The three classmates walked calmly through the school corridors, talking and laughing about the trivial things they were sharing.

Daisuke Motomiya was the loudest, and without a doubt the one who talked the most. A carefree and extremely social spirit, exempt from any type of judgment from anyone who thought that he could be too much.

Takeru and Hikari accompanied him to the lockers, holding hands.

They, despite openly admitting that they were just friends, had habits that seemed peculiar to most of their colleagues.

Holding hands were one of them.

It was not uncommon to catch them casually walking around like that. They didn't know how, or when it started but they had developed this habit, that they defended as a normal display of affection between two individuals that happened to be friends. Just friends.

Many believed it was an excuse not to draw attention to them and to their hypothetical romantic relationship, but the reality was that in fact, they were just friends who felt immensely comfortable in each other's company.

"Now we must pray that my notebook is here, and not at home. Otherwise, I'm screwed."

Daisuke took a small key out of his pocket and placed his two hands together as if it was real prayer.

"Please, please, please…"

"That's what you get for not taking care of your own things! You need to learn be more responsible." Hikari commented in a light joking tone.

"But I am responsible! Just not… always."

Slowly, he put the key in the locker and turned it. He closed his eyes. He could hear his friends behind him laughing at his exaggerated theatre of despair. One eye after the other, he looked inside.

"I can't believe it, it's here! It is here!" He hugged the notebook as if his life depended on it.

"What a drama queen!" Takeru rolled his eyes and softly let Hikari's hand go. It felt empty for a while.

He looked for something in the right pocket of his light brown uniform trousers. Also took out a locker key, identical to the one Daisuke had. But before doing anything else, he noticed a small white paper coming out of his locker, which was placed right next to Daisuke's.

"What… again?" He commented while taking it out.

"Again indeed!" Daisuke affirmed a little bit surprised "It's the third one in two weeks! I think we have a record!"

Hikari stayed silent for a while, only admiring what was going on with the most forced neutral look in her face, trying her best to look completely unbothered by this succession of events. She surreptitiously grabbed her uniform skirt with the hand that Takeru had let go of, as if trying to fill the void she was feeling.

At this point she was just accepting it as normal. Takeru was very popular, she understood it. Her childhood friend was a complete magnet for female attention.

"What's written? Is it signed? Do you recognize the name?"

"Let me see."

Very slowly, Takeru unwrapped the paper. It was written in clearly feminine handwriting. The effort to look beautifully appellative was explicit. Red ink pen. Several hearts drawn, and a poetic request.

"I've been admiring you from afar for a while, just waiting for you to notice my presence. But you don't even seem to know I exist. Please come and meet me, after classes, in the main courtyard. Today I'm wearing a pink bow in my hair, and red sneakers." Daisuke read what was written on that small piece of paper in a theatrical tone. In a failed attempt to sound romantic.

To Hikari, it all seemed just pathetic. An unnecessary pleasantry ceremony.

"Oh, here we go again." Takeru laughed as he wrapped the paper up again and awkwardly put it inside his pocket.

"Do you recognize the handwriting, Hikari?"

"Ah?"

"Could it be from someone we know? A classmate maybe?"

"I don't usually notice people's handwriting, Daisuke, nor the way they like to draw hearts."

Unfortunately for her, this last sentence came out in a slightly rude resonance.

She just didn't want to talk about that stupid paper, or what could potentially happen after classes because of it.

Remembers being shocked when Takeru received the first one. Even though to him, it all seemed like nothing was happening.

She felt her heart break slightly during that day, and the fear of losing her friend filled her with insecurities. Couldn't focus on anything else other than that, until he told her that he had politely rejected the girl who wrote it. But it all happened again, and again. Hikari felt exhausted.

I can't let myself feel like that again, she thought.

Daisuke and Takeru went ahead towards the classroom, possibly talking about what happened, Daisuke's arm around Takeru's shoulders while Hikari stayed behind, walking slower on purpose. She wasn't in the mood to participate, just wanted to save herself as much as she could to avoid more headaches related to that.

"Admit Takeru, of all the girls who have already declared themselves to you, how many have you kissed? No, wait! Who kissed better?"

"What are you talking about!" Takeru laughed. "I did not kiss any of them!"

"Oh, come on! Don't lie! If it was me…"

Their voices seemed distant, even though they were just in front of her a few meters.

