By this time things had changed dramatically in Glenn and Akiko's lives and in their time together. Considering the fact that since last night they had confessed their feelings to each other, the euphoria in their souls had reached the highest level, but they were not going to leave this activity.
This is how the confession was made on Akiko's side...
The day before, when Glenn escorted her to the subway again, she saw the young man, with the advent of that very confidence, confess to her first at the glittering city lights downtown, and delighted by his calm desire to hear only a positive response, Akiko was simply unable to refuse.
"I like you."
She heard from his peaceful lips, in which a pinch of embarrassment was felt. The subway, whose horn was approaching, finally exited the tunnel and reached its stopping point.
Then they decided to extend their comfort with a late-night stroll through the bright and lively city, and Akiko returned home at night, but her parents did not question her situation, seeing the happiness in her eyes.
Akiko could not endure the feeling of joy and, during their conversation on the bench, forced herself to inform Yumiko, her friend who was about to go to bed at that moment, of the event.
Soon after their close relationship became clear to the students of the school, rumors that the two most popular students had begun dating spread in all directions, and there was not a single person left who did not know that they could be seen in the hallway on the second floor after each class.
"I always knew," said one student unfamiliar to them, "that they would start dating!"
"It can't be like that...that the two of them?"
"Zaleman-san will always remain my most untouchable..."
That day, when she ran into him at the front gate of the school, she once again went with him to his house after finishing schoolwork. This time they held hands, and the direction toward his house seemed more exquisite for them. On the way, they decided to stop at a bunkhouse with a chip machine next to it. She forced Glenn not to splurge, so she bought two packets of chips for both of them.
"It's in gratitude that I can now see more than the usual display of friendliness in your face," Akiko muttered with an amused tone, and Glenn respectfully counted her words as a revelation.
"I see."
"Silly me, right? I'm the only one who can say such ridiculous things when talking to my boyfriend."
"Not at all. Is that supposed to bother me somehow?"
"By the way, here's a question for me. How many love relationships you've had in total, whatever, if they were when you were a kid."
"Hmm? Would it upset you if I told you the numbers?"
"Not at all. It was all in the past, after all, why should I be upset about such trifles?"
'Did I find an angel?' marveled Glenn to himself, seeing her image as a misunderstood and naive girl.
"I've had three before you."
"Glorious! I had five before you," Akiko stuck out five fingers of her hand, signifying her utter comfort in interacting with Glenn and spending time with him.
"Six is also something of a beautiful number itself, you know."
"Although, to be honest, I don't feel like I had any relationships before you, Glenn-kun, because before that I was only living the life of a completely different person, not like the true me. Relationships raised my status as an important person among the silly rabble, and I understood that more than anyone else. The others didn't care, because they were happy with that comfort. Where these people are now, I don't know, and fortunately perhaps..."
Glenn was aware of her regret over this, and Akiko looked saddened.
"I have the same nightmare every time, and it most likely has to do with my unwillingness to change things in my current life, because I feel genuine sympathy for myself when I am with you, and my current status in society suits me. This nightmare has to do with the fear of parting with all of you, which is the last thing I want..."
'She's worried about our mutual friendship. Needless to say, even I wouldn't be comfortable with a plot where we leave the nest constructed by our own affection for each other.'
"All the hardships everyone went through holding hands made me change my mind about everything around me before. I became the person I wanted to be all along... Without you, I never would have..."
Akiko suddenly felt the touch of Glenn's body against hers, and she didn't resist his comforting embrace. He hugged her tightly, and the difference between their height was felt with particular force.
'This seems to be the kind of outgoing I've wished for more than anything,' she thought. 'So warm... I don't even want to think about anything. Maybe that's how I live my life...? Forgetting everything to join in the general liveliness.'
"We all have the same opinion on this," Glenn replied in a low voice to reassure Akiko. "That's what brings us all together."
'It's true. Before we met, each of us didn't have the most important thing in our lives that we wanted all the early days... Friends with whom we could talk about anything without being afraid to be frank.'
