I walked into the empty classroom with a discreet white plastic bag lobbed over my shoulder as another “game” reached its unpleasant end. With a sigh, I stuffed my phone into my skirt pocket.
There was a sale on practically everything at the cafeteria and everyone, myself included, was drawn to it like metal to a magnet. Because of said sale, and as thanks for taking care of me when we were both sick, I decided to get us both lunch. While having an utterly barren classroom was usually unheard of, even during lunch period, today was clear. Hell, not even Maeda, who usually ate lunch alone at her desk (watching videos, trying to hide her laughter) was here to watch over us.
Us.
At the opposite end of the classroom stood Yuu, her back to me as she stared out of the large, open, square-paned window. Her arms rested on the window sill and a gentle breeze blew the bottom edges of her hair to the side. She seemed focused on something below.
As odd as it sounded, it was at times like this that I realized how much hair she really had. Maybe it was because I was overdue for a haircut, or it could be because the longer mine got, the more gross I felt. No matter the answer, almost as if I was acting on instinct alone, I found myself touching my own. The words I wanted to say would never leave my lips.
It suits you.
Realizing how much I was staring, my eyes darted from side to side before ultimately staring down at the tiles beneath me. Hopefully, no one saw any of that. As embarrassing as that was, I still had a delivery to make. Though, to make things even for the blushing, a little scare surely wouldn’t hurt anyone.
I tried to take a step forward but couldn’t make it out of the doorframe before I froze in place. My foot rose and before it could make contact with the ground again, a voice rang out from across the classroom.
“You’re back earlier than expected, I assume the lineup wasn’t too long?” Yuu asked, not moving a muscle. She doesn’t give me a chance to answer before continuing, her tone sweet yet clear that she caught on to my intentions. “Surely you aren’t just going to stand there, are you dear?”
I rubbed the back of my neck as my entire body deflated.
“Nope, wasn’t planning on anything like that. I’d like to eat too, you know?” I stepped inside and shut the door behind me before slipping a hand into the plastic bag. “You could at least pretend you didn’t see me. It’s like you have eyes in the back of your head or something.”
Her shoulders tensed as she shook her head and laughed in silence. She leaned forward, hanging her head out the window, her guard finally down. As if walking a tightrope, I inched my way toward her. Toe to heel. Toe to heel. I zig-zagged between the empty desks and kept a watchful eye on her.
“That’s quite an interesting way to put it,” she said with an awkward laugh. Yuu’s index finger shot up and swayed from side to side as she continued, “If I were you, however, I’d simply chalk it up to an angel’s keen senses. It’s a bit less scary sounding that way, dear!”
I stood as still as possible at Maeda’s desk. Honestly speaking, I didn’t quite understand what she meant by that but I rolled with it nonetheless. “I see. I’m pretty sure I read an article about an angel's divine senses a few weeks back.”
“You misunderstand. Once again, that is not a thing either. You mustn’t believe everything you read online that has the word “divine” in it.”
“O-oh,” I said, shrinking down. That time I truly did believe my angel research had been of use. “Well, either way, it's a shame that since you have those amazing senses of yours, I’ll never have the chance to do this.”
I yanked my hand out of the clear bag before dropping it on the desk. It fell with a distinct thud. I rushed forward and placed the cold soft drink on the back of Yuu’s neck. Jolting up and letting out a yelp, Yuu pivoted on the back of her heel and swiped it out of my hand, her fingers piercing the aluminum can in the process. With how much the bag was shaking on the way back to the classroom, if she were to take them out again, it would only end in disaster.
Noticing this, I reached out to her and said, “Ah, wait a second—”
However, my warnings fell on deaf ears. Yuu immediately grabbed the can with one hand and pulled her fingers out as easily as they went in. Orange juice sprayed out from the puncture holes and drenched her face. Her bangs fell flat in front of her eyes.
“...This wasn’t how I expected this to go. Sorry,” I said, scratching my face.
Throwing the can off the side, she lifted a soaked strand of her hair and put a hand on my shoulder.
“The ice you stand upon is as thin as a sheet of glass, dear.”
-
-
Yuu dried herself off with a towel I got from the washroom, sitting on the window sill.
“Honestly now, what’s gotten into you,” she said with a huff, resting the towel on her neck. “I’m worried you’re not entirely better yet.”
“If I were still sick, I wouldn’t get out of bed in the first place.”
My words didn’t get the chance to sit before they were interrupted by Yuu’s nervous laughter. “You would think so, right? That’s what I thought as well.”
“Was...I not?”
“Let’s not worry about that for now,” she said, “all I’ll say is that I’m glad you’re feeling nice and well again. Though, it was sort of nice to see a different side of you.”
When she said that, I couldn’t help but wonder just what the hell I did throughout those three days. I was always under the impression that I slept through my sickness, only waking up for short periods when it was necessary. At least, that would explain my lack of memory. So if that wasn’t the case, just what did the two of them see?
Yuu got up and made her way toward the back of the classroom. She grabbed both her desk and mine, pushing them toward the window. I tapped her shoulder and she gazed back at me.
“Let me do mine,” I said, gesturing down at my desk. “I’m not that weak.”
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She moved her hands up and let go. As we put the two desks together, Yuu beckoned me to sit down with her as she opened the plastic bag and began to eat. As I was about to sit down, a glimpse of what Yuu was staring at caught my eye.
It was a baby raven and its mother curled up together within their nest of twigs and moss. Even amongst the hustle and bustle of Miyafuji Academy, they were sleeping peacefully. Seeing them side by side, a question that I wanted to ask since the very beginning came to mind.
“Hey Yuu, it’s been one thing after another lately so I never got the chance to ask.” I sat down and stretched. “How old are you?”
“Sixteen,” she answered promptly.
