Chapter 3: Double Confession
Rairi stood still staring at the person in front of her. She didn't know what to do, or what to say.
"Shizuno?"
"Mhm! It's me." he said with a wonderful smile on his face.
"You.. know me?"
"That's what I want to know."
They were both quiet for a while. Shizuno closed the door behind him and walked closer to Rairi.
"Now tell me.. Are you the girl that I met under the cherry blossom tree ten years ago?"
Rairi felt her heart skip a beat. She was surprised to hear that Shizuno can still remember that. She opened her mouth slightly, and heaved out a sigh of relief.
"Shizuno Akagi. You remember me. I'm pleased to hear that."
She then smiled a bit after saying that, feeling happy and relieved. The wind was blowing and her hair flowed perfectly with it.
Shizuno was stunned with the scenery in front of him. He was simply amazed and enchanted by this girl. Before he knew it, he had already taken a step closer to her.
Out of nowhere, he hugged her.
Rairi's heart jumped because of this. She was taken aback by the guy's sudden action. She was surprised, yet she did not feel like withdrawing from his arms.
When Shizuno realized what he did, he immediately unwrapped his arms around her and blushed real hard.
He looked away due to embarrassment.
"I uhh.. I-I'm sorry. I'm just really glad I found you again.."
Not knowing what to say, Rairi looked away as well, slightly blushing outside but is internally screaming.
"I see.." was all she was able to say.
"So uhm.. How are you? I didn't know you were in this school too."
"I'm in Class 1-A."
"I see. I'm in 1-B."
Still feeling a bit shy about the hug, she looked at him and said
"I'm glad I met you again."
Shizuno felt happy hearing this. He was really glad that she felt that way too. He was about to make the conversation longer when the bell rang, a signal that lunch break is over.
"Ah. That's the bell. We should be heading back now."
Rairi nodded yes in response.
"I'll walk you to your classroom then."
He smiled and waited for her to walk beside him.
During their walk together on their way to Rairi's classroom, both of them stayed quiet. They were both tongue-tied.
"We're here." Rairi said, noticing that Shizuno was a little deep in thoughts.
"Oh. Well see you later then."
He then waved at Rairi and smiled. His usual cheerful and friendly smile. Rairi went inside and Shizuno headed for his classroom.
On his way there, he couldn't stop thinking about what he did earlier.
Aaahhh!! What the hell was that for!? Why did I hug her like that?? That was soooo embarrassing.
He kept on thinking about it. Little did he know that his face was already burning from it.
He went straight to his seat, not knowing that his friend Akira was calling him.
"Oooiii Shi-zu-no!! Why are you spacing out~?"
"Hah? What was that?"
"And why is your face so red?"
Shizuno felt embarrassed by his friend's comment and pulled his bangs a bit. It's a habit that he does whenever he's embarrassed or shy.
"I-It's nothing.."
"Hehh.. You sure? You look like a tomato. Haha!"
"Shut up Akira!" he said, feeling a bit annoyed by his friend's joke.
"By the way, did you need anything from me?"
"Oh, yeah. Shizuno someone was looking for you earlier. A girl. She said to give you this."
Akira then handed a letter to Shizuno. He opened the letter and it said to please come by the library after school.
"Is that a love letter ~~?" Akira asked, sounding like he's teasing Shizuno.
"It's nothing like that. Go back to your seat now, sensei will be here any minute now."
Classes started and Shizuno's mind was still on the happening at the rooftop earlier. He couldn't stop grinning because of it.
I must look like a creep now, smiling here out of nowhere.
He thought of meeting Rairi after school to talk to her some more, but then he remembered the letter from the girl Akira was talking about.
Ah that's right. Maybe I should go there and see what it's about after all.
------------------------
//after school
Shizuno went straight to the library after his classes. Just as he entered the room, he was called out by a cute girl with long curly hair.
"Shizuno-kun? I'm Nanami, the one who sent you the letter and asked you to drop by here."
"Oh. Yo! I'm Shizuno. So why did you want to meet me here?" He asked, sounding nice as always.
"Well.. I wanted to tell you something."
