"You... you're the new girl in class, right? I didn't expect you to... skip class just to come here. This... this doesn't seem like something a new student would do, or am I wrong?" Kirata stammered, trying to keep a neutral tone while his thoughts raced.
Kirata kept a neutral tone, though a slight doubt crept into his words. He wasn't used to this kind of interaction, especially not with someone like Yukomy.
"Huhu, maybe. It's my first time, so it could be fine, don't you think?"
Yukomy let out a soft laugh. Her playful tone made it hard to tell if she was joking or if there was a more serious undertone to her response. As she spoke, she walked toward the railing of the rooftop, letting the wind ruffle her hair. Kirata couldn't take his eyes off her relaxed and enigmatic demeanor.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Well, I've heard quite a bit about you from Minata. They say you skip classes and spend a lot of time here, on the rooftop. I was surprised to hear that, despite that, you still keep your grades high. So, I thought, why not come see you? The breeze is nice, it makes me want to stay here with you for a while. What do you think?"
An uncomfortable sensation crept up his spine. No one had ever approached him like this, so directly, as if she knew more about him than he knew about himself. Yukomy seemed to be in control, and that made him nervous.
"What... what are you talking about? Seriously? Do you want us to... skip class together?" Kirata said, feeling his voice waver as he tried to process Yukomy's carefree attitude.
"Yes, why not?"
The boldness in her voice left him speechless for a few seconds. His mind scrambled to find a proper response, but everything that came to mind faded before forming a coherent sentence. He felt like Yukomy was always one step ahead, and he was just trying to keep up.
"Do... do what you want," he finally managed to say, quickly averting his gaze as he felt his hands starting to sweat.
As soon as he finished speaking, Yukomy flashed a warm smile, but with an enigmatic hint. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
"Sometimes it's good to break the rules, you know?"
Kirata watched her closely as she leaned back against the railing, letting the wind caress her face. He didn't know how to respond. There was something in her gaze that challenged him, but in a way he couldn't defend against.
"How did you get up here without any guard stopping you? This place is pretty well-guarded."
"And you?" "How could she turn the question back on me so easily?"
"Well, I... I already know the school and its hidden spots. Besides, I came up before recess ended, while the hallways were still filled with students walking around freely, but... " "Why is she looking at me like that?"
"What's wrong, Kirata? Is something bothering you?"
Her tone remained playful, but her eyes sparkled with controlled sharpness. Yukomy knew exactly what she was doing. She was aware of the effect she had on him.
"Uh, no..., it's nothing."
He stammered, looking away as he tried to suppress the blush rising to his cheeks. Yukomy chuckled softly, enjoying his nervousness.
They went back down together for the last class of the day, while the rest of the students watched them with surprise and a bit of envy.
When they entered the classroom, their presence did not go unnoticed. Murmurs and curious glances followed them until the teacher arrived. With a contented sigh, the two settled into their seats, excited about what the rest of the day might bring.
"This time we're going to talk about our families, okay?" the teacher said.
"Yes, teacher!" the students answered in unison.
"First, Hiroki."
"My mother has a company with my father," said Hiroki.
"Now you, Kiyoshi."
"My father owns a restaurant, and my mother is a teacher."
Several students spoke until the teacher asked Kirata.
"Your turn, Kirata."
"My mother is one of the best doctors."
"And your father?"
"I don't know," Kirata said in a discouraged tone, avoiding the question and looking away.
"What do you mean by 'I don't know'?" the teacher asked.
Kirata remained silent.
"Come on, Kirata, you can tell us."
Yuko interrupted:
"Teacher, can I go next?" Looking at Kirata with a smile.
"Tell us, Yukomy," the teacher responded.
"Well, my mother is a secretary, and my father is a police officer."
"Thank you, Yukomy. Now let's move on to..."
The hours passed slowly until it was finally time to leave. Kirata, absorbed in his thoughts, sighed, "What a boring day... but at least it's time to go."
When the bell rang, the students began leaving the school in waves. At the entrance, Kirata met Giro, who was waiting for him. They exchanged a few quick words about their plan to meet later, as they had previously agreed.
After confirming the details, they said their goodbyes, and each headed home.
The night slowly descended, enveloping everything in silence and serenity. Kirata, feeling the weight of the day but not wanting to stop just yet, headed to his desk. There, as so many times before, he opened his sketchbook. The warm light of his lamp cast soft shadows in the room as he began to draw, losing himself in each stroke, letting his mind disconnect from the outside world. The lines on the paper flowed naturally, and time passed without him noticing.
As the night wore on, fatigue began to creep in, but his hands kept creating. Without realizing how late it had gotten, the pencil finally slipped from his fingers, and, resting his head on the desk, Kirata fell asleep, wrapped in the quiet of the night and the comfort of his own art.