After school, Akari, who was left alone in the art room, draw with her pencil on the croquis book.
What she’s drawing is the back of Souta sitting alone in the classroom on that day.
"Hayasaka Akari..."
In a classroom that was dyed red, Souta uttered the name of Akari.
As his voice echoed in her chest, Akari stepped into the classroom as if she were drawn in.
"What's wrong?"
Yes, she tried to call out, but Souta was so dim as if lost in thought, and even when she walked in, he didn't notice.
As she squatted down, Akari looked up at Souta, holding her hands on the edge of the desk.
Only two people are in the classroom at dusk surrounded by the tranquil calm.
"what is it?”
When she asked him to about it, Souta looked at Akari.
Normally, Souta would have been exaggerated and they laughed together.
Nevertheless, Souta at this time reached out while staring at Akari.
His soft hand wrapped around Akari's cheek.
"See... I’m in love with you once again"
Her heart sprang gently when Souta smiled gently.
Akari was wide-eyed, bewildered with her heart beat getting faster.
It was then that Souta returned to himself.
"Uwaaa"
As soon as Souta took his hand off, he shouted as if surprised, Akari lost power from her body.
If it weren't for the edge of the desk, she would be sitting down.
Her face was so hot that she couldn't look at Souta and she was holding her breath down.
Souta said, "I, I, It’s not like that!!!"
It would be better if she can be indifferent like she always was.
But Akari couldn't do it, she squeezed her hand in front of her chest and ran out of the classroom.
"Hayasaka-san !!"
She heard Souta’s panicking voice calling out.
When she ran out of the school building, Akari was inadvertently taken away by the world that was spreading in front of her.
The golden sky was so beautiful that it makes her want to cry.
As she reached out, light passed between her fingers.
[Ah, this is it...]
The emotion that filled her heart was spilling out into her mind unintentionally.
This was the color of "Love" that Akari envisioned.
Then, immediately turning back to the school building, Akari headed to the art room.
Somehow, she just wanted to draw a painting.
The color of the sky at sunset, the scenery, and the warm feeling that fills her chest.
She wanted to put everything onto the canvas.
From that day on, the warmth stayed inside her body.
When she thinks back, she feels sad and painful.
[Why?]
Yes, she asked the Souta drawn in the Croquis Book.
Why do I feel like this? He only called my name.
With that alone, my heart feels like it’s going to burst.
I wanted to know the answer to this.
"Akari"
Akari raised her face.
Natsuki and Miou were looking into the art room. Akari smiled at them.
"Nachi-chan, Miou-chan. What happened?"
"I'm going to go shopping with Miou, what about Akari?"
Hearing Natsuki, Akari put her finger on her chin as she was making a decision.
"Let’s go, sometimes you need a break. Right, Miou?”
"Yeah, Akari-chan, are you busy?"
"Do you want to eat cakes too?"
The two told her, "Well ... let's go." Akari replied and closed the Croquis Book.
She stood up with her bag, turned off the lights in the art room and went out into the corridor.
As they walked side by side, Natsuki suddenly looked at the Croquis Book Akari was carrying.
"What did you draw?"
"Naisho (It’s a secret.)"
Akari replied, pressing her forefinger against her smiling lips.
Akari and her friends left school, they went in the arcade area in front of the station.
After going around the art supplies and handicraft stores, they entered the shop with a cute coat on the shop window.
Akari was looking inside the store while Miou and Natsuki were trying on their clothes.
The shelf next to her seems to have men's items.
The muffler on the shelf went into her eyes and her legs turned.
[This ... would look good on Mochizuki-kun.]
When she tried to reach the muffler, she was told "Do you need anything?"
It is a male clerk who came near.
"Is it a present?"
"No, no... just watching ..."
Akari left the place in a hurry as she pulls her hand away.
[Because I’m not even his girlfriend ...]
Thoughtfully, she looked again at the muffler on the shelf.
Souta had helped her with the drawing. And she always got help from him.
So, I should do something…
It will be difficult to knit a scarf like Natsuki or Miou.
Akari is good at painting, but her hands are not as dexterous. She had Miou teach her knitting, but she just failed and gave up halfway because it didn't suit her.
Therefore, Natsuki, who is trying to knit poorly for Yu, seems a little enviable.
Such an important person who you wants to spend Christmas together or give a special gift…
Akari looked at the view of the city behind the decorated show window.
『See... I’m in love with you once again... 』
Recalling Souta's voice, Akari softly held her hand on her cheek.
