Operation: {Type F}: [Tiring]
Two Days Later
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
The sun was shining brightly like usual as people, old and young alike, where currently walking amidst the sidewalks passing cars drove by the road.
"That did not happen" Takajo muttered as he wore his uniform alongside with his bag, walking through the sidewalk like other people.
It had been Takajo's first time where he could, for once, agree with what his mother had said.
It had been Takajo's first time where he could admit a day can indeed become unusual.
It had been Takajo's first time where he could had experienced, as what many people state as the so called "Joy of Youth"
...It had also been Takajo's first time where he had been dragged unceremoniously from left to right within the slim yet strong arms of the enthusiastic and excited girl known as Sara Menako.
Takajo then shook his head as he tried to get rid of that thought but failed when his thoughts keep diverting to the events that happened.
"At least I did some counter-measures" Takajo said with an unsure tone indicating that he was not quite sure with his own actions at all.
In that particular day, Takajo had experienced what it means to have a carefree and a friend that you can depend on.
But the term "can depend on" was distorted to "never escape from" as the girl literally all around the park as the girl clearly displayed her eagerness of making a new friend, if said friend was really overwhelmed and even forced, as the both of them played the whole afternoon.
Even though only a day had passed since he had met the girl, Takajo can accurately describe said girl's personality already, that he had the "pleasure" of meeting.
The enthusiastic part was really clear as, Sara showed rather high levels of cheerfulness the whole afternoon. She also showed oblivious tendencies as in the sense of not even getting his consent to spend his afternoon with her in the first place. An almost perfect example of an everyday kid that Takajo had been seeing in his life, though he somewhat knew that she was probably one of a kind where she practically had an endless supply of energy compare to others.
Though there was only one thing that made him confused of his overall overview of the girl, and that only one thing was the very aspect that made him stay, even though he was raring to escape the girl.
But before that, the "counter-measures" that he had stated was that after he had "escaped" the girl's surprisingly tight grip of the girl, said escape opportunity was in the form of the girl's mother who called her afterwards, though Takajo could have sworn that the female was observing them earlier.
So he briefly met his mother and even offered a little greeting before he heard the girl's words, which weirdly intensified whatever emotions that he felt then and there as he proceeded to sprint. Then upon reaching his house, he proceeded to barricade himself in his own room for the evening and even the following day as he can hear the sound of his own mother's complaints of calling him to go down from his room, which he promptly ignored the following day as well.
Today however, he didn't escape the earful that he had gotten from the enraged female known as his mother.
"That was for the best... I think" Takajo said as he scratched his head, realizing that his behavior after his supposed fateful encounter with the girl, the usual way that he manage himself and dealt with others were magnificently and brilliantly destroyed and thrown out the window.
"Yep" Takajo nodded to himself. "That's only natural for a human to act after all" he stated as he agreed on his own conclusion of the matter.
I mean, it's only natural for a reclusive and asocial teenager such as Takajo to lock himself in his own room to arrange his so called overwhelming feelings of that particular day and how he was forcibly maneuvered to spend the whole afternoon with a person that was practically his anti-thesis.
Satisfied with his thoughts, Takajo then walked faster realizing that the girl was probably just around the neighborhood and could have probably "attack" him out of nowhere, as he decided to continue his thoughts later.
A Few Minutes Later
Kiryuu Academy
[Play: Asa (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
In a certain building, some of the children were hurrying to return towards their own classroom, while some of them, who had returned, was just chatting with each other as they waited for afternoon classes to arrive.
"This is not possible" Takajo grumbled out as he had his face covered by his novel to hide the nervousness that he didn't show quite often.
After he had plopped himself on his seat and had taken out the book that the girl from two days ago had forced him to borrow, he should probably ask her name this time, he had found that his thoughts keep diverging towards the particular unusual encounter that he had and had once again thought of the encounter.
Takajo had met a so called would-be-unusual-friend named as Sara Menako, which he had given himself enough mind and effort to deny and even though he was feeling pressured, for once. He focused on the way the girl acted as a, just as he stated, anti-thesis of his character.
It was due to the fact that he could have met the most impervious human that could counter him quite efficiently in his life, which he didn't even give another second to deny.
