Operation: {Type F}: [What?]
One Month Later
Takajo Household
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"It had been a month" Takajo stated as he was lying on his bed while his eyes were directed towards the ceiling.
"Yes indeed... it had been a month already" Sara said with nod as she had a wise expression.
"..."
"... What are you doing here?" Takajo said as he palmed his face, while Sara was amusedly watched him with a grin that the boy knew all too well.
If there was ever a nerdy yet fine looking boy with a strange and fixed perception of society as he regard it as something boring, as well as having the accompanied loner attitude and finally who loves his internal monologue...
"Good morning Jiro-kun!" Sara greeted with a bright smile that Takajo knew all too well.
The boy just stared at the girl who was currently sitting on the edge of his bed, just adjacently positioned to him whilst wearing the usual school uniform, who was also currently exuding an excitement that reached unbelievable catastrophic levels... already.
"It's way too damn early" Takajo stated after a few seconds of silence before he got his mouth clamped by the girl in front of him.
"Language, Jiro-kun!" Sara lectured whilst haveing her hand over Takajo's mouth, who just brushed it away.
"Let me repeat what I just said..." Takajo said before taking a deep sigh as he opened his mouth. "...What are you doing here?" he repeated once again.
This was actually (kind of) a normal encounter that Takajo had the pleasure of witnessing when about two weeks have passed since the girl, or more accurately the human, known as Sara Menako had intruded on his life.
If you think the girl's early morning... routine, was bad. Takajo himself have been seeing the girl's smiling face, first thing in the morning as the girl herself would pick him up for school. And not like he can actually protest to what the girl was doing... well he can, but he was mostly not willing to face the monste- I mean, woman known as his mother.
And since there were no kind of solution to his problem whatsoever, he was forced to endure the multitude of days were he would see the exact same person that he had regarded as-
"I wanted to see your sleeping face again, Jiro-kun!"
-annoying and irritating beyond degree, even if he never wanted to face it in the first plac-
That made Takajo pause.
"What did you just say?" Takajo asked as if he heard the girl's words wrong.
His mind tried to go back to what the girl had said moments later, but found out that his brain was currently not cooperating at all. It must be because of slight drowsiness as he woke up just recently... or maybe even that weird cliché, where someone would say something completely outrageous then the protagonist would be unable to hear it despite just being a few inches to the one who spoke...
It was truly an unscientific phenomenon that Takajo himself would disagree to... somewhat, since he had actually encountered it many times in his light novels. And the only thing that would prove that kind of fact would be if someone had problems with their own hearing, though you still get the point that Takajo would definitely disagree about that specific occurrence.
What is this? Anime? Or is his hearing was just having problems right now?
"I wanted to wake you up again, Jiro-kun!" Sara repeated... yeah, repeated.
"...That's not what you just said" Takajo stated with a blank tone while Sara just smiled widely with obvious mysteriousness on her current expression.
Takajo just shrugged not wanting to think of it further at all; since he knew himself he would just get tired right after. And the fact that he was currently saving his remaining sanity to rightfully utilize it in this particular day... once again.
This was not the first time that Takajo had seen weird and exasperating things that the girl would undoubtedly express to create mayhem... though it was mostly him that would be at the end of those so called mayhem.
The boy also "suffered" from the methods the girl had approached things. Sometimes it would be fueled with stupidity or even every time where she would just do the things she want without even thinking of the consequences and even in general, where the girl's excitement would practically escalate to the extremes.
But said consequences would just weirdly not happen at all, as it would just eventually all end up in Takajo in being more infuriated. And at the end of the day, he would just sleep before waking up in the morning to experience it once again.
"You know what?" Takajo stated with a sigh before getting up as he sat on the edge of his bed. "Let's just go downstairs and eat breakfast before my sanity is reduced once again for today... like always" he said with a deadpan as he tried to sit up but his efforts where wasted when Sara said something.
"You're forgetting something Jiro-kun!" Sara said with a mysterious smile accompanied with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that made Takajo confused.
"What do you mea-" Takajo started before his eyes widen as he saw Sara was about to pounce. "Don't you dar-!" he desperately shouted but it had been too late, as he was now sent backwards by Sara back towards his own bed.
"Jiro-kun!"
Takajo promised to himself that he would fix this problem right away in order to save his sanity for next time, and never return to being a wuss that would scurry back to his own threshold while the mother would howl for the his own, stated, stupid views and worthless ideas that directly contradicts what every ten-year old's mind would definitely say.
"Jiro-kun's smiling!" Takajo heard Sara's voice as he was suddenly shook off from his thoughts. The girl was currently looking at him with the very same smile that the boy would always see and-
"No I'm not" Takajo denied casually as he hurriedly fixed his lips as it turned to a thin line.
"I saw Jiro-kun smile, once again!" Sara said with a very happy tone as she disregarded what Takajo had said before nuzzling once more on the top of his chest.
'Curse you outer layer of my mouth!' thought Takajo in his mind as he berated himself for his carelessness.
Takajo was a boy who tends to show a passive and indifferent expression outside of his own home. Once meeting Sara however, he had been forced to show scowls of annoyance and tones of infuriation to somehow counter Sara's own mischief but as you can see, it had been proven rather ineffective.
But this time or what Sara had said, "once again". It seemed that Takajo would show a smile, if not, a little twitch of his lips, which was surprising in of it itself, as this was Takajo were talking about.
There was actually a very significant reason as to why Takajo would express a simple yet unexpected facial expression that nobody, even his mother, had the pleasure of witnessing.
