"Hey, Saishi!"
"Yeah?"
"Do you have any feelings for Hina?"
"Huh? What's this all of a sudden? Why do you ask that?"
"Just answer me."
"Hmm...It's hard to tell. You're putting me on the spot all of a sudden."
"So you have some feelings for her?"
"Well, I won't completely deny it. Anyway, what's with this sudden outburst?"
"Nah, I'm just messing with you. I was feeling bored."
"You know there are other ways to kill your boredom, right?"
"Yeah, but they don't seem that interesting."
"That doesn't mean you can just play around with me!"
"Well, since it's you, I know that this would be fun."
"And what if that wasn't the case? What if I were to be provoked by your actions?"
"Well, that would amuse me even more."
"And if things were to get a bit physical and nasty?"
"All the more fun!"
"You really are a weird guy."
"And yet, you hang out with me. What does that make you?"
"A considerate person."
"Hooh! You're blunt as ever!"
"So, what do you actually want?"
"Oh! You do know me quite well."
"Well, your annoying as it is. But today, you're on a whole new level. Like an ascended level."
"In that case, this, is to go, even further...AGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
Coughing!!!
"Will you stop that nefarious impersonation of Goku going for Super Saiyan 3?"
"Man, you got to give props to the voice actor, for consistently screaming for such a long time. I wonder if the cracks in between were actually genuine."
"That being said, I gotta give props to you."
"And for what pleasure do you owe me that?"
"Oh, it's just you were able to impersonate the ape part so well, I was left speechless."
"Why, thank you. Want me to impersonate One-punch man now?"
"Oh, no thanks. I'm good!"
"Don't feel shy, it won't take much time."
"Nope!"
"Party-pooper!"
"Switching back to the main topic, what do you really want?"
"Well, I was wondering...Lately, the atmosphere around us has heated up a lot. Wherever the 4 of us go, we've always been greeted with gazes filled with hostility, and at points, it's starting to get on the girls' nerves."
"Yeah, I did notice that. So?"
"At this rate, things are going to spiral down, and before we know it, there's going to be trouble, especially for the girls. Anyone is likely to get targeted."
"That's true. But, what's your point?"
"I wanted to ask you, if someone were to cross the line, and do something disgraceful to either one of them and ruin their life, what would you do? Not care about them? Accept for how things are, and try to console them? Or seek vengeance?"
"Well, I do understand what you said, but it's hard to definitely make of something from this hypothetical situation."
"Ok, let's make it simple. What if I were to cross the line, and do something to them both that would scar them for life, and ruin them?"
Saishi raised her eye and stared at me seriously.
"If it was you?"
"Yes."
"Then without the slightest of hesitation, none of the above."
"That's underwhelming. What a bummer!"
"I'd kill you, without holding back any regrets."
"I didn't remove that from the realm of possibility. And now that I think about it, it's quite scary, you do seem you can kill someone in cold blood, and yet have a happy family life. Well, I didn't mean anything ill from the last line, dare I must mention."
"Relax, it's not like anything would change even if you did mean it."
"So, something did happen."
"Yeah."
"How bad is it?"
"Pretty bad. Apocalyptic level bad."
"Huh, that bad."
"Well, that's only the start."
"And you're fine bearing the burden all alone on your shoulders?"
"Well, to be honest, I'm not alone."
He was scratching his cheek and sweating a bit while mentioning that. This was the most humane response I got from him till now.
"So, who is she?"
"Why did you jump to the conclusion that it's a girl?"
"Oh, so you are into boys' love. I had my suspicions and thereby stayed away at a distance. Now, this confirms it."
"Fine! I'll tell you, and why did you have suspicions over me?"
"Ugh...Well, let's not bother about the trivial details."
"Tell me."
The ferocity in those eyes resting behind those glasses, it spelled danger.
"Alright. Take it with a pinch of salt, as I'm unaware of the source of the details myself."
"Ok, just get on with it."
Sighing...
"You say that but, it's not that easy."
"I think this will get you going."
He clenched his fist and suddenly launched himself towards me for a punch. Do I toss him, but what if it's a fake, and when I show him my back, he's going to go for a suplex or a neck lock from behind? Or wait, what if making me react so suddenly to the situation and overthink it is his motive? Whatever I do, the risks are high. If that's the case...
"Yo, Haru!"
"Huh?"
In that momentary response, as he turned back for a second, he lost his footing. That's the opening I was waiting for. I stepped in my foot and made him lose his balance. For a moment, I thought he went down to the ground, but only for him to then roll up and get back on his knees.
"There, now you know your place."
"Why you..."
Saishi pounced over me and almost tried to toss me off the rooftop. Luckily the rail gave me some support to ward off the balance, as I elbowed him to his gut, and he took a few steps back while gritting his teeth in agony. I had some breathing space.
"So, I'm guessing you're serious about doing something bad to her?!"
"And what if I am?"
"Then I'm going make you think twice."
"Do your best."
We both had taken our fighting stance. Saishi had was on his heels while keeping his fist close to his face. He was definitely using a boxing stance. I was a bit low, with both my feet firm on the ground and hands in front of my chest, open in a chopping manner.
As we were about to have our epic showdown...
"What are you doing?"
A voice cut in and interrupted us. The source of the voice was a fury-filled Hina.
"I asked what were you doing?"
We both stared at each other for a brief moment, and then returned to our normal stance.
"Nothing."
"Like he said."
That didn't seem to convince her. She gave a questioning look at us, before dropping her suspicion.
"Alright, let's go."
Haru was alongside her. Saishi and Haru went ahead.
"They seem to make a good pair."
Hina was seriously fixated on them.
"Maybe. Can't be sure until we hear it from them."
"Yeah, that's right."
As there was some distance between them and us, we were just standing there and enjoying the visuals we were being treated to. At some point, Hina started to hold my hand. But she hadn't uttered a word. We were standing there for some time, just holding hands. As it went on, the uneasy feeling inside me crept up, and after a certain point, I knew that I couldn't stay like that.
I moved forward, and she followed suit, unwilling to let go of my hand.
I slowly started to lift her fingers away from my hand, and placed her hand away from mine, and walked away.
"Wait..."
There was some hesitation in her voice, but more than ever, she wasn't her calm and composed self. I think she got the gist of it.
"Don't lean on me too much. One of these days, you may come to regret it, for being overly dependent, and not staying on your own two feet..."
I uttered those words and took my steps carefully while maintaining the distance between us. That's how it is now.
I turned back and I noticed the silhouette of a weak, timid girl, with one hand holding the other tight, while the gust of wind blew her hair and the faint sunlight covered her face.
SORRY!