iv. the hunt for the silver stars (3)

"Hey, can I join you?"

Sighing, Aoi Minako picked at the food on her tray, which she had sat upon her lap. "Go ahead," she said dully, her eyes shifting to the left as Oikawa sat beside her, seemingly at ease with the world. with his close-eyed smile.

Then he turned to look at her, wry. "What's your real issue with me, Aoi-san?"

"What do you mean?" she asked tautly, her hand tightening around her chopsticks. "I told you already, didn't I?"

"Didn't seem like it."

Aoi gave him a strange look. "But that's literally it."

There was a beat.

Then—

"You were being serious?!"

"Well, yeah!"

Oikawa pointed at her, almost accusingly. "I thought you were trying to divert attention from that fact that you're totally in love with me!"

"WHAT?! Are you insane?!"

In the distance, Iwaizumi and Yui stood together, the former looking mildly exasperated as Oikawa ducked to avoid having a milk carton thrown at him.

"Oh, thank god!" shouted Oikawa to the sky, as if he were praising the heavens. "I thought I'd have to cruelly let you down!"

"STOP TALKING, YOU BASTARD!"

"Yay~!" Yui cheered as she walked to school, Aoi by her side. The latter girl yawned, removing her glasses for a moment to rub her eyes. In Yui's hands was a simple envelope containing seven silver stars. The address was to the bread company.

"Always so cheerful in the morning," commented Aoi, smiling fondly before yawning once more. "I wish I had even an ounce of your energy, Okayui-chan."

"Aw, you should see me when I just get up! Sometimes, it's up to my mom or big brother to yank me outta bed. Oh!" Spotting a mailbox, Yui ran toward it, Aoi following close behind. The bespectacled girl blinked, noticing something unusual on Yui's backpack. "There," Yui said as she put her letter into the box, satisfied. "My prize should arrive in two weeks!"

"That's great and all, Okayui-chan, but what's that on your bag?" Aoi poked the silver star that the other girl had stuck onto the front pocket of her backpack.

"Oh, that?" Yui beamed. "It's the first star."

They continued their walk to school.

"Huh? So you found eight stars instead? Why didn't you just use the first seven?"

"Well... the first star..." Yui laughed, putting her arms around her head. She thought of him then—Iwaizumi unwrapping the bread packet and giving the sticker to her. "Let's just say it came from someone special."

Someone special? Aoi thought, trying to just think of who this person could be. She went through every boy in her class, but found that Yui treated them all the same. I wonder who it could be... Then it hit her. Wait... Could it be...? No way!

Yui tilted her head when she noticed Aoi staring blankly at the concrete. "What's up, Minacchi?"

"Ah! Er, nothing." Aoi grinned at her, genuine and teasing. "I just hope it works out for you, that's all." She slapped the girl's back. "Wanna go shopping after? A new book store just opened up at J-Mall."

"Ooh! Sure thing!"

Wrapping her winter coat closer around her, a sad little smile found its way onto her lips. Soon, in February, they would be graduating. There wasn't much time for her high school days left—but she vowed to live life as vigorously as she could while it still lasted.