Tokyo Tales

Bonsai Tree - 5

The Monday after the cultural festival, the school was buzzing with excitement and a sense of accomplishment. Students chatted animatedly about their experiences, exchanging stories and praising each other's efforts.

As I walked through the halls, I felt a sense of pride in being part of such a vibrant community.

During lunch, Yumi, Watanabe, and I gathered at our usual spot in the courtyard. We were joined by Tanaka Hiroshi and a few other classmates, the camaraderie from the festival still fresh in our minds.

"Osakai wa sugokatta yo, Hayashi-san,"  That was amazing, Hayashi-san.  Tanaka said, taking a bite of his bento. "Min'na hontōni kandō shite imashita." Everyone was really impressed.

"Arigatou, Tanaka-kun" Thank you, Tanaka-kun. I replied, feeling a warm blush spread across my cheeks. "Totemo tanoshikattadesu. Yumi to Kenji no tasuke nashide wa dekinakattadeshou." It was so much fun. I couldn't have done it without Yumi and Kenji's help.

Tanaka then left with Yumi because he had to study in the library with some of his friends, leaving Watanabe with me.

"Speaking of which, I have someone I want you to meet, Hayashi-san. He's a good friend of mine and was really impressed by our booth. He said he wanted to meet the person behind the matcha."

I looked at him confusedly. "Behind the Matc-" I was going to ask, but he interrupted me.

"Shota Suzuki," Watanabe replied. "He's in the year above us. We met through a club activity, and we've been friends ever since. He's a great guy, just not like me, he's a different vibe."

Watanabe smiled. "How about we meet after school? There's a small park nearby that's really peaceful. We can chat there."

"The park we went to before?" I asked, and He nodded. "Sounds perfect," I agreed, excited about the opportunity.

The rest of the school day passed quickly. As the final bell rang, I gathered my things and met Watanabe at the front gate. Together, we walked to the nearby park, the afternoon sun casting a warm glow over the trees and pathways.

As we approached a quiet corner of the park, I spotted a tall boy with tousled hair and a thoughtful expression, He looked up as we neared.

"Hey, Shota-kun," Kenji called out, waving. "This is Hayashi Aiko, the friend I was telling you about."

Shota stood up and extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, Hayashi-san. I'm Suzuki Shota." Not only did he not smile while greeting himself,  He looks a bit taller than Watanabe.

"Nice to meet you too, Suzuki-kun," I replied, shaking his hand. His grip was firm but gentle, and his facial expression wasn't welcoming.

We settled on a nearby bench, the conversation flowing easily. Suzuki had a calm, introspective demeanor that put me at ease. He spoke with a quiet passion about his interests, particularly his love for traditional Japanese arts.