Our Little Cherry Blossoms

four. questions

ＳＥＰＴＥＭＢＥＲ (( ＣＡＳＥ ))

"Case, Lark, you're up!"

Steadily, I heaved myself out of my seat, leisurely stretching my arms out behind me. Lark's movements were inaudible to me, as she was always so obediently silent in whatever she did. Following behind her delicate figure, a yawn escaped my mouth and I scratched the back of my head, drowsily ruffling my hair. This inexorably received a whetted stare from the girl, in which I so gallantly returned with one of my ostentatious grins. As expected, she presented no reaction or riposte, lucidly turning back to her computer and inserting a wire to project her screen on the whiteboard. Despite the prevailing fact that most girls tittered shyly at my smile, I was already accustomed to her lack of response during the past month of perennially being ignored whenever I asked an inane question or verbalised a fatuous statement. In my defence, I just simply could not help but wonder about the nonsensical fringe of things. Once everything was set up and ready, Lark pressed play and the animation she had conjured appeared on the whiteboard, accompanied with the song I had shown her just a week before. I smiled, concealing my expression as frame after frame materialised and vanished on the screen, conscious of how much effort she had planted into this endearing animation. Furtively sneaking a glance at my secluded companion, I found that she wasn't even watching our presentation, instead she was staring fixedly out the window, her beautiful emerald eyes twinkling in a way I had glimpsed only while she looked out that glassy aperture. Now that I closely scrutinised her features showered in morning sunlight, I discovered that those cascading locks were multiple shades of chamoisee and coffee brown, not just chocolate. I was intrigued by this new-found beauty, and ended up gazing avidly at her for the remainder of the animation. Only the impatient shout from our teacher jolted me back to my senses.

"Case! Do you mind explaining?"

I nodded sheepishly, inducing several chuckles and giggles from my classmates as I did so. Launching into an explicit interpretation of the story, I thought how ironic it was that the person who didn't even finish the book carried out the elucidation. Of course I had no other option, since Lark fabricated the animation it was the least I could do. In addition, Lark was also exceptionally adamant about this decision. She was most definitely unlike any female I've ever laid eyes upon. If I smiled, however distant they may be, they would always grant me a smile in return. Lark never smiled at anyone, the closest I've seen her in the vicinity of one was when she peered out the class window. I am unable to even comprehend whatever prodigious entity out there causes that miracle on her face. This thought clung to me for the surplus of english class. The teacher dismissed us and students clambered out the door, practically hurdling through one another in order to acquire a head start at the canteen's lunch line. The rest of my classmates filed out the entrance, gradually unveiling the patient shape of Lark's petite body. I can't decipher the reason why she is so altruistic as to wait for me after every class, but one thing I am positive of is the unwavering felicity I have during that time. Yet, I hankered to know why.

"Why do you wait for me?"

There was a fulgurate of bewilderment in her bewitching green gaze, a sight that I took great pleasure in. A nice change from her perpetual impassive expression. That only lasted for a fleeting moment before it was my turn to be flabbergasted. Lark's gaze softened, softened into an almost painful yet tender illustration, immaculately embodied by her aesthetic appearance.

"Who knows?"