He saw how the girl would continuously and magnificently destroy his so called "efficient way of dealing with anyone" that he had followed in his life.
Whenever he tried to dismiss talking, the girl would just follow it with an irrelevant topic.
Whenever he would say something blunt and show a fake smile, the girl would just be cheerful and show a smile that spoke of radiance.
Whenever he would try to dissuade the girl with "polite" words accompanied with "maintaining eye-contact", the girl would just continue talking endlessly whilst weirdly listing it every time in the small notebook that she held.
And when Takajo was out of anymore options, he eventually considered just leaving abruptly and escaping the girl that was talking too much while she made sounds of writing.
But that failed rather brilliantly for some reason.
That also resulted in the first time where he had met a girl with a very strong grip.
Takajo then rubbed his arm that the girl grasp very tightly and even with his so called mature mind, he didn't know why someone, and a girl for that matter, was way too strong for her age.
Well, not that he can deny that he was a bit similar to her... in a different aspect of course.
This was what he was talking about the peculiar thing about the girl.
"Interesting..."
There were times where she just stops abruptly for a few seconds to look at him with eyes something akin to calculating and analyzing as if she was looking through his whole being that managed made him feel rather wary for some reason, it mostly happens when he does a particular action that made the girl deem him as interesting which confused and bewildered him to a degree from her random pauses as she accompanied those pauses with writing something on her small notebook which was probably the reason why he had been reluctant in escaping her.
Aside from the overall keen and enthusiastic behavior displayed by the girl, whom Takajo didn't want to face again, he could even admit that he was slightly curious as to why the girl acts that way, which divides her from the other people he knew.
"I...rem..."
Takajo could admit that there were only a few, if not, handful of things that makes him curious.
Anyways, Takajo only managed to escape when the girl's mother had arrived and made a small greeting, though Takajo could distinguish the happy yet slight concerned expression on her face as she looked at Sara, for reasons he doesn't know. The girl, seeing her mother, just gave a displeased expression and as if they were communicating which what seemed a stare off from the mother and daughter, the latter relented with a sigh before following.
Of course not with a follow up reply of "I will be watching you" from the girl before she followed her mother.
That made Takajo shiver on the spot, even though the girl said it with a bright smile... which was probably the first reason why the boy reacted that way.
As Takajo sighed from his seat, he then tried to focus on what he was reading but that proved to be somewhat hard, knowing himself that his mind was unsettled with the recent encounter that he had.
He knew that there was probably a chance that he could meet that particular girl again, he could only hope that the girl would forget about him entirely, which prove unlikely as Takajo remembered that she had indeed written his name on her notebook which makes things more complicated.
Nonetheless, he would approached her calmly seeing that he assured himself that whatever unusual happened that day wouldn't repeat itself. Though he knew that girl would somehow make that mindset shatter into pieces quite easily.
"Well things shouldn't possibly get worse, can't they?" Takajo mused as he read while sounds of chatter where heard inside the classroom.
The only good thing that happened after that encounter was that Takajo didn't see Sara since that day, except the fact that he did lock himself in his own room. Takajo could only sigh in relief, imagining if the girl did somehow find her way to this room, the days of unusual, irritation and sighing would never end.
Words were sometimes really powerful indeed.
[Play: Ihyou (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Eh?" Takajo said as he felt someone's arm encircled on his shoulders while someone's head was currently placed on his chest.
Looking below he could discern that it was a girl with blond hair while seemingly wearing the same colored uniform as him albeit for girls.
Takajo's mind finally rebooted after a few seconds, realizing the girl that was currently embracing him without inhibitions.
Lo and behold, the girl that Takajo regarded as his anti-thesis and counter-part that shattered his outlook many times over.
"No...this must be a joke..." Takajo muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Jiro-kun!"
"*Wah!* Takajo tumbled backwards from the sudden shout as he dragged his chair with him towards the floor. "*Ow*" he groaned while Sara, who was in front of his table, just looked at him funny.
"You're surprised!" Sara said with a very excited tone that Takajo heard as he immediately stood up before looking at the girl.
"W-What are you doing here?!" Takajo pointed a finger towards Sara, who just tilted her head confused.
