Thursday, October 16th
It felt like they had been friends for years. It has been just two days though, but Asa knew she had never felt this close to someone for a long time. Yuko was like the first real friend she ever made.
"What's the most embarrassing thing that happened to you?" Yuko asked. The two were sitting down on the rooftop, having the time of their lives while sharing their food.
"Argh, I don't even want to mention it.." Asa sighed as goosebumps crossed her body. She was so embarrassed at the mere memory, Yuko could feel it.
"It can't be more embarrassing than mine I promise." She chuckled, in hope to reassure her. Asa looked at her hesitant before taking a bite from the tuna mayo rice ball.
"Okay but you don't laugh." She warned her friend, pointing her index at her with a serious look. The latter scoffed before shaking her head.
"I won't." She stated raising both her hands. Asa sighed before staring back at her food.
"It was just a few weeks ago on my first day.. I tripped and fell in front of everyone. It happens to me every time." She shook her head.
"It's not that bad!" She exclaimed. "I wish I had seen it though." She then laughed causing Asa to push her. "Lemme tell you mine! See who'll be the one laughing." She scoffed. "It happened during class as well, after lunch in fact. I was particularly great at the lesson we were studying in class and the teacher asked a question. I was confident because I'm a master in this subject so I raised my hand, but I was so excited, and my stomach was so fucked up after I ate instant noodle for a whole week that I farted. And not like a gentle fart. It was monstrous!"
Asa looked at Yuko, lips parted before biting her lip. "I— I'm sorry I..." she snorted trying to hold back a laugh.
"Go ahead laugh! But girl it was so serious I think I might actually have tore a hole in the ozone layer. This was so nasty I probably boosted pollution too." She added, making it harder and harder for Asa to hold her laugh, she bursted out of laughter as Yuko went on before following her in the euphoria. They laughed for 3 straight minutes, not running out of air.
"Th—that's crazy Yuko...!" Asa sniffed after calming down, her tummy was hurting after laughing for so long. "Oh my god, my laugh box is going to explode.." she scoffed holding her stomach.
"You still watch SpongeBob SquarePants?" Yuko smiled as Asa gulped.
"Um I.."
"Oh my god finally someone who understands me! That cartoon is still funny!" She exclaimed as Asa nodded.
"Right?" She agree as they bumped fists. "But seriously, you just unlocked a new fear for me." She chuckled at the thought. "Thankfully I eat homemade food and make sure to eat healthy." She stated as Yuko shook her head before jokingly punching her shoulder.
The sound of the bell ringing soon interrupted their moment of peace, Asa sighed knowing she would have to go back to her unbearable classmates and experience yet another terrible afternoon. She did not tell Yuko about it of course to not scare her away like it happened before. "Time to go back." Asa sighed standing up as she tapped away the dirt from her skirt. Seeing the pout on her face, Yuko cleared her throat before standing up again.
"Should we skip classes and hang out instead?" She bluntly offered, Asa turned her face looking at her in awe. Firstly not only had she never skipped a class in her life but someone asking her to do so to spend time together? It was a first as well, and she couldn't help but smile.
"It's tempting." She said, "but I'm not comfortable with skipping classes sorry..." she squeezed her lips picking up her bag. Yuko shook her head before tapping her shoulder.
"Don't worry. But if you don't like your class, you can still ask your teacher to change." She nodded. Asa's lips parted in surprise as she realised Yuko probably noticed about the bullying. But she was grateful that her friend didn't directly bring it up yet but still offered solutions, and this one was great honestly.
"I'll do that, thank you." She answered as they left the rooftop.
When Asa arrived in class, everyone was already inside including the teacher. Gulping, she looked down to not meet eyes with any of them, clenching her fists on her bag. "Sorry for being late.." she said to the teacher before bowing.
"Don't worry we haven't started yet, but, Mitaka-san. Come see me in the teacher's room after classes I think we should talk." He whispered, her eyes widened but she nodded and walked away, questions flooding in her brain.
When she walked further inside and passed near the Prez desk she could feel the latter's intense stare on her and closed her eyes deciding to disregard it as usual. But before she could take a step further Asa suddenly tripped and fell on the floor. The noise interrupted the silence in the classroom therefore catching everyone's attention —once again, as her body was laying on the floor.