“Yeah, I figured. And how long have you been sixteen?”
Yuu counted on her fingers while muttering the months of the year. She stopped when she got to May.
“Around 5 months now, why do you ask—” she stiffened in her seat as her lip twitched. “I’m actually sixteen, Shiro! Why on earth would I still be going to high school of all places if I was as ancient as my Mama or Papa?”
Yuu shivered. “An older person masquerading as a teenager? Don’t you think that’s creepy?”
“Sorry, sorry,” I said, “it would be but don’t twist my words. I only was making sure because you’re an angel in the first place.” Putting a finger to my cheek, I continued. “Wait, if an angel is supposed to be an eternal being then compared to the others, you’re basically just a kid, huh?”
“Hey, watch it.” Her eyes squinted. “You say this as if we aren’t the same age.”
“I mean, sure. But compared to a human who lives up to around…eighty, maybe ninety years old, you’ll just continue to grow older and older without an end in sight. To an angel, 80 years will pass within a blink of an eye.”
“That’s a given…but also not entirely true. I’d have to say whether time goes by fast or not depends on how much you’re enjoying yourself. 10 years can feel like 100 when you’re bored but when you’re with someone you like, an entire day can pass within seconds!”
“Ah, so you think it's a personal thing? Wonder what other angels would say if I asked the same thing.” I pressed my finger down and made circles on my desk. “Speaking of angels, what are the others like in Heaven?”
Although she was just joking around with me just a second prior, Yuu frowned and looked away. She seemed hesitant.
“Well, what do you think about humans down here on Earth?”
“I don’t think I’m the best person to ask that. My only friend since I was a kid was Aya, so I haven’t really talked to many people outside of her.”
“I’m no better in that regard then. My only points of contact include my family and one other.” I gave her a look and it didn’t take long for her to crack. Yuu cleared her throat. “W-Well if I must answer! Being an angel means something different for each individual person. By that, I don’t mean the different types or subgroups that we abide by. I’m talking about the very concept itself.”
“Like…how every school acts as if their mottos and opening ceremony speeches are the key to living a proper life?”
“It’s no joking matter.” She raised a finger as if to warn me. “For some, it is a title that radiates superiority and power. For others, it means a supreme overwhelming sense of divinity that warrants a lack of empathy for others. For Demons. Even humanity too—the ones we are meant to help.”
“I…didn’t think a place that’s so revered could be so bad. You always seem to speak of it so fondly.”
“That’s because not every angel is bad. Just like humans.” Yuu pinched her nose and shook her head. Placing an elbow on the desk and resting her chin on her hand, she said, “It would be unfair to say that with my entire chest, would it not? With so many different meanings for different types of people, it’s natural for some of them to not be as noble as others. Though, it's for this reason that despite being well over a hundred years old, some angels can feel as if they're our age.”
I pointed at her and she froze in place, eyes wide.
“And you?”
“W-what about me?”
“What’s your definition of what an angel is?”
Yuu fidgeted with her hair as she avoided eye contact, her cheeks turning a bright red. She took a sharp breath and paused as if she was about to say something but I found that no words came from her. Only stunned silence, her mouth slightly agape. Was asking that considered rude?
My face felt hot and I put my hands out. “W-wait you don’t have to answer or anything. I didn’t mean anything bad by it—”
“Turn around.” Her lips parted with a small smile. “Please?”
I turned my chair around before sitting back down. With how stiffly I was sitting though, I was certain that I was going to hurt myself.
“W-well, uhm,” she stuttered, “Being the servant of a god comes with a certain amount of divinity attached to it. However, everyone I’ve asked hasn’t even seen Lord Empathy for a while now, so I never quite cared about that aspect.”
“And…what about humans?”
“Never looked down on them, not once. My Papa was a human who died when he was fairly young after all, so how could I?”
“R-right. I’m sorry.”
“No apologies needed.”
The distinct sound of nails tapping against wood echoed throughout the classroom. Slow. Three taps in total. One after the other. One. Two. Three.
“I guess I always likened that very same divinity with a sense of responsibility. To make sure that others are able to live peaceful and fulfilling lives. ” The tapping increased in speed. One, two, three. One, two, three. “For the ones that are within their reach, for the ones that they care about, for the one that they want to see smile above all else—”
One-two-three. One-two-three. Onetwo-t h r e e.
“An angel must devote themselves to protecting the little things that they care about in life.” One. Her finger came down one last time and thumped the desk before silence filled the room once more. “No matter what.”
“That’s…a really mature answer.” The words that I wanted to say, the ones that I thought would never leave my mouth— they passed me over like a gentle breeze. “It suits you.”
I jumped at the sound of the large thud behind me. Kneeling on top of my chair and turning around, Yuu had buried her face in her arms.
“I…try,” she said, flattered but still clearly embarrassed.
I put my hands behind my head and looked away from her. The heat on my face from earlier only rose in temperature. “Again, let’s not twist my words here, Yuu. No matter what answer you gave, I’d have to say I’m the more mature one out of the two of us.”
“Pardon?”
Counting backwards on my fingers from May, I said, “Well, you’re a December baby, aren’t you? That makes me, someone born in April, way older than you.”
“Yeah… that sort of thinking isn’t mature at all, you’re aware of this, right?” She didn’t move from her position but I could tell by her tone that she was smirking.
“Older means older, I don’t make the rules, sorry.”
“Doubling down like that is also bad, dear.”
The door slammed open and Aya slid in with her arms extended, only stopping on her heel. “Great, there you two are! Alright, after school, who’s ready to go to a candy store—”
We both shot up from our seats and whipped our heads toward her. “Candy store?!”
Aya’s upper lip curled up as she stiffened and took a few steps back. “...to see my Grandma. Who wants to speak with you, Shiro. Really, how old are you guys again?”