"Senpai~! Emi-chan!" A playful, familiar voice resonated from the club entrance.
"Misaki-chan!" Emi greeted Ishikawa Misaki, wearing her gentle smile.
"Sooo… This is where you are every Monday, hmm? I wonder why you leave me so often. I'm soooo lonely, you know." Misaki came in and hugged her friend who was sitting on one of the chairs. Misaki's chest pressed gently against her friend's head.
"I told you already there is a club lunch every Monday, didn't I?" Emi argued, lifting her eyebrows up.
"Ah, maybe I forgot about it," Ishikawa Misaki replied, cutely tapping her head with a playful expression. As she spoke, her eyes met Shouichi's, locking onto his gaze. A smile soon spread across her pretty face — the same sweet, radiant smile as before. It was the absolute, irresistible charm that made his heart flutter like an adiabatic pulse of warmth.
"Wait? You two know each other?" Shouichi probed, tilting his head slightly.
"Of course, Emi-chan is my classmate and my best friend!" Misaki replied firmly, leaning on Emi's shoulders, curving on her squeezy assets as she pressed.
"Come to think about it now; the two best friends share a similar feature. I bet their bras' sizes are the same, they could switch their bras if they wanted and it would still fit them… Dang it! What was I thinking" Shouichi's thoughts ran wild.
"Ahem! Shouichi, your eyes." Shinji urged, nudging and then whispering in Shouichi's ear. It appeared Shouichi lost in the sauce while staring at those dynamites without even blinking his eyes.
"Fufufu!" Misaki seductively giggled, cupping her lips.
"By the way, may I join you guys for lunch at the club?" Misaki asked politely.
"Umm…" Emi hesitated, looking around for opinions.
"That's fine. The more, the merrier, or so they said," Shinji replied firmly with his smartass remark.
"I guess," Ayane said indifferently, not batting an eye.
"...I, um, I wouldn't mind at all. " Shouichi added.
Once everyone was on board, Misaki pulled a chair to sit across from Ayane and between Shouichi and Emi. The silence and awkwardness sonn filled the air, while Misaki's eyes darted around slightly uncomfortable.
Misaki eventually turned to her senior, "Shou-senpai, would you like to try my sausage? Say ahh?" She hovered it close to him, using her chopsticks.
"That's alright, Misa-chan. I'm feeling a bit stuffy right now," he kindly refused. "This feels like déjà vu," he added, a quick flashback of being on the rooftop with Ayane flashing through his mind.
"What's with the nicknames? Misa-chan? Shou-senpai? Did you two, um,..." Emi probed, trying to put two and two.
"Jeez, stop nagging him, already..." Ayane said, stern in her voice with a hint of hostility. Her sudden words startled Misaki, Emi, and even Shinji.
"Huh?... Sorry, Morimura-san," Misaki apologized with a respectful bow to Ayane. The senior didn't respond, merely resting her chin on her palm in silence.
"What the freak, bro? Is this what I think it is?" Shinji whispered to Shouichi, so quietly that only he could hear it.
"I dunno, Shinji." He replied.
"Say… Shou-senpai, would you like to hang out with me this evening? I can wait for you after your club practice, then we can go to karaoke!" Misaki continued to suggest.
"Ugh, this is the worst timing ever. Misa-chan could have asked in chat or literally any other time. Did she do this deliberately to spite Ayane?" Shouichi pondered, frustration evident in his thoughts.
"Shouichi-kun, tell her that you don't want to go..." Ayane eventually snapped, her voice obviously sounding irritated.
"Hooo? Stop putting your words into his mouth! Are you his jealous girlfriend or something?" Misaki retorted, raising her voice.
"Nnn~No. " Ayane replied, her voice softened to almost inaudible.
"Then this is none of your business!" Misaki yelled.
"Huh? Speaking for yourself, you are no good for him." Ayane retorted, still calm and composed as ever.
"H~Hey guys, calm down… " Shouichi interjected agitatedly, trying to deescalate the situation.
"...Tsk!" Ayane grimaced in exasperation, her brows furrowing into a frown as her lips curled downward.
"Well, answer me this, Morimura-san. Do you like Shou-senpai? Why are you jealous of us?" Misaki boldly contronted her senior, wearing a condescending smirk.
"Hey, that's too far, Misaki-chan!" Emi interrupted as she tried to pry the girl away, serious concern written all over her face.
"... " Ayane did't utter a word, and then she sprung up on her feet.
"Eek!" Misaki yelped as Ayane abruptly grabbed her arm and pulled up her sleeve, exposing her bare skin. A series of faint slit marks lined Misaki's delicate wrist, shocking everyone in the room into stunned silence.
