Day six
Suminako's POV
It was the day of the closing ceremony for the Alice Festival. However, when I walked into class, all of the girls were surrounding the three most popular boys in our class: Natsume, Ruka-pyon and Taka-kun.
What in the world? I was concerned on why there are so many junior girls surrounding Taka-kun on a day like particular day like this.
Could it be that there is something special going on?
"Hey, what's going on? Why is everyone surrounding Taka-kun?" I asked Anna and Nonoko. They knew I had a crush on Taka-kun, or at least they say it's obvious because I'm always seen by his side talking to him or I always stare at him during classes. I was embarrassed, but at least glad that I didn't have to hide it from my close friends.
"You don't know? We're having the Last Dance tonight!" both of them said at the same time.
"Uh, the what?" I asked since I didn't quite catch that.
"The Last Dance! it's one of the academy's seven wonders. There's a legend that if two people dance together, they become soulmates! Ah, I can't wait to ask Misaki-sensei out!" said Anna.
"Me too, let's ask him together tonight," said Nonoko.
Soulmates?
I've never seen myself being Taka-kun's girlfriend since I never thought about dating before. Truthfully, I think I'm too young to be dating and that I should focus on my studies instead.
"You never thought of dating before?" asked Kokoroyomi, who obviously read my mind again.
A/N: Kokoroyomi has a small crush on Sumi since she's pretty.
"No. What's dating anyways? Is it like doing weird stuff to each other? I mean, that's how babies are made right?" I asked.
"Wow Sumi, you know how babies are made?" Both Anna and Nonoko gave me that look but I didn't quite get why.
"Well yeah? A couple hugs each other and then a baby pops out," I answered with a straight face.
Everyone face palmed when they heard my answer.
"It's alright Sumi, I love your innocence and I don't want to ruin it," said Nonoko.
"Yeah, you're too innocent, Sumi," said Anna.
The two of them were acting strange, but I didn't thought much about it since they hugged me.
"You got the wrong idea. Dating is like kissing and hugging your partner, but that's not all of it," Anna started to explain.
"Dating someone is like you start to miss them like crazy whenever they're not with you, you want them to touch you in an appropriate way of course, your mind will be filled with images of their face and you won't be able to stop thinking about them," Nonoko takes the lead.
"Um, that sounds complicated," I stared at the duo.
"Well it's kinda like salt and pepper, you need pepper if you have salt, and the same goes to pepper if you need salt. You would think of the missing half since only the other half can fill the void," said Kokoroyomi.
"Um, what?" I stared at them confusedly.
"What we're saying is for now, you just have a crazy crush on Taka-kun, but that's not love," said Anna.
"Then what is love?" I asked.
"Hm, even I'm not sure. You'll know the feeling when the time comes," said Anna.
"I could explain what love is like," Aria made her way towards us with a smile.
"You can?" I asked.
"Yeah I can, there's someone I love a lot, but it's a shame he loves someone else," said Aria.
"Oh, um I'm sorry for that, Aria. I hope you'll find someone better," I tried to comfort her.
"It's alright, let me explain what it's like," said Aria.
"Love is like a rose that never wilts,
A beautiful love that everyone desires,
Yet no one seeks to know the thorns behind it's beauty,
Where it brings only pain to those who finds it.
Love is like a storm,
It can come suddenly and it can go away,
The cycle will keep on repeating,
Until it loses the necessities to repeat.
Love is a hidden weapon behind one's smile,
Where one only seeks the beauty of love,
Only to throw aside when the job is done,
Never knowing that they will be scarred for life."
A/N: I attempted to write a poem so uh let me know your thoughts? I suck so pls don't be harsh on me.
"How was it? I tried to explain it in a poetic way, but it feels like I'm kinda missing something," said Aria.
"It's alright, I appreciate your attempts," at that moment, I only wanted peace for myself.
"Hey, I know what to add," said Kokoroyomi.
"Love is also just feelings,
Feelings you share for each another,
Yet something you can't have,
Or simply because the voids had been filled by someone else,"
"Technically it means two people are in love with each other, yet they're not together," said Kokoroyomi.
"Huh? Why?" I asked.
"I understand your poem, it means they can't be together because either they already have someone else or they were simply not meant to be," said Aria.
"Wow, that's deep," Nonoko and Anna were amazed by everything they've just said.
Yeah, no. I walked out of the classroom.
