꧁༒︎༒︎༒︎꧂
Y/N's POV:
"Add some more emotion... Feel as if you are the person himself!"
"... Right."
"Embrace it, flail your arms in the air~!"
"... Right."
"Transcend beyond your limits, Spread your wings! Let go, feel free and become the most fleeting person you'll ever be~!"
"... Right."
...
It was 5:00 in the afternoon, and a rather intense atmosphere, as Kaoru continued to help me with acting. She was giving spot on tips that I can use when we're rehearsing some lines. It turns out, they're somehow quite vague and ridiculous, but pretty effective when you think of it consistently.
I was glad she was really serious about doing this but...
...
...
HOW THE HELL IS DOING THIS WHILE ORDERING IN A FAST-FOOD GOING TO HELP?!
...
...
We were standing at the counter for... quite a while now and we haven't made our orders. I can't order properly if she'll keep on cutting me off when I'm about to speak out our orders!
"A-Ano... Kaoru-san, are you and your friend going to make an order?" The blue haired girl in the counter, asked with a rather small and awkward smile. I could sense that she was tensing up as well. This was one of the most terribly timed moments in my life,
"Ah~! If it isn't our dearest Kanon.. I'm raising my squire to be a true-"
"You said that SO MANY MANY TIMES already, so PLEASE stop! It's actually embarrassing!" I stiffened up with an awkward smile, gritting my teeth and hoping this embarrassment would end.
"Ahahaha~, A-Alright... So, what would it be?" She then went on to ask us our orders, and here I was hoping that we can finally make an order properly...
...
But, Kaoru was relentless... And IT WASN'T HELPING AT ALL.
...
"This is your chance, my dear squire~! Go ahead and order in the most fleeting way as possible-"
"I can't say our orders if you keep on interrupting me-"
...
...
"HEY!!! MOVE IT!!! WHAT'S TAKING IT SO LONG FOR YOU TO ORDER?!!!"
"WE'VE BEEN STANDING HERE FOR 45 MINUTES!!!"
"MOVE IT YA' SLOWPOKES!!!"
...
...
F-FORTY FIVE MINUTES?!!!! FUCK, NOW IT'S REALLY SERIOUS!!!
I turn to see a long line of angry customers, their patience finally running out. With the circumstances we both are in, I can't help but feel a wave of shame wash over me. I apologetically looked at the customers, glaring at me and ranting that we should make our orders and finally move on.
It was even worse that the other counters weren't available at that time.
"Fuuee~!!! C-Calm down all of you~!" The blue haired counter girl named Kanon, tried her best to calm down the other customers.
That's when I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Kaoru smiling at me with her annoying fleeting smile.
"An effective display of emotions... You've victoriously shared your emotions with our beloved audience~! And now, we all share the same feelings~! Ah~! So fleeting~!"
"OH, YOU DON'T SAY?!" I turned to her with a sarcastic expression, trying to give her the clue that we did absolutely nothing at all. "WE'RE NOT ON STAGE, WE'RE AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT!"
"As Shakespeare would say..." Kaoru started, flailing her arms flamboyantly once again, totally not getting a grasp of the situation.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players-"
"THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO MEAN, YOU IDIOT!!!!"
꧁༒︎༒︎༒︎꧂
Moments later, the situation finally had been put under control. And in that span of time, began an agonizing session of myself apologizing to the customers for the inconvenience caused by what we did earlier.
Ashamed for what happened, we made our orders a takeout instead, and immediately left the fast-food restaurant. It also happened that it was the end of Kanon's shift as well, so we all walked away together.
Kaoru and Kanon have been engaging themselves in a conversation ever since we've departed from the resto, and here I was trailing behind them, making sure Kaoru won't do anything stupid that could get the three of us in trouble once again.
"What's wrong, Kanon? Is there something bothering you?" Kaoru asked, as Kanon huffed out a really small and cute sigh.
"...I got lost again, and this time I got scolded by my manager..." Kanon slightly looked down. Listening further into the conversation, I found out that this girl had a terrible sense of direction.
"So, when did you meet him?" Kanon asked Kaoru, presumably about me.
"The young lad? He was running late during the early days of school..." She replied. "So I offered him a ride upon Silver's back."
