Chapter 3 - Your Face Says it All

"Thanks for helping Mrs. Akari, Mr. Homura."

"Ah... It's... Not a problem. I'm the one who offered to help her after all..."

So she really is from a wealthy family...

"If that so, then, please excuses us." The Maid bowed respectfully, then get into the car.

"A-Alright." I also bowed respectfully.

I can see Akari sit in the back seat from the car's window, she smiled like always.

"See you tomorrow, Homura!" Akari waved.

"See you." I waved back.

I stand still until the car disappear at the end of the road.

Huff... I didn't expect to spend the rest of the day with her...

Well... It's not like it's bad or something. I also feel comfortable to be around her.

Also... This may be too late but...
I'm glad I met her again after all.

...

Alright, time to go home.

Oh yeah... If i remember correctly... I think I changed a lot when I'm with her.

First time meeting her, it was nothing.

Second time I meet her, I'm too shaken to keep myself together.

Then comes the lunch break, where I feel much more comfortable around her and expressed more than I used to.

Man... Why do I like this?

I hope she's not confused because of it...

"Arghh... What's wrong with me?"

"Yuuto, you looked pale."

Eh?

"Y-Yuuko?! Since when?!"

"There's also Yuuki here." She pointed Yuuki, who is next to her.

"Yo, Yuuto." Yuuki waved.

Since when this two is walking next to me?!

"Actually, we've been calling you out, but you didn't even turn around. So we decided to silently walk besides you." Yuuto explained. "Even though it's Yuuko's idea."

"Ehehe~" Yuuko chuckled.

"Uh..." I frowned.

"By the way, why are you behaving like that, Yuuto?" Yuuki asked.

"Oh... Mmm... Well actually, something's been bothering me." I scratched my hair.

"About what? Does that problem involves a girl?" Yuuko asked playfully.

"Yeah, I think so."

"EEEHHH?!" Yuuko shrieked.

Ouch... My ears...

"Never thought you would have a problem with a girl, Yuuto," Yuuki said.

"Yeah, me too. Even I myself haven't grasped a single clue about it."

"Does this have some connections to the girl with her maid?" Yuuko asked.

...!

"H-How do you know, Yuuko?"

"That's easy, your face says it all. Oh and also, I somehow got to see you helping her before—so i thought that might be the problem."

"What are you? A stalker? That's scary."

"Hey! What does that mean?!" Yuuko punched my shoulder repeatedly. It hurts, so I think she really is mad.

"Yuuko," Yuuki called her, and gestured her to stop her punches.

"What, Yuuki?~ This stupid kid need a lesson to learn the consequences of bad mouthing." Yuuko pouted.

Yuuki pat her head, trying to calm her down.

How can they be this "lovey-dovey" in public?

"So, what's the problem?" Yuuki asked.

"Well... Before that, I wanted to ask something. How do I behave when I first met both of you?"

When I asked that, they fell silent, as if trying to recall the past.

"Mmm... We met in kindergarten, so I don't really have a good memory of it... But I do remember that you're so cheerful when we played together in the sandbox." Yuuko is being the one to answer.

"That's too far..."

"Oh, but I remember you changed in Junior High... You're way too calm, like the current you. Not expressing yourself as much as you were used to is one of the changes... You're really noisy when you wanted something, in the past."

"And you said you didn't have a good memory of it?"

"Ehehe~"

I can't get a clear answer from her...

Last one, Yuuki. I hope he has a clear as water answer.

"If I remember correctly, when we first met in 8 Grade, you were very calm, even i didn't sense your presence."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, like Yuuko said, you're not expressing much of yourself that we even need to force you to spill what you wanted."

"Mmm... I remember you two will chase me until the edge of the world just to get a real answer from me."

After I said that, they both laughed.

"But, at the very least, you have changed in this past few weeks."

"Really?"

"Well, I couldn't say for sure. Do you remember the time we hung out together several days before school starts?"

"Mmm... I do remember, why is that?"

"No 'why is that'! Until Yuuki brought this up, I just remembered something."

"And... what's that?"

"You said what you wanted clearly, even sometimes you acted out of character," Yuuki explained.

"The meaning of it?"

Yuuki, if you're explaining something, explain it in detail...

"I mean, sometimes you're sensitive of your surroundings. Offering a help as an example, that never happened before. Also, you're laughing cheerfully, doesn't those changes are bad though..." Yuuki stopped for a while. "For the rest, I can't offer a great explanation. Just note that you're changing much this past few weeks."

"Then, how come this have a connection to that girl?" Yuuko asked confusedly.

"W-Well... I'm just confused... I have met her two weeks ago in the hospital, and if I remember, I'm very calm at that moment."

"Mhm... Then?" Yuuko tilted her head.

"Today, I meet her again. And speaking of it, I happened to be at her side all the time... And I didn't feel that composed when I meet her again..."

When I turned to them, they're looking at me full of curiosity.

"And at lunch break, I happened to be more expressive. Are you guys with me?"

They shook their head, signaling as they didn't understand.

"What I wanted to say is... I talked to her the way I talked to both of you, like the current situation."

"So, what's wrong with it?" Yuuko asked.

"Nothing's really wrong... Just... I feel like I'm changing a lot in such a short time."

"Let me say this, Yuuto, you're not the type of people who conscious and sensitive about your surroundings, even yourself. So when you do conscious of it, you'll be left with a bothering feeling," Yuuki explained.

"Is that so?"

"Well... That's what I can think of... Maybe it's just how your subconscious side determine people who's compatible with you."

"Mhm! Mhm! I agree!"

"Uhh... What's the reason you're agreeing with Yuuki?"

"Weeelll... I just happened to remember this now. When it was the first time you met Yuuki, you also acted like that—a little different though..."

"What do you mean?"

"Like you have said before, you're also like that—acting all calm in the start, and when you're actually comfortable with him, you slowly open up to him. If not wrong, it took a week." Yuuko put her hand under her chin.

Yuuki nodded, and said. "Well, it's just like that, so I don't think you gain anything from overthinking it. That's just the way you are. People always change, so don't worry about it." And ends his speak with a smile.

That's the way I am?

But, he said "People always change".

Somehow, I kind of agree to what he said in the last line.

We've chatted long enough that unconsciously, we're already at the intersection.

We exchanged farewell, and parted.

...

I'm glad I shared this with them.