—
10.0
—
My alarm jolted me out of a deep sleep, and I groggily opened my eyes, pulling myself off the ground. I fumbled for my phone and sighed as I switched off the alarm.
“Good morning, Marcus,” a tired voice greeted me. I glanced over at the bed to find Diya lying on her chest, peeking out from under her blanket. The sight was undeniably cute, but I wasn’t going to voice that thought.
“Good morning. Seems my alarm woke you,” I replied, getting up and stretching out my limbs, feeling the delightful crack of my stiff joints.
“Yep. I’m not due to get up for another thirty minutes,” she replied with a heavy yawn, her eyes half-closed.
“I need to leave now. I’ll see you in class,” I said, gathering my things.
“Damn, the fact that you still have enough energy for school despite staying up so late is impressive. Did you finish the movie?” Diya asked, her voice muffled as she buried her face in the pillow.
“I did. I actually enjoyed it. I’ll watch the others when I have the time. As for the school thing, I have to show up unless I want rumours to spread,” I remarked, sliding on my shoes.
“I understand. Anyway, don’t watch the movies without me, and hopefully Hazel can join us next time,” she murmured, drawing the blanket over her head. “Oh, be careful. My neighbour on the right, Azumi, usually does morning exercises outside, so be careful not to run into her.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” I said, cautiously opening the door and glancing into the corridor to ensure it was empty.
The coast was clear, and I slipped out, closing the door quietly behind me. The hallway was dimly lit, with just the faint hum of the building's heating system interrupting the silence. I moved quickly but silently towards the elevator, my footsteps barely making a sound.
I hit the button and waited, nervously peering around. The elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and I stepped inside, pressing the button for the ground floor. The ride down was uneventful, allowing me to gather my thoughts.
—
10.1
—
Saturday had arrived, and it was a few minutes after two as I finished getting dressed for my outing with Hazel. She hadn't called to cancel, and her previous text indicated she was almost ready. I don't care for flamboyant clothing, and today was no exception. I chose plain dark blue jeans, a black unbuttoned short-sleeve t-shirt over a white vest, and black sneakers. After a few dabs of cologne and a quick glance in the mirror, I grabbed my keys and headed out.
As I entered her hostel's reception area, I texted her to let her know I had arrived. Almost immediately, she replied that she would be down shortly. I didn’t have to wait long before Hazel emerged, her hair cascading down her shoulders. She wore a blue unbuttoned denim shirt over a black tee, black leggings, and white lace-up sneakers. A small purse was slung over her shoulder.
“Hey,” she murmured quietly, avoiding eye contact.
“Hey,” I replied, trying to sound casual. I rubbed the top of my head, feeling slightly apprehensive.
“So, where are we heading?” she asked, finally meeting my eyes. Her expression was a blend of curiosity and friendliness, which made me smile.
“Come on,” I said to her, beckoning for her to follow me. We walked out of the hostel building and headed towards the school's entrance. There, we signed out, writing down the reason for leaving.
Our school was nestled in Asahigaoka, a mountainous area. Fortunately, there was a train station not too far from the school. Hazel and I strolled towards it silently, which initially felt awkward but soon became comfortable. Sometimes, silence has its own way of speaking volumes.
The wait for the train was short. As it approached the station, we entered the fourth car, which was nearly empty. Hazel chose a seat a bit away from the entrance, and I sat beside her. The train jerked into motion, and for a few minutes, we sat in companionable silence.
“You know, you never mentioned where we were going,” Hazel finally interrupted the silence.
“And you followed me without asking until now. Shouldn't you be concerned about that?” I teased.
“Let’s just say I have a bit of trust in you,” she replied, her cheeks blushing slightly as she looked down and her hands playing with each other.
“I do appreciate that. Thanks,” I murmured, scratching the top of my head again. I turned to her, noticing her bashfulness. Was she embarrassed by what she had said, or was I reading too much into it? Deciding to keep the conversation flowing, I continued, “We’re heading to Universal Studios. Have you been there before?”
“Yeah, I have been there a few times. I think the last time was about a year ago with Diya and some other friends,” she continued, her eyes brightening at the memories.
“I went there pretty recently myself with my dad and my sister,” I replied.