"Joji-chan! Sara-chan!" Takajo heard his mother called out behind the still closed door of his room until it opened revealing the former. "Breakfast is ready so come down and ea-" the mother stopped as she took in the sight of her son just under the grasp and hold of the girl.
"Good morning again, Okaa-san!" Sara greeted with a smile as she was still on top of Takajo who had eventually realized what their current position was.
Earlier, unknown to the two, the instance were Sara had pounced towards Takajo to embrace him. The two ended up in a position that would undoubtedly make a grown up stare and if the case was a parent, that was related to at least one of the two, he/she would certainly react vehemently.
The mother stood there looking towards the two with a wide-eyed stare before it lessened, as a smile adopted the woman's face as she closed her eyes.
"Just be gentle to her Joji-chan" came the mother's wise and shrewd response.
"Please react properly!"
Few Minutes Later
[Play: Asa (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
Miraculously, Takajo managed to get out of the situation earlier in the bedroom. Though he had to explain what was going on to his mother about what actually happened back then, to avoid any kind of misunderstanding.
When his mother seemed calm and collected as he was waiting for her response, he had became confused, until said confused was deliberately and magnificently crushed when the mother opened her mouth to answer.
Said answer was that they were too young to even be accused of doing something like that, and the fact that this was Takajo that they were talking about... in more ways than one.
Takajo didn't know if he should feel relaxed and satisfied by the answer that his mother gave her. Or be outright frantically confused. As to why she had worded the last one that way with the sudden pause in the end.
"Seems like my day will be the usual... once again" Takajo said as he was currently gazing towards his own reflection in the mirror whilst brushing his teeth.
As they had stated, a month had passed since Takajo had the pleasure of meeting the girl that literally and figuratively kicked his own reality on the back of his head. The girl that completely destroyed his peace and have stayed to, but by bit, obliterate his own sanity with shouts, nagging and most of all, excitement. Anyone with a fixed mind about being alone and have a certain mindset about a boring society like Takajo, would undoubtedly agree with that notion... well at least that what he would say.
Takajo himself could clearly remember each day where his sanity would crumble, and even arrived where he theoretically, and undoubtedly, become insane from the constant exposal of the girl just a few inches away from him.
There were also times where he would be irritated, or just outright be aggravated to the point that he would increase his tone, as he was lecturing the girl about her actions.
Though it never did really affect the girl all that much, and it would just end up in Takajo being more annoyed.
"Truly, a very terrifying existence" Takajo said with a sarcastic tone as he just finished fixing his own uniform, whilst wiping his face with a towel.
"Though..." Takajo started as returned the fabric to its place, before he once again gazed towards his own reflection.
[Play: Heion (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
The boy then saw a smile that adorned his lips.
It was a smile that was actually so simple, as many other people would undoubtedly say towards, the also many people who would display such an expression, even if it was subconsciously expressed; it was still a simple smile that everybody was allowed to exhibit.
But if it was Takajo we're talking about... anyone would agree that it was such a sight, since that very simple smile had been mostly absent as he lived through his childhood years, even though you can say that he was currently in that stage.
Takajo, seeing that particular expression, hurriedly wiped it off his face as he tried to return it into a thin one. Though it seemed that it had been proven hard, seeing that no matter what twitch his face would make, the smile would still stubbornly remain on his lips.
Now that Takajo had managed to turn it to the same thin line that he would show albeit barely. He then sighed. As he knew he had subconsciously smiled for the second time.
He then shook his head. As he knew he had subconsciously smiled for how so many times this month for that matter.
What was wrong with him? He was just only thinking of the person that he had known for about a month, and if he did develop something like this in those times, it would just be like admitting that he had forgone his own beliefs about how he should act, even though in a much smaller scale.
He had been interacting with her, albeit reluctantly, for a fairly short time. And even with her attitude that she had been showing in class in those particular days. There was no way that he would be glad, yes there was a possibility that he would barely get used to it, but not at all glad, knowing his own interests.
And from the specific person that definitely had shown a very unique yet annoying behavior from his interaction with her for the first time, and even had continued along the way... there was no way such a development would occur in a very short time. Much less feel a kind of companionship with the girl that he had regarded as someone annoying. But overall, there was actually no kind of reason for him to smile like that.
Well, at least that would be the thoughts of what the old Takajo would surely think.
"This is annoying" Takajo once again shook his head for the second time, trying to block those current thoughts about the instances where Sara would do immensely stupid things to him or in general.
Those instances where she would be rather blunt in her approach, exhaust him first thing in the morning with the feeling of numbness in his legs, how she would occasionally display a very unusual side to her that made him always feel guarded, forget things rather easily for that matter and even the other things that she would do to him that other people would surely wouldn't think off...
...nonetheless, it didn't mean that he hated all of it.
"That girl" Takajo scowled... though he tried to make it a scowl, but only ended up with an absolutely cute pout that his mother would definitely cuddle him for.
And he dared not to think of whatever reaction Sara would display if she ever saw it, as it may result in truly devastating results that he would gladly avoid.
Though within the time that had passed, even Takajo couldn't deny the fact that they have been getting closer to the point that he could now regard her as his "friend", even though he never once stated it to Sara vocally, but nonetheless, it was surprising since Takajo was... well Takajo.
It was actually kind of normal since Sara had been by his side at all times except for sleeping of course... Takajo thinks. Anyways, even if he had been almost rendered insane and suffered the terror known as Sera Menako, something would undoubtedly form.
Even though it somewhat contradicts his own belief about friendship, he had been confused, yes. But when that confusion finally passed, he just unconsciously accepted it and not even question as to how it happened in the first place.