Young lad my ass... We're only the same age, Kaoru... And also...
... Silver...?
...
...
...
Ah... So that's what that horse is called.
"Ahahaha~, I see... You rode Silver to school again..." Kanon smiled. "You're the same as ever, Kaoru-san..."
"Of course, dear Kanon... I will forever be fleeting~!" Kaoru flailed flamboyantly once again, like she'd always do. It's a tad bit annoying, but I can't do anything about it.
Some time later, the three of us end up at the train station, seeing the fleeting woman grab her ride home.
"Well then, dearest squire... I'll be seeing you again~! Have a wonderful evening~!" She waved her hands at us, the moment she entered the train.
"Yeah, whatever. Just watch where you're going and get home safe." I replied to her with a small huff.
"You too, Kaoru-san!" Kanon replied with a small smile and wave. And with nothing else, the train finally closed and went on to its destination, leaving me and Kanon behind.
"Man, she's quite a pain." I sighed and put my hands in my pocket. I turned to Kanon with an apologetic smile.
"Once again, I'm sorry for the trouble we caused earlier at your part-time job."
"A-Ah! No worries! It couldn't be avoided..." Kanon shook it off with a small smile. "It usually happens a lot... Sometimes, my workmate gets sidetracked when someone they know is at the counter... It so happened I got the short end of the straw today."
"I see..." I nodded. "Well, shall I walk you home?"
"A-Ah, you don't need to." Kanon once again shook it off with a small smile. "I can get back home by myself-"
"From what I've heard earlier with your conversation with Kaoru... You don't seem to be really... confident with your directions." I cut her off, in the hopes of letting her arrive at her house safe. It's already getting late, and I can't let someone around my age just get lost.
"Fueee~!" She let out a shy Fuee, which sounded adorable. But in the end, we ended up walking to her house. And on the way, she started to talk to me, about many things. I learned that she was a drummer in a band where she and Kaoru was in, and has an intense love for Jellyfish.
"So... What do you think of Kaoru-san?" She asked.
"What do I think of her...?" I replied and took a minute to think of my answer.
...
"... She's quite annoying."
And so I began to tell her what I thought of Kaoru, and how she kept on interfering and becoming a part of my daily life, as considering myself as some sort of squire.
"She always flails her arms in the air, and not think of things properly. She thinks being fleeting is everything... She can't get a grasp of the situation and... It's kinda annoying at times..."
"Ahahaha~! That sounds a lot like her..." Kanon giggled a bit at what I just said. But even so, despite myself being annoyed by Kaoru's antics, there are good things that make her quite a person to be with.
"But even if I think of her as annoying at times..." I started. "She's..."
"A good person." Kanon continued my line, as I looked at her in surprise.
"You see, Kaoru-san is like this to everyone she meets... Especially the ones she really care about." She continued. "She was reliable, and always there whenever someone is in need... She was able to put smile on faces... She always made every moment fleeting."
"Fleeting..."
I looked at Kanon with a curious face, and knowing that she seems close to Kaoru, maybe she can... enlighten me about the woman herself.
"Uhm Kanon-san... What does fleeting, exactly mean...?"
She then stared at me blankly for a while, before forming a soft and innocent smile.
"... I have no idea."
...
...
"EH?!" I blurted out. "What do you mean by that?!"
"Well, all she says is... 'It is... But that~.' ... Along with some other lines..." Kanon continued, making a small impression of Kaoru, which was actually quite funny. Hearing that come out of her mouth, the two of us bursted into laughter.
"Ahahaha~! She really is hopeless!" I chuckled for a bit, before the laughter died down.
"However, it seems to me that the both of you enjoy each other's company." Kanon followed.
"Well..." I smiled. "She may be annoying... But she did help me find my acceptance..."
"Acceptance...?" Kanon looked at me with a curious expression, and realization hits me as I muttered out something I shouldn't have said out loud.
Jeez... That was a close one.
"... It's complicated... Ahahaha..." I chuckled sheepishly, in reply to Kanon.
And little did we know, we finally have arrived at Kanon's home. It took quite a while, but we finally made it.
"Ah! There it is!" Kanon beamed up a bright smile.
