Reiya walked around the school campus slowly, her dark violet eyes darting around and searching for Ayako. As she neared the stairs that led to the rooftop, she heard faint crying. Her feet seemed to move on her own as she ascended the stairway and to the open door. What she saw took her breath away.
It was beautiful.
There was no other word for it. So many different plants were blooming on all sides, and the splashes of color seemed to sparkle when the sunlight hit them. But the sound of sobbing reminded her why she was there. She looked around and found a small figure huddled in a corner, wedged between two flower pots that contained some kind of blue flowers. Reiya decided to speak up as the girl seemed to have not noticed her presence.
"Ano... Aya-san?" She asked tentatively, while internally, she was panicking.
Argh, I'm so bad at at stuff like this! I really suck at trying to make people feel better.
Ayako paused in her sobbing, but choked out breaths racked her body as she tried to speak steadily.
"R-Reiya...chan?"
"Erm, yeah, it's me."
Cue awkward silence. The crying girl didn't seem to be in any mood to start a conversation, and Reiya just didn't know what to say. She sat down in front of the girl.
"What...happened?" Ayako lifted her head, showing a devastated expression, while Reiya berated herself repeatedly for having no delicacy.
"Sorry," she apoplogized. "I shouldn't have asked." Ayako shook her head.
"N-no, it's okay." There was another long pause while Reiya sat there uncomfortably. "M-Maki...ch- Maki and the others," Ayako started with a trembling voice. "Th-they-!" She erupted into sobs again. Reiya sighed, concluding that Ayako's friends had done something stupid.
"They...said that they...w-were just using me...to gain popularity..." Aya shook her head and laughed weakly. "I'm so stupid, aren't I?" Reiya stiffened as memories from the past of a curly, black haired girl with hazel eyes appeared in her mind. She shook her head to clear the images of the at first friendly smile twisting into a devious smirk. Her fist clenched.
"My friends..." Ayako said quietly, seeming to have regained a slightly steadier voice.
"They're not your friends," she interrupted harshly.
"What?"
"People like that," said Reiya in a softer tone. "Don't deserve you as a friend." Ayako's eyes widened and the corners of her mouth uplifted slightly.
"Thanks, Reiya-chan." The girl slouched, all signs of her previously strong outburst gone.
"What are friends for?" Ayako's eyes widened.
"F-friends?" Reiya immediately stood and tried to back away from the conversation, smiling sheepishly.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed-" The other girl shook her head almost violently.
"No, it's not that!" she exclaimed. "I-it's just...you want to be friends with me? A weak girl like me?" Reiya knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We're all cowards, Aya, somewhere inside of us." The wind blew, lifting her ebony locks, and her dark eyes seemed to shine through her glasses.
Sh-she's so cool! Ayako inwardly squealed, her inner fangirl coming out. Reiya was startled when stars appeared in the girl's eyes. Eh?
"Reiya-chan," Ayako said suddenly.
"Yes?"
"You called me Aya." Reiya blushed a little.
"S-so what?"
"Aw, you're so cute!" Ayako giggled, making a grab for the socially awkward girl.
"Get away from me!"
"Meanie~ But," Ayako was suddenly very serious. "You're not a coward, Reiya-chan." Reiya smiled sadly, though a little surprised by her firmness.
"I'm...the biggest coward of all, Aya."
"Yukimura," Yanagi called out.
"Hm?" The blue haired captain turned, as well as most of the regulars within hearing distance. "What is it, Yanagi?"
"My data shows-" he held up a green notebook. "That 83.7% of the schools improved by 38% when a female manager joined the tennis club."
.
.
.
"Ehhhhh-!"
"Yanagi-senpai, are you serious?!" Kirihara exclaimed, invading his upperclassman's personal space.
"It should be a cute girl, puri~" was Niou's input.
"I hope she can make delicious sweets," was Marui's concern.
"Tarundoru! We have not yet decided whether we will even get a manager. Yanagi," Sanada turned to the close eyed boy. "Females are a distraction. Why would we need one in Rikkaidai's tennis club?"
"That's why it is essential that the manager is not a fangirl," Yanagi explained. "And have a reasonable knowledge of sports. Rikkaidai's tennis club is missing one of the five most important components, which are as follows: captain, vice captain, treasurer, coach, and the manager. Yukimura doubles as a coach."
"Hmm, I see," Yukimura said, an idea crossing her mind. Then he smiled eerily and faced the regulars. "Everyone, on Monday, you will be free to bring a candidate for the manager. However." Though his smile was still in place in place, the captain seemed to grow menacingly. "However," he looked down, his hair shadowing his face. "I do hope that you choose wisely."
Eep! Some people who were thinking of bringing a biased fangirl thought. (Cough, the "Idiot Trio," cough)
"Practice is over for today!" Yukimura called out. The club members immediately dispersed to go change and/or clean up.
"Why did you do that, Yukimura?" Sanada asked curiously.
"Because it's interesting," was the captain's only reply.
Sanada felt a shiver go down his spine and wisely choose not to say anything. He silently pitied whoever was involved in Yukimura Seiichi's scheme.
"So, I'll see you at school on Monday then?" asked Reiya. Aya nodded.
"Yup, sorry we can't meet up tomorrow, on Sundays my family usually goes places together." Reiya smiled. Family outings, huh? Must be nice.
"No, it's fine. Bye."
"Bye!" The other girl waved cheerily as they parted ways. Reiya turned in the other direction and started walking home. It was silent, and she almost jumped when her ringtone sounded. She glanced at the screen of her phone, which read δΈζε η.
Nakamura-sensei? she wondered, accepting the call and holding the phone up to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Reiya, have you decided yet?"
"What?"
"The concerto for two violins, you numbskull." Reiya ignored the insult, since she was very used to it.
"The duet thing. Right. Uh...well sure, why not?"
"Good, I'll send you the address of your partner, since I usually go to his house for his lessons. See you there tomorrow." The call ended. A few seconds later, her phone beeped, and Reiya opened the new message. She frowned slightly when she saw the location.
"Tokyo, huh. I guess I'll take the train there."