At first, it only began from a one-sided amity that Takajo himself could attest, but it then passed where he had thought of it as a casual one. Until eventually arriving on a friendship that Takajo have even admitted himself with hidden acknowledgement, as he didn't even voiced it out whatsoever.
Looking at the same mirror that he had been standing in front for a few minutes now, his sight of his own image briefly changed to the girl that he was currently thinking of as it flickered, though Takajo knew that it was his own imagination that was currently distorting that image.
But it had been enough as he saw the glimpse of very same cheerful smile that the girl would usually keep on her face.
Takajo couldn't help but relax his body, as his lips twitched, forming a small smile once again. Though he tried his best to lessen it as much as possible, but it seemed it was all for naught, since it didn't even got the chance to erase itself from his usual thin-lined and frowning lips.
"Truly..." Takajo chuckled as he shook his head one more time. "...a very terrifying existence indeed"
An adjective that may be misunderstood as something horrible or even an over-exaggerated claim... but to Takajo, he knew it was a very appropriate description that he had given towards the girl.
Imagine, a very recluse boy who would prefer quietness more than anything would meet a girl that spoke of his contradiction and even manage to infuriate him in very significant degree to only end up in admitting that he had been wrong.
"Is this what Okaa-san said?" Takajo muttered under his breath before shaking that thought. "Impossible" he shrugged before making his way towards the door.
Takajo could clearly remember the three things that his mother had stated to him that day about her own idea of friendship that really opposes his own.
Happiness...
As he saw his own small smile that was currently placed on his lips, it definitely spoke of delight. No matter how he denied it, which he didn't even try, it certainly without a doubt expressed glee.
Since, in his own opinion, people only when two simple emotions are felt... one, the feeling of extreme sadness and another one is simply the feeling of... yes, happiness.
Liveliness...
He sighed, but not one of tiredness that he would feel at the end of the day whilst accompanying Sara... for the whole day, but one of acceptance as he himself couldn't deny it had been kind of fun.
Since, in his own opinion, sighing would also indicate melancholy, hopelessness, weariness, bliss and satisfaction.
Curiosity...
Takajo frowned as he remembered those episodes that Sara would sometimes display. He was curious as to why the girl would suddenly express such an expression that was really unusual for anyone to even think of.
How the girl would sometimes stop her own current happiness just to write something in her own small notebook and even state that he was "interesting". He may have stated himself that he didn't want to know but now, he couldn't himself to get curious by the strange phenomenon.
And even the fact that the girl would just hang out with him instead of the other children that would invite her in their own group. He saw how she would hastily dismiss them like he had and just promptly leave without any further discussion... like he would do.
It made him feel curious...
...and worry at the same time.
"..."
"This is absolutely stupid" Takajo said as he closed his eyes before grasping the doorknob.
Even though he had thought up all this things, there was still the old Takajo within him that would completely say otherwise.
It may have a smaller affect in own belief but he knew this way of thinking completely dwarfs his past one, but no matter how small it is, it's the mindset that he had believed in the first place after all.
Though he somewhat could relate it to his own trait that he still hated. About how unexpected situations seemed to just make him freeze in incomprehension and stay confused.
And now it seemed to be latching on his own development about how he had become this kind of person... now with this kind of mindset.
"..."
Well, not like he can actually voice his thoughts out loud in front of Sara right? Well, he can but he was sure the girl would undoubtedly erupt in excitement many times ove-
[Play: Ihyou (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Jiro-kun, you're taking too long!"
"*AAAH!*" Takajo shouted in surprise as two arms suddenly shot out to wrap around his torso in front of him.
Sara laughed as she looked at Takajo who was completely surprise.
"Don't do that!" Takajo shouted hysterically while Sara just laughed again before letting go of the embrace.
"Jiro-kun is probably doing that thing again when you are being a total nerd!" Sara quipped while Takajo bristled from the insult.
"How many times do I have to tell you, that don't call me a nerd!" Takajo shouted as he brought his arms up.
"You're always going to be a nerd to me Jiro-kun!" Sara added making Takajo sigh as he brought his arms down before shaking his head.
"I'm going to have breakfast first before I deal with this shi-" Takajo once again had his mouth shut when Sara abruptly clamped it.
"Jiro-kun! Don't use bad words!"
Sara then lectured him once again about profanity until the topic became more and more absent each passing second. And as Takajo was also retorting to the things that Sara was currently talking rather exasperatingly, his mind somewhat says otherwise.
Few Minutes Later
[Play: Danran (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Be careful both of you!" the mother stated from the door as she saw her son and the girl made their way in the neighborhood.
"We will!" Sara waved back with a cheerful smile on her face before turning towards Takajo. "You say something too Jiro-kun!" she stated while Takajo just gave out a grunt making her pout.
"I'm just currently saving my remaining sanity for use this particular day" Takajo said with a tone of as-a-matter-of-a- fact. "And saving my words for the day would certainly be an efficient practice to follow" he added while Sara looked at him unimpressed.
"You're being weird again Jiro-kun" Sara said with the same very serious tone that Takajo would hear once in a while but it wasn't quite the same if basing it on the situation. As it only made Takajo splutter.
"I'm not going to retort" Takajo gritted his teeth in frustration, not wanting to waste his efforts.
"Jiro-kun is truly weird" Sara nodded to herself as Takajo sighed in exasperation before changing the topic.
"You don't have to wait for me... every single time in my own house you know?" Takajo started with a casual tone but midway it definitely changed into one of annoyance that Sara undoubtedly didn't picked up.
"It's okay Jiro-kun!" Sara said with a smile. "It's what friends do after all!" she stated.
The boy would undoubtedly deny that notion quite immediately like usual, but...