"Me? I just sprinted here when I saw you!" Sara said.
"I mean, what are you doing HERE?!" Takajo repeated whilst pointing towards the ground which Sara had finally get, somewhat.
"I just used my feet, Jiro-kun" Sara said with a tilt of her head with the same confused tone while Takajo just looked at her dumbly.
"That's really obvious, thank you very much!" Takajo shouted as he realized something. "And how many times have I told you to not call me with that accursed nickname!" he added.
Despite only meeting about a day, Sara had already given Takajo a nickname that made the former's rage more apparent. He was enduring the way his own mother called him as "Joji-kun", and now another nickname that Takajo could've sworn was many times more irritating was created by the girl in front of him.
He always did hate how people alter his name to something short and cute.
"Why?" Sara asked. "It's short and cute right?" she stated, unknowingly saying his thoughts much to Takajo's growing frustration.
Takajo was about to open his mouth before promptly closing it as he palmed his face.
Aside from the irritating nickname, he had been sure that meeting the girl was slim to none and he had been planning to think of many scenarios where he would avoid her and just potentially make the girl forget about him about a few days' tops, which he thought of the time enough to act as a failsafe plan in order to reduce the possibility of the girl finding him.
It seems that fate has other ideas though.
"Oh Sara-chan" Takajo heard a voice from in front of the classroom, upon seeing that it was the teacher, he turned to look at Sara who just nodded and raise her right arm.
"Hai!" Sara said with a cheerful tone. "I'm finally here sensei!" she added making the teacher smile.
Takajo was slightly confused as to why the teacher was seemingly familiar by the girl in front of him before his eyes widen in realization that it was because of-
"How about you introduce yourself as our new friend?" the teacher urged, clasping her hand.
Well, that certainly answers his question, quite harshly in fact despite him already knowing what the circumstances was.
As Takajo just seated with a low groan, he set his eyes towards Sara, who was now currently walking forward before making a stop in front of the class as she turned around to show a dazzling smile.
"Hello everyone!" Sara greeted with a wave of her hand. "My name is Sara Menako" she bowed as she introduced herself. "And I'm looking forward to work with you all!" she added while the class just gave claps.
Takajo halfheartedly listening towards Sara's introduction just gave an out a sigh, as he knew that his life of peace and quiet would undoubtedly be gone forever because of one reason in the form of Sara Menako.
After her introduction, Sara declared that she would be seated beside Takajo, but as the latter tried to oppose, he immediately remembered that the seating arrangements were based on the teacher's decision and if students wanted to move to another seat, and it was never the students themselves to criticize anyone from seating anywhere.
And seeing that the only empty seat was beside him, that he had been secretly guarding, it was only the natural choice.
After Class
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
As the bell rung indicating that school hours were over, students cheer can be heard from the building holding grade schoolers as they each went towards the doors while parents and teachers alike tried to call out to them but failed as the schoolers dashed.
"Goodbye everyone!" the teacher said amidst the noisy classroom once again as children immediately flooded the door.
Takajo, unlike everyone, proceeded to place his notebooks and other things inside his bag before sighing as he knew that today's class was over and he could finally have some rest from what happened earlier.
When he said earlier, he was referring to Sara as she pestered him the whole time during class. Despite only knowing her for only one day, he had notice that the girl in front of him was too excited to say the least.
By disturbing his peace and quiet and the class in general, she also sometimes make rather crude comments when finding something bored, and most of all, she would always talk to him every ten seconds and even open her small notebook as a guide to say something, though he didn't quite know what her actual reason to do that was.
Oh, here are some examples of three events that happened in class that solidified the character of Sara that Takajo had the pleasure in experiencing.
{Event #1}
[Play: Ihyou (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
The teacher was happily teaching the crowd of students in front of her as she wrote something on the blackboard.
"Okay class" The teacher said before turning towards them with a smile. "Can you tell me what this is-"she was cut-off when one of her students stood up.
"Look an airplane!" Sara pointed out doors making the entire class turn to the window.
"Where?! Where?!"
"I can't see it!"
"Maybe there!"
The grade schoolers immediately crowded the windows while the teacher was trying to stop them but failed when she was ignored.
