"Help someone, you earn a friend. Help someone too much, you make an enemy"- Erol Ozan

My name is Smith Kaito, Kaito Smith. I was in an accident. I lost my left hand and lower left leg. My parents are Johnathan Smith and Harumi Yamamoto. I live at Yamaku Academy. My friends are Hanako, Hisao and Lilly. I'm going shopping with Hanako today.

I got to the class a little later, noticing the bags under people's eyes. I guess not everyone was home early last night.

Hanako was already there, as well as Hisao, Misha and Shizune.

Hanako seemed to stiffen as I sat down, rising from her own chair to come and speak to me "G...Good morning Kaito"

"Hi" I greeted her as brightly as I could, although my face may have fallen a little as I noticed how uncomfortable she looked. I decided not to say anything, for fear of scaring her off.

"A-About today..." she said

I nodded "Do you want to go after class?"

"S-Sure" she gave the smallest smile

"Great" I smiled as she returned to her seat.

Mutou came in not long after, looking even more zombie-like than normal. He gave us questions from the textbook and just collapsed into his chair.

The day went by without further incident, and when the class ended, I rose to meet with Hanako.

"Kaito!" Misha's voice called after me, stopping me in my tracks. She was standing over by Shizune, who in turn had cornered Hisao "We could always use your help as well"

"Sorry" I mumbled "But I have things to do" I vainly gestured in the direction of Hanako, who was standing by the door, bag in hand.

"BWAHAHA!" Misha laughed "You move fast, don't you Kaito? We won't disturb your date any further! Bwhahaha!"

Wait, what? "It's not...I mean I'm not...She's not..." I didn't think about it that way. This wasn't a date, was it? We were just going shopping.

I felt a tugging on my shirt sleeve. It was Hanako, staring at the floor. My mind calmed, at least enough for coherent thought.

"L...Let's..." Hanako struggled to speak

I nodded "Okay" I turned to the others "We have to go. Bye"

As we left the gates I couldn't help but notice that Hanako was standing incredibly close to me now. Well, not enough to be "close", but closer than normal. I smiled at her.

Hanako seemed baffled by my expression "W-What's the matter...?"

My mind struggled for a brief moment. I wasn't used to my expressions being questioned "I, uh...You just looked nervous is all. I was um...trying to make you feel better, I guess"

Hanako's gaze never left the ground in front of her "R-Right"

I felt bad. Bad that Hanako looked so stressed. Bad because I was starting to think that I was part of the reason why.

"You do this every week" I reminded her in an attempt to put her at ease "Right?"

"Y-Yes" she answered "With Lilly"

Right. That was the problem. She probably had never left the school without Lilly before. She seemed really dependent on Lilly.

"...I'm here" I said after a moment of silence "We won't be long. We'll get back soon"

Hanako smiled a little and a bit of colour came back to her face, but she didn't say anything.

And so we travelled, side-by-side, the crowd of students eventually thinning into nothing. By the time we arrived at the store, we were practically alone.

Hanako used me like a shield between me and the attendant while we ducked in and out of the aisles, adding stuff into the basket.

Bread. Milk. Tea. Thyme, wait what?

"What you making?" I asked.

"What?" she seemed a little spooked by the sound of my voice.

"All these mixed spices" I explained "What do you need them for?"

Hanako's gaze fell to the floor again "I..." she mumbled "...sometimes...like to m-make food"

I was intrigued "Cool. Could you show me how? Can I try what you make?"

"S-Sure" she smiled, although she still had an uncertain look in her eye.

When we were done, Hanako handed me the basket and some money "C-C-Could you p-please..."

I wasn't too sure what she wanted me to...Oh. She wanted me to pay for it. Admittedly, I wasn't very comfortable about talking to others. But I also knew Hanako was far worse, and she was kind of depending on me.

"Oh. Um, sure. No problem. Let me just, um, get some...some stuff..." I grabbed a few things for myself and rushed to the counter.

The guy didn't even give me a second look, which I sighed in relief to (maybe a little bit louder than intended). I guess students came by here often.

When we headed back, it didn't look like there was any one around. Hanako seemed to visibly open up with the lack of people. She was standing straighter, her head held a little higher. It was almost as if she was enjoying herself now. That made me a little better.