Hikari stopped in the middle of the hallway, clearly hurt by that inconvenient discussion. She clearly made a mistake in letting herself fall in love with Takeru. And now she was paying the price for her childish illusions. He might even hold her hand, but that doesn't mean anything. At least not to him, it seemed.

"Hikari?"

She heard someone calling her name. Absurd in her thoughts, she didn't even notice that they had already reach their classroom. And she was still there, standing still, like an absolute idiot.

"Hikari, are you ok?" Takeru approached her and touched gently the hand that he had previously held.

"Yes!" In a rapid movement, she pulled her hand away from his. "I'm fine, don't worry."

She avoided his eyes. Passed in front of him and entered the classroom, leaving Takeru behind with a confused look in his face.

She didn't even look at me, he thought. Sighed. All because of a silly piece of paper.

・。。・゜゜・。。・

Daisuke stretched out in his chair right after the bell went off.

"It's finally over!" He yawned and stretched his arms up "Hi, Takeru! Hurry up, pretty girls do not deserve to wait!"

"You seem more excited than me. You know, it's not pleasant having to explain to someone that you don't... you feel the same way about them."

Takeru was calmly organizing his things in his backpack. He always tried to be the most respectful and honest person when it comes to other people's feelings. His mother had taught him not to take advantage or hurt anyone just for his own ego, and he followed that strictly.

Hikari pretended not to hear them, and packed her things as quickly as she could. She didn't want to talk to anymore, nor did she want to know what would happen in that meeting. She got up from her chair and took the backpack in her hands.

"Wait Hikari, I will go with you" Daisuke was so engaged in the conversation that he didn't even notice her getting ready to leave.

"Hikari, wait."

Takeru gently touched her arm before she walked through the door, to capture her attention. "Wait for me, it won't be long, I promise."

"Ok… understood." Daisuke got up "I can go on my own. But tomorrow I want to know what happened!"

Hikari looked at Takeru and stood still, waiting for Daisuke and the rest of the class to leave.

"You should go. She is waiting for you."

They were all alone now. He held her hand once again. She didn't move this time. Instead, she looked deep in his eyes. A deep dark blue sky. Felt the warmth of his hand.

"I know, but I will leave my things here with you, just for you to know that I will be back."

"It's ok, you can go. I'll wait."

He gave her one last glanced and smiled weakly.

When he left, she took a big breath. Sat back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"What am I doing here…" murmured.

Why even care about that? It wasn't like she was going to stop him from doing anything. Pitiful. She felt ridiculous. What was she waiting for? An apology? For what? Being popular? For being the focus of the female attention? She had nothing to do with it.

The ticking of the wall clock was irritating her. She felt the pressure of time. How much time had passed since he left?

Shortly after, heard footsteps back in the hallway. Hikari opened her eyes slowly. Eyes fixed on the door. Finally, Takeru was there.

"How did it go?"

"As usual. She told me that she liked me, and that she would like to go on a... date with me."

He reached for a chair and sat next to her, looking her in the eyes. There was a certain type of sadness in his eyes, which she didn't quite understand.

"And you?"

"I thanked her as politely as I could, but I rejected her proposal, of course."

"I see. Was she pretty?"

"I don't know. "Takeru laughed "It depends on what you intend for aesthetically pleasing."

Hikari laughed as well and felt her heart getting lighter. He had very strange ways of making her feel better.

"Tell me, what's wrong?" Slowly, he reached for her hand to meet his. "Did I hurt you?" Those eyes she knew by heart didn't lie. He really cared about her and genuinely wanted to know what was concerning her. She realized that she needed to be honest with him.

"No, no you didn't. I just felt a little… insecure. About this whole situation. " Her discomfort was evident. She was terrible at expressing her feelings, but with him she knew she could be vulnerable.

"I understand. I also feel very uncomfortable when I see boys looking at you… that way."

"Takeru, don't play with…"

"I am not. I am not playing you. Please don't ever think that."

A moment of silence. Neither of them knew what to say.

Hikari followed what her heart was saying and simply hugged him. She felt him hugging her back, bringing her closer. Heard his heartbeat, and it sounded like home.

"Takeru, can you promise me that… you will not hold anyone else, the way you hold me?"

"Don't worry, trust me."