Takajo just turned his head forward not wanting to retort to what she just said... knowing that he can't retort at all.
This particular sometimes happen in the past days and he can only hope that Sara would just disregard it like she always do... though it seems today was a different matter.
"Did I just witness Jiro-kun not denying that were friends!" Sara gasped in delight.
Takajo then snapped back his head towards her and was about to retort but he was stopped when Sara abruptly clung to his arm.
"Jiro-kun is cute when he's honest!" Sara squealed while Takajo's face adopted an unusual healthy blush as he was caught off guard.
"S-Stop it!" Takajo said as he tried to pry off Sara from his arm but it had proven quite useless as the girl stuck to him like a koala.
"And you don't have to worry" Sara started as she faced the boy. "Since I like spending time with you Jiro-kun after all!" she exclaimed much to Takajo's irritation, though he couldn't help but show a small twitch on his lips.
Takajo can only hope that Sara didn't see it as the girl was now giggling as if finding something funny.
"A-Anyway..." Takajo coughed whilst trying to separate from the hold of the girl and as he saw it was not working he just let it go with a sigh. "You shouldn't really be comfortable with someone you hardly met" he added. "It's only about a month after all" he pointed out, though he knew his words were somewhat useless.
"I am comfortable with you though" Sara commented while still clinging to his arm. "And a month is a very long time Jiro-kun!" she cried out.
"Don't say words like that so offhandedly" Takajo stated. "You don't have to say that to a person like me, as I stated again, you hardly knew" he added while Sara just giggled in response.
"Jiro-kun is being weird again" Takajo heard Sara stated making him sigh. "And at the same time interesting..." the words seem to be low toned unlike earlier.
There was it again... the description that the girl would give to Takajo given the right circumstances that he had the pleasure of being confused of.
"And please stop saying that" Takajo groaned. "I'm far from the interesting boy that you are currently picturing" he stated but he heard Sara's giggle once again.
"Yep, so interesting" he heard Sara repeated with a sigh of her own while Takajo just shrugged helplessly.
From all the people that he knew, the girl beside him would probably be the easiest yet at the same time, the hardest kind of girl that he would not undoubtedly understand completely... if that makes sense.
"Could you let go of my arm now?" Takajo politely ordered.
"Jiro-kun, Jiro-kun" Sara amusedly stated with two shake of her head.
"Of course not" the word seemed short but it definitely made Takajo groan in irritation.
"And after all..." he heard Sara mutter and as Takajo was about to ask what she just said...
"It's time for our morning jog!" Sara proclaimed loudly that made Takajo stop and he could've sworn he heard someone chuckle from the nearby bush.
He had no time to think of anything else as he was dragged by the slim yet strong arms of the girl as he can feel the wind brushed against his face.
"Not again!" Takajo yelled in frustration while Sara laughed uproariously as the two children made their way through the neighborhood, sprinting.
As Takajo was forced to drag by Sara behind her, instead of the usual scowl that people would usually see on his face. There was a small smile that Takajo himself couldn't help but expressed, as the same boy remembered the same thoughts that he had think of earlier.
This was the exact kind of behavior that he had seen and observed from Sara Menako since meeting her. And he knew he had to face yet another of her usual antics in class like what he had done for the past month.
Seeing Sara held a smile that befitted her excited behavior...
Takajo didn't notice the smile that adorned his lips intensified as his thoughts drifted to some of his days of being alone and friendless... had now finally ended.
...he had thought of that a lot better now huh?
After a month, as a meeting of a passive person that preferred to have peace and quiet more than anything, with self-proclaimed mature tendencies and a proactive person that often makes him outright insane accompanied with her usually excited demeanor. Each had gave enough time to themselves, though one was still reluctant, to create a friendship that was kind of different but held something more special than what people would see from others, as days passed by filled with retorts and idiocy.
Nonetheless after that day of meeting, they had continued to interact as one disrupted one's own way of living to make it more different than usual thus, making that one's life rather quite lively as he once thought...
'This might not be so bad...' Takajo thought in his mind as they arrived inside the school as Sara was animatedly talking once like usual.
Admitting that phrase will sometimes make him regret even thinking of it as he spent time with this girl, though... he knew that there was something that far outweighs any kind of negative feeling he had in those kinds of situations with her.
But he didn't want to admit it as he took that as confessing that he had disregard his own way of living and shown any kind of acknowledging her as the one who would change him... though that kind of thinking may not be all bad right?
"Jiro-kun!" Sara called out beside him and as Takajo turned towards her, he could see her bright and mischievous smile. "You're being weird again"
The boy just returned his gaze in front of him wordlessly and as Sara giggled as if knowing the boy had a grumpy face again.
But for Takajo however, he was just afraid that the girl might see a simple yet unusual smile that currently adorned his face.
A Week Later
Park
[Play: Asa (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
'Weird' Takajo couldn't help but thought as he was currently sitting on a bench in the park with a book in hand.
As Takajo eyed each word on the page of his book, his mind seemed to be remotely far-off from the object in his hand as he had his own thoughts.
He was currently beside a clearly nervous girl about his age that was looking everywhere as if there was something that would jump any moment.
It should have been somewhat a normal sight and if Takajo himself didn't even knew much less care for the person at all, which just intensifies his own opinion.
But Takajo could clearly see from the corner of his eyes that this isn't just any random female that would seat beside him for that matter.
"Get a hold of yourself" Takajo stated whilst bringing his book down to face the girl. "Why are you shivering like someone's out to get you?" he asked while the girl instantly snapped her head towards him so she could answer him.
