The classrooms sat silently in the afterschool environment. Another day passed where the two friends maintained a passive relationship, however this day could be blamed on Amaya. The girl’s mind hadn’t processed everything that was happening yet, this made her shut down completely. She was doing the exact opposite of what she would normally do. Avoiding confrontation she evaded her best friend bluntly, an action that caused Ryuji to wisely stay away from her for the time being. Alone and trying to give Amaya space, the boy decides to linger around the school until he was sure that Amaya would have made it back home. His thoughts traveled back and forth millions of times while his feet carried him to any place isolated.

                “Ryu-kun?” Apparently the distant water fountains at the back of the basketball court weren’t a good enough spot. Ryuji instantly recognizes the tone calling his nickname and looks up.

                Hoshiko’s brown hair soaked up the bright sunlight and the teenage boy squinted to take in the luminous sight.

                “What are you doing all the way back here?”

                “Oh, I just…didn’t feel like going home yet.” He answers while looking down and around the dirt floor under him. The girl softly made her way next to him and rested her head against his shoulder.

                “I really missed you, Ryu-kun.” Her voice was gentle and steady. Ryuji didn’t know what to say. In fact the whole reason that he was slowly going insane was because he never knew what to say.

                “Ryu-kun…remember when we were younger we were always together no matter where we went?” Hoshiko smiled as she reminisced of the small Ryuji so different from the broad shoulders she leaned on now.

                “You’d always follow me everywhere. You’d say it was to keep me out of trouble. Was I troublesome Ryu-kun?”

                “Very much.” Ryuji nodded and looked to the side. Hoshiko giggled and sighed.

                “I wish I had more time with you…”

                “Huh?” The boy returned to the conversation with the sudden words.

                “Ryu-kun, you already know that, right?”

                “What?” The girl moved her head and stood in front of the teen boy.

                “You know that I love you, right?” Ryuji’s mouth opened as if he was going to say something but then he realized he didn’t know what to say. The truth was that he didn’t know that and that he always thought that Hoshiko was his flirty friend who liked everyone but never loved anyone. He’d always seen her as someone who could never make an emotional connection. She seemed too liberated to love so this half confession came as an utter shock to the boy. As he stared at the girl with a dropped jaw as he thought over all the signs that she’d been liking him. Hoshiko saw this stagnant state as a chance to do what she’d been meaning to do. Slowly she moved her plump lips closer to the boys own lips. This sudden action awakened Ryuji and he finally had his epiphany.

                “Hoshiko, I don’t like you like that.”

                Hoshiko stopped dead in her tracks and her eyes showed a mix of confusion and frustration.

                “I didn’t know you liked me…if I had I…I would have told you earlier. Actually…we…Hoshiko, we were just kids. I took care of you like a big brother. I never…I mean…I’m sorry.”

                Hoshiko’s reaction was a simple act of looking down and nodding. Ryuji walked away as fast as he could and made his way home as the sky was tinged a bluish purple.

                “Hello, Mr.Takahashi.” The boy greeted his neighbor politely as he reached his home’s gate.

                “Ah, Ryuji-kun. Huh? Weren’t you with Amaya?” The old man asked confused and with a slight look of distress.

                “Huh? No. Why?”

                “She still hasn’t returned.” Her grandfather said this while looking worried.

                “Ah, she’s probably out with her friends. I’ll go find her for you, sir.” The teenager said this with the same amount of distress as the old-timer.

                The sound of Ryuji’s quick steps reverberated through the quiet dock at the time of day. He could hear his heart beating hard in his chest. Even if he tried to calm himself down it was impossible to fight the thoughts that crawled in through the cracks of his mind from the darker parts. He knew that Amaya was strong, that she could keep things locked inside for a long time but it was the sporadic moments of rebellion that scared him.

                Uncomfortable giggles drifted in the damp summer air and Ryuji’s throat felt as if it was being constricted and stopped him from screaming at the scene he saw. Instead he boldly walked up to the girl he was searching for in the midst of a group of his ex “friends”. The fruit stand that Amaya usually helped at was ringed by the young men with the worst reputation in town. Ryuji had been lucky to have drifted away from them before his own name was thrown in the mud. Ignoring the boys completely Ryuji walks over to Amaya and drags her away from the crowd and closer to him.

