I Will Always Be By Your Side

Chapter 6

The first period ended, and just like her usual routine, Rena stood up and went out of their classroom and walk her way up to the rooftop. Jurina watched her as she went out of their classroom. Just as she was about to follow her, Mayu came in and hold on to Jurina's arm.

"Mayu?" She muttered as she looked to her side. "Let's go. By the way, you didn't bring your lunch?" Mayu asked. "Huh? Ah wait, I'm just going to get it from my bag." Jurina said before going inside to get her lunch.

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Just as the two of them were sitting under the cherry blossom tree at the back of school, May noticed that Jurina hasn't touched her food yet. "Hey Jurina, is something wrong? You haven't touched your food since we came here." Mayu asked.

"Huh? Ah no. It's just that my mind is occupied with something." Jurina replied. "And that is?" Mayu asked. Jurina looked at her childhood friend, debating whether she should tell her or not. Noticing that Mayu has been waiting for her answer, she spoke. "Well, I'm actually worried about my classmate Rena-chan..."

"Rena-chan? You mean Rena? As in Matsui Rena?"

"Uhn. You know her?" Jurina asked. "Of course, I know her. There is no one in this school that doesn't know her. But why are you worried about her?"

"Well you see, I'm concerned because just this morning, she came to school with bruise on her face." Jurina replied. "Ah that. Well you should get used to it." Mayu said which made Jurina look at her with confused look. "She's a yankee, Jurina. A delinquent. And she's widely known as Gekikara. She always gets into fights that's why she she's often seen with bruises or bandage on her face. Even the teachers are already used to it that they never say a word about it. Or it could be that they are also afraid of her." Mayu explained.

"Eh? Are you serious? But she doesn't seem like one." Jurina said and then she remembered that night when Rena saved her. How she fight against those thugs who tried to harassed her. Then her thoughts were broken when she noticed that Mayu is waving her hand on her face. "What?" She asked. "Jurina, you're spacing out again." "Huh? Ah gomen." Jurina replied. "Don't mind her. You'll get used to it eventually. Or better yet, just stay away from her to avoid trouble." Mayu said as she continued eating her lunch.

The bell rang, signaling that it's now time for them to go back to class. Mayu and Jurina walked back together, separating only after Mayu has reached her class. Jurina continued on until she reached their classroom. She entered and noticed that Rena hasn't come back yet. She sighed as she sat on her chair. "Looks like she's skipping class again." Jurina thought.

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"Hey Rena." Yuki said as she stood beside the bench where Rena is sleeping, trying to wake her up but there's no response. Yuki sighed and then she turned to walk away to go back to her class.

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That afternoon, Jurina has been spacing out during class as she was still thinking about what Mayu told her earlier about Rena. She looked at Rena's empty desk. "She's a Yankee huh?" She thought to herself.

"...just stay away from her to avoid trouble." Those words of Mayu then played on her mind. "But she's nice though." She said to herself. "Aahhh" she said as she shook her head, hoping for those thoughts to go away.

"Jurina?" Her teacher called which made her stop and returned to the reality that she is still in the middle of the class. "Sorry." She replied with head bowed down due to embarrassment. "What's the matter?" Her teacher asked. "Nothing ma'am. But can I go to the toilet? Jurina said. "Okay but make it quick." Her teacher replied. "Okay."

On her way to the toilet, she passed by the staircase that leads to the rooftop. Out of curiosity, she take the stairs and went up. Opening the door, she was surprised by how beautiful the view is at the top. She walked out as she scanned her surroundings. Her eyes stopped on one of the benches at the rooftop. "Who could be lying there at this time of the day?" She said to herself. She tried to go back but noticed that the person lying on the bench is quite familiar so she decided to walk closer. She was surprised to see who it was.

"Rena-chan?" Jurina said as she looked at her. "So this is where she goes whenever she went out of the classroom." She thought.

"Rena-" she was about to wake her up but stopped as she look at her sleeping face making her unconsciously sat in front of her. She look at her, scanning every corner of Rena's face. "If only she didn't have those bruises, she could definitely mistaken as a sleeping angel." She said as she watch her sleep. Just then Rena moved and stirred to her side, making her face Jurina. Jurina gasped because of the sudden movement and because of the short distance between them.

Rena then slowly opened her eyes and in her blurry vision, saw someone in front of her. She squinted her eyes and finally was able to recognize who it was. "Ah it's only Jurina." She thought then she closed her eyes to go back to sleep. "Eh? Wait, Jurina?!!" Rena abruptly opened her eyes and saw Jurina sitting in front of her. "Kyaaaaa!!!!!" She screamed as she tried to get up startling Jurina, but as she tried to get up, she lost her balance and fell off the bench.

"Ouch!"

"Pfffftt..!!" Jurina tried to hold her laugh as Rena was struggling to get up. Rena looked at Jurina and saw her trying to hold her laugh. Rena blushed in embarrassment. "What are you looking at?!" And right then and there, Jurina burst out laughing. "Hahahahaha" "what's so funny?" Rena said with an annoyed look. "Rena-chan, you look so cute!" Jurina replied, half laughing.