The next morning, I left my house and rode my bike to school. Before heading straight there, I stopped by Uguisu-senpai's house to pick her up.
"Good morning, Himeya-kun," she greeted me, settling on the back seat of my bike.
"Good morning, senpai," I replied with a smile.
With her securely seated, we made our way to school together.
After promising to meet up during the lunch break, we went our separate ways to our respective classes.
In Class
I walked to my desk and noticed Hiro slouched over, his head resting on his arms. He looked... down.
Pat
"Yo, good morning!" Touka greeted me cheerfully as she approached.
"Morning, Touka," I responded, placing my bag on the desk and sitting down.
"Say, Himeya."
"What?"
"What happened to Takamine?"
"I don't know," I said, though I did know the reason behind his demeanor.
"Is that so?" She tilted her head in curiosity before turning her attention to Hiro.
"Hey, Takamine. What's wrong with you?" Touka asked bluntly.
She's always so direct...
"Leave me alone," Hiro muttered, his voice low and heavy.
"Uwah... he's angry," Touka said, retreating a bit.
"I don't think that was a good idea, Touka," I advised.
"Heee..." she hummed nonchalantly, walking back to her desk beside mine and sitting down.
Lunch Break
After four hours of studying, it was finally time for lunch. I grabbed my water bottle and my lunch box, ready to head to the library when—
"Himeya-kun, it's time for lunch!" Uguisu-senpai called as she entered my classroom.
The entire class went silent, eyes wide with surprise as they witnessed a second-year senpai calling me by my first name.
"S-Senpai...?" Hiro's voice trembled as he called out to Uguisu-senpai, his shock and disappointment evident. He turned to look at me, and in his gaze, I could sense a trace of resentment.
"Himeya, you're... ah, sorry... it's nothing," Hiro said, biting back his frustration.
I half-expected him to lash out, but he held himself back. I stood up and walked over to Uguisu-senpai, taking her hand gently.
"Let's go, senpai," I said.
We made our way to the rooftop and sat down for lunch, the cool breeze providing a serene backdrop to our meal.
"Himeya-kun?" Senpai called softly.
"Yes, senpai?"
"Did you dislike it...?"
"Dislike what?" I asked, confused.
"Me... coming to your classroom and calling you."
"Ah, that," I pondered her concern for a moment before recalling a line from a manga I once read. With a smile, I said, "Please be more spoiled with me, senpai."
"Himeya..." Her eyes widened in surprise at my words.
I could see her cheeks flush slightly as she averted her gaze, a gentle smile playing on her lips. The warmth of the moment was something I wanted to hold onto, a quiet happiness shared between us.
After we finished our lunch, we stayed on the rooftop, enjoying the tranquil atmosphere. The soft rustling of leaves in the breeze and the distant hum of school life below felt like a soothing melody.
"Senpai," I broke the silence, "you seemed lost in thought. Is something on your mind?"
Uguisu-senpai leaned back, gazing at the sky with a wistful expression. "I was thinking about my poems," she admitted softly.
"Your poems?" I echoed, intrigued.
"Yes," she nodded. "I've been writing a lot lately, but sometimes, I feel like my words don't capture what I truly want to express."
"I'd love to hear them," I said, leaning forward. "If you're comfortable sharing, that is."
Her eyes sparkled with a mix of surprise and appreciation. "Really? You'd want to hear my poems?"
"Of course. I'm sure they're beautiful," I encouraged her.
She smiled shyly and pulled out a small notebook from her bag. "This is one I wrote recently. It's about the moonglow."
She flipped through the pages and began reading aloud:
"In the still of night,
Beneath the silver glow,
The moon whispers secrets,
Only the quiet heart knows."
"like the moon,
the sun also has its secret
as long for both side glows
The secret will never be revealed"
After Uguisu-senpai finished reciting her poem about the moonglow, we remained on the rooftop, the tranquil silence filled with the warmth of our shared moment.
"Senpai," I said, leaning back against the railing, "you should really consider publishing your poems. They're too beautiful to keep just for yourself."
She chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe one day, but for now, I'm happy sharing them with you."
Her words made my heart skip a beat. I wanted to savor this rare side of her, the vulnerability she showed only when it was just the two of us.
"How about another poem?" I suggested with a grin, hoping to coax more of her thoughts out.
She blushed, looking down at her notebook. "I don't know... I don't want to bore you."
"You could never bore me," I assured her, leaning forward. "Besides, I love hearing your thoughts. It feels like I get to know you better through your words."
She smiled, flipping through her notebook. "Alright, but just one more."
As she read another poem, her voice gentle and soothing, I found myself captivated not just by the words but by her presence. The way her eyes lit up with passion as she spoke, the soft cadence of her voice—it was mesmerizing.
When she finished, I clapped lightly. "Senpai, you really have a gift."
"Thank you, Himeya-kun," she said, her cheeks tinged with pink. "It feels nice to have someone appreciate my work."
"I do more than appreciate it," I said, leaning in slightly. "I admire it. I admire you."
Her eyes widened, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause. Then, she laughed softly, a sound that felt like a gentle breeze on a warm day. "You always know just what to say."
"Only because it's the truth," I replied with a smile.
We spent the rest of the lunch break talking about her inspirations and dreams. She told me about the nights she spent under the stars, letting the moonlight guide her pen, and the quiet moments in nature that sparked her creativity.
"I feel most at peace when I'm surrounded by nature," she confessed. "It's like the world speaks to me in those quiet moments."
"I'd like to see that," I said, imagining her sitting beneath a tree, lost in her thoughts as she wrote. "Maybe next time, we can go somewhere peaceful together, and you can show me how you find your inspiration."
She looked at me, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I'd like that, Himeya-kun. I'd like that a lot."
The bell rang, signaling the end of our break. As we stood up, I felt a reluctance to part from this serene bubble we had created.
"Thank you for spending lunch with me," she said as we made our way back downstairs. "It made my day."
"Mine too, senpai," I replied. "Let's do this again soon."
"Definitely," she agreed, her smile lingering as we went our separate ways to our classrooms.
As I walked back, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. It wasn't just the poems or the conversation—it was the quiet understanding that we were becoming more important to each other, one shared moment at a time.