JANUARY 22.

THURSDAY.

[4:45 PM]

Ding dong~

Sounds of chairs and tables clattering could be heard all throughout the halls of Yamaboshi High School as the last class for the day ended. After bowing our respect to our instructor, I immediately started packing my things on my bag. And as soon as all my belongings are properly kept on my bag, I rushed my way out of the classroom – hoping that neither Taichi nor Inaba would be able to caught up to me. I slowed down my pace when I was already out of the hallways of the second years. I checked my watch for the time, and seeing that it's still quite early for me to go home I decided to proceed to the library and do my English homework there.

JANUARY 22.

THURSDAY.

[5:20 PM]

"Inaba!"

I was already on my way home from the library when a gust of freezing wind blew passed right through me, and a familiar voice called out my name. My feet halted on its tracks and my hand gripped the strap of my bag. I told myself not to turn my head and to look at the fourth floor of the building – I told myself not to look for him. After a few seconds, I felt my heart calming down so I decided to just move my legs and go home. For Pete's sake, Himeko! Get a move on with your life!

"Inaba!" Himeko, don't look.

Don't look. That became my mantra in order to remind myself to not look back. When I stepped out of the gates of the school, he also stopped calling out my name. And somehow, I felt disappointed. No, don't be affected by what he's doing. Himeko, you're stronger than this, right? I shut my eyes and silently reprimanded myself for almost giving in.

I almost jumped off where I was standing when someone tapped my shoulder. When I turned to my side to see who it was, I had to dig deep on to my memories to remember the name of the guy smiling sheepishly in front of me.

He was probably a foot taller than me because I had to tilt my head upwards to meet his eyes. He had his hair on a small ponytail. "How long is your hair?" I crossed my arms.

The guy laughed. "Really? That's the first thing you ask to a stranger who just walked up to you?" His voice was deep and it reverberated on my ears. "The tips reach my shoulder." He tilted his head to the side and undid his hair. And truth be told, his hair really reached his shoulders.

"That's long," I nodded in agreement to myself.

His laughter got louder and the students who were on their way home started looking at us.

"Cut that out!" I gave him a good jab on his stomach and he almost fell on his butt.

He steadied himself while caressing his stomach which I punched. "That kinda hurt. Damn, that hurts!"

"So, who the hell are you?" I gave the guy a deadly glare making him winced.

"Calm down, Inaba. My name's Agarashi Jun. But you can call me Jun if you like." He smiled and offered his hand at me.

I shook it and didn't let go. With my right hand gripping on his hand, I grabbed his uniform's collar and pulled him closer. "So what do you want with me?" I hissed.

He raised his free hand in surrender and I let go of him. "Calm down. Geez. I heard you withdrew from CRC, is that true?"

At the mention of my former club, I instinctively looked back at the building – specifically the club room. Taichi's back was facing the window and I felt a faint thump on my chest. It had been too long since I last took a look at Taichi's figure. "So, what if I did?" My voice was half a whisper when I returned my questioning look at the guy named Jun.

He shook his head with smirk on his face. "Why don't you re-join the Computer Club, Himeko Inaba?" Agarashi Jun then reached for his pants' pocket and took out a piece of paper.

Registration Form. Computer Club.

JANUARY 23.

FRIDAY.

[5:30 PM]

"One dark cocoa ice cream milktea."

The teller on the other side of the counter punched my order on the computer. "That would be five dollars."

I took my purse out from my bag and rustled through my bills. "Here."

"I received exactly five dollars." The teller smiled at me, "Ma'am, your name please?"

"Inaba Himeko."

She nodded and started scribbling down my name on the cup on her hands. "You may take a seat first, Ma'am. I'll just call out your name if your order is ready."

"Thanks." I gave her a curt nod and moved away from the counter. Stopping five steps away, I searched for an empty chair where I could sit myself while waiting for my order.

I took out the paper that Agarashi gave to me yesterday and I just stared at it. I placed it on the table and continued staring at it. Something inside me kept on nagging at me that I should sign up, that I don't really have anything that I do after school except go home. But another part of me was shouting that I should decline the offer. Damn it. I don't even know who that guy was. I don't know if I had seen him before when I was still in that Computer club. Is he new? The hell does he needs me for anyway?

" –meko. Inaba Himeko?"

I jolted back into reality when I heard my name being called out. I got up from my seat, snatching the paper from the top of the table.

Bowing slightly to the teller, I took my order from her hand and thanked her.

A milktea on one hand and a registration form on the other, I left the shop without really looking at where I was going that was why I bumped on to someone.

"Sorry!" I calmly put back the form on my bag.

"Inaba…"

I sighed. Never mind.

I was about to pass by him when he grabbed my wrist.

"What do you want, Tai – I mean, what do you want, Yaegashi-san?" I turned to look at him.

He smiled at me, quite awkwardly. "Inaba, please."

"Please what?"

"Why are you being formal?"

I smirked at his ignorance of his unconscious fault. "Call my name, Yaegashi-san."

"Inaba…"

"See?"

Taichi looked like he just saw a ghost when he realized what I was trying to point out. I shook my head to show him my disappointment. I grabbed his hand that was holding onto my wrist and pried it off.

"When do you plan on letting me explain my side? Himeko!" He shouted as I was already walking away from him.

