love galore : nishimura riki

four : rejected by her

━Ni-ki's P.O.V

It's been four days since the piano lessons started. Surprisingly, I've been progressing well. It's not like she's a professional or anything, but I did learn a lot during those four days.  The routine is the same every day. She and I meet up for lunch. We conduct the lessons in the music room. We say our goodbyes and then we don't speak nor acknowledge each other for the rest of the day.

I might've been making progress on the piano lessons but I certainly wasn't making any progress toward her.

I need to do something quickly.

It's currently 4:25 pm━ meaning classes were going to end soon. By soon, I meant five minutes. I patiently waited outside the art room. Shortly, sophomores started coming out of the room but she didn't. Curious, I went inside and saw her sitting in front of a blank canvas.

"Didn't class end already?"

She jumped in surprise. "Huh? Oh, it's you."

"It's me, your handsome client."

"Very funny," she sarcastically remarked.

I sat myself beside her, observing her frozen state. She's just staring at the white, plain canvas. "Not very inspired huh." She shook her head. "I don't know what to paint. I can't leave until I'm not done with this." Hana looked down on her lap, letting out an exhausted sigh.

"Why are you here anyway?" She asked.

"I was going to ask you something."

"Ask me what?"

I bit my lip. "I... uh, can we━"

Bang

"There you are!"

A guy, probably a senior, entered the room. He looked pissed.

"You should go," she ushered, pushing me out.

"Who's this?" The guy asked, pointing at me.

"No one. He's just a schoolmate asking for homework." Hana answered. She looks annoyed. What the hell is happening?

It was my time to ask. "Who are you?" I pointed back at him.

"Her best friend."

She has friends?

"Look man, Hana and I were discussing something important and I really need to tell her this right now."

He crossed his arms. "Go ahead."

I gave him an are-you-dumb look. "Privately."

"No one else is listening, it's just me."

I poked my tongue inside my cheek. "By privately, I mean me and her only."

He turned to Hana who was gawking at the both of us the entire time. "Your other friend here is annoying me, Hana." He sassed.

"What's your problem man?"

And at that moment, Hana placed herself between us. "Sunoo, just leave!"

"Wha━"

"Go! We can talk later!" She said through gritted-teeth.

"Fine! Have fun with your new best friend."

That guy has the audacity to bump into me. Talk about virtues and morals. Once he was gone, I turned back to Hana. Her eyes... it looks like she was about to cry. Shit.

"Asshat, am I right?" I joked. She clearly wasn't happy with the situation.

"Just go, Ni-ki."

"Listen, Hana,  I was going to ask you out but then that psycho barged in━"

"What?"

"I'm asking you out." I pointed out the obvious.

She doesn't look pleased.

"Please, I don't have time for jokes," she pleaded. "If you're not going to leave, I will." She hastily took her bag, as well as the papers from the table.

"I just need five minutes. Five! It won't take long, I swear!"

"Stay away from me." She stated through gritted teeth.

"C'mon, Hana." He grabs her by the wrist, causing the pieces of paper to fall to the ground. She fumed━ clearly annoyed. He showed her an apologetic grin. "Oops."

"Oops?... O-oops?"

"That wasn't on purpose━ I swear," he held up both hands in defense.

"You p-prick!"

He neared her. "Did you just call me a prick?"

"Yes, that's what you are." She hastily grabbed the papers on the ground before pushing past him, bumping his shoulder on the process. "And no, I don't want to go on a date with you!"

He stood there in disbelief. How could she reject him? Him out of all the boys. Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang.

"What?"

...

"Yeah, yeah, I'm working on it."

...

"Very funny."

Beep

...

2 weeks?