He ran to Aoi's house. Fast.
Confusion set in like never before. Questions flooded his mind.
"What does it do?" a
"Why me?"
"Why now?"
He stopped at the front door; he didn't knock.
The familiar scent of Aoi's air freshener passed through her open windows. It usually calmed him. This time, it didn't.
He turned to the right, glancing at the cracked flower pot her parents never fixed.
Nothing.
Something was wrong.
He finally knocked.
Aoi opened the door.
"Hey... what's going on?" she asked calmly.
"Did something happen at practice again?"
Hiraku nodded.
"Come in," she said, stepping aside.
He sat on the couch. His palms were sweaty, his heart racing.
"Something's wrong.. even here, he thought.
"Why don't I feel relaxed here anymore?"
"I'm all ears," Aoi said, smiling. But there was concern in her eyes.
Hiraku opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.
He stood up.
"Already?" Aoi asked, confused.
He stuffed his hands into his pockets. He took one more look at her, then left.
When Hiraku got home, the house was empty as usual.
He went straight to his room, lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He held the gum in his hands, looking at it.
"What if Riku's messing with me?"
"What if this actually works?"
"Would people finally notice me?"
He clenched his fist.
"This isn't right."
Saturday came. No school. No practice.
Aoi showed up at Hiraku's house.
"Anyone home?" she shouted.
Hiraku opened the door. His eyes were red. He didn't sleep that night.
Aoi noticed it.
"I came to check on you," she said softly.
"I'm fine," Hiraku replied. His voice was flat.
"Hiraku... maybe we should see a doctor."
"I said I'm fine!"
They both got startled. He had never raised his voice before.
Silence filled the gap between them.
Aoi looked down, blinking back tears. "I'll check on you later."
Something broke..
The doctor said it was stress. He wrote down some medication and told him to avoid physical activity, in this case basketball, for a week.
School came. Everything was different without Aoi beside him.
"You okay?" she asked.
Now she hugged him.
He felt nothing.
I'm sorry, Hiraku."
A faint smile drew on Hiraku's face.
Relief flashed across Aoi's face. "I know you couldn't stay mad at me."
She laughed, then said casually.
"You should rest, though. Riku's been insane at practice. His persistence, endurance-he's amazing.
Now he felt a mix of jealousy, anger, and confusion.
That statement scared him more than the dunk.
That evening, alone in his room, Hiraku held the gum.
Aoi's words replayed in his mind.
"Maybe this is all i need", he thought.
"Maybe this is why i feel like this." He didn't chew it.
He didn't throw it away either..