That Night at the Playground

21 | hiro - ramen place

I am feeling sick. I haven't slept properly since the start of the week. My back is killing me, my head is killing me, and my eyes are so dry.

"Fuck... I wanna sleep" I said.

"Hang in there Hiro, we're almost done" Kun told me while he is typing our report.

"Yeah I'm almost done too" Pertaining to myself.

I wanted to visit Ayumi but I can't even see her at this point. I have 12 deadlines this week and after that I'll go out with Ayumi.

I should be able to finish all these so I don't have to worry about anything when I'm with Ayumi.

"Don't stress yourself Hiro, you're one of the top students why are you worrying so much"

"I haven't started writing up my formal written report. I have three of them." I said.

"Y-you haven't started?"

"yeah..."

I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.I want to end all these tasks. But my body's not responding at all.

"I can't bear seeing you like that man. Wait up I'll buy you coffee" Kun stood up and went outside the library.

I need to get my shit together. If I did not start anything I am doomed by the end of the week.

Kun went back with a canned coffee with him.

"Here, drink up" He opened it for me.

"Thanks man"

I opened my laptop and read some notes that I have before writing my report.

Yeah I just have to finish all of this so the weekend will come faster.

After how many hours, with 3 bottles of coffee.

It's already 7 pm. Damn. My head hurts.

"Kun, do you want to eat?" I asked him.

"Yes, I'm hungry too. I'll just close my laptop"

We both arranged our chairs and went outside the library. The university library is open 24 hours, so we can come back here again.

"Should we have ramen?" He asked.  We both went to a ramen place a few streets away from the university. This place is famous, so we waited a bit from the line.

"Hiro, how is it going with Ayumi?"

Ayumi... I remember her again. I want to see her T_T I have been busy all day I don't have the chance to meet her.

"We're going out on the weekends" I answered.

"Woah, you two are already dating?"

"No, we're not yet there" I said.

"Dang Hiro, you got yourself a good one" Kun said.

"Some boys will glare at you if they knew you're taking her on a date" I remember how popular Ayumi is especially on our department. She was one of the host on of our events and every boys liked her.

"Yeah I know"

"Sir, you may now come in" said the waiter.

We both entered the place and ordered our ramen. I like spicy food so I ordered the spiciest one.

"Thank you for the food!"

-

After eating, Kun and I went home first and we'll be back at the library at 10PM.

I honestly want to sleep but thinking how I have two more formal reports to write makes me anxious.

I brought some snacks and drinks with me even if I know these are prohibited inside the library.

I also brought a neck pillow. And a headache medicine. Oh and also an eye dropper.

As a college student, these are necessities.

It's only 8:40 PM. I still have time to rest.

I grabbed my phone and checked my messages. There's only messages from my mom and some were from Shun. I ignored Shun and replied to my mom.

While messaging my mom a notification popped out of the screen.

What...

I even squinted my eyes because I thought I'm seeing things.

[meMessage]

Emi: Hello Hiro! Were you perhaps at a ramen place earlier? I think I saw you... I'm pretty sure it was you but I don't want to disturb you and your friend. Nice seeing you tho :)

Emi?

Why is she...

Why is she talking to me?

"Hiro! Let's break up, I can't do this anymore"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Why are you so nice to me?! Everyone tells you I'm toying with you but you just ignore it! Can't you believe them for once?"

I was dumbfounded when I heard those words coming out from her.

"They're right Hiro! How could you be so dense? All I do is play along! I can't believe this dare went on a year! This is bullsh!t"

She left on the corridors looking like a fool.

A year. It was all real to me. Maybe I was dense. Too dense.

I did not believe what anyone said to me. I wanted to hear it from her.

But I guess it really hurts when you hear it from her.

I was such a fool.

I ignored the message and closed my eyes.

This is not happening. Emi. Emi's not existing to me anymore.

She's long gone.

Does she know how much I went through, after that?

That... that feeling.

Where everyone looks like you can't trust them anymore.

Those faces look empty, I don't even bother looking at them.

That's right. Ignore her.

"Emi, you know why I stayed right?"

"I stayed because you told me to."

Fuck... This has to stop.

-