The hug was warm despite her chilling body temperature and there was an aura of warmth from the hug itself. I started to realise I simply did not know enough about this girl. How is it she can go from being the violent delinquent to this lost puppy? I was both intrigued and concerned.

  We held each other embracing the warmth the other provided for a few minutes without saying a word. There was something tranquil and intimate about holding someone in your arms, it was surprisingly pleasant.

  “Saito-san~ How long are we going to be like this?”

  “...”

  “Saito-san?”

  When I moved to the side I could see a gentle face resting soundly asleep. She was much cuter like this, as if she had gone from a tiger to a kitten.

  I softly giggled to myself making a mental note of this picture. I shifted her off me and got off the bed as quiet and softly as possible hoping I would not wake her. I moved her into a more comfortable position and tucked her into the blankets.

  ?

  About half an hour had passed and as I sat in Saito-san’s room bored I picked a volume of manga off her shelf and started to read it. I didn't mean to make myself at home or invade her privacy but I did not want to sit around with nothing to do.

  I finally heard some noises emanating from Saito-san’s mouth as she began to stir awake.

  “Morning sleepy head” I teased her, still half asleep.

  She replied in some half baked grumbles and moans, she wasn’t processing anything right now and I found this sort of adorable.

  I sat and stared at her smiling with a grin from ear to ear as I could see the cogs turning in her head. Just then she shot up and made some animalistic sound, she finally realised I was here.

  “Sh- Shiori-san, what are you still doing here? I thought you would go home…”

  “I had no reason to go home and until just now it was still raining outside. Besides, seeing you sleep so vulnerably was sort of cute” I teased “Also, you didn’t have much food so I could only make us some egg sandwiches, hope that it's alright.”

  “Y- Yeah that's fine. You didn't need to make me anything though…”

  She shrugged off me calling her cute. That’s also kind of cute.

  “I didn’t know you also read manga Shiori-san, you don’t seem the type…”

  “And you do?”

  “Fair point. So what do you read?”

  “To be honest I don’t really read anymore but I used to like fantasy romance, just picturing myself as one of the characters felt better than pretending to enjoy my own life… That was a bit much, sorry.”

  She shook her head and softly reassured me “I get it, it’s fine.”

  Regretting the pathetic words that had come from my mouth I decided it was probably a good time to get back home.

  “You better eat up, I will be offended if you don’t!” I said with a grin as I started to pick up my things from the room and head towards the door.

  “Shiori-san.”

  “Hmm?”

  “Thank you. And sorry.” She scratched her face and looked away as if embarrassed.

  “Sorry for what?”

  “You know…” She pointed at her cheek in the same spot where she had slapped me and left a scratch.

  Saito-san was apologising to me? “I guess there's a first for everything” I thought to myself not realising my surprise had shown on my face.

  “If you’re going to act like that then I take it back” She said, shooing me out the door.

  This girl’s personality really was puzzling, but as she said earlier, it would be ironic for me to think that of all people. Slowly but surely I found myself comfortable enough around her to show that side of me. For one reason or another the girl’s violent nature did not bother me at all either.

  ?

  On my walk home from Saito-san’s house a certain store piqued my interest. It was a bookstore. After spending some time at Saito’s house and reading some manga I was feeling a bit nostalgic remembering the simpler times when I could just read those silly comics.

  Before realising it my feet had shifted on their own and I was now standing inside the store. I decided just turning around and leaving would look suspicious so I might as well have a look around.

  Browsing the manga section, a certain title caught my eye.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  “No way, this is still going?” I said out loud reaching for the shelf.

  Life really did have a weird way of tying people together because as the string of fate would have it a certain person overheard me and shot their head around the corner.

  “Sei-chan! What are you doing here!?”

  It was Haruka, and she was not alone, she was with her brother who was only one year older than us.

  “Oh hey Shiori-san, long time no see.”

  I had spent a lot of evenings and nights at Haruka’s house so it should be no surprise that I was acquainted with her brother. That said, we were not close at all and I had barely spoken to him.

  “Oh hey you two, what a coincidence. I was just feeling a bit nostalgic so I decided to have a browse.”

  “You haven’t read manga in such a long time, are you going to get anything?” Haruka asked in a way that was far too excited for buying manga.

  “Um yeah. I think I will get this” It was a romance fantasy comedy, just like the ones I mentioned reading to Saito-san.

  “Oh I remember that one. I’m surprised it is still going to be honest. What brings you all the way out here anyway? This is the opposite direction of your house… hmm” she stared at me with a suspicious look.

