Immediately, I notice her flirting with Denki-kun. She tells him she's on the cheerleading squad and that she has a cat who recently had kittens and that she'd name one of them Denki. She told me she'd name one Sero. She calls him Denki-kun, but he didn't tell her she could like he did with me. She insists on sitting between us so she can talk to him more. He doesn't flirt back, but Umi-chan never was one to take no for an answer. She's so beautiful, she's never had anyone reject her. I'm pretty sure she's cheated on me before. More than once, probably.
Denki-kun does not seem interested. Not long into the movie, I whisper to them that I'm going to the bathroom, clearly interrupting Umi-chan. I leave, and when I get to the restroom I splash my face with cold water. I look at myself in the mirror as I'm drying my face and hands. I draw in a deep breath and let it out. This is fine. I sit on a bench outside the bathroom and think. I think about why Umi-chan seems more interested in a total stranger than her own boyfriend. I'm so deep in thought, I don't notice Denki-kun walking towards me.
"Sorry, took a while to get her to stop talking so I could leave." He plops down next to me, and I try to smile. "Hey, I'm not into her, Hanta-kun. She's not really my type." I nod, and he gives me an understanding look.
"She's obviously into you, though."
"Well, do you like her?"
"Of course I do, she's my girlfriend."
"But do you love her?"
I freeze. I haven't really thought about it. And now that I do, I realize I haven't felt anything for her since she walked in the classroom on the first day of middle school and was instantly the prettiest girl there. She said she loved me first, and I just went through the motions. And she always kissed me. She's made every move.
"No." Denki-kun nods. He understands. Right then, he takes my hand. Right then, I realize that everything I could ever want was to hold Denki Kamanari's hand. My heart is beating so hard, I'm sure he can feel it. Denki-kun slowly brings his face closer to mine and gently places his lips on my own. Umi-chan's voice suddenly manifests on the other side of the walkway.
"Hey guys, what's taking so long?" Then she stops. Denki-kun and I both jump. "W-What are you doing?" We stand up and start trying to explain at the same time, babbling nonsense until she interrupts us, "No, I understand. That's why Denki-kun didn't like me." Denki-kun rolls his eyes so hard, it makes me laugh out loud, literally. I laugh until it's not funny anymore, and then I say, "What the hell, Umi-san? He doesn't like you because you're a bitch! You're self-centered and you think everyone should like you just because you're pretty!"
Denki-kun obviously agrees with me, because he laughs and takes my hand. Umi-san stares, and after a while, she walks away. So much for paying for her way in. Denki-kun and I go back into the theater. For the rest of the movie, his hand holds mine.
He walks me home after the movie, still holding my hand. Once we get to my house, we stand on the stoop. He leans in and tenderly kisses my cheek. I feel like I should say something, but I can't think of anything. I draw in a breath and start to say something, anything really, and Denki-kun interrupts, "I had fun, Hanta-kun. I'm sorry about Umi-san. Are you okay?"
"I've never been better. You've opened my eyes, Denki-kun." I didn't even have to think about what to say, because it was the truth. The absolute truth.
