Sometimes, it's better to do something with someone

“Be sure to take down notes as this might come out in your exam.” Murasaki-sensei said, his voice started to become like a lullaby.

The trees outside the window swayed slightly as the afternoon breeze passed by. Combined with the sluggish voice of Murasaki-sensei, Haru’s eyelids got heavier and heavier by the second. Even the rest of the class felt the gravity of such mundane words as they listened to him talking about World History.

Murasaki-sensei was an old man who wasn’t very strict nor lax. Because of his age, he barely saw past the third row, so Haru had only a little trouble when during his lectures. His voice, soft like a lullaby, was also another difficult challenge for him. There was no way he could resist the urge to sleep when Murasaki-sensei was around.

Although the class silently listened, Haru swore he could hear yawns here and there. Even he couldn’t help but sigh. History was no doubt interesting, but it started to become boring when teachers started to talk about it.

“Okay, class, group yourself into two and write an essay about Industrial Revolution. You can write anything as long as it’s about the topic. And the word count should at least be a thousand words.”

Now, who am I going to ask?

Haru’s eyes wandered in the class. Usually, whenever there were group works, it would include four to five members. Not only that but the teacher would choose to divide the class into groups as to not leave anyone with no group. It was how Haru had survived the ordeal of finding groupmates. But now, he had to go and ask someone to be his partner. And he was certain everyone else had a partner in their mind.

The classroom delved into chaos as Haru’s classmate started to group themselves into two. Everyone, except Haru, had acquainted to each other at this point, so it seemed they had little to no problem finding groupmates.

Maybe I’ll just ask the Murasaki-sensei if I can do this by myself. Haru thought. There were twenty-one students in the classroom. And if you divide that by two, someone had to be left over.

In front of Haru, Ayako’s friends gathered around her. Noguchi sat on the table while Ayako shared her chair with Seta. Adachi stood between Noguchi and Iwamoto as Takata stood on the side.

“Well, there are six of us, so we can have three separate groups.” Takata started. “While this is a group work, we can still help each other out, so the pairing doesn’t really matter.”

Noguchi raised her hand. “I want to pair up with Fumio! He needs to carry me or else coach wouldn’t let me play!”

“Nah, I need Fumio more. Coach said I have to get better grades if I want to play.” Iwamoto interjected, raising his hands as well.

“Guys, Sora literally just said the pairing doesn’t matter!” Adachi’s voice fading in the background as the two bickered over him.

The two then narrowed their eyes at each other before grabbing each of Adachi’s arms and both pulled on them.

“Bros before hoes!”

“What’s that even supposed to mean!?”

“Hey, stop it! You’re seriously gonna rip my arms apart!”

As the three resolved their conflicts, Takata looked towards Seta. “How about you? Want to pair up with me?”

Seta’s eyes bulged slightly through her eyeglasses. “Well, I don’t mind. Are you sure you don’t want to pair up with Fuyu, though?”

“As I said the pairing doesn’t really matter. We haven’t really paired up, so I think it’s going to be fun if we change things a bit. Besides, I’m sure Fuyuki is fine not pairing up with me, right?” He looked towards Ayako with a smile.

“Y-Yeah, you can do whatever you want...” Ayako lowered her head as she spoke.

It was clear there was something up between them. Their brief conversation made even the three in the background stop fighting.

Noguchi then turned her head, letting go of Adachi’s arm. “Oh! Then I’ll pair up with Takeshi and Fuyu should pair up with Fumio since the pairing doesn’t really matter, right?”

“But won’t the Murasaki-sensei find it suspicious that you guys are paired up and actually completing an assignment?” Seta tilted her head.

“Huh? Are you saying we’re so dumb we can’t be paired with each other?

“She does have a point.”

Noguchi and Iwamoto seemed to be at opposite sides as the former tilted her head while the latter nodded in acceptance.

Ayako turned around her body, facing the boy behind her. “How about you, Shiraishi? Do you have anyone to pair up with?”

All their eyes turned to Haru who had been watching their group. The sudden spotlight on him made him stammer a bit. “N-No, I think I’m gonna go solo.”

Seta tilted her head. “But Murasaki-sensei said two members per group.”