                “Amaya, your grandpa’s worried. You should get home.” The boy whispers as his eyes dart around her features.

                “Ryuji…you don’t have to take care of me anymore. You can go…” Amaya whispers back with a hurt yet prideful expression.

                “No, Amaya…that’s not the point…” He begins to formulate his answer just before the group ahead of them intrudes.

                “Hey, Ryuji, what’s with all the secrets?” One of the teens asks as he invades the two’s space. Ryuji doesn’t answer and only faces the other way. The sound of the waves crawling to the shore and a few intimidating snickers were the only things to be heard.

                “Hey, Itohara-san it’s nothing really. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Amaya’s soft voice oozes over the thick atmosphere but is ignored like the humming of mosquitoes.

                “Answer me, Kobayashi!” The guy abruptly barks and Amaya jumps. Ryuji’s only reaction is the knitting of his eyebrows. The boy confronting him begins laughing loudly as he’s joined by the rest of the bunch in a way that scared Amaya very much.

                “You think you’re too good for us, huh? Well, Amaya doesn’t think that.” Itohara says and grabs the girls hand and into his chest while she jolts from surprise. At that Ryuji is obligated to react and turns with a clenched fist that connects instantly to the other boy’s nose. Simultaneously Itohara falls to the ground and Ryuji pulls Amaya behind him just in time for the others to pile atop of him.

                “Kill that punk!” The boy lying says as he holds his throbbing nose.

                Amaya covers her shrieks with both her hands as the pack of boys started viciously going at Ryuji as the boy tried to at least stay on his feet. His body was obviously not built for fighting but he dodged as many blows as he could before getting hit with a powerful cuff to the stomach. His knees hit the floor and he’s showered with potent kicks. At that point the terrified girl can’t help but throw herself at the boys in a feeble attempt at trying to stop them.

                “Please stop!” She pleads while pulling at Itohara’s arm. The boy looks back at her.

                “That’s enough.” He orders his disciples and they stop instantly. Ryuji opens his eyes when Amaya lets out a low but shrill screech and see’s the girl’s long silky hair bunched up in the boy’s right fist. He’s filled with rage as the guy seethes out his words.

                “Next time you think you’re man enough to fight us, at least protect your girlfriend.” Ryuji grit his teeth and Amaya was thrown down towards him as the group left with a satisfied stride. As soon as they were far enough the boy lifted his limp body off the ground and watched as Amaya stayed kneeling. Her black locks covered her face but her sniffles could still be heard.

                “Let’s go.” Ryuji says reaching out to her. She pushes his hand away just as quickly as she had been given it and lets her head fall in her hands.

                “I told you to leave, didn’t I?” She says angry more at herself than at the boy in front of her.

                “What are you talking about? I know those guys; they’re bad news. If I’d left what would they have done to you?”

                “It’s none of your business! I told you already: I’m bad luck! This is the type of thing that happens to people around me…” Her words trickled down from angry shouts to a painful sob. Ryuji embraced her trembling body and pulled her up. She looked up and placed her hands on the boy’s face and arms as she searched for any marks. Red and purplish bruises littered his forearm and soon the girls hot tears splashed on them.

                “It’s not your fault that they’re bad people.” Ryuji tried to comfort her to no avail; the girl continued to weep silently as she pushed herself away from him.

                “No, Ryuji, but it’s my fault that you got hurt. You should be with someone that makes you happy and brings you strength not someone who just makes everyone around her seem like a loser.” These words felt like bitter medicine in the girls mouth and stung Ryuji’s heart like a steel knife.

                The day died out slowly and the sky that was once a vivid red became an appalling shade of sea green and black as heavy rain clouds drifted in from the south. The two trudged home with Ryuji walking just behind the girl whose head hung in disappointment. He felt like hugging her until she was better, to repeat to her it’s not her fault until she believed it, to wipe each tear that fell until there weren’t anymore, but he couldn’t. The wall that she had pulled a brick out of just to speak to him was now rebuilt, only this time they were higher.