"So, we're settled. What you are going to do now is relax. I will call on each pair and tell you what kind of service you will render this weekend and of course, all the details," she says and sniffs giving her nostrils some air.
She calls on the first pair and talks to them and she gives Inojin a piece of paper. Next are Chocho and Mitsuki. She sighs before standing up and I can sense the uneasiness in her aura.
"Relax," I whisper and she smiles awkwardly. I peek at Mitsuki and he was smiling as always. Both of them proceed to face our adviser and just like earlier, our adviser instructs them and gives them a piece of paper. The same goes with the next pair and the next until it's our turn.
"Kawaki and Sarada come forward," she says and I stand up from my seat. I go first and moves in front and the jerk seems uninterested. Everyone is staring at him may be wondering why he is still not moving from his chair. He just gives us a boring look but he has no choice but to come in front. He unenthusiastically stands up and comes down.
"All right, you guys listen up. You two are going to the Fujiyama residence this weekend. Here..." she lays the paper in front of us and we both grasp on it at the same time. I try to take it away from him but he is tough. He wants to play tug with me, huh? I pull it closer to me and he pulls it on his side. We are exchanging electrifying stares that give more tension to the atmosphere.
"Hey, you're going to tear it apart," she cuts us off from pulling each end. We look at her and she smirks at us.
"Give it to her," she commands and he scoffs removing his hand from the paper and putting each of them in his pockets, and walks off.
"The details are written in the paper," she says and I nod. I get back to my seat and take a look at the paper.
"Such a pain," I mumble and sigh. I keep it underneath the desk. I turn on my side and Chocho's faintly pouting. I wonder what's wrong with her. I nudge her on her side and she looks at me still has those pouting lips.
"What's wrong?" I ask while furrowing a brow. She tries to refuse to answer but I stop her already by glaring at her.
"Okay, okay! I give up," she says raising both her hands in defeat.
"Tell me what's wrong with you," I demand and she sighs. She whispers in my ear and I patiently listening to her stories.
Oh, she and Mitsuki got a messenger job this weekend. Since the postman is on sick leave.
"Well, that's good for you. You like letters, right?" I tease her and she sulks like a kid. I giggle at her expression to tease her even more.
"Well, I'm still luckier than you thought, unfortunate little girl," she counterattacks and she leaves me in awe. Oh my goodness! Now, I remember that hell awaits me this weekend. I cup my face when I realized it and she is laughing at me now and sticks her tongue out. I pout at her teasing face.
"What do you get?" she asks me. I tell her and she is happy about it.
"What's the meaning of that face anyway?" I ask her while twitching a brow.
"Well, your task is more interesting than us, to be honest," she says and closes her book and puts it under her desk.
"Is that so?" I want to confirm if it's okay.
"I worry more about the result of your task with Kawaki. I am pretty sure he will make you do all the work. He got a tramp card against you," she points at me and waves her index finger in front of me.
"That's not fair," I retaliate and pout. I know there is a high possibility that he will do that.
"He is unfair and stubborn don't forget about that," she adds and it makes me cringe.
"And a jerk," I add and shake my head in disappointment. Why do I have to be paired up with him?
"Life is so unfair. Why?" I utter and bows my head while my forehead leans against the desk and making space for my eyeglasses not to break apart.
I went to him to hand him a copy of our task right after our class and he doesn't seem to even try looking at me so I am forced to speak to him, "Hey, did you hear me?" the jerk turns to face me and replies with "Huh?" like he never heard me say a word.
"I say here's a copy of our task this weekend. Don't forget, okay? Don't let me do it alone for your sake. It's a shame if you'll make a girl do all the work," I tell him with glaring eyes and he gives me an insulting face and sharp cold eyes.
"You are being bossy again. Are you forgetting who is the real boss here?" I know he is going to bring up the letter again.
"At Kyoto Station at 8 a.m. Don't be late I won't be waiting for you," I say and leave right away before he could speak to me. I don't want to hear what he is going to say. I don't know what was his reaction and I am not interested to know. Let's see if he'll come on time.
Saturday, 7:50 a.m.
I look at my watch to see what time is it. Ten more minutes and the train is on its way. Guess what? The jerk is still not here and it's almost time for the next trip to our destination. It will take two hours to get there. I got all the things needed for the community service.
As per instruction, we are not allowed to go home until the task is over. Meaning to say, we will stay two days and one night with the Fujiyamas. Time check it's 7:55 a.m. I can see the train coming my way and the jerk is still not here yet. I will go with or without him. I give him a copy of the details of Mr. Fujiyama and I think he won't be lost.
Before the train gets to stop in front of me, I think I've sighted a familiar face walking in my direction. Mind you that person is nothing interesting. Then the train stops and passengers coming out one by one.