“Yeah but there are only twenty-one students in the classroom. Divide that by two and someone is bound to be left over.”

Looking at his classmates, everyone seemed to have found a partner as no one brought the idea that there would be one left over to the teacher.

“That is true,” Takata placed his hand on his chin. “I guess we have to raise concern.”

Takata then went to talk to the teacher. As expected nothing less of the secretary of the Student Council, he talked with ease to Murasaki-sensei. After basically a minute, he returned with news.

“He said there should be one three member group. It seemed the others are also set, so one of us has to take Shiraishi.” Takata suggested.

“Well, I can pair up with Shiraishi.” Ayako said. “Then you two can have your dreams of pairing up with Fumio come true.”

“I like the sound of that!”

“Yeah, I’m fine with that.”

“Guess my fate is sealed, huh? You two owe me a treat!”

Noguchi and Iwamoto shook hands and nodded in approval as Adachi sighed in the background, his arms looking like it had been stretched a bit.

Fumio got the highest grade in the class. It would be an understatement to say that he could carry anybody’s grades to the heavens.

“Well then, I guess that settles it, right, Shiraishi?” Ayako said with a huge grin.

“Yes, yes, whatever you say.”

“So, whose house should we go over to this time?” Takata asked.

Wait, we’re going to someone’s house? By Takata’s wording, it seemed this was something they often did.

Noguchi raised her hands. “Mine should be okay! My parents wouldn’t be in the house later.”

“Then I’ll take care of the foods and drinks.” Seta’s eyes glimmered a bit.

“By the way, it’s my turn to choose the movie.” Fumio commented on the side.

“I think we should go for a horror movie this time.” Iwamoto said as he pulled out his phone.

“You guys know we’re going to do our assignment, right?” Takata said.

Haru noticed Ayako suddenly turned quiet. But he ignored that and said, “I can’t be there if we’re going to her house. My little sister would be left unattended.”

Takata put his hand on his chin. “That is a problem. And us going to your house without prior notice would be disrespectful.”

Haru nodded. “It should be fine if it’s only one or two but I can’t with this many people…”

Haru wasn’t sure if his parents would approve of it. His mother would probably be fine with it but his father would most likely be livid if he’d find out that Haru brought strangers to the house. Just like him, his father was also overprotective of Ayako.

“Would it be fine if it’s just the two of us?” Ayako asked.

“I guess that would be okay…”

“Sorry, guys, I can’t come with you. Can’t really make Shiraishi do this by himself.” Ayako said with a wry smile.

“Aww, that sucks. We haven’t hangout as a group for a while.” Noguchi’s frown looked contagious as the smiles of the others started to drop, too.

“I guess it can’t be helped.” Takata said. “Alright, let’s go out after class.”

Ayako comforted the dejected blonde by hugging her. “I promise we’ll hangout together soon, okay?”

“Alright…” Although that was a weak response, she nevertheless looked happy being pampered by Ayako.

“All right, everyone, go back to your seats.”

After all that chaos, Haru just realized something.

Wait, Ayako’s going to my house?

×××××××

By the time Haru had finished his cleaning duties, the sun shone at its lowest point. The ten minute cleaning session turned to a thirty minutes ordeal for some of his classmates skipped out on cleaning. He could have reported them but that would just create unnecessary drama.

Leaning by the gate’s pillar, Haru could see a blue-haired girl looking back and forth to her phone and her surroundings. He couldn’t help but laugh at how every head that passed by turned to look at her.

“Sorry for making you wait.” Ayako’s face lightened up as he approached her.

“Jeez, for a second you had me worried there. I kept texting you but you weren’t replying. I thought you went home.” She pouted.

Haru pulled out his phone and checked the dusty messaging app. As he clicked Ayako’s profile, he saw a couple of messages along with a cute, crying cat sticker.

Not gonna lie, that’s pretty cute.

“Ah, my bad. My phone was on silent.”

Besides, I don’t really check my messages anymore. All messages Haru received were either scams or promotion of products, so he couldn’t bother to check. His parents also knew he doesn’t check his messages, so they’d just call him. The day his little sister gets her phone would be the day Haru’s phone would no longer be in silent.

