"A documentary about me?"
What the hell is he talking about? Why would anyone want to make a documentary about me?
No, I do know why. In the end, he's like everybody else. He just sees me as a disabled girl. Ha! I can't believe I thought that he was going to confess to me. Was he laughing in his head when I said that? I'm such a loser.
"You don't have to give me answer right now-"
"Riyuzaki, listen closely to what I'm saying,"
I couldn't keep it in any longer. The anger and frustration that I had kept hidden from everyone until now, it's boiling over.
"You're going to take me back to my wheel chair, you are going to walk away and ever come near me again! You are to never touch me again or talk to me again. If you don't listen, if you try to bring up this nonsense about a disabled documentary-"
"-disabled? Minami-san, I think you are misunderstanding-"
"Shut up! I don't want to hear your stupid excuses! I liked you better when you didn't speak. You should have just kept to yourself, hid behind your stupid bangs and died alone!"
…
When I realised what I had said, it was too late to take it back.
I wonder if even Riyuzaki could get hurt. Why did I imagine he couldn't? He stood there for a few moments in silence pulling at his bangs. What is he thinking about? Is he angry? Upset?
"Riyuzaki, I…"
"I understand. I will take you back now."
It is now the day after my… incident with Riyuzaki. I didn't really say anything more to him when he carried me back. Maybe I should have said something. I had spent all night thinking about it. If somebody had said something like that to me, I probably would have wanted to die.
They're the classroom seemed busier than usual when I approached for the first lesson. Remi, ran over to me as I entered the classroom flashing her bright red underwear.
"Hey, Mimi did you hear? It looks like we've got a new transfer student~ He's super hot, look!"
I didn't recognise him right away, so it was hardly a surprise that the other students couldn't either. Without those bangs Riyuzaki really did look different. For the first time, I saw his green eyes.
When he turned looked at me and I felt heart beat speed up and the blood rush to my head. Wait a minute, this isn't fair, right? I couldn't suddenly change my mind about him just because he got a haircut! Am I really that easy?
Riyuzaki got off his chair and walked towards me. This is nothing like how he usually behaved. Didn't he always try not draw a lot of attention to himself?
He seemed to be very anxious as he made his way over to me. Of course he would be uncomfortable with so many people watching him all of a sudden. But he isn't making the situation any easier for himself, is he? Riyuzaki meet my eyes and then quickly look away again. His cheeks blushed and his walk unsteady.
This feels like an entirely different from Riyuzaki from the one I talked to yesterday. Now that I could see his face, it is like he is an open book.
He came to a stop in front of me. Then his mouth opened a little as if about to say something, but then closed. He took out a note from his pocket and held it out.
"Don't worry, I'll take that!"
Remi snatched the note out of his hand. Riyuzaki looked surprised for a moment, but then quietly retreated back to his chair.
If I could sum what just happened in one word, I would say have to say 'cute'. Not a word that I thought I would ever be able to apply to Riyuzaki before now.
"'Minami-san, I don't want to hide any more. Please come to the media club room after school.'~ We are going, right?!"
Kimiko jabbed Remi, and took the note out her hand as she collapsed onto the ground.
"Wait, so you decided not to reject him after all?"
"…It's complicated."
Even though my house is only a walking distance away… I don't quite know how to finish that sentence. Anyway, my parents would come to pick me up after school. They're usually come late because of work and also because, Reiko, my little sister has club practice in the afternoons. I didn't really mind waiting, but I'm not in any clubs. So, I usually spend the time watching the sports clubs practice. That reminds me, the football club is on today, I wonder if Takada will miss me being there. Unlikely, right?
I knocked on the door of the Media Room and, almost immediately, Riyuzaki opened the door.
"Minami-san!"
"I could see your shadow through the window you know."
Riyuzaki's cheeks turned bright red. Why did I suddenly get the desire to tease him? Wasn't I here to apologise?
"About yesterday…"
"I thought a lot about what you/I said."
Riyuzaki and I said that last line at the same time.
"Minami-san, have a look at this."
Riyuzaki handed me a leaflet. It's for a film competition.
"A documentary about the school?"
"That's right."
"Then why did you say that it going to be about me? I thought…"
"Minami-san, you are what I look forward to every morning, when I go to school. Your smile, your kindness, that, every morning, you say 'Hi' to me. Sometimes I feel like, you're the only person that sees me. Your words are flicker of warmth in an otherwise endless loneliness. To me, you are the most important part of this school."
Riyuzaki said what while fidgeting with his shirt and his cheeks blushed. Well, if you are going to be that embarrassed you shouldn't have said it. It's so cringe, I felt like my face would cramp.
How serious is he? Should I be happy or feel sorry for him? Well, I guess this is the media club, so a little bit of drama is to be expected.
Anyway, I should apologise.
"I'm really sorry about what said yesterday."
"No, you said what needed to be said. And besides I was being too forceful, I'm lucky that you didn't report me for assault."
"Wait, you realised that? So you're not completely stupid after all."
I started laughing and before long Riyuzaki joined in. He had a nice laugh, but it was clear that he wasn't used to it and ended up coughing.
"So~ When do we start filming?"