"She's so clumsy.." the Prez scoffed as students started to chuckle.
"Silence class! Mitaka-san do you want to go to the nurse?" The teacher asked in a worried tone.
"I'm fine!" She answered before running to her seat.
As soon as she was sat down she took out her stuff, fists clenched and heart bumping fast. She would definitely be asking to change classes because she had enough of it, of her.
"Uhh Asa you okay?" She heard a voice, immediately turning her head and frowning when she saw
"Denji?!" She whispered-yell.
"The one and only." He grinned doing the peace sign. She squinted her eyes before turning her head deciding to ignore him. « What the hell is he doing here? Did he just came back from the dead? I genuinely assumed he was, it's been a week. What has he been doing anyways » she started overthinking as Denji looked at her frowning face, trying to catch her attention.
"Hey Asa you didn't answer my question." He whispered leaning closer to her. No response. "Asa!" She said nothing. "Oi are you deaf?" She still ignored him. Denji sighed laying back on his chair. "Are you mad at me?"
She glanced at him before focusing on her paper.
"Ah looks like I got your attention." He smirked crossing his arms. "I guess you're mad because I said the date was shit." He pouted looking at the roof. Asa clenched her teeth turning to him.
"It was perfect until you decided to ruin it." She whispered as he looked at her surprise.
"Ah? So you're not mad for that?" He sat back straight. "Then why?" He asked genuinely confused.
"I don't know, do you remember calling me a nerd or it's just me?" She ironically reply.
"I did?"
"Yes!"
"Damn. But I was right you are."
"I'm not!"
"You are." He shrugged.
"I'm not!" She slammed her fist on the table catching the attention of some students including the professor who cleared his throat. Asa mouthed an apology before looking back at her paper.
"You are.." Denji whispered so only she would hear. She clenched her teeth finding it hard to ignore his annoying ass. "And you're bleeding." He added. She immediately turned her head, frowning.
"What?"
"No really." He pointed at his nose. "You're bleeding from the nostrils." He clarified.
She put her finger under her nose to check and sighed when she saw blood.
"Fuck me.." she whispered to herself.
"Stop with that, I won't fall for it twice." He warned as she facepalmed.
"I was not talking to you, and I'm still not!" She argued embarrassed.
"You got bleed on your forehead now.." he laughed staring at it as she bit her lower lip. "Sensei! Asa is bleeding from the nose can I take her to the nurse!" He then yelled causing the girl to cringe.
"Shut up I can go alone!" She told him while wiping her forehead.
"What? U—um yes go ahead please!" The teacher pointed at the door as Denji immediately stood up with a proud smile. He knew of the teacher's secret fear of blood.
"You comin'?" He asked Asa offering her a hand, but she simply stared at it before scoffing.
"I don't need a hand." She stood up and walked out of the class with him following closely. Asa started stubbornly walking straightforward annoyed by his presence but determined to lose him.
"Why are you walkin sooo fast?" He squinted his eyes noticing her fast pace and the rising distance between them. "The nurse is this way Asa." He pointed behind him with his thumb and though she hesitantly stopped for half a second, she quickly shook her head and went on her own way. Denji frowned at her attitude. "Oi!" He exclaimed catching up with her with a little run, but she started running as well to avoid him.
"Stop running after me!" She complained glancing back at him. Why was he so insistent?!
"Stop running away from me!" He argued.
"No!" She shook her head running even faster. She was not really sure why she started running in the first place but with him now after her she couldn't stop.
"But the nurse is the other way smart ass!" He scoffed.
"I don't need to go to the nurse, let alone with you loser!"
"Loser?! Me?! At least I'm not a nerd!"
"Loser!"
"Nerd!"
"Loser!"
"Nerd!"
"Loseeeer!!!"
A few meters later —and a few loser/nerd later... they had stop to catch their breath, both heavily panting. Asa leaning on the wall and Denji laying on the floor.
"Why are you still here loser..." she managed to utter, staring at him with disdain.
"Cuz your nose is bleeding nerd!" He clenched his teeth, slightly raising his head so he could look at her.
"It's not even bleeding anymore! And I'm not a nerd!" She strike back furrowing her brows, just then blood started flowing from her nose pretty smoothly, Asa let out a gasp before quickly putting a finger under her nose. "Shit!" She muttered.