We sorted out our bags outside the girls dorm. My stuff looked kind of bland compared to hers. A part of me wanted to stay, but I had homework to do, and I told her as such "Will you be okay with all that?" I gestured to her bags.

"Y-Yeah"

I nodded "Okay. Bye then"

"B-bye" she smiled

We parted ways and I returned to my dorm for the night.

That night I came to a conclusion. I hated homework.

I woke up the next day sweating. It was going to be a warm day it seemed. I was hating it already.

Not everyone seemed to feel the same way however. While everyone appeared to not have the energy for class, most were looking out the windows with longing rather than contempt. I just wanted to return to my room. I had a fan there, and I needed to spend more time on my painting.

Which reminds me, I need to find more paint.

I was considering "borrowing" some from the art department when Hanako came and spoke to me at the end of class "K...Kaito?"

I smiled in greeting, my attention completely on her "Yeah?"

She was holding a lunch bag in her hand, but it still took me a while to connect the dots (I blamed the heat) "Lunch?"

She gave a shy nod "I...I brought enough for everyone..."

"Awesome!" My grin got a little bigger, knowing I'd get free food "We going to the tea room?"

"P...Please. Lilly said she'll meet us there, so we should...should..."

I waited for her to finish her sentence "Should?"

"...Should go ahead together..."

I nodded "Okay".

The tea room was cooler than the classroom, which I liked. Hanako slowly spread out her food for four. I guess Hisao was coming as well. He and Lilly had spent a lot of time together lately.

"Do we start without them?" I wondered aloud, the pairs absence quite obvious in the silence.

"T-They'll be here soon..." Hanako said, struggling with the lid of a container of rice.

"You want...You want a hand with that?" I asked, not really sure if I should have done so.

She handed it to me, and I already realised a problem: I only had one working hand. Regardless of my handicap, I tried to force the lid open to no avail. More than a little frustrated, I just resorted to hit it with fake hand, which also didn't work. I made a little growling noise in the back of throat.

"N-No luck?" Hanako spoke

I shook my head.

"Hey guys" came Hisao's voice from the door. He and Lilly had arrived

"Something wrong?" he asked, noticing our expressions

"Can't get this open" I explained, handing the container to him. He tried his luck with it, only to come to the same outcome.

"Did you put the rice in when it was still hot?" he asked me. He must have thought it was my rice.

"I was in a rush..." Hanako explained.

"That's the problem then" Hisao shrugged "We'd need hot water to get it open"

"How about I contribute to todays meal" Lilly suggested, holding a bag of assorted buns "Hisao and I were late, so we thought we'd get something as well"

"Okay" I shrugged

Hisao helped Lilly set out all her bread while Hanako hastily made tea.

"Well, I'm looking forward to this" Hisao said to the silence.

We ate in relative silence for the most part. Hanako kept stealing glances at me. It took me a while, but it occured to me she was looking for my opinion.

"This is good" I said "You make this with the stuff you got yesterday?"

"Y-Yes. I w-wanted to show you, s-seeing as you were asking..."

"Hanako's always liked to experiment with her food. I think it's good...most of the time" Lilly said

Hisao chuckled. Not sure why. Lilly only just started eating.

"It's good" I said again "Thanks"

"Y-You're welcome"

It wasn't long before the table was empty and all the food was eaten. Well, all but the rice.

"Thank you Hanako" Lilly said "That was filling"

"N-No..." Hanako responded "Thank you for the bread..."

I nodded in agreement "Yeah"

Hisao smiled, turning to Lilly "Well I guess that was a good idea after all"

Lilly smiled as well "Indeed. You're both very welcome"

As she rose from her seat Lilly spoke to me "Kaito? Might I ask something of you?"

I shrugged "Okay?"

"Could I feel your face?"

I was a little thrown by the question. It wasn't one I knew how to react to "Why?"

Lilly gave a small (maybe embarrassed?) smile "Well, it's occurred to me that I don't actually know what you look like. I know Hanako's and Hisao's faces, so I thought it would only be right if I asked you as well"

I see. It was merely her own way of knowing my appearance. "Um, okay then"

She smiled and came to me. Reaching out her right hand to touch me, her hand hit my collarbone. "Oh. Sorry" she said

"I'm tall" I explained, moving her hand further upward with my own. It took me a brief moment that I had touched her hand with my prosthetic, which Lilly seemed to be a little surprised by.

