Original Published Date: October 2016
Edited Date: February 13, 2018
October 18, 2016 - Late Morning
Asura was at the student council room, alone, sitting on one of the many vacant chairs that surrounds the meeting table. She has her head down, a sad face plastered on. In her thoughts, all she could ever think about was that day when Gil walked out of the room after she confronted him about his feelings for Hinako. Somewhere, deep in her heart, she was jealous but why would she? It was her who broke up in the first place.
It was a school event, a Valentine's day event. Many students received chocolates, flowers, and letters, either for friendship or for love. Asura, for the first time in her life, was excited to give out the handmade chocolates she made for Gil. It was placed in a heart-shaped red box with a yellow ribbon wrapped over it. She spent her time making them, filled with happiness and love.
"Happy Valentine's day, Gil-darling!" A familiar voice said.
Asura was walking around the school to find Gil. She was on the first floor hallway, walking towards the students' lockers. When she finally got to the spacious area, her eyes widened and a despair-stricken look on her face surfaced. The box full of chocolates dropped onto the floor and somehow, the contents spilled.
"Oh?" Mabu saw Asura from the corner of her eyes. She pulled herself away from Gil and made a devilish smirk. "Hello, Souji-senpai. Quite a day, isn't it? It's full of," she licks her lips. "love."
Asura grits her teeth and clenches her fist upon remembering that day. It broke her heart and shattered her into a million pieces. She was angry at Mabu for doing such an unforgivable thing. All this time, throughout the school year, she kept her anger to herself because showing such emotions on a personal matter will make her look bad as the secretary of the student council. Deep inside of Asura, she wanted to take back the words she unconsciously let go to Gil.
"I'm sorry, Gil-san," Asura said, not being her usual self. "I don't think this relationship will work. I feel hurt and at the same time, I'm angry!"
Asura lowers her head and clenches her fists. She tries to hold herself together as she hesitates to let go of the words she wished she didn't want to let go. Two sides her fought intensely and in the end, the negative side of her won.
Asura lifts her head and plainly stares into Gil's eyes. "I have to break up with you. I'm sorry."
The North door to the student council room suddenly opens and it was enough to knock Asura out of her stupor. She looks to her right and was caught in her throat as she saw Mabu enter, wearing a maid outfit. Class 2-A's shop was a maid cafe shop, rivaling with Class 1-A's cosplay cafe shop.
"Himeji-san?" Asura asks.
Mabu smiles as she finally found Asura. "There you are, Souji-senpai! I've been looking for you everywhere!"
Asura turns serious, unsure of what Mabu's intentions are towards her. "Why would you be looking for me?"
"Heh," Mabu closes the door behind her, keeping the conversation between her and her senior. "I just wanted to check up on your emotional well-being, senpai."
"Emotional well-being?" She raises one eyebrow, confused.
"Why, yes!" Mabu takes a seat, the one closest to Asura. She, then, places her left elbow on the table before her and rests her chin on the back of her left hand. She eyes at the cautious secretary, smiling devilishly. "I know that you harbor an angry emotion towards me, Souji-senpai."
Asura finally got the hint on where the conversation is going. "Me? Harbor such emotions at you? Why would I?"
Mabu chuckles. "You don't have to act all tough just so you can keep up with your reputation, senpai. I know that you resent me because I was the reason why you decided to break up with Gil-darling."
"With all due respect, Himeji-san, I do not feel that way for you," Asura hastily stands up from her seat and motions herself to the door, wanting to leave and not let the conversation flow any longer. "If you will excuse me, I will be returning to my classroom. I am needed there."
"What if I told you that Gil-darling and the new meat kissed during rehearsals?"
Asura stops herself from opening the door, her hand was already on the lock. An astonished expression was on her face, unknown to Mabu. It was impossible, Asura thought, but why wouldn't they? The kiss scene was on the script and she knew about it very well. She didn't mind it at first but as she felt that Gil is changing because of Hinako, she got jealous. She wished that it was her that changed him and not the freshman.
Asura turns to look at Mabu with a serious face. "I am fully aware that the story has a kissing scene. But it's nothing more but just acting. If you're trying to taunt me, Himeji-san, it will not work."
"Oh, but I think it will work!" Mabu stood from her seat and took out her phone from the pocket of her apron. She presses a few buttons on it and showed a picture to the blond-headed senior.
Asura's eyes widen, near bulging point. Her heart raced maniacally and small beads of sweat slowly drops from her forehead. It was there, the proof of Gil and Hinako's practice for the play. Hinako had her hand over Gil's cheek as he held her in his arms. The view of the shot was far from the stage but it clearly shows that Hinako and Gil kissed.
"We lost, Souji-san. Gil-darling has been taken from you and me," she smirks.
Asura remains quiet, lowering her head in sadness and defeat. "I must get going, Himeji-san. A good day to you."
"To you, too," she watches her senior leave with clenched teeth. "senpai."
October 18, 2016 - Lunchtime
Marie drops the chopsticks that she was holding in her right hand, looking at Hinako with a face that said, "Unbelievable". Furin, on the other, looks at Hinako intently, stopping himself from drinking his coffee-in-a-can.
