The sun was high in the sky. The birds chirped, and trees swayed languidly in the wind. The day was beautiful, with many of the Day Class taking advantage of the weather by spending their breaks sat on blankets and eating snacks out in the sunshine. Miu sat, surrounded by her friends, uncharacteristically withdrawn, however.
Ever since she'd come back to the news Akane was moved to the Night Class, she couldn't shake the feeling she was missing something, something important.
"Here, Miu, have one of these." Kohaku offered, handing her a cherry flavoured ice-lolly. She accepted the treat but still looked dejected.
"Miss Nakamura is intelligent, but even she'll need time to catch up to the lever of the Night Class. I'm sure she'll be back to school soon," Kenshin tried kindly. He and the rest of her friends had said similar things to try and ease the unnecessary tension she'd admitted to feeling, after her short trip to the infirmary, thanks to her clumsy tumble in the woods on Monday. The scratches were deep, but the nurse assured her they'd heal with barely a scar to speak of. For that, she was thankful. The thought of her father finding out her clumsiness had landed her in the nurse's office… the lecture didn't bear thinking about.
"Yeah, I know," Miu sighed. "It's just lonely being in the room all by myself again. I got so used to Akane being there. It feels too big without her, that's all." Her friends understood. Many of them knew Miu since they were young and how much she enjoyed the company of others. When the school year began, and before Akane started, Miu had taken to staying in Kimiko and Naomi's room until she was ready for bed. Even spending the night and leaving, only to get ready for class in the morning. With Akane's departure, she was slipping back into old habits.
"You're welcome to stay with us again tonight, Miu," Naomi assured from beside her roommate, who nodded with a shrug. Miu smiled, she was being silly, feeling sorry for herself again. She was proud of Akane and excited for her. A Day Class student being inducted into the Night Class was unheard of.
"Thanks, but I'll be fine. Akane's gonna need cheering up after being moved to the Night Class. Moping and pouting about it is silly. I wouldn't be doing my job as her Best Friend if I didn't come prepared with a smile and words of wisdom and encouragement."
"How anyone could be dissatisfied with the Night Class for company is beyond me," Kimiko mused sardonically. "Then again, Nakamura is a strange one."
Miu grinned, her cheeks glowing as her mirthful personality brightened her expression.
"And that's why we love her!" The group laughed. They all found Akane peculiar in some way or another, but her cooler demeanour had thawed towards them recently. The quiet tones and disinterested expressions had disappeared, replaced by smiles and jokes, and a genuine interest in their lives.
They'd missed the new piece of their jigsaw puzzle of a group, and even though they wouldn't be able to spend as much time with her, they'd all become attached, Miu especially. They spent every changeover waiting patiently to finally spot Akane amongst the elite students of Cross Academy and would continue to wait and cheer for her because that's what good friends do! Miu smiled.