Dark still.
The riverbank. Wet grass. Water moving low beside it.
No one out.
I set my feet. Closed my eyes.
...
Pull it in. Hold.
Like holding a breath.
One.
Two.
…
Five.
Six.
Seven.
…
Eight.
Ghh—
…
Nine—
I let go.
The air came back too fast. I folded over my knees.
The ache settled. Like a bruise. Center of the chest.
I stayed like that. Hands on my knees.
Breathing.
I didn't move for a while.
…
Then I straightened. Wiped my forehead.
Did it again.
And again.
Each time worse than the last.
…
…
…
Started walking.
The street wasn't awake yet.
No one out.
A bicycle chained to a pole. A vending machine, humming to itself.
I listened it hum.
…
The cherry trees were green now.
The blossoms gone. Just leaves.
…
The park came up.
The bench. The little frame on it.
Kept walking.
Inoue would be at school today.
Bright. Same as always.
I… I…
I kept walking.
…
The Kurosaki house came up on the left.
Dark.
Half the wall new. Bare boards, no paint yet.
…
...
Click.
"I'm home."
***
They both at the table. Eating.
"Morning."
"Morning."
She pointed toward the counter. "Your plate's there."
"Thank you."
I took it up and sat down.
Eggs. Rice. Fish. Greens.
"Itadakimasu."
"Itadakimasu,"
We ate.
…
"Hikaru."
"Hm?"
"Do you still want to be a baseball player?"
My chopsticks stopped.
Wha—?
"Ah— no. I'll…
…I'll think about it."
Dad nodded.
Went back to eating. "Mm. No rush."
…
…
Shoes on. Bags.
Mom crouched a little. Brushed the hair off my forehead. "Be a good boy."
"Mm."
"Bye, Hikaru."
"Bye, Hikaru."
I waved. "Bye bye."
Click.
The house went quiet.
…
…
…
Click.
Cool air.
The ache was still there. Center of the chest. Dull.
…
Ichigo at the wall.
Beside him—
…
…
"Morning, Ichigo."
"Mm." He pushed off the wall.
She moved when he moved.
"Good morning, Hinata-kun."
I opened my mouth.
…
"Morning. Kuchiki-san."
She'd already looked away.
We walked.
Him in front. Her at his shoulder. I took the back.
A bird somewhere. A bicycle, far.
"...You won't ask?"
He didn't turn around.
"...Should I?"
…
Rukia's eyes moved to me. Once.
Then back to the road.
He didn't answer.
…
They were walking a little faster than me.
The gap opened.
***
Shoe lockers. The morning crowd.
I changed mine slow.
Ichigo was already done. Rukia beside him, slipping her shoes in.
They started for the stairs. I followed.
The corridor was loud. Students everywhere.
Ichigo in front. Rukia at his shoulder.
They were whispering to each other.
Couldn't hear. Didn't try.
…
Our floor came up.
***
The teacher talked. We listened.
Break.
The room emptied out. Most of them gone. Ichigo too. Rukia with him.
…
"Hinata-san—"
"Morning, Inoue-san."
She glanced toward the classroom, Then back at me.
…
I tilted my head, "Something wrong, Inoue-san?"
"No, um… That new girl. Kuchiki-san."
"…Yes?"
"She sits right next to Kurosaki-kun—"
Her face went red.
"—and you walked in with them this morning, and— and yesterday she—"
Redder.
"Are they— do you think they're—"
She couldn't finish it.
"No."
She looked up.
"They're not together. She moved in near us. That's all."
"REALLY??" Her eyes shined.
"Really."
Her shoulders came down.
"Oi— Hinata."
A girl two desks over.
"You live next to Kurosaki, yeah?"
"…Yeah."
"So's it true? Him and the new girl?"
"Are they going out?"
…
"They're not together."
"Eh— really?"
"You sure?"
"They're always together though—"
"They're neighbors. Like me."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
More of them now.
Leaning in.
