The Shadow Manipulator

Chapter 36: Familiar Meeting

I looked around the classroom while thinking of everything that Mitsumi just told me. I knew that it was partly my fault that they were getting bullied and somehow, I'm getting the urge that I needed to do something for the three of them since they got all the bullying that were supposed to be intended to me while I was gone. Somehow, I'm getting the feel of guilt after being a burden to them. I should have visited them or I should have at least contacted them to see if they were alright were the thoughts that entered my mind. 

Well, I would be feeling uneasy if I don't make it up with them. I thought.

I took a look towards Mitsumi on my shoulders and just as I thought, she already fell asleep. I guess I should do at least this much since she looked really tired. I carefully put away my food and rested on the backrest of the chair, making myself comfortable so that Mitsumi won't wake up.

"Long time no see, my friend!" I heard a voice from behind. "Enjoying your little date together, huh."

It was Sekai.

"You know, if you just stop resisting, things would have been easier for you and everyone's happy." Sekai muttered while holding my left shoulder from behind. ""But you just have to resist, and now you're making everybody around you suffer. Being selfish doesn't help, you know, Hikari. So why don't you just stop resisting and just go with the flow just like everyone's doing?"

With a hoarse laugh, Sekai released his grip from my shoulder and exited the class. No matter how many times he does that to me, he still gets in my nerves everytime. Well, he's got a knack for annoying those people whom he hates. 

What does he mean by stop resisting? I really don't get what he's talking about everytime he talks to me. I tried to figure out what he meant but to no avail.

Before I knew it, Yuki already entered the classroom and our afternoon class has started.

.....

"I'm beat!" Hana exclaimed as we all headed home. 

"I know right, your sister is really fired up in teaching today." Mitsumi told her. "She even gave us double assignments for no reason."

"Then, why don't we all head to the coffee shop today, my treat." I  invited. "If all of you don't have any plans, I mean."

"Thanks, Hikari, but I can't go today. I have an important meeting to attend." Mitsumi answered. "I would really like to go but I can't, not today."

"I'm so sorry Hikari, but I wouldn't be able to go as well. I have a schedule with my sister." Hana said.

"I also have a schedule with my brother, sorry Hikari." Yume added.

Eh?!

Why did everyone get busy all of a sudden?!

"It's alright. I'll just call it off...hehehe." I told them. Maybe they didn't like the idea of coffee.. I thought. Or they just didn't like my invitation. Either way, why did they refuse? I asked myself as I forced myself to smile.

I guess it was bad-timing to invite them now.

The four of us continued heading the same way since our houses reside on the same direction. It was almost nighttime, making the sunset quite evident as we passed the love bridge. It was quite a sight that Hana, Mitsumi, and Yume stopped in their tracks and began to stare at it. For a few seconds, they had forgotten about their various schedules and just looked at the beautiful sunset. From afar, I began to take a peek as well. The orange-colored hue on the sky and the blue and violet tint was what attracted me the most. For a moment back there, I almost forgot that it's really getting late.