Deep down in my heart, I know that I'm bothered by how Taka-kun wouldn't even look me in the eye. All these years, all the time and effort I've spent just to get one step closer to him, just to get him to turn around and look at me.
I began to understand how other guys felt when I rejected their confessions, the feeling of not getting your feelings reciprocated by the other person. How much guilt I'm feeling because I began understanding how others might suffer because of me, I'm the reason that they're suffering.
Right at that moment, I felt something warm on my head. I looked upwards to see the person I wasn't expecting to see.
Just why?
Taka-kun.
It was the person who I thought would never look my way and yet his gesture right now is making my feelings for him deeper and deeper.
I suddenly thought of a poem:
Love is like getting your hopes up for someone,
Your expectations will become higher,
Yet you will fall so low to the ground,
When every part of you is crushed.
"Are you alright?" asked Taka-kun.
The expression he has now is making me even more nervous that I'm struggling to find the right words to say.
"U-Um, I-I, Yes, No, u-um..." The words that came out from my mouth was inaudible with my shaky voice, what was I even saying?
"Well, you look fine to me, so I'm rest assured," said Taka-kun who turns to leave.
For the first time, I wanted to scream the words in my heart, but I couldn't.
"No, I'm not fine at all," I mumbled as tears started to roll down my face.
"Oh my gawd, Sumi-chan! We saw Taka-kun dragging you out of the classroom and-" Anna squealed excitedly but stopped when she saw the expression I was making.
"Sumi, are you crying? Who made you cry? Was it Taka-kun? If so, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind," said Anna as she pulls up her sleeves while making a fist, preparing to engage a fight.
"Huh? am I crying? Of course not, I think something got stuck in my eyes, I mean my eyes are literally burning right now," I wiped away my tears and smiled, pretending everything is fine.
"Really? Oh no, do you want to go to the hospital? It sounds really serious because your eyes are red! They might be inflamed!" said Nonoko.
"No, I'm fine really. There's no need to waste the doctor's time on me, maybe I should go back to the dorm and rest for a bit until I feel better," I said.
"Are you sure? Your eyes are swollen and puffy," said Nonoko.
"Yes, I'll be fine I'm sure," I bid them farewell and told them I'll be seeing them later tonight.
♡
"Onee-chan, don't cry," It was Yo-chan. I almost forgotten that he's sleeping in the same room with me because of special circumstances.
Yo-chan crawled onto the bed and wiped my tears with his little hands, he's such a cute and sweet boy, I love him so much.
"Did someone make Onee-chan cry? I'll make them cry with my Alice," said Yo-chan.
"Thank you so much Yo-chan, Onee-chan loves you a lot, really," I said while hugging him tightly.
"But I'm alright, I just drank too much water these days. Crying is a way of getting rid of excess water in my body," I smiled.
"Don't lie, Onee-chan. I don't like liars," said Yo-chan with a grumpy expression.
"I'm sorry Yo-chan, I didn't mean to lie to you," I started crying again.
"It's really painful. The feeling that I have nobody to talk to even though there are many open ears out there, the feeling of being unable to express the words I want to say, yet I also suffer from the feeling of hoping to be understood when I'm not willing to say anything," I said to Yo-chan in a very shaky, crying voice.
Yo-chan didn't know what to say.
"I'm sorry Yo-chan, I didn't mean to make you sad. Onee-chan drank too much water so the tears wouldn't stop coming," I smiled.
"Onee-chan, it's alright. From now on, I will protect you so no one hurts Onee-chan again," said Yo-chan while giving me a hug.
Natsume's POV
"Ne, Natsume, are you going to ask Zeka out?" asked Ruka once the crowd has finally been dismissed.
"...Yes." I hesitated upon answering his question, although I didn't really understood why.
"Akayuki-san..." I turned to see Ruka looking out of a window, there was a little girl walking slowly as she was rubbing her eyes nonstop.
"Natsume, have I ever mentioned that I'm not really fond of Utsumo-san?" said Ruka.
I looked at the clumsy girl that banged her into a pole because she wasn't watching where she was going.
"I don't like him either," I responded.
"Pesky-kun~" It was S..... Zeka.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Be my dance partner for tomorrow! I hope you aren't bringing other girls already?" She grinned.
I sighed and shook my head.
"Great! I'll see you tomorrow night then~" She hopped away in joy.
"I'm envious... Zeka took the initiate to ask you to be her partner," said Ruka.
At that moment, I felt a feeling of... regret.