“You have a sister?” she asked, tilting her head slightly in curiosity.
“Oh right, I didn't tell you. Her name is Kailey, and she's five years younger,” I said.
“Does she also attend our school?” she asked, her curiosity peaked.
“Yep,” I confirmed.
“I see. Considering I didn't hear anything about her, it must mean that she entered the school the conventional way, didn't she?” she pointed out.
“Bingo. She's in Year 7,” I confirmed her theory.
“Oh, that makes sense, then,” she remarked, nodding thoughtfully.
The conversation lulled, but Hazel quickly broke the growing silence. “Did you enjoy yourself when you went there with your family?” she asked.
“As much as I hate to admit it, yes, I did,” I replied, and she began laughing.
“What's funny?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It's just that I usually hear that it's common for older brothers to hide their affection from their siblings,” she said with a smile.
“I…” I trailed off, realising she had a point. As much as I wanted to deny it, I knew exactly what she meant. It wasn't done on purpose, I think. It was more of an instinctive behaviour, like how siblings in general love annoying one another.
“So, you're an only child?” I asked, changing the subject.
“That obvious?” she asked, and I gave a modest nod.
“The truth is that I think of Diya as my sister... from another mother,” she remarked with a warm smile.
“Cute,” I said as the train arrived at the next station, prompting us both to prepare to disembark. We exited the train at Imazato and boarded another train a few minutes later.
Neither of us reignited the previous conversation or brought up anything new to talk about, so we stayed silent until we got to the next station to change trains once more. We arrived at our destination a little more than an hour after leaving. The excitement was palpable as we made our way to the ticket booth. Since I was the one who asked her out, it was clear that I would pay for her ticket as well. Luckily, money was not a problem at all, as I had allocated about 40,000 yen from my allowance for this outing.
The next decision was which attraction to head to first. I was thinking we could go to the Harry Potter theme park, but I wasn't sure what she liked, so it was better to ask. “Where do you want to go?” I asked.
“Uh…” she said, looking around and pondering profusely. “One of the roller coasters would be cool,” she added, meeting my gaze, and I smirked.
“Alright then. To Jurassic Park,” I said, taking her hand to keep us from getting separated in the crowd as we walked to the Jurassic Park section. Because it was the weekend, the park was packed with visitors, resulting in long lines for the rides. However, I had a simple way to bypass this issue because I had express passes, which allowed us to skip the long lines. There was a rollercoaster ride included in the package as well.
The towering gates of Jurassic Park loomed ahead, and we picked up our pace, eager to start our adventure. The Flying Dinosaur, a rollercoaster known for its thrilling inversions and breathtaking drops, awaited us. With the express passes, our wait time was only three minutes. We watched as the previous group of riders disembarked, their faces a mix of exhilaration and relief.
“Hope you don't get motion sick?” Hazel asked playfully, her eyes shining with delight.
“Not in the slightest,” I replied confidently, flashing her a grin.
We both rode in the same car, strapping in securely as the ride slowly made its way up the tracks. The clinking sound of the chain lift heightened the suspense, and I could feel the adrenaline building.
As we reached the peak, the drop came swiftly. The wind whipped past our faces, eliciting screams of excitement not just from us but from the other passengers as well. I sometimes glanced over at Hazel and saw her hair flying wild, her face beaming with excitement. She was screaming and laughing, clearly having the time of her life. Her hair, which she had tied up, had partially come undone, strands flying into her face and, somehow, into my mouth.
After several bends, loops, and dark tunnels, the ride came to a halt at the platform, and we unbuckled ourselves. We stepped off the ride, our legs a little wobbly from the adrenaline rush.
“That was crazy,” Hazel exclaimed with a wide grin that I had never seen her express before.
“Yes, it was. Ready for the next ride?” I questioned her, attempting to suppress my excitement.
“I am. So what's our next stop?” She said, her enthusiasm was infectious.
“We can go check out the Spiderman ride, or we could try the Harry Potter one,” I suggested.
“Harry Potter,” she said excitedly.
The lady had decided, so we made our way to the Harry Potter area of the park. The queue for this ride was impressive, indicating its popularity. Fortunately, the express pass performed its function, although we still had to wait a while before getting on the ride.
