My eyes are fixed on the back of someone who slowly started to move away from me. I try to call out, but my voice couldn't echo out of my throat. I stretch out my hand to reach him, only to see them pass by his friend without greeting each other, then turn and disappear from my sight. My outstretched hand fell limp, and my heart ache terribly.

Chika's tight embrace made me feel safe. Unfortunately, Chika's uniform also got dirty because of it. Slowly, I observed Tomi approaching me, he seemed completely unfazed by Arkan's actions as he passed by without saying anything.

"Are you okay, Hana?" Tomi asked standing in front of me with a weary tone. After seeing him clearly, Tomi looked like he had just been caught in the rain, his wet clothes sticking to his body.

"Yes... I'm okay. Thank you," I replied with a weak smile. Tomi, seeing my reaction, then crouched down and seemed to sigh in relief.

My heart leak, "Chika, I..."

"Enough!" she shouted. "... Let me be like this for a while," she said while strengthening her embrace.

"... Are you angry?" I asked.

"Of course I am! Why do you think you can do everything alone?! Do you know how worried I was?! What you did was just burdening yourself! Enough with that fake smile of yours!" Chika shouted right next to my ear. My eardrums rang because of it. I could faintly hear sobs between her words.

"I'm sorry..." I apologized and then patted her back.

"... I know you're tough. You're the strongest girl I know! But why don't you try leaning on us again?" she continued.

Her words made my heart tremble. Tears are about to flow from my eyes.

"... Since I came to this city, I've caused a lot of trouble for many people. I just thought proving that I could do it alone. I don't want to be more of hindrance, whether it's to you, Arkan, or Lilia. And, to truly face my past, I thought this was the best way," I explained while holding back strong feelings of regret.

Chika releases her embrace and then looking at me with an emotional gaze. "Returning to being hurt like before is the best way? Don't make me laugh!" she replied, her eyes glistening. Her voice starts to sound hoarse.

"Hana!" someone shouted from afar.

My gaze catches the distant silhouette of a girl with someone beside her. After a while, I realize it is Laura running towards me with the school security guard.

"Hana! Are you okay?!" Laura asked hysterically.

"Y-Yes, I'm okay," I answered briefly and stutteringly.

"Where are Lilia and the others?!" she continued with a high tone.

Tomi answered in my behalf next to her, "They've already left."

Laura collapsed with both of her legs folding. Her trembling hands covered her face. Then, she burst into tears, crying hysterically.

"... I'm sorry. Because of me, you...," she said while sobbing.

Seeing Laura's tearful face made it unbearable for me. We both experienced something terrible. I just feel like her being there can make me see my old self, a person that needs help. Therefore, I approach her, reach out my hand, and wipe away the tears flowing on her beautiful face. I'm surprised, her bangs really cover her identity really well. A pair of eyes is the source of the tear, which is part of a really worried, yet happy face.

"I understand you, that's why I can't just leave you like that," I said with a smile. This time, it is a real one.

The security guard who have been watching us then speaks, "Alright. Thank goodness everything is fine. Are you injured? Let's go to the infirmary," he said with a gentle tone without bringing out the previous matter.

After being remind, it's true. For some reason, I haven't felt the pain since earlier.

***

The infirmary illuminated by a single light bulb in the middle of the room felt eerily quiet, though there were about four people in the room, including me. I sit alone on the patient bed in the room. Perhaps this bed was specifically for someone with a fever or someone who fainted during the morning assembly and was given warm tea as first aid.

Around me, there are the essentials: the first aid kit, an administrative table, a door leading to the back room, two beds beside mine, and curtains for privacy. I'm on the bed with my legs hanging, being bandaged by Tomi. That's a surprise, I didn't expect him to be skilled in using medical tools, too.

"You're quite adept, Tomi," I said while trying to endure the pain.

"Not really. I joined the Handicraft Club. I can handle anything related to handiwork a bit," he replied with modesty.

The room fall silent. The light bulb in the middle of the ceiling keeps on illuminating us. Since earlier, a strong chemical odor from the medicines filled the air.

"Are you sure you want to let that guy go?" Tomi asked.

