m sorry, for telling such thing to you.”

She shows a wry smile at me. Her eyes quiver. I can sense the pain nurturing through her right now, yet there are no words conveyed to me. I just nod at her and sighs.

“It’s all water under the bridge now, Senior Sakaga—I mean, Senior Kei.”

I smile at her. Although she shows her smile at me, there’s an uncomfortable feelings strikes through my heart. What that could be?

“And I want to be friends with you and know you more, Kira.”

“Huh?”

“I want to know you…. more each day. We’re friends now, right?”

The words she says, this is just a way for us to be friends, right? I shouldn’t swayed by it. We’re nothing but friends now. She’s a character on this story, and I’m a writer and reader on this life.

And I want to write the things I want to happen between us. Now it will all start. Were all between us, the heroine and the non-existent character, should be bound together.

“Yeah, sure. We’re friends, Senior Kei.” with my words, I reassure the bond that ties us together.