Hinako releases an anime sweat-drop, feeling awkward as she told to her friends about what happened at play rehearsal yesterday. "P-Please say something, you two! Your gazes are making me extremely uncomfortable!"
"W-Well..." Furin trails.
"I-I'm not sure on what to say, Suzu-chan," Marie said.
"It wasn't really a kiss, you two," Hinako was blushing furiously. "It was just a peck on the cheek."
"S-Still! Y-You kissed Douji-senpai, Suzu-chan!" Marie said as she slams her bento lunch on her lap, blushing furiously while imagining the two of them kiss. Marie and her fantasies.
"I know I did," Hinako places a hand over her head, hiding her intensely blushing face. "Sometimes, I wonder to myself on what I got myself into."
"And he just let you do that?" Furin asks, raising an eyebrow. "As far as my knowledge goes, Douji-senpai doesn't let any girl touch him, let alone a kiss like that."
"I-I know he's not the type of person to let anyone just kiss him like that," Hinako replies, facing Furin. "but he let me do it...for the sake of the play."
"It is for the play. That, I can understand," Marie replies as she takes a chopsticks-full of rice.
Furin eyes at Hinako for a little while until a thought crosses his mind, wanting to know about something. "Hey, Hinacchi? Is it all right if I ask you about something?"
"Huh?" Hinako blinks rapidly. "Sure, please ask away, Furin-kun."
"All right, I'll be blunt," he becomes serious. "Do you like Douji-senpai?"
"Huh?" Hinako was surprised at Furin's question that it made her heart skip a beat. She doesn't want to lie, though, considering that he and Marie are her friends - practically like her family. She averts her look at Furin and closes her eyes. Hinako is still trying to find the right words to say.
"Come on, Suzu-chan! You can tell us, you know?" Marie insists, smiling. She, too, wants to find out and in the best way she can, she will support her best friend.
"I..." Hinako looks at her two friends who were smiling, anticipating for her answer. "I-"
Suddenly, the metal door to the rooftop opens and crashes to the wall beside it. The three of them were startled and cringed at the noisy banging of the door. Hinako, Furin, and Marie were by the shade, unseen by anyone from the door. Then, they heard heavy stomping.
"W-Who was that?" Furin asks, who was beside the wall.
"I-I'm not sure. I'll go check it," Hinako said. She places her sandwich down and crawls a little to see who was there. Her eyes widen in surprise. "Souji-senpai?"
"Eh? Souji-senpai's here?" Marie asks.
"Yeah," Hinako turns to nod at Marie. "I'll go check up on-"
"Souji-san!" A familiar voice erupts from the room.
Hinako suddenly looks back after hearing that familiar voice. "That voice belongs to-"
Suddenly, Hinako was pulled back by Marie and places a hand over her mouth. "Be quiet. We don't want to interrupt," she whispers.
Hinako lightly grabs Marie's hand and pulls it away from her mouth. "This is eavesdropping, Marie-san."
"What other choice do we have? We can't interrupt them."
"It'll be more awkward if we suddenly pop out from our spots," Furin adds.
Hinako thought that it was wrong to eavesdrop on Asura and Gil like this. But, Marie and Furin are right; it'd be really awkward if they suddenly surfaced from their places. To add, Hinako kind of wanted to hear about their conversation, so she kept quiet and listened.
"Asura, what are you getting mad at me for?!" Gil asks the upset secretary, unable to look at the golden-headed man and kept on looking at the school grounds. "Speak up. What's wrong with you?"
Asura's eye twitch. She clenches her fist and turns to look at Gil, hurt in her eyes. "You... You're my problem, Douji-san!"
"What? Why would I be your problem, huh? It's not like I did anything to offend you."
"Agh!" Asura slaps her right palm onto her forehead, shocking her underclassman. She lowers her head, stopping a few tears from leaving her eyes. "I am such an idiot. Why do I have to feel this way right now? It's unfair."
Gil was confused, unable to understand Asura's feelings. He can't help but pity her, seeing her break like that. All this time, Asura kept up a strong, unbreakable self, now only to see it crumble right before her ex-lover.
"Tell me, Souji-senpai. What are you feeling right now?" Sincere in his tone.
Immediately, Asura lifts her palm from her forehead and looks at Gil with tear-filled eyes. It fell helplessly to her cheeks, dropping to the ground. "I feel hurt and jealous, Douji-san. I-I don't deserve to feel this way but I feel it! I can't stand it even though it was my fault. I was the one who broke up with you and not the other way around! Yet..."
"I don't understand. Tell me clearly on what you feel towards me or else I'll misunderstand you and get confused, senpai," Gil approaches her, placing a hand over her left shoulder.
Asura continues to cry, unable to let the words come out of her mouth. With all of her confidence, she pushed herself to Gil, hugging him in the process. The golden-headed man was shocked, frozen in his place. Many thoughts ravaged his mind and the processing of such thoughts was slow. Why is Asura hugging him? What did this mean?
