January 12, 2022
Words: Shave
Inside a lively classroom, where student's chatter echoed throughout the hallways, Ito Seiji, a timid student who sat beside the window, gazed into the scenery of students flocking the gate outside. The cherry blossoms fluttered outside, fascination in the eyes of those who entered the high school building. Birds chirped a melody which bewitched the ears of Seiji, enchanting him into relaxation. He closed his eyes as he relished this precious moment. Until…
… a smooth sensation on his cheek startled him. However, he did not flinch nor make any movement. Letting out a sigh, he attempted to identify the culprit by opening his eyes.
"You need to shave, old man." the culprit giggled. The culprit was Nakagawa Saki.
The fair skin of her face rested on Seji, emanating a hot temperature. Because of the lack of reaction from Seiji, she trembled in embarrassment. As she became hotter, her knees weakened, moving her face away from him. Somehow, her knees regained their strength.
She stood beside him wearing their school uniform. A single glance was all it took for Seiji to realize that she changed. Her skirt was shorter and her brownish hair was curled, she even wore makeup. Most importantly, she appeared the happiest. Without realizing, a grin formed at Seiji's face as he stared at Saki.
Reddish shade draped her face as Saki whispered, "L-long time to see,"
"You turned into a gal, huh," Seiji teased, chuckling at the end of his sentence.
"Wha—" Saki scowled. Though, after fiddling with her hair, her eyes downcast and sighed. "Maybe I did," she said meekly.
Seiji's burst of laughter draped the classroom, catching the attention of their classmates. Heads turned to their direction, lending ears to the two. Saki, who had her back towards the crowd, had not noticed. Seiji, however, comprehended the strange atmosphere.
Seiji's glasses gleamed as he wore a serious expression, which turned Saki's glare into heartstruck eyes. Taking a deep breath, Seiji was prepared to entertain the audience.
Without hesitation, he said…
"My bad my bad. What I meant to say was... I liked how you changed your look."
Silence ensued. Saki, dumbstruck, was speechless. Steaming in the heat, her skin turned red. Her eyes strayed from Seiji's gaze, worried that her lovestruck eyes would expose the feelings she tried so hard to hide.
The audience felt the same. They felt second hand embarrassment. However, some broke the silence by letting out cheers, congratulating them that a new couple was born.
Saki swiveled, surprised by the sudden appearance of an audience. She realized that they heard everything. Tears formed in her eyes, somehow overjoyed by the bizarre situation. However, wiping it off, she yelled at them.
"I-i-i-it's not like that!"
And thus, the everyday lives of two students who tease each other began.