Denji shook his head, letting out a sigh before standing up. "Lemme see." He walked to her getting something from his pocket. He then grabbed her forearm with a fineness she'd never guess he had. Asa quietly watched him putting a tissue under her nose. "Blow your nose. Carefully." He instructed in a calmer tone, she looked up at him with a pour, quite hesitant at first but he seemed confident so she squeezed her lips so she suck it up and listened to him. "'Kay now let's sit down.." he offered her another tissue and sat down first, inviting her to do as well. Asa bit her lip, hating that she had to listen to him but did anyways and sat next to him. "Lean your head forward." He advised in a whisper.
"You seem like you're used to it." She said in a wannabe sarcastic tone, but she was genuinely curious. Denji glanced at her before nodding.
"Yeah kinda, I mean my little sister always bruises herself so I gotta be used to those kind of things." He shrugged.
Asa's lips parted in surprise as she didn't imagine he could have any siblings, and honestly wondered how she could possibly look like. Automatically she imagined a smaller version of him with long hair but brushed the thought off, deciding it would be odd to ask him about his life right now. They weren't close after all.
"Thank you.." she whispered breaking the calming silence that had taken place. Denji looked at her again, raising an eyebrow. "What?" She gulped nervous because of his stare.
"You still mad!" He remarked, Asa sighed rolling her eyes.
"Of course I am."
"Why?"
"Because, not only did you call me a nerd but you also left me in the lurch Saturday." She avoided his eyes looking at her left. She did not tell him, because it seemed stupid but she had waited for him to comeback for a while that day.
"Asa." He called tapping her shoulder with his finger to get her attention, she slightly turned her head to glance at him. "I hurt ya feelings?" He said with a slight frown, she was surprised by his concern but nodded nonetheless. Denji pulled a face, clenching his fists while she looked at him wondering what was going on inside his small brain. It's like he was having an inner battle, which quickly took an end when he sighed. "SORRY!" He said.
She raised her eyebrows, taken aback by his sudden loud tone before clearing her throat. "It's fine." She shrugs. "It's not that deep. I wasn't hurt you know, don't feel smug. I still got to enjoy my Saturday and study at the same time, my explanations were so clear and precise, you don't know what you missed." Asa stopped herself in her speech when she heard him chuckling, immediately frowning at him. "What's so funny?" She asked offended while he continued laughing.
"You!" He said before looking up at her. "You're fun." He smiled. Asa blankly stared at him at first, taken aback by his words, and by the time she had process it red had started tainting her cheeks.
"You think I'm fun?"
"Yeah." He nodded as her lips parted.
"But didn't you say I'm a bore?" She quickly remembered removing the excitement she had started feeling.
"What you say is boring but you're fun to watch." He stated. "It's cool to be with ya." He added causing her heart to start racing. « Why would he say all that! He definitely likes me! » her face was red and in addition her heart was beating fast, she had never felt that before. « Is it possible that I.. »
"What's with you and Prez?" He bluntly asked, snapping her back to reality as she looked at him confused. He was so quick to change topic it took her a second to process it and quit her current state. She remembered what her daily school life was now like and decided to play dumb. He didn't have to know.
"What do you mean? We're fine." She crossed her arms. Denji looked at her for a second trying to catch her eyes who were clearly avoiding his, therefore assuming she was back to distancing herself and stroked the back of his head.
"I saw it, she made you trip." He said. Asa glanced at him before looking straightforward. The conversation had taken a direction she did not like so she wanted to try to change topics but decided otherwise, it wouldn't be long until he found out by himself anyway since they were on the same class.
"She hates me for some reasons.." She admitted.
"What reasons?"
"I don't know." She sighed. "But I hope whatever it is she forgets it soon." She added as Denji looked at her sideways.
"Is your nose okay now?" He asked changing topics.
"Um.." she removed the tissue to see she was indeed fine and nodded.
"Let's go back then." He offered, standing up. Asa quietly nodded imitating him. "Oi." He said as she looked at him. "We good now?" He asked, his fist hanging. She looked at it before scoffing.
"We're fine." She affirmed bumping her fist into his as he grinned. They walked back to class together starting a fresh conversation.
AN: been a month, sorry😭🙏🏾