“Kana!” a soft, gentle voice exclaimed loud enough for the young girl to hear, but inaudible to the rest of the classroom. “The teacher’s looking at you! Wake up before you get into trouble… again” Kana’s friend shook her friend vigorously.

“Okay, okay, I’m up” Kana yawned loudly, raising her head only to match eyes with her clearly infuriated instructor. Kana tried hard to stay awake, but only managed to slightly open her eyes as her heavy head rested on her frail wrist. Her instructor shook his head in disapproval, but what could Kana do?

Fake a smile as usual.

She never fell asleep during school before, she wasn’t the type of person to. She was incredibly studious and well prepared for school… today just wasn’t her day.

“Hi Kana” her friend greeted during lunch.

“Hi Suzy” Kana replied with little to no spirit. Suzy was a bit confused as to why her friend seemed so tired, but she didn’t question it. She shrugged her shoulders and thought since it was unlike Kana, all would blow over.

Little did Suzy know, it took more than a gentle breeze to blow the seeds of a daffodil off its stem.

Kana’s behavior changed over the next few days.

“She’s just going through a phase.”

“She’s too smart to let anything bring her down.”

“She needs help.”

Kana heard such phrases on a daily basis as she walked languidly through the school halls.

She wasn’t so sure what was wrong with her either. She just knew that she was tired and that was it.

“Kana” Suzy shook her by the shoulders, “are you alright?” Kana slowly nodded her head at this. Suzy didn’t believe Kana, but she didn’t question her any further. Instead of pestering her about her situation, she sat quietly next to Kana, believing that her mere presence would lift the spirits out of her seemingly lifeless friend.

Although many were curious about Kana’s well-being, no one dared to question her off behavior.

“I’m anticipating all of your poems… and I pray to God that all of you did this assignment because I did consistently remind each and every single one of you each and every single day!” Kana’s first period instructor stated cheerfully, “are there any volunteers?” No response.

Kana raised her hand.

“Kana!” the entire class looked at her, confused.

She trudged in her usual, languid pace toward the front of the room as her classmates watched her present her poem in incredulous awe. They had expected the old Kana, bright and bubbly, to voluntarily go first, not present-day Kana.

She turned around while holding her paper tight in her hands; the perspiration from her fingers stained the crumpled object.

“Ahem” was all she had to say to shut the entire class up.

“I feel neglected, cold, broken

I feel lonely and entirely outspoken

Indignant by the slightest of things

Mad about the thought that clings

To my mind.”

Kana stood in place, waiting for the rest of the poem to slip right off her tongue. The entire class was silent, waiting for her to continue what she had to say. Her vision was blurred but she didn’t know why. She was angry, frustrated, and miserable.

Something deep inside her fell from its place that day and shattered into millions of pieces. It would take an entire lifetime to fix.

Tear drops fell all over her paper and to save herself from what she considered embarrassment, she bolted out of the classroom and continued to run away as far as she possibly could.

Before she knew it, she ran head first into what felt like a pole and fell backwards. She lied on the floor, looking at the sky, and experienced the worst headache she could have possibly ever felt.

She continued to cry.

She didn’t even get up to check what she ran into. Since she assumed it was a pole, she didn’t bother to.

“Ouch” a masculine voice whined. Kana’s eyes grew wide out of shock and suddenly she felt really bad. The figure rose from the ground and hovered over Kana to check on her. He waved his hand above her face to check if she was responsive or not. “Are you alright?”

She wanted to answer him honestly and tell him no, I wish I was. But she slowly nodded her head anyway as he extended his hand for her to hold. She grabbed a hold of it and he pulled her up from the ground.

“You don’t look okay” he frowned as he bent down to check on her face, “you have a bump on your head… I think that’s my fault. Turn around, let me check the back of your head.” Kana did so obediently since running away from him would only cause her more trouble. “You have a bump on the back of your head too… are you sure you’re okay?” He turned her around forcefully, but gently. She nodded her head again. “You even cried! Oh gosh, I’m so sorry” he sighed, “Let’s get you to a nurse.”

“No, I’m fine! Really, I’m fine” Kana reassured the strange boy. She had never seen him before, but she was interested in learning of his whereabouts. He was a handsome boy that Kana was eager to befriend. “Um, I haven’t seen you around campus before… what’s your name?”

He looked at her as if she was the only person in existence. Kana’s first symptom of the wretched emotion people call love appeared as soon as he brushed her hair out of her face. His lips curved upward, his eyes became mere lines, and his cheeks were of a tinted pink. This face would be engraved in the nooks and crannies of her mind.

“L” he said simply.

People began to notice Kana’s sudden change in behavior as her mood eventually brightened up. They all started talking to her again and liked her this way. She was much easier to communicate with and she seemed to be in love with life. No one bothered to question what happened or why she was so happy all of a sudden. As long as she was in high spirits, no one really cared for the reason.

Although many were happy for her sudden change of mood, they were also concerned for her well-being. Kana was often seen talking to herself and she was very open about this as well.

“No, you!” she would scream aloud. Everyone would turn their heads at her, wondering who she was talking to and if she was okay.