Although it wasn't clear, I immediately know who Tomi was trying to refer to. I was pondering the same question. Should I let Arkan go like that?

To be honest, I don't know what to do. I don't even understand why Arkan did all those things for me, in the first place. I'm still clueless," I added with confusion all over my mind.

Tomi just keep on the remain—silent—treatment. Meanwhile, Chika seem like she want to say something. Hovering her heads towards me and down, her facial expression show hesitation to speak up.

Chika clenched her fists and said, "I... have known Arkan since elementary school. Hana, the reason why Arkan always acts like that might be because..."

***

*Thunk*

That was dangerous. My body almost bounced off the back seat of this bike passenger seat.

The sound of the bicycle chain being pedaled in a haste pattern is drumming in my ears, while the wind kept hitting my cheeks, and my hair fluttered like a flag at the top of its pole. The quick breaths of someone in front of me are audible. He's trying very difficult to carry me on the back seat. By the way, this is Arkan's bike. I don't know why he left it in the school parking lot, though.

"Are you sure he's there?" Tomi shouted loudly while struggling to pedal.

"Y-Yes!" I answered loudly but with a hint of doubt.

"Hah! It seems our thoughts are the same!" he shouted again.

"Huh?" I asked in confusion.

He explained while continuing to catch his breath, "I've been friends with him since junior high. He's not good at expressing his feelings, his worries. So, if he has a problem with himself, he won't say anything. But when it's about someone else... that guy is an idiot. In the past, when he had a problem, I called him to make sure, and you know what he said? 'I'm fine, just hanging out.' What an airhead! Does he not know that I'm worried about him?!" he shouts at the end as if releasing a very deep buried feelings out of his chest.

Not good at expressing his worries? It made me think about the story Chika just told.

***

"I... have known Arkan since elementary school, maybe around fifth grade. I'm not entirely sure about the details, so I'll tell you based on what I know. So, back then, our entire class were doing Field Trip. It's basically a schedule for fifth-graders. Everything went normal at the start. In the afternoon, we finish mostly of the event and about to descend to the foot of the mountain. However, to make it enjoyable, the teachers organized a game. Students would be placed in groups of four chosen at random. I was the leader of my group. Then, they would walk alone towards the foot of the mountain without supervision from teachers or guides, only a few signs on the way with some patrol teacher that would be found when following the route, like a checkpoint. Hmm? Dangerous? Yes, I think it was a stupid and dangerous game for underage kids. Whose idea was it that children could go down the mountain alone? Now, my group didn't have any problems and managed to descend safely. However, this is where the problem began."

"I forgot which group Arkan was in, but I remember he was the only boy in that group. The day was already turning into night, but surprisingly, Arkan's group had not arrived yet. The teachers started to get restless and took out their phones, making calls here and there. Finally, two members of Arkan's group arrived at the last checkpoint with fearful and pale faces. They spoke loudly and begged the teachers to accompany them, I didn't hear any of it, though. Eventually, the third girl arrived with Arkan, drenched from head to toe and her clothes filthy, torn in several places, and her hands were bleeding. The girl was crying loudly. Chaos ensued. A teacher seemed to blame and shouting at Arkan for something. I thought he was asked to take responsibility as the group leader because, in people's eyes, a boy should be the leader. I remember he tried to resist, but it seemed he was always shouted back by the teacher. After all that, I don't know anymore. My memories about elementary school are a bit blurry. Sorry."

***

No, that's enough, Chika. Thank you.

Even though all of that has been told, I still can't connect the dots. What does that story have to do with Arkan's behavior, seemingly protecting me from a distance like that?

"All that Chika told... I still don't understand," I said.

"Huh?!" Tomi exclaimed.

"Chika's story! What does it have to do with me?!" I continued to ask with increasing the sheer volume of my voice.

"Huh? Ah. Didn't I say? He just finds it hard to express his feelings," Tomi continued to answer my questions even though it seem like he is overwhelmed.

"I... don't understand," I continued to be confused.

"Hahaha!" Tomi laughed. "-ity him. That's what you get, that stubborn guy," he continued. I didn't hear some of the sentences he said. Now I'm even more confused with everything this guy said.

