Deatta hi
December, year 2041
“Alright, that’s it for today’s lesson. Be sure to write all of this down because it will be on the exam” the teacher said as she sat down at her desk. Students were still copying what she had written on the board. “You may leave once you’ve finished” she added.
Tsukino put her pencil down and sat back, straightening her back against the rest and stretching her arms above her head. She turned to look out the window, linger at the view.
Everything was so white outside, usually they didn’t get much snow since Komatsu was so close to the ocean. But it had been very cold the past few weeks and the winter blanket had laid itself over the city.
“Tsukino! Get off your butt or I’ll leave you behind!” Mayura called from the doorway.
“Hold up!” Tsukino called back, quickly gathering her books and getting out of her seat. She ran after her best friend who was waiting in the corridor.
“What were you thinking about? I called for you at least three times” Mayura asked.
“Nothing really, I was just… I don’t know, not thinking?” Tsukino answered with a shrug.
They made their way back to their homeroom to fetch their bags and coats before leaving school for the day.
“Do we have any more homework this week?” Mayura asked as she buttoned her cape.
“We got some in biology yesterday, Ueda-sensei wanted it in on Friday” Tsukino replied absently as she rummaged through her bag for her other glove.
“Bleh, biology. You’ve already finished it, haven’t you?” Mayura said with distaste and watched Tsukino nod with a smug smile.
“Nerd” Mayura muttered as she put her biology book into her bag.
“Hey, you’re the artsy one, if anyone’s a nerd it’s you!” Tsukino countered in mock offense as they left the homeroom and headed down stairs to get their shoes.
“Well at the very least you’re a geek, what sane person finishes their homework more than a day before it needs to be turned in?” Mayura argued.
“Any sane person would finish their homework the moment they got it” Tsukino scoffed, managing to hold a very snooty expression for a few seconds before they both broken into laughter.
“Look at it from the bright side, the year is almost over, then you can switch to a different subject” she said as they arrived at their shoe lockers.
“Yeah but I want to be in the same class as you and you want to continue with biology, right?” Mayura replied as she removed her indoor shoes.
“I think-” Tsukino froze mid-sentence when she felt someone slowly running their hand down her tail. She knew who that was, if her body would just let her move she could do something about it.
“Hana-chan~” a boy’s voice whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her. It sent enough chills down Tsukino’s spin for her to regain control and she spun around yanking her tail from his hand.
“Yo-Yoru you idiot! Don’t call me that!!” she shouted, stuttering but she couldn’t help it. Yoru just grinned at her, the gold ring in his lip moving with the smile. He gave her a quick pat on the head before running down the corridor, catching up to Kazu who was looking back at the girls with an apologetic expression.
Tsukino sighed heavily as she turned back to her locker, hearing the whispers about her and Yoru spreading through the corridor. He had been targeting her since spring, didn’t they have anything better to gossip about? She wished he would just leave her alone.
“Wow, third time this week”
Mayura’s voice coming from just behind her made Tsukino jump.
“Do you have to talk over my shoulder like that?” she whined.
Mayura smiled playfully as she adjusted her boots. Tsukino hurried to take her shoes from the locker, replacing them with her indoor shoes before closing the small door.
“Seriously though, he wants you” Mayura said as they slowly made their way down the stairs, they had to be careful, it had been very slippery this morning and because of the snow the icy spots on the ground weren’t visible.
“Who? Yoru-senpai?” Tsukino answered absently as she watched the ground in front of her. She had already slipped twice this winter, she wasn’t planning on doing it a third time, with her luck she’d break something.
“No, my uncle… of course I mean Yoru-senpai, who else?” Mayura said, pretending to be annoyed with Tsukino’s disinterest. They had made it to the bus stop.
“I don’t know, anyone but him?” Tsukino huffed. “It is getting really uncomfortable. I mean, at first it was kind’a cute but now it’s borderline harassment…” she added.
“He really likes you, so why not give him a chance? Maybe he’s really nice once you stop resisting? I mean he’s nice to me and he’s popular… and hot” Mayura reasoned making Tsukino snort out a laugh.
“And you’re the one with the crush on him. It would just feel weird, not to mention unfair, to date someone you like so much”
“I know… I’m sorry. I’d just rather you be his girlfriend than anyone else. He’s nice to me and all but I know I don’t have a chance. He doesn’t see me, I’m invisible after all” Mayura replied in a sigh.
Tsukino turned her gaze to the ground. She never knew what to say when Mayura called herself invisible. She wasn’t invisible at all, she turns heads and people like her. But she is so fixated on Yoru she can see all the eyes that are on her. The only person she wants to be noticed by pays her no mind and it makes her blind.
“Bus is here” Mayura said, pulling Tsukino from her thoughts. They both dug in their pockets for their bus passes. Usually they would walk to the station, but it had been cold lately and buses were warm. They sat together in the back of the bus, warming their hands on the radiator below the seat.
“Don’t you at least want to try? See what it’s like to be Yoru-senpai’s girlfriend?” Mayura was still stuck on the topic.
“Drop it Mayura. The only reason he’s even interested in me is because I’m not interested in him. It’s all some twisted game to him” Tsukino replied, she had tried to imagine herself as Yoru’s girlfriend, many times, when she felt like giving up. But she couldn’t see it happening.
“Alright, alright… one more thing about Yoru though…”
“Oh my goodness, what?!” Tsukino asked turning to her friend whose gaze was fixed to the front of the bus. Tsukino knew that stare.