Sara then nodded and gave a satisfied smirk before cleanly seating herself as she felt immense pride from distracting kids with simple machinery and aircraft object in an imaginary situatio-
"You're an idiot" Takajo retorted seeing how she seemed proud of what she did.
"Being an idiot can't get sick right?" Sara asked making Takajo reluctantly nod. "Then I'll gladly take that role to save money if I happened to pass by a medicinal store!" came her reason.
"Please think about what you just said!" Takajo shouted truthfully wanting to help his fellow student that was nuts to say the least for mentioning such a notion.
{Event #2}
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"This here class is-" the teacher was about to say when...
"I need to feed a cow" Sara said out loud as she was reading with an intent gaze towards the book with a serious expression.
The teacher was confused as to what she just said before promptly shaking her head as she returned to teaching. "O-Okay, now this is a-"
"Slaughtering a cow is indeed a good start" Sara stated again with a nod as she still had the same expression making the teacher stop her teaching once again.
"U-Um, Sara-chan" the teacher called out getting Sara's attention.
"Yes?" Sara said with the same serious expression in her face. "What seems to be the problem?"
"C-Can you read your book more quietly please?" the teacher said making Sara nod indicating for a yes, as the teacher gave a smile for her response. "Thank you, now class this is what you call as-"
[Play: Booby Trap (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"I'm bored!" Sara cried out as she threw the book upward making her body fell backwards from her sudden movement as her body lay on the floor. "I'm bored! I'm bored! I'm bored!" she repeatedly whined as she rolled side by side.
"Shut up!" Takajo shouted as he faced Sara with an irritated expression.
"I'm bored!" Sara stated again as she ignored what Takajo just said. "Oh, and look up" she randomly stated.
"What did yo- *GAH!*" Takajo with a confused expression proceeded to look up before he was cut-off when a projectile that came from above squarely hit his forehead sending him on the floor as well.
{Event #3}
[Play: Orokamonotachi (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Do you know I like interesting things?" Sara said with an eager face as she faced Takajo.
"That's great..." Takajo stated not taking his gaze off the book his reading.
"Okay then" Sara nodded as she returned to her reading.
"..."
"Do you know that I like writing stuff?" Sara stated as she faced Takajo again.
"Wonderful..." Takajo replied albeit with a visible strained expression on his face.
"Okay then" Sara nodded as she returned to her reading.
"..."
"Do you know that I survived a car crash once?" Sara mentioned making Takajo slam his book on the table as he faced her with an irritated expression.
"Shut u-!" Takajo wasn't able to continue his words as he realized what the girl said. "What?!"
"Yeah" Sara nodded as she returned to her reading. "Those were the times" she added making Takajo look at her weirdly as he was about to say something but ultimately sighed as he returned to what he was doing as well.
"..."
"Jiro-kun?" Sara called out as she faced Takajo, who slightly twitched from the nickname, as the latter faced her.
"...What?" Takajo asked as he straightened himself.
Sara just looked at him with a passive stare making Takajo feel nervous as he remembered the times where the girl often have pauses like these.
"So?" Takajo mustered up his courage and asked, sounding impatient. "What did you want to sa-" he was cut-off when Sara suddenly spoke.
"I like you a lot" Sara said with a straight tone making Takajo wide-eyed from the frank statement but calmed himself as he gave her an irritated stare.
"Don't say things like that" Takajo shook his head.
"Then should I say I absolutely despise and freaking hate you?" Sara tilted her head.
"Quite a contrast statement you have" Takajo stated with clear sarcasm.
{End}
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
Takajo, remembering those three yet so called memorable and absolutely stupid experience and taking note that he was in those events... for a reasonable reason of course.
He then looked towards Sara that was talking with some of their classmates as his mind realized and noticed something just now.
Sure she would interact with the other children but he could've sworn that she would return almost immediately right after as if she didn't want to spend time with them, though that was only his assumption.
Takajo's thoughts then diverged from something that he remembered in particular.
But those thoughts were then interrupted when someone in front of him suddenly spoke.
[Play: Ihyou (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Jiro-kun!" Sara called out as the girl slammed his hands in front of his desk making Takajo look at her as he saw the usual bright smile she always shows.
