"I'm going to confess my undying love!"
…
"Sure." Chiho texted back.
Aimi took a deep breath to strengthen her resolve.
'I can do it.' She thought. "I really mean it this time." she texted.
Immediately the typing bubble appeared to show that Chiho was typing back.
"Like last time?"
Then Aimi's typing bubble popped.
"And the one before that." Chiho texted before Aimi. Aimi paused and then her typing bubble returned.
"And before that." Chiho said.
Aimi pouted at her phone screen and then she started a phone call. She sighed when she saw Aimi's name appear on her screen. She let it ring a couple of times before accepting it. "Hey! Don't leave me hanging!"
Chiho could tell that she was pouting on the other side.
"Sorry, I was tired." Chiho said nonchalantly. They were chatting on the Line app in bed.
"…"
There was a brief silence on the phone.
"What do you think he'll say?"
"…"
The girls were talking about a guy no other than Hikaru. He was renowned for his good looks and Kendo sword skills. He has long black hair reaching just below his shoulder and creamy white skin. He was so beautiful that he looked like a girl. He already looks better than any girl in his school as a guy without needing to undergo sex change surgery.
The name Hikaru is gender neutral, which makes one wonder if his androgynity was noticeable at birth despite the lack of distinguished features in a baby.
"I think he'll say the same thing he always does to the other girls" Chiho said softly. They were all in the same year level but he's the most popular guy at school. Naturally, since his enrolment in first year middle school, many female students have confessed to him. Every time however, he would politely reject them.
The accounts of their experiences were all the same. Hikaru told each of them that he wasn't looking for a relationship and just wanted to focus on his school life. Hikaru was so nice that he offered to go on a platonic date with them to end things in a positive note.
"Mhm" Aimi agreed. "You know, even though he'll reject me, I think I'll still love him…"
"Everyone does." Chiho wearily replied.
After being spoiled by a perfect man like Hikaru, how could any woman want anything less? Hikaru was like an idol. A superstar that's so high in the sky that no one could ever hope to make theirs. Even when they asked him out, they never actually thought he'd accept especially when even the prettiest, the smartest or the most popular of girls in the school had failed to interest him. Only someone with a supermodel's beauty could entrance him. Yet, they tried anyways because otherwise they wouldn't be able to let go.
Of course, this doesn't mean any of them will remain single forever. Some will move on and find another guy, some of them already have boyfriends. If Hikaru had asked them out, any one of them would break up with their boyfriend, not because they weren't loyal, but because they'd be lying to themselves if they'd be happier without him. It's wrong to date someone when you have feelings for another.
"Mm mm." Aimi shook her head. "I don't think I can move on. Everyone loves him because he's so beautiful and perfect. But they don't love him the way I do. I'll always love him… because he's my soulmate."
"Ehhhhh?" Chiho shrilled.
"I'm not saying that he'll love me. I just think that I was destined to truly fall in love with him but not have it reciprocated. It's just fate that my life is tragic."
"…"
"So, what are you thinking right now?"
"I'm just thinking that I'll really know someone who's still a virgin when I get to 80."
"OMG!"
"Hahaha!"
They both laughed.
"Imagine if he liked me-"
"No way!
"Just imagine!"
"There's no chance!"
"But just imagine! If he said yes!
"That would be so amazing! But I wouldn't be friends with you no more!"
"Ehhhh! You're so mean. You can be our third wheel!"
"Ugh" Chiho cried like she just got stabbed through the chest. "You're actually a devil aren't you! If anyone knew how evil you are under your innocent face!"
"Hahaha, I'm just JOKING!"
…
"Would you still want to be my friend if he did say yes?"
Chiho thought for a moment. While Aimi was still summoning up the courage to speak to Hikaru, she had confessed to him before.
***
Aimi saw Chiho who had just exited alone outside of a classroom. Her face covered by the dark hallway and in her hand held a gift lunchbox of home-made steak which was Hikaru's favourite meal as rumours had said.
"Chiho… Are you okay?" Aimi said. It was clear what had happened. Despite both knowing that this would happen, she felt devastated to see her friend go through this. Even though she hadn't been rejected, she loved him too so she could imagine how unbearable it was.
She was afraid of the warped negative and self-destructing thoughts that Chiho could be thinking. She just wanted the friend that she knew and loved to come back just the same as before. Just like a maiden waiting for her husband to come back from the war alive and well.
Chiho lifted her face and it shone from the ceiling light. She crossed her arms with her right hand over her left shoulder. She did a pose with her five fingers wide open and hollered "Huhhh rebound!"
Aimi eyes opened in surprise.
"huh?"
"I was a bit depressed before but I'm okay now!" She said with her arms crossed as-a-matter-of-factly.
Aimi could tell there was sadness in her smile. Chiho was trying not to worry her friend by keeping up a facade. She couldn't let her friend feel worse by wasting her efforts.
"If that's the case, I'm relieved" She smiled.
"Of course, I am! Hehe"
***
Aimi had a worried look when she asked that question.
"I'm sorry, Aimi but if you became his girlfriend, we can no longer be friends…"
"…" Aimi's expression changed to a sorrowful one.
"Is what you thought. Dumbass!"
"!"
"Of course. What kind of best friend mopes about it and won't support her relationship to the end? We'll tie him down for marriage!"
Aimi immediately brightened up. Tears beaded at the corner of her eyes.
"Just don't forget to invite me to your wedding!"
Aimi wiped the corners of her eyes and with a smile she said -
"I promise!".