Running After You

#3: The Rose

School Cafeteria

Ai and Mio watch Erina unpack her lunchbox. Ai gulped and Erina noticed it. "I think I'll be buying some bread", Erina chuckled and placed the lunch box back.

"Let me see", Mio ordered.

Erina gulped and opened the lunch box.

Ai and Mio stood up in shock. "Rei-san cooked it for me", Erina said and calmed down the two. "I thought some kind of fairy suddenly appeared in your house", Ai laughed. Mio face palmed and mentally cursed Rei. The blonde, who was eating his lunch, suddenly felt some cold wind.

"Mio, I brought you some apple", a brown haired upperclassman suddenly appeared in front of them. Ai and Erina kept quiet and chew on their food. It seems that they're talking through telepathy. They are just looking at each other's eyes.

Mio also sat down and looked at the brown haired second year upperclassman. "Is there anything I can do for you, stranger?", her last word brought blizzard in the group. "You're really funny, Mio. I'll leave the apple here. I'll see you around again", the brown haired student smiled even at the two and left.

He wasn't an outstanding student like Fushimi and Rei but he's got potential. He's the current president of the arts club. Mio grabbed on the apple and placed it on her lunchbox. "It's been a month since he's been courting you. I wonder what happens", Ai teased. "Who said there's going to happen?", Mio flicked some rice on her forehead. Erina looked at Mio's cheek and it was slightly tainted with pink. She smiled and  wondered why Mio doesn't respond to his feelings.

Mio looked at the apple and then to Erina. "I'm making the right decision", she smiled. Erina tilted her head.

Library

Erina entered and saw Nami with some third years. They're all in the next level.

"Aisawa-san", she waved and smiled.

No. Don't call me.

"Hello", she answered with a soft voice. Nami called her. "They're from the swimming club", she whispered. They all gave a friendly smile and went back to answering some math problem. "They're cramming for the exam. We still need to maintain a grade", Nami explained. They were lowering their voice in order not to anger the librarian.

"You're really not interested with swimming club", Nami's eyes liken of the puppy. "Sorry, senpai. I'm really bad in swimming", Erina apologized. Nami smiled and saw the book that she is carrying. "Is that yours?", Nami asked. Erina nodded. "Eh. Toka-san said that you're really a brilliant student. That's a good book. I read it on my second year", Nami gave a thumbs up. "Yes. It's my second time to read it", Erina slightly had high pitch on her voice. The librarian peeked and raised her eyeglasses. Erina and Nami pretended to be reading.

Right. My favorite part was when he went back to his rose.

My favourite part was when he needs to leave the fox.

That's a good choice as well.

The two wrote at Nami's notebook. After sometime, the bell rang. They all went out.

"Aisawa-san, let's talk again sometime", Nami invited. Erina nodded and smiled at her. Hana saw Erina and walked with her going to the classroom. "You should be careful of foxes. You see, when you are trap in their den, they will eat you", Hana warned. "Mikami. I don't get what you're trying to say. Sorry", Erina tilted her head.

"You're intelligent. You'll figure out on your own", Hana sighed.

After Class
Gymnasium A

Erina peeked in and saw Ai smashing the ball. They are sharing with the basketball club. After the renovation, they'll be able to have their own practice place.

Ai ran towards her and raised her like a child. "Ai, it's embarrassing", Erina whispered. "It's your first time to visit me here", Ai cried and burrowed her face on Erina. The girl just laughed and patted Ai's head. "Mio told me that you forgot to bring water. Here's some bottled water", Erina showed it to her. Ai let her down. Though Erina is tall, Ai is mixed with European blood making her height stand out. She's almost in the same height with some of the male basketball player. "Thank you. Are you going to wait for me?", Ai had her tail wagging. "Maybe I will also watch. Plus, someone is also pesting to go home with me again", Erina face palmed. Ai looked around and saw Rei with a stupidly overjoyed face. "She came for me!", Ai shouted. It shocked the rest of the volleyball club. "Ooh, Ishiki-chan. She's actually waiting for me so we can go home together", Rei stuck his tongue.

The two started to exchange war signals. Erina just sat on the bleacher.

She heard a familiar clicking of the tongue. She looked around and saw Fushimi typing on his laptop. He's wearing his eyeglasses again. Erina was satisfied to see him with eyeglasses again. She realised that she was staring too much so she returned her focus on the two teams training. Ai is crazily smashing the balls. Rei is also continuously showing his three point shoot.

Why would Senpai be in this kind of place?

Will he know if I peek just once?

Erina was about to look at him when some male students came to talk to him. He wasn't rude to shove them away but he engaged into the conversation.

"Please. Join us with the mixer. The girls will only agree to do it if you're there", they begged.

Mixer?!

"What about some of our classmate?", Fushimi sweatdropped. "We asked Toka but he said he's not interested", they whined. "Please. We will do anything you will ask", they all have puppy eyes.

Erina listened intently to his answer.

"Just look for someone else, if you aren't able to... I'll see what I can do", Fushimi sat properly. They all cheered.

Street

"Please go to that mixer!!!", Erina bowed very low. Rei choked on the steam bun he was eating. "Hey. Do you even know what a mixer is?", Rei drank water. "If you won't go, then senpai would be forced to", Erina said with a worried face.

It's not like Senpai seems to be that kind of person to enjoy such activity. Even if he changed, he wouldn't be that super duper comfortable.

"That mixer that the class 1 was planning?", Rei hummed. "Yeah. You should be nice to your classmate", Erina nervously laughed. Rei walked ahead and Erina followed waiting for his answer. "Everyone in Class 3-1 and other sections are going. This will be the last year that we'd be spending that's why they voted to do a mixer. Of course, they're counting out those who already have someone to go out with", Rei informed. "Eh???", Erina whined in defeat.

"But there are some individuals who would turn it down", Rei smiled. "Where will the mixer be?", Erina shyly asked. "You're going to see if what will happen to Fushimi, right?", Rei teases and messed with Erina's hair. At a distance, a raven head is watching them play along the street.

"Nami, are you alright?", one of her teammate asked. "Yeah", she averted her stares.

"Are you going to join the mixer?", Rio, her friend and vice captain asked. "I don't know. Maybe I'll use that day to rest", she chuckled. "Don't tell me that you're not going because Toka won't", Rio sighed

Chapter end.