"Ah."
"What a coincidence."
Once again, a boy called Hiura Kirina was appointed to run an errand to the supermarket. What he didn't expect is for him to meet the same white haired girl he met the last time he went to the supermarket.
"Yamauchi-san." Kirina manages to mumble out her name while he's still astonished. He snaps out of it and flashed her a small smile, "Seems like you're on cooking duty again today?"
The girls hummed and nodded as she puts some seasoning package onto her shopping cart. "Seems like you're on errand duty again today."
The boy chuckles at her sarcasm as he walks closer to stand besides her. "The one who's supposed to go today got an assignment from our coach, so he can't come."
"I see..." The girl mumbled in understanding. "Ah right, congratulations on getting on the semi finals."
"Thanks, but it was all thanks to my teammates too that we've won against Teikoku." The two fall silent for a moment as they both picks up some products off the isle.
"Do you also bump into my teammates often?" The boy didn't know why he had asked that, but thinking about it didn't really feel right to him.
"Uh... Not really I guess? You're the only one I've bumped into actually. Usually my brother and sister are the ones who's in cooking duty since I'm not at home in time often."
The boy sighed in relief. He didn't know why, but he'd feel at ease when Yukiko said he's the only one she has met on their errands. It feels strange and relieving somehow. "Is it because of your part-time job?"
Yukiko nodded as she turned back her attention to the blue haired boy besides her, "Something like that... I'm also helping my grandfather and mother sometimes, since my brother is not that reliable."
"Ah right, I forgot that your family runs a big company... So you're the one who's going to be the heir?"
"If my brother's intention doesn't change or if a miracle struck my brother with some responsibility, then maybe yes."
"Must be hard to become the responsible one haha."
Yukiko sighed at his jokes, "No kidding. My brother is a real pain in the ass." She said as she move to another isle, followed by Kirina.
The boy sweat dropped at her merciless remarks towards her own big brother. He wonders if she shows this side of her to everyone else and not just him.
The two kept talking while shopping and also all along the way to Raimon's dorm.
"Well then, thank you for your accompany, Hiura-san. It has been a pleasant time chatting with you." The white haired girl said to Kirina. Despite her saying that it was a pleasant chat, she isn't smiling as usual, but Kirina somehow knows that she at the very least didn't have a bad time chatting with him. "It's a pleasure for me too and please, you can just speak casually with me."
"Ah then... Hiura."
The blue haired boy was astonished for a second. The way she had said his name was the softest voice she had heard from her that it made his stomach did a backflip. Eventually he snapped out of it quickly, worrying that the girl would think weird of him.
"T-then, I too will call you by Yamauchi."
"Ah, just call me by Min. It would be confusing if you call me by Yamauchi when I'm with my siblings."
"Right... Then... Min?"
"Yes, Hiura?" The boy blushed this time, he didn't know how and why has he turned all flustered when Yukiko called his surname. He didn't want to know how much more flustered he would be if she had called him by his first name.
"I-it's nothing... I was just wondering if you want to go inside and greet Yone-san just for a moment haha..." Kirina rubs the back of his right ear to help himself ease his nerves.
"Oh... That's fine. I don't want to burden her and your teammates."
"I'm sure they wouldn't mind... But I won't force you if you don't want to. I almost forgot that you're also on cooking duty today."
Yukiko nodded at him, "Well then, see you next time, Hiura. Good luck on your match against Seishou." She waved her hands and Kirina returned it, with that she walks back to her quarters.
The blue haired boy stayed at his position as she watches the girl walk until she was gone.
"Min... Huh..." He mumbled to himself before he suddenly crouched at his spot and scratches his hair in embarrassment. "Why did I act so flustered earlier? I must've looked stupid from her point of view."
He sighed before he stands once more, 'I hope she didn't notice it... Why am I like this only when I'm in front of her? Geez...'
'But I've realized something earlier...'
Her smell is familiar... It's that smell of mint...
• • •
"Guess which one is Yukiko!"
"Uh??? I guess... The one on the right??"