This was the infamous Sara Menako who made his life rather... colorful. And he may have thoughts that he didn't actually mind that much because of time itself, he was still kinda affected by the constant excitement that the girl would ensue.
"I-I'm not!" Sara hurriedly shook her head denying his claim. "And that's scary Jiro-kun!" she cried out making Takajo raised his eyebrow in confusion before shrugging as he returned to his reading.
It was a particularly normal day for the duo as they were currently located in the park. Earlier, Sara, like usual, was found on his own home in a rather early setting despite school being out for the weekends. With the usual situations that were getting more and more repetitive, accompanied with retorts and stupidity in the air, Takajo knew that the same day would become just like the usual as well.
As the noises stop in the Takajo household with the help of Takajo's mother, the two then ate breakfast with conversations erupting again that mostly came from Sara and his mother.
Now, seeing that it was a weekend, Takajo had excused himself since he had a schedule of going to the park to read. And as Sara heard it within hearing range, she had volunteered to accompany him... again.
The idea itself was proposed by Sara as she wanted to join Takajo in his weekend reading sessions outside his own establishment. Takajo himself could see that it had been a rather good proposition, but he didn't know if it was a good idea at all... well, seeing the glare that his mother showed him he was forced to oblige.
Nonetheless, it seemed he had been proven wrong since Sara would lessen her usually loud tone and would just bring out excitement whilst they were reading. Takajo was also surprise from that day seeing that Sara read as well.
Anyways, as the days followed. Takajo and Sara have been doing it for the past weeks already, and the former didn't even notice that it had been a rather... peaceful time for the both of them.
Unknowingly for him, that kind of setting also was one of the indirect causes as to why he had thoughts of Sara being his... friend after a month had past already and was related to the development as to why he had regarded her as such... not that Takajo knew himself of course.
As Takajo read, he still took brief glances towards the girl who was currently shivering like a leaf despite her earlier answer.
In his mind, emotions like bafflement and surprise keep popping up, even if he didn't even show it. Since he himself knew that the girl who was currently shaking was the girl that he regarded as a hyperactive in her own right and tends to act in that same manner also.
The old Takajo would undoubtedly won't even care, seeing that this doesn't even involve him somewhat and would just ignore the girl and her problems altogether to let her face it herself...
"Okay what's wrong?" Takajo said as he faced Sara again with a stern expression but his eyes seemed to portray... concern.
Even if Takajo didn't even look worry at all, he was definitely bothered. Since the girl was acting quite unusually today that directly opposes her own character. And seeing the girl act like this seemed to make something inside Takajo stir, just like the time where the girl would show a blank expression with a serious tone.
The boy saw how the girl gazed towards him with the same anxiousness that was way out of character. But it slowly shifted to one of calmness and composure as if seeing Takajo's way obvious worrying glance was good enough to calm her down overall.
"It's nothing Jiro-kun" Sara smiled towards her. "But I knew I could always count on you" she added but it came much softer that she intended it to be and the boy could guess that she probably meant it for herself.
But nonetheless, it failed to stop Takajo to instinctively turn his gaze away from the girl's eyes that portrayed absolute trust.
'What just happened?' Takajo thought bewildered by the sudden outcome.
"I'm fine Jiro-kun!" Takajo blinked as he heard Sara's tone that suddenly changed to her usual one, facing the girl to only be met with the same cheerful smile that wasn't there the first time.
Takajo then sighed as he just shrugged, knowing that it was probably nothing at all and it was all on the girl's whim.
"Well, seeing that you're fine..." Takajo started as he then reached out towards his bag. "Let's just wait for somebody so that I can return something" he added whilst placing the bag on his lap.
He then heard something akin to stomping as he turned his head towards Sara with a well-placed pout on her lips.
"W-What?" Takajo stuttered while Sara just continued pouting before crossing her arms with huffed.
"Jiro-kun is still hanging out with that... girl" Sara stated as if acting like a tsundere while Takajo just looked blankly.
The person that they she was indicating for, was the same girl that let Takajo borrow his book the same day he had met Sara. And the very same girl who "confessed" to Takajo multiple times... which Sara had the pleasure of knowing.
And the result was weirdly easy to imagine.
"I am not hanging out with her" Takajo proclaimed though he didn't know why he saying this. "I just borrow novels from her to read and vice versa" he stated but seeing Sara's pout intensify, he just sighed.
After the normal and coincidental encounter Takajo had with that particular girl. They have formed an acquaintance-like relationship, though it wasn't close to something like friendship, it was a connection nonetheless. And they're so called connection only started when Takajo returned the book that she had let him borrow that day.
Though he didn't still weirdly got the girl's name with their many encounters.
"Jiro-kun is mine!" Sara whined. "And I feel slightly disappointed that Jiro-kun is having friends other than me!" she added making Takajo's eyebrow twitch.
"Please don't talk like my mother all of a sudden!" Takajo said hearing the phrase Sara worded. "And furthermore, I only have one friend and that is yo-" he hurriedly clamp his own mouth shut as he just blurted something... outrageous.
Even though he may have thought that he can now regard Sara as his friend, he hadn't yet admitted it out loud. He was having second thoughts on even saying it in a verbal manner... though now it seemed it was revealed.
'Jojiro! You can still fix this!' Takajo's own mind was processing rather hastily to come up with various solutions to face his current problem. 'Just deny what you said and-' he was cut-off in his thoughts when Sara spoke.
"Finally..." the words came out softly in Sara's mouth but Takajo himself undoubtedly heard it.
Takajo sighed as he closed his eyes awaiting his fate.
"Finally!" Sara then shot out from his seat to leap towards Takajo who seemed prepared but the current expression that he held now says otherwise.
