The project with Haruka went fine. I didn't really care about it, but we got a good grade, and that's enough. Haruka seems a little more... chatty now. She still keeps asking me if I want to hang out with her and her friends. I always give her the same answer, but she doesn't seem to mind. I'm not sure if she's just persistent or if she really wants me around.
One afternoon, I end up on the school roof. I didn't mean to. I was just walking around and ended up here. The roof's quiet, and no one really comes up. I usually like it that way.
I push open the door to the roof, and I see someone's already sitting there. It's Sora. She's just sitting on the edge of the roof, looking at the view. Her hair's a bit messy, like she's been here for a while. She doesn't seem to notice me at first, so I stand there for a few moments, not sure what to do.
When she does notice, she doesn't seem surprised to see me. It's almost like she was expecting me.
"You don't come up here often," she says, not looking directly at me.
I shrug. "I don't really come up here at all."
She glances at me for a second, but doesn't say anything. After a moment, she just looks back at the view again, like she's lost in thought.
"I like it up here," she says. "It's peaceful. No one comes to bother you."
I nod, not sure what else to say. The silence stretches between us. It's not awkward, though. It's just quiet.
"You're different from the others," she says, breaking the silence again.
"Different how?" I ask, not really understanding what she means.
She looks at me for a moment, then shrugs. "You don't try to fit in. Not like Haruka."
I don't know how to respond. I don't think I really try to fit in, but it's not like I'm trying not to fit in either. I just... don't care.
"I don't know," I mumble.
She stands up after a while, brushing off her skirt. "Maybe you should stop hiding," she says. "You don't have to pretend all the time."
I don't know what she means by that. I don't think I'm pretending. I just don't feel like getting involved.
She starts heading toward the stairs, but then stops and looks back at me. "I'll be here again tomorrow. You can join me if you want."
I don't say anything. I just watch her walk down the stairs.
The next day, I take a different route. I don't go to the roof. It's not like I'm avoiding her.
In class, Haruka keeps talking to me, like usual. She's still asking me to hang out with her and her friends. I don't really care, but I don't say anything. It's easier that way.
Sora, though, doesn't look at me. Not that I expect her to. It's not like we've really talked or anything. But even though she doesn't seem to be looking at me, I know she's still there. It's like I can feel her presence. I can't explain it.
Later that night, I'm sitting by my window, like I usually do. The street's empty, quiet. I don't know why I keep thinking about Sora's words, but they won't leave my mind. Stop hiding.
I don't think I'm hiding. I'm just... not interested in getting involved with people. But for some reason, it bothers me that Sora thinks I'm hiding. Maybe it's because she's right.
Haruka keeps inviting me to hang out with her, but I know that nothing would change if I went. I'd just be another background figure, standing in a corner, watching everyone else.