She immediately skipped towards her gate, supposedly entering her residence. But before she could go further, she stops in her tracks and faces me with a small smile.
"Well, I guess this my stop... Thanks for walking me home, Y/N-san." She waved at me.
"Yeah... Have a good night, Kanon-san." I nodded with a small smile, and with nothing else, Kanon entered her home. As she does that, the night ends as I leave to make my way home.
꧁༒︎༒︎༒︎꧂
"I'm back..."
I entered my home, exhausted from today's events. The rewarding feeling of returning home embraces me with it's warmth.
"Welcome back. I made your favorite, Miso soup." Yuuto, my older stepbrother, greeted me with a smile, wearing an apron.
"Damn, what's the occasion?" I couldn't help but feel flabbergasted by his behavior.
He was much more of a tease and was a lazy bum, but he was there by my side as I grew up.
"Well, how about we talk it over at the dinner table." He smiled. And with that, we went over to the dinner table, and I began to devour that Miso soup.
"Hot Damn... Now, that is good Miso soup right there." I smiled and slurped. "Yuuto, you gotta do this more. I swear to God it's so good!"
"Ahahaha~... Well it's the one thing I'm quite good at... It's been a while since you've eaten something like this, right?" He asked.
My stepbrother couldn't help but smile and continued to watch me ravage his dish. I didn't realize it but then I started to talk about a lot of things that happened in Haneoka.
"What's the occasion, man?" I asked. "I mean, today's been pretty uneventful... Actually, it was... Quite a pain in the ass... And here you are cooking up some Miso soup for me..."
I went to talk for quite a while until, I noticed that Yuuto was smiling at me. The moment I realized it, I fell silent.
"Why are you looking at me, like that?" I asked.
"Oh well..." He started. "It's just that... You've changed... In a positive way."
Changed...? Me...?
What did he mean by that? And just as I was about to ask him, he then went on to point out a few things.
"You've certainly become more lively than you were before... Back then, we would talk but you weren't so enthusiastic about it..." He started.
"It was real silent back in the day and you wouldn't even say a single word, other than your usual dull and overused responses. You weren't open with anything at all before... And to be honest, I've only learned of that play incident when your kouhai wanted to see you back then."
But then, he looked at me with earnest eyes full of genuine joy.
"But I'm glad, that somehow... You're smiling, even more than ever... It makes me real happy you're enjoying this high school life of yours."
And little by little, I tried to process everything he just said right now. And then it really hit me as hard as a truck. Back then, I wasn't really open with anyone with my problems, and there were a limited amount of people that actually understood me for how I was.
Having Yuuto and Himari try to cheer me up was something I was really thankful for, but the damage done to me by Yami in the past was something I can't seem to get over with. I was all alone at that time, and had no one to be with... My confidence was shattered, and I lost everything that day... And it destroyed me... Permanently.
...
...
But then again, I didn't realize that... There were actually people who enjoy my company; People who are content with having someone listen to them and talk to them, and are having fun while being by their side.
People that are quite annoying, and would sometimes get you into trouble... But deep inside, would feel the rush and have tons of fun instead. People that are wiling to help you out in anything they can, even in the most bizarre ways ever.
...
To let go...
Feel Free...
And...
...
"Turn you into the most fleeting person you'll ever be."
...
As I said it, thoughts of that nonsensical one-man show began to pass through my mind. And every instance of that word began to remind me of her. Her silly antics, and how she would always try to keep the mood going. How her annoying lessons, can actually make people smile and forget their problems, even for a single moment.
...How Kaoru... Manages to make everyone, smile...
...Like the Fleeting princess in that book-
"Huh? Fleeting? What are you talking about?"
As realization struck me like lightning, I stood up and began looked away in embarrassment. Yuuto, who was utterly confused by my behavior, looked at me curiously. It was an awkward moment, as silence began to fill the air.
"Fleeting... That's the first I've heard that word from you-"
"Thank you for the meal... Have a good night, Yuuto." I began to sprint away from the kitchen, leaving my brother with the remaining food we had left for dinner.
"O-Oi! Y/N! Get back here!!!"
꧁༒︎༒︎༒︎꧂
"Man, I'm beat..."
