After school is over, a few students are left in picket duty to clean up the class before weekend starts. 5 of them are appointed for this week, with 1 on dusting duty, 2 sweeping the class, and the other 2 picking up the trash. The trash duty is rather special, as they also pick up the trash from other classes in their corridor.
"Aki-chan, ya sure ya wanna do trash again? Ya already did it, yea?" One of them told the other. It was Aoi Inuyama, asking her friend, Chiaki Oogaki. They're known as best buddies since middle school.
Chiaki put up a cool face, "Don't worry, my kitten, I got everything under control." She acted like a prince.
"Kyaa! Aki-chan so cool!" They bantered.
"Stop messin' 'round, Oogaki." Somebody karate chopped Chiaki's head.
"I know, I know, O-ka-ha-ra." She snickered him, and saddled a trashbag on her back. Leading the way to the disposal area.
"Sorry, Okahara-san. She's sometimes just like that. Oh, and please tell her I'll be waiting in the club room." Inuyama told him.
"Well, it's not your fault. And sure, I guess." He lifted some trash. "Oogaki! At least help me bring the papers!" He chased after her.
At the disposal area, they sort the recycleables and the organic ones. "Don't just run off like that." Hyougen scolded her.
"I said I'm sorry." Chiaki pouted.
They both been voluntarily taking trash duty on both weeks of the new school year. The first was because they happen to be chosen for picket duty, and now because the rest of the class have club orientation day.
Just like last Friday, Chiaki sort the papers and plastic, while Hyougen is putting rotten things in the compost. "You don't go to any clubs?" She asked out of the blue.
He seemed annoyed, but then gave in to her attitude. "No. I wanna look for a part-time job."
"I see. How about you just join my club, then?"
"Weren't you listening? I wanna get a job."
"I know, but, what's school life without clubs and romance?!"
He decided to ignore her, but the silent treatment never work on her. She continued on proposing her club to him.
"It's just me and Inuko for now, but when we get more members, it's gonna be fun!" She hit him on the shoulder.
He couldn't be more frustrated, but he didn't let anger take his tongue. "What club did you two made anyway?" He asked.
"You interested?! We're doing Outdoor Activities Club together. Sounds fun, right?"
"What do you do there? Touch grass?" He smirked.
"Well, yeah... But that's not just it."
He almost couldn't believe that touching grass is part of the activity.
"We do things like camping, traveling, checking out the nature, ye know?" For once, she doesn't sound insuferrable.
And with all the trash gone, Chiaki went and sat on the bench next to the tracking field. Hyougen followed her after washing his hand.
"I like camping. My family used to go out to a campsite somewhere, grill some meat, and looking at beautiful scenery. But now we got busier, and we spend time less and less together."
Surprisingly, Hyougen listened to her. "So now you wanna experience that with your friends?"
"Oh, you see where I'm going with this? Hehe. I know it's cliche, but I want to spend my high school days with as much fun as possible. 3 years won't be so long once it's over." She smiled.
"You should be preparing for what comes after high school, but... Yeah. I guess it's fine to enjoy yourself once in a while." He stood up, and walked away from the bench. She quickly followed him.
"So, you wanna join?"
"I'll think about it."
"Really?! What can I do to convince you?" She stepped ahead of him, while looking at him with gleam in her eyes.
"Let's see..." He didn't think he would be considering this seriously, but seeing how she detirmined she wanted to recruit him, he thought it's only polite to do so.
"Maybe if you get me some pictures from you camping, I'll-" Just before he could finish, she stopped and put her nose to his face.
"Really?! That's easy! Just see us having fun in a camping trip, O-ka-ha-ra!"
Maybe for the first time, Hyougen smiled seeing her face. "Just call me Hyougen."
1 week later...
They both did trash duty again. This time they already got used to the job, so they did it quicker and tidier.
He lied down on the bench, while she sat on top of the backrest, with her feet overstepping his legs. Of course she didn't wear her shoes, or else he'd kill her.
"So, you got a job yet?" She asked.
He covered his face in slight frustration. "Not yet. I tried 4 places, and they either don't accept high schoolers, or boys."
"What place you went to?"
"A bar, a restaurant, a beer shop, and a laundry." He counted with his fingers.
She leaned forward, resting her head on her hands, while her elbows were placed on her knees. "Guess it's a tough world out there."
"Tell me about it. How's your club? Any progress?"
She giggled awkwardly. "Not much. We got a club room, but it's just an abandoned janitor closet. And to think that camping would take up money... I didn't think this through."
He looked up to her sighing face. "In the end it's money, huh?"
She quickly agreed to his remark, "Right?! Like, camping is just for rich people."
"Maybe we should sell drugs." He chuckled.
She was taken aback by it, but immediately jumped on the joke. "Hyougen... Hyougen we need to cook!" She imitates the voice of an old man.
She never expect him to laugh so hard. But her laugh came out just as loud.
"You saw that show?" He asked.
"No, I just saw some of the memes online. It's about that teacher that got cancer, right? Then he sell drugs. I think it's in the streaming platform my dad use. I'll try watching it."
"It's a good show. You should try it." He pivotted his body to sit straight, then he stood.
"Going already?" She also followed him to get off the bench.
"Yeah, I got another interview tonight."
"Hope you land the job!" She jabbed him.
"Thanks." He smiled.
2 weeks later...
Again, they finished up the trash duty every Friday. Everyone seems to be grateful for them doing it too. But it wasn't anyone's gratitude that got them to do it. Okahara and Oogaki, the trash dweller duo. The embodiment of "same place next week" of a friendship.
"You know, I think everyone is just using us to do the trash every weekend." This time, Oogaki is the one who lied on the bench. Okahara was walking over with 2 cans of juice in his hands. He placed one on Oogaki's wide forehead, cooling her sweats off.
"T-thanks... What's the occasion?"
He smiled, a very smug one. "I landed a job."
"For real?! Yes! Hell yeah!" Oogaki jumped, raising her hand for a high five. "Come high, baby! Come on!"
Though a little hesitant at first, the overwhelming joy of the news even made the introverted Hyougen to smack that high five. "YES! COME ON!" They both said in unison.
They popped the cans open and sat back down. "So where are you working?" She asked.
"At the snack bar next to the station."
"Oh, I like their chikuwa! Give me a bonus the next time I buy!"
"Come by any time."
They both sipped on their juice. Glanced at each other, and smiled. Hyougen asked, "So how is the club?"
In an instant, the juice came out of Chiaki's nostrils, with Hyougen visibly flinching away.
"Crap, I forgot all about it." She said.
Hyougen could only chuckle. "You know, you're maybe stupid."
"I get that a lot." She leaned back, gazed above to the spring sunset. "We'll go camping in the summer."
"Good luck."
And they sat there in silence for the rest of the twilight.