"Holy… are those scars from multiple suicide attempts?" Shouichi thought, his mind racing. "I've never seen them up close before. How could a perfect, lovely girl like Ishikawa Misaki be coping with depression to this extent? Could Ayane's accusations really be true? Did she… did she actually kill someone?" He contemplated hard, the revelation shaking him to his core.
Misaki's eyes brimmed with tears, her composure crumbling under the weight of the moment. A heavy sense of despair seemed to envelop her.
"Misaki-chan…" Emi called out softly, her voice trembling with concern.
"I~I can't… " She replied with tears raining down on her cheeks.
"You're a murderer, tell us the truth! Say it! " Ayane coldly ordered, showing no sign of empathy as she continued to grip on Misaki's wrist. Ayane was always a ruthless, heartless girl, especially to strangers.
"Ye~yes, it's my fault… It's all my fault!" Misaki shouted her confession, her voice wavering yet loud.
"That's enough! Ayane, Let her go!" Shouichi interupted, he could not sit idly any longer. As Shouichi locked eyes with Ayane, his eyes filled with rage. Ayane had never seen this side of him before, it terrified her.
"You're way out of line! Let go of her hand! Damn it!" Shouichi barked, grabbing Ayane's wrist with a firm grip.
"But… ouch!" Ayane cried out in pain, releasing Misaki's wrist instinctively.
Almost immediately, Misaki bolted out of the clubroom, her wails echoing down the hallway as she ran, overwhelmed by distress.
Realising Shouichi had put too much pressure on Ayane's hand, Shouichi quickly let go. Ayane winced slightly as she gently rubbed the red marks on her bruised skin.
"Man… What a mess," Shinji muttered, placing a hand on his forehead in frustration.
"I'm so sorry, senpai. If I had known this would happen, I would've refused when Misaki asked to join us. I… I should've been more thoughtful," Emi said, her expression filled with regret.
"I'm sorry, Shouichi-kun… I just… I wanted to protect you," Ayane said softly, her voice trembling.
"There's no need to shame her publicly like this," Shouichi replied, his tone stern. "Don't you think she's been through enough?"
"You're heartless, Ayane," Shouichi added, his expression serious. Rising from his seat, he turned to leave.
"It's not like that. Please, listen to me…" Ayane pleaded, her voice breaking as tears welled up in her eyes. She grabbed his wrist in desperation.
Shouichi forcefully pulled his arm free, his tone cold and final. "We're done."
He walked out, his head spinning, a fiery mix of anger and confusion clouding his thoughts. Behind him, Ayane broke into sobs, the so-called heartless girl revealing her vulnerable side— a soft spot for Shouichi that only made the moment more painful.
***
The next day arrived, and Shouichi contacted Ito Emi, asking to meet her after practice. He had decided it was time to uncover the full story behind Ishikawa Misaki.
When he reached the rugby club room, it was empty, so he took a seat on the couch and waited patiently. Before long, Emi appeared, still in her gym uniform, her clothes damp with sweat from practice.
"Senpai, have you waited for long? It took me a while to finish my lapse." Emi greeted him with a smile, she unzipped her jacket, revealing a seimi-transparent t-shirt under.
"Thanks for meeting with me after the practice, Emi-chan. " Shouichi said, signalling her to have a seat across from him. She walked around and sat down accordingly.
"I'd like to ask you something about Misa-chan, I mean Misaki-chan." He requestet, going straight to the point.
"Eh? I don't know for certain… Because the girl herself, Misaki-chan, never wanted to touch on this subject since. For what I've gathered, rumours had it that she attempted to commit a double suicide with another boy." Emi answered with a serious tone. She still sweated heavily after her exercise. Subsequently, Shouichi grabbed a cold towel from the fresh basket and handed it to her. Emi bowed slowly before accepting it with both hands.
"Really? A double suicide? Did Ayane know this?" Shouichi asked to confirm, skeptical at the news.
"I think so. It's a big gossip around the school at one time. Morimura-senpai probably heard it from someone," Emi reasoned, nodding repeatedly as she rubbed a towel over her face and neck. The casual action carried an unintentionally seductive air.
"The boy's suicide was tragic… but Misaki-chan somehow survived. The details were kept from the public, which is perhaps why some people brand her a murderer. Poor Misaki..."
"Damn, I didn't know that. Was that a while ago? When did it happen?" Shouichi probed like he was an investigater, his tone a mix of shock and curiosity.
"Over half a year ago, I think," Emi replied. She pulled at the hem of her tee and absentmindedly rubbed her sweaty upper chest. Shouichi quickly averted his gaze, his face heating with embarrassment.
"But Misaki isn't a bad girl," Emi continued, "She was just in a bad place. I'm glad she has someone who cares about her, Seito-senpai."
"I agree with you completely," Shouichi affirmed, his voice brimmed with conviction.
