Chapter 3

Are You Okay?

…I lift my hand—fingers curled inwards.

I let it go.

Watching as my joints loosen.

And fully… stretch my hand.

Before letting it drop.

…

Nothing’s happening, again.

Just this deafening silence…

I stare at the blank wall yet… wind brushes against my face.

…I—stand.

Taking deep breaths.

Letting my hand out to feel… the wall.

Or as it should be.

Passing through, light blinds my eyes.

The wind got stronger as I—

I…

I take a step back.

Taking several steps away from the edge.

I hold my hand, I hold myself.

…Taking a few steps back to where I was sitting earlier.

Hah—get a grip…

I shake my head, slowly settling back in the corner.

…Right where I should’ve been.

I rest my head back, staring at the open sky.

Met with the strong winds.

…I wonder what time it is…

I pat my pockets, not there.

…Maybe a little later.

I cross my arms, settling against the wall.

Before closing… my eyes, again.

…

…

“...hey…? Mizuki?”

Hm…?

“Mizuki? Wake up, you’ll be late.”

Looking to see… Mugi.

“Oh—hey.”

She smiles, turning to sit right beside me.

“Give me your hand,” she says, extending hers.

“...Okay.”

I give her my hand, and she immediately holds it between both of her hands.

“You’ve been way too touchy lately…” I mutter, watching as she—

“It’s cold, you know? I—ngh…!” She suddenly jolts, her hand stiffened with the wind. “I don’t understand how you could sit here without feeling so cold! No wonder your hands are so cold…”

She closes her eyes, letting out a shaky breath before scooting close to me.

“Let’s go…? You’ll get sick if you stay here—and the bell will ring anytime now.”

I nod, following her steps to leave the rooftop.

Back in the stairway, still cold but… no wind.

“You go down okay? I don’t want to be late,” she waves and runs down the hallway.

I raise my hand… but drop it back.

Lately she’s been…

…I turned down the stairways, twice.

Passing several students until I arrived at my floor.

I suppose everyone’s rushing to their rooms too…

Continuing my walk, I arrived at the classroom which was—just quiet.

Everyone just… talking or eating as they waited.

And beside my seat.

Hayashi’s on—must be the game he’s talking about.

…Huh.

For some reason, the window’s already open.

Thanks to whoever did.

I stand by the window frame, peering my head out.

The orange leaves all brush against the strong winds… often falling.

Mugi was complaining about it, having to constantly clean but…

It’s beautiful.

…I’d like to clean it myself but—

Officers only, she says.

Hm—I wonder if it’s fine to leave this open…?

Guess I’ll just close it if they tell me to.

I finally sit down, resting my arms on my desk as I look around.

Hayashi’s just—I can hear him pressing buttons.

I wonder if… no, I should sleep for a bit.

Burying my head in my arms…

…

…I feel something.

Just—gently tapping my arm.

…I raise my head.

Hayashi?

I tilt my head.

“You okay?”

“...Yes, why?”

“...Nothing,” he shakes his head.

I look at him, scratching his head as he turns away.

The front… still no professor.

Why’d he wake me up…?

“Uhm…” I utter but—

He turns to me and shows me the game console.

“Do you want to?”

I look at the front again… then nod.

Handing me the console itself, I hold it carefully.

He hands me something to—insert at the back.

Kirby’s Dream Land…

“...Is this him?” I point at the cute floating circle.

He nods.

…Why is he white?

“You said he’s pink…?”

“That’s the first game, I’ll bring the cartridge of the sequel next time if you want me to.”

“Oh—okay,” I nod, then try to insert the… cartridge into the console.

“Uhh, the other way.”

“Ah—” I flipped the cartridge and finally, inserted it.

Immediately a white screen with—ah, he is pink.

“Hayashi,” I called, pointing at the pink Kirby.

“Yeah,” he laughs.

It read the game title again, with very upbeat music.

Is it too loud…?

“Uhm… how do you?” He immediately gets off his seat, standing by as he holds both the console and my hand—turning something.

…His hand’s rough.

“Is that good?”

“...Yes,” I nod, and see…

Stage one, green greens?

…He’s cute.

Oh my.

Suddenly, Kirby drops to the grass… oh I’m playing now?

