Volume 5, Epilogue
*****
...
"*Sigh*..."
"You've been sighing a lot lately Shun"
"...Don't mind me"
"Now I'm even more curious!"
"Just shut up..."
...
Ever since my last conversation with Hoshizawa, its been 2 weeks that we had no communication nor physical contact with each other. Although we chat and call a lot in our free time, I still can't shake the feeling that what we had last time was nothing than what we're having as of now...
...
Its actually a first for me...to ever felt this lonely...
...Before meeting her, I usually don't have a care in the world, just going on my old, usual routine with Ryu until the day ends...
...
...But now...after meeting her...it almost feels wrong that we're not even talking with each other even if we were seating side by side...
...
And right now, we're in the classroom as we speak. Hoshizawa, just like any other day, didn't looked at me even once. I tried to do a simple greeting at her like a classmate would, but she didn't responded and acted like she didn't hear a thing...
...
Almost as if...we were strangers...that had nothing in common...
...that actually hurt me for some reason...but I knew that she was just doing what she had promised...
...
Felt like that kiss was just a dream too...
...
...I wonder what she thought of it after that happened...
...
Right now, Hoshizawa came over to her friends, distancing herself away from me...
...
You're still together Shun! You're still keeping in touch with each other thru MILE right? There's nothing to worry about!
...
...There's...nothing...to worry about...
...
I should look at the bright side...I shouldn't even expecting anything at all for now...since we are secretly dating and all...
...and not to mention, but their idea is indeed working
Our classmates in the first week noticed the sudden change, but they immediately thought that I made something to make Hoshizawa stop talking to me. That made them question Hoshizawa directly, but she avoided the question and instead tried to change the subject...
...At first, they were mad at me for 'Hurting' and apparently, 'Threatening' Hoshizawa, but eventually, they were rather more happy about us slowly losing connection with one another...
...I bet you, they would flip out if a word came out that we constantly messaging each other at night, let alone telling them that we also do calls in between...
Eventually, Ryu caught on to me as to why I was sighing more and more lately...
"Its Hoshizawa san again, huh?"
"..."
"You could at least be honest Shunnichi!"
"You really can't read the mood sometimes huh blondy?"
"Have some backbone Shun!"
Yuu said as he patted me on the back
...
A day after Hoshizawa and I stopped talking, I told Yuu, Take, and Masa about what happened, they were sure in a roller coaster ride of emotions when I told them bit by bit about everything...
...but in the end, even they couldn't help, but get surprised to Hoshizawa's decision...
"Its not like you and Hoshizawacchi broke up! Cheer up Shunnichi!"
"I would like to disagree with blondy's statement, but he was right for once Shun"
"I know, I know...its just that, it doesn't feel the same way"
"What do you mean Shun? Aren't you two secretly dating this whole time? Even if you wanted to hang out, you couldn't right?"
"You're right Yuu...Aggh!"
I said as I scratched my head...
...
I don't even know how to point out what I want to say to them!
...This is frustrating...
"Never in my life, I've seen Shun this desperate!"
"I will kick you right now Ryu"
"Calm down man! I mean, think about it!"
"About what? What's there to think about?"
"Well...don't you think this is actually good?"
"Huh?"
"The other students are slowly letting go of the rumors!"
"And?"
"That's my point! You can start being friends again with Hoshizawa san!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
...
We all gave that dumbfounded look at Ryu right after he said that
"Stupid"
"You're almost there, Ryuuichi!"
"No comment"
"Dude..."
"Eh? Am I wrong?"
"How do you think this rumor even started?"
"Huh? Isn't it because they thought you two were dating- OH!"
He really realized that just now...
"So even if the rumors started to fade, that doesn't mean I can just casually go back to the way it was with Hoshizawa san"
"Its like a scar browny, it heals, but never fades"
"Masacchin tried really hard to be poetic on that one!"
"Shut up blondy!"
"So Shun, you're telling us that this, will stay the way it is now, until we graduate?"
"..."
...I don't know...
...
...And I don't know how long Hoshizawa herself can put up with it...
...
"By the way, there is a new rumor that is slowly replacing the current rumor!"
New rumor? I've been slowly giving zero care around what happens in school that I barely even knew that a new rumor started to arise...
"What rumor Ryu?"
"You know! That rumor that we heard yesterday!"
"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you"
"You seriously don't know Shunnichi?"
"Cut him some slack blondy, he's been thinking about many things lately"
"Its about you and our student council secretary Shun"
"Huh? Aikawa senpai and I?"
"Yeah, apparently the new rumor was, you got tired of Hoshizawa san, and now you're going for Aikawa senpai"
"Oh..."
...
"Wait, What?! Me and Aikawa senpai dating?!"
"Yeah, that is the current rumor right now- ?"
...
A big thud can be heard across our classroom just now...
...We all look to where the sound came from...
...
...But to no avail...
I instinctively looked at Hoshizawa afterwards...
...but they seemed like they were so absorbed to their topic at hand that they didn't hear it...at least in my point of view...
...
"That was kinda loud"
"I wonder what's up with that?"
"Sure you didn't farted just now blondy? browny?"
"That didn't even sounded like a fart!"
they said in unison
...
"I'm pretty sure the student council secretary already knows about it"
"No doubt..."
...I know that last time, she said that she didn't mind about what happens after...
...
...But I can't help but feel bad that I even dragged her and her reputation into this...
...
Suddenly, Ryu tried to change the subject for who knows what
"That reminds me! Sports Day (Taikusai) is already near!"
"Dude, you changed the topic out of the blue"
"Huh? What do you mean? Anyways, I think the event will start around in second week of October"
"Oh yeah, apparently, our homeroom teacher will start discussing it today too"
"Sports day...huh..."
...I always join in the tug of war, or in cavalry battle (kibasen) every year...
"It will also be co-ed too"
"Co-ed again..."
"Reminds you of our middle school days huh, Shun?"
"Yeah..."
"Which activity will you join in Shun?"
"I don't know yet, they haven't told us what games they have"
"Shun's mostly been in tug of war or in cavalry battle, but if there's one, he always chooses relay"
...That's right...I always chooses relay whenever there is one...
...But last year, we didn't have a relay...
...Well, even if there is one, I don't think I'll join...I only played relay because my classmates insisted...
"Oh yeah, I can see Shun in a relay, after all he's better than me"
"You humble too much don't you think?"
"Lemme guess browny, he's always the anchor in relays?"
"Hm? Yeah"
"I knew it, there's no way someone like you would be an anchor"
"Hey! I'm always the second-fastest you know!"
"Ha. 'Second'"
"I bet you can't even run a hundred mile at least!"
"You're on browny!"
"Three chocolates if I win!"
"Bet!"
I bet Ryu was going for that three chocolates this whole time...
...
While Yuu and the others where having a 'bet' of their own, I looked at Hoshizawa once more...
...Well...at least she looks happy...
...
I too should stop mopping about it...
...
After all, they're doing this for my sake!
"Settle down class, go back to your seats, class is about to start"
...
With the thought of our relationship at the back of my mind, I changed my focus to the topic at hand, with the 'Taikusai' in mind...
...
*****
End of Volume 5
