"Asahi-san! Look!" The young girl ran up to him.
The younger girl collided with him, causing her to giggle as she brought the flower to his ear. "There, now you look prettier." She said which caused the boy to smile before saying," I'm a boy, Himari-chan, and I think you are the pretty one."
Himari smiled at the memory as she stared outside the classroom window. Ignoring the lesson as she dreamed of Asahi.
His warm, boyish smile, his laugh that would melt her every time he laughed at her jokes—even the bad ones, and his eyes —brown like cinnamon —only saw her.
She couldn't wait for Valentine's Day to come because, Asahi would be all hers.
She didn't know if he was interested in her but she felt that maybe he did have some sort of feelings for her, and most of all, he was not like everyone else who fell for her sister's charms.
Which made her happy since she had someone whom her sister did not manipulate.
Lunch break came, and she couldn't help but be happier to spend it with Asahi. She saw him—his back faced to her, which caused her to sneak behind him before giving him a jump scare. "I told you to stop doing that." He said while fixing his uniform and Himari shrugged her shoulders before grabbing his hand.
"Where are you taking me this time?" He asked which caused her to turned to him and smile." The field, I found a perfect place to relax." She said in excitement and Asahi smiled at her in response as she led the way to the field.
The cold breeze blew her hair as she watched Asahi lie on the grass with his hand supporting his cheek. In that moment, Asahi looked liked a lost prince, who got stuck in her world.
"Uhm, Asahi-san?" She called him, and he looked up at her, "I...I was wondering, if you wanted to go to the park?" She asked, voice slightly hopeful as she stared at him.
He sighed then turned his body to lie on his back as he crossed his arms behind his head, to use them as a pillow.
"I cannot, I have a lot of studying." He said, turning her down, as his eyes drifted off away from her.
Himari bit her lips, then sighed, as this was not the first time, that he had turned her offer down.
He never has time for me.
"It's fine, I hope you do well." She said— forcing a smile.
"Thanks." He said while standing up as soon as Himari saw her older sister walk to the girls' swim club changing room.
" Got to go, I don't want to keep Ryou-san waiting." He said as he dusted his pants, then walked away, leaving her like always.
She groaned then fell onto her back, lying on the grass.
I can't keep on waiting. I have to confess to him sooner or later.
She closed her eyes and smiled, but her smile was short-lived as the bell had rang which made her groan as she sat up and ruffled her hair in annoyance.
Walking upstairs to her last class, she saw a group of girls giggling amongst themselves as they looked at one another. One of the girls spotted Himari, then she hung her head low. Hoping not to catch any attention.
Suddenly, the distance between the floor and her face shortened until she felt her forehead collide with the hard concrete floor.
She groaned and tried to stand up, but then she screamed out in pain. Feeling an intense pain on her ankle.
The person kept on stepping harder and harder onto her ankle until Himari groaned out in pain. She bit her lip and held in her tears while her eyes watered. Suddenly, the person stopped, then she heard giggling, then suddenly someone yanked her hair back.
Himari hissed and tried to pull the person away, "Give me the money that dad gave you today morning." Her sister demanded, and when Himari didn't answer, she pulled her hair tighter, causing Himari to hiss— vision blurring as she held in her tears. "Just give it to me, damnit!" She yelled, and Himari shook her head, knowing what would happen if she gave her money away.
Her parents barely give her anything, especially her mother since her sister was her mother's favourite child, so she would do anything for her older sister.
"DETENTION FOR EVERYONE IF I STILL SEE YOU HERE IN TEN SECONDS!" The familiar voice of her home language teacher yelled and her sister quickly let go of her hair, and she and her minions ran away, but before doing so, she stepped onto Himari's fingers, causing her to hiss out in pain.
Himari tried to stand up, but she fell onto her knees, forgetting about her bruised ankle as she groaned in pain once again.
"DETENTION FOR YOU, MISS SATO!" The teacher yelled which caused Himari to groan in defeat while she sat down on the floor, as she stared at the now-empty corridor.