"Are we there yet?" Morita-senpai asks, for the hundredth time during the three hours we've been in the car. In the driver's seat, I can see professor Hanamoto's vein pop.
"Morita-senpai, you have to be patient. After all, Hanamoto-sensei is doing us all a great favor by driving us all the way to the countryside." In front of me, Yamada-senpai lightly admonishes the chin-length black-haired man sitting next to her, while he complains loudly about how he is sick of waiting and he wants to see Hagu-chan now.
Meanwhile, in the last row of seats, I turn slightly and see that Mayama-senpai is sleeping through all this commotion –I don't know how he can, but with all the work he has to do daily, I don't blame him.
I turn to the window to hide a smile and can't help but think, we haven't changed much since those days as art students at the University. Even though Morita-senpai has stopped disappearing to his mysterious "jobs" and has finally settled down in Tokyo and Yamada-senpai has been hired by one of Japan's most renowned pottery and interior decorations firm, and Mayama-senpai has been promoted (once again) to a higher position in Fujiwara Designs, they are the same people whom I knew through my five years at school.
My breath quickens and my heart beats a little faster as the scenery outside becomes more and more rustic. It's been two months since I've last seen Hagu…we mean to see each other more often but unsurprisingly, the countryside does not hinder the continuously growing flow of requests for an interview, or an art show, or an artwork from the blonde. Hagu's changed a lot over the last three years –she's not so afraid of presenting at art shows or sitting down for interviews, although she confesses that she still becomes very nervous whenever she has to give one. Through Hanamoto-sensei's friend sponsoring her to display her work in galleries throughout Japan, she has become something of a hit. In fact, if she wanted to, she could move to Tokyo and have enough to support herself, but she tells me that she works better in the country than she does in a fancy art studio.
The van turns onto the familiar dirt road, leading to a small cottage. It's the perfect size for two people –she is living with her mother, who has decided to come out to the countryside to get some fresh air as she recuperates from a heart surgery she had a year ago. There are colorful flowers planted next to the path leading to the front porch and as I get out, I see the white curtains fluttering as the wind blows gently through the open windows.
From around the corner, I hear running and see the petite form of a certain blond-haired. She is wearing her cream-colored smock over a blue dress and is barefoot. From the dab of green paint on her cheek, she's probably been working outside again. She goes first to sensei, and hugs him tight and laughs as he says something to her. Then she turns to Morita-senpai and Mayama-senpai, the latter trying to save the poor girl from the former's vice-like hug. We all laugh and it's like the old days again. She is finally saved, only to be attacked again, though with much more gentleness, by Yamada-senpai. They start talking as soon as they break apart, speaking with speed matching a kilometer-per-second as only girls can.
"Takemoto, you mustn't be left out in our happy rendezvous." Morita-san pops out behind me from nowhere with his familiar glint – that look that we have all learned the hard way to ignore and escape as soon as possible. But I'm not quick enough this day.
"GIVE HAGU-CHAN A HELLO KISS!" And I swear, I flew ten feet up in the air before landing between Yamada-senpai and poor Hagu-chan, amidst lots of shrieking and yells.
I'm half afraid I gave the violet-eyed girl a heart attack but then, she breaks out into a wide grin and gives me a hug. I hope no one is looking at me –I can feel the hot blood rising up to my face.
Flash.
With a gleeful cry of triumph, the black-haired man runs away from us. Where was he hiding that? No doubt he'll use that picture as blackmail one day…
"I'm glad to see you, Takemoto-kun." Hagu says, our faces inches apart. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and ducks away, her face resembling mine now.
…But that's okay.