" Let's introduce ourselves to each other once again as friends ok."
Everybody looked at Tina who hadn't spoken to anybody but Ayaka till now, she was looking at the floor, clearing her throat like it was constricting by ropes, she clenched her left hand and held it with the right hand tightly closer to her neck on the chest, her thumbs pressed against it, hesitantly "My name is Tina Velkar, Nice to meet you " she slowly looked up towards Frey and before anybody even blinked "umm… Frey, is your name right, do you perhaps remember me?" Ayaka's heart skipped a beat. She was staring at her friend, dazed; though to some Tina's question might have seemed natural but Ayaka – who had known her friend for the longest time, was looking at a stranger.
It had been a sunny morning, and Ayaka woke up earlier that day than usual , her parents and siblings pinching, checking if the sun had risen from the west, her parents still in a disbelief, "Nothing to do at home this early in the morning" thought Ayaka to herself suddenly her expression changed into a frightening smirk. She had a great idea smug clearly visible on her face admiring her genius.
She started preparing to prank her friends into freaking out. She was a good kid overall but also the absolute definition of a free spirit like a butterfly dancing from one flower to another without the care in the world about the cruel predators lurking in the air to hunt their naive prey. She hasted towards school one and a half hour early as she reached to school grounds imagining how her friends would react to her various though not illegal but in no means ethical ideas, as she was close to the academy, a girl of similar age who she knew to be as quiet and absorbed in her own world in class often wondering what kind of person though unapproachable like there was a wall between her and other people will be like, was drawing on a bench facing towards the flower beds carefully nourished by school.
Curiosity got best of her this time and she decided to check out what the girl was so absorbed into making that she had become oblivious of her surroundings when she got close enough, Ayaka standing quietly staring at the canvas over the shoulder, Ayaka saw the girl wasn't drawing the flowers but various insects in a beautiful spread, some eating, some dancing and many chattering with each other but there was this green leaf beetle with a golden sheen sitting in a corner on the leaf facing the direction of other insects, half of its body bathing in sunlight.
Ayaka dumbfounded what just happened after a second thinking 'did she do something wrong' but upon realizing she had left her tools there scattered and she quickly began thinking how good the painting was 'i have to apologize' with this thought she gathered the tools and rushed towards the direction the girl had ran
After searching for a while she saw her behind a tree sitting on her feet, knees in her arms, head buried, visibility quivering in the shade. This time Ayaka approached a little gently she cleared her throat and got close to her slowly "umm hello" at the sound of the voice the girl clenched her grip moved her head slowly up towards the voice, got up her back sliding on the tree with slow scratching sound "sorr-" as soon as Ayaka opened her mouth she felt she would ran away again and immediately tried grabbing her hand but she was too late, the girl dodged her like a cat and started running away.
This time Ayaka gritting her teeth with fierce eyes "what is wrong with you" shouted on top of her lungs while running after her, going through a similar routine several times. After dozens of rounds around the school, both girls were out of breath and had no strength to run anymore. Tina looked at Ayaka for the first time without fear. As soon as the eyes of both the girls met, both bursted into laughter, each thinking how funny and crazy the other person was. Collapsing on the green grass—-at last—- finally both girls spoke to each other for the first time.
Upon hearing this claim, Frey started to stare towards Tina, the atmosphere grew awkward as everybody was looking at Frey who was pondering at the question for a while, Reiner exhaled a big sigh he was ready to say something to change the mood, Frey said "Sorry, are you my relative or something" with a nonchalant voice like this matter didn't concern him, Ayaka face grew fierce, staring at Frey like a tigress ready to shred him into piece… Reiner and Sam are staring at each other in disbelief.
"Oh no, no I think you might have forgotten it was 3 years ago Remember" Tina was reluctant to make him remember, "ever since that day i wanted to thank you so badly" everybody's interest grew, with anticipation and suspense waiting for Tina to continue who became silent after saying that waiting for Frey to remember
"Oh, I might have forgotten since it has been a really long time, I still don't remember, " Frey, who was not interested in the conversation with the girl, said with anticipation upon hearing her thank him. Without wasting a breath Tina started telling the whole story "3 years ago, You came to our store frequently. Since you shopped heavily in our store for about a month almost daily i remember you " she glanced toward Frey, expecting him to something "hmm, i was in heart city 3 years ago i think for 2 months" Frey said that with a unpleasant expression like a bad memory was triggered by mentioning it.
