Recently, Haruna has been really nice to me. This past week she's been giving me compliments, hugging me randomly, and keeps trying to get me alone with her. It's kind of awkward to say, but I think she likes me. Maybe it's because of my life story that I told everyone. Shouldn't she realize my heart is set on someone else at the moment?
Just recently, she invited me to a school festival that was next week. Being the nice guy I was, I just had to accept. School festivals, personally, weren't my thing. But I thought I should give it a try.
Haruna took it like we were going on a date. When I showed up to bring her, she was wearing a light red dress, sparkling when I saw her the first time. It really hurt my eyes.
"Hey, you're dress..."
"Ah! It's beautiful, isn't it? Don't you just want to cuddle with me- I mean, it?!"
"...No, I mean your dress is blinding me." My eyes were burning.
"O-Oh..." Embarassed, she went back inside and changed into something more... casual? Just some jean pants and a cardigan. Pretty basic, if you ask me.
"That's alot better," I said, putting eyedrops in my eyes. "Ready to go?"
She blushed. "Of course!"
Heading down, everyone in the guild couldn't help but notice I was walking with Haruna.
"Wait, that's Kibo. I thought his heart is set on Yuru?" I heard Moku's voice, but that was the only voice I heard.
The festival looked so cool! There were carvinal games, like shooting a can with a cork gun, and cotton candy! Not gonna lie, I'm surprised I found 20 bucks in my wallet this morning. I think Otonashi snuck in my room again and put it in there so I could have money for today. What a trooper.
"Kibo! Kibo!" She was pointing at a stuffed teddy bear. "Win me this! Pleeeease!"
"Alright, alright." It was one of those games where you throw a ball and land it in a cup. Since my accuracy is never faulty (that's really debatable), I hit it with no problem. Haruna was really happy to get it.
Throughout the day, she kept asking me to get stuffed animals for her. It was cute, but I had to keep my head on track. I'm not here to fool around.
"Psst! Kibo!" I saw Lukaro in the distance. What the?
While Haruna was swooning over some music CDs, I snuck off to go talk with him.
"What's up?"
"Listen, you need to have a serious talk with her."
"How come? Isn't that saved for a longer chapter?"
"She's not usually this happy. It's scary, really. Just talk with her."
"Alright, I got it. Just don't follow me anymore..." Lukaro disappeared into the darkness. God must have regrets putting him in this world. He's such a weirdo. ZAP!
Catching up to Haruna, she just came out of the CD store.
"Haruna, is it okay if we just sit and talk a bit?"
"Sure!" On the way to a bench, she was holding my arm really tight. Okay, now this is getting really awkward.
Finally we sat down.
"Haruna... Is there some reason you're being so nice to me?"
"...Lukaro told you to talk to me, huh?" She found out!
"It's because, ever since you told us that story, you've reminded me of a friend I used to know. He was so upbeat, so funny, so real when it came to things. He was the coolest guy I knew, the only boy I knew would protect me from anything."
"I see.. and what happened to him?"
"He changed. He changed so much. It was like he wasn't... 'him' anymore. And talking with you again just makes me remember who he was before." She looked at her teddy bear.
I get it now. It was her big brother.
She went on about how he used to hug her, play with her, pay for her meals, and win her toys at the arcades almost every day until up to nineth grade. Then he got his first girlfriend. Into his first fight. And so on. Eventually, he changed into a teen who didn't care about the world. He neglected everything, especially Haruna.
"Then are you here... because of him?"
"Yes. I won't go into further detail, but let's just say he did something he shouldn't have."
"Wait a minute. If you're here because you miss how your brother used to act, and I remind you of your brother, and now that you're happy... Won't you disappear?"
She looked down. "Yes, I suppose I should disappear."
"... Then why aren't you now?"
"Because, we all have a duty to uphold."
"Duty?"
"To help our leader pass on! He's been working so hard for us, and we haven't forgotten the things he's done for us. We need to pay him back somehow!"
"I suppose so. Well, it's getting late. We should be heading back to our rooms now."
Haruna got up, and after looking sad for about... half a second? She was upbeat again!
"Thanks for everything today, Kibo!" She kissed me on the cheek. "Let's do this again sometime!"
"Haha, sure, I guess." I'm so freaking tired.
Never again.