This one had some interesting effects and absolutely made me feel like I was floating and flying on a broom. We stayed in this area of the park for quite some time, donning the cloaks and taking pictures together, browsing some of the boutiques, and buying a nice snack before deciding to move on to the Spiderman ride.
For me, this ride was not as entertaining as the previous one, but that did not dampen my excitement. It soon ended, and we had one more place to check out, but there was still sometime before that. A glance at my screen showed it was now 6:30.
I decided to take Hazel back to the Jurassic Park section, where we experienced The Ride. It was a great flume ride that made its way down the river, and the evening light added a magical glow to everything around us.
“Hey, over here,” Hazel said, drawing my attention towards her direction. Then, a splash of water hit my face as she flicked her wet hands towards me, laughing.
“Nicely done,” I said, wiping the water from my face with a chuckle. The sad part, however, was that I could not retaliate due to my sitting position being further away from the edge of the flume than she was. This did not matter at all, though, as being surrounded by water always led to one thing: getting wet.
After stopping by another shop for some snacks, we made our way to Super Nintendo World to board the cart ride. The vibrant colours and energetic atmosphere of the area were captivating. We entered the ride, and as it began, the famous tunes from Mario games filled the air.
Our ride was enjoyable, but what I enjoyed the most was simply walking around and seeing the park transition from day to night. Decorative lights lit up, illuminating the night sky and casting a warm glow over everything. We strolled side by side, enjoying the sights and sounds around us.
The park seemed almost magnificent beneath the night sky. We stopped at several locations to take photos and create memories. Hazel's laughter echoed around us, and I couldn't help but smile at how perfect the evening felt.
—
10.2
—
We stood in front of the Gala Resort, which was hosting the party I'd heard so much about. The place was raving, and the pulsating music spilled out into the street, blending with the hum of the crowd. A long queue stretched out from the entrance, dashing our chances of getting in quickly. I knew I had to change my plans on the fly.
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“Uh, Marcus?” Hazel said, looking over at me with a raised eyebrow. I realised I hadn't told her we were coming here after leaving the park.
“Clubs aren't really my thing,” she voiced her opinion, her discomfort evident.
“Same here, but don't worry, it seems we won't be going in,” I informed her, pulling my phone from my pocket and making a call.
“Hey, you at the club?” I asked, waiting for the person on the other end to answer despite the loud music in the background.
“It’s too loud in there. I need you to come out,” I said, hanging up after a garbled response that confirmed she heard me.
“You remember I told you I had an assumption about something and needed to confirm it? That's what I'm doing,” I explained to Hazel, who, despite not asking, was clearly curious.
“Relating to solving the Class 3 bullying, right?” she said.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“Gosh, you owe me so much for this,” a voice said, and I turned to see my sister, Kailey, approaching us, dressed in a short gown with a belt.
“Hazel, this is my little sister, Kailey,” I introduced them.
“Hey, nice to meet you,” Hazel responded with a friendly smile. Kailey, my little demon sister, quickly changed her demeanour, her face lighting up as she looked at Hazel.
“Same. It's great meeting such a brilliant person finally,” Hazel responded, catching on to Kailey’s charm.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I interjected, but Kailey only gave me a sly look before returning her focus to Hazel.
“Hope he hasn't been too much trouble for you?” Kailey asked sweetly.
“Not really,” Hazel replied, laughing softly.
“Can we get back to business?” I interrupted their brief conversation. Kailey sighed dramatically before speaking.
“Alright, I'll get to it. There is a Sherman here, and to be specific, the older sister,” Kailey said.
“Sherman? Older sister?” Hazel asked, piecing everything together. “Why would she be here?”
“That is genuinely a good question, which I am trying to find the answers to. Kailey, please continue,” I urged.
“I spotted her hanging around a couple of people but lost sight of her soon after,” Kailey said.
“How long ago was this?” Hazel asked.
“Over an hour ago,” Kailey replied.
“I would have loved to go and take a look myself, but...” I trailed off, looking at the enormous wait that snaked its way to the entrance.
“Now can I go?” Kailey asked eagerly and fidgeted.
“Sure,” I replied reluctantly.
