Just Maybe

Meeting

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To which once upon a time, young

Inumaki met a girl that changed his life.

At such a young age too.

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It was the second time this week.

The second time where a small boy around the age of 7 went up to a young girl to ask for his ball back. The second time where the young girl, albeit looks physically older than him, with light brown hair and blue eyes stared onto his lavender ones. The second time where the same blue eyes shined, expecting they waited. 

And the second time that despite the intense eye contact, nothing happened between the two. Aside from living within the awkward atmosphere that surrounded them since the early morning.  

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The first time this happened, was when the shuttlecock he was playing flew with the strong gust of wind. It flew so hard that it hit a girl straight in the forehead. He gasped lightly as the "shuttlecock victim" patted the spaces beside her to get a feel of whatever just hit her. Just as she touched the object, it was snatched by the owner. He moved fast for him to get away before one of his ankles were grabbed and he fell face first. 

"Hmph, now we're even" The  boy groaned as he rolled to face forward, hands covering his face before hastily putting his disarranged face mask back to its original position.

Shuttlecock victim, courtesy to him calling her as such, stood up and crossed her arms while looking at whoever this person was. Eyes analyzing his features, from the off-white (now grass covered) hair, puffed lavender eyes from him rubbing them, to the military themed mask he wore that covered the lower half of his face. Moving her gaze upwards she spotted the object fired and made her way towards it. 

Meanwhile, the still laid down, hands constantly touching his mask to assure that it was indeed there. Just then, a feather appeared in front of him. He stared confused before quickly realizing that it was his shuttlecock. Feathers being moved from side to side, the girl dangled it over his face while playing a tune that seemed foreign to him.

The boy reached up to grab it, only for her to pull her hand back.

"Nu-uh! Say please first! If you want it you need to ask."

She looked at him with a smile. The two engaged in an eye contest, quietly looking at each other. It wasn't until the boy stood up, that she straightened her position excitedly, awaiting his voice for her to hear.

Or it would've been.

 Had the boy not grabbed the item swiftly, while her guard was down, and made a mad dash towards the park entrance.

"HEY! YOU DIDN'T ASK YET!" 

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Ball in hand, the girl clutched it tighter against her chest, nevermind the stains of mud and grass that are present. As time passed, eye contact still in progress, the older one glared before taking in a deep breathe.

"I told that when you want it back you need to ask properly!" She yelled at the younger one. Said person being yelled at only blinked and lowered his head before extending his hand. The girl huffed before pointing an accusing finger at him.

"No you dumb dumb! You need to ask properly! Something like 'Can I please get my ball back?' That one!" She said, as if stating the obvious. Where in this case, it was. Once again, the boy blinked and lowered his head even more, before extending both of his hands towards the angry girl.

Blue eyes held disappointment as she pouted. The boy stayed unmoving evident to his short off-white hair that stayed in the same place since being in that position. Finally she gave up, with a sigh she walking off to a nearby tree.

"You know, you need to ask properly. It's proper manners." She started off, eyes forward as she approached the tree settled near the park's entrance.

"If you don't ask, then you won't get it. So you need to ask, you like this ball right?" Tapping the ball in hand, she reached the tree. Placing the ball on the ground, she stretched and gave off a yawn.

"If it was someone else, they would know that you are being a bad bad boy. That's why I'm here to help you! Come on, you don't need to be shy-" She whipped her head to find no one behind her. 

"Huh?" She then turned right, left, and proceeds to circle around the tree. Only to find the boy missing.

"...Is he Mr. Magician?" Running around the tree, she stopped once she got a glimpse of the younger one on the same spot as she left him. Arms extended and head lowered. She gasped and screamed.

"DUMB DUMB! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" She sprinted towards the boy. Before tapping him aggressively on the shoulder.

"NO ONE SAID TO STAY LIKE THAT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" His posture straighten and turned to face the very confused girl. Lavender eyes only stared at her before reaching out his hand once again. He expected a yell or two about how he didn't do something, but what he didn't expect was a small hand holding his own and dragging him towards the tree she marked as hers.

Silence engulfed the two, before a mutter was heard.

"...'M sorry..." The girl whispered silently. So silent that the boy caught it briefly. Underneath the mask he was wearing he smiled. His hand squeezed hers as if saying "It's okay".

The two reached the tree and she handed him the ball before sitting down with a plop on one side of the tree. The younger one plopped down on the spot across from her, the tree blocking them both.

The mild gust of wind eased them both and soon the older of the two hummed the same tune she did from the last time they met. 

Sneaking obvious glances the girl pondered something. The mask he wore, why does he have that? She crawled beside him, before poking his cheeks.

"Dumb dumb, why do you wear this?"

The boy's lavender eyes widened, hands immediately guarding his mask. Before shaking his head numerous times.

"Do you have a cold?"

His head shook 'no' before pausing and then shaking them 'yes', it took a while but he then shook 'no' once again.

"So you don't have a cold?" 

His head hung low as she hummed.

"Dumb dumb it's not good to lie" She giggled before inching her face closer.

"So why do you wear it? Isn't it hot?"

The boy hesitated, before reaching up to the tip of his mask, slowly pulling them down

Blue eyes met circle markings, as she saw his face entirely for the first time this week.

He didn't dare look up at her. Afraid of seeing whatever reaction she had. Nimble fingers reached out to touch the circles before he pushed her off and ran towards the entrance.

"Hey!"

The girl could only stare, his figure turning smaller and smaller as he ran further and further away. She pouted before looking beside her, gasping at what she saw.

"DUMB DUMB! YOUR BALL! YOU LEFT IT!" 

---MEETING: DONE---