"You..." she spoke, her fingers gently running across my artificial palm, intertwining with my fingers "...have an artificial hand"

I nodded "Yep. Fake leg too" My glance went over to Hanako, who was watching on in silence "I was uh, in an accident. It's why I'm here"

"I understand" Lilly said, her hand moving up to touch my face. She moved her hand carefully across, as if memorising every feature (which I suppose was what she was doing). She ran her hands through my short hair. Her fingers traced the lines of my scars, the big one over my temple, the smaller one on my bottom lip, another over my eye.

It was only a moment, but in my self-conscious mind it felt like an hour. Satisfied, Lilly stepped away with a smile "Thank you, Kaito, for letting me do that. I see now why Hanako likes you so much"

I smiled at that. Hanako on the other hand went a strange shade of red and dropped her gaze, while Hisao was trying in vain to hide a smile, like he had thought of a joke. Why? Friends like each other. Isn't that normal?

Lilly left before the rest of us, intent on making it back to class before the bell.

I gazed out into the sky. I found myself wondering why I was angry with it earlier. The wispy white clouds against the blue background that was the sky suddenly seemed very entrancing to me. Within the peaceful quiet of the tea room it almost felt as if we were locked away from the rest of the world, in our own small bubble of tranquillity. If it weren't for the ringing of the bell I don't know how long I would have spent staring at that sky.

"Guys" Hisao's voice broke the silence "We should probably head back now"

I forced myself to look away from the sky and look at him, then at Hanako, who didn't seem like she wanted to leave either.

"Not...just yet..." she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Are you sure?" Hisao spoke "If we go now, we can still get there on time"

Hanako's hands were wringing a little in her lap. Wasn't that a nervous gesture?

"I can stay" I said, smiling at her before addressing Hisao "You go on ahead"

"You sure?"

"Yeah"

So Hisao left, and it was just Hanako and I once more. I enjoyed these moments, the brief moments of silence. It was peaceful, and Hanako was at peace, which I was starting to think was a rarity.

The final bell to mark the end of lunch passed within what seemed a blink of the eye. Still we sat there, with only each other and the sky for company, savouring the silence.

But alas, I knew it could not last "You wanna go now?" I sighed "I mean, they'll be expecting us. Probably.

Hanako sighed "You're right"

So together, we rose from our seats and left for class together. It seemed like a longer walk than usual to the classroom. I guessed that was just because neither of us truly wanted to go. Eventually we came to the classroom door, and I went in first, braced for a lecture. But it never came. Mutou hadn't arrived yet.

"Bwhahaha! The lovers return!" Misha's voice rang out in a sing-song voice.

I couldn't understand her use of words. Lovers? It was certainly a strong word. I felt Hanako's weight press into my back as she tried to hide herself from the eyes of the class.

We were just friends.

Eventually, she broke away from me to make her own way to her seat, and I went to mine. Mutou came in not long after, talking as if he was in the middle of a speech. My mind tuned it out as it normally did while I took my pencil and started to doodle on my desk again.

"Glad you made it" Hisao whispered to me.

"The teacher may not have noticed your tardiness, but I did" Misha also whispered to me "I've been told to let you off the hook this time, on one condition..."

"Here it comes" I heard Hisao grumble

"You help us out this afternoon" Misha said.

I met her golden gaze. Misha irritated me. I hated to say it, but she did. She was too loud and a little too...uncaring for personal boundaries.

"I'll think about it" I told her.

Misha shrugged as if my answer was enough to satisfy her. At least she was quiet for the rest of the day.

"K-Kaito?" Hanako's voice reached my ears almost the minute class ended.

"Yeah?"

"I...I was going to the library and...and I thought..."

I nodded, seizing my chance to escape Misha and Shizune's task. Moving quickly, I put a hand on Hanako's back ans gently pushed her out into the hall. It wasn't until we were around the corner before I'd realised my faux pas.