***
It was already the middle of February. Glenn and Akiko began to pay more and more attention to studying together, and Glenn's zeal in revealing his girlfriend's shortcomings during some assignments bore fruit - Akiko, who was getting better and better every day, was already easily able to cope with the assignments from the tenth grade textbooks.
Except that the only stepping stone to the happy conclusion of their classes, at the end of which Akiko could proudly declare her knowledge, remained the final school books for eleventh grade, of which there were quite a few.
"You've become comfortable with math. Isn't it nice when the ability to solve problems on hard topics shows up?"
"Yes, it becomes more comfortable when understanding comes along. Math is an interesting subject, it just takes patience to start covering the knowledge."
Akiko humbly solved problems from the eleventh-grade math book.
"I think I've succeeded in solving this problem."
"Granted. Now point your finger at the sign that is paramount to solving the problem."
She pointed at a symbol in her notebook that matched that description.
"That's right. Now point to the most important thing that gave you the right answer.
Unexpectedly for Glenn, Akiko blithely pointed her index finger at his face, which made him feel embarrassed and cough.
"That'll do."
"That's good. By the way, I found a discrepancy in this assignment here. There can't be a right answer here."
"Let me see."
Glenn, who was perfectly calm, approached her to look at the textbook and find the so-called error in the assignment that Akiko had found. Akiko, on the other hand, behaved in comfort and did not flinch when he came close to her. Akiko was no longer embarrassed by such things.
"Yes. Wrong numbers here, it happens sometimes. Let's move on to the next assignment."
But with each new day, Glenn felt uncomfortable around her. He felt something wrong lodged in his head that was destroying his peace of mind from within.
The boy, with each new encounter with Akiko, wondered if his feelings were true. On the one hand, looking at her face, he stopped doubting the sincerity of his love for her; on the other hand, Glenn was completely unclear how he should act and what the next step was to develop their relationship.
He could be simultaneously cold to her and tender, responsible and infantile, but he could neither fall out of love nor be indifferent to his girl.
By this he guessed, upon analysis, that his life was less interesting and colorful without her, especially if you remember how hard she tried on their dates to finally show Glenn how beautiful this world was.
For before, the boy had never gone into such detail. He lived only for one purpose, and it could not be called life. And Akiko, in lieu of teaching him together, taught him about values that previously had no meaning in Glenn's life.
'But why do I have such a hard time figuring out,' Glenn thought, lying on the couch, 'do I really feel mutual love for you? You're good at everything, there's no argument, but I'm on the lookout for a completely different answer... How do I know for sure if I want what you want?'
***
And so all the students of the school moved on to the new and final month of school, March. Toward the middle of that month there was a bit of turmoil among the students as they rushed to get the knowledge they needed to take their exams. There was a week before the exams were due to begin, at the end of which Akiko's fate was to be decided in her further omens in connection with her studies at the institution of higher learning.
As was their tradition, at the end of the school day they gathered in the club room to discuss details important to them before the start of graduation. The atmosphere around them was subdued, and none of the club members seemed nervous, which surprised Yumiko a little, since the exams were about to begin.
"How are you doing? Are you mentally and physically ready for the exams?" Yumiko inquired.
'The exams are no threat to many of us gathered here, but I'm very worried about Atchan and Tomoyuki-kun, for I don't know exactly how their preparations are going. I had to get everyone together sooner or later and ask about it.'
"I don't think anyone is worried about that," Akiko straightened with a soft tone. "The only problem student here is me. However, I wouldn't say I haven't prepared properly for the exams. I don't have a lot of confidence, and I'm a little nervous... but I think I'll get over it in time."
"Cheer up, Aki-chan!" Tomoyuki consoled her with his optimism, patting her palms together. "We'll definitely make it. This is just one step in our lives."
"And how do you cope, Tomoyuki-kun? You're also having a hard time with your studies, at least you used to be."