I want you to call my name again, just like at that time.
I want you to touch me again.
Her heart is fluffy all the time, and she notice, She’s been thinking about Souta even now.
Where is Souta now? What is he doing? Is he still at school?
With Haruki and Yu, he may be working on the film production in the Club of the Film Research Club as usual. Or did he return home and write novels again?
His face appeared in her eyes, and her mouth loosens.
【I want to meet you......】
I want to see your face. I want to talk to you.
However, when the closing ceremony comes, winter vacation will begin. In that case, Akari will have a hard time meeting Souta, because she has to take the exam.
When she turned back to the shelf and picked up the muffler.
She also looked at other mufflers, but this still seems to be the best fit for Souta.
[Yeah ... after all, this ...]
With the scarf in hand, Akari headed to the counter with nervous steps.
The male clerk, who was working inside, have a look like "Oh?"
"Ah, that ... please wrap it like a gift!"
When the muffler was put down, the clerk smiled and asked me, "Would you like to buy a card?"
"M e r r y C h r i s t m a s''
What he showed me was a small card with those words.
Akari nodded after being a bit lost.
The clerk put the card in a box together with the muffler and attached a ribbon.
When she received the paper bag, her heart was getting fuzzy.
[Would you be pleased, Mochizuki-kun]
Akari wrapped the paper bag in her arms, imagining
Souta's laughing face.
[I hope you will feel happy…]
* * + * +
When she parted ways with Natsuki and Miou, the sun had fallen.
The steps back home were lighter and hazier than usual.
Akari hummed a Christmas song, holding the paper bag.
"I'm back!"
When she got home, she opened the front door and said so.
When she took off her shoes and headed to the living room, her sister was just back.
"It's rare for Akari to be late."
"Yeah, I was shopping with Nacchan and Miou."
"Okay… Akari, wait a minute!!"
My sister sitting on the sofa came as if panicking.
Akari was hold by both shoulders and curled her eyes.
"The paper bag ... it's a shop in front of the station, right? The new one!"
"Yeah, there were lots of cute clothes."
"That's right! This...could it be… men’s ... clothes?"
"Eh?"
"Men's clothes! What did you buy?"
"Ah ... muffler ..."
"Mu, mu, muffler ...?"
Surprised exaggeratedly, her sister shook her shoulders.
"Akari, who are you going to give it to! A boy?! A boy!?"
`【... I see, it's the first time I give a present to a boy ...】
Akari imagined Souta's face, while being gazed at.
[I’m not even his girlfriend, but I’m attracted to him]
" My Akari has had herself a man!!! Uwaaaa~”
She brought her index finger to her chin while listening to her shocked sister's voice.
[When, can I give it to him ...]
Akari closed the door when she went up to her room.
Tomorrow, on Christmas Eve, I had to take an exam ... the students also gathered with friends and promised to go somewhere.
[Mochizuki-kun, have you been invited by someone else...?]
Akari was surprised when such anxiety crossed her chest.
[He’s popular with the junior students...]
She remembered when the younger members of the art club were excited about Souta.
Souta had visited the art room several times for the paintings used in the graduation film, so it seemed that her juniors talked about him.
"Mochizuki-senpai is so cute!”
"Oh, I understand!"
As she was sketching in the courtyard, she heard the conversation between the juniors and Akari secretly inflated her cheeks while finishing her own painting.
"Mochizuki isn't cute, he's cool..."
She wanted to say that.
She can always rely on Souta and he would help her with any trouble she has.
He always listens happily to any story I have.
The junior students don't know about that side of Souta.
How he laughs when he is shy. How mature he looks when he is thinking seriously.
And the heat of his hand when he touched me.
[The Mochizuki-kun that only I know....]
I don't want to tell anyone else.
Is such feeling called "jealousy"?
Akari glanced at the paper bag as she turned red.
* * + * +
After school the next day, Akari cleared her personal belongings in the art preparation room and quickly returned to the classroom.
Her juniors were calling her to watch the painting, so she was late.
[...... Mochizuki-kun, are you still there? ]
She wanted to surprise Souta and see his joyful face.
Even now, the sound of her heart is still audible.
"Hayasaka Akari...... ''
In the classroom after school, Souta called Akari's name as if it’s something very important.
Is it like that? When she remembered, her heart squealed.
When she reached the front of the classroom, she breathed deeply and calmed down before reaching for the door.
She tried to call his name, but no one was in the classroom.
Akari shut her mouth slowly and looked at Souta's seat.