"Stop bothering me" Takajo said with a sigh standing up.
He concluded that she was done talking to her friends to bug him more, as you can see. He actually quite preferred to be not bothered by her, though that was actually his own hope that was dwindling every second as she spoke.
"Let's play after this!" she offered but was shot down when Takajo shook his head.
"I have chores that I do at home, so excuse me" Takajo excused as he stood up before walking but was stopped when Sara got in front of him to block his way.
Sara then looked at him up and down as if scanning him which made Takajo raised an eyebrow.
"What?" Takajo asked before Sara nodded.
"You really are interesting" Sara innocently stated.
"Huh?" Takajo said in a confused tone a bit puzzled by what she stated.
"I mean, you don't have any friends and don't even try to befriend anyone" Sara said bluntly making Takajo wide-eyed as he felt something break inside of him but that was completely erased when he heard what Sara said next.
"But that's only what you do to not get people to bother you" Sara said. "Maybe you find them annoying or more specifically boring in your eyes, so you turn to books" she shook his head making Takajo's eyes widen. "And one more thing... though you act mature but you show independence more than anything judging from how you talk about chores" she concluded making Takajo's surprise dim. "But when something unexpected happen, you tend to lose your composure just like yesterday" she offhandedly say unaware to Takajo's shifting demeanor.
[Play: Munesawagi (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
Takajo stared at her with narrowed eyes that Sara didn't notice as she was speaking.
It had been... rather easy for the girl to come up with those conclusions despite them only meeting less than a day. She practically had listed almost, if not, some of Takajo's traits that other people his age didn't notice or even state to him bluntly.
Takajo then felt wariness crept up to his skin.
He knew the reason why he was now feeling wary of the girl in front of him. The way she had almost offhandedly mentioned his traits like it was the weather, which he had not been hiding yet he knew that the girl was too quick to conclude those traits with rather accurate, if not, close truths.
Nonetheless, he knew how children his age would have a hard time figuring out his true character and mindset but the girl just did it in front of him with a know-it-all tone. He can now truthfully say that he was wary of the girl since it had been the first time that someone managed to read him like a book in a very short time.
Those thoughts were magnificently shattered to what the girl said next that managed to make Takajo gape as he was feeling absolutely bewildered and stupefied for the first time or second time in his life.
[Play: Ihyou (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"All in all, you're probably a nerd!" Sara said with the brightest and innocent smile that Takajo had ever seen.
Takajo just stood silent comprehending what Sara just said with an agape mouth and wide-eyed expression in his face before he promptly closed his mouth while the twitching of his eyebrows become apparent.
He had been viewed by other's as a passive and calm person compare to other children that let's their emotions get the better of them, but it didn't mean that he was never affected by their words.
Takajo like to think of himself as a quiet and understanding person, but he could also admit that the thoughts that he had in his mind was way more heavy than any other kids his age.
Not that he was cursing them in his mind however, but more of the fact that he had been living in an environment that was too bland for his own tastes and he had concluded as something as "boring", resulting in him trying to comprehend as to why it is so. He tried to picture and put himself in the position of others so that he can understand them but that prove to be quite hard since he had already seen what people or kids his age would do.
In simpler terms, Takajo was prone to think more a of a deep level of understanding to what he had perceived in his environment, which in turn made his thoughts more "complicated" more than the others, if not, slightly.
In the case that he was now presented with, his mind had now left his earlier thoughts a while ago and was currently thinking of as to why the girl had described him as so.
He can disregard other people's opinion about him and even words that make most of kids his age wince and affect them greatly, a thing that Takajo had developed whilst he was in the so called boring society as he is now, though it often limits to mundane things like insults and curses.
Though Takajo could see that what Sara just said was an insult, he can somewhat sense that it could be a newly made nickname that would rampant if he did not take care of it.
"I'm not a nerd!" Takajo retorted, though it only made Sara laugh.
He had felt enrage and have already hated being called like that, though he also knew that would be the most likely word that other people would say to him at first glance. He also heard that a few times and can also disregard and ignore it but the way that Sara said it made him irritated for some reason.
