~ Day 23- Misunderstanding ~

It had all started off with a stupid little question that teenagers had a habit of asking. Because of their hormonal state, because of their curiosity... something like that.

Takane hadn't really thought about it when she had asked her junior about whom she liked. After all, they both were girls, and girls could talk about that to each other. Should talk about that to each other. Her own feelings were off the table, though. And if they'd ever get on it, then she'd throw them down to the floor and stomp them into the ground until they'd stay there.

"Ayano-Chan, is there someone you like?" She had phrased it like that and Ayano had smiled at her for that, her expression happy and unreadable as usual. Though (she could have imagined that, however) she seemed to blush a bit at that.

"Well", she began and laughed awkwardly. "I can't say his name. It's too embarrassing."

"Describe him, then. Maybe I know him", Takane told her and Ayano nodded at that, seemingly okay with that idea.

"You definitely know him. Pretty well, too, I guess", she said and shifted a bit in her seat. "Um, about his looks... well. He's somewhat tall. Not as tall as Kou-Chan has become, but still pretty tall", she muttered in thought and played a bit with her scarf. Takane didn't want to ask who that 'Kou-Chan' was, so she just went with it.

"He has dark hair. Darker than mine. And dark eyes, too." Those weren't uncommon features at all. Takane really had a hard time guessing who that guy was. "He is pretty skinny, too." Still not helping.

"Ah, for his personality?", Ayano then caught herself. "Well, he's kinda hard to bear with, at times but he's smart and gets good grades." By then, some sort of realisation crept up on Takane. This wasn't it, though, was it? "He behaves oddly, but you can't be mad at him, either. And he really is thick-headed."

No way. Takane was just hearing things. Imagining it. No way in hell. Ayano didn't like that person, did she? With a stutter, Takane asked her, "Ayano-Chan... if I know that person well, how many times I week do I see him?"

Ayano looked a bit thoughtful, then. "Um, pretty much every day?", she wondered aloud. Takane blanched. Oh God, no.

A tall, lanky, thick-headed, smart, hard to bear, dark-haired and dark-eyed person she saw on a daily basis. The first person she could think of, then, was... well. Him. Haruka.

If Ayano liked him, too, then she had already lost. Ayano was cuter, more feminine, more honest, kinder and prettier than Takane herself was. Plus, she would be a better match for the boy, considering how they were both such cheerful idiots.

"I-I see. I think I know who it is that you like", Takane said and smiled wryly in defeat before getting up. Her legs felt like they were made of jelly, but that was fine. Ayano was her friend. She'd back down.

"Takane-San, are you feeling alright? You're looking pale and-"

The door slid open. Shintaro came in first, followed by Haruka. Takane looked at the taller boy who smiled that soft smile of his when he caught her eyes. The butterflies in her stomach died down and she, unusual as it was, gave him a hesitant smile before sitting down again, next to him.

It wasn't as though she wanted to give up. She just wanted Haruka to be happy. And then, for his sake, she would be somewhere else, letting Ayano have him to lead a better life. It had been unrealistic from the beginning- she was in no way capable of handling him and-

"-n! Takane-San, are you okay?", Ayano snapped her out of her thoughts. Again, Takane faked a smile and nodded.

"Just feeling tired is all", she muttered. Then, she looked the girl dead in the eye. "But about that person... I hope you're happy with them. You should definitely not hold back for too long." She got up and packed everything hastily into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder and leaving with a 'see you tomorrow'.

As she slid the door shut, she slipped to the floor and listened to everyone talk, even though her head was hurting and her ears were ringing. Was this serious love-sickness? She didn't know of any remedy for that, so... ugh. She probably couldn't look Haruka in the eye anymore from now on.

"Ayano-Chan likes somebody?", Haruka's voice spoke behind her back. Now she'd have to tell him. Ah, this really would be over too soon. A chair scraped over the wooden floor and she heard Ayano's voice in a hushed whisper. "Really?", Haruka asked her then and by now, Takane had lost every chance she had ever had. Slowly, she got up from the floor. "I'm sure it'd make him happy!"

Takane stopped in her tracks, completely frozen. What? Hadn't Ayano- was the person Ayano liked... not Haruka? Shintaro's voice brought her back to earth. "And now you're distracting yourself with guys", he said and Ayano and Haruka both laughed knowingly.

And suddenly, she felt stupid. Terribly stupid.

Shintaro fit Ayano's describtion as well.