"Let go of me!" Takajo shouted but it failed to stop Sara as she embraced him tighter.
"Jiro-kun finally admits it!" Sara happily shouted before separating from her embrace as she then stood up much to Takajo's relief.
"Come Jiro-kun!" Takajo heard Sara call out in front of him as he looked towards her.
"Let's spread the good news about Jiro-kun finally having a friend!" Takajo groaned hearing her motivation.
"No" Takajo stated with a very blank tone.
Then his eyes suddenly went wide as he saw Sara already running.
Though he doesn't have any kind of reason to chase after her despite what she just said, his body seemed to reflexively stand up as he readied to run.
Why?
"My bag!" Takajo shouted as he sprinted seeing the particular object that Sara held in her hand while laughing and running.
It had been stated that Takajo absolutely loves reading his light novels. And it could even be said that it was a permanent trait that Takajo himself could attest to, the hobby that he will protect in his life.
Now seeing his bag that had his "hobbies" that had the possibility of breaking, his body naturally engaged in movement to chase the hysterical girl.
"Chase me Jiro-kun!" Sara provoked Takajo as she sprinted which was actually quite fast for the boy to catch up.
The duo then chased each other across the park as one was currently annoyed while the other one was laughing rather happily. As they were running, Takajo had been visibly getting more comfortable in running far distances.
"I somewhat conquered my deficient stamina levels!" Takajo said as he displayed a proud smile.
He hadn't just been slacking off this month either; he had been running and exercising almost every single day to compensate for his own tardiness in these kinds of activities.
Not that he can admit it, but he knew that it was because of Sara as she always dragged him to school running and it had also raise his stamina a bit compare to his earlier state, though he still didn't quite get why the girl was so damn fast compare to him in those times he had been exercising either intentionally or not.
"I see that you've been improving!" Sara shouted ahead of him. "But with the speed you're going, you won't last through a single session of-"
"Don't you dare say anything!" Takajo roared as he stepped up his running as he stopped what she was about to say that would probably be inappropriate in public.
Takajo tried to catch the still laughing Sara and as he leaped towards her that failed horribly and as he tried to correct his posture he suddenly lost balance. "Eh?" he blinked as he felt his feet never made it on the ground before he crashed towards the floor. "*Ow!*" came his groan.
Sara seeing Takajo tripped stopped her running before quickly making her way towards him.
"Jiro-kun!" Takajo heard Sara call his nickname with concern in her voice. "You alright there?!" he heard again as he felt Sara was now in front of him.
Takajo sighed before seating up as he saw Sara in front of him with a hand raised. Seeing this, he just sighed again before grasping her hand as the girl helped him get up.
"There you go!" Sara said as she saw Takajo stood up.
"Whatever" Takajo shrugged giving up on the chase as swiped the bag in her hands and was about to return, which failed when he felt someone grasp his hand.
"Let's discuss the science of how you tripped Jiro-kun" Sara said with a serious tone and it would be convincing to say the least, if it was not for the stupid topic she was willing to discuss.
"No!" Takajo retorted as Sara just laughed.
"Now don't be that way Jiro-kun" Sara said with a dismissal wave of her hand. "Tripping is fundamentally possible after all" she stated much to Takajo's irritation and internal shock hearing how she can be... scientific. "In your case, you just lost balance like the cause of usual tripping is" she pointed out rather professionally, but the stupidity of the subject entirely ruined her image.
"Stop!" Takajo shouted as he somewhat had the urge to speak.
"And adding you're rather scrawny frame it is only natural as gravity and your weight will-" Sara was about to explain while Takajo just turned more irritated after her next moments of talking.
[Play: Kokuhaku (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
Takajo had stated that there were times that he can now admit that he had felt enjoyment with her behavior but there were also times, as he also stated, where he could come to regret it afterwards as well.
These kinds of shifting feelings inside of him were definitely new for him, as he didn't feel these kinds of emotions in the past and was also really bothering him since it was too unexpected.
Feelings of delight coupled with annoyance.
Feelings of amusement matched with aggravation.
And as he just stated... feelings of enjoyment battling with feelings of regret.
Those were the some of the things that he had felt as Sara accompanied her since the start of day one.
Simply put, sure he had been rather lenient in enduring the antics of this Sara Menako in front of him. He can also definitely say that he had been used to her antics that she had shown every single day...
...though that didn't mean he was used to it already whatsoever.
Takajo abruptly shook his hand releasing Sara's grasp on it, as the latter expected for an irritated expression from the former but she had found out that he didn't have one.
The boy that she had gotten used to was looking at him with a stern expression without any kind of irritation and annoyance, it was simply a blank expression.
"If you're not finished with your explanation then don't talk something idiotic to me until then" Takajo said coldly for once with a serious tone directed towards Sara as he turned around to start walking.
That was the first time that Takajo had ever said something serious to Sara and meant it as well, though he himself didn't quite get why he had done that as it just came out of his mouth.
He knew he might regret it as he just practically told off a ten-year old girl considering her carefree behavior. And it might also come back at him at anytime.
But he accepted what he said, as it might encourage Sara to tone down her behavior to a degree and it might even-
"S-Sorry Jiro-kun..." Takajo heard Sara's words reverberate inside his ear as he stood there silently.
"D-Did I go too far?" the boy once again felt her words echo despite it being quiet.
It may have been probably the first time for the girl to express such hesitation in her tone. Since she had felt that she had gone too far in doing something that would most likely aggravate someone genuinely.
And hearing the boy's tone that didn't display any kind of usual anger, and faced her own actions with a blank one have probably made the girl uncomfortable.
