Chapter 2
Warm Rays of Sunshine
"Love could be waiting at the end, 'round that bend and so let's stop and talk awhile."
"What's our next class?" Time flew by ever so slowly for my first class. Math never really was my most loved subject. In fact I hated it. But it's okay because I've felt the feelings being returned by it ever since elementary through my test papers.
"Cooking class! We're going to the kitchen..." Suzuya said, sunshine radiating from the bright and happy aura he gave off every time he would talk to me.
"Oh, then I'll just pack my things first okay?" I said, trying to make use of the happiness he has rubbed off on me.
I was nearly done packing when I saw a red-head from the side approach Suzuya. I looked up to see an apathetic expression on his face as he talked to him. I looked back down again and continued arranging my books as i eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Where's Tsukiko?" the red-head said stoically.
"She's absent. Probably at home." Suzuya said and for that seemingly long moment, I felt his barrier of happiness that surrounded him a while ago drop quickly. From my peripheral view, I saw his gaze fall to the floor as when spoke those words.
"Still sick."
"I'm afraid so." He finally raised his eyes again, to meet with the red-head.
"Karin." He flashed a weak smile at me.
"Yes?" I zipped my bag and looked up at them.
He put a hand on the shoulder of the red-head. "This is Tomoe Yoh. Yoh, this is Minami Karin, a new student, second girl after Tsukiko to enroll in this school."
"Pleasure to meet you, Karin." He extended his hand for me to shake and so I took it. I laughed quietly, remembering how Kanata acted when Suzuya introduced me to him. "Please to meet you too, Yoh."
"We should get going or we're going to be late for our next class." Suzuya announced, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his right shoulder.
We walked out of the room and made our way to the kitchen.
Cooking class began a few seconds after we entered the kitchen. The teacher asked us to pair up. And being a new student, I didn't have anyone to look to who'd be willing to be my partner until a felt a gentle tap on my shoulder.
"Hey, do you have a partner already?" I turned around to see Suzuya beaming at me, his aura radiating warmth again like it did prior to his conversation with Yoh.
"Uhm no." I frowned. "It's kind of hard to find a partner considering that all the faces in this room belong to strangers."
"I'm not a stranger." He said with a tiny spark in his eyes. "I can be your partner." He offered to be my partner. No candy can match the smile that graced his lips and no ocean could have been bluer than his eyes as he stared me down with his beautiful almond eyes.
"really?" I said in a manner that sustained the last syllable longer than it's normally said, making myself sound silly.
"Of course." He said, laughing at me. "Here's your apron." He handed me an apron. When I reached for it, my fingers brushed the back of his hands lightly, causing electricity to run up my arms, reaching my face and turning my cheeks red. I immediately looked away to hide my embarrassed expression. We began baking cupcakes after we got into our aprons.
It was my first time to bake so I didn't really know what I was doing. It was a good thing that he's really good at baking. It was obvious that he enjoyed what he was doing. Through out the whole period we talked while baking. He told me so many things about himself, like his passion for cooking, how he had to deal with Yoh and Kanata fighting over the littlest things everyday, and how he had to watch over Tsukiko, our classmate, because she was the only girl enrolled here a semester before I entered the school.
The rest of the day flew by quickly but Suzuya never left my side. He let me stay with him, kanata and yoh during lunch, and he helped me out with the assignments and other lessons during the classes after lunch.
I looked out the window as I walked down the corridor. The sky was orange, the sun was setting. I sighed remembering how eventful the day was. At that moment I just wanted to get home and sleep until the sun rises again.
"Hey!" A familiar voice came from behind me.
"Oh hello Suzuya." I looked at him with tired eyes, and he noticed.
"You seem tired. Did your first day here stress you out that much?" He said with concern evident in his voice. He put his hand on my back to give me a light push so that I'd continue walking with him beside me.
"At some point, yes. It's kind of hard to adjust in an environment where you're the only girl." I laughed weakly.
"Yeah. You have to be careful okay? Don't be too trusting of everyone, especially here where you're surrounded with boys." He said seriously.
"Yes sir!" I said jokingly to lighten up the mood,bringing my hands up to salute. He chuckled and in an instant his happy self was back again.
"I'm gonna go ahead Suzuya." I faced him to flash him one last beam before I left. "It was a pleasure meeting someone as kind and accommodating as you."-"It was nice meeting you too. Take care. See you tomorrow. He put a hand on my head to tap it gently. I turned my back on him and walked to the gates as soon as he removed his hand from my head.
I looked back one last time before exiting the campus grounds to wave at him, and from afar, I saw him wave back at me. "See you tomorrow." I whispered to myself, with a big grin plastered on my face.
