fools | nishimura riki

二 : strange

" i hope people change "
__________

"what's up with you?" he asked.

it was past school time and everyone should've been home by now.

yet he stayed to wait.

"nothing." she merely replied, not having the energy to sit straight by her desk as she leans down.

"then you should go home." he advised her. "unless you want to get locked in. it's nearly 5."

"I'd rather get locked in." she muttered lethargically. for the past few days, she has not been feeling the best and he noticed.

out of everyone, it was him that noticed.

"suit yourself." he stood up from the chair opposite her and picked up his bag. "I heard there are ghost students wandering around at night."

"WHAT!" she instantly got up after slumping onto her desk for the pass hour.

"oh now you're up." he chuckled before purposely turning around to watch the panicked girl retrieve her belongings.

"nishimura you are so dead. why are you telling me such creepy things." she huffed out as she approached the boy leaning against the door frame.

"well i was just being kind and warning you." he sarcastically replied.

"yeah so kind." she rolled her eyes.

×

arriving at a local park, they somehow stopped to sit at the bench.

not once has she ever spent time with her greatest rival after school hours, let alone willingly sitting beside him at a park.

"so what are you doing here?" she asked genuinely confused.

"accompanying you." he replied. no comebacks, no teasing, no sarcasm, just his sincerity.

perhaps, she wasn't the only one that needed company.

"you don't have to you know." she said whislt taking a look at his side profile. she wondered to herself, was he always this good looking? they met since they were kids but as time went by, she never really took the time to witness the changes.

"you're lying when you say that." he suddenly turned to her, catching her off guards. "aren't you?"

"w-what." she automatically swung her side to face the front. "no. of course not."

stage one: denial

"so tell me." he ignored her words. "how are you doing?"

it was strange.

it had been . . . a while.

"i'm doing fine." she cleared her throat nervously.

"i know we aren't close but if you don't mind me asking, is it perhaps family problems?" he asked.

although some may come across it as rude for intruding into someone else's business, something told her to let it out.

her worries and so.

"my parents. i- i just don't think they understand me anymore. i don't want to face them." she quietly spoke. "i just, with school, them, and other stuffs, i feel like everything is collapsing.

"i see. so your greatest concern is that you can't seem to properly open up to your parents?" he asked.

"at this stage. yes. but everytime i seem to open up, i feel like they would shut me down. i love them but they changed so much. i just, want to make them proud." her voice quivered.

there was a short silent until he spoke again.

"kimura, don't hate them for this. this may just be miscommunications and different perceptions." he faced her again to show his seriousness. "when you're ready, sit and talk to them. don't be afraid. remember that all they want at the end of the day is for you to be happy." 

silence struck again.

"thank you. for your time and advice." she smiled to herself. "I've thought about that but I'm afraid they might think I'm disobeying them."

"the sooner the better." he muttered before getting up. "see you."

and with that, he left the girl full of thoughts.

how strange.

was it strange because,

once upon a time, they were friends?

[ ♡ ]

opps a little long but,

the more the merrier ~

birthday special things. it's like 2 am and i have yet to sleep despite have stuff to do tmr :)

- luv, luna🌙