the girl in the corner.

episode 11: you ruined my moment.

momoko had told me to meet her behind the school after club time.

she came into class during break time and told me so, with her friends peeking and giggling at the doors and windows, thinking that i won't notice them. i was with suzuki then, and i was about to redo her braid when momoko came. i noticed suzuki had felt small or inferior in momoko's presence, and she immediately hopped off my desk and went to her own in the corner.

honestly, i didn't want to go see momoko. i wanted to be polite and told her i'll be there, and she giggled and left the room. i honestly don't get why this girl's so immersed with my existence. sometimes i feel like she's just something to put up with.

after momoko had left, suzuki was quiet and would only talk in response to what i said. she must've been upset by momoko's presence, but i don't know why. i do suspect that the girls have something with each other, for i saw momoko give suzuki a cold glare before she had her attention on me.

momoko is one to always get what she wants, no matter the cost. she'll do everything to have what she desires. that's what i've seen the past years i've been studying with her.

suzuki had left early and told me that her parents told her to come home earlier than the usual time, and i nodded understandingly as i bid her goodbye at the classroom. i couldn't find the rest of my friends, so i decided to wander around the hallways until i heard what momoko has to say.

while i was aimlessly walking around, i found myself by the clubs' hallway. hesitantly, i walked in the direction of the cooking club to see if momoko was done with her activities. i peeked through the window and saw that she was collecting her things into their place, while laughing and chatting with her club members who were also close with her. momoko had a rosy blush on her cheeks and a happy glow in her eyes. i wondered what made her so giddy.

i quickly left before any of them could notice me, and i decided to wait for her behind the school, seeing that she was done with her activities. i didn't exactly like the idea of being alone with her like this, because it most likely meant we were sharing secrets, but i had no choice. i told her i'd be there.

i leaned my back on the wall behind me, now at the back of the building. i looked around at my surroundings to distract myself from waiting until momoko came. i heard footsteps to my right, but they soon halted. i didn't bother to see who they belonged to.

after a while of waiting, i heard intermingled whispers of girls in the direction left to me, and i turned to face that way. i saw momoko appear from the left corner, and she seemed surprised that she saw me here before her. she bit back a smile and walked up to me after glancing at the direction she came from.

when she was standing in front of me, she asked me if i waited long. i shook my head and asked her what she needed me here for. the moment that question was voiced, momoko bit her bottom lip to contain an obvious grin as she looked down and fiddled with the hem of her skirt. i eyed her up and down and stuffed my hands deeper into my pockets impatiently.

after some two seconds of silence, momoko finally looked me in the eye and took a deep breath. the words began leaving her lips in a quiet, hushed tone, and as a series of stutters and stammers. i was rather surprised to hear her speaking like this; she must be nervous about whatever she is about to tell me.

"nishimura!" a familiar gentle voice silenced momoko as we both turned in the direction of the voice, finding it to be none other than suzuki. she seemed rather embarrassed that she just raised her voice like this, and she held a glaring competition with momoko for so long that i grew uncomfortable. suzuki's eyes were glistening with some sort of emotion while her eyebrows were joined, and she had her bottom lip tucked under her teeth. her hands were fists, as if she was about to cry. momoko, on the other hand, was seething.

"what's up?" i shouted to suzuki from my spot.

"it's dismissal. we have to go," she said feebly, pointing her thumb in the direction behind her. i stood hesitant, wondering whether to get home early or wait and see what momoko has to say.

wait, didn't suzuki say she had to go home early?

i dismissed the thought and fixed my eyes on momoko, and she slowly turned to face me after staring at suzuki for some more seconds. i smiled politely at her and told her that the sun will soon set, and she should get home before nightfall. i assured her that i'll see her here again in the morning tomorrow, and that seemed to please her a little and she agreed to my suggestion. we bid each other farewell and like that, parted ways. i walked up to suzuki and asked her why she's here if she told me she has to go early. suzuki kept quiet for a minute then told me that the school didn't allow her to leave before dismissal. i shrugged it off and walked home with her just as everyday.

momoko acquired my thoughts that evening. i wondered what she was about to tell me before suzuki came. it must've been important for her to get us together privately. as soon as i took my usual one hour nap after school, however, i forgot all about her, and instead thought of the stare they exchanged.

they must have something going on between them.