That Blonde Guy

Chapter 22

"Hello?"

["Baji-san!"]

Baji pulled the phone from his ear, face annoyed as the loud voice hit his eardrum. "Damn, keep it down."

["Baji-san, I'm here by the gate. Where are you?"]

"I already left. I'm off to Nika's school, I'm picking her up."

["Ah. Is she your girlfriend now?"]

He wasn't eating anything but it seemed like he choked upon hearing it. He didn't see that coming. "O-Of course not, dumbass. The hell are you talkin' about."

There was a series of laugh from the other end of the line as Baji continued walking.

["Ah, Baji-san, does Nika's friend still want the bracelet back?"]

"Yeah, I guess. Lemme ask Nika for the girl's number--wait, what's her name again?"

["Sayuri?"]

"Oh, yeah. I'll tell you when I get her number." He exhaled. "Aight, talk to you later."

Baji slid the phone in his pocket, heaving a sigh. It was a peaceful cloudy afternoon, as peaceful as his mind and as good as his mood. The plastic bag that contained the peyoung yakisoba that he bought from the convenience store earlier dangled from his hand as he walked.

"Girlfriend?" he uttered under his breath. "That ugly witch? My girlfriend?" He scoffed. "No way."

'Why not?'

He paused when that strange thought suddenly crossed his mind. His cheek immediately turned pink without him realizing. 'Yeah. Why not?'

He shook his head and sighed, not noticing a smirk on his lips. "Shut up."

Many tudents were already walking out the gate when he got there. Holding his school bag over his shoulder along with the plastic bag that contained the yakisoba, he leaned against the streetlight pole--his usual spot--just a few meters from the gate and waited there. He looked at his watch. 'I'm a bit late,' he thought. 'It's okay, though. It's Thursday so her last class is PE, she's still there for sure.'

He was casually looking at the people coming out of the gate as he waited. He woud attract stares from the people--specially girls who would try to smile at him--but he was too busy trying to spot his ugly witch to notice them. He was starting to get hungry and he couldn't wait to cook these noodles with her so they could eat together with Yuki.

Where was she, anyway?

There were only two things that Baji hated the most. First, waiting. Second, being hungry. Right now, he was there both waiting and hungry and yet he stayed and still waited. He would just look at his watch, heave a sigh, and then go back and stare at every person who got out of the gate.

When he realized that it had been an hour, he stood up straight and gave a light groan. He decided to stay for another twenty minutes and when still no Nika appeared, he went and approached one of the students walking near him.

"Oi, do you know someone named Nika? She's a third year."

The guy with a bowl hair cut just stared at him with parted lips.

Baji sighed. He motioned his hand and hissed, "nevermind."

He took his phone out his pocket and tried dialling her but all he heard was the female voice of the monitor saying that the call wont connect. He let out a deep sigh and looked at the gate once more. 'Where the hell is she?'

* * *

Ayana sat on her table inside the BLC office, silently checking the record book for the club's activities for the month. After sitting still for too long, she heaved a sigh and closed the book. She took off her glasses and wiped the lens, wore them back, and then looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It's still thirty minutes before the club hours end.