Wanting to clear my head, I went up to the balcony and sat down, holding that book in my hand. I decided that perhaps, reading something I really love would help me get my mind off from this tiring day.
After reading some chapters and parts of the book, I looked up at the night sky, admiring the beauty of the stars, and the celestial bodies up above. And slowly, I began to drown in my thoughts, thinking of the days I've been spending ever since I've entered Haneoka. And all of them, seem to be tracing back to Kaoru, and her silly adventures.
I can't help but let out a small sigh, trying to figure out something clear my mind from all of this. Looking up at the night sky, I sought for answers and tried to thank the heavens for giving me a chance to move forward, despite some elements of my past coming back to haunt me.
Thoughts and memories of Yami, those people that despised me, my experiences in the past, continued to try and drag me down to a void of loneliness and nothingness within. But
All of a sudden, a buzz from my phone was heard, telling me that I've got a message. I take my phone out and check to see who messaged me at this time of night and...
"Unknown number...?" I stared at my phone with an eyebrow raised, thinking it my be something cheeky.
With so many possibilities, it could be anything. Curiosity kicking in, I opened up my messages and saw who was the one who sent it.
"Ah... I think I already know who this is..." I chuckled awkwardly, seeing the message alone.
...
...
... Hold up, how did she get my number?!
Wondering how she got it and what she's up to, I began to type back in reply.
I pressed the send button, and began to wait for a reply, the moment it pinged once again, I took a check and saw...
...
...
"This girl.. I swear to God..." I sighed.
I began to ask her what she wants by typing again, and her replies are...
... Yup, the same as always.
"Weekend...? Is there something going on?" I asked myself as I saw her message.
It took me a while to think of my answer, after that I began to type once again... I got a reply and...
"... Yup. She's... She's hopeless alright." I sighed with a small chuckle along with a comical depression, seeing her painfully stupid responses.
It's repeatedly recurring to me that this woman... Is actually an idiot.
"Is she serious right now?!" I muttered to myself in disbelief, seeing that she's really derailing the topic.
I don't even know in the slightest why she would ask someone like me out this weekend if she has those little "Kittens" of hers...
"Well... She's still at it..." I said as I looked at her message. I was thinking of telling her off, but then, certain words and experience circle my head once again.
As I was about to type, our conversation with Kanon started to reappear in my mind, along with a few other words that I said in that same time.
...
...
"You see, Kaoru-san is like this to everyone she meets... Especially the ones she really care about. She was reliable, and always there whenever someone is in need... She was able to put smile on faces... She always made every moment fleeting."
"She may be annoying... But she did help me find my acceptance..."
...
...
"My acceptance, huh..."
Remembering that once again, I can't help but feel something within me urging me to give her a chance.
After all, arriving at Haneoka and meeting her was something that helped me make a step forward from my past. And despite all her annoying stuff, she's... somewhat of a great friend.
...And here I am, thinking I would feel this much relief and care from someone I met on the way to school just a few weeks ago...
Determined and ready to give my reply, I began to type and press the send button, giving her my answer.
I've decided to take her up on that offer, but God knows what is beyond that awaits me.
...
...
It was not long till I got a reply from her, and...
"Ahahaha~! Man... that GIF is cursed..." I chuckled once again, seeing her silly reply. But despite her formal yet goofy message, it does settle things out. I was still flabbergasted that she has a GIF of her own... It's so ridiculous and surprising at the same time.
But yeah, it does make Kaoru who she is... and why she's loved by many.
I put down my phone on the nearby table, and looked up at the night sky. And now, I take a deep breath, and look forward to what's awaiting me this weekend. Here's to both expecting things would go well and smooth, and hopefully not anything stupid like that incident in the fast food.
But if there's one thing for sure...
...
...
...
...
"A weekend with Kaoru... is gonna be one heck of a rollercoaster..."
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...
...
To be continued...
꧁༒︎༒︎༒︎꧂
And that's it for this chapter! I hope you guys like it!
With Y/N now going out with Missus Hakanai soon, will he be able to handle her? What are some things he can learn with every experience with the woman herself? Will he able to have fun? And perhaps... learn something... More?
Find out and see all in the next chapters! Bai Bai!
-Eirhon