"Hm? What is it?"
"We went to the same middle school. We weren't in the same class but I've always admired you before."
Shizuno was surprised at this, because he does not really remember the girl in front of him at all.
"Ahh I'm really flattered by that Nanami-san."
Nanami looked at him straight in the eyes and grabbed the tip of his sleeve.
"Will you.. go out with me Shizuno-kun? I really like you." She said with her face blushing.
"Eehh??"
Shizuno stood there quietly. He wasn't sure how to reject the girl without sounding rude and harsh.
Hm? Isn't that Shizuno?
He was unaware that Rairi was in the library too at that time. She was looking for books to use so she could study in advance for their lessons.
She was about to approach him when she noticed the girl holding his sleeve, looking at him. It looked like they were having a serious conversation, so she just decided to leave them alone.
He's already got someone like that huh...
Rairi thought as she walked slowly and quietly away from where Shizuno and the girl were.
She noticed her chest feel heavy, but she did not know why.
Shizuno did not notice Rairi at all. His attention was on how to reject the girl in a nice way.
He gently removed her hand grabbing the tip of his sleeve and scratched the back of his head a bit.
"Nanami-san, right? I'm really flattered that you like someone like me. I'm not really that big of a guy, and I'm happy, really. To know that someone likes me.. It's really a wonderful feeling.."
He looked at her in the nicest way that he can and said
"But I'm really sorry.. I can't go out with you."
The girl felt sad hearing this but she asked
"Eh? Why? Is there someone else that you like?"
Shizuno suddenly remembered the girl from ten years ago and how he met her again. Her long black hair flowing beautifully as the wind blew.
Her fragrance when he hugged her.. Those light brown eyes that looked wonderfully on her. He couldn't stop himself from smiling.
"Yes. I already have someone I like."
He answered bravely and bluntly.
"I see... That's okay then. I wish you all the best with her, Shizuno."
Nanami then disappeared and Shizuno was left alone there, still thinking of what happened.
He then decided to go check if Rairi was still in her room. He wanted to talk to her some more.
Just as he was about to go out, he noticed someone along the bookshelves who seemed to be dozing out.
He wanted to know if he was right, so he went there to see for himself.
He was right. Rairi has been there all along. He tapped her shoulder which gave Rairi a surprise.
"Y-Yo!" Shizuno greeted her with a smile, but Rairi's mood seemed to be a bit off.
"Oh." She said, and continued to browse through the books.
"Are you okay?"
"Mhm. I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Since when have you been here?"
"I got here after class."
"Ah. Uhmm.. Did you see me earlier..?"
Rairi did not know what to say. She didn't want to lie, but she also did not know what to answer him if he ever asks why she didn't approach him.
But of course, she chose to tell the truth.
"Yeah."
"Really? Why didn't you talk to me?"
"You seemed busy."
Shizuno remembered that he was with a girl earlier and felt stupid about it.
"You were with someone." Rairi said, focusing more on what she's doing.
"Oh that. It was nothing."
"I see."
Shizuno couldn't take it anymore. He thought that maybe she got the wrong idea about what she saw.
It even crossed his mind that maybe Rairi was jealous about what she saw, but he thought that would be silly. Still, he felt like he needed to tell her what that was about.
"I got a letter from earlier saying someone wants to meet me here. So I went. She just said she likes me and that she wants to go out with me."
Rairi stopped for a second upon hearing this, then she continued what she was doing again.
"Oh. A confession." She said, trying to sound casual.
"Yeah. But I turned her down because..."
"Hm?"
"Because I already have someone I like."
The book that Rairi was holding fell to the ground. She immediately took it and calmed herself.
"Oh. Is that so?" she said, trying to sound natural.
"Yeah. And I really like her."
Rairi ignored this and kept on fixing the books. Pretending like she did not hear what Shizuno said.
What's the big deal. I don't like him. This shouldn't bother me.
Rairi kept on talking to herself in her mind.
"The girl that I like.. It's you, Rairi."
Her heart jumped at this. She looked at Shizuno with seriousness in her face.
"... What?"
Silence filled the room as they both stared into each other's eyes.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone