-3rd POV-
1.) Next Wednesday: The door once again shuts down; the two were used to it—it felt like the sound of the lock was a bird tweeting commonly in the morning. You'll get used to it.
2.) Haru once again gazed at the sky looking at the shapes of the clouds; Meiko just puts on her headset and read her novel—they're in the same room with an invinsible barrier blocking each other.
3.) Haru leaned against his chair; his right-knee placed on top of his leg. He looked at Meiko who was reading her novel and minding her own business.
4.) His mouth opened slightly as if he was trying to say something, but he decided to keep it shut for good—as if saying something could turn a quiet moment into an awkward 1 hour of waiting.
5.) This time instead of gazing at the sky, he stood up and walked toward the board as he picked up a jagged chalk lying quietly on the podium.
6.) Meiko slightly lowered her book to watch Haru do something on the board; she raised a single-eyebrow.
7.) He was writing something; he was doing something unimportant at all, 'kinda like a leisure time to waste for 1 hour. And there she saw it—Haru was writing a three sentenced paragraph of a novel Meiko just previously finished.
8.) "What are you writing?" Meiko's firm question, cuts through the silence like a sharp knife; a sentence that acts like a hammer to break the barrier.
9.) "Nothing… just a three sentenced paragraph. No good," Haru replied.
10.) "I love that novel," Meiko smiled.
11.) It was certain and metaphorical, the three sentenced paragraph on the board read as: Life is the last two people on earth. One doubts his past mistakes, and one doubts the choices that wasn't from itself.
They're stuck temporarily.
12.) "The second sentence really struck me hard," Meiko said.
"Why?" Haru asked.
"…It really is my choice to be a culinary student, but sometimes I feel skeptical about my decision… what if my parents were right; what if being what my parents wants is the right choice for me?"
"…Why is there always doubts, do you know there's a saying in my circle that says 'Follow your heart, even if it doesn't make sense.' You can't get rid of doubts and fears, for it is already planted in you even the day when our mother held us in their arms—
13.) There is a story where a fierceful T-rex saved a little dinosaur from getting devoured by an alligator, the child asked the T-rex: '…Why are you so fearless?' The fierceful dinosaur replied: 'Who said I wasn't scared?'
The little dinosaur looked at him, then said: 'But you took down an alligator' The T-rex replied: 'But I was scared doing it—
14.) Listen kid, if that alligator had a chance biting you on the face, it's the end for you.' The little dinosaur was filled with disappointment, but the T-rex called him and said: 'You can't get rid of fear, unless you show it what you're made of.'
15.) "You're perfect to be a storyteller for kids," Meiko chuckled; Haru kept a straight face.
16.) "Oh, come on—don't be such a party pooper!" Meiko took off her headset. "…How about you? Why did you wrote that paragraph on the board?"
"…"'One doubts his past mistakes, ' that one struck me hard."
"Why?"
17.) "I believe in a saying: Scars heals. But I really doubt that, because after a scar healed, the mark would stay the same on your body like a permanent tattoo, reminding you about the things you've done in order to regret everything—keeping you from sleeping. It would be better if a wound was healed."
18.) "But don't you think it's better just to cover it with bandage, that would remind you that you learned from the mistakes? The bandage represents your self-growth, you are deeply scarred but you know that you can let go of it and heal yourself?" Meiko tilted her head as she spoke. "…You don't have to look at it everyday and remind yourself that you're a failure of a mistake you've made previously. Artists onced messed up drawing the anatomy of a human body because they never used any proper tools; a writer once published a book with a visible typo they could no longer edit. You see, when you failed once doesn't mean it's the end; when you failed twice doesn't mean it's over; when you failed a thousand times, it makes you tired—why not lay on the bed and sleep for a bit, before trying over and over again?"
19.) For the first time, Haru formed smile on the corner of his lips. The mud is only earth and it only takes enough courage to broke free from the restrain and wash yourself with clean water.
