My now mid-length, dark brown, silky hair flowed through the chilly spring wind. I wore a slightly oversized white sweater, white stockings, and a blue skirt. I made my way down to the campus coffee shop, it stood out like a sore thumb since it had recently been painted.
I entered the clean and welcoming coffee shop. The aroma of bittersweet coffee filled my nostrils. I walked to the cashier and began placing my order.
"Can I please get the...uhm.. a small mocha," I asked the cashier.
"Yes ma'am, anything else for you today?" The cashier kindly responded.
"No thanks, that's all," I replied with a smile.
The cashier gave me my total and I paid.
"Thank you, have a nice day!" I said to the cashier as I walked away from the counter.
Later my name was called to pick up my warm drink. I spotted a familiar light browned hair boy and sat in the empty seat in front of him.
"Hey, that spots taken." He joked. I slightly giggled at the response.
"So anyway how've you been?" I asked.
"Same as always. Woke up unwillingly at 7 am by my roomies." Haru sighed in annoyance. I sipped my coffee quietly as I watch him put his head down in defeat.
"I swear they gotta stop doing that." Haru huffed. A slight noise escaped my mouth as I tried not to laugh.
"Oh, cmon! What's so funny?" He looked at me, still resting his head in his arms which were still placed on the table.
"Sorry, sorry. It's just funny seeing you all defeated over something stupid." I giggled.
"H-hey! That's not...it's not stupid! I'm losing valuable sleeping time!" Haru exclaimed.
"If you don't like it then do something about it. Just wake them up at like 4 am with cold water or somethin'." I finished before taking a sip of my mocha.
"Good idea, but I ain't waking up at that time to waste precious sleeping time on my roommates." Haru slouched in his chair a bit while responding. I sighed as I shook my head side to side in response to Haru's lazy reasoning.
A sudden silence grew between us. I just turned my head to the window and looked outside, Haru did the same. I sipped my mocha again before Haru broke the silence.
"Are you ok talking about 'it." He air quoted with one hand.
I turned back to face him. "Yea. It's been about a year. And therapy helped a lot." I responded.
"That's good to hear." Haru smiled at me.
"Oh, by the way, thank you," I said. Haru looked at me confusedly.
"For what?" Haru questioned.
"I heard you were the one to call the cops. But how'd you know I was in trouble?" I asked.
Haru took a long sip of his drink before saying something. "Samuel was sketchy from the very beginning. I didn't say anything but he always gave me dirty looks." Haru paused for another sip. "Even then, Samuel was already on a suspects list for the murders. I usually gave my opinion to the officers I was with at the station. They eventually got a warrant to search the house. They were eventually gonna do it." Haru finished.
"Poor Eddie. And all of those victims..." Haru added.
"Wow." Was the only thing I responded with feeling silent guilt resonant.
"But that's in the past now. I'm glad therapy is helping you out." Haru flashed a smile at me. His pearly white teeth showed. I was blinded for those few seconds, and Haru looked at me confused.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After a few more conversations we finished our drinks. We were both silent in the noisy cafe.
"Hey Amai..." Haru spoke clearly. "Come with me." Haru stood up from his chair, threw away his cup in the bin, then walked out. I followed the same actions and left the warm building.
We walked in silence for a few minutes before stopping by a cherry blossom tree. I saw Haru taking deep breaths. I stood there confused.
Haru took a really deep breath before finally saying, "Amai, I know we've only known each other for like, two years.... and within the last year everything has been crazy. But I just wanted to tell you..." Haru blushed madly as he regained his words. "I really like you, please go out with me!" He finally shouted.
My heart started beating fast. I felt the deep red that engulfed my cheeks start to show.
"Uhm...ha..." I stuttered.
"No, no, no. It's ok if you can't respond right now-" Haru was about to finish until I interrupted him.
"No! I like you too!" I yelled out in response. Haru was taken aback. He scratched his neck in embarrassment.
"Well, that's really nice to know..." Haru said as he smiled. And I just smiled back. He looked at his watch suddenly.
"Hey, it's almost time to go meet Kyllie and Katsu!" Haru yelled as he panicked.
Haru intertwined his hand with mine and lead me forward, me following him from behind. The wind started picking up again. It brushed again my exposed skin and my hair started flowing with the wind.
Then the cherry blossoms on the tree near us started dropping its flowers, the wind picking them up and scattering them. It was definitely a beautiful sight to see.
πΈ'π ππππ ππ πππ πππ ππ ππππ ππππππππππ, πΈ πππ ππ ππ πππππ’ ππ πππ πππ.
- April 9th, 2021
End