Hibiki

Chapter 2 | Delicate Response

     Kaede still staring at me, finally gave up to continue resting on my shoulder. "Will I ever change?" he asked in a quiet voice.

 "Love isn't real."

-Kaede POV-

thud

     "Ugh" I grunted as I fell to the floor.

A tall figure stood in front of me, reaching out a hand while apologizing profusely. "Sorry sorry, sorry!" Saito, one of the 'popular kids' exclaimed as they help me get up. "I'm really sorry about that, I'm in a rush so how about we talk when it's our lunch break later? Meet me at the rooftop. So sorry gotta go, byeeee." He blurted out as he rushed away.

-Rooftop-

     After talking to him for quite a while I actually find him really kind, we talked about several things and we quickly became friends. "Hehe, so now that we're a little close, you can just call me Itsuki. I'm not really used to being called Saito by my friends." He said with a smile. I replied with a nod while looking into the distance.

"Well then, Itsuki, can I ask you a personal question?" I asked as I sit at the railing.

"Sure!" He replied in a joyous voice.

"Do you know anything about love?" I look back at him as he tries to sit at the railing. "Hmm, a little. Some people confess to me, more from boys though. I have been in a few relationships so I do have experience."

     Before I knew it I started blurting out my 'problems' and about Yua to him. It's a good thing that he is a good person and a very good listener. "Well then, I'll help you understand love. With how much I know that is." He replied back calmly.

-Hibiki's POV-

     I come to the rooftop often to get fresh air. Although it's not really allowed to go there, I still go anyway. Before opening the door though, someone having a conversation can be heard. I don't like listening in on other's so I just started to head back. Before walking down the stairs I overheard a phrase,  "Well then, I'll help you understand love."

-Train, afternoon-

     "He is very kind really, good listener too. You should totally meet him." Kaede finally coming to a stop after talking about this person called Itsuki non-stop.

"No thank you, I'm afraid that our personalities won't be good together. Anyway, you seem really interested to him." I replied while scrolling through my phone.

"Heh, not really. Just a new friend after a while, so I just wanna tell you about them." He said with a smile. 

"Kaede." I called out quietly as he started to look back at me. "The school year is gonna end soon."

Kaede took out his phone and replied "Hm, I didn't even realize. Well, wanna go to the beach this break?
Even though it's spring season I know you'd prefer the beach so~." We barely go out anywhere so this could be a good break. I'm already planning to sleep on all my breaks but this would be a great change of plans.

"Alright." I responded.

    Thinking about it again, going to the beach with Kaede while Haru is nowhere to be seen feels odd. Haru is still missing, and it has almost been a week. I've already reached out to his family and friends but they don't know either. I wonder where he is right now.

     "Hey Hibiki." My thoughts cut off as Kaede asked a question. "I won't be able to ride the train with you tomorrow morning. I'll be going early, meeting up with someone." I took a glance at his face which isn't wearing an expression. "Okay, but it'll be weird going without you though." I responded. Kaede looked at me with a smile. "Heh, you're a grown man, c'mon now." 

-Kaede's POV-

-Early in the morning-

     I met up with Itsuki outside the school gate. It is still early so the school gate isn't open yet. We walked around the school while talking about all kinds of things again, as if we never ran out topics. "Well, about your situation let me explain a little bit." Itsuki said as he sat down at a nearby bench and inviting me to sit too.

"You told me that you can feel or experience every emotion except love, the thing is that these things are very complex in their own way and is connected somehow. Love can be both pleasant or unpleasant, it can make you feel different kinds of things. Happiness, sadness, and more. So tell me, do you feel anything for her at all?" Taking a pause, silence filled the air.

"No, I just see her as a friend." I responded in a quiet voice. "She's the first girl that confessed to me. I don't know about girls and I didn't want to hurt her feelings by rejecting without thinking."

"Hah, wow. Famous with the guys I see. Well, I get you but.. do you really have a choice?"

-Hibiki's POV-

-Train, morning-

     It's weird going to school without Kaede. If only Haru can also be here I won't be alone. It's almost a week now and he's still not found.

     Finally, I arrived at school, early as always so there are only few students going to the school too. There, in front of the school gate, Kaede is talking to Yua. I'm not interested about other peoples things, but this is my best friend so I purposely walked slowly to hear them a bit. I overheard their conversation and heard that he has rejected her. I didn't really expect much of what might happen but I looked back to look at them, looking at Yua's face, she seemed sad but her eyes tells me that she already prepared herself for the worst. Will we ever be able to fix our own 'problems?'

-Train, afternoon-

     Finally, we have finished the last day of school. the train is quite empty for some reason. We didn't really do much today but he seems exhausted, Kaede resting his head on my shoulder is asleep again. The train is mostly empty but it sounds so loud, the sound slowly became muffled and soon the train was filled with silence. Suddenly, my phone started ringing, an unknown number is calling me. "Hello? is this Hibiki?" A woman from the phone asked, right after accepting the call. "About Haru.."