Takajo with a sigh then slowly turned to face Sara with a prepared stern expression. And as he fully turned to see her, his mind and body seemingly stopped.
"I-I'm sorry Jiro-kun... please f-forgive me" Sara said while tears descended down her cheeks as it fell towards the floor.
The sight was truly a sad one since the girl's expression portrayed feelings of sadness, shock and even... desperation, as if the mistake that she had done would ultimately end their friendship since Takajo, albeit accidentally, admitted it.
Takajo stood there with a wide-eyed expression as his mind couldn't think of any reason as to why the girl would have a great reaction from their earlier situation.
Sure, he had been rather harsh from voicing out his complaints and he was also expecting that the girl would just either ignore or even felt somewhat bad from it... and the fact that they would just forget that this all happened just like usual.
"J-Jiro-kun..." Sara voiced out with clear tremble in her tone.
But he did not anticipate that the girl would show immense emotions right then and there that could never be faked at all.
"...a-are you mad?" Sara in front of him asked with the same tone of hesitation.
Takajo just stood there truly baffled by the sudden result...
"D-Do you hate me now?"
...before his mind then seemed at ease as he closed his eyes.
Even though this situation was a very ugly and uncomfortable sight, his mind interpreted it as something akin to opportunity.
Opportunity you ask?
[Play: Ginen (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Yes, I'm mad" Takajo said with a steel expression making Sara look down as her tears kept falling. "By you disrupting my peace" he stated with the same tone.
"...I know" Sara said quietly, but it didn't made Takajo's expression falter.
It was safe to say that from the time that he had met Sara, his life that was full of quietness and peace where brutally shattered with her constant pestering and he knew that it was definitely bothering him as he valued those two things quite greatly.
"You're practically the epitome of annoyance for me" Takajo harshly said making Sara's expression grew more somber.
This girl also practically bothered him every day since they're meeting and he can also say that he would be probably better off without those things at all.
"You always made me do things and force something on to me that I find absolutely infuriating" Takajo said with a glare with the same harsh tone making Sara clutch her hand tightly.
The things that this girl had always forced him into always makes his irritation grew, and adding to the fact that it always happened this past month since the time he had met her, makes that irritation grew farther.
As Takajo saw Sara quietly yet more lost on crying her tears out, he sighed as he turned around unknowingly making the girl's tears seemed more evident, if that was possible, before he stopped until a certain distance.
[Play: Kizuna (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"But I don't hate you" Takajo reluctantly stated before turning to Sara as he saw her surprise as she look at him.
Despite what he had thought earlier with the constant annoyance she gave. He can say that those acts of her had been making his every day more interesting.
"You make me happy" Takajo stated whilst looking away as Sara's watery eyes grew wide.
How she can make him feel a bit of joy knowing that she can tolerate someone as boring as him.
"You always made every day lively" Takajo stated as he scratched his cheek.
How she can make him not get sick of everyday despite her constant pestering.
"And..." Takajo hesitated. "... you make me curious for some reason" he stated.
How she can make him retort to her words as he was normally quiet and passive.
"So, I don't hate you okay!" Takajo huffed as he returned his gaze towards Sara that was in front of him before what he saw made his mouth agape.
Sara was looking at him with her hazel colored eyes as it twinkled without any kind mischievousness whilst highly complimented her long flowing blond hair, and a small smile that he could've sworn was a little different than usual.
Looking at her expression he blushed, truthfully unprepared as he saw Sara's expression before shaking his head as he glanced the other way before hearing the girl's angel-like giggle unlike the sadness she had portrayed earlier, that made him feel more embarrassed.
Though now that he noticed, Sara was undoubtedly very pretty compare to the other girls in class or those that he knew of. Not that he can admit that though, knowing that it was really embarrassing to even think of it.
It was then a body crashed on his own, surprising him. But that surprise eventually turned to embarrassment as he got a look of the eyes that stared at him back with the expression that seemed to blossom in red.
"Jiro-kun..." Sara said with a tone that you can definitely define as...
Takajo didn't continue that thought as his own blushed intensified until the two individual's shared the same color.
"W-What?" Takajo turned his head away unable to look on the face that he regarded as someone annoying.
Silence then reined the surroundings as two different kind of person held onto each other. As if they were the only two people that currently existed in that space.
"...thank you" Takajo heard Sara spoke as he relaxed his body with sigh, thinking as if that was the only thing that she would say.
With another sigh, he controlled his blush though there was still redness, and then slowly turned his head to face the girl in front of him.
To only stop...
[Play: Ihyou (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
'Eh?' Takajo thought as he blinked, his mind stopping as well as he felt something... soft against his lips.
"..."
"..."
"..."
!
Takajo immediately felt the body that crashed towards him moments ago suddenly separated as his mind suddenly rebooted once again.
"J-Jiro-kun..." the call made Takajo's face turn towards the source as his mind was currently at disarray.
Sara had her face etched with an atomic blush that reached her neck and entirely covered her face as steam seemed to spout in her ears.
"W-Why..."
It may have looked absolutely cute in other people's eyes but Takajo could only...
"What the hell did you just do?!" Takajo roared as new redness enveloped his cheek.
It looks like the nerdy-looking yet still handsome boy had his first official... lip smacking.
As crude as the term was, Takajo was currently at loss of how to properly react. Since it had been his first time that he got... lip smacked, and considering that this person was practically proud of being a loner...
"W-Why did you turn your head?!" Sara shouted back as redness of both pre-teens only intensified.
"W-What?" Takajo seemed to struggle from retorting even further.
