Beginning

As I closed the website and put my laptop into shut down, I quickly took my phone out from my right pocket. It was already way past midnight although I was waiting for a response as I jumped on my bunk bed. I sleep at the bottom because the feeling of falling down due to my weight scares me, not that I'm heavy. I'm just afraid that it will bend or even crack for someone like me, especially for it being made of wood. The person who used to sleep at the top was my small brother, but since he moved to another school and the school was even closer back at the countryside he had to go back and live with our parents. And me? Well I'm in the city currently studying in college, not that it matters what I study there anyways.

My phone rang a notification tone as I read the message, it was from Otake. He was the guy asking if I could be his dietician as I was looking for a part time job, I don't know if this would be enough for writing a job experience in my CV. And yes, you got the hint that I want to become a fitness trainer or something similar. I replied back to him chatting, Thank you for choosing me as your dietician, I promise that I will work hard Sir Otake. He said he didn't want me to call him in formal, just his name was enough. After that, he logged out.

I wonder how much I will get paid for doing this... Wait... WHY DIDN'T I ASK HIM THAT?! Of all the things important in a job I didn't ask the most important of all questions. He has gone offline already and I don't want to bother him by calling his contact info. And besides, I'm gonna end up meeting him at the end of the day tomorrow, might as well ask during that time.

I turned off the lights and patted my pillow as I put my left arm under and a resting palm right in front of my chest, gently caressing the bed. I wonder what will happen tomorrow, meeting up with Otake sure gets me in the nerves. I also don't have any friends in college, well... Of course I talk to people, but not in a way I feel secure about myself opening up or saying my opinion on the topic. I just can't understand what people are thinking or even saying, I can't relate them to myself sometimes. Sigh... Its already two-ish and I'm still over thinking on one simple meeting. Can I sleep now brain? I took my earphones and played my playlist. Before I even noticed it, I was sound asleep.

Just when I was in the middle of being in Nirvana, my serenity eventually got postponed. Another notification tone loud enough to wake me up through my ear phones really got me, that high pitched bell echoed that scratches my mind every time. I really need to change that ringtone. Hmm? It was another message, and its from a different person but that fur is almost similar to Otake. Is that his... Sigh... Not that I cared, I partially read the message with tired eyes nearly out of moisture. You're the dietician? Hello! Otake told me about you tonight and I can't wait till tomorrow. Ah! You must be asleep by now... Sorry for disturbing. Anyways I would-. After looking at the size of the chat bubble, it can go on for at least a paragraph. Such a long message... Ughh I can read it tomorrow.

I dug my head into my pillow as I left the earphones hanging off the side of the bed, it felt uncomfortable at first but I didn't mind. And I eventually slept again, this time with my back facing the bed after a turn and with one arm covering over my eyes. Snore...

-Morning- 6:30am

Buzz-Buzzzzz!

The doorbell was ringing, at a time like this who could be behind that door. I'll freak out if its my parents, I didn't do well in some tests, I didn't visit them occasionally when they told me to and I also haven't clean my room! Its messy!

"J-just a second!"

Nobody answered, although the shadow was still there simply wavering. I hurried and stuffed all my dirty laundry in my closet and laying magazines and books under the bed. For a room to be this small made it easier to clean, as if I did clean it. Anyways, I hurried to the bathroom and washed my face and hand combed my hair upwards. I put on my wool scarf to at least make me look smart. I rushed to the door and took breaths before twisting the door knob.

I greeted with a smile, "HellooooaaAHH!"

Its Otake! Why is he here? I thought we would meet up at the end of the day, and now this? I didn't get to prepare myself at all. Although... I also didn't ask what time we should meet up... DAMN YOU SENSELESS AND USELESS BRAIN. I maintained my composure by covering it all with my smile upfront with closed eyes, although my mind is having a panic attack.

"Otake... san? What brings you here this early, I thought that we would meet up in the afternoon?"

"Huh..? You didn't say anything last night." See, told you… I'm really absent minded huh? "Anyways, I'm sorry if I disturbed you... I'll be going then."

"W-wait!" I grabbed the end of his jacket with my thumb and forefinger, if only I unlocked the chain earlier I could have just invited him to come inside.