“Okay, well, how about this. If you can figure me out within the next week, I’ll give you a little surprise. If you can’t, then you’ll also get a surprise” L held out his pinky at this small, but meaningful agreement and Kana happily obliged as they interlocked pinkies.

For the next few days, Kana spent more and more time with L and to others, she just seemed to become crazier and crazier each day.

Suzy, concerned herself, walked over to Kana and smiled as she held a basket filled with Kana’s favorite foods. “Wow Suzy, you know me so well! Thank you so much!” she smiled as she grabbed tangerines out of the basket. “But what is this for..? …did  you do something?”

“No!” Suzy laughed, “no… it’s just… I haven’t been able to talk to you for a while, that’s all” Suzy was beating around the bush. She wasn’t sure how to confront this situation without exactly hurting Kana’s feelings. “Um.”

“Don’t be scared, ask away!” Kana shouted flamboyantly. Suzy hesitated and almost walked away, but rediscovered the courage that was hiding within her.

“A lot of people around campus… are, um” Suzy giggled slightly, “questioning your actions.”

“What do you mean?” Kana raised an eyebrow and looked genuinely confused, “I’ve been acting better than I was a week ago.”

“Yes, I know” Suzy agreed, nodding her head.

“Then what seems to be the problem?” Kana’s frustration with her friend was gradually building up inside of her, but she didn’t know why.

“Well, people have noticed that you have gotten much brighter, and of course that’s always a good thing. Especially for me! I love you either way, but seeing you happy makes my heart warm… but, you’ve been talking to… yourself a whole lot lately, and we’ve just been wondering whether you’ve been okay or not, that’s all” Suzy let out a rather deep, relieving sigh afterward and Kana stared blankly into the atmosphere.

A period of silence followed afterward and all Kana could do was smile, and then laugh a hysterical laugh. Suzy was awfully frightened by this sudden outburst and nearly got up to leave before Kana opened to speak again.

“Look, I’m not crazy. I know that’s what you’re all thinking, but I’m really not crazy. I swear to all of you that I’m perfectly normal and have been talking to my good friend L for the past few days. He’s sitting right across from us if you didn’t know… right, L?” Kana explained herself as L nodded his head at her. “Now you can take your gift basket back because I don’t really want the fruits and chocolates from someone I considered a close friend who is judging me at this very moment” Kana stated bluntly as she shoved the basket back into Suzy’s arms. Suzy was at a loss for words. She just shook her head and walked off.

Friday finally arrived and Kana and L were eating lunch together. Plenty of people walked by Kana, judging her from a distance. All she could do was shrug her shoulders and ignore them. She didn’t really mind though, L had been with Kana the entire time. Their conversation topics varied from philosophical thoughts to cartoons.

“So,” L smiled, “what have you learned about me thus far?” Kana thought to herself.

“Well, your smile is very unique, you’re a very kind person, you know how to make a girl’s life turnaround within a week, and you… there’s so much more but that’s all I could really think of” Kana smiled and L nodded his head.

“Very observant and very true” he laughed, “but that’s not what I wanted you to find out.”

Kana looked at him as if he was speaking another language. “It’s not?”

“Nope” he replied bluntly.

“Then what—”

“I don’t have much time to say what I want to say… but listen and listen closely” he leaned toward Kana, putting his forehead against hers. “First and foremost, you are absolutely not psychotic.”

“I think I knew that already” Kana laughed and L only smiled at her words.

“Did you ever stop to wonder why everyone stared at you so strangely?” L asked and Kana shook her head. “Well, to them, I do not exist.”

“What..?” Kana was more confused than ever.

“I… I actually was sent from another world to comfort you in any way possible. I was only given a week to do so… and now that the week is over, it’s time for me to leave. As long as you were happy, I fulfilled my task of preventing you from committing suicide” L looked at Kana, hoping for any sign of understanding. Kana couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“I think you’re crazy… this can’t be true” Kana stared blankly.

“But it is… look, I don’t have much time” L’s finger tips began to disappear as he rose his hands to cup Kana’s small face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before… I wasn’t allowed to. I was also warned not to fall in love with you because the relationship between us wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t…” L began to tear up and Kana still couldn’t process his words into her head. “Kana… please tell me you’re listening to me right now.”

Kana stopped listening a while ago.

“But I do love you…” L’s entire arm had disappeared by now.

Kana snapped out of her daze.

“And I wish I could stay with you forever, but I’m sure you can live happily on your own now, right?” L grabbed a hold of her shoulders and bent over in order to see eye to eye with her. “Right?”

Kana shook her head vigorously and began to bawl.

“No L, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do without you” she cried, “one week wasn’t long enough and I don’t even care if people think I’m crazy. I just want you by my side…”

L sighed as he brought her in close with his only arm. “I’m sorry” was all he could say. Kana’s arms were thrown around L, holding him tight as if it would make a difference.

She closed her eyes tightly, wishing for L to stay. But as she opened her eyes, he was gone. She looked a bit strange holding the air, but she stayed in the position as if he were still in her frail arms. Her arms finally dropped after they were held up for so long. They grew tired.

She looked on the ground and found a white feather perfectly placed on the ground. She picked it up and gently put it in her bag for safe keeping.

She walked away from their usual spot with puffy, red eyes and acted as if nothing happened that week.