𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐊𝐄𝐘 - 𝐑. 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐀

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

TWENTY-EIGHT
_____

The weeks have passed when the first drop of white snow landed itself on top of the roof of houses in Hyogo. December had finally rolled around before most people even noticed it especially students who had themselves buried in homework and tests that will determine their final grade when the school year finally ends.

But the same couldn't be said for Zumi Hoga.

Her feet hung slightly as she sat on the usual stone bench beside the tree that bore pink flowers, but this time everything felt cold when she had no one to sit by her. She stole a glance at the space she unconsciously left on her right before actually realizing that he wouldn't be there.

The moment she started to approach this bench a while ago, she had been hesitant thinking that he would be there and that she'd have another awkward confrontation, but then as she walked towards the place, she noticed that not a single trace of him was left there. Maybe just the thoughts and memories that lingered around as they mentally declared that seat as their place.

This was a bit harder than she thought.

She bit her lip and forced herself to turn her attention back to her food that was left uneaten. She sighed, picking up the lid to place it over the open bento, deciding to just eat it when she finally had the appetite to do so.

She picked up her black leather book out of her bag that was sat carelessly on the floor, tracing her hands over the leather that she hadn't held over the past month. She had been too busy or uninspired to fill the pages and it also didn't help the fact that she was assigned to paint four large backgrounds which drained her out already.

She sighed bringing out her charcoal pencil before her hands started sketching. Her mind didn't have anything to project as she allowed itself to move in random motions. But as soon as she realized what the image portrayed, a frown twitched on her lips – she had drawn this certain bench that she sat on with the Cherry Blossom Tree right beside it, with two people sitting on it.

She immediately reached up to rip it out but stopped, hesitating to remove something that held the most meaning compared to the others that she made. But the sound of distant laughter interrupted her.

Zumi's eyes widened when she sees the familiar brown-haired boy pass by from afar with a small smile on his lips. But what made her heart drop down to her chest was the tall ginger-haired girl that was doing weird gestures as she tried to explain something to him. No doubt, she was pretty with her waist being small, her legs were long and her skin was fair. She also looked like the type who got along with anyone so maybe he didn't have a hard time trying to think up a topic unlike how Zumi and him used to be.

Zumi looked down at herself and pushed her index finger down over her shirt, feeling her pudgy stomach and trailed her eyes down on her clothed thighs that were a bit fatter that the other girl's. Her eyes then ran down to her bandaged arms, furrowing her brows in frustration.

Of course, he definitely deserves better than me.

She glanced up once again and flinched when she sees him bring his hand up to playfully ruffle the taller girl's hair before they eventually walked off. She looked down at her drawing, pinching her index and thumb with the certain page in between her fingers, then started pulling down slowly. She crumpled the paper in hands then threw it inside her bag, deciding to throw it out in the trashcan later.