“Well, let’s get going, my sister is waiting.” They started to walk side by side.

Since they were practically in front of the school, many students looked at them as they walked together. None would be the wiser to say that they looked like a couple. And Haru was very aware of this fact.

Suddenly, Haru heard a ding. It was a familiar notification sound, one he used to hear so much. He looked towards the culprit: Ayako’s phone. Looking over her, there was a tinge of sadness as she pursed her lips.

“Something wrong?” Haru asked.

“Nothing, nothing,” She waved her hands and put her phone back on her bag. “Anyway, I can’t wait to meet your little sister!”

“Consider yourself extremely lucky to see my sister.”

“You really love your little sister, huh?”

“Of course! You’ll understand once you see her.”

“Come to think of it, it would be confusing if I keep calling you Shiraishi in your house.”

“That’s true…”

“Then isn’t it about time I call you Haru?”

Hearing his first name come out of Ayako’s mouth made Haru stopped walking.

“Oh, did you not like me calling you with your first name?”

“No, I was just surprised.”

Apart from his family, Haru hadn’t heard his name from other people. Some people used to call him by his first name but they were now basically stranger to him.

“Well, Haru is a nice name. You should let people call you more that often. So, can I call you that?” She tilted her head so innocently one wouldn’t be able to refuse.

“Well, I don’t mind…” Haru said as he looked away.

Ayako-san smiled from ear to ear. “By the way, you can also call me Fuyuki, Fuyu or Yuki, whichever you prefer.”

“I’ll stick with Ayako.” A deadpan look on his face. Haru had an inkling life would be way harder if he started calling her by her first name.

Ayako pouted. “Well, the offer won’t go away.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Well, I’ll be in your care, Haru.” She smiled softly.

This girl is dangerous.

In the distance, he could see his house. It was just a regular two-story house, almost the same as the other house from the neighborhood. In front, a sign with the word “Shiraishi” was written on it.

“My mother’s out today, so it would just be you, me and my six years old little sister.” Haru said as he grabbed his keys and unlocked the door.

After opening the door, his little sister waited for him on the other side while playing with Miku. “Yehey, Haru is back!” As soon as she saw Haru, Hiroko smiled from ear to ear. She immediately hugged his legs as he slowly patted her head.

“I’m home, Hiroko.”

Haru could hear someone squealing behind him. “Y-Your sister is so cute!” Ayako excitedly shouted. A very natural reaction. Anyone who got the chance to see her little sister upfront should, at the very least, have this kind of reaction.

Naturally, this scared Hiroko, and she used Haru as her shield. “W-Who is that Haru? Y-Your girlfriend? I-I’m not letting you take away Haru!” Hiroko raised her voice while strongly grabbing onto Haru. He internally thanked Ayako for what she did as he had never seen this side of her little sister. Needless to say, he found it absolutely cute.

“N-No, she’s only my classmate.” Haru was a bit surprised, though, that she knew the word ‘girlfriend’ and what it meant. “Also, calm down. You’re scaring her.” he said to Ayako.

Realizing her mistake, she cleared her throat, took a deep breath and regained her composure. “Nice to meet you, Hiroko! I’m Fuyuki Ayako. You can call me Fuyu. I’m a friend and classmate of your big brother. And no, I’m not going to take away your brother.” Ayako-san gave her a proper smile. Since she was really pretty, her face generally looked friendly and welcoming. It was why many boys liked her, and it seemed my little sister was not exempted from that.

“Fuyu-oneechan?” Hiroko said in a cute voice.

“Ayako, calm yourself! I know how it feels to be call like that but she’s just gonna get scared of you more!” Haru said as he noticed the familiar face of being called by Hiroko like that.

Ayako shook her head. “You’re right. For a second there, my vision was full white. It’s as if I’ve seen an angel.” Again, another very natural reaction.

Hiroko, not knowing what the two were talking about, stopped using Haru as her shield and picked up Miku like a toy and offered it to Ayako. “Play?”

“Meow?” The cat tilted its head as if asking the same thing.

Ayako picked up the cat with both of her hands, looked at Haru and asked, “Wait, is this cat...?”

