Wingman ⌠Cell Phone Novel⌡

moving

⌠ 1 ⌡

The zelkova leaves flutter in the breeze.

I ended up bringing my umbrella on a sunny day.

We met under the tree again, the courtyard for lunch.

I told her what I knew about Takeshi.

She gave me updates on what Yura and Sugawa were doing.

Laughing, she shook my hand like a professional businessman.

"Pleasure doing business with you sir."

The tree became our spot.

Resting our heads against the cool,

sometimes damp bark,

we kept feeding each other information.

It wasn't always easy.

Takanashi was a senior so her schedule

didn't match well with Yura's.

"Are you asking me to become her stalker or something?"

"Of course no—"

"Look. I'll just tell you if she's seeing any guys or whatever."

"That's fine..."

"Thing is, what's up with you? You've only set up one date

for me this week! Pay up or—" She gestures her hand slicing at her neck.

Being a wingman for Takeshi was much simpler.

⌠ 2 ⌡ 

"And so we've started texting again," she says.

"That's great! It's a start."

Takanashi's smile almost makes me forget that she has two sides of her.

"What's that look for? Look genuinely happy for me."

"I am! Just thinking it would be great if you could

smile like that all the time."

She suddenly glares at me, tilting her head.

"Whoa, Sakai. Are you hitting on me?"

"Just being honest."

"So you are hitting on me."

"I would say no, but you wouldn't care."

She smiles again.

⌠ 3 ⌡

"I owe you, Sakai."

"Just take me out to dinner or something."

"Hitting on me, again?"

"Just as friends—sheesh."

She elbows my side.

"You're my wingman—not a friend."

"You're being a bit harsh, don't you think? And that doesn't change the fact that you
owe me."

A sheepish grin. "I said it myself, didn't I?"

We've started walking now,
an unspoken destination.

A new daily routine. So different from the silence of the library.

The same café I'd been to on the double date.

We started coming here after school.
A comfortable routine.
She would tell me stories about Takeshi that I never knew.

We walk through the doors to sit by the booth we always do,

when I see her.

Rain girl.

⌠ 4 ⌡

Our eyes meet, just for one second.

She looks away first, talking to her friend.

"Sakai? What's wrong?" Takanashi waves her hands in front of me.

"I, uh. Nothing. Just felt kind of dizzy."

"It's a bit hot today isn't it? Did you have enough water?"

Takanashi forces me to buy bottled water with our drinks.

We sit down at the table by the windows.

She tells me about her recent text messages with Takeshi.

I can't concentrate.

Who is Yura with? Sugawa Eri.

Had Sugawa seen me?

Judging from their laughter, Sugawa seems to have gotten a little better.

Maybe she's over it all.

I shouldn't be here. I'll just remind her.

"Sakai? You're really not listening are you."

"Huh?"

Takanashi glances over to where I'm looking.

She starts giggling, trying to stifle her laughs.

"I'm over her, you told me. Look at you, dumbstruck."

Heat rises. My cheeks flush. "Shut it. You were the same."

She smiles.

"Then we're the same, aren't we?"