The Disconsolate Maiden

Chapter Seven

"Homura would you like to go to the new cat cafe just down the street with us today?" Namoi asked, a smug look on her face as she pulled out her phone, showing the shy girl an image from inside the cafe. "It's really your type of place."

"S-Sorry..." Homura sighed, sitting down on a bench outside of the school, gripping her school bag a bit more tightly. "I have to go home and take care of my mother. She's still ill, you see...I-I..."

"You're so boring!" Naomi shouted angrily, her voice in a higher pitch than normal. "Totoko already said she had to go home and help her parents with stupid fish! Now you're making an excuse too! I hate you!"

"I-I'm sorry..." Homura sighed, bowing her head a little. "b-but...the school does tell us to go straight h-home...right?"

Namoi hissed like a cat then turned around, storming off just as angry as she could be.

Homura felt as if she had been punched in the stomach.

"I didn't mean to make her angry..." Homura thought to herself as she arose from the cold bench, beginning to take the long way home. "I've always gone right home for Mother though...why can't she understand that...? I know I'm still new to this school but...she's not being fair..."

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!" Jyushimatsu yelled off in the distance, his voice getting louder and louder.

Then, before Homura knew it, the hyper boy was right behind her, jumping up and down.

"I'm here!" he exclaimed, running around in circles like an excited puppy. Really, he didn't act like he was a high schooler. He acted like a toddler with a mind that could possibly a bit more mature- possibly.

Homura turned around, feeling slightly happier when she saw the boy. She had no idea why she felt such emotions when her eyes rested upon him. She just did.

"H-Hello..." Homura stammered, bowing to Jyushimatsu, the ponytail to her braid snapping off at that moment, causing her bush of brown hair to fall in front of her face.

"Hi!" Jyushimatsu yelled, then erupted into laughing as he began to jump up and down again.

"D-Do you need something...?" Homura asked, her voice a tiny squeak as she looked up, pushing her soft, brown hair behind her ears.

"I wanted to say hi!" Jyushimatsu laughed before he turned around and ran away towards five other boys near the school's entrance.

"W-What...?" Homura thought, not understanding what had even happened just then. "Nobody has ever come to see me just to say hi..."