"You are though" Sara concluded making Takajo sweatdrop before sighing as he tried to pass by the girl which failed when she blocked him again. "Hold up!" she stated making Takajo stop.
"What?" Takajo asked exasperatedly.
Takajo was now feeling tiredness from the day he had been kinda forced to endure. His day only got worse when the female that he had been thinking of avoiding was thrown at him like what she had done the first time they met.
"I could perfectly see that you don't have any friends..." Sara stated making Takajo's eyebrow twitch. "But there is me! A person that you had met from fateful kick of reality!" she declared and as Takajo was about to deny she continued again. "The cute and adorable Sara Menako!" she boasted.
"Cute?" Takajo scoffed before shaking his head. "I don't know what you mea-"*OW!*" he was forced to stop when he felt an elbow struck his stomach before attempting to glare towards Sara but failed as he froze.
[Play: Orokamonotachi (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Please continue your explanation of why you don't think I'm cute Jiro-kun~" Sara said with a smile that spoke of landmines for Takajo as he clamped his mouth shut. "I'm waiting~" she stated with a happy tone that made Takajo shiver.
Takajo didn't know how Sara managed to quickly changed her demeanor so quickly, and so horrifyingly for that matter, but he knew one wrong step may cost him his life or even worse, face the wrath of a girl that was proud of her so called cuteness.
This was a similar display and show of aura that he sometimes see and feel emanating from his mother if she founds her statements and retort to be too much or too stupid to comprehend. But nonetheless, Takajo had learned to keep his mouth shut and conditioned his body to straighten itself if another one of his mother's episodes like these would erupt.
But it did not mean that he was used to it, or even going to be used to it whatsoever, to which he can prove as he was facing a narrow-eyed Sara with a smile that was too off plastered on her face.
'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned', was the definite phrase that Takajo had found out in his novels, which he also gave his own definition that said, 'No matter how tough and cynical on the outside he may be, none would be wiser to avoid his mother's rage if deemed necessary'.
Now it got worse seeing that he had to think of the statements that he would pull to question Sara's so called cuteness.
And thus came a majestic yet crude way of getting out unharmed in this situation.
"Befriend someone else!" Takajo stated as he smoothly performed a dodged which Sara did not notice, as she lost her narrowed gaze, making him sigh in relief.
"But I want to be your friend!" Sara whined. "You're going to end up being lonely, you know?" she stated and as Takajo was about to retort to her claim, he had found out that he couldn't for some reason.
That was eerily familiar...
As Takajo shook his head to get rid of that thought, he returned his gaze to Sara, who was still talking about how he would end up as a loner in his life and how he would be hated by society making Takajo sweatdrop from her blunt yet almost harsh statements.
"So I'm here to not make you lonely!" Sara declared making Takajo's eyebrow twitch.
"I am not lonely!" Takajo exasperatedly stated, not caring if other people would hear their current argument.
He wasn't lonely! He rather like being alone and quiet after all, so he was in no way and any shape or form feeling any kind of lonesome emotion in his life even if he didn't have any friends like some other obviously lonely people would sa-
Wait... he had to rephrase that out better in his head.
"You are!" came her comment making Takajo unable to come up with a reply on that one. "And that weirdly make you more interesting!" Sara exclaimed much to Takajo's apparent confusion hearing her claim again.
He didn't know why he kept mentioning that particular phrase to describe him. He can only guess that she had probably stated that because she saw how he acts in the classroom or maybe from how she had quickly concluded almost all, if not, some of his traits that he had, like what she said earlier.
"Yes" Sara said as her excited expression dimmed before mechanically taking the pen in his ear and the small notebook on her pocket. "Interesting" she nodded before writing as she didn't took her gaze off from Takajo, who looked at her weirdly, though he can't help but feel slightly unnerved from the way Sara's expression changed abruptly.
Takajo was tempted to know why the girl would often pause but he had thought of it better to ignore it for the time being as he wasn't used to seeing Sara like that.
"Whatever" Takajo shrugged before walking ahead to only be followed by Sara much to his frustration.
Outside
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
The duo then exited the classroom as they walked amidst the hallways before leaving the building whilst seeing many grade schoolers pass by them as they dashed to each of their parents.
