Sakura left standing, her face baffled from the last words Haruki spoke to her. The words she never expect to hear from him; her chest clumps tight. It’s like he slapped her.

“No, no way…” those words left, her lips trembled while uttering. Why… why did he said those things? She didn’t know anything at all. No, she knew all along since Shion told about the past between them.

Yet, she still gives his contact without thinking on repercussions. Haruki has a right to act like that. “Sakura?” from behind her is a familiar voice. Turning sideways, Kei and Kira are standing from a distance.

“Kei, Kira…” seeing the two made her feelings starts to mush up. She can’t hide the pain struck through her from the words Haruki said. A pitter patter step, she goes to Kei.

Alongside are the heavy feeling welling up to her.

“Kei…” Sakura starts sniffling. In an instant after reaching her classmate, she clings. Kei, who suddenly twitches from Sakura’s clinging to her, heard a soft and quiet wail.

“Hey, what’s the matter…?” Kei asked. Sakura didn’t answer; only she just tighten the grip while burying her face.

“What am I suppose to do now? He hates me! I don’t want him to hate me!”

Those are the lines linger to Sakura, on her mind recalling the words Haruki spoke.

****

A few minutes passed. Sakura calmed down. The three stayed at an empty classroom as Kira went to buy some refreshments. “Are you okay now?” Kei asked, facing Sakura with concern on her voice. She also looks worried on her friend.

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“I don’t know what I should do…” Sakura mumbled in a listless voice. “Now that he hates me, and my sorry won’t fix anything…”

“Is it about Haruki?”

Her eyes meet Kei, and gently nods. Kira arriving, holding two three bottles of tea, goes to the two girls and gives each one. “Hey, are you alright now?” he asked.

Kei turns to him and grabbed his wrist. Shaking her head sideways, Kira didn’t say anything anymore. “I did a horrible thing…” Sakura stated, her voice breaks. Tears welled on her eyes and covers it with her hands.

“If I knew he would get mad at me, I shouldn’t do it…”

Soft sobs heard from her. Kei wrapped her arms around Sakura and hugs her. “What should I do… I feel embarrassed facing him now!”

“You didn’t know this will happen. It’s just a misunderstanding between you two. He’s just mad right now so he said those words. I know he didn’t mean to say it to you.”

Gentle words left from Kei, as she tries to comfort her friend. She knows that Sakura likes Haruki. Though, she just couldn’t admit it right now… but this is the thing she needs right now.

A comfort and company of the people she needs.

And all while he watches the two, Kira pondered why Haruki did such thing to her. Why? They only exchange some banters. Hurting Sakura like this is too ridiculous.

“Kira…”

In a sudden, Sakura called him. “Huh?” he asked.

“You and Haruki are close, right?”

“Yeah…?”

Wiping her tears with her wrist, Sakura continues. “Well, I don’t know how long will he get mad at me. So… you look after him for me for the meantime, okay?”

The words left from her mouth struck a pain through him. Knowing that she won’t see Haruki for the meantime means that he really said hurtful words.

The words she conveyed are her genuine feelings. The genuine feelings she, at least, want to tell to him. Kira understands what Sakura is implying right now. “Okay, I understand.”

Without asking for any further reasons, Kira just nods and smiles at her. “And I’ll make sure to smack that dumb ass for you, Senior. Leave it to me!”

It’s a joke; but half of his feelings are poured on those words. This is the only way to lift her feelings, even for a bit.

And for Sakura, though her feelings are still mushed, finds herself chuckling from what Kira has said. Her smile, might not be genuine right now, but it will be over soon.

She knows that this is just temporary. This is the outcome for her own actions, and she bears responsibility for this. Knowing that these feelings she bears is still ambiguous, but Sakura wants to hold on to it.

“Thank you, Kira.” a sad smile reflecting on the radiance of the afternoon sunbeam, with tears welled on her eyes, Sakura bestow her gratitude to him.