“Go home safe, Senior Sakura.” Haruki muttered as the bus arrived at the station. Sakura boarded in, turns to see Haruki standing at the station. “You too, Haruki… be safe.”

Stepping in the bus, she finds a seat near the window, where she can still see him. There aren’t much of passengers now and that makes Sakura feel calm. She can see Haruki while the bus waits for the other passengers.

“Seeing him like this, seems like we’re kind of parting each other… huh?” Sakura’s intrusive thoughts kicked in. While her eyes glued on Haruki, he raised his hand and waves.

Sakura did same thing and waves at him. The bus starts moving, along with him getting far away from her sight. The two followed each gaze, until none of them have seen from afar.

As soon as Haruki’s image vanished in her eyes, Sakura sighs tepidly and leaned on the chair of the bus. She recalled the things happened to them awhile ago.

“He said he likes my looks—that made me really happy.” Sakura giggled softly as she recalled that phrase. But that change when his expression somewhat became grim.

She noticed it; Haruki’s expression awhile ago after asking him if he likes her. Something’s off of it. And from the first place, why did she decide to ask him about that?

“It’s embarrassing to think I’m asking such thing. Haruki and I are friends. He’s special to me, and that’s only matters because he’s a dear friend.”

That word clings to her made her feel discomfort, again. Why…? Why do I feel uneasy when I recall it?

Sakura’s mind has been clouded by that thought. Why? She doesn’t know either. For the past week they’ve been together, she just felt assurance by his side.

His voice gives her comfort; his presence makes her heart flutter. His image makes her lips form a smile. “I want to know you more, Senior Asahina.”

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That word intertwined them together urge her to see him. Each day of their lives. But it doesn’t make any sense at all.

“What’s this discomfort feeling inside me? My heart quivers whenever I think he’s special, and a friend.”

It’s conflicting; she does want an answer to this feeling. She wants to know what makes her feel like this. Sakura does want to know what Haruki is to her. Is he just a friend, or more than that?

Throughout the way the bus passes, and so her thoughts. In the afternoon sunbeam radiantly flicking the window, her mind wanders. What could be the answers to her thoughts right now? Will she be able to find what’s the missing piece to fill the question she has?

****

The senior he admired already left. They have been walking home together since that certain day. Haruki, facing the road where the bus left, standing still while looking far away.

“See you,” he mumbled and faces where the way back home. Walking on the tranquil road, Haruki’s thoughts clouded with the happenings awhile ago.

“Senior Sakura change her looks all of a sudden. She’s even prettier without glasses.”

His heart thumps like a drum after retracting her image. It’s new and refreshing; he can’t helped but to get awed from it. He knew Sakura is pretty, but changing her style makes his overwhelming admiration bursts.

“She asked me if I like her—I almost confessed to her.” Haruki deprecatingly grins. “She’s a cute girl, and a prettier one than any other.” he added.

He then stops from walking and looks at the sky. Heaving a tepid sigh, Haruki scoffs. “Stop being delusional, Haruki. She’s too good for you.”

Right. He said those things to himself, to remember that no one, as long as pretty and has good looks will be enough for him. It’s not that he has a complex with those kinds of people.

It’s a bitter reminder that those people once toyed with his feelings once.

Clenching his fists, Haruki starts to walk again. He doesn’t want to get hurt by someone again. It has been a year since that happened. But recalling a painful part of his memories taunt him.

“Senior Sakura is just another person you like. There’s no point in indulging your feelings towards another person. You can’t be a laughing stock around anyone anymore.”

As those words left in his mouth, Haruki somewhat cleared his mind off of her. Though, that made his chest clumps tight. Each day, their distance gets closer.

Senior Sakura is someone dear to him, and the person he doesn’t want to get hurt. And for that to happen, he will just conceal these unnecessary feelings for her. For their own good, and for him not to get hurt again.