“Yeah, it’s the same one who helped me rescue you.” Miku was there during the night of Christmas Eve and helped Haru rescue Ayako in a dangerous situation.

“So, you’re the cat who rescued me, huh? Thank you very much!” Ayako said as she scratched its neck. The cat purred in delight.

“You know Miku?” Hiroko tilted her head.

Ayako happily nodded. “Miku is my hero! This cat actually saved me from bad people.”

Hiroko’s eyes seemed to glimmer as she listened on how Miku saved Ayako. “Miku is so cool!”

“Right? Your big brother also saved me from those bad guys! He's also my hero.”

“You’re so cool, big brother!” Hiroko’s eyes seemed to even more glimmer.

“Yeah, he’s so cool!”

Meanwhile, Haru had to look away, knowing he would be mocked for his steaming face. Haru was certainly elated for Hiroko’s praise, but he didn’t expect Ayako to say those things to him.

This girl is dangerous with her words.

“Let's go to Haru’s room! You know, Haru also saved me from a bunch of dogs before...” Hiroko said as she took Ayako’s hands, leaving Haru behind.

Instead of going to his room, Haru went to the living room. His mother had left him money both for him and Hiroko as she had some errands to do. He used this money to order three slices of cakes —two slices of Cheesecakes and a slice of Velvet cake—and brought a pitcher of iced tea upstairs.

His room was just any other room. It had one bed on the side, a wardrobe, a table used for his computer and studying, a small tv plastered on the wall and a bookshelf halfway full of Light Novels and Manga.

“Are you sure you want to be in a boy’s room? We can move to the living room if you want.” Haru asked.

“Why? You got something to hide?” Ayako narrowed her eyes then started to look around his room.

“Hey, don’t go around looking around my room!”

Ayako giggled. “I’m fine staying at a boy’s room. I’ve been to Sora and the other’s room a bunch of times already, so I'm pretty used to it. Besides, Hiroko is here with us, so you won’t be able to do anything.”

“I’m not planning on doing anything.”

While Haru seemed calm on the outside, he was definitely feeling fidgety. In case anyone had forgotten, Ayako was an absolute beauty. So much so that at least a hundred men had confessed to her. And this absolute beauty had made Haru’s room her home. Her thigh-high socks, her waist skirt, and open-collar blouse all looked vividly alluring as if it was trying to ensnare him.

Good thing Hiroko is here. My little angel will keep me calm.

“Haru, where should we start?” Ayako asked. Haru had brought out his laptop, so they could work on the carpet.

“I think we should find some articles first and then just based our ideas there.”

Ayako nodded and scooted next to him to see the screen properly. “I see, I see…”

She has to be doing this on purpose. She smells really good, though… Haru and Ayako now sat on the floor side by side, their shoulders touching each other. When Ayako moved closer to see the screen, he could whiff the smell of her hair, a mixture of rose and afternoon sunlight.

“Haru, are you listening?” Ayako tilted her head, a look of annoyance on her face.

“Y-Yeah, I’m listening…” Haru managed to snap back to reality. Apparently, she was talking about something but being so close to Ayako, he couldn’t focus on anything.

“Like I said…”

Ding dong.

“T-That must be the delivery guy! Be right back in a sec.”

And just like that Haru was saved by the bell. His delivery had come to save him. He deeply thanked the delivery guy and even gave him a tip just for saving him.

After getting plates and utensils for their cakes, Haru went back upstairs. He had to mentally prepare himself as they really needed to finish their assignment.

Haru opened the door and found Hiroko leaning on Ayako while the other was using her phone.

There it is again.

Ayako had a solemn look on her face as she pursed her lips. It was the complete opposite when she’d talk to Haru or Hiroko. It was as if every time she looked at her phone, her happiness got sucked by it.

“Cake!”

When she saw the cakes Haru carried, she returned to her normal, energetic self. Hiroko also smiled seeing what Haru had brought. The expensive cakes were worth it as Hiroko smiled all the time she was eating.

“Now that I had eaten that, I’m fully energized! Let’s finish this up, Haru!”

“Yes, yes, whatever you say.”