“Finally,” she murmured with a noticeable tang in her voice. She turned to Hazel, smiling innocently. “Hope to see you again, Hazel-senpai.”
“I wish the same too, Kailey,” Hazel said warmly.
“Senpai?” I muttered in surprise and confusion as I watched Kailey leave. “You call her that, but not me?” I shouted after her, knowing she heard me but chose to ignore me.
“Could it be that you're jealous?” Hazel asked, wearing a cheeky smirk.
“Very funny,” I replied, rolling my eyes.
“About Harley...” Hazel started to say, her tone shifting to one of concern.
“Come on, we have one place left to visit,” I said, interrupting Hazel's train of thought as I led the way. We walked briskly to the nearest station, took a short train ride, and disembarked at the stop closest to the Hep Five Shopping Centre.
As we approached the mall's entrance, Hazel's eyes widened in awe at the sight of its star attraction, the iconic Ferris wheel that loomed high above us.
“Seems you haven't been on it before,” I said, noticing her gaze.
“Are we going on it?” she asked, her voice filled with eagerness.
“Yep, though we should hurry. I think it closes in about thirty minutes,” I remarked, quickening our pace.
With a deadline set, we hurried into the mall, dodging among the late-night crowds before heading straight for the Ferris wheel. Fortunately, due to the late hour, there wasn't much of a queue, so we were able to simply acquire our tickets and board. I booked an entire car just for the two of us, ensuring we had privacy.
We both sat down on the same side, and slowly, we began to ascend into the night sky. The lights of Osaka spread out beneath us, creating a stunning and surreal view. My gaze shifted to Hazel, whose eyes glittered from the city lights as she was drawn in by the sight, oblivious to me staring at her. It was like watching a child experience something magical for the first time, and I couldn't help but let out a slight giggle, which seemed to snap her out of her trance.
“Why are you laughing?” She questioned, turning to face me.
“Nothing,” I replied, shaking my head.
“That’s a lie,” she remarked, playfully narrowing her eyes before turning back to the view. “It seems those secret meetings between us worked out as planned.”
“There was no harm in being overly cautious, it seems. What should we do now?” I asked, shifting the conversation to our pressing concern.
“I was thinking we should tell Sullivan about it, but I think we should wait on that,” Hazel remarked thoughtfully.
“Don’t trust him? I'll tell you that you can,” I said, trying to reassure her.
She looked back at me, evidently waiting for my explanation.
“I spoke to Tomiko,” I continued.
“Oh. How did that go?” She asked, curiosity piqued.
“Pretty well, actually. Interestingly enough, she reached out and was aware of what Cohen was planning on doing,” I explained.
“So she informed you?” Hazel enquired, shocked.
“Surprised about that?” I asked with a smirk.
“I… I just thought that she would have capitalised on that. It doesn't mean I am surprised, though. It's just that I thought wrong about her in this regard,” she added, turning her attention back to the view as our car slowly reached the peak of the ride. The cityscape of Osaka looked even more beautiful from up here.
“Woah,” she faintly said, once again awestruck. I found it cute and decided to let her enjoy the moment. The gentle swaying of the Ferris wheel and the quiet hum of the city below created a serene atmosphere, perfect for contemplation.
Soon, the fifteen-minute ride was over, and we had to start heading back as it was now nearing 11 PM. I decided to call a taxi, and we waited by the entrance of the mall for our ride. The cool night air was refreshing after the day's activities.
“If you trust Sullivan, then I suppose we can tell him about Harley,” she said, bringing up the conversation once more.
“Exactly. Even though we took certain precautions, this is still going to be a detriment to our plans,” I replied.
“We have just over three weeks until the election. Kusumoto is doing a good job with publicity and campaigning. I’ve seen plenty of posters and heard people talking about us,” she said.
“That's pretty soon,” I murmured under my breath as we waited a short while for our ride to arrive. We jumped in the taxi and headed off as soon as it arrived.
Hazel kept her gaze fixed on her lap, avoiding eye contact. “Why did you do all this?” she finally asked.
I looked at her, sensing her confusion and hesitation. “If it was just to confirm your suspicions about Harley, you could have done that easily without me and even more without the visit to Universal Studios or Hep Five.” She paused before continuing. “I don’t understand that.”