"It might have caused you trouble coming all the way here, and plus, you're sweaty. Let me guess, you jogged all the way?" I unlocked the chain and opened the door fully, allowing his big furry body to snoop inside. As he stepped in he started twitching his nose and ears.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing really."

I felt ashamed and I knew that he reacted because of the stench of my laundry, even though in my head still said please don't notice anything gloomy over and over again. My shoulders began to feel heavy and my back eventually leaned forward.

Its a small room with a small shower room with a small study table and... Well everything about this room obviously sticks to the budget. Of all apartments this had to be one of those that are at least good enough to be considered, "affordable" contrasting between price and quality. Although I'm not sure if that was the actual term used for it.

"Make yourself at home. Sorry to keep you waiting, I-I'll try my best to hurry up and we will start soon after."

He nodded in reply as he sat down on my chair, it seems to fit him perfectly because the chair was too big for me since it was a hand down from my dad. Their office chairs are so huge that I sometimes couldn't feel the floor whenever I sat on them, at least I have grown enough to touch the floor tiptoed. Thinking about before and now, I just realized nothing changed. I'm still not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

He leaned to the back and fiddled with his phone, I wondered who he could be texting at this time. I grabbed my towel and headed straight to the shower room, I didn't have time to put soap on my legs or back but I focused on my hair and face. Drying my wet body with my white dry towel I started hearing creaking noises going back and forth.

"Otake-san, are you-"Something struck inside my head and I covered my mouth with the towel. What could he be possibly doing right now, creaking noises going back and forth? He can't be serious?! At all places, here?

I twisted the door knob of my shower room, but the creaking didn't stop. I was thinking that he would have stop if he knew that I was coming out. But it didn't, he didn't stop. With closed eyes slowly opening, I never would have believed my eyes ever again.

All he was doing was rocking the chair back and forth. With that blank expression, I can tell he was enjoying it.

"This could make a good rocking chair. Hmm, yes?"

He took notice of me and I obviously looked dumbfounded. Did my mind just trick me? I should look at things in a different angle rather than just...

"... Why is your face getting red?"

"I-its nothing! Ahaha..."

With that faint laugh he can obviously tell from, he stood up and let himself out.

"I'll give you some privacy, change and bring some extras as well."

Eh?

He closed the door behind him and the shadow moved to the right, I'm guessing he's going to wait outside the apartment. Sigh... At least there was no more pressure in the atmosphere, I'm surprised that he actually decided to wait outside.

I did what I was told. I changed, I packed extra clothes in my bag. Not forgetting about my phone and earphones, the colour suited my jacket. And essentially my black eyeglasses on top of my nose, squared but not that big. My scarf striped in black and yellow colours tied around my neck and hanging by the front. I was ready to go on my first day as a dietician.

-EXTRA-

Before I go let me see if I can actually rock the chair, I haven't tried it for a long time. Surely they would bend backwards by using the force on my back right?

...

Yup... Confirmed, nothing has changed to this useless body of mine.

I can't even rock my dad's chair…

*sobs quietly as I walked out of the door, locking it

A Cold Morning

Brrrr... I held myself on both arms as the morning fog kicked in, it was just a slight hue of sunrise as it was blocked by the grey sky. Tiny beams of gold seem to fit in between small spaces of fluffed clouds. I wonder if it will be like this the whole day, but if it does turn out to be that way then I'm happy. As long as it doesn't rain.

I followed him walk towards a path, he seems to know the way to... umm... wherever we are going. Beside the point shouldn't we be jogging along the way? I caught up to his side and asked that question.

"You wouldn't run in that type of clothes would you? Besides, we are having breakfast first before the real purpose of this meeting."

"Ah! Yes, that's my job right? To plan on your diet. But if you want we can start off tomorrow, so have as much as you want today!"

"No, that won't do. I would like to start now."

"Y-yes, of course."

"..."

"..."

Well, that was my attempt to keep the atmosphere around us comfy. I'm just trying to look out for you, at least say something.

"... Are you cold?"

Wahh, he did say something.

"... Yes, I mean... I'm already wearing these but I can still feel the temperature..."

"You want to use my jacket?"

