a/n: I do not own anything. XD PLEASE REVIEW. :D Thank you very much.
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CHAPTER 2 – I Can't Comprehend
That night, Hayami returned to the boys' dormitory and headed to the laundry room first. He instantly readied the detergent powder and filled the basin with water.
"You're handwashing?" Setoguchi tried to peek with what he is doing.
"Yes." He answered while smiling.
"A boy like you fits handwashing you know." Setoguchi tried to mock him.
Setoguchi tried to look nearer and what he saw was a pink-cottoned handkerchief embroidered with small flowers that seem to look like sakura (cherry blossoms) to him.
"You're washing a handkerchief?" Takigawa asked him again.
"Yea." Hayami's answer was bubbly.
"You're washing your handkerchief?" the taller man asked him again.
"You have a PINK handkerchief?" Setoguchi exploded with laughter.
"I never thought you would like THAT color. Hmm, even so, it fits your personality." He continued.
Hayami smirked at him.
Setoguchi's eyes bulged.
"What kind of smile is that? Did you just smirk?" Setoguchi tried to clear his mind.
"That hanky.. that's not yours? Isn't it? It's… that hanky… t-that… how the hell did you get that?" Setoguchi continued. He just realized something.
He grabbed Hayami and patted his back continuously.
"You sure are one lucky dude!" Setoguchi still pats him.
"Ow, it hurts, stop it already Setoguchi! It's not like that, it's just that I need it!" Hayami defended himself from the taller man's not-so-nice thoughts.
"Are you two still trying to hide it, hmmm?" Setoguchi teases him.
"Hide what? We are not hiding anything! There's nothing going on between us!" he consistently defends himself.
"Besides, it's not like she's going to like someone like me…" Hayami's voice trembled. He stared at the handkerchief he's holding.
"Is that why you're not yourself these days?" Setoguchi crossed his arms.
Hayami bowed his head down. He can't say anything.
"Hayami, if you're afraid to do anything, then you're waiting for nothing. Your wishes won't go to you. It's our choice to make our wishes come true and do something about it or just leave it to the wind. Even if it won't go the way you like it, at least you've done something, or maybe you like it best, having regrets. It's your choice. Take it or leave it." Setoguchi browsed the pages of the notebook on his hand.
"Oh by the way, got to go, I need to contact this girl, we're having a date tomorrow. Hmm, name and blood type…." Setoguchi winked at him and left.
What am I really doing… I still don't know what to do and what to say to her.. I tried to get her attention but I always fail.. I tried to show her that I care and to show her who really I am… since that day when we were stranded at the Dam Control Unit… I can't forget how you've smiled at me and opened your heart… and the way you thanked me… It just made me really happy…. But even so… now that I come to think of it.. it's like it never really happened… it's like.. it's all a dream... why am I always the one putting myself in a situation where in it's hard to get out? Maybe I'm just the only one who's so damn sentimental towards things…
Hayami sighed.
Even if it won't go the way you like it, at least you've done something, or maybe you like it best, having regrets. It's your choice. Take it or leave it.
Setoguchi's words struck him like lightning.
After washing Shibamura's handkerchief, Hayami got to his feet to sleep. For him, all nights are the same except today. Night for him is the time to relax and not to think of anything else, especially after a battle with phantom beasts. But today, he knows it would change, he wouldn't think that he would live a normal school life, notably after joining the 5121 Unit. With normal school life, he actually meant falling in love and having fights with himself. But so to speak, for him, it's not really normal, falling in love with an anti-social girl and that girl is the daughter of the Shibamura Group who manufactures their robots and the lists just go on and on.
Maybe I'm just finding reasons to not like her anymore.
Hayami said to himself while having a hard time to sleep.
He shut his eyes harder.
No effect.
He placed his blanket on his face.
No effect.
All he could see was Shibamura's face.
What the heck… damn it….
The next morning, everyone stared at Hayami as if he did something wrong or that he looked like somethng. He is just so confused why the heck were they staring at him like that. Maybe Shibamura told them something about the handkerchief? Or maybe they heard his crazy thoughts about her?
He blushed.
"Hayami, are you all right?" Seika asked while staring at him.
"You look like you haven't slept last night?" Maki intruded between them.
He got surprised.
"Eh?" he jerked.
"Hayami-chan, look at yourself." Nonomi gave him a small mirror.
He looked at his reflection and below his eyes he could already see black shadings under.
"Oh..this!" he exclaimed.
Suddenly, Shibamura walked gradually in front of them.
"We already need to practice." She told Hayami who is still staring at his reflection on the mirror.
He thought he heard his heart skipped a beat when he saw Shibamura looking at him in the mirror. They caught each other's eyes and looked away.
"Let's go." Shibamura started to walk away.