There was a tense silence between us, and I could sense her expectations hanging in the air. After what seemed like a lifetime, I finally spoke.
“Did you have fun?” I asked.
She seemed surprised by the question. “I did,” she responded.
“Then I accomplished my goal,” I explained.
“Which was for me to have fun?” She questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Yes,” I replied, and the tense silence returned. But I quickly continued, eager to express myself thoroughly. “I wanted to show my thanks and appreciation for all you have done to help me throughout this election campaign.”
“I haven’t done anything at all,” she said, turning her head towards the window.
“Yes, you have. You helped me get Sullivan and Harley to join the team—two things I wouldn't have been able to do by myself. You have been managing the flow of information and campaign ideas for our team,” I said.
“I feel you could have done all that by yourself,” she said.
“Why do you think that?” I asked, confused.
“You are exceptional. You bested me in our school assessment and during the in-class voting. You figured out the truth behind Ryo, Harley, and Cohen’s intentions. And I’m sure there’s other stuff that I don’t know about yet. So stop saying I have done something to help when I have not been able to live up to what is expected of me,” she said, her voice trembling.
“What?” I said, reaching out to grab her shoulder and gently turning her face towards me. She had been looking out the car window all this time, avoiding my gaze. I was surprised to see her eyes red and on the verge of tears.
“Shit,” she muttered, her voice heavy as she tried to hide her face. This entire conversation seemed to have more meaning than what was going on at school—a deeper undercurrent of emotion that I couldn't quite fathom. This scene reminded me of a similar event that occurred once before at a park on a particularly cloudy, soon-to-turn rainy day. Back then, she fought to keep in the tears, but it was evident that she was about to break down at any moment.
I quickly snapped out of my reminiscing because that didn’t matter now. I had to think of a way to console her. Leaving her to let it all out felt wrong. I decided to wrap my arms around her, pull her close, and rest my head over her shoulder.
“I don’t know what you are saying, but I did all of this to thank you for everything you have done.” I paused to ensure she understood before continuing. “Hazel, I already told you before, but I'll say it again: I need you. If you want to cry, you can. I can’t see your face now.”
I felt her head softly rest on my shoulder and her arm wrap around my body in a hug.
“Thanks,” she whispered quietly, sighing and pulling away from me, wiping her tears. “I apologise for you seeing me in such a sorry state.”
“It’s okay,” I said, leaning back against the car window and gazing outside.
We were at a traffic stop, and I discovered that we had entirely forgotten about the driver, who was undoubtedly listening in on our conversation for the latest high school drama. Not that I minded.
The driver cranked up the radio slightly, filling the car with pleasant music that served as a soothing backdrop to the subsequent silence. Hazel and I sat quietly, each lost in our thoughts, the hum of the city streets merging with the soft tunes from the radio.
—
10.3
—
“Hey.”
A faint voice awakened me from my dream.
“Marcus.”
I recognised the voice immediately.
“We’re here.”
I opened my eyes and found myself resting against the car window. We had come to a stop, and I noticed we were at the main parking lot of the school.
“Finally up?” Hazel asked, noticing that she had moved closer to me. “Don’t worry, I already paid the fare.”
“Sorry about that,” I muttered as I collected myself, and we both stepped out of the cab.
“How much was the fare? I’ll pay you back,” I said as we began walking back to the dorm area.
“There is no need for that,” she answered.
“But—” I started.
“No buts. That's my way of saying thank you for today,” she remarked, interrupting me.
“If you say so,” I conceded.
“I didn’t take you to be a deep sleeper,” she said, her usual calm persona restored. She looked to have regained her composure and felt better, which was a good thing.
“I’m not. I consider myself a relatively light sleeper,” I answered.
“That must mean that you are completely drained then,” she said.
“Yep, currently running on reserves as is,” I admitted. Although today was enjoyable, all of the walking and waiting had exhausted me, and my unplanned nap in the cab was proof of that. I didn’t even know when I had fallen asleep.
“What about you? Don’t you feel tired at all?” I asked her.
“Oh, I do. My legs are actually killing me,” Hazel said.
“Want me to carry you?” I joked.
“No, not necessary,” she respectfully declined, and I smiled.
“Why not? Think I’m too tired?” I asked.
