A Mark That Lasts Forever

Past | 過去 section 5

I'm both amazed and thrilled when half a week passes without a single message from Haruka. The same Haruka who hasn't stopped harassing my phone with less than three messages per day since the moment she first got hers. The Haruka who has stalked me everywhere I went since the day I was stupid enough to let another kid in the neighborhood convince me to kiss her.

Has she finally, truly given up on me? I'm so happy I could cry.

"Hey, Makoto." Shun's voice pulls me away from my idle LIME screen. He has a tentative smile on his face.

"I'm going to meet some of my friends for dinner tonight."

"Okay. Have fun." I smile back at him.

When he begins to stammer, I tilt my head at him.

"What's up?"

"Actually," he says. "I was gonna ask if you want to come along."

I sit up straight on his bed, my interest piqued.

"They're the close friends I mentioned before. The only ones I've told about you." He speaks slowly, looking a bit nervous.

I can't help but smile. This is an opportunity I won't pass up.

"Sure!" I nod enthusiastically.

"Okay." He smiles wider and picks up his phone. "I'll let them know you're coming."

"Are they classmates?" I ask, but he shakes his head.

"They're friends from high school."

"What are they like?" I am already curious.

He smiles. "They're nice. I'm sure you'll like them."

Shun and I exit an elevator to a dimly lit restaurant. Each table has two or more candles placed above it and comfy-looking chairs. At the back of the room is what appears to be a curtain with a palm tree design projected onto it. Most of the customers are groups of girls around our age with a few couples here and there.

"Shun! Over here!" a high-pitched female voice calls.

Looking across the room, I find two girls waving in our direction from a table against the wall adjacent to us.

"There they are," Shun beams as he waves and walks toward them.

Both nervous and excited, I follow him to the table. One of the girls is thin with short brown hair. The other is a little bit chubbier with long, curly blonde hair.

"Hey!" they greet simultaneously while Shun takes a seat across from them. He's smiling one of his genuine smiles.

"It's prince charming!" the short-haired girl coos as I take the seat across from her. Taking another good look at her, I recognize her as the girl from the Kagurazaka café.

The three chuckle while I try to repress an embarrassed smile.

"Makoto, right?" the blonde girl says in her high-pitched voice.

"Right." I nod.

"I'm Karen," she says with a charming smile.

"Chiaki," the short-haired girl introduces herself as she looks at me with an almost cunning smile.

"Nice to meet you." I bow my head.

"Nice to meet you again," Chiaki says with a knowing glint in her eyes.

I freeze. Does she recognize me from that day, too?

"He doesn't remember," Shun laughs.

"Aw," Karen giggles.