"Come ooon, you're definitely covering—"
"Just admit it—"
"I'm n—"
"Hinataaa—"
Sigh…
***
Chalk on the board. Numbers I wasn't following.
I copied some.
Ishida, already done. Pencil down.
Inoue and Chad, copying every line.
Keigo, face-down on his arms. Asleep.
Mizuiro, phone under the desk. Thumbs moving…
…
Ichigo, scowling at the board. Still copying.
Rukia beside him, drawing stuffs.
Chalk. Click.
"Hinata. With us?"
"…Yeah. Sorry."
Mizuiro huffed a laugh.
Sigh…
…
Keigo's asleep.
Mizuiro's on his phone.
Everyone's got their thing.
And who gets warned?
…
I smiled.
Picked my pencil back up.
***
The bell went.
The room emptied in a rush. Chairs, bentos, the door.
"Hikaru-kun, you coming up?" Mizuiro, already moving.
"Yeah. I'll be there."
Keigo, halfway out: "DON'T be slow—"
Then they were gone.
…
…
…
"…Hinata-san?"
Inoue. Still at her desk. Bento unopened.
Tatsuki beside her, leaning on the next desk. Waiting on her.
"You're not going up?"
"…In a bit."
"Me too! Waiting for everyone." She looked down at the bento.
Then at me.
"Wanna try? While we wait?" She opened. Showing.
…
I glanced down.
Rice. Something green. Something red this time.
"...What's the red?"
"Strawberry jam! With the curry!
I made the strawberry jam! Teehee."
…
Tatsuki, not looking up. Done with it.
…
"Sure."
Tatsuki's head came up.
"You'll what."
"I'll try some."
"REALLY?" Inoue, both hands shoving it closer.
Tatsuki was just looking at me.
…
I took a bite.
…
…
…
It was bad.
…
"It's good."
Inoue's whole face lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah."
Tatsuki was still watching me. "…Huh," she said. Quiet.
I took another bite.
Inoue was already going. A marmalade. A thing with pasta next time. Something about red bean.
I listened.
…
That's all I can do.
…
The girls came for Inoue and Tatsuki at the door. Loud. All at once. "Orihime, Tatsuki we've been WAITING—"
"Coming, coming—!"
She gathered the bento up. Stood.
"Thank you for the food, Inoue-san."
She waved. Bright.
I lifted my hand.
Tatsuki pushed off the desk. Looked at me once more.
Then they were gone too.
The room went quiet.
…
…
…
"You're not eating?"
…
"I'm reading."
"Right."
…
…
...
"That shinigami girl and Kurosaki."
I looked over.
He hadn't looked up from the book.
"She shouldn't be here."
"Mm."
…
"And he's already one of theirs."
…
…
"Yeah."
He looked up.
Our eyes met.
I smiled. His eyes narrowed.
…
He went back to reading.
Turning page.
I stood.
"Good reads, Ishida-san."
He didn't look up.
The corridor was loud. Lunch crowd. Students everywhere.
I walked.
….
…
The stairs. The rooftop door.
A voice through it. Small. Gentle. A child's. "Hello. My name is Yuichi Shibata."
Ah. I'm late.
…
"It talked— did you hear it?" Keigo. Hushed.
I pushed the door open. Sun. A little wind.
Ichigo on the ground, back against the fence. Rukia beside him, a juice box in her hand. Frowning at the straw.
Chad, cross-legged, a cage in front of him. Keigo and Mizuiro crouched over it.
A small bird inside.
…
Ichigo's eyes came up. Found me. Held. A second.
Then away.
…
…
"Hikaru. You're late." Keigo, waving me over, still hushed. "Come look. Sado's got a talking bird."
I went over. Crouched by the cage. The others shifted to make room.
The bird tilted its head at me.
Small. Round eyes.
…
It's already too late.
I reached through the bars. Petted the back of his head. One finger.
Even if it wasn't…
I pulled my hand back. "It's a gentle bird."