"Me? I'm not too excited about exams, and I didn't study either, though not as enthusiastically as you did. I think I can get a passing grade."
"Let's hope we can both get at least the minimum number of points allowed to pass the exams!" Akiko perked up, and they both clapped their hands together.
"I wouldn't want to be in your shoes and be happy with passing scores alone, guys," Ryo joined them peacefully.
"You smart guys are lucky. You don't even care how many you get, because you're sure you'll achieve maximum marks. And us fools have to eat the leftovers!"
"You're greatly exaggerating," Glenn answered her, whereupon Yumiko and Tamotsu, who were sitting at the edge of the table, giggled.
"Have you guys chosen what you want to be?" Yumiko inquired, after which the others got a pensive look on their faces.
"I want to be a lawyer," exclaimed Tomoyuki, and gave the floor to Tamotsu, who was sitting close to him.
"I have another year to think about it. I'm a grade below you, remember?"
"Whatever! You must have an opinion about it, too."
Then Tamotsu thought about it and answered uncertainly, "I'd like to be the head of some kind of social security company. Maybe a detective..."
"Good aim," Yumiko enthused, then turned her impetuous gaze to Ryou. "And you, Ryou-kun?"
Ryou lowered his eyes contentedly.
"It doesn't matter. All that matters to me is being there for you, Yu-chan, and I won't be changed again."
The club members, except for Yumiko and Tamotsu, laughed, and Ryo was slightly confused.
"Oh, come on! It's the plain truth."
And then peace reigned in the office again, after which Ryou, who was feeling uncomfortable, embarrassedly added: "I really want to dedicate my life to you, but I don't understand why you're prevaricating..."
"We laughed because we didn't expect you to say it first, Ryo-kun."
Friendly, Akiko added, lowering her gaze.
"After all, I also want to trust you completely and dedicate my future life alongside yours."
Yumiko looked shocked when she heard Akiko's truthful statement. Akiko, on the other hand, looked at Glen, waiting for his answer, and then Glenn continued their game.
"I'm going to be a medic."
"So you've decided to follow in your father's footsteps!"
"Not really. I'm just sure it's the industry that's best suited for me. I'm not likely to leave this town, and I want to stay with you."
'Mostly it's because of her, who is unlikely to want to distance herself from her friend. I am fine with this situation, as long as she is happy and healthy.'
Akiko understood why Glenn was hesitant to leave town to study abroad, and realizing her importance in Glenn's current life, she was only glad at his announcement.
He did not want to leave the city and go to study abroad, for he had someone in his life who had become important to him on a par with his family and his life.
'There is no way,' Yumiko was shocked to herself, 'that Glenn, who until then seemed to be the one who could show himself to be sensible even in the most stressful moment, would give up...'
"What can you do, and I categorically can't stay away," Tomoyuki added. "You are most important to me. Would it please you if I joined you as well?"
"Fool. You weren't backstage anyway, so cut the crap."
"I think," Akiko said, "people worry about exams for nothing. Even if it's not easy and you might fail, it doesn't mean the end of your life has come."
Hearing their goals and desires, Yumiko finally fell into despondency and could not connect a word, so she seemed detached. She, watching Glenn lovingly look at Akiko, chatting happily on any subject, realized how much they all had grown attached to each other.
'That's not what we want... Can't you see the simplest mistake? Have you really stopped doing anything about it? You're only hurting yourselves by drawing such conclusions by not letting go of each other... Is this the result I expected? After all, I am part of it, too.'
"And you, Yuttyan, what do you wish for?"
Yumiko could barely contain her sadness inside, and soon she was smiling to keep the others from worrying.
"I want to see you happy."
'But is this the happiness we all desire? Is this the future we used to strive for? I realized. It's my fault it ended up this way. We can never be happy if we keep depending on each other and reaching out to each other... We are dependent, and if this continues, we will wallow in hopelessness. But what can I do? How can I avoid such an outcome...?'