"Who was that girl?" That question repeated itself in my mind, over and over again. I wanted to see her again, I needed to.
I walked as fast as the regulated walking speed would let me all the way into the school. As I passed the front doors I immediately spotted Misumi standing in front of her locker and talking to her friend. I made my way to her.
"Hey... Ugh it's you." She slammed her locker shut and began to walk away and I trailed closely behind her.
"What? Why are you angry? I just want to talk that's it." I chased after her, twisting and turning to avoid knocking into people.
"Go away Isao, I don't want to talk to you." She said without turning to me.
"Why? What did I do? I'm not the one keeping my sister a secret from the entire school?"
She stopped abruptly, turning to me with a look that would make one think twice before approaching her and I knew immediately that I had stepped on a land mine.
She grabbed my forearm and pulled me after her into a closet. After locking the door behind us, she turned to face me again, that same look from before still on her face.
"No one. Absolutely no one is to know about my sister, got it?"
"I won't tell anyone about her if you just answer my questions." I crossed my arms in defense.
"I don't have to tell you anything. You're the one who went snooping around my house, I could have you arrested for that." She stepped closer to me, her fingers poking into my chest with every word.
I caught it in my hands pulling it away from me and dropping it at her side. "I didn't snoop around your house. I was going to the toilet and she just happened to be there. Just tell me, why I've never met her before?"
"Because she never leaves the house."
"And why is that?"
"None of your business. Look, she's my twin sister, her name's Kaiya. She never leaves the house because she doesn't want to, anything else apart from that is none of your freaking business so drop it."
Kaiya.
"Wait, Misumi..." I called out to her before she could walk out the door. "At least let me see her again."
She scoffed. "What? No. It's bad enough that you know about her so I'm definitely not letting you see her ever again. No one in this school knows about her so if I hear any rumors that I have a sister, I would come for you Izumi Isao."
I rolled my eyes at her threat. Only when alone in the dimly lit room did my thoughts start to drift and I began to recall and notice things. Like how much Misumi and Kaiya looked alike and also how defensive Misumi got when I asked about Kaiya. I began to rack my brain to try to solve the mystery of why Misumi wanted the existence of her sister to stay a secret or why Kaiya never leaves her house.
These thoughts plagued me all day until it was time for modern literature. I rushed to my seat just in time for the late bell to ring. After sighing in relief at the close call, I turned to my side, eyes widening in suprise when I saw Misumi sitted right beside me.
Before I could talk to her the teacher walked in and the class officially started. A few minutes in, the teacher announced that we would have to partner up for an upcoming project. I realized the opportunity immediately. Sucking in a breath, I put my hand up.
"Yes Isao?"
"Are we allowed to choose our partners?"
"Well I was going to group you myself but I guess you can do that on your own. So everyone, form groups of two. By the end of the class come forward and register the names of you and your partner."
"Misumi Akasuki is my partner." I announced so everyone would know.
Misumi turned to me with a ridiculous look and just before she was about to protest the teacher said, "Okay. Takashi Isao and Misumi Akasuki. Please do not yell out your partners to me."
I smiled back at Misumi to which she returned a middle a finger before turning away from me. I shrugged it off, it didn't matter if Misumi was pissed at me now, I would get her to forgive me later after I had uncovered the mystery surrounding her sister, Kaiya.
I pulled up at Misumi's house a few minutes after six. I looked up at her house, scanning the building. I realized that there was a side of the house to the right that all the blinds were completely shut, I guessed that was Kaiya's room and where I would be headed first.
After ringing the doorbell, I waited as the sound of footsteps approached.
"Who is this?" That was Misumi's's voice.
"Izumi, I'm here to work on our project."
"Go away." The sound of footsteps retreating followed after that.
"Hey! Wait! What about our project?"
There was no answer. I groaned before pushing the doorbell again and after waiting for a while and still no response. I pulled out my phone to call Misumi, she didn't even bother to pick up.
I stayed for a few minutes, ringing the doorbell, trying to reach Misumi on the phone and even walking around the house to see if there was a way in but all was to no avail and finally, out of frustrating, I walked back to my bike.
I was pissed off, I wanted so badly to turn around and ride and back home but I couldn't do it. My urge to see Kaiya again was more than my frustration. I was curious about her, intrigued, I wanted to see her again, from her dark hair tied into two messy buns, to her dark brown eyes sitted behind her round glasses. I wanted to hear what her voice sounded like, to know more about her, what she likes, what's her favorite food, why....
I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. I was getting obsessed with a girl I knew nothing about. Maybe I should just give it up?
I sat there, in the seat and let out a deep breath before turning around. Just before I pedaled away I looked up at the window with the closed blinds. I wanted to know Kaiya so badly, it made me feel like a stalker. My curiosity was eating at me and not feeding into it left me with a feeling of emptiness. I couldn't give it up, I just couldn't.
With one last look at the window, I smiled sadly before riding away. I won't give it up, I would come back, no matter how long it takes me, I won't stop until I see Kaiya again. With my mind made up I rode off, little did I know that just a little more and I could have caught a glimpse of a small silhouette standing behind the blinds.