It was late in the afternoon, and I had just finished my homework when my phone buzzed on the desk. The screen lit up with a name I didn't expect—Ino.
I hesitated for a moment, staring at the blinking name. Ino and I weren't exactly close( I guess). Sure, we spoke in class, but a phone call? That was unusual. I took a deep breath and answered.
Riiing... Riiing...
Click
"Hello?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Hey, Emma! It's Ino!" her bright, chirpy voice rang through the phone. "What are you up to?"
"Oh, um, nothing much... just finished some homework," I replied, not sure where this was going.
"Perfect! Listen, I was thinking... you wanna hang out after school tomorrow? There's this cool market in Toribu village I've been dying to check out. We can grab some snacks, walk around, maybe even pick up something cute." Her words came out fast, like she had been planning this for a while.
I paused, unsure. It wasn't that I didn't want to hang out, but hanging out meant stepping out of my usual routine. And besides, what if...?
"Oh, and by the way, Sato's coming too!" Ino added, her voice full of mischief, as if she already knew that would make me second-guess everything.
Sato? My heart did a little flip at the thought. Spending an afternoon with him? He was always so... hard to read. And yet, there was something about him that intrigued me. Maybe this was my chance to understand him better.
"I... uh..." I stammered, unsure of what to say.
"Come on, Emma! It'll be fun, I promise. Besides, you never know, you might actually like hanging out with us," Ino said teasingly. "Don't overthink it!"
I bit my lip, considering her offer. It wasn't like I had plans, and a small part of me was curious to see what Sato was really like outside of school.
"Okay," I said finally, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "I'll come."
"Great! Meet us at the school gates after class. You won't regret it!" Ino chimed, her excitement contagious.
As I hung up the phone, I stared at it for a moment, feeling the flutter of nerves in my chest. Tomorrow was going to be interesting—hanging out with Ino, Sato... and a whole lot of unknowns.
When I showed up at the meeting spot, Ino and Sato was already there too. My heart skipped a beat, and I almost considered backing out. I wasn't used to being around him, and the idea of spending the afternoon together made my nerves spike.
We wandered through the local market in Toribu village, Ino leading the way, happily chatting about random things. I nodded along, barely keeping up with the conversation. My mind was too busy overthinking every little movement Sato made, from the way he stuffed his hands into his pockets to the occasional glances he threw my way.
We passed by a small store filled with trinkets and colorful knick-knacks. Out of nowhere, Sato's face lit up, his eyes locking on a display of anime keychains hanging by the window. His entire expression shifted into something youthful and carefree.
"I've been saving up for these!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement as he practically bounced over to the display.
Ino rolled her eyes, smirking. "Really, Sato? You and your anime stuff."
I let out a small laugh, quickly covering my mouth when I realized they both heard me. It was endearing, seeing someone so animated and excited about something so simple.
"You like anime too?" I asked, surprising myself by actually speaking up. My voice was quieter than I intended, but it got his attention.
Sato turned to me, blinking in surprise before a wide grin spread across his face. "Wait, seriously? You're into anime?" His excitement was contagious, and I couldn't help but feel a little spark of warmth at his enthusiasm.
I nodded shyly, looking down at my shoes. "Yeah, I've been watching for a while now."
"That's awesome!" He practically beamed, looking as if he'd just discovered a long-lost friend. "We should totally watch something together sometime!"
My heart did a weird flip at the thought. Watch anime? With Sato? I could barely handle standing next to him, let alone sitting together for hours. Still, his excitement made me smile despite myself.
"What's your favorite?" he asked, leaning in just a little, like he was genuinely curious.
I hesitated, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Uh... it's, um... 'Your Lie in April,'" I mumbled, almost too embarrassed to say it out loud. It wasn't exactly a secret, but still, it felt personal somehow.
"No way!" Sato's eyes widened, his face lighting up again. "That's one of my topg favorites too! The music, the story—ugh, it's so good!" He waved his hands around excitedly, like he couldn't contain his energy. "The part where—wait, have you finished it? I don't wanna spoil anything."
I laughed softly, shaking my head. "Yeah, I've seen it all. It's... emotional."
"Right? It totally hits you in the feels." He grinned again, this time softer. "I didn't expect that from you, though. You seem more like... I don't know, someone who watches comedies or action shows."
I shrugged, feeling more at ease now. "I like those too, but there's something about shows like 'Your Lie in April' that... I don't know, they make you feel things."
Sato nodded thoughtfully, a knowing look crossing his face. "Yeah, I get that. Sometimes, it's nice to watch something that lets you feel everything, even the sad stuff."
For the first time, I saw him truly excited about something, something real. Not the fake smile he put on around school, not the carefree persona he usually carried, but the real Sato—the one who had layers, who wasn't just the popular kid everyone assumed he was.
As we walked, Sato kept the conversation going, talking about different anime series he loved and random things he found interesting. I was surprised at how much he was willing to share. It was like once he got started, he couldn't stop. And in that moment, it became clear: Sato wasn't just the outgoing, funny guy everyone thought he was. He had a deep love for simple things, and none of it had to do with impressing anyone.
Ino eventually stopped at another stall to look at some accessories, giving Sato and me a moment alone. He glanced around the market, his expression softening as the lively chatter of people filled the air.
"You know," he said quietly, his voice lower now, "people at school think they know me. They think I'm just the guy who jokes around and doesn't care about anything serious."
I glanced at him, surprised by the shift in his tone. "You don't seem like that to me."
Sato smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes this time. "It's easy to put on a mask, you know? Everyone's so focused on their own stuff that they don't look deeper." He sighed, his hand brushing against one of the keychains as he spoke. "But honestly, I don't really care about all that. I'm just... not interested in the whole 'high school drama' thing. Like, love, dating, all that stuff? It just feels pointless to me right now."
I looked at him, curious. "So, you're not into anyone? Like... at all?"
Sato shrugged casually. "Nah. It's not really my thing. Everyone's always obsessed with who's dating who or who likes who, but... I just don't see the point. There's so much more to do, you know? I've got my anime, my friends, my hobbies. Why complicate things with feelings?" He laughed lightly, as if the whole idea was silly to him. "I'm just not interested in love, I guess."
His words surprised me, but in a way, they made sense. Sato wasn't like other boys at school who flirted and gossiped about crushes. He seemed... free from all of that, more focused on enjoying life as it was.
"I guess that's kinda nice," I said after a moment. "You don't have to worry about all the drama."
Sato nodded, smiling again, this time more genuinely. "Exactly. No drama, no distractions. Just living, you know? I like it that way."
We caught up to Ino, who had bought a bracelet, and as we continued walking through the market, something had shifted. Sato wasn't just the popular guy anymore, and he wasn't trying to be anything other than himself. He had no interest in love or relationships, and somehow, that made him seem even more real.
Maybe that's what made him different from everyone else. While the rest of the world was caught up in the whirlwind of high school crushes and romance, Sato was just... living. And for the first time, I found that comforting.