Incidentally, I fell for you - Renga

Doing a good thing

The next day, when the time for the class's presentations came, Reki felt a different air surrounding Langa. He couldn't help but notice how his friend had slightly changed.

As for one, when Langa came to meet Reki as they rode to school together, it seemed that his friend was in a completely different location mentally.

Instead of giving some sort of morning handshake like usual, Reki was left with a small wave before Langa began riding his board.

He was staring lengthily, most times at nothing, and was unresponsive to most things.

This was strange. Reki had thought. The two usually talked endlessly on their ride to school.

This abrupt break in tradition confused the boy. Langa might've been on the quieter side, but he was never actually silent.

Maybe he was in a dimension of his own. It seemed like usually he was stuck between two places, divided between reality and his own deep mind, but now he was taking a trip to the other side full time. Peering into the vast emptiness of his own imagination.

Once class started, Ema had raised her hand proudly and volunteered to present first, Langa nodding silently behind her.

Their presentation was good for something put together overnight. The two took turns talking and presenting about themselves and each other.

It seems this really made them closer. Reki thought, realizing the quick memorization was a sign of companionship, or at least an understanding of each other.

Their project ended in applause from the rest of the class, putting a satisfied smile on Ema's face.

They sat back down together and smiled at one another, an indication of a job well done.

Something about how close they were becoming after such a short period of time seemed to tug at his brain. It was something he couldn't seem to get a feel for or understand.

It almost made him uncomfortable?

With no other way to grasp the situation, Reki decided to confront the matter.

•••

Usually, the boys walked home together or headed straight to their part time jobs after school, but today, Reki needed to speak privately with his friend.

"Hey, Langa." Reki calls, forcing the skateboarder out of the prolonged daze that he had resumed after classes let out.

"Yes?"

"Let me take you out to dinner." Reki's tone was far from nervous, he had just chosen to invite Langa out.

As friends, of course.

Internally, Reki couldn't help but realize this sounded like a first date. Just thinking about it sent heat up to his cheeks.

"Sure, Reki." Langa responded.

Reki noticed himself blushing harder at his friend's responding smile, hiding his face by turning the other way.

•••

Reki would never admit was that he enjoyed watching Langa eat. His friend always seemed so happy with whatever he was having, fully indulging himself with each meal as if it were his last.

Reki wasn't particularly fond of the fast food restaurant he had picked for the two of them to dine at, but he knew how much Langa prided himself on the place. So, he settled.

Langa made an order of 4 hamburgers, this was less than what he would usually get, but he decided to be respectful of the fact that someone else was covering the check.

As Langa bit hungrily into his first burger, Reki sipped on his own chocolate milkshake, which was accompanied with a side of fries.

"Thank you" Langa said in between bites, obviously glad to have something filling his stomach.

"Don't mention it." Reki responded with a smile. Langa eating always reminded him of a hamster, swift and agile when it came to meals.

"So, about Ema." Reki started, his sentence trailing.

"Hm?" Langa responded, already on his second burger.

"You two seem pretty close. What's going on there?"

Langa's chewing slowly came to a stop.

Ah, there it is again. Reki thought.

His daze like stance had returned to him once again, meanwhile Reki had began munching on one of his fries.

I'll give him a minute. He debated internally.

•••

He ended up giving him an hour.

After completing all four of his hamburgers, Langa continued pondering about Reki's question. They ended up leaving the restaurant before he was able to give a clear answer.

"I don't know." He whispered, skateboard under his arm.

"Well, I could've told you that."

"I just met her. She's interesting, but I don't know how to feel about her. What should I do?"

"Hm, think about it." Reki responds, the subject itself is something he's been trying to evade, but then again he was the one to bring it up.

"I don't know if you could tell, but I have been thinking about it." Langa responded sarcastically.

"I mean, you could always just go for her anyways." Reki felt these words bubble up to his mouth. Though he wasn't completely behind whaat he was saying himself, he couldn't seem to stop talking.

"It'll be like trial and error you know? If you like her after a while, then you'll be able to tell."

The two had just come to the part of the road where they had to part ways, since they lived in different directions.

"Thank you Reki, for that and for everything." Langa responded in a lower voice.

He hold his fist out for one of their signature moves, realizing that he hadn't given his best friend one that morning. Reki returned the touch gratefully.

Then, Reki watched him drop his board and roll away.

"No... problem." Reki said slowly, bringing himself to finish his sentence. After he was out of view, he began to speak aloud to himself, turning to go his way home.

"I did good. I helped him in the right direction. I did well for my friend." Reki said, a half baked smile on his face. He then took a small pause to think.

"So then why don't I feel so good about this?"