He was taking his jacket out and I grabbed his right forearm on his left shoulder, telling him that I was okay. He seems caring. Hmm…

"Why? Don't you feel cold just by wearing a tank top underneath that jacket?"

That's was actually a good question coming from me, good job.

"I can stay in a cold place with or without my jacket... But its the first day of my diet and I don't want to get sick because of that."

True, I can tell that his fur is enough to keep him warm and with that built body of his, he can probably survive a blizzard. In my case I would freeze right away.

His orange fur sure looks thick, I want to stroke it. Whenever I see something fluffy I want to feel my hands all over it. But coming from Otake, its a huge no-no.

As each step passes by and almost everyone still sleeping in their beds influenced by the weather, I'm running out of topics to talk about. Surely there must be one in this tiny brain of mine, come on... Think...

"Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves yet."

He talked! He's not that awkward after all, it makes me feel bad just seeing him in that way. At least my perspective of him changed.

He stopped in the middle of the empty street surrounded by fog, I couldn't help but get startled behind him.

He turned around with the usual face he normally would put ever since I met him, well... I just met him today. Although all these seemed to feel sentimental in a nostalgic kinda way.

With his hands in his pockets, he lends out his right hand to me.

"I'm Otake and I'm 26 years old, nice to meet you."

I looked at his hand and then to his face, he was still in the same expression from before. But I can tell that he was being sincere and honest.

The breeze blew by the trees and through his hair, as I was staring at his face the fog seemed to have subsided and his face glowed under the dawn sky. Our jackets were being picked up by the wind as a hint of warm air went right through us. The field of grass at our side along with the trees rustled. The sun glimmered through the horizon, lead by gusts of humid spreading its colour of orange. We made long narrow shadows at my right as the sky clears up from grey to gradients of dawn, although I couldn't see because I was focused on those eyes. The colour matched with his face and his dark blue pupils reflected its beaming light. I was stunned for a moment, I can't take my eyes off him. What is this..?

I don't know. Isn't it…

…

Ahh... This feeling...

"I'm Hiyuki and I'm 19 years old, nice to meet you too Otake-san."

I gave him the biggest smile I could have ever given to anyone as I took his hand for a shake, his paw pads seemed to have been matured by now. But the hardness on the outside made me realise how squishy it can get on the inside as well. Also to the fact that its brown.

My soft hands were warmed by his gentle hold as we held them for a long time.

Not realising anything, we have been holding hands for too long even for just one single handshake. He doesn't seem bothered by it, but I can tell I was red. My hand started to feel like it was blushing itself.

I took out my hand as fast as I could and he looked at me confused as I started massaging the tingles out in my right hand, I looked down and towards him again. Another smile came out although it was a bit forced. So that was his confused face, it was no different from usual, he just raised his right eyebrow... But he went back to his default expression as he turned around, we were walking again.

The sun shimmered at our sides, eventually warming us up on our left. The morning was still cold and I felt like I wanted to feel more. I want to feel his soft fur, play with his cheeks, pinch his pointy ears. Of all the people… why? I don't… Sigh…

I wondered what I felt earlier, it warmed up my chest as soon as we held hands. I took notice of the beating with my right hand, being comforted by the scarf and its collected heat. I calmed down eventually and pressed on walking behind him, following his footsteps. But as taps sounded the cemented tiles and just the two of us walking with no one in sight, I was deep in thought.

Will it be the same from tomorrow onwards, or will I discover more?

What is this..?

Huh...

...

Haha…

I knew it…

-EXTRA-

What the hell just happened?!

He introduced himself to me and the weather just magically altered.

That moment had the perfect timing, almost too perfect...

IS HE A GOD?!

Okay... I'm over thinking this too much.

He must've had spiritual powers that released when we shook hands.

Or maybe it was... me?

…

Okay, I should stop now.

"Hiyuki, is something bothering you?"

"D-don't mind me... I'm perfectly fine, see?"

I rushed in for a smile.

"Huh... Where are you looking?"

"Ah... A-ah... the flowers?"

MY GLASSES FOGGED UP! I THOUGHT HE WAS IN FRONT OF ME!

Please don't notice, please don't notice...

-Chapter 1 END-