"So, you came," I say not looking at him. He did not respond and gets on the train without a warning.
"Hey..." I mutter and follow him while carrying my bag full of clothes and other personal belongings.
He immediately sits on and puts the earphones on his ears like a monkey-looking alien while listening to whatever he is listening from his phone. I notice that he only has a backpack with him. Does he even have clothes with him? Okay, why do you even care, by the way, Sarada? I am scolding myself like an idiot.
I sit facing him and try not to be disturbed by his presence. He is not looking at me but looking outside the window. I glance at him once in a while but he is not moving from his position. I wonder how boring his life could be. Well, it's none of your business, Sarada.
I check on my phone if there are messages and I'm glad there is one if it's not Chocho I wonder who would it be.
Well, I am right. It's from her and her message is all about, "How's the trip with Kawaki?"
Is she expecting something else besides him being a jerk to me?
I type my reply to her and it states, "Do you expect him to be nice today? Not going to happen." And she did not reply after that. Maybe they have dived into the work already. I hope her team up with Mitsuki will be a success. Oh, I must pray that for myself, right?
After two hours and five minutes, we have finally arrived! The train stops and I start to carry all my things out of the train. The jerk and I coincidentally stand in the doorway at the same time and we do not honestly fit to pass through it together and someone needs to go out first and the jerk won't let me. How rude... I pout at him and he ignores me. So I move out after him and he keeps his pace without turning his back at me.
Does he even know he has someone with him?
"Hey, are you sure you know the place?" I call out to him. It seems that he is going in the wrong direction based on where he was heading to. He did not respond to me.
I scroll through my phone and search for the location of Mr. Fujiyama's address through my phone's GPS and it's telling me to follow the jerk. Did he come here before? It's my first time here though. So I followed him.
He stops at the bus station. So, we are going for another ride? The bus stops and the jerk gets inside shortly and I'm still halfway to the station so I need to rush over to get on time. Why did I bring too many things by the way?
He sits on the vacant seat and I do sit behind him. He keeps listening to music through his earphones and he doesn't look like he cares about the world. I'm scowling behind him and he seems not to notice me.
We stop after fifteen minutes and the jerk stands up from his seat and walks his way off the bus. I look at my phone and the GPS says we're already here. I start to wonder how the jerk handily found this place.
When I finally moved down, I find a great field in front of me.
"This place is completely different from the city," I mutter and the jerk was standing beside me not uttering a single word. The place is in the countryside. The fresh air is relaxing and the view is truly beautiful. I never grow up in a place like this and it's precisely the best place I've gone to.
"Hey, who are you looking for?" an old man from the field calls out to us. He walks in our direction and removes his hat upon arriving.
"Good morning," I greet and bow my head and he replies with a greet too.
"Is Mr. Fujiyama here?" the jerk finally says. The old man furrows his brows in confusion.
"Who are you guys, by the way?" he asks and shows a suspicious face to us. Do we look like criminals or what?
"This is the first time I saw you two here. You don't live here, do you?" he continues.
"We are high school students who have a community service program as part of our curriculum. Here..." I show him the paper with the details of our task. He nods as if to say he understands what I am saying to him.
"Mr. Fujiyama seeks help on his farm because his son is sick that is according to his letter sent to our school. So, we are here to assist," I explain, and the old man looks convinced based on his reaction.
"That is true. Did you see that house over there? That's his house. Well, this is the way," he says and shows us the narrow path in the middle of the field.
"Thank you so much, old man," I say and bow my head to show my gratitude to him. The jerk just walk off without saying thanks to the old man who helped us. Can someone teach him some manners? I just smirk at his attitude towards others and later on follow him to the Fujiyama's residence.
He doorbells and waits in front of the red-painted gate. Three, four, and five seconds and the gate is still closed but I heard an indistinct sound of a child from inside. A voice of a little boy.
"Grandpa, someone's outside," finally a clear sentence echoes from the inside.
"Alright, be careful or you'll topple down," an old man's voice replies to the boy.
The gate creaks and someone is opening it. It slowly opens and reveals an old man in kimono and a little boy.
"Hey..." he utters and stops when he realizes there are two of us outside. He then glares at the jerk. He seems to be familiarizing him or something. I look at the jerk and his lips slowly open. He is going to say something.
"Long time no see, grandpa Simone,"
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What's up, guys? Are you doing fine? I think I won't be able to update chapter 25 soon. I will try my best to update the next chapter in one of these days. I want you to know that I am not feeling well due to my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and I can barely move my left arm. I certainly need rest. I hope you understand. Are you vaccinated yet? If not, please do get vaccinated as soon as possible it's for everyone's safety. You guys stay healthy and safe. See you.