On that day, at that seat, Souta has been thinking about something and called Akari's name.
"Mochizuki ... Souta-kun ..."
When she spoke his name, her chest became a little bit bitter.
[Hey, Mochizuki-kun. Is this feeling love? ]
Akari reached out to Souta who is not here.
If so,
[… How can I tell you? ]
Akari left the classroom and looked back at the corridor, searching for Souta.
But she can't find him, and she can't hear his voice.
I want to see you right away ...
[Hey, where are you ... where are you?]
When approaching the stairs, she was called “Hayasaka?” And her feet stopped.
As she looked up, Haruki was approaching the stairs.
He is alone, Souta and Yu aren't here.
"Serizawa-kun ... that ... Mochizuki-kun. Do you know where he is?"
"Mochita? I saw him go home just now, but... maybe you will make it if you run now I guess?"
"Oh ... thank you, Serizawa-kun"
Akari suddenly stops two steps down the stairs, and looks back at Haruki.
"Serizawa-kun"
When being called, Haruki looked at Akari with his hand on the railing.
"Last time in the art room ... I'm sorry."
"Oh ... no, besides ... has the Hayasaka's problem been solved?"
Akari lowers her gaze, saying, "I don’t know...".
The anxiety from taking the exam and the future ahead have not gone away. It’s just….
"Now I'm not as scared as that time."
He always laughs and says, "It's OK" at any time.
It is because of the presence of someone like that, that I will be able to move forward without losing sight of myself.
Even if I am far away from that person.
Even if we couldn't meet.
That person's presence supports my wavering heart. Just by having my back.
That's why people can be strong.
[Serizawa-kun is also like that...]
At last, Akari smiles at Haruki.
Haruki made a slightly surprised face and softened her expression.
"I see"
"See you, Serizawa-kun."
Saying goodbye, Akari went down the stairs.
* * + * +
The clock on the school building is turning around five o'clock.
Looking up at the dim sky, the snow fell quietly.
It quickly caught on Akari’s burning cheeks.
What she heard was the happy laughter of the students leaving school.
【Where are you? ]
Searching for Souta's voice resounding somewhere.
Like always, the voice that always said “Hayasaka-san”.
"What is love?"
"What does it mean to like someone?"
The answer I've been searching for since I never knew it.
That is now so obvious.
It has no shape, it can't be touched, but it's definitely in my chest.
Continue to shine.
[Even I have this feeling inside]
Akari relaxes her mouth while thinking of Souta's face.
Warm and pleasant heat slowly spreads in her chest.
I want to see Souta right now. I want to meet him and call his name.
Give him the muffler, and then go and eat cakes together.
Which cake in the shop would he like to eat?
Because it is Christmas Eve, cake is the best.
We ate the cake together and talked as usual. And then.
I've been leaving my confession reply vague all the time.
Now I wonder is it too late to be aware of my feelings and give him my reply.
[Hey, Mochizuki-kun ... Are you still waiting for me? ]
[Do you still like me ...?]
I've always dreamed that....
When I have a favorite person, I want to hold hands.
Eat a cake together and chat. Give him a present for Christmas.
There are times when we call each other by name and get excited.
Sometimes getting jealous or being jealous of.
Such an ordinary love that everyone has.
But regardless of myself, even if I was called by a boy and confessed, there was some sense of it being unreal.
Every day just in love with love.
I couldn't do it by myself, and spent time with my friends.
"Please teach me the magic to make love begins"
How stupid. There is no such thing.
I just look at someone's love from behind while thinking so.
There was that time.
"Good morning! You have a bed hair."
That surprised me when I was called by a boy in my class.
Unexpectedly, I pressed my index finger against my lips, and laughed saying "Naisho (It’s a secret)" and ran away.
That was the first conversation with Souta.
It's a trivial thing to count as a love moment.
Akari was starting to look for Souta.
She finally found him just passed the main gate.
At the end of the pedestrian crossing, Souta paused while staring into the distance.
Akari, while feeling that her heart beats a little faster, called out in a small voice, "Mochizuki-kun".
However, whether that voice did not reach, Souta tried to walk without noticing.
"Mochizuki-kun!"
She wanted to stop him, and once again raised her voice and called his name.
Souta stopped at his feet and looked back.
Seeing Akari ran, he opened his eyes astonishingly.
"Akarin ..."
That would have been almost his unconscious habit.
[Oh, good ... finally ...]
Akari ran across the pedestrian crossing with hands on her chest while breathing.
Then she exhaled slowly and smiled.
『I found you!』
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