"Maybe you should ask Misaki yourself," Emi suggested, pointing her index up nerdily, she soon added, "She doesn't open up to just anyone, but I believe you're an exception, senpai."
"Thanks, Emi-chan. I'll figure the rest out," Shouichi replied confidently, a sense of determination settling over him.
***
Shouichi arrived at Yoko Sweet Shop in the late afternoon, it seemed like there was no customer to be seen.
"Welcome back! Shou-kun." Yoko greeted him, wearing her usual sweet smile.
"Where's Ayane-chan? She hasn't shown up for 2 days straight." Yoko said with concern.
"I have no idea, Mom. " Shouichi replied flatly with a shrug.
"Did you talk to her at all?" Yoko probed, she appeared to be concerned over her favourite cusomter's absense.
"I really haven't got a chance to, um, I've been busy with the club activity recently," Shouichi replied, dodging her question.
"... Shouichi, are you hiding something?" She pressed, leaning in closer.
Shouichi let out a deep sigh of frustration, unable to hold it in any longer. He decided to come clean, and consult with his mother about the issue. It took him over half an hour to explain the entire situation, starting from the unexpected date with Misaki to the fallout with Ayane.
"HAA!? You broke up with Ayane-chan?" Yoko exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock.
"It's not a breakup; we weren't dating," Shouichi clarified, rubbing his forehead. "But yeah… we just don't talk anymore."
"That's so sad," Yoko remarked, gently rubbing a dry cloth over a coffee cup. "Ayane-chan was a nice girl, but I agree she could be cruel sometimes."
"And who is this new character? Ishikawa Misaki?" Yoko asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, she went to Seihei. The girl was in a bad spot, dealing with her depression, that's all I can say right now. But when I've met her she's really, really a sweet girl. " Shouichi replied softly. He took out his phone and showed Yoko the photo, it was Misaki's photo he took that day in front of the changing room.
"Wow! She's gorgeous and really cute. She could be an idol if she wanted to," Yoko complimented, her tone excited.
"Do you like her, though?" Yoko asked, nudging him playfully with her elbow.
"..." Shouichi nodded, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks.
"I don't know what to do, Yoko-san," Shouichi admitted, seeking her advice.
Sigh… Yoko responded with a knowing look. "If my boy was a bit more aware, he would've known right away… When a girl treats you differently, it just means you're someone special to her. Oh my, it's good to be young…" Yoko mused, a fleeting memory flashing in her mind — Morimura Ayane's beautiful violet-purple glance when she spoke to Shouichi. It was unmistakable; the girl was definitely into her son.
"I can't give you any good advice, sorry," Yoko admitted, gently patting his fluffy hair. "But I believe you'll figure it out eventually."
Shouichi exhaled deeply. "I don't want to lose a friend, but I also want to follow my heart. Will Ayane ever forgive me for this?" he wondered silently.
"Love is like that, isn't it?" Yoko spoke with the wisdom of experience. "Sometimes it's so pretty and wonderful, other times it's painful and scary. Fufu."
"Mom, I've decided."
"Huh? Already?"
"I'll ask Misaki-chan about the truth. I need to hear it from her," Shouichi said, his decision firm.
"Atta boy! Shou-kun!" Yoko exclaimed proudly, before encouraging him, "I'll cheer you on, no matter what you choose!" The mother jumped up to hug him tightly, her warmth and elderflower aroma enveloping him.
***
In the late evening, Shouichi lay on his bed, scrolling aimlessly through social media.
"I wonder if Misaki is still awake," He thought, before impulsively sending her a sticker of a cat waving its paw. Almost immediately, his phone buzzed.
"Shou-senpai! I was just about to message you, too!" Misaki texted.
"We must be telepathically linked. Haha," Shouichi typed back, and she tapped "❤️" on his message.
"I'm sorry about the other day… you saw the ugly version of me," Misaki apologised.
"That's fine. I'm sorry too, for what happened to you. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine, I guess..." Misaki responded, followed by a cute selfie. Despite being bare-faced and ready for bed, she was still the cutest girl Shouichi had ever seen. "She's a real natural beauty," he thought, his heart fluttering. Her white satin blouse was a bit revealing, leaving her upper chest exposed in a subtle yet seductive way.
"I hate being depressed like this, senpai," Misaki confided.
"Agreed."
"I miss you already, though," She confessed. "She really stays true to herself and speaks her mind," He remarked internally.
"Would you like to hang out after school tomorrow?" Shouichi gathered his courage and hit a 'send' button.
"Ho? Shou-senpai, you want to meet me? Is this a dream? Fufufu."
"Not a dream. I want to see you, the real you, Misa-chan," he replied, his tone suddenly serious.
"I want that too. Let's meet then!"
"❤️" Misaki sent a heart emoji, and Shouichi felt a butterfly in his stomach. The boy doubted he'd be able to sleep tonight.