Takajo walked as he avoided their stride whilst Sara was just behind him with the still usual bright expression plastered on her face.
"Can you not follow me?" Takajo said still walking as he didn't turn his head around to meet Sara's eyes.
"I'm not following you" Sara stated. "I'm just walking in the same direction you are heading." she added making Takajo sigh but didn't retort to what she said. "I can see that you're also alone in your adventure!" she added.
"I can also say the same thing to you" Takajo said, though he had a reasonably explanation as to why she had noticed that particular bit.
Takajo according to him, he didn't need any more assistance in going and leaving to school as it was a part of the so called pathway to maturity... which her mother had once lectured him for quite harshly in fact.
He had told her that there was no need, which was strongly rejected by his mother, yes, but the female eventually relented when the days passed as she had seen him capable of walking such a distance, though with a reminder of staying aware all the time and close to other students or people to stay safe, which he had followed obediently, thus making her mother allowed him to do so.
Well, not that he had any plans of telling this girl about that...
"Oh! My mother didn't mind as long as I find someone to go and leave for school with me!" Sara said in a cheerful tone. "And I found one! So it's alright!" she stated much to Takajo's confusion.
If she had claimed that then, she would have indeed found someone to accompany her. But in his short time as she followed him, he had found no one that had come with her so-
"...Can you tell me who it is?" Takajo asked stopping his walked prompting Sara to stop also, though he already knew who it was, as he begrudgingly waited for her confirmation before he faced her direction seeing a grin on her face much to his horror.
"Isn't it obvious?" Sara tilted her head whilst keeping her grin. "You! Of course!" she declared as she spread her hands wide making Takajo gape.
Takajo stood there looking at the bright grin that Sara displayed that made the latter a bit pissed seeing that particular expression.
"No" Takajo replied with a shake of his hand for dismissal.
"Just go with it!" Sara exclaimed. "And I thank you in advance for accompanying from here on out!" she bowed under the gaze of the now stupefied Takajo.
"Why me?!" Takajo managed to exclaim after a few seconds making Sara giggle as she looked at Takajo again.
"We're living in the same neighborhood!" Sara stated much to the boy's confusion. "More specifically we're neighbors!" she pointed out while Takajo's expression to one of shock again from hearing her claim.
"That's impo-" Takajo said before stopping himself as he realized something. "You mean you live there?!" he said indicating for the newly rented house just right beside them.
He remembered that there indeed was a house that had been rented just recently, he himself had always passed by it as he was going to school and the girl had probably seen him outside or just noticed that he was living next door, which made him conclude that his hiding had proved to be ineffective in the first place.
"Yes!" Sara said in a loud tone before looking at the still shocked Takajo. "Let's be neighbors from today onwards Jiro-kun!" she exclaimed much to Takajo's irritation about two things.
One was...
"I thought I told you to not call me by that name!" Takajo shouted before chasing Sara who just dodged as she sprinted ahead.
"Catch me if you can!" Sara stuck out her tongue further provoking the poor boy, as Takajo greeted his teeth before chasing her while the girl just laughed. "Too slow nerdy Jiro-kun!" she teased using the two nicknames that Takajo scorned as she was running.
"You!" Takajo said as he continued to run whilst hearing the laughter of the girl that was provoking him.
The duo then ran across the street as they made their way towards their home as they were now officially stated as neighbors and unofficially stated as friends despite only hours since they met, according to Takajo that is.
Takajo Household
Few Minutes Later
[Play: Asa (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
As the front door of the house was opened, a person with a really tired and hollow look in his face proceeded to take his shoes off before going inside the living room.
"Joji-kun!" a female voice called out, though it didn't make Takajo stop him from plopping on the sofa whilst keeping his tired expression. "Is that you?" his mother asked again.
Takajo just sighed as he brought a palm on his face before hearing someone's step enter the living room as well, though he didn't uncover his face as he knew who it already was.
"Tough day Joji-kun?" his mother said as he entered with a tray of refreshments as she placed it in the table before seating on another couch.
"You could say- no..." Takajo was about to say before shaking his head. "It was absolutely tiring" he stated making the mother raised an eyebrow.
