"So- Souta Ao..kawa?"
The voice coming from behind the giant tree was gentle.
Souta jumped up and turned around to see who dared to occupy his spot.
"It really is you! I know those eyes from anywhere! Don't you recoginze me, you know? Airi Minase, ring any bells?"
As if the morning hadn't been bad enough.
"Heyyy are you listening? Can you even see me from under all that hair?"
Why would she want to talk to me after all these years?
Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his cheek.
"ouch..hey what was that for!"
"I had to make sure you were alive, and not just a figment of my imagination standing there…menacingly. Thankfully you are real and you can even speak."
"Right.."
Airi Minase huh. That name really does bring back memories.
"You sure you haven't, like, been hit by something in the head? Quit staring into the void."
Memories of childhood slowly started to surface. Swimming in a river, exploring the dense forest, watching fireworks, having a picnic.
Slowly Souta started to lift his gaze. First there were legs, then a checkered skirt, a dark, plain top, long curly brown hair falling down, her neck, and then.
Mist?
Smoke?
No..neither of those
a….veil?
yes…a veil of…something.
There were no grotesque disfigurations. No hanging eyeballs, no bones sticking out. Only a twirling mist-like veil, hiding the face. No matter how hard Souta tried to concentrate he couldn't make out what he was seeing.
"I remember you always being a bit out there but I think you actually might have had a heatstroke or something"
Why did you have to show up now
"I have to go"
Souta quickly turned, ready to sprint away somewhere where he wouldn't be found. These ambitions were however quickly halted by a hand grabbing the back of his shirt
"And where exactly do you think you are going?"
"Just let me be. I didn't realize you were sitting here"
What was she doing here anyway, last I heard she moved away to study somewhere.
"I'm not letting you go."
"Why's that?"
"Because you're coming with me to buy a drink you heatstruck idiot!"
"Not happening."
"We'll see about that."
***
How did I end up here.
Souta looked around him. From the table in the corner he could see basically the whole small restaurant. The walls were decorated with posters of famous bands, some of which he recognized
The Brilliant Green huh…good taste.
A ceiling fan was valiantly fighting back against the heat, a loud whirring noise being a constant reminder of its existence.
Airi's voice broke through silence.
"Are you at least studying something?"
"Yeah…I'm going to Asahigaoka High in Hinokawa"
"Oh! Do you live on your own? No wonder you look like a skeleton."
Do I even have to answer that…
"Uh…yeah ...I have a small flat on the city outskirts. The rent isn't bad."
"I'm also studying in an all girls highschool; Tachibana high. Ever heard?
"No."
"Yeah, thought so."
…
"Have you…talked to our childhood friends?"
Souta looked away from Airi, pretending to examine the posters on the walls.
"Figures…"
"Ready to order?"
The waiter had somehow snuck up on them. Souta quickly turned his gaze back to the table before him.
"Yeah, I'll have th-"
*Clonk*
The waiters notebook and pen had fallen on the floor.
"Airi Minase!? And is that Souta as well! You should cut that hair, I almost didn't recognize you!"
Why oh why did I get out of bed this morning.
"Ryuo! You work here!?"
Curiosity often kills the cat, however Souta still wanted to see what his childhood friend had grown into.
Airi's face wasn't bad…maybe..just maybe his won't be either.
The boy was tall, at least a head taller than him. Over his jeans and a light t-shirt he was wearing a dark apron, which Souta found mildly amusing.
And now for the face-
The same mist, swirling and twirling about.
Souta sighed out of relief.
I don't think I could've ever imagined myself being this happy about some weird smoke
On top of the mist there was some neatly cut hair, almost glowing.
Huh…why is it doing that..I don't remember seeing anyone elses hair be that way.
How do I ask about it without raising suspicion…
"Have you..uh…done something to your hair?"
Yeah totally nonchalant.
"Oh! I dyed them pink!"
Huh..?
"They suit you! Come on, sit down with me and Souta, get something to eat for yourself as well! We haven't talked like this in ages."
"Ahh my bad, I'm still on a shift for three hours, but afterwards if you're around we can hang out!" I'd love to, nothing else to do today anyways."
"Uhm…I..actually have some..uh..important business to attend to."
"Not a chance, Souta! You're coming with us!"
Worth a try.
"Anyway, can you get us something to drink. Oh and a tofu salad for me!"
"Sure thing. Anything for you Souta?"
"I'll just have the same."
"Good choice! I'm sure the fresh vegetables will do good for you"
Souta could feel the smirk on his face.
"Right! I've been telling him this whole time he looks like he was dragged out of a cemetery!"
"Well, just a moment, I'll tell the chef your orders. Well the chef is actually just my mom."
"Oh, your family runs this place? I didn't know."
"Yeah! They bought it a while back, I've been helping them around during summer."
"That's kind of you."
"Well gotta go now or you'll never get your food."
The salad was surprisingly good, for a salad.
Can't even remember the last time I ate something green voluntarily.
***
The day had turned long into the afternoon by the time Ryuo appeared from the backdoor of the diner.
"No apron?"
"Very funny. I just wear it to work. You never know when a child will throw food at you or someone spills their drink."
He walked to a bike laying against the wall of the building.
"Can you still ride one of these, Souta?"
"Yeah..I have mine not that far from here."
"Excellent. You ride, Airi hops on the back and I'll run along until we get to your bike."
"Not happening."
"It absolutely is, you always took me for a ride when we were kids, Souta! Surely you still can."
"We'll both die."
"Come on now! It'll be fun! Just like the old times!"
Resistance was futile, and before he knew it, Souta found himself fighting to keep the bike upright on the dirt road, Airi laughing and holding onto his waist, Ryuo easily jogging alongside him.
"Guys, I have an excellent idea!", Airi shouted, her voice almost drowned by the clattering bike.
"Let's get the old group back together and go to the summer moon festival, just like old times!