It was as if bile was running up Mirai’s throat. It’s been what? 2 years? She knew Ryosuke was looking at her but she couldn’t make herself do the same thing.

“Where are you going to sit Ryosuke?” Asami asked. It was a good thing the girl was there. Mirai still had no idea what to do.

“Ah, I’ll just sit here.” Ryosuke placed his bag right on the chair in-front of where Mirai was sitting. The guy sat down and it was obvious that his posture was tense.

Mirai lifted her head only to see that yuri was looking at her.  It looked like this was what the latter was talking about a while ago. He was asking if she knew that Ryosuke would be back. Their homeroom teacher wasn’t here yet right??

“I’ll just go to the restroom…” Mirai stood up and walked out of the classroom. It was unusual since she didn’t ask her friends to accompany her and the fact that they went to the restroom not 5 minutes ago. But she needed to get away. The atmosphere was too thick in that room. She rounded to the direction of the backstairs. Even if she knew it was not allowed, she sat on the fifth step. She knew that many people wouldn’t be passing by. Through thinking, she was brought back to a time, two years ago to be exact.

“Mirai how is everything there?”

Mirai stopped from making the paper mache lantern and looked up. It was yet again the time for integrated projects. Their class president was Rio and she was going around to check up on everyone’s activities.

“We’re waiting for it to dry so we can already paint on it.” Mirai answered.

“Ok ok, we need to finish everything today so tomorrow we’ll only set-up.” Rio left, leaving a smile for Mirai.

Mirai continued with applying wet tissue to the lantern and at the same time blowing on it. When she was sure she could let it be, she carefully lifted it and let it sit on one chair. The classroom was still a mess, the others were still doing things. She didn’t want to disturb her friends who were practicing the dance for their presentation outside . She sat on one chair and watched her classmates around the room. To her surprise, someone suddenly sat beside her.

“Are you finished with what you were doing?”

She laughed. It was only Ryosuke. “Yeah, I’m just waiting for it to dry up.”

“I envy you guys on the craft department.” Ryosuke said. He circled his aching arm. “It’s hard to raise the poles up.”  His job was with doing the fake temple.

“Oh come one, you guys can do it.” Mirai said laughingly. When she came to, she saw Ryosuka was staring at her. “Oh, why?”

“H-ha? nandemonai. Ikou let’s eat.” The young man said avoidingly.

Mirai took a look around the classroom. They didn’t have class since they were all preparing for the project so why not. “Okay let’s go…”

The hard thing about having such a large school is the buildings being too far away from each other. They had to pass through a walkway from their classroom to the direction of the cafeteria.

“Yiiii! Why are Ryosuke and Mirai so sweet?” They both had to look and saw their friends practicing dance givng them cat-calls. Mirai could only shake her head and laugh while Ryosuke embarrassedly turned away. He was always like this, ever since they were in kindergarten. But they said he had the whole package. Yeah because he was handsome, smart and had awesome basketball skills. Thing is, he was a quiet one that’s why some think he’s a snob.

They both loved the calamari sold in the canteen so they immediately headed for the direction of that particular stand.

“Of course calamari?” Erika-oneechan, one of the cafeteria staff said once she saw Mirai and Ryosuke heading her way.

“Two orders please onee-chan.” Nina said, lifting her fingers to make it look like a peace sign. She was about to bring her wallet out but Ryosuke stopped her.

“I got this.” The young man said.

“No, it’s alright…”

“Oh come on Mirai, let Ryosuke do so, he’s just getting ready when you two are officially together…” Erika-onee said laughingly.

Both Ryosuke and Mirai froze. But Mirai was able to find her voice first. “Onee-chan whatever are you saying?.”

“It’s because Ryosuke is too slow!” Erika-onee laughed.

Mirai’s face turned beet red. But she saw that Ryosuke was also smiling as he handed Erika-onee the pay.

They sat by a table right next to Erika-onee’s stand.

“The calamari is always so good here.” Mirai smiled.

Ryosuke was sadly too busy to eat.

“You’re going to get fat again.” Mirai teased.

Ryosuke swallowed his food first before replying. “It’s so good to eat. And it’s only my face that’s getting fat.”

“Nuh-uh, you have flabs too.” Mirai laughed. When she stopped,she noticed Ryosuke was staring at her agai . “You’re looking at me again! It’s getting kind of creepy, why are you always staring?”

“Because of you…” Ryosuek whispered.

“Med? What did I do?”

Ryosuke only shook his head before continuing with eating.

“Oh gosh this is so tiring.”

Ryosuke and Mirai turned at the voice and saw one of their classmates approaching; it was Haruka. “Ryosuke, you’re a nice guy, come on buy me calamari too.” The latter said but they both knew she was only joking.

“I don’t have money anymore.” Ryosuke replied.

“Of course, are you still saving up for your date with Mirai?” Haruka teased. It was obvious that the girl was tired, she was all sweaty and her body looked beat.

“Ok ok, I’l buy you one but you owe me!” Ryosuke stood up and returned to Erika-onee.

“Thank you!” Haruka yelled before turning to Mirai. “Nee Mi-chan, isn’t Ryosuke courting you?”

“Ha?” Nobrakes huh. “Why would he court me?”

“Duh, because he likes you…”

“Ha…”

Haruka laughed. “Oh come on Mirai. Don’t you notice that you’re the only girl Ryosuke approaches? He doesn’t even have a group of friends, he’s kind of a loner isn’t he?”

