IDENTIFY

[1] Our Past

The rankings were put on the notice board, visible to anyone that passes by their wide assembly hall.

"Way to ruin the mood, right Chiko chan?" Asked a girl with a high ponytail and in PE uniform. The girl called Chiko hummed in agreement. "Well, since it's here, might as well see where we are in the ranking." She scanned and found her friend's name. "Ehhh Sora! You're the 50th student! Congratulations!"

"You've done great too, Chiko chan. You've gone up from the 77th to 65th student." They complimented each other and someone startled them from behind. "Oii Isomura!" Sora shouted and smacked the guy that startled them. "It hurts, Sora! I was about to ask where is my name in the ranking" He rubs his hand that received the punishment from Sora. "I'm the 150th student!"

"Hurm you did great Hayato kun" Chiko gave him a thumbs up in which made him smile while Sora rolled her eyes, scanning for more names. "Yoshi kun, got the 82nd spot, while Yuki got the 48th spot and Shiko chan is the 5th as expected."

"Is she an A.I.? She's unbelievable. I can't believe she has friends like us." Hayato exclaimed as a deep voice chuckles from behind him.

"She's just different because unlike you people, she actually focuses on her studies." Sora was pissed off hearing his voice as she turns to stare at him. "Piss off Maeda. You have no right to say something like that."

He smirked and stepped closer towards Sora while she remains in her spot, staring at him, angrily. "Why not? Besides, I am the number one student and I'll always be that. I do have the rights to give advice to... well people who needed it." Sora slapped him in the face without hesitation, leaving both Hayato and Chiko in shocked. "Becareful, Hayama san... slapping my face could cost you a fortune. If you can pa-"

His eyes shifted to the two guys that went closer to the group. "Ahh looks who's here. Your so called 'friends'." He emphasizes on the word friends while looking at all of them before turning back to Sora. "Well, enjoy your fun time now with them. I just had a feeling that you guys... won't last long in the real world." He sighed while smiling as his hand was about to caressed Sora's face when she, herself grabbed his wrist before his palm touches her face.

"Don't touch me, Maeda or I won't hesitate to make your face kisses the floor." She releases his hand and walks away with her friends. They went to the cafeteria where they usually hang out before their club activities started.

"You were really cool, Sora!" Chiko said excitedly and Hayato nodded. "Next time, try to keep your hands beside you, Sora. That guy is bad news" The guy that sat next to Chiko advised her. "I know, Yoshi kun. I can't help it sometimes."

"Yeah. I agree with Ryo kun in this matter. You should stay away from him Sora chan" The only guy with spectacles spoke up. "You always say she's right no matter what she does, Yamada kun. I'm suprised you took my side, today." Ryo teased his friend who gulped his saliva down as he tries to hides the blush on his face.

"Hurmm, I realize I'm wrong Yuki. Don't worry, I'll try to control myself as much as I can. Besides, you guys will always be there for me, right?" She leans her back on the chair and looks at them making them smile. Yuki nodded and smiled at her in agreement as Ryo shakes his head and chuckles at his friend's behaviour.

"Anyways, meet you guys at the gate after we're all done?" Chiko asked as they all nodded in agreement. Yuki went to his baseball club, Ryo in the theater club, Hayato in the cooking club while Sora and Chiko went to Kendo club where they meet one more of their closest friend. "Hoshiko, congratulations on getting the 5th place in school!" Chiko went and hugged her. "It's nothing, Echiko chan. I've seen all of our names and I must say we did pretty well this time."

"All thanks to you Shiko chan. Without your tutoring, all of us would probably never ranked that nicely." Sora patted her shoulder as she smiled. "You guys made a lot of efforts as well so it's a win win situation in my opinion. All I did was give you guys a little push."

Just like that, their club activities begin. Hoshiko and Echiko learned a new technic in Kendo which they've failed and succeed to do it. Sora was practicing with her teacher to get ready for the competition which was a week away. Hayato made tonkatsu in his class which he was excited to bring it back so that he can share with his friends. Ryo was doing rehearsal for the upcoming school show they were doing for their school's open day next week. Yuki was practicing to ace their competition next month.

While the others were already at the gate, Sora decided to stay for awhile to practice more. She practiced until her teacher asked her to go back home since it's going to get darker soon. She obeyed her teacher and thanked him before she turned around to head to the nearby bench. To her suprise, the boys were still there, waiting for her. She smiled as she saw Hayato falling asleep on the bench, Ryo trying to wake him up and Yuki calls her to take a drink.

"Oi, you guys don't have to wait for me. I can go home, alone." Sora said before drinking her water. "It's not safe for you to head alone, Sora." Ryo spoke up and throws a face towel at her. She catches it and wiped her sweats. "Are your parents okay with you being late?" She asked as Yuki hands her, her bag in which she puts her bottle inside and walked out of the school with them. "Our parents are fine. They even came back later than us so it's not a big deal for us to go back home." Hayato explained as Sora nods.

All of them rode their bicycles together since they lived around the same area. "I wish Echiko chan and Hoshiko chan can ride with us too." Hayato sighs as he knows they both have strict parents. "Chiko chan would love the sunset." Ryo mumbled under his breath but Sora still heard what he said and smiles to herself.

"Both of them would take pictures, for sure." Yuki exclaimed and chuckles imagining his friends doing it. "Cheer up, guys. You still have me!" Sora points to herself before she puts her hand back to her bicycle's handle. "I like those two better than you." Hayato puts his tongue out and cycles faster, leaving them behind. "You jerk, Isomura!"

"I quite agree with him but you know who I like better, Sora." Ryo smiles at Sora as she glares at him. "You better be nice to me or else I would reveal your secret to her." Ryo once agained smiled and looked away from her in satisfaction. "Yuki, who do you like the most out of the three of us?" Sora turned to Yuki for her final hope.

Yuki was flustered at the sudden attention and said "Uh- Ryo? He's my best friend?" Sora rolls her eyes at him while Ryo burst into laughter. "You're so blurry, Yuki. I meant us three girls. Not me, Hayato and Ryo." She shakes her head and cycles faster to smack Hayato in his arms.

Yuki sighs and Ryo was still laughing. "You're hopeless, Yuki." Ryo said as he finished laughing. He received a glare from Yuki in which he ignored. "Like you do any better. You kept on being jealous because Hayato did a better job at flirting with Echiko than you."

"Shut up, Yuki. At least I can talk to her rather than you." Ryo burst into laughter again as Yuki cycles faster to catch up with Sora and Hayato. They arrived home safe and sound. This was their friendship that they all wanted to cherish. Who knows how long they will stay together because only time can tell.

[1383 words]