Sunday.
I flip open my phone and go through my contacts.
I'm not sure who I'm gonna call.
Kotonoha or Sekai?
Obviously, Kotonoha comes up first.
I'll call her first and then we'll see.
…
…
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kotonoha. How are you?"
"I'm fine… you?"
"I'm okay… Listen, did you talk with Sekai?"
"Yeah."
"And you knew she was gonna ask me out?"
"I did. In fact, I suggested it. We've decided we'll each go on three dates with you. I already had one, so now it's her turn."
"And I have no say in this?"
"You have a different suggestion?"
"Uhm."
"Look. You have over a month. And then we expect you'll continue dating one of us or neither."
"But we'll all stay friends, no matter what?"
"Of course."
Three dates.
Aren't you supposed to have se…
No. I heard that wrong.
Although Taisuke did say-
"Makoto?"
"Oh, sorry. I was spacing out for a moment."
"Are you fine with that?"
"Yeah, it seems okay to me."
"Okay. Look, I have to hang up, mom is calling me."
"Okay, bye."
"Bye."
Sigh.
That felt very...formal.
She's taking this so well.
Well, she didn't like me of course. She just said yes because she was curious.
I was the one that did the cellphone charm.
I continue scrolling through my contacts until I find Sekai.
…
"Hey, Makoto."
"How are you Sekai?"
"I'm good." I can almost feel her smile.
"Look, I just realised...I never answered you."
"Oh. I guess that's right."
"So, I'm a bit late, but...yes, I will go out with you. Are you free this weekend?"
"Yeah. Where do you want to go?"
"We could go to Sakakino Hills."
"Sounds fun."
Talking with Sekai is so much easier.
/
/
There is something about her.
What is it?
I don't have much time left to think, she's almost here.
"Hey, Makoto."
When she speaks the words, I realize it.
She's wearing the same jeans and blouse she wore that day.
Even though this is a date, she's wearing perfectly normal clothes. She didn't dress up or anything. She's just...herself.
"Hey, Sekai."
"Let's go."
We start walking the streets of Sakakino Hills.
Almost naturally, Sekai takes my hand.
Why is everything so easy with her?
/
/
Somehow, we ended up at the cinema.
Last I remember we were at the aquarium, and now we're here.
Everything just goes, smoothly with Sekai.
I sigh slightly. Maybe, I should just stay with Sekai. I shouldn't make things too complicated. Kotonoha was just a dream. I imagined her the way I wanted too.
"Sekai, I-"
"Great movie, huh?"
...
She knew what I was going to say?
Well, it's not like I can say it now.
"Yeah, sure, great movie."
Maybe I shouldn't jump to conclusions like that. We only went on-
"Makoto?"
"Huh?" Apparently the movie has ended.
I was so absorbed in my thoughts I didn't realize it. When she said great movie, the movie had just ended.
We leave the cinema.
/
/
"Well, I had fun," Sekai says.
"Yeah, me too."
I hear the sound of the train.
Sekai places a soft kiss on my lips and gets on the train.
"See you at school," she says. The doors close.
I don't reply.
That small kiss took me back. To a different kiss, on a different platform, at a different time.
When Sekai was just a friend.
Why did you kiss me back then, Sekai?
She didn't answer the question I never asked.