Seika, Maki, Matsuri, Tanabe and Michiru looked at each other with confusion.
"W-wait." Hayami ran after her.
"They look good together." Motoko Hara interjected.
"What do you mean~ Moto-chan..~" Nonomi obviously didn't get it.
Outside the scene, Mibuya stared at Hayami with an odd expression.
Why her…
"AMTT-519MW Shikon, 67 percent consistency." Hara announced when the tandem finished practicing, virtually.
"Do you think these two has a problem?" Hisaomi asked Hara.
"I think they just lack close-encounters." Hara winked at Hisaomi.
"At least they're improving, unlike the other day, their consistency was just 55 percent." Zengyou shrugged.
The three looked below and saw Shibamura walking so fast and seemed to not pay any attention to the brunette lad who was talking about something.
Zengyou shook his head.
"W-Wait.. Shibamura-san.. t-this.." Hayami walked faster while trying to get something from his pockets.
Shibamura continued to walk, not even listening to whatever he's talking about. Hayami accepted his defeat, he stopped walking and stared at the handkerchief on his hands then to Shibamura, who is now walking far away from him.
She doesn't like me.. does she?
He exhaled.
Even if it won't go the way you like it, at least you've done something, or maybe you like it best, having regrets. It's your choice. Take it or leave it.
Setoguchi's words last night are haunting him.
Hayami walked outside their dormitory and looked at Shibamura's room. Her windows are covered with white linen, this prevents him to see anything, even her shadow. He felt someone was touching his right leg, he looked down and saw 5121's cat. He kneeled down and fondled it.
"Come here neko-chan.. You're one fat and healthy cat. You're lucky you're not thinking of anything." Hayami smiled and continued to fondle the fat cat.
"The cat likes you a lot." Someone said behind his back.
Hayami looked behind him and saw Mibuya.
"Oh, good evening Mibuya-san." Hayami got to his feet.
Mibuya smiled at him. He smiled back.
"You're already going to sleep?" the black haired girl asked him.
"Not really, I'm not sleepy yet..." He answered.
She observed him for awhile and can tell by his eyes that he is thinking of something else.
"How are you?" she can't control herself.
"Eh.." It confuses him.
"I'm okay..it's just that…" he replied.
Mibuya motioned him to sit on the stairs before the door of the boys' dormitory. She sat beside him.
"It's been awhile since we have talked you know." Mibuya looked at him with observant eyes.
"Yes.." Hayami replied.
"Anyway, what were you talking about a while ago? You're not okay…?" she was unsure of what to tell him.
"Oh.. that.. it's nothing." He looked at the cat which is now walking away from them.
"You're still not comfortable talking to me.. I see." She said anxiously.
"No. It's not like that..." He defended himself.
"You're having concerns about being in good relations with Shibamura, aren't you? Mibuya asked casually.
I know you like her… why don't you just admit it to yourself…
She frowned at the thought.
"Maybe you can put it that way.." he gave her a hint.
"Don't worry. You'll find a way. You two just started…there's still so much room for improving your relationship with her.." she tried to cheer him up.
"Thanks." He answered him.
"Hayami…" Mibuya pronounced his name with uncertainty.
"Yes?" He looked at her in the eyes.
She felt a jolt in her heart.
"Nothing.. I just realized it's been a year now since we've met right? I can't believe we've gone this far.. fighting those phantom beasts and trying to save the day. You're all that goofy and clumsy.. but, but it doesn't matter at all because you're a good person.. you care so much for your friends, for everybody.. It's just bad sometimes because you forgets about yourself.. and I will always remember the day when you had risked your life for me.. that day when we were in the range of the PBE... you still tried to save me, you didn't think of yourself.." Mibuya smiled at him and searched herself in his eyes.
Every moment we've been sharing together.. it means a lot to me…
"It's not me, really.. you know.. Shibamu.."
"Thank you…" she cut him off and kissed him on the cheek.
She blushed with her body's sudden impulse.
Hayami sat there. He looked so shocked while Mibuya was already walking towards the girls' dormitory.
Mibuya looked back at him.
"Thank you.." she bowed her head and turned her back to him.
She was already in front of their dormitory when she stopped.
"Good night.." she uttered.
Hayami was left there, he barely moved. His palm was still on his left cheek and spacing out.
What had just happened?
But out there in the white linen curtain stood a girl who saw it all, saw everything and heard everything.
Shibamura saw everything. She grasped the curtain harder and closed the curtain madly. She threw herself furiously onto her bed and the rain suddenly fell.
END OF CHAPTER 2~
a/n: I know I know, it's all Shibamura's fault, she's playing hard to get. Damn girl, she's in trouble. XDXDXD Please review. Thank you very much! :D