20.) "So when you're dirty, you don't lay on the bed with yourself covered in mud, for it'll ruin the white blanket. I just need to wash myself with water," he muttered.
21.) "I can't hear you right here y'know?" Meiko retorted. "…What in the world did you just say?"
22.) Haru smirked then turned back to the board, "…Nothing at all, I'm just thinking about something."
23.) "So, what do you find interesting about cooking anyway?" Haru asked.
24.) "Something interesting?" Meiko replied.
25.) Haru replied with a nod; Meiko closed his book with faint-thud then said: "…Can you imagine? Watching your work of aesthetic over the contrast of designs on your plating being praised by professionals? I believe everyone has their own unique ways of being successful, and I find mine in cooking and designing. What about you?"
26.) "I never asked to be a lawyer, for their is a fear of 'If you chose this course, you'll end up working at a fast-food restaurant!' It's really downgrading y'know? Imagine being a waiter in a fast-food chain and heard a mother lecturing his child about wrong decisions in life and you're the worst example."
27.) "I hear you; I feel them. Imagine motivating children by using minimum wage workers as the worst example of their wrong decisions in life is the most toxic thing."
28.) The hands on Haru's head against the muddy ground wasn't Haru's parents all along; it was his fear from choosing what his heart desires.
29.) "Now what's your plan?" Meiko asked.
"For now, I rather stay in this course—even if I don't like it, for I had no choice."
30.) "Why do people even choose something they dislike rather than something their hearts desire; It's not about the potential opportunities the course might give you someday. Did you know? During an interview for a lawyer job, the interviewer will put you in a looping circle of complex questions, unless you have the knowledge to break free. I'm not saying to discontinue; but are you really sure about your decision?"
31.) "No…"
"Then choose what your heart desires!" Meiko raised her voice. "…Aren't you the one who told me a story about the 'Fierceful dinosaur?'"
32.) "Then should I change my course from law to an art major?" Haru asked.
"That's your choice not mine…"
33.) "I see; I get your point." The room went silent; Haru began writing and drawing non-sense stuffs on the board.
34.) "Even the bravest man couldn't bear to look in the mirror for the wrong decisions he made." Haru muttered, loud enough for Meiko to hear.
35.) "Unless that man was insecured to himself; but, I see that man drawing lines across the board like a fool, but he wasn't."
36.) "This isn't even a mirror at all," Haru replied.
"For whatever that is, I see my brother in you."
37.) "What does that mean anyway?" Haru chuckled, but then stopped as soon as he noticed the changes of her expression. "…What's wrong?"
38.) "My brother died due to a gas leak back at the hospital where he once worked in," Meiko explained, voice stiff.
"I'm sorry…" Haru continued scribbling on the board. "…He's probably an awesome guy, isn't he?"
39.) "He wanted to be a musician; mom forced her to be a nurse—she claimed that, a nursing's salary is around 6 digits. She was tricked by the demon of greed. My brother died before he could even propose to his fiancé."
40.) The sound of the chalk screeching across the board, stopped. Silence pressed in. A statement which overwhelmingly serious caused the two of them to pause for a moment.
41.) Haru's gaze drifted to Meiko who once looked a girl filled with hope turned into a void consumed person.
42.) "The only thing that matters now is that, your brother watches you from above—make sure not to let him down," Haru then continued scribbling.
43.) Those simple yet comforting words made her smile. She looked down with sparkles in her eyes; a photo of a brown haired boy with a genuine smile on his face (her brother) which is attached in the transparent case of her ID became a good motivation for her than a psychological scar that haunts her.
44.) "Thank you."
45.) The bell rang again; the sound of the door unlocking once again heard. Meiko quickly packed her things up, but to her surprise—Haru never rushed to exit the room, but waited for her.
46.) "My full name is Hamazura Haru, and you?"
47.) Meiko already knew his name and course in the first place, but no one knows why—Haru isn't even that intriguing nor famous to be known by someone.
48.) "Tasaki Meiko…"