on the next spring | ✓

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Nap Of A Star - TXT

It was autumn in 1995

Third days of the week, and I received a detention punishment from my homeroom teacher. The two hours were supposed to be a reading session and me reflecting on my action of bunking off class for the nth time. But as soon as I opened the door of Class 3-2, which I would spend my two hours of detention, a familiar face appeared and the figure grinned at me, raising her eyebrows. 

I rolled my eyes as I closed the door. "So you're the prefect that were 'ordered' to watch over me for the next two hours, huh?" I gave her an air quote on the word 'ordered', as a way to be synical. But she laughed it out, shaking her head in amusement. 

"This ain't fair at all! You flew with me, you suggested it, even!" I whined. My blood boiled as I remember how both of us encountered the principal when we were hanging out in a restaurant nearby during school hours and how the girl was the only one who managed to get away as she was hiding somewhere around the premise. I was left there alone, receiving the scolding and nagging of the elderly principal. 

She tapped my head lightly with the book in her hand while chuckling in pride. "I'm just too good at hiding, silly." 

I grumbled while settling down on a chair, reaching out to a random book on the shelves provided at the corner of the classroom. Science and astronomy. This is boring as heck, I thought.

"Dang, little sprout. What are you doing?" 

I rolled my eyes upon hearing the nickname. "I grew two centimetres taller than last year -"

"Well you're still shorter than me." 

"By a centimetre?" I smirked, raising my eyebrows. 

"Yeah but I'm still taller." 

I was an inch away from crying. Height was such a sensitive topic that I didn't want to talk anymore. I then focused on the book in my hand. 

"Why are you acting all dilligent and nice? Put that book away." She ordered me. When I lifted my chin, my eyebrows creased, questioning her order. "I'm supposed to read a book for two hours, silly. Are you really the assigned prefect?"

She watched me with disgusted expression on her face. "Why so nerd, bestie? Put that away, I'm your prefect now. I get to choose what you're gonna do." She pulled my arm and as soon as I got up, she led me to the corner of the classroom. I sighed. I'd rather sleep then, but what do I do, she was the prefect.

Each classroom had a prop room, in which they dumped every used dusters and PA system's equipment for listening exam's purpose. My eyebrows creased in confusion as she pushed the door open with her left hand. "Um, what do we do? Partying?" 

She let go of my arm, shotting me a look. "Silly, I wasn't that strong in rebelling against the rules." 

"Said the one who skipped school thrice a week." I synically replied.

"I swear you should keep your mouth closed." As she replied to me, she made her way into the dusty room, disappeared from my sight. I waited for her outside, curious as to what was she planning to do. Two minutes waiting, I lost my patience. "Bestie I'm sorry if I were to interrupt your time in life, but -" It was then when she appeared on the doorway, glaring. "Bro, you're really waiting here? I thought you came in with me." 

Oh. I thought I was supposed to just stand still there. I cleared my throat as I walked inside the room. It was rather narrow, with a lot of equipments piling up on the floor. The atmosphere was dark and suffocating, as the window were covered by a black curtain. There were hardly any sense of light. I walked towards the window, gently pulling the curtain aside, letting in the sunlight to enter the dull room. 

And I was fascinated. 

The first thing that greeted my eyes was a beautiful garden full of colourful flowers. At the centre of the bushes, a bench was placed beside a single lamp post. When I opened the window and the nice smell greeted me in the most comfy way possible, I couldn't help but closed my eyes, enjoying the breeze. I didn't know there was such beautiful place near our school. 

It was then when I heard a melody coming from behind me. Soft and tingling, I knew from the first note that it was a piano. Slowly, I opened my eyes, still all-ears. As soon as I turned my head, my gaze caught the sight of her on a chair, immersed in the melody that she was playing on the piano. She didn't look at me. Rather, with a smile on her face, she nodded while closing her eyes. 

The melody echoed across the small room. I watched as she sang softly, when her smile droop a bit, and when she looked like she almost cried. 

What was this girl so sad about?

I can see even if you're not by my side
I feel you even if you don't say a word
Because I believe in you even if I'm anxious
I can touch even if you're not in my sight
I reach even if you go far away from me
Even if it's just in your memories
My hearts is always dancing, just like before

I want to be your nap so I can dream with you no matter when
As if nothing had happened
On a sunset evening, even in the night when the sky is dark
My heart is full of you

Three minutes into it, she paused. And so I assumed that she had finished the song. My eyes darted on her. Eyebrows lifted, asking for an explanation. "I didn't know you do music?" 

She glanced to me, shrugging. "Well now you know." 

"It was mid." I was messing with her. 

And the next thing I knew, I felt something thrown at my head, resulting on me almost shouted. Turned out, it was a drumstick that she threw at me. When my gaze met hers, she laughed and immediately got up from her seat, knowing what was coming for her next. 

And so I ran after her. Into the classroom, I chased her around, caught her and we laughed together. Like little children indeed, I forgot that it was supposed to be a punishment.