"Let go of me now!"
In an empty alleyway near their apartment complex, a young girl was struggling to break free from the boy holding her hand. The girl's name was Chihiro Mai, and the boy's name was Amane Kei.
"Are you becoming Keigo? Let me go!"
"No! Not today! I can't let things stay the way it is!"
"…Why… you can pick anyone to be your friend… Why did you let me be your friend…?"
"Isn't it obvious? Because you're worth befriending!"
"!"
"That and… you bashed me into becoming your friend…"
When he said that, Mai finally stopped struggling as she lowered her arm with Kei still holding onto it. She was now faced down as her body started trembling slightly. Kei noticed that there were now tears dropping down onto the floor.
"Why… even though I tried so hard to get closer to Kei… you always seem to drift farther away… when I see what you have with Saki-san… it makes me so jealous…"
"…"
"Please… just let me be alone for now… I need some time to myself to think…"
When Mai said that, Kei's grip loosened and she started walking away. Many thoughts went through Kei's mind once again.
'Do I want to let her go like this?'
'What is she to me?'
'What is this feeling I'm having?'
'Screw it!'
As she slowly walked away, she could hear a couple of loud and quick footsteps getting louder. Before she could turn around, she felt two arms wrapped around her shoulders.
"Ah!" Mai let out a shocked expression.
"I'm not letting you go…"
"!"
"I'm not letting my first genuine friend here go!"
Mai was lost for words as she didn't know how to respond to this sudden but drastic change in Kei's attitude. The Kei she knew was normally aloof and didn't care about anything unless his friends were disturbed by others. This Kei in front of her however, was showing a big burst of emotions that she had never seen before. Before she knew it, Mai lifted her hands and hugged Kei back.
"Does this mean I'm your number one friend?"
"Do you have to make me spell it?"
"Heheh~ I'm happy. I'm finally closer to my goal now."
"Goal…? Say, Mai."
"Hmm?"
"Would you like to go somewhere with me?"
***
On a train on its way out of Tokyo, Mai and Kei sat side by side. Since it was a Friday, there would be no school on the next day meaning they could afford to return home late. They had done this before, when Mai brought him to Kujukuri beach. This time however, it was not Mai who was taking the lead but it was Kei who was taking her somewhere.
It was now evening but it was still rather bright and sunny at this time. On the train, Mai had asked where Kei was bringing her, but Kei could only give her the same answer she had given him before.
"It wouldn't be a surprise if I tell you now, would it?"
"Mouu~"
When they had reached their destination, Mai noticed they had reached Funabashi. There, Kei hailed a taxi and quietly told the driver where to go without letting Mai know, causing Mai to slightly pout in slight frustration of not knowing where they were going.
When the cab finally came to a halt, Mai noticed it had stopped at the side of the road with nothing but a slope. Kei asked the driver if he could wait for them and the old man gave him a smile and nodded at him before wishing him luck.
When they got out of the cab, Kei grabbed Mai's hand and led her to the slope and pushed aside some of the bushes to reveal a small path leading up, surprising Mai that there was actually a path here. As they followed the path up, they ended up on top of a hill where Kei reached the top first.
"Since you brought me to your special place, I thought I would bring you to mine. Well, one of it anyway."
When Mai finally reached the top, she could feel a cold, refreshing breeze gushing through them. When Kei led her to a spot, her eyes widened in awe as she admired the beautiful sight in front of her.
"Not many people know this place, but you can see the whole of Tokyo city from here."
When he said that, the sun was already setting. He led her to a wooden log so they could sit on it and observe the sunset together side by side. When the sun finally set and it became dark, he stood up once again and held Mai by the hand as if guiding her. When she looked at the view of Tokyo city once again, her admiration renewed at the sight of the lights coming from the city buildings. It was as if she was looking at a different view.
Kei then led her to the other side of the hill where they could see DeezneyLand. The two admired the beautiful views in silence.
"Mai…"
"Yes?"
"The reason I brought you here, is because… I wanted to show you this view. I come here whenever I have troubles on my mind. That is to say, I come rather often. It helps clear my mind very well and calms myself down whenever I just want to rip everything in my life apart."
"Kei…"
"But now, like my promise to you, I want you to promise me one thing…"
"Yes?"
"Whenever you have anything bothering you, any troubles, no matter how small, please tell me."
"Mmm!" Mai nodded as she gave him a bright smile.
As the two finished that exchange, they sat back down on the log as they admired the view together in silence before Mai broke it.
"Say, Kei-kun…"
"Hmm?"
"You can choose not to answer me if you don't want to…"
"What is it?'
"You weren't always like this, were you?"
When she asked that question, Kei's eyes widened as he was surprised at the sudden question. He was also surprised that she could catch on to that fact itself.
"What happened to make you like this…?"
"That… is an answer for next time… when the time comes, I will show you."
"Promise?"
"Promise"
As the two were done admiring the sights, they both went down the hill to where the cab and the old man were waiting for them. When they came down, the cab driver congratulated Kei after judging their relieved expressions. Once again, when they reached their final train destination, the two of them were too tired to stay awake during the train ride home and had fallen asleep on each other's shoulders.
"Ara." A woman with a very young sounding voice said when she looked at the two of them in the train.