"Stop spacing out, Harumi!"
"Oh, was I? Sorry. What did I miss?"
"We were curious about your relationship. Lately, we haven't seen you both together. Is everything alright? You both are still together right?"
"You know, just because we both don't catch up with each other regularly, it doesn't mean that we've hit a wall. We both have our own lives and own responsibilities to take care of, so this is quite common."
"Eh? Is that so? And here I was hoping he's single, so I could make a move on him."
"Well, well. Let's not bother her. And besides, weren't you dating Masuri-Kun? What happened? Don't tell me you've dumped another guy again."
"Well, he was boring, and that's me being considerate. Plus, Harumi here would know more about him than me, after all, they both have slept together multiple times. Weren't you living with him for a while?"
I sensed a sense of bitterness and jealousy from her. Those words were targeted in a way for me to lose my cool.
"That's true. He's kind and sweet, and that might be boring, but I think that depends on each person's opinion. He is, in many ways, the right guy for a girl to choose and not look back upon. But I do feel a bit guilty for spoiling him and using him for my own reasons."
"Hmm...This is a first. You're actually guilty about something?"
I glared at her for a moment.
"Now, now. She didn't mean it in a wrong way Harumi. You know her right. She's just surprised, that's it."
"Yeah, I thought both of us were the worse among this group of 3, but it seems like I'm alone."
"No one's good or bad. We are who we are, let's not compare amongst ourselves."
This is how I usually spend my time. I barely go home, and instead, hang out with these girls.
The one who always tries to provoke me is Asami.
And the other one, who's very soft-spoken and kind-hearted, she's Kunimi.
I started hanging out with them from the start of 2nd year, while I do consider Kunimi as a good friend, Asami on the other hand, is quite questionable.
"Putting that aside, Kunimi-san, what about you? Don't you have anyone you like?"
"Eh? That's too sudden. I'm not ready for this stuff yet."
Kunimi was shy, and I like that part of her, and that's why I always fend off anyone who just wants to play with her. I often find myself protecting her. Protect huh?
"Don't give us that. You ought to have one or two."
"No, you're wrong. It's not like that."
"Is that so? Harumi, grab her from the back, and don't let go of her hands."
"Huh? We're doing it again?"
Sigh. I did as she said. Well, it was fun.
"Leave me, I said let go of me."
"Hey Kunimi, look what I have."
She pulled out a peacock feather. Kunimi's quite sensitive in her sensory aspect and this was the worst thing for her.
"Hey Kunimi, I was wondering. Have they grown again?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
She was already scared of that feather, that she didn't know what was going on.
"I mean your chest. It seems like they're bigger than the last time."
"Noooo!!!"
She was quite embarrassed.
"Agh! Harumi's good, but yours are on a different scale. I bet boys go crazy for you."
She started squeezing them. Well, I think girls have their own way of messing around. We came back to the main topic.
"Alright, spit it out. Who is it?"
She placed the feather right in front of her eye.
"You don't give us the answer today, and I'm gonna tickle you barefoot."
"No!!! Alright, I'll tell you. Let go of me."
"Well, that was easy."
"I think you're pushing the limits there."
I intervened.
She just stared at me.
"Uhm...Promise you won't laugh at me."
"Can't give my word."
"Me neither!"
"Eh?!! That's mean, both of you."
She took a deep breath.
"There's this boy I like, he's a year younger than us."
She was playing with her fingers while slowly revealing the details.
"A Kouhai?! Eeek!"
Asami shrieked out as she was excited about this development.
"Is he from our school? Which class is he from?"
"Slow down, let her take her time."
I felt I had to intervene as Asami was quite pushy.
"He's from class 2-K."
There was a brief moment of silence amongst us, and that was disturbing for Kunimi.
"I knew it, that it would end up like this."
She was about to burst into tears.
"No, Kunimi-san, that's not it!"
I replied and went on.
"It's just, we were caught off-guard. I know you're thinking that we are hesitant about class K, but if you really like someone, then I bet he's not bad."
"Really?!"
She just hugged me all of a sudden.
'I missed this.'
This feeling, it's no good. I'm not able to forget him. Lately, I can only remember him, so much so that I haven't even met my boyfriend. Why does my chest so much when I think about someone else? After what he has done back then, and even at the hospital, why? It isn't love, I'm sure about it. Because...Because...When he was resting on her lap, and sleeping without a care in the world, I should have been jealous, because it wasn't me he was at ease with, but I was happy. So happy, that I wished that time would have frozen, and he could just be happy like that. It felt like I was his elder sister, at that point. I wanted that feeling again. I want him to call me Yuki-nee again!
"Harumi!"
"Huh?!"
Kunimi called out to me, looks like I was lost in my own thoughts.
"You all right?"
Asami was also concerned about me, that was a surprise.
"Yeah, I was just thinking about something trivial, nothing to worry about."
"You've been acting weird lately."
Asami had a playful yet wicked tone.
"Am I?"
I played it down naturally.
"Anyway Kunimi, who is he?"
"Yes, Kunimi-san, who is he?"
She took in a deep breath.
"SEBASTIAN!"
She just yelled out that name at once,
Luckily we were the only ones here at this park, or else, it would have been a strange sight for the passerby.
"Heh?!"
Asami was not expecting that.
"Sebastian? Do you mean the blonde kid?"
"Yes!"
She was shy that she covered her face with her hands.
"Ummm...I was not expecting that. Your tastes are quite off the charts, despite your looks and mannerism."
"Eh? Is something wrong with me? Asami! Please tell me."
She was on the verge of bursting into tears, with the suspense killing her.
"I meant that in a good way. Don't cry for everything. Oh look, it's Sebastian!"
"Huh!"
She was so worried that she looked everywhere for him.
"Oh, she's actually serious."
Kunimi was so embarrassed that she started throwing her hands at Asami.
"This is why you can't be in a relationship. You're always joking around. Hmph!"
She pouted as she turned her face away from Asami and refused to see her.
"That's harsh! I didn't think you're this serious about him."
She didn't budge a bit.
"Alright, forgive me, please. I'm not going to make fun of you again."
"Ok! On one condition. I don't want you to intervene in this matter and please stay away from him. You're my good friend. But I don't you to steal him."
"Will you please hold back your punches! That's mean. I'm not that bad am I?"
She looked at us.
We passed each other a look and then kept quiet.
"Alright! I get it. I'll be serious from now on. And I won't make any move on him, not that I'm interested in him."
"That's a relief!"
"Is he the only one? Or is there anyone else you like?"
"Hey, that's a bit too much. Kunimi-san, you don't have to answer her."
Kunimi was quiet for a moment. I thought Asami was messing around with her, but Asami knew more about her than what meets the eye.
"Actually, there's one more."
She pulled up her knees and rested her face on them. She didn't want to show her face at all.
"The transfer student, Naofumi!"
WAIT! WHAT? THIS ISN'T REAL!
NO!