“He’s getting on the bus, maybe-” broken from her trance Mayura found herself speaking to an empty seat. Her cellphone rang just then and she picked up, knowing it was Tsukino from the ringtone.
“Where did you go?”
“I got off the bus. Sorry, I just didn’t want to deal with him”
“Haha, that’s okay. But won’t you miss your bus if you’re walking to the station?” Mayura asked.
“Yeah, I didn’t think that one through. I’m just gonna walk home, I’ll be home before the next bus comes around.”
“Well, I’ll see you in school tomorrow then. Bye Tsukino, oh and be careful when you walk home!”
“I will, bye!”
Tsukino put her phone away and watched the bus as it rolled off towards the station. She didn’t have any patience for Yoru today. So, she started her walk home through the neighborhoods, putting her earphones on and singing along to pass the time.
She’d gotten about halfway when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, worried Yoru might’ve followed her.
“Excuse me…”
It wasn’t Yoru, but it was a boy. He had blue hair and eyes, Tsukino relaxed and removed her earphones.
“Hi…” she replied carefully. She thought she recognized him, but couldn’t quite place him. She tucked her earphone into her pocket.
“You’re Tsukino Hana, right? Is it okay if I walk with you? I live in this direction” the boy asked carefully as he pointed down the road.
“Sure, I guess…” Tsukino replied as they began walking together. Where had she seen him before?
“Do you live around here?”
“Not in the neighborhood, I live a bit across the river… I’m sorry but I’m having trouble placing you, have we met before?” Tsukino couldn’t figure out where she’d seen him, she had to ask.
The boy gave her a worried look. “We-We’re in the same homeroom class?” he tried nervously and right away Tsukino could place him.
“Oh, you’re the transfer student!” she exclaimed, he just nodded in confirmation, seeming very relieved. “I’m sorry, it’s Taiyouno… something right? I’m not good with names” she apologized.
“It’s Tsubasa, Taiyouno Tsubasa” he replied helpfully.
“That’s what it was” Tsukino nodded giving him a long look. Up close he was pretty cute. When he had introduced himself to the class a few days ago, he had seemed dark and gloomy, she hadn’t given him a second glance.
“How are you settling into school? You’ve had to memorize a lot of new names, I’m impressed you remembered mine. We haven’t even spoken properly until now” Tsukino said as they made their way down the street.
“People talk a lot about you for some reason, at school.” he replied.
“…Of course they do” Tsukino sighed. As Yoru’s chosen target it was hard to stay out of the gossip.
“Is it alright if I call you Hana-san?”
“I’d rather you didn’t.” Tsukino replied reflexively.
“S-Sorry… umm” he immediately went to apologize.
“No it’s okay, I just don’t like my name. Just call me Tsukino, everyone done. What should I call you?” Tsukino felt bad about the way she reacted and tried to move the conversation forward.
“Tsubasa is fine, my surname is a bit of a mouthful… you don’t like your name?” he replied carefully.
“Well it’s plain. It’s ‘flower’, not lily or rose or something pretty like that, it’s just flower and I feel cheated” she explained, it felt silly, but she really wished she had a prettier name.
Tsubasa didn’t reply with more than a nod and their conversation died down. After walking in silence for a bit Tsukino wanted to get him talking again. He seemed nice and he probably hadn’t made many friends yet, having just transferred schools. She watched him for a bit, he was fiddling with the cord on his jacket. She wondered if he was shy.
“Are you joining a club at school? Do you have any hobbies?” she asked, keeping it casual.
“Oh I… I’m not in any clubs. I like botany though…” he was being so quiet now, Tsukino felt guilty, she should’ve been nicer.
“Botany, like floral arrangements?” she couldn’t quite see him doing that.
“No, gardening. Mostly fruits and vegetables” Tsubasa explained.
“Oh cool! What’s your favorite thing about gardening?” Tsukino could see him loosening up and decided to ask more.
“I like all of it… maybe harvesting?” Tsubasa didn’t think long about his answer.
“I can understand that, that’s when all your hard work gets paid off. Do you have a garden? Oh wait, you just moved…” Tsukino continued asking, the more he talked the more she wanted to ask.
“Actually, the new house has a really big garden, I’m going to work on it in spring” Tsubasa replied, he was excited about that, she could tell.
“Promise you’ll show me some time” Tsukino said and in an instant Tsubasa’s face was bright red. He turned his gaze to the ground.
“S-sure…” he replied quietly. “This is my stop” he then added, pointing to a big fence gate on the other side of the street.
“Oh. I guess I’ll see you in school tomorrow then” Tsukino said.
“Yeah, see you tomorrow” Tsubasa replied and watched her as she hurried away. “Wait, can I ask you something now?” he called after her and she spun around, calling back.
“Sure!”
“Do you like singing?”
Yes, I do!” she replied before disappearing around the corner.
Tsubasa stood for a moment, waiting for her to come back to say something more but she didn’t.
He had been surprised to see her on the walk home, most students at Shura took the bus to the train station to go home from there. Yet there she was, walking ahead of him and singing along to the music she was listening to. She’d been pretty good. He was glad he had worked up the courage to talk to her.
Looking at the gate to the front yard Tsubasa let out a sigh. He took out his keys and went through the gate, unlocking the front door and heading inside. He tossed his jacket and bag on the hallway floor before continuing into the living room.
There were cardboard boxes everywhere, opened, unopened, half empty and empty boxes. Everywhere. Tsubasa hoped they’d never have to move again.