" Yes, yes" she said quickly affirming and her face lit up "on that day i was late from my drawing classes, i was sacred as it was dark and i ran into a couple of guys, they cornered me and they reeked of smoke as one of the boy was about to touch me, you suddenly kicked him and beat the rest of them, but you were in a hurry and asked me where i lived quickly since i couldn't speak i pointed towards the direction of the store you grabbed me made me run till we reached the store 'do you live here' as soon as i nodded you ran away and after that you never came to the store since that day" Everybody was amazed about this revelation, Ayaka a bit skeptical but choose to wait for what Frey would say.
Frey was of average height for 16 year old, his body was neither skinny nor was he fat but it wasn't like his body was shaped, anybody won't hesitate to fight him due to his structure he seemed an rather easy prey than how Tina had described him."yeah, i remember now, at the time i thought you were mute, i think i had seen you in the store a couple of times helping that's why i left you there" his voice was rather forced and eerie clearly, forcing himself to speak "well since we know each other from past too let's be good friends" he said it in a monotonous voice assuring Tina who was fidgeting.
"Whether be it past or present Frey is awesome no matter what" Sam said with a bright smile proud of his friend "sure, but his ability to piss off people means no bound too, how can you forget saving such a cute girl" Ayaka remarked Frey fake smiling to shrug it off.
"Hey Reiner let's leave something urgent to do" Frey with a stern gaze turned to leave "alright guys we leave now see you tomorrow" understanding that he didn't want to leave with everyone else Reiner took his leave and followed quietly.
"What is with him with him why would he leave so suddenly" Ayaka said to Sam expectant of an satisfactory answer, Tina was growing anxious 'did i do something to make him mad' she thought to herself "oh no, well the thing is we expected this that's why we didn't stop him" relieving a sigh Sam said with a serious face "3 years ago Frey transferred here midway through the semester" he said it hesitantly not sure if he should tell them 'well i know Ayaka since childhood so it should be fine' he thought to himself "he didn't speak to anybody except when the teacher asked him some questions for the full semester" his stern face changed to amusement "though he declared he will take the first spot when he introduced himself to class, anyway " Sam's admiration for his strange friend was clear "it was evident something had happened which explained his transfer too, i have never seen Frey's parents if a guardian is necessary his big sister comes" Sam got up turning to leave and gesturing those two to follow him "he doesn't speak about it much that's why i think he left"
Ayaka intrigued by this 'i should get bottom of this' with excitement 'it's like mysteries in tv shows' Tina knowing her friend to a point she can read her thoughts "if you start investigating him, i won't talk to you " said with a glare her eyes squinted and looking at Ayaka coldly "what!! Ha ha ha, i would never do that, you two know me right Sam" Ayaka with an awkward laugh caught red handed turned to Sam to save herself from Tina "no i am sure too you will want to do that." Ayaka flustered hearing this she clenched her fist tight, Sam who was walking a step ahead of two girls behind unguarded got punched hard from back below the shoulders on the ribs *cough "what the hell" his pain evident but she disregarded it and said "that's what you get by not taking my side" Ayaka declared 'she is a demon' Sam thought to himself.
"Hey, sam… is Frey dating somebody?" her face red, averting eyes not to make eye contact Tina said stuttering and blushing "Frey and girlfriend!" he let out a big sigh~~ "he doesn't" said calmly "i don't think he is the dating type, it's hard being his friends forget about girlfriend" with a careful consideration thinking they might have misunderstood "he doesn't express himself much, if he hadn't helped Reiner big time we would have thought he is not interested in us" with a smile Sam turned to Ayaka "Remember how you were fighting this morning, and he was chilling like you don't exist" Ayaka pondered for a bit "you are right though i was mad at him, it was actually Reiner who talked" with a confused look Tina and Ayaka staring at Sam "That's what i am talking about" Sam turned to Tina again "if you want to be his girlfriend you'll have to talk to him without expecting a reply or interest" Tina fidgetted nearly passed out by embarrassment with a tired tone making full effort to answer " i didn't say anything about being his girlfriend" Ayaka shaking her head like a soldier who lost a battle without even fighting looking at her hopeless friend.
"Anyway let's move fast the school is nearly empty" Sam started to pick up pace while the two girls followed him "He is an interesting fellow" Ayaka remarked.