Hibiki

Chapter 3 | The Weight Of Emotions

A cold breeze greeted me as I opened the door to the rooftop of our school.

          Although it's not really allowed to go here, I don't really care. I've once thought about jumping down from here. Not for any particular reason though, but I also have no reason to live nor die.

          I sat at the railings and continued to hum my song.
          It's been a while indeed, since I've visited the rooftop. Since when Haru entered my life, I've had a reason to stay in that room. Looking down from above, the students are already leaving. Smiling and laughing, some even running excitedly going out.

          "Beach," One word suddenly crossed my mind and came straight out of my mouth.
          I don't have a particular reason to go to the beach but I guess it's beautiful. I've never been there alone though, I've only came there once with Haru.

          "Beach?" I looked behind me to see Kaede standing there, hands on his pockets. "Wanna go there then?"
          His always messy hair is being carried to the right by the wind.
          "Why are you here?"
          "Why not?" He approached and sat beside me on the railing.
          "You don't usually come here."
          "I knew that Haru's not here to visit you after school so I came looking for you," He said as he waves a chocolate milk drink at me. "I've missed hanging out with you, you know. Yamamoto's been taking all your time."

          I took the drink he gave and patted him in the head.
          "I have too, but not right now," His smile turned into a frown after I replied to him.

⁰-⁰

          A week has passed and today concludes the last day of school. The train back home that me and Kaede's in right now is quite empty for some reason. Kaede, resting his head on my shoulder is asleep again.

          The train, even though it's almost empty sounds very loud. But slowly, that sound becomes muffled, slowly and slowly until it's filled with silence.
          The silence was interrupted by my phone ringing. An unknown number is calling me.

          "Hello? Is this Hibiki?" A gentle voice coming from a woman on the phone asked, right after accepting the call. Her voice suddenly reminded me of one person, one that hates me the most. It's Haru's mother.

          "It's been a while," Haru's mother continued. Hearing her voice, I suddenly felt the weight of the world on my shoulders.
          "Good afternoon ma'am, it's me Hibiki. Did you find anything about Haru?" I asked as I felt my hands unknowingly shake. There was a brief silence until I heard a shatter from the other side of the phone.
          "He's dead.. he's fucking dead. I bet you have something to do with this don't you? I told you to stay away from him you little.." It's fuzzy, I can't hear what she says well. I'm trapped inside my own mind thinking about what she just said. Haru's mother rambles on as she screams and weeps. I don't know what to do. I hung up.

          The sky that was just sunny and beautiful slowly became dark and thundery.  I heard a news report about a storm coming on our way from the corner of the train.
          I look back at Kaede, still resting on my shoulder. Water droplets suddenly fell at Kaede's hands that are on my lap, I quickly wiped them with my own uniform. But some kind of warm water suddenly rolled down my face. No this isn't just water. Is this tears? Are these tears?

          I feel nothing, nothing at all yet these unruly tears keep on coming out. I don't know what to do. I don't know what's happening. I feel as if I'm falling down a black void filled with nothingness, nothing to be with, nothing to hold on to.