CHAPTER 3

 

 

You look out to the big field and sigh. During your short sleep inside the bus on the way to school, you kind of got an image of the guy you saw back at the auditorium. There is no person in school you haven’t talked to since you managed to interview everyone on the first week of the school year.

 

You let out another sigh.

 

Maybe he started later than everyone.

 

This need to know about this mystery guy starts annoying your mind. It’s like those moments when an answer is nearly at the tip of your tongue but you tend to forget at the last second.

 

That has to be it! He started school later than others, right?

 

You sigh again.

 

How do you learn about someone you know nothing about, except for the fact that he is a schoolmate of yours, and not sound like a stalker?

 

You shake your head.

 

What if he isn’t a student and just pretending to be one? There have been complaints from other schools about that kind of issue.

 

“What kind of expression is that?” Yura, your closest friend since junior high, brings you back to reality. “Is something bothering you? I’ve been hearing you sigh since this morning.”

 

Maybe Yura can help me out…

 

Instead of responding to her question, you ask her, “Hey, if I want to find someone I don’t know, how should I do it?”

 

She makes a confused face at you. “Are you suddenly interested in a guy? Or did that student council president give you another impossible task? Because if he is doing that again, we are going to give him a beating he’ll never forget.”

 

“No,” You laugh. “And no, although you’re slightly correct. I mean, have you seen any new student the past few months?”

 

Yura shrugs. “No, except for the freshmen. The school is big but you can pretty much know who is who. Why? Are you crushing on somebody for the first time?” She teases.

 

“Freshmen? No, he can’t be one. He wouldn’t be allowed alone inside the auditorium if he was. So how do I solve this mystery?” You ask yourself, momentarily forgetting your friend.

 

“Hey! Who is this person you are talking about?” Yura gets intrigued.

 

Your shoulders slump. “That’s the problem. I don’t know. This guy runs out from the auditorium after I intruded even though there was no club activities that day. Strange, right?”

 

Yura smiles. “Not as strange as you being so caught up by a mystery guy. You have a picture of him? So he must go to this school, right? How does he look? Cute? Or very cool?”

 

It dawns to you that if you have to describe the guy, he would be the very attractive kind of guy. If you tell Yura that, she’ll definitely celebrate that you are talking about a guy.

 

You shrug. “I don’t have any references on his look, but he’s pretty decent. I’m not even sure if the guy goes here because he left in a hurry, maybe not to get caught.”

 

“And you didn’t run after him to ask for his name?” Yura shocks you with her sudden outburst.

 

You close your eyes to stop yourself from scolding her. “No, I didn’t. How could I just leave the auditorium lights open for a guy who doesn’t even want to be followed?”

 

Yura pouts and pats your head carefully. “Sorry, you missed your chance then. But I wonder who this guy is. Seriously, if anot