"Well then..., wouldn't it be better to ask the person directly?" he said while pulling the brakes of his bike. We stopped right at the entrance to where Arkan is.

I step down from the backseat of the bike. My right leg still throbs as I attempt to balance my body. At the moment, I'm barefoot, with mud-soaked feet. Tomi, who also dismounts of the bicycle, falls onto the sidewalk along with his bike. His fall immediately make me feel worried. What if he strained a muscle while hastily carrying the bike?!

"Ar-Are you okay?" I ask anxiously.

"I'm... fine. Just a bit tired... turns out biking like this is enjoyable. So, it's like this, huh, biking like Arkan. I just realized it," he says, taking a deep breath. "... Can you take it from here?" he continues.

I nod, agreeing, then run on both of my two feet while suppressing the pain.

Although I've made several visit to this place, I almost forget which turn to take. Honestly, I'm purely relying on my instincts to get here. But, I'm grateful my instincts are right on target.

In my line of sight, a boy sits dangling his legs at the edge of the cliff. Slowly, I approach the boy. Then, I call his name.

"Arkan."

The boy in front of me flinches slightly upon hearing my call, perhaps not expecting to hear it in this place. Even though I've called his name, it seems he still refuses to show his face.

"Why did you leave?" I ask while taking a few steps closer. Then, I stop. "... I'm sorry," I say quietly.

Continuing, I bow my head, shedding a few tears. "I'm sorry. It seems like I always make you worry. I keep piling burdens on your shoulders, even though you're not obligated. I apologize."

My weak body is then embraced.

"No! It's not your fault! I don't know what to do! I'm scared! Everything I do, I can't bear all the responsibility! I don't want to feel that pain again! I ran because the responsibility is too big for me! " Arkan yells while holding onto me like a child on tantrum. I'm once again shocked. This marks my discovery of this side of Arkan.

"Is... that pain from your elementary school days?" I ask, nervously.

He let go off me, then stares deeply to my eyeballs, "How do you know about that...?" Arkan asks in return.

"... Chika told me," I reply with a bit of hesitation. Arkan stays silent, that a sign for me to continue, "Will you tell me about it?"

He doesn't answer. However, I still need to know.

My hands wrap around Arkan's body, holding each other tightly. Then, I say, "It's okay. I'm just curious, hehehe."

And also...

"Besides, I'm your friend," I continue.

His body moved a little. "... Friends, huh? Now I understand why you said I was a cheater back then."

***

"Where should I start, huh? This story happened a long time ago, but it still lingers in my memory as if it were yesterday. You should know the gist of it from Chika, right? Eh? Not all of it? This is the story of my fifth-grade class during a school trip. Hm? Chika said it was a 'Field Trip'? Is that really important? Well, we did some cleaning up as our service project, picking up trash along the main route, which was often littered by hikers. Anyway, that's not important. We were grouped into fours, one group per class. I knew all my group members, even though the three others were girls. Whether I liked it or not, I became the leader."

"To make a long story short, everything went smoothly during the main activities until late afternoon. We, who were about to descend, got ready. Do you know that when going home, the teachers organize some game as the closing activity? The game began, and if I'm not mistaken, my group was the last to take a turn. I walked at the front, passing by the first checkpoint supervised by a female teacher. Until we reached a crossroads. On the side of the route, the direction to the next checkpoint was clearly marked. However, one of the girls in my group suggested that if we turned the other way, we could take a shortcut. What was her name? I forgot. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical, but she insisted. Since we didn't move for too long, I eventually agreed. We then followed the 'shortcut' route suggested by the girl. Well, the route seemed normal. The longer we walked, the more worried I became because we hadn't reached the original route. It could be troublesome if we got scolded for passing by a checkpoint without notice."

