The next day.

Arriving at the school, I saw Haruki changing his outdoor shoes to Uwabaki. “Good morning.” I greeted. He turns and smiles at me. “Good morning, Kira.”

I fished the letter siding inside my bag and gives it to him. “Here. Someone wants to give it to you, but you left early so…”

He grabbed it and inspects it. His face turns somewhat grim after looking behind. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Ah, yeah… I’m okay.” he replied. “Good morning, you two!” behind us are Seniors Sakura and Kei approaching. “Good morning, Senior Asahina, Senior Kei.” I greeted.

“Good morning.” Haruki greets the two and bows, then goes to the classroom quickly goes to classroom.

“What’s the matter?” Kei asked me. I shrugged because he just became out of like that suddenly. Might be, there’s something he just doesn’t want to talk about?

Arriving at the classroom, I saw him reading the content of the letter. As every one from the classroom has their companies and peers, the bustle of the room soared.

“Hey,” I called after reaching his place. “Ah, hey…” Haruki flinched and quickly hides the letter under his desk and looks at me.

“You seemed serious. Is there something weird on the letter?”

“Ah, no. No. It’s nothing.” he smiles, but it seemed forced. I didn’t pushed the matter further and sits on my chair.

And then….

“Hey, Kira.” tilting his body sideways, Haruki suddenly called.

“Huh?” I asked. We had an eye to eye contact but he suddenly tilts his head sideways. “No, it’s nothing.” he answered.

“Okay.”

There seemed bothering him right now. I want to know, but his privacy is something I should respect. Right then, he faces me again. “Can you come with me later during Lunch?”

“Huh? You want to eat together? Sure. I’m good.”

“No. There’s just… something I want you to see.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

His voice gives an earnest tone, making it a serious matter. “And don’t tell about Senior Sakura about it, okay?”

“Okay.” I retort. As I left my reply, so as the toll of the bell, indicating the first lesson of the morning begins.

****

Lunch break:

Haruki left his desk right after the bell during break. I followed suit where he is going. “Ah, Kira… and Nakazono! Let’s go have lunch!” in a chirp tone, Kei called, with Sakura by her side.

However, Haruki didn’t respond, even looked at the two. “Sorry, Seniors. There’s just an urgent matter right now.” I apologetically respond and bows to the two and proceeds following him.

What’s even the reason why he’s in a hurry right now? We left the building and goes at the facade, where a huge tree and bench located.

“You wait there.” Haruki instructed me before we go to the exact location. I stand at the facade of the building and hides.

“Hey, what are you two are up to?” I twitched out after perceiving the familiar voice. Turning to the voice, Senior Sakura and Kei got to me. “Shush!” I immediately warned them.

Both Kei and Sakura looked at each other and at me. “Hmm? Is something the matter?” Senior Sakura asked.

“I don’t know, but Haruki said he wants me to come. By the way, why are you two here?!” I grunted.

“It’s the first time I saw Haruki’s serious looks. It seems something’s troubling him.”

Senior Sakura replied to me, with a faint of worried on her voice. The two knelt down and took a glance at the space in the facade of the building. From there, we saw Haruki standing and a girl.

“Who is she?” Sakura asked.

“I don’t have an idea.” I replied.

“Wait, you gave him the letter yet?”

That question Kei asked made Sakura turns to look at me. “What letter?” she asked.

“Uhm. I’ll explain later. Right now, there’s something we should see, right?”

Sakura growls, but she didn’t push further.

“You said you want to tell something to me?”

In the eerie silence, Haruki suddenly spoke. His voice, firm and somewhat wary. The girl fidgets, trying to get composed from the words she’s going to say.

“Yeah. Uhm… I’m Tsubaki Kurogane from class 2. So, uhm… Haruki Nakazono. Will you please go out with me!?”

A sudden confession. Everything went blank after that sentence dropped like a bomb. And then, Senior Sakura suddenly stands up and runs away. From there I saw a ball of tears welled on her eyes.

“Sakura! Wait!” Kei followed suit. A sudden happening, made me freeze out where I’m standing.

“Yeah, okay… this is a fake confession, right?”

An unforeseen words left out of the tranquility. Gazing again at the facade of the building, Haruki remains standing. “I guess you lose again in a punishment game, and this is your consequence, right?”

His voice became harsh and the tone became cold. “I don’t want to fall again in your games. Stop this.”

After those words left from his mouth, the girl started crying. She left as her friends whose hiding on the other side of the facade of the building comforts her.

“Yeah, cry all you want. You never understand what it feels like to be played out.”

Clenching his fist, Haruki then sighs and sits at the bench under the tree. He gazes at the branches and leaves, hitting by the sunbeam. “It’s okay now; you can come out, Kira.”

That moment called me, I feel frantic. But there’s a sadness through his voice. I didn’t asked for any questions and goes to him. “Let’s go have lunch, shall we…?”

He just smiles at me right after. Pretending that nothing ever happened at this moment.