Chad nodded.
"Right? He's so smart." Keigo turned back to the cage. "Okay— watch. Kei-go. Say it. Kei-go."
The bird tilted its head.
"Hello. Keigo-san."
"Woaaaah! A genius bird!"
"It's really more polite than you, Asano-san."
"Hey—"
Ichigo and Rukia, still by the fence. Talking low. Heads close.
I couldn't hear it but already knew.
***
Ding Dong Ding
Chairs scraping. Bags zipping.
Ichigo and Rukia were already gone. A phone alarm, and they'd bolted before the bell finished ringing.
…
Chad packed up. The cage already in one hand.
"Sado, you coming? We're getting food." Keigo, one arm through his bag strap.
Chad shook his head. Once.
"Why not."
He looked at the cage a second. "Got somewhere to be."
Out the door before Keigo could ask more.
Keigo watched the door a second. "Everyone's got something today, huh."
"Mm," Mizuiro said. Already standing.
The corridor. Loud. Lockers slamming, students pouring toward the exit.
"Hikaruuu."
"Mm. Coming."
Mizuiro, ahead already, phone in hand. "There's a new place by the station."
"Is it good?"
"Don't know yet."
Shoe lockers. Outside shoes on.
The gate. Then the street.
They went ahead.
I fell a step behind.
Then two.
…
Their backs. The road stretching out. The noise of the school thinning behind us.
…
…
…
…
"...What am I even doing here anymore."
…
…
"HIKARU. You're slow!" Keigo, turning.
Mizuiro too. Looking back. Waiting.
…
"Haaah." I smiled.
"Coming."
***
The place by the station. A window counter. Stools.
Keigo ordered first. Mizuiro didn't look at the menu. I got the popular one.
We sat outside on a low wall.
…
"Oi." Keigo, mouth still full. "You guys notice Kurosaki's been weird?"
"Leaving mid-class. With the new girl. Twice already."
"…Three."
"SEE— even you noticed—"
Keigo turned to me. "You know anything?"
"…He hasn't told me anything."
"NOTHING?"
"…"
Mizuiro, not looking up from his phone. "Something happen? With Kurosaki-kun?"
…
"Mm."
"…WHAT?"
Keigo's waffle stopped halfway to his mouth.
"YOU AND KUROSAKI— FOUGHT?"
"It's fine."
"IT'S NOT FINE, YOU'RE NEVER APART— WHAT HAPPENED—"
"It was my bad."
"HUH?"
"...I said something I shouldn't have. He's got every right."
Keigo blinked at me.
"Kurosaki wouldn't just—"
"I know."
"It's on me. Not him."
"I'M CONCERNED—"
"Asano-san. Can you lower your voice."
"It's not that big," I said. "He's probably with Rukia-san right now too."
…
Keigo's whole face changed.
"…WAIT."
Mizuiro's thumbs stopped.
…
Sorry, Ichigo…
…
"You THINK so?" Keigo, leaning in. "Like— actually?"
"…I meant he left with her. That's all."
"THAT'S NOT NOTHING—"
"Every time, though." Mizuiro. Phone still in hand. Forgotten.
"RIGHT??
RIGHT?? Every single time—"
Keigo turned to Mizuiro. "Okay but THINK about it—" He held up a finger. "They're ALWAYS together. Morning. Lunch. After school. Nobody's that together unless—"
"You're always with me, Asano-san."
"…"
"THAT'S DIFFERENT—"
Mizuiro, still considering. "…I saw her kicking Ichigo this morning."
"SEE—"
"People kick people they hate too."
"NOT LIKE THAT THEY DON'T—"
Mizuiro shook his head "I asked him. At lunch. Up on the roof."
Keigo froze.
"YOU DID WHA— What did he say??"
"'No.'"
"That's it? Just no?"
"Mm."
"WHAT ELSE DID HE SAY—"
Mizuiro went back to his phone.
"MIZUIRO—"
Haaah... I made a mistake.
...