"Then, we encountered a wooden bridge with a fairly ordinary river flow, and as far as I remember, its depth was approximately up to my current waist. The bridge looked old and neglected. The pillars of the bridge seemed to have been submerged in water for a long time, covered with thick moss. The planks also seemed to have broken in some places. Ah, can you guess what happened next? Well, the girl that knows the way recognize the bridge and immediately went across, she's a success. Though, we were still a bit hesitant, but because it was getting dark, I, who was anxious, urged them to quickly cross the bridge. Honestly, I was scared at that moment, but to make them brave, I had to be the one who gives the second example of crossing the fragile bridge. A creaking sound echoed as I took a step. I managed to cross it, and the others followed suit one by one. The third girl succeeded as well. Unfortunately, the last one wasn't really fortunate. She slipped on the broken plank. We all panicked, and I immediately tried to run to help her, but I suffered the same fate. Then, the girl fell into the river. It wasn't too deep, but because she moved too much, she was carried away by the current. I shouted to the girl who knew this route to quickly ask for help at the nearest checkpoint while I tried to chase the girl drifting further away. Thankfully, when my foot touched the riverbed, my head remained above the water. I tried to chase, grabbed her hand, and held onto the tree roots protruding into the river. We clung there until help arrived."

I sigh. My mouth feels dry after revealing these embarrassing moments, but well, it's not too bad.

"The continuation you probably already know from Chika because she was there, as far as I remember," I said, attempting to close this conversation. There are no more things that I hide secret.

Since I started talking, I've kept staring straight ahead, not once looking at Hana to show my face. I decide to glance at her. How surprised I am to see Hana next to me smiling sincerely.

"Is that it?" she says with a gentle and sympathetic tone. She continues, "But what does it have to do with you and me?"

I bite my lip, feeling pressured by Hana's gaze. Eventually, my mouth seems to speak on its own.

"...I-I feel like we're the same. I feel like I have someone I can talk to. But, after what happened earlier, I rethink it. Are we really the same?" I say shakily.

"Why is that?" Hana asks.

My heart beats rapidly. My breathing is erratic. My entire body feels tense. I feel like I can't refuse Hana's words.

"B-Because... even if you're treated cruelly, I never sense the desire for revenge from within you," I answer while turning my face away. "Because if it were me, vengeance would have a small place in my heart," I think to myself.

After saying that, Hana remains silent. I don't know how she reacts, so I try to peek a little.

"Pfft! Hahaha!" The girl next to me bursts into laughter.

I'm caught off guard and turn to see Hana laughing uproariously beside me, as if she's witnessing the greatest absurdity of the century. I, the one being laughed at, automatically feel embarrassed.

Then, after finishing her laughter, she says, "Ha... sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just that your statement was so off that it made me laugh," she explains while trying to compose herself. Then, after everything falls silent, she continues, "It's not that I've never felt vengeful. It's just that... I don't have the courage to act on it. To do anything about it. For a long time. it just sits there in the corner of my heart."

Hana, who previously faces forwards, lean his view to me while saying, "But now, I have the courage. Without this courage, I probably wouldn't have dealt with Lilia. And also, the one who gave me this courage is you, Arkan."

"Eh?" I express my surprise at her words. I look at Hana, who is pointing her index finger at me.

Hana pulls her hand and places it on her chest. She lowers her gaze. "Remember when I told you about my past? That is the very first time I ever felt the term 'friendship'. That feeling is what gave me courage," she explains. While tilting her head towards the sky and opening her eyes wide, she continue, "I'm... truly grateful. Honestly, I didn't expect anything when I moved to this city. However, everything that happened while I was in this city, I'm happily grateful for. It's all because of you, Arkan. So, thank you," she concludes with gratitude, turning her gaze towards me.

I feel an absolute joy in my heart hearing this. I never thought those embarrassing and silly words of mine could reach her and open her heart. Honestly, I can hardly contain my smile.

"Is that so? I'm grateful," I say awkwardly, trying to contain the happiness within me.

"Ahaha, Arkan is easily embarrassed, huh?" Hana teases.

I throw away my blushing face. "D-Don't tease me!"

We watch the sunset at the edge of the horizon, casting dark orange hues along with the deep blue sky. A gentle breeze brushes against my cheek, accompanied by the girl's hair beside me, gently swaying. Shortly after, the source of the world's light sets on the horizon, leaving a dark orange glow in its place. As the sun disappears, I close my eyes. My mind is empty.

"I like you."