"Anything unusual happened?" his mother asked as she heard his son just grumble something in the lines of "literally". "So what is it?" the female asked wanting to know what made her son act like this. "And does it have anything to do as to why you suddenly barricaded yourself in your own room?" the way Takajo flinched slightly made her question answered.
The mother was really curious as to why Takajo was acting the way he is now. She remembered the past two days were her son just barged in the house without much of a reply from her greeting as he went up to his room to lock himself.
She had thought of it as just him having a bad day but when the following day arrived, she had found out that her son had stayed in his room for the whole day unlike what he would do before. She tried persuading him to come out of his room but the only response that he got was a "Go away!" or "Leave me alone!" which the female angry and worried at the same time.
She had known her son to be the composed and calm type albeit with some noisy tendencies that she knew he would only show to her, but nonetheless, his personality usually centers around those two states with his so called maturity that her son always spouts, which was at the same time adorable and irritating to say the least.
But now seeing him tired and show an expression akin to irritation, the mother concluded that something unusual did happen in his school or even the day where her son had locked himself in his room.
"So?" his mother said patiently wanting to ease the worried of her son.
Takajo then uncovered his face as he stared at his mother with uncertainty before sighing as he spoke.
"Well, there was this girl tha-" Takajo was interrupted, just as he guessed, by his mother.
[Play: Ihyou (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Girl?!" his mother shouted. "A girl attempts to take my Jijo-kun!" she howled but Takajo hearing her just twitched an eyebrow.
Apart from the caring and thoughtful mother that Takajo always knew along with their banters, the boy knew that his mother's protectiveness of him could reach zero to fifty if she had heard him mentioning a girl for some reason.
Takajo had proven this where he had mentioned the particular girl that would often send him letters of so called "love", upon hearing him continue, his mother had been absolutely livid to know the details of who the girl is with a happy and delightful smile on her face, that many would've probably mistaken for a pleased woman for finding out that his son was garnering attention from the females if it wasn't for how the smile was crooked and the mutterings of "a wench dares to take my Jijo-kun?" in the softest tone possible.
Takajo then decided from that day onward to never mention anything related to a girl in front of his mother, lest her rage would increase tremendously and the first reason why he had tried to lecture the girl that keep sending him those letters in the first place... which was constantly failing.
"I'm not yours!"Takajo retorted. "And this is more complicated than that!" he added seeing how his mother's gaze seemed murderous before she reverted it to a normal one.
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"That's a relief" the mother said while Takajo just raised an eyebrow.
"You're going to keep me from getting married if you keep that up you know?" Takajo said.
"But how can you get married if you can't even get friends in the first place" the mother pointed out with a blank tone making Takajo flinched as he knew that his mother had not gotten it from her preferences but more of a fact.
"A-Anyway!" Takajo coughed as he adjusted his glasses. "This girl just barged in my reading and suddenly claimed me to be her friend for some reason" he added whilst subconsciously rubbing the back of his head from the kick he had the pleasure of feeling.
Takajo expected her mother to react whether it was a scream of murder or a snide remark but he did not expect his mother to well-up in tears before promptly hugging Takajo's head.
"My son finally made a friend!" his mother shouted joyously as she tightened her embrace on Takajo.
"S-Stop it!" Takajo said as he got out of his mother's embrace as the latter stood up.
"This is a very wonderful day!" the female jumped in joy before adopting a thoughtful look. "You should invite her to come here every now and then and maybe we can have a party!" she suggested much to Takajo's disbelief.
"That won't be necessary!" Takajo retorted but sighed as he saw how his mother was already listing plans to hold the so called honorary step of starting a friendship that made Takajo's eyebrow twitch.
Takajo then sighed as he closed his eyes feeling tired and exhausted from the day he just spent as he continued his thoughts from earlier about the two things that made him irritated about this situation.
Two...he knew that, even if he doesn't admit it, this day was a turn shift of his life that happened rather quickly as he met someone that would undoubtedly annoy him today onwards and also disrupt his peace and quiet from now on.
Groaning from displeasure, Takajo then stood up before leaving his still talking mother in the living room as he proceeded to go upstairs to his room to change his outfit.
If one asked Takajo what was his opinion about this day, he would undoubtedly say the words...
"...This day is really tiring"