  Haruka being my best friend knew the exact route I would take to go home and the direction it was in. She was right, this was out of the way to my house. “Should I just tell her?” The thought crossed my mind. Or I at least could bend the truth a little.

  “I was visiting a friend and on my way home”

  It was the truth, though I omitted some bits. “Sorry Haruka, I am not ready to involve you in this.” I apologised to her in my head.

  “A friend, hmm, A friend I don't know about…? How intriguing Shiori Sei.” Haruka had a large smile on her face and inquisitive eyes.

  “Whatever you are thinking I can promise you it is not that”

  “Fufufu. I’m sure” She was staring at the manga I was holding in my hand and I began to realise the hole I had dug for myself. “Of course it was a romance” I cursed inwardly.

  She didn’t believe me at all. This girl… I should probably clear this misunderstanding up but seeing a smile on Haruka’s face always made me warm inside and forget about all of my own insecurities.

  These moments away from home and out of school where I could relax and have funny misunderstandings were a rare occurrence for me and allowed me to distance myself from the diligent and hard working lady I was at school.

  That said, if I did not clear it up and Haruka started spreading information that I had a lover it would make things very complicated and force me to take on even more baggage than I already had.

  “Look Haruka-” I started but was interrupted quickly

  “Why don't you come back with us Shiori-san and you two can talk, or study or read your manga together?”

  It was not a bad idea, it would allow me to clear up things and spending time with Haruka was always a pleasure anyway. I really did value the relationship I had with her, to me she was an indispensable anchor that kept me grounded all these years, a true friend I could never replace.

  “Great idea bro!”

  “That is also fine by me”

  We all paid for our respective manga and headed out together. The air was still cold and damp after a few hours of rain, thankfully it was not raining at the moment and it would not take too long to get back to Haruka’s.

  After a short while of making small talk between the three of us we arrived at the familiar sight that was Haruka’s house. I breathed a sigh of relief that the rain didn’t start up again and we entered.

  “Pardon the intrusion”

  “Awhh Shiori-chan come in come in, I didn’t know you were coming over, will you be staying for dinner?”

  This beaming woman was Haruka’s Mother, someone I had known almost as long as Haruka herself.

  “If it is not too much of a bother Noya-san”

  “Of course not!”

  With the plan of staying for dinner now set, we made our way to Haruka’s bedroom. As if to reflect her personality the room was fluffy and pink, it was immediately warming and not overwhelming at all. There was a big bean bag cushion in the centre with dents and creases from wear that was placed just a few inches from a low hanging desk which was filled with school work. There was also a soft white rug layed out that encompassed most of the room.

  Haruka rushed inside and with a big energetic sigh leaped onto her bed back first. She was always a freebird living her life to the fullest, I envied her carefree attitude the most. She looked like she was having fun all the time which was in stark contrast to myself. I could only imagine the gloomy expressions I was making day to day.

  “Someone’s full of energy I see”

  “Sure am! My bestie is visiting!”

  “Pfft, you’re so carefree Haruka. I envy you.”

  “Awh don't be like that, whenever you need me I will always be here for you, you know that right? I’m not going anywhere, when you need to cry or scream and there’s no shoulder for you to lean on, I will be here.”

  “What the hell, what brought this on? Don't get all mushy on me” I teased nudging her with my elbow as I sat on the floor.

  Haruka was one of the only people in this world I could let my guard down around. She was an oasis in a desert, my anchor to life and my best friend. I did not have to hide when I was with her.

  “Heheh. Anyways you~ Don’t you have something to explain, like why you were in that part of town and your mysterious "friend "? ”

  Sighing at her obvious thoughts about what was happening I decided to lie. “It’s not what you think, I was with a girl from class, she asked for some help with her studies.”

  “Ehh, really now? Then who was it?” She was giving me a look that was asking me to spill the details, like she would not believe me if I did not tell her everything.

  I did not want the relationship between me and Saito-san to be public nor did I want people to know I was associated with her. It was cruel but being seen around with her would tarnish my reputation and people would look at me with confusion and disgust. That was the type of reputation Saito-san had cultivated.

  If only I was more like Haruka or Saito-san then maybe I could be more honest and not have to care what people think, but that was a dream I would not be able to make reality.

  Still I had to tell Haruka something, but what? It would be fruitless making something up and telling her the name of another student could lead to issues of its own. If I just told her the truth about who I was with then it would be easier to deflect her suspicions later on.

  With that in mind I decided the best course of action was to tell her the truth.

  “I was with Saito Katsumi.”