2. Small Victories

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The day was somewhere between cloudy and sunny, as if the sun itself was undecided whether to show up. Kazama shared that uncertainty as he walked under that indecisive sky. The school was almost nearing and his steps were growing slower.

He knew he had to go to school and couldn't afford to be late or else his whole schedule would come crumbling down. He had English class after, then arithmetic, then piano, then soccer practice, then-

"Kazama!"

That voice again. It never could leave him alone for long. But in that moment, he was relieved to be pulled out of his stressful thoughts.

He halted his steps and waited for him to catch up. Other voices drifted to his ears and he turned partly to see Masao, Nene and Suzuki also walking up to him.

"Hey Kazama! We never see you anymore," Nene accused. Wait, she didn't really accuse, she just stated it but her voice always sounded like she was blaming someone of something.

"Talk for yourself, Nene. Kazama and I see each other all the time," Shin Chan fluttered his lashes at him and pretended to swoon when Kazama failed to hide the little upward twitch of his lips. It wasn't much but it was something and Shin Chan had learnt to treasure these moments as his personal victories.

"Just been busy. How are you guys?" Kazama asked, happy to see his childhood best friends together.

"Awesome as always, but we would be even more awesome if you spent more time with us," Masao said, smiling kindly.

Suzuki nodded but said nothing. He liked to be quiet and listen to his friends talk.

Kazama hesitated. "We can hang out at lunch. No wait. I've a student council meeting during break. Maybe after school.. but I've tuition and then I've to study and then.." he trailed off, a mindless panic seizing him as he thought of all the things he had to do. "I've to go. I'm late." Saying that, he turned and ran away.

Shin Chan watched him go with an unexplainable sadness in his eyes. No it wasn't really unexplainable. He knew exactly why his cardiac muscles protested whenever his best friend walked away from him.

He liked Kazama a little too much.

He was brave enough to accept the truths about himself and had known it for quite some time. But if someone held a gun to his temple and demanded the exact time when he fell for his perfect, goody two shoes, best friend he wouldn't be able to tell them.

"Are you dead, Shin Chan? You haven't moved for the past five minutes."

He jumped at Nene's voice. Masao and Bo had left. She was staring at him with a knowing look in her eyes.

"Pfft, I am too cute to die. Even if I had to die, it wouldn't be like this. I'll make sure to go out with a bang," he mimicked a tiny explosion and raced her to school.

If you liked it, show it. By voting, I mean. lol that sounds like a terrorist attack awareness slogan like- if you see something, say something.

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