I… press an arrow, and he moves.

Wait—

Messing with the arrow buttons, Kirby walks around.

What does… suddenly he jumped when I pressed A.

B… wait, something’s coming.

How do I—

I press A, then…

Did I die?

“...Hayashi, how do you play?” I scratch my cheek, handing him the console.

I get off my seat, and stand by him… watching him play.

“I forgot to tell you but—what Kirby does is suck in enemies, like it’s his power.” I nod, he walks over to the enemy I died to and—holds B… ahhh— “Once you sucked something, he gets big like this—you can either, press down to—” he presses down and, Kirby’s back to his original size…

“Did he swallow the guy?” I ask, and he nods.

He presses B again and sucks in the other enemy.

“You can also…” he pressed B another time, then Kirby spits a star out.

I get it now…

“Ah—also,” he says, pressing up—suddenly he inflates and floats on the sky.

“Woah, thanks Hayashi…” I hold the console again and return to my desk.

…Kirby’s so cute…

The enemies too…

Despite his instructions, I still died several times.

I reached a point where I slowly ascended a tree… it seemed like.

I just sucked in enemies and arrived at a door.

I drop to the holes on the floor and… a tree?

It has a face…

Several fruits fell from the sky, what am I supposed to—

The tree puffs out air and hits me.

Ah…

I sucked the fruits, spitting them out towards the tree and finally the bars at the bottom of the screen disappeared one by one.

The tree sheds a tear and a star appears in the middle of the screen.

I jump towards it and… he’s dancing.

That’s so cute…

I cover my mouth with my hand as I watch.

Stage two, castle lololo…?

…Maybe I should stop for now—professor might come any second now.

…?

I didn’t even notice but… he’s asleep.

How do I…

Oh—he’s awake.

“How was it?”

“I finished one stage… may I play again next time?”

“Mhm, I’ll keep it with me so—just tell me,” he says as I hand it back to him.

…His hand’s also bigger than mine, how strange.

I only ever noticed now…

Mugi’s hands are the same as mine so—

…With time, the bells rang and classes commenced.

It was a very tedious topic… heavy on memorization.

Yet all I could do was recall Kirby’s dance…

It was cute.

I wonder what other games there could be…?

But hm… I’d like to finish Kirby first.

Maybe I should buy one for myself?

…Though I don’t really have—

They’re probably expensive…

I rest my cheek on my hand, just staring at the board filled with words.

If only I had a camera to capture this.

…I pick up my pen and continue writing.

…

Hah, I lean back.

Crossing my arms as I stare at my notes.

There’s no way everything will be in the exams…

I close my eyes and just sit there.

Hearing everyone leave, their chairs scratching against the floor.

“...You’re not leaving?”

That’s… Hayashi.

“Oh—I will.”

“You can… bring this home if you want?”

“Ah, no it’s fine—I’d prefer to play it at school.”

He somewhat smiles, nods his head then raises a hand.

I raise mine too and we both wave as he leaves the classroom.

…I wonder what he does in his free time.

He has lots of hobbies, he said.

I scratch my cheek, looking outside to see the sky… very cloudy.

But it hasn’t rained recently, thankfully.

I stand by the window again—the wind brushing against my hair.

Winter should come… any time now.

Finally, I shut the window.

Picked up my bag and closed the door.

…Do I drop by Mugi’s?

I probably should.

I turn the other way, passing through the hallway—sparse of people.

…My footsteps quietly echoes—

I stop to look at the hung clock.

Four fifty-nine… It's working.

Oh, right—Mugi’s still in class… is she?

I’ll check.

I look down at the floor, holding my bag with both hands.

Walking forward until I see the council room open, and someone steps out…

I…

“A—Aihara-san…”

I looked at him… his hand raised.

What do I…

I don’t—

I… swallow.

Looking down.

“Want to… come inside?”

“I’m sorry…” My words come out small.

I turn around, and quickly walk down the hallway.

I don’t know why I’m acting like this…

Would it be quickly resolved if I just—

No… I don’t want to…

I don’t ever want to… have that again.

I just…

I rush to the shoe lockers, drop my bag and quickly swap my shoes.

Looking back at the hallway, he didn’t follow me.

I… pick up my bag, and just—

Ran away.