word count: 702
It's the whir of a motorcycle engine that snaps his head up and the black, black hair of a middle-aged man that brings it back down.
Naota clicks his tongue in disappointment. Next to him, Canti, who searches for bugs, lifts his head and glances questioningly at the middle-schooler.
"'Why wait' is what you want to say huh, Canti?"
Canti tilts his head to the side. Naota shakes his head.
"Never mind," he pulls out his video game. "Ignore me. It's just stupid kid problems."
Canti remains in confusion towards the young kid but is dismissed by the sounds of fighting arising from Naota's game. Still confused, he takes Naota's advice and resumes his hunt for bugs.
.
.
Canti continues to accompany Naota to the spot under the bridge every day and everyday he learns just a little bit more about Naota's true feelings.
.
.
"I miss her," Naota speaks up one afternoon. He locks his gaze on the setting sun. "But one person remembering she existed isn't proven to bring her back, right?"
Canti, confused at human emotions, stares at Naota. Even though he doesn't know much about anything, he knows Naota must be feeling better because he laughs at Canti's obliviousness.
"It's okay," Naota whispers. "I know you wouldn't understand."
.
.
Three days since his last confession, Naota brings along Haruko's guitar and tries to play it. Canti stares.
"She didn't teach me how to play but," Naota strums the guitar, "I wonder if she'd come racing back if she heard me try."
Unfortunately, only a stray cat comes to the guitar's call and Canti knows enough to know human tears signify deep sadness.
.
.
They stay until the sun rolls over and the night escorts the moon to view. With it, the stars shine. Naota stares and stares and stares.
Canti stays with him because if Haruko comes back, he wants to see Naota's smile.
"I hope," Naota closes his eyes and inhales deeply, "wherever she is, the sun and moon can reach her."
Canti, not knowing what this means, nods his head as he stares up at the sky.
.
.
"We can't fly to her!"
Naota doubles over in laughter, trying hard to swallow gulps of air to pump his lungs. Canti tilts his head to the side.
Why? Flashes on Canti's screen. Naota wipes away tears from the corner of his eyes.
"She's light-years away by now. Besides, do you really think we can survive outer space?"
It might be worth it, don't you think, Naota-kun?
"Maybe," Naota flops back against the grass with his arms folded behind him. He's still laughing when he repeats, "Maybe."
.
.
Canti isn't with Naota when the talk of a pink-haired vixen returning is brought up and spread like wildfire around the town, but Canti knows enough to know it's Naota who's determined to be the first one to confirm it.
He checks the house first, then the school, then the small corner store, and then, finally the bridge. Underneath, Naota stares blankly at the water.
Did you find her?
Canti walks up to the boy who briefly glances up at him. With a shake of his head, he smiles sadly and turns to face the water again.
"It was a bluff," Naota sighs. "Just some dumb middle-schoolers making it up."
Oh.
"Like she'd ever come back. Sorry, Canti, but can I borrow your shoulder?"
Canti tilts his head. Shoulder? What for?
"Don't ask questions," Naota crawls up to Canti and tugs him down so they're both sitting in the grass. "Just say yes."
Canti guesses he doesn't need the ability to feel because he can already guess what's going on by the way Naota covers his mouth with trembling hands.
.
.
Naota doesn't wait under the bridge anymore and Canti can kind of understand why.
Kind of.
It still baffles him why he'll hear guitar strumming late at night or why he'll hear crying behind closed doors but Canti, if anything, has learned never to ask questions.
He just hopes someday, Haruhara Haruko will come passing by and Naota will have the chance to say hello and goodbye once more.
.
.
owari