It wasn’t Mirai’s first time to be classmates with Ryosuke. The last time they were classmates was when they were in 3^rd grade. Now that they were freshmen, they knew each other better. “We’re just close…” She reasoned out to Haruka. “Can’t girls and boys be just friends?”

“They can but if that boy and girl has your chemistry with Ryosuke? No they can’t…”

That really bothered Mirai. Yes it could be. But she didn’t want it to be. Ryosuke never said anything and who was she to think too much? She allowed her sentiments to run awry. Ryosuke came back and they all ate together before returning to the classroom.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

“Mirai! They have dumplings let’s go!” Suzuka invited.

“Gomen ne Suzu-chan, I’m waiting for Ryosuke, he said he’d treat me again.” It was only a few weeks more so she’d take the oppurtunity .

A small scowl showed unto Suzuka’s face. “Mi-chan, tell me, are you and Ryosuke together already?”

There was that question again. Mirai sighed deeply. “We’re just friends…” But now, she admitted that she was falling for her so-called friend. But then again she couldn’t say anything since Ryosuke had never said anything.

“Oh well, I’m hungry, let’s fetch Ryosuke so he’d go faster.” Suzuka pulled on Mirai’s hand and led her to the school’s gym. Because Ryosuke was a varsity player for basketball, he was still practicing.

Mirai and Suzuka were already by the gym when they heard something.

“Ryou-kun, don’t you plan on courting Mirai?” That was Yuto, Mirai knew his voice. She and Suzuka stopped where they were so they could hear the conversation .

“Mirai? She’s just my friend…” And that was Ryosuke.

“You two seem like you two are already together…”

“That’s nothing. She’s just very easy to talk to that’s why  I like being with her.”

“Really man, so you don’t have a plan? What if she likes you and starts falling for you?” Yuto asked.

There was a deafening silence before Ryosuke replied. “She won’t…and.. I don’t have plans with courting Mirai.”

Since that day, Mirai avoided Ryosuke. It would be more painful if she stayed close. To her surprise, Ryosuke and his family would be moving to America. She wouldn’t really know since she was the one who wvoided him right?

“Mirai! Sensei is here!”

Mirai suddenly remembered that she was already a senior and was sitting by the backstairs. She snapped awake from Suzuka’s call. “I’m coming…”

Be strong Mirai…

Mirai sat down in her chair, making sure not to make eye-contact with Ryosuke.

Their adviser, Yamaa-san was already there. They haven’t experienced the woman as a teacher since she only taught seniors.

“Good morning class.” Yamaa-san greeted.

“Good morning ma’am…” They all greeted back.

“I’m sure you all know each other so there is no need for introductions.”

They laughed at what their professor said. It looks like they’d have one cool homeroom professor. One by one they met their other professors the same day. At 10, they already had their 1^st break.

“Let’s head to the cafeteria!” Umika yelled. It was only a short break, so Mirai decided to just eat later at lunch. “Go ahead. I’ll eat later.”

“You don’t want us to buy you anything?”

“none, go ahead…”

Umika then left with Suzuka. Mirai immediately sensed something, usually Ryosuke would snack in the classroom and eat lunch later. And she was right, when she looked, Ryosuke was eating Pocky. This was annoying, she still knew his habits.

She was surprised to see that he was looking at her. Shucks! Did he notice that she was looking too? “You want some?”

There, the box of Pocky was in-front of her. “Ah arigato.” She was able to smile even though she was a little troubled. Ryosuke could only return a small smile before continuing with eating. Mirai wouldn’t blame the guy. He had no idea why she became distant years ago . And he had no fault since he never promised her anything. She was the one who was not strong since she couldn’t take being with him, knowing that they would just be friends.

Her brain was not finished with thinking when Ryosuke suddenly stood up from his chair. He was walking to sit beside her!

“Can I sit here? I don’t have anyone to talk to.” He said.

Mirai looked around. It was only a few of them left in the classroom. Some were even sitting at the back.

“Oh okay…”

They were both quiet. Ryosuke might have sat next to her so he could talk to someone but Mirai couldn’t say anything. She didn’t know where to look. She wasn’t ready. No one even informed her that he would be back! She wished Yuri wou;d’ve told her straight a while ago!

“How are you?” Ryosuke suddenly asked.

Mirai had no choice. She faced him. Man. The last time she saw him was when they were frehsmen. If Ryosuke was handsome then, he was more handsome now! He still had baby fats then. Now they were all gone. He had muscles everywhere! Shucks!

“Uhm, excited to be a senior…” Why was her voice so small? “How about you? Why’d you guys come back?”

Mirai! Now he’s thinking you’d want him to go away again.

But Ryosuke only shurgged. “I don’t like it there. System of studying is too long..” He stretched his arms and yawned. “And I missed it here in Japan, I left behind too many things.” Then he looked at Mirai.

What was that? Why was it noisy? Mirai realized it was only her chest beating. It was how Ryosuke looked at her! It was as if he was saying.. that she was the one he left behind.

“Were you able to return to the things you left behind?” Mirai asked.

Ryosuke looked at her again. “I don’t know yet…”

“Stop with the staring! Break time is over!”

Ryosuke and Mirai turned to see Asami and the others and Suzuka and Umika were back.