"Gil... I still...love you, okay?" Asura finally said, holding his shirt tightly. "I still...have these feelings for you...!"
"Wait, what?!"
Hinako places her back on the wall, releasing a big sigh. She looks up at the sky, her eyes plainly gazing up at it. Slowly, she clenches her right hand, shaking in sadness.
'I shouldn't have listened to it at all,' Hinako thought, holding back the tears from the back of her eyes. 'Because if I haven't, then I wouldn't have suddenly lost hope.'
October 18, 2016 - After School
It was nearing six in the evening and most of the students were on their way home. Marie and Furin went on ahead as Hinako stopped by the kendo club's room.
Hinako sat on the wooden floor in solitude, her legs folded up to her chest with her arms wrapped around it. The sky was turning dark blue and purple; the sun, disappearing.
The event that happened back at the rooftop continuously played inside her mind, repeating and repeating - the same scene all over again. Hinako can't help but smile, mentally slapping herself for liking Gil even though there's that possibility that he still loves Asura. Asura Souji is great in every way and there is not one person in school who doesn't adore her. Unlike her, she is nothing. Gil should patch things up with the blond-headed senior, Hinako thought. Maybe the feelings she holds for the person who cared for will fade away sooner than she thinks.
"Suzuhana, why are you still here?"
She snaps out from her thoughts as she heard that familiar voice that seemed to haunt her. Slowly, Hinako turns her head towards the door, meeting eye-to-eye with the person she was recently thinking about.
"Douji...senpai..."
"The others have already left," Gil said as he approaches her. "Why are you still here?"
Hinako hastily stood up from the floor and took a few steps backwards. It made Gil stop walking when he saw the sad and hurt look on his underclassman's face, confusing him greatly.
"What's wrong?"
Hinako looks away, looking at the grassy field beyond her. "It's nothing, senpai. I was about to go home," she walks towards the shelf, wanting to leave.
Gil suddenly grabs Hinako's arm as she walked past by him. He turns her around to make her look at him in the eyes. "You're not okay, Suzuhana. I know when you're sad, okay?"
"I told you, this is nothing," she simply said. "Please let go of me."
"Idiot!" Gil knocks her head lightly with his free hand. "Most of the time, I walk home with you, see you at the student council room, or here. You can't hide things from me anymore because I know you."
"No, you don't!" Hinako pulls her hand away from Gil's grip and took big steps backwards. "You don't know anything about me, senpai! So, please, stop pestering me!"
"Pe-" Gil suddenly gets irritated. "I am not pestering you, Suzuhana! I am just concerned! Why are you shouting at me, huh? Damn! People keep on shouting at me today!"
"Then, please don't concern yourself about me! I told you that I am fine!" Hinako covers her eyes with both of her hands. "Don't... Don't make your way into my heart anymore, please..."
"What? Your...heart?" Gil raises an eyebrow. "I am so confused..." He lowers his head. "First, Asura and now you. Who's next? Why won't you give me the benefit of a doubt?"
It was pure silence for a few seconds. Hinako and Gil refused to look at each other, feeling awkward and tense.
"It's because I like you..." Hinako whispers but Gil was able to hear it. His heart suddenly skips a beat.
"Suzu...hana?" He lifts his head and met the eyes of a sad underclassman.
"I like you, senpai," she tries to smile. "I like you so much that it's hurting me this way."
The two stood on their places, not moving at all. Gil's heart trembles, seeing Hinako that way; all hurt and sad. But, why would she? It's not like he did anything to hurt her. He never wanted to hurt her.
"I... I didn't..."
Gil was at a loss for words, having a hard time constructing his sentences. It was surprising, really, for he had never thought that Hinako would like him. All this time, they treated each other the way how friends would normally do. He wanted to be there for her, to ease, if not all, a bit of her sorrow after knowing of the sad past his underclassman went through. Little did he know...
...that he harbors the same feelings for her.
"But I know to myself that you won't see me the way I see you right now, senpai," Hinako pulls up a smile with all of her emotional strength, even it is bringing her pain. "I just wanted you to know and I hope that you forget about it soon."
"Suzuhana, I-"
"These feelings that I hold for you," Hinako places a hand over her chest. "It's the first time I've felt this way towards someone, senpai. So, thank you...for being there for me and for making me feel this way until it lasted," she turns around and starts to leave. "Goodbye, senpai."
Before Hinako could even reach for her bag, a hand suddenly catches her right one. Immediately, she turns around to meet the crimson eyes of her senior once more.
"D-Douji-senpai? What's wrong?"
"Suzuhana, I..." He tightens his grip on Hinako's hand. "I-"
But before he could even tell what he has been meaning to tell, a memory from a few months ago suddenly resurfaces from the back of his head.
"I have to break up with you. I'm sorry."
Gil's eyes widen in shock, unconsciously letting go of Hinako's right hand. All of the hope that has built up inside her heart has vanished, a smile of pain tugging on her lips. Without another word, Hinako left the kendo room, leaving her senior behind as he looks at the floor with an expression of fear.
Fear of being left alone again.
To be continued: (Autumn) Chapter 36