I raised my hand as a gesture of saying goodbye.

JANUARY 26.

MONDAY.

[7:37 AM]

I slammed my shoe locker close and sighed as the guy beside me let out a chuckle.

"Calm down, Himeko."

"Don't call me Himeko as if we're close friends, Agarashi-san." I clutched my bag's strap and started walking away.

He jogged to catch up to me, and as soon as he was walking beside me he matched his pace on to mine. "Don't be so cold. I mean we're gonna be club mates from now on, right?"

I sighed, once again. I've been sighing a lot these days. What a pain. I stopped my tracks and so did Agarashi, and I faced him – with me tilting my head up to meet his gaze. "No."

His face turned from that of a shocked one to that of a questioning one. "Why?"

"I'd rather spend the remaining year of my high school being alone than to spend it to a club that I quitted because I couldn't be on good terms with its members."

"Are you talking about CRC?" His lips curled up in a mocking way.

"Huh!" I started walking away from him, "Both."

JANUARY 26.

MONDAY.

[5:17 PM]

Quiet.

I was in front of the door of my former club – Cultural Research Club. And I was shocked that I was not hearing any noise from the inside. Before, when I was still a member, at this time of the day the club room would already filled with laughter and arguments. Is there no one inside?

I knocked on the door, thrice. And few seconds after, someone opened it.

"Inaban!"

Yui threw herself at me and hugged me tightly. "Are you coming back? Are you? Huh? Huh!?"

I slightly pushed her away from me and politely smiled at her. "No. I'm just here to take some of my books that I brought here before." She looked taken aback, and I felt a tinge of guilt washed over me. "I'm sorry, Yui. Are Yaegashi-san and Nagase-san here?"

Yui looked confused of how formal I called my two former club mates – former friends. But she nodded nonetheless.

"Inaban!" It was Iori's voice that greeted me first when I stepped inside the room.

A rushed of memories flashed before my eyes: the antics of the club, the fun and fights, the stuff we talked about, the sunset that enveloped the room, the memories I had with Taichi. All of these, in one blast, came rushing back to my mind. And I almost stumbled on my feet. But Taichi was fast enough to support me.

"Are you okay, Ina – Himeko?"

I started to giggle but that turned into loud laughter when I heard Taichi call me by my first name. "You don't need to push yourself, Yaegashi-san." I found myself pushing him off quite harshly.

When I already balanced myself to stand up properly, I took in the sight before me. Iori was up from the sofa near the window; Aoki was on the "kitchen" side of the club room – probably making tea; Yui was on the door frame, her hands clasped near her chest; and, Taichi who was beside me looking startled. And I sighed to myself. Yep, I've been sighing a lot these days, huh?

I took steps towards the bookshelf and browsed through the books, one by one taking those that I think were mine. I wish I could take the person who was supposed to be mine here, but huh! Somebody owns his heart. And regrettably, it's not me.

After taking everything that I thought mine from the shelf, I sat myself on one of the stools around the table. "Aoki, can I have a cup of tea, please?"

He must have been shocked that I asked for a cup of tea at this moment, a moment with a heightened tension. "Uh… sure."

"Thanks."

"Hey, sit yourselves. I want to formally announce my withdrawal from the club," I smiled at each of them.

Taichi sat himself next to me. I could feel the nervousness that every one of them was feeling. I clenched my hands to stop it from trembling. Yui sat on the chair in front me, and Iori took the one on Yui's right. Aoki then gave me my tea and moved to sat next to Iori.

"So," I took a sip from the tea. "I want to formally say my goodbyes. It was fun, no not really. We went through a lot of things, especially that of when Balloon Vine started messing up with our lives. And because you guys were always there for me, and because every one of us were there for each other, we were able to go through those rough times. And I won't lie, I'm glad that the people I have on my side during those times were you guys."

I chuckled lightly and wiped the tears that found their way out of my eyes. "But, I can't continue being here. You can call me selfish, you may call me selfish. You could also call me weak. But, I'm sorry for letting my heart break. I mean, it's not Tai – I mean, Yaegashi-san's fault that I wasn't enough to fill his heart. It wasn't his nor Nagase's fault that they still love and long for each other. I'm just… I just can't keep up with the pretense that I am okay, that it's okay for me. Because it isn't. The moment I let Yaegashi hold my heart, was the moment that I became the most vulnerable version of myself."

"Hime –"

"Please, Taichi. Please. Just let me leave this club with my heart intact." I looked straight on his eyes and I knew he saw the desperation reflected on my eyes. As he hung his head low, I could feel my heart racing – and breaking. I'm finally letting go.

From Taichi, I looked at the eyes of my other (former) friends. "Thank you to all of you."

I gave them a soft smile. A regretting smile. A sad smile. Nonetheless, I gave them a smile. And I left the clubroom. I left it silent.

Kokoro Connect is not mine. It has its rightful owners. And everything that are written here is purely a product of my desires and imagination. My story "Kokoro Connect (Collection of Interlocking Events) is somewhat AU – ah! It's really AU. And I would be adding few OCs just to spice up this story.

This story is purely romance. And I might not be able to portray the original characters in the way they are in the manga and/or anime, but please do bear with me ^^

Oh, and please enjoy the story~

Yours Truly,

psychoticauthor