“That is among one of the reasons,” she said.
“Mind telling me the others?” I asked.
“Nope. I’ll leave that up to your imagination,” she responded with a teasing smirk.
“I’ll just assume it’s because you are way more tired than I am,” I said.
“What? How does that make any sense?” She replied, puzzled but smiling.
“You are the one that said I could assume anything, Miss Tired,” I teased.
“Miss Tired, huh? Well, how about this?” she said, pointing towards her dorm building, which was just a short distance away. “We will have a race. Winner admits defeat.”
“How did it lead to this?” I questioned aloud, perplexed by the peculiar turn the conversation had taken.
“Come on. Where’s your competitive spirit?” She challenged, removing her shoes. I smirked before removing mine as well, feeling the rough pavement beneath my feet.
“Try not to step on something sharp,” I cautioned.
“Sure, sure. You ready?” she asked.
“Ready,” I responded, assuming a sprinting position. I wasn't sure if I should take this race seriously, but a look at her determined demeanour told me she was serious, so I might as well try.
“And… go!” she exclaimed, darting away unexpectedly. The speed at which she ran was impressive. I had underestimated Hazel’s physical and athletic abilities. From her physique, I could tell she stayed moderately fit, but this was a severe miscalculation on my part.
I decided I was not going to let her win and launched myself forward, sprinting at what I would consider close to my top speed. The wind blew past my face as each leg moved in front of the other in quick succession. The gap between us closed, and I overtook her. However, I noticed she was running at a much slower pace than before, closer to jogging. With the gap I had built, she could not catch up unless she picked up the pace, which she didn’t. I kept an eye on her in case she had an unexpected burst of speed.
I stopped outside the building’s entrance and sat on the ground, waiting for her to arrive. She was out of breath and slumped on the ground next to me, clutching her shoes and small purse.
“Why did you have to be so fast?” she managed to ask, despite her shortness of breath.
“Did a lot of training before. What about you? Didn’t expect you to start so quickly,” I said, watching her as she lay on the ground, attempting to recover.
“Well, I was always good at starting fast, but I have terrible stamina,” she admitted with a grin, and I followed suit.
“Now admit your defeat,” I responded with a cheeky grin on my face.
“It was a friendly competition. You had fun, didn’t you?” she countered.
“I did, but that doesn’t get you out of fulfilling your end of the deal,” I insisted.
She finally sat up, wiping sweat from her forehead. I could see the sweat trickling down her neck as she breathed heavily, though less so than before.
“Alright then. I admit defeat, Marcus Luna. You are faster than me,” she admitted, lifting her hands in mock surrender.
“Good,” I replied, beaming at her, and she returned the smile.
“God, I need a shower,” she said, fanning herself with her hand.
“Same,” I replied. “There’s no school this Monday, right?”
“Yep. President’s Day, and Friday is the Emperor's birthday, so next week is going to be short,” she confirmed.
“I’m going to sleep through those days. I do need it,” I muttered, feeling the tiredness sink into my bones.
We sat there in pleasant stillness for a few minutes, the cool night air invigorating against our sweaty skin. I finally stood up and stretched my arms above my head.
“It’s super late, and I need to sleep,” I said.
“Huh. You’re right,” she agreed, raising her arms in the air before struggling to her feet. I noticed her legs wobbling a bit.
“You okay?” I asked, extending out a hand to support her.
“I will be. Hopefully,” she said with a faint giggle, accepting my help.
“Alright then, I’ll see you on Tuesday,” I remarked as I prepared to leave for my dorm.
“Before you go, I just want to say I’m grateful and thankful for today. It really helped,” she said, lowering her head slightly.
“I already said this was my way of showing my appreciation, so there’s no need to do that,” I responded, and she raised her head, returning to an upright position.
“Regardless, I’m still going to appreciate it,” she insisted, picking up her shoes and purse. She waved at me with a tired but genuine smile. “Goodnight, Marcus.”
“Goodnight, Hazel,” I replied, waving back.
I watched her leave for her dorm, feeling satisfied. I looked up at the night sky, where the stars were slightly visible, one of the benefits of living on the outskirts of the city. The air was cool and fresh, a perfect ending to a long and eventful day.