"Sorry!" I quickly said, my hand dropping away from her "It's just we-I needed to get away quick. They're relentless and I didn't want to help them 'cause I think they're annoying and I...I'm sorry"

Hanako's eyes looked like saucers, her cheeks a funny red colour "It's uh...It's okay"

"Right. Sorry" Desperate to change the topic, I blurted "Library?" hopeful to just move on and forget it all happened.

"S-Sure"

Eventually we made our way to the library. When we made our way in, Hanako rushed to the counter where Yuuko was and whispered something in her ear.

"Um," I heard Yuuko say "You'd find that in non-fiction, but I don't know where, exactly. If you want I can look it up..."

"N-Never mind" Hanako said in response

"What's up?" I asked, curious to the subject of their conversation.

"Oh, Kaito..." Yuuko regarded me with a warm smile "Hanako was just looking for a book on..."

"N-Nothing..." Hanako spoke over her, much to my surprise.

"A book on nothing? In non-fiction?" I was understandably confused

Hanako looked slightly flustered "I...I was just..."

I looked at Yuuko. She looked like she was either going to self-combust or have an "accident" from the seeming pressure.

"Okay...If you don't want to tell me..."

"Chess!" Yuuko's voice startled me with it's volume "She's looking for a chess book!"

Hanako's face dropped "Y-Yuuko..."

"I'm sorry Hanako" her face looked one of horrid regret "It just slipped out"

I was confused why such a request needed to be a secret, but nonetheless I carried on like all was well (as best as I could anyway) "Oh-kay. You want to go look for it?"

Hanako gave me another weird look, or at least one I couldn't explain (looked like a cross with embarrassment with...something else) "O...Okay"

So while Yuuko hid behind the counter in apparent shame, Hanako and I delved into the non-fiction section. I knew the layout of library like the back of my hand now, although it did still take us a while to find it. But we did. A single paperback called "Chess Tactics for Champions". I reach for it, but Hanako snatches it before I can, holding it close to her chest. I was a little thrown by her behaviour, but smiled anyway "Okay then"

"S-Sorry" she looked sheepish "It's just I had only ever played L-Lilly before so I thought..."

I came to the conclusion that deep down, she was a bit of a sore loser. I didn't mean to beat her in our last game, but she seemed to have taken it personally.

"Okay" I made a vague, pointing gesture "I'm going to go find a book. Meet you in the usual spot"

"S-Sure"

I found my book in no time of course, and was quick to meet with Hanako at the beanbags. If I were being really honest, I didn't read much. I kept getting distracted by Hanako. She looked completely absorbed in her book, with a level of concentration and yet simultaneous calm that I had rarely seen on her face before. She brushed a bit of hair out of her face, which showed off a bit of scar tissue. I found myself staring again, determined to try and capture the detail of the burn into my mind. I didn't ask this time though, I knew that would only upset her.

Eventually, we were approached by Yuuko "Sorry to interrupt, but I have to close the library now"

I blinked slowly, as if waking from deep sleep. I hadn't realised the passage of time.

"Time flies" I said to Hanako

"Do you want to check out those books?" Yuuko asked us "I can do it on the way out..."

We both nodded

"Yeah, okay"

"P-Please"

Nodding, Yuuko led us back to the counter, where she did her job with practiced precision. The three then left the library together.

"Argh!" Yuuko made a loud panicked...bark (I guess you could call it), staring at the clock in the hallway "I didn't think it was this late already..."

"Then...why didn't you close-"

I never got another word in. Yuuko had already ran away. She was weird.

"Huh?" was Hanako's voice. I guess I said that last bit aloud.

"I uh, just meant that she was a little...um...neurotic?"

"Oh...I k-know what you mean..." she smiled for brief moment, as if recalling something funny "I...I have to get back"

"To the dorms?"

"Y-Yeah"

"Right. I guess it is that time already. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Okay"

I started walking away before I felt compelled t speak more "Hanako? Thanks for um...you know...spending time with me"

Hanako seemed a little surprised by my words "N-No problem"

"You wanna come with me?" I asked "If we're both heading to the dorms, it just occurred to me that we may as well travel together"

"O-Okay"

So we made our way to the dorm buildings together and bid each other goodnight.

I painted a little bit, but soon gave up. I was out of paint now. I'd have to get my hands on some more before I could do anything else with it.

Author's Note

Amazing how much you can write in a single night! Especially when you're sleep-deprived