"I only meant to k-kiss you in the cheek Jiro-kun!" Sara cried out. "W-Why did you suddenly turn your head?!" she shrieked.
Takajo was about to say something but Sara spoke first.
"T-That was my first kiss..." Sara touched her... not so virgin lips. "Y-You!" she uncharacteristically accused while pointing her trembling finger towards Takajo.
Takajo didn't know what to do in this kind of situation since it was rather unexpected... he was surely hating that word right about now.
"I'm sorry!" Takajo bowed in a perfect forty-five degree curve, as his mind couldn't think of anything while he could hear the girl's constant so called protests of what they had done earlier until it abruptly turned unrelated.
"Why did I forget my notebook now?!" Takajo clearly heard Sara's own shouting in front of him. "N-No that's not it! Muu~ What do I do?!" the girl continued to ask questions that definitely was unrelated to this current situation as it only made Takajo confused.
'I-I should apologize' gulped Takajo as he made up his mind before nodding.
In his mind, he was sure an apology may not mean much, but after that he would surely treat Sara with more care in the future. Then he remembered that this was definitely because of his... speech earlier huh?
'Why did I have to say that?!' Takajo berated himself for his honest mistake.
He was regretting the fact that he even thought of displaying his own feelings about his friendship with Sara and his thoughts seemed to agree as they both wished that...
...it could be all forgotten in the first place.
Unknown to Takajo, the regret that he felt now would be rather insignificant as he would turn back in this moment to take what he had just said.
But for now...
Takajo abruptly shook his head as he knew he still had to apologize.
[Play: Kizuna (ANANT-GARDE-EYES/Jun Maeda) Charlotte (O.S.T)]
"Eh?" Takajo blinked as he suddenly felt the same warmth over his body.
"Jiro-kun" Sara called out rather sternly as she embraced the boy once again.
"W-What?" Takajo nervously asked as he heard the unusual tone that the girl was using, though it was understandable.
"Look at me" Sara called making Takajo nod hesitantly as he returned his gaze towards her.
Instead of the same stern expression that he was anticipating, what greeted him was a smile that was so similar earlier when he had been... mesmerized.
"Did you regret it?" Takajo heard her question clearly as he stared at her own hazel orbs.
Did he regret it? Of course! Apart from the fact that what they did was much too intimate considering their own age, he was also worried that he may have just hurt the feelings of an annoying yet still innocent girl. Remembering that in their age and in this country, people seemed to value their first intimate exchange with someone that they truly love, especially the girls.
And a girl's first kiss was definitely one of them.
With a sigh, Takajo mustered his courage to answer.
"No..." the answer came out rather instinctively as Takajo waited for his doom.
Though from a logical aspect that answer may be wrong, but in his current situation. His emotions seemed to be on top since he somewhat knew saying no would be the wrong answer.
And it seems that his answer was correct since he heard the angel-like giggle of the girl before something soft invaded his cheek.
Wide-eyed from the sudden development he returned his gaze towards the girl.
Instead of the same angel-like expression that her tone indicated, he was met with a face with a smile that had something more uglier present within it... that made his mind stop once again.
"You'll take responsibility right, Jiro-kun?" Sara asked and it would have made Takajo blush once more, if not for the fact that Takajo clearly heard the same tone that he had used.
"Why are you talking like that now Sara?" Takajo asked, addressing her with her name for the first time making Sara smile brighten.
"Not fair Jiro-kun..." Sara stated with a much lower tone, as her eyelids seemed tired that really surprised Takajo all of a sudden, knowing that he really didn't even notice the girl get tired once.
"Are you okay?" Takajo asked not even bothering to hide his own concern but Sara just ignored his question.
"You say my name now all of times" Sara grinned albeit weakly that made Takajo further shocked, knowing that this was the hyperactive girl he was talking to.
"You're probably sick, right? Let's get you home" Takajo asked before nodding as he could feel the girl's hold on him weaken making his arms held her tighter as his voice was now showing distress.
"And even kiss me earlier..." Sara closed her eyes as if getting tired that made Takajo more distressed.
"What is going on Sara?!" Takajo couldn't help but shout as he observed Sara's current condition.
It had been too sudden. This was the first time where Takajo saw Sara like this in the month that he had spend time with her. He could remember each time where she would smile, do something stupid and outright annoy him.
But this wasn't those days at all.
"Jiro-kun..." Sara called out making Takajo stop his thoughts to look at her more closely.
"...thank you" the same simple yet meaningful word of gratitude escaped her lips.
As Takajo saw Sara remained silent while the breathing after she spoke her words. He then sighed as he concluded that the girl was most probably tired from the current day that they had gone into, since it was pretty acceptable.
Remembering the first time he saw the girl got nervous until where she had cried would definitely make anyone, especially the girl that he was currently steadying, be absolutely tired.
With a smile, Takajo then gazed towards Sara's own sleeping face, knowing that the next time those eyes open. Excitement and craziness would definitely pop like fire crackers in New Year's Eve.
Takajo then felt the slight movement of the girl that he was steadying; he wiped the smile on his face to greet the awakening sleepy head with his usual thin-lined lips.
"You're quite heavy you know?" Takajo said as he saw Sara's hazel eyes opened slowly. "Anyways, if you want to sleep, you need to go home now Sara, you should probably rest in your own roo-"
Takajo was... interrupted. As eyes that showed innocence, confusion and... fear, fully greeted his own as he felt his own breath hitched unconsciously upon hearing the whisper-like voice of the girl that he was currently holding, while confusion and bafflement completely filled his head along with new questions.
"W-Who are you?"
If one asked Takajo what was his opinion about this day, he would undoubtedly say the words...
"...What?"