"Huh?! Tatsuya, you aren't cheating right?!"
"It was all pure luck, Hiroto..."
"Hehe, unlike you, Tatsuya is smart after all bweehhh."
"Don't fight you two..."
"Which one is Yukiko..." The said white haired girl mumbled to herself while staring at her white hair reflected on her mirror. "It was a fun game..."
Knock knock
"Oi, Min." Minri looks at her bedroom door, Hiroto is leaning against the door frame while crossing his arms. She hadn't realized that she'd left her door open. "I'm going home first."
"Oh." The girl manages to mumble loud enough for her childhood friend to hear. "Let me walk you to the door."
"I know you would." The grey-white curly haired boy said as he put back his hands back into his pocket and starts walking outside followed by the white haired girl.
"Oh, you're going back?" A boy and older version of Minri said without looking at the two as he was busy watching a badminton match on the television. "I thought you'll be sleeping over tonight."
"Uh-huh... No thanks. Don't think your sister there is in the mood for that." He said as he continues to walk to the main door.
"Bye. Don't come back." Minkyung who has been sitting beside her brother, boredly said without turning her head from her phone.
When they're outside, Hiroto finally turns back to face his friend Minri. "What's wrong with you today?"
"What do you mean?" The white haired girl replied with her monotone as always.
"You're making that face again."
"What face?"
Hiroto sighed in frustration, "Nevermind. I'm going now." He then left the Yamauchis to their own.
Minri waves back at him even though she knows that he doesn't paid attention to it before going back into her house.
Immediately she's greeted by a hug from her dearest sister, "Min~ Don't you think he's been coming here a lot these days? It's annoying~" Minkyung whined to her sister as the younger Yamauchi continues to walk back to her bedroom, dragging her big sister along.
Right in front of her bedroom door, she stopped, turned around, and slowly released herself from her sister's embrace, "He's our childhood friend, Kyungie-ah, it's normal for him to visit. Why don't you learn to not fight with each other in the meanwhile hm?" She then goes into her room without waiting for her sister's answer and locked it, leaving her sister all confused. Minkyung thought that she had been touchy to her sister on the wrong time and decided to leave her alone for some time.
The younger Yamauchi, in fact was confused rather than being in a bad mood. She knows that Hiroto realized it and decided to leave her alone and she appreciated him for it. Lately, she hasn't been in her zone. She has been getting weird dreams that it bothers her a lot.
'It got worse since the last time I met Hiura.' She thought to herself, frowning. She didn't want to blame Hiura for it, because she knows it wasn't his fault nor it was anyone's else. She knows she needs to focus on her plan as the semi finals are nearing and the days are numbered until she can finally move with her plans.
No, rather than plans... She thought of it as a game that a certain pinkish red haired boy had laid out for her. A silent war, between her and Ares. She thought of Nosaka as one of the game masters that would help her plans goes smoothly. All she needs to do is focus on the game.
She slowly closes her eyes in exhaustion, 'Let's see what kind of distraction I'm going to get from today's event.'
She clearly knows that she'll see a new memory tonight because of her meeting with a certain blue haired boy.
• • •
"Ugh... Why are we here, Hina~?"
"Why not? I just want to visit those two since I didn't get the chance to talk with them before."
Today, Hina and her dearest friend Miyuki decided to go hang out for a bit after such a long time. Though Miyuki hadn't expect for Hina to take her on a quick trip to a particularly familiar orphanage she's been avoiding. Especially since she knows what had happened to her friend the last time she was in this place.
The white haired girl sticks her arm around the peachette's left arm, "On second thought, let's just go to Dreamland hm? Hinachii~"
Hina lightly pushes Minkyung away from herself, "Come on, Miyu. Weren't you the one who's always excited to visit Ohisama En before?"
"That was a long time ago~!" Minkyung pouted as she crossed her arms, "I've already had my plate of daily Hiroto yesterday. I'm sick of seeing him again."
"Yesterday?"
"That guy likes to crash at our place from time to time that our house slowly feels like his too." Hina hummed in amusement as she knows how often Minkyung and Hiroto used to bicker back in their childhood days. She guessed that some things just doesn't change even after so much time had passed.
