"They look happy." Sakuno said after a while.
"They are."
Sakuno sunk deeper into her arms as she continued to watch the couple playing with the falling flower petals before them. Seated on the grass beside her, under the shade of a red tree, Suna turned to the sullen young woman beside him. And, in an attempt to comfort her bereft heart, asked,
"Where is he now?"
"Italy."
"Must be nice." Suna felt obliged to say. Honestly, he thought as he looked at the beautiful scenery before him, nothing beat this view. And he hoped Sakuno knew that.
"Do you always hang out with Takeo-kun and Yamato-chan when you're not in the library?"
Suna turned to her with a knotted brow.
"I guess."
"How come?"
Suna turned away and looked ahead.
"Probably got used to it. Takeo asked me to when they started dating."
"Sakuraba from Biology 101 told me she was surprised we hung out." Sakuno continued randomly, in idle conversation.
"Hn?" Suna grunted in reply, just to show he was listening.
"Girls annoy you, she said."
Suna turned to her, wondering where she was getting at. Then, told her, to reassure her of their friendship, that he's accepted her company.
"Only the single ones." And added frankly. "They misunderstand and confess."
"Maybe that's why we're friends." Sakuno grinned. "I bet," She laughed. "I bet, had I been single, you wouldn't even look my way."
Suna couldn't help but grin.
"Maybe."
"I don't know why but imagining you in a mixer makes me laugh." Sakuno continued speaking her random musings.
"Where'd that come from?"
"I don't really know." The girl laughed. "I bet you broke a lot of hearts."
Suna continued to look at her with an amused expression, waiting for her next outrageous statement. Then, she said.
"You remind me of him."
And his brows raised. Then, understanding, looked away, the tips of his ears tinted with the lightest red.
"I better get going." Sakuno said after a while. "Thanks for inviting me." She bowed with a small smile before walking over to Takeo and Yamato to bid her farewells. Suna's eyes followed her as he leaned on the trunk behind. And the more he continued to look at her, the more he questioned how she was slowly becoming a routine part of his life.