double date

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⌠ 1 ⌡

Takeshi nudges me. "Nervous since they're so cute?"

"It's nothing," I tell him. "Let's just go."

"And you were complaining so much before too..."

"Shut it! Like I said, that's not it."

"Alright, jeez." He laughs and leans in. "The short haired girl."

"What about her."

"She's mine, ok?"

"Whatever you say."


Slow footsteps

towards them,

like a timid cat.

What am I afraid of? I've done this so many times.

Say your names.

Ito Takeshi.

Sugawa Eri.

Akiyama Yura.

Huh? It's my turn to introduce myself.

Ah, I'm Sakai.
Sakai Keichi.
Nice to meet you.

I can barely hear myself speak.


Rain girl glances over at me,

a sparkle in her eye.

Does she recognize me?



⌠ 2 ⌡

"Should we go for karaoke?" Takeshi says.

The girls murmur in agreement.

"Keichi? What do you think."

"Oh. S-sure."

Curious looks.

Act normal.


Takeshi leads the way.

True to his word, he leaves us trailing behind.

Chattering away at the short haired girl...

Sugawa was it?


Usually, it's not a big deal.

I don't mind filling in the walk with meaningless conversation.

But today

is different.


Rain girl is next to me.

She walks carelessly,

her arms crossed behind her back,

bangs unravelling in the light breeze.

She's humming something.

A pop song?


Still,

we haven't spoken a word to each other.

The other two are already

laughing away,

in their own world.


But for me,

I just can't seem to take that first step forward.

Like there's something caught in my throat.

I'm always like this.

Old habits

resurfacing like

fragile bubbles.


So,

when push came to shove,

I was useless, huh?


"You'll always be alone."


Maybe they were right

to say that

about me.

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