Minkyung finally sighed in defeat, "Alright, fine. Since it's been such a long time for you and you were also the one that invited me to hangout... I guess I have no choice but to tag along."
"I don't really trust leaving you with those two along anyway." She continued in mumbles so that her friend doesn't hear it.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing! Let's go." Minkyung then drags Hina along with her, entering the huge gate of Ohisama En.
They walked a little more with an excited Hina looking around here and there. "Everything barely changes here huh~?" Hina exclaimed with a big smile while her friend just observed her with worry and anxiety.
'She can't know. At least not from me.' she thought to herself as she starts fiddling the hem of her shirt. She carefully observes every step of the peach haired girl besides her. Worrying that the same accident from back then would happen to Hina the moment she look away from her.
"We're here!" Hina ran up to the door of the orphanage. "It still haven't changed at all~!"
They met with the head caretaker and aske about Tatsuya and the other's location, "Huh...? They're not here?"
"Unfortunately, yes. At this hour they should still be on the stadium I think..."
• • •
"Ho..." Hina stand awed by the huge building in front of her. It was probably as huge as Raimon that it makes her poor soul cries internally. "School directors these days are very... Rich huh?"
Miyuki chucked at her statement because she knows very well that her friend's life is actually quite far from poverty herself. It was funny in a way and adorable in another.
No wonder both Tatsuya and Hiroto likes her.
"Let's go Hinachii~" Hina nodded at her as they begin to walk into Eisei Gakuen's huge stadium. It took some time before they begin to hear the sounds of balls being kick and a player's roar from the stadium.
"Sounds like Tatsuya is practicing his hissatsu." Hina was confused about how the white haired girl knows Tatsuya's voice very well, but it makes sense to her since unlike her, Miyuki does meet with Tatsuya often for the past years.
Soon they reached the end of the stadium hall and looked over the field, Miyuki was right, Tatsuya was practicing his hissatsu while Saginuma blocks it as he's the goalkeeper.
"Oh? Yuki, is that you?" A green haired boy with ponytail notice and approached the two.
"Long time no see Ryuu!" Miyuki held out her hand in the air and got a high-five from the boy. Soon he was followed by a girl with long blue hair with some strands of white. "You too, Rei-chan." The girl nodded at her, "Good to see you again, Yuki-chan."
'It's Ryuuji and Reina! How nostalgic!' Hina exclaimed excitedly in her mind, putting a huge smile on her cheerful face. 'I need to greet th—'
Hina's thoughts were interupted by a loud voice, "HUH? H-HINA IS THAT YOU?" A boy with red flamming hair pointed at you in shock, dropping his towel on the ground. His shout earns Hina the attention of everyone in the stadium. The whole team quickly gathered towards the peachette.
"It is you! It's been a while!" Haruya the boy from earlier starts to shake Hina by her shoulder. He soon got smacked on the head by Fuusuke, "You idiot, don't shake her like that! You'll make her dizzy!"
"It's okay Fuusuke-kun! Rather than that, long time no see everyone!" Hina waved her two hands to them. She was soon warped in a tight hug by Reina, "Oh my God, Hina! It's so nice to finally get to see you again!"
"Hey no fair! I want a hug from Hina too!"
"If you dress up as a girl, maybe I'll consider you hugging her, Nagumo." Reina smirks slightly at the red haired boy
"Now, now, everyone, calm down. You're overwhelming not only her but Yuki too." Tatsuya calmed his teammate down so things won't get more chaotic than it already is.
After a few conversation, people starts to disperse and get back to their practice, leaving Hina with only Ryuuji and Tatsuya since Miyuki has been dragged to somewhere by Reina.
Hina turns to Tatsuya who's smiling softly while looking at his friends who's gone back to their practice, before he turns and finally meet with the so familiar soft green eyes.
His smile soften more than it already was at the girl's sight and he speaks as softly to her, "Welcome to Eisei Gakuen, Hina-chan."