“How does the time go so fast…” I asked Mayuri.

“I don’t know. I think we just spend too much time on useless things.” she replied.

“I mean, that’s true but it hasn’t been a month yet.”

“Well, we only got a one-month rest and school’s the next month.”

“I think that’s too little.”

“Same, I don’t like to stress over some homework or projects again.”

“We don’t have a choice though.”

“We do. We just drop out. Not like I want to.”

“Yep, same.”

 

We continued walking until we were close to her house. She stopped walking and looked at me.

“This is close enough.” she said.

I replied,

“For you, it is. For me, it’s not.”

“Why do I feel like you want to see my house?”

“Because you’re right.”

“My house ain’t that huge, you know.”

“But I still want to see it.”

 

She started walking towards her house and asked,

“And? What will you do after you get to see my house?”

I answered,

“Make you go inside and go home, I guess.”

“What do you mean by ‘I guess’?! Are you planning to go inside?”

“Uh… Someday. If you’re willing.”

“Well, I’m not.”

 

We both chuckled as she stopped before her house. She said,

“Here’s my house. You’re the first friend I brought here.”

I asked,

“Are you telling me the truth?”

“Why would I lie?”

“Well, that would make me feel special.”

“Stop it. You’re not ‘that’ special.”

“Ouch, my heart.”

“Stop overreacting. Just go home.”

“Enter the house first.”

“I will…”

 

Before she could open the door, her mother opened it and looked at the both of us. I said,

“Good evening, ma’am.”

Her mother then walked towards me and looked at me. She said,

“Good evening. Thank you for bringing my daughter back, safely.”

I replied,

“No worries, ma’am. I’ll do it anytime.”

 

Mayuri then joins the conversation,

“Stop it, mom. You’re embarrassing me.”

Her mother replies,

“Oh, stop it. This is the first time you brought someone to our home.”

“I didn’t bring him here. He followed me!”

“Followed or not, you still brought him here.”

“Not by choice!”

 

I thought,

“Should I leave now?”

Mayuri’s mother then asked,

“Tsukishima, was it? Why don’t you have some dinner before you go home?”

Mayuri shouted,

“MOM!”

“Let’s all just go inside. Dinner will be ready.”

“Wait, mom…”

Both of us then were dragged by her mother and in an instant, I was alone with Mayuri inside her room. Her mother then said,

“Stay here. I’ll call you once dinner is ready.”

She then closed the door and it became awkward between us… I said,

“Well, that went fast.”

She replied,

“It did. And this is why I didn’t want someone to go to our house.”

"Well, I think this is fine."

"How so?"

"Your mom said that this was a first so she wants to celebrate this moment. It's like seeing her daughter grow old right in front of her."

"How do you know what to say at times like these?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to say what I wanted to."

"Stop trying to be cool."

"I wasn't."

 

She threw a controller towards me. I asked,

"What's this?"

She answered,

"A controller."

"For what?"

"Don't you want to play?"

"What game is this?"

"Tetris."

"Tetris?"

"You don't know that?!"

"I know that game but... do you have... other games?"

"No, I just got this one."

"You're living in a small world, my friend."

"Then, what games do you play?"

"Games far more better than this."

"That's just your opinion. It's an overstatement."

"Well, let's just play."

"I'll have to tell you that I haven't lost to anyone yet."

"Well, I'm really bad with puzzles so you might win."

 

After a round, I lost... I mean, I knew I would lose. She then smiled and said,

"Looks like you suck at puzzles."

I replied,

"I do. It's one of the things that I hate the most."

"Want to play music?"

"Sure."

"What music do you like?"

"Any. Any will do."

"Oh, okay."

 

She then went to her playlists and started playing songs that I instantly liked. I said,

"You have good taste."

She replies,

"Thank you."

 

While listening to music, I asked her…

"Want to play another round?"

She answered,

"Yeah, let's do it."

 

We then played and listened to songs that we both like. Both of us were having fun while spending time together. I said,

"I'm glad I met you, Mayuri."

Her face then turns red like a tomato. I asked,

"What are you looking at?"

She snaps back to reality and answers,

"N-Nothing..."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, I am."

"Oh... You lost."

"Wait, WHAT?!"

"Looks like you lost."

"That's because you made a distraction! Cheater!"

I bursted into laughter. She asked,

"Why are you laughing?"

I answered,

"Well... Let's just say you're being funny."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Don't think about it anymore."

 

I laughed again. This time, a pillow was sent flying at my face. It hit me directly. Then, I heard her laughing at me. I said,

“Oh, you want to play that game.”

She asked,

“What are you going to do about it?”

“This.”

I then threw the pillow right back at her and we played like there was no tomorrow. We quickly became tired as we lay down on the floor. I said,

“This… is fun.”

She replies,

“Yeah… it is.”

Then, there was a knock on the door. Her mother said,

“Dinner is ready.”

Mayuri replies,

“Yes, we will be coming, mom.”

 

After that, we both stood up and went downstairs. We sat down at the table as we see the food coming in. I said,

“That smells good. Thank you for the food.”

I then started to eat the homemade food that Mayuri’s mother made.

“This is good.” I said with extreme delight.

“Well, my mother’s a pretty good cook.” Mayuri said.

“Now, it’s not time to talk. It’s time for us to eat.” Her mother says.

We all started eating and with the food being delicious, I was done in no time. I placed my plates on their sink and thanked them again for their hospitality.

“Thank you for everything! I’m really grateful!”

“Don’t worry about it. You can come again as well. My daughter becomes really bored every day.”

“I know about that and I will continue to make your daughter happy.”

“Please do.”

Mayuri shouted,

“Why are you entrusting my life to him?! Just stay here, mom!”

 

Mayuri pushed her mother inside the house and closed the door. She sighed and said,

“I’m sorry about my mother.’

I replied,

“Don’t worry about it. I kind of like how our relationship turned out. I was kind of nervous meeting your mother like that. Well, I’m glad nothing crazy happened.”

“Something crazy already happened!”

“Seriously? When?!”

“The whole time you were there!”

“Oh… How?”

“Okay, I’m done explaining. Don’t even think about it anymore.”

“Anyway, why are you outside the house?”

“I’m going to see you go away, just like this.”

“You can do that inside though.”

“Well, I have something to say to you.”

“Which is?”

 

She deeply sighed and covered her face. She said,

“Thank you for spending time with me!”

I asked,

“Is that worth to be thanking for? We’re already friends, aren’t we?”

“I mean, still… Thank you for spending the day with me. Without you, my day wouldn’t be filled with joy and happiness! So, thank you!”

“Uh… well, thank you as well for spending the day with me. Want to exchange contacts?”

“Sure… Here’s mine.”

She gave me her number and I gave her mine. We both saved those numbers and smiled at each other. I said,

“I’ll go home now. See you tomorrow, Mayuri.”

She replied,

“See you tomorrow, Tsukishima.”

 

After that, I turned my back to her and started walking away from her; towards my house.

 

Chapter 2 - End