Chapter 6

I look at my phone. Received a text. It is Harumi. She says she is back in Tokyo. A wave of relief washed over me, knowing she was safe. I stand up from the living room. Slowly went to my room. I turned on the AC. Closed the window. Took out the blanket. I lay on my bed. I do a deep sigh.

(A memory flashes)

- “You really changed, huh?”

I wake up quickly. Back in my room. I sigh. “I changed, huh? I kept getting these kinds of memory. I just don’t understand. Ugh.” I look around and stand up. Went to the balcony and smell the fresh air from outside.

-Aoi then later went to her other friend. He is at her door. Pressing the doorbell. The ring can be heard. Then she opened the door. “Oh, hey Aoi! You early, huh?”

-Aoi looks at her with a smile. “Yeah, I know. Although I want to visit you.” Shili looks at him and replies, “Aww, you miss Shili so bad? Is that so, my Aoi?”

-Aoi blushed as he got flustered. “Stop saying ‘My Aoi’. Look, I just want to visit you again, okay?”

Shili then let Aoi in. Remembers the same old house when Aoi visits her. He went to her room and saw piled up books. A smile forming on his face. Recalling how she self learns. Even if it is already summer break. She then walked to Aoi and showed some novels she had made. Also, ideas for other novels too. He knows Shili has a big imagination but never expected for her to write a lot of novels already.

- “You wrote all of this already?” Aoi questions.

-Shili nods with giggles. Aoi then looks at her. “Well, do you have any romance, manga? I want to read.” Then she gave him a 3 volumes of romance manga.

Aoi then lay on her bed and read. Reading them here and there, both exchange talks, mostly at school. Later at lunch. They both ordered noodles. While eating at the dining table. Shili sighs. Looks at him with a concern face.

- “Hey umm…” Shili took a deep breath

- “Aoi… Are you alright now? After the incident?”

-He nods with a smile on his face. “Yeah, I’m alright. Just… sad…”

-Shili then went beside her and gave her a hug that has a meaning of ‘The Hug For You.’ Even though they are friends, she is with him 5 months before the incident. She knows this hard for him, but she is with him every step. She looks at his deep whitish eyes.

-He speaks with a comforting, gentle tone. “I promise, nothing will happen again. Okay?”

(A memory flashes)

Shili was being chased by the bullies. I was with her. We are on the side road. It’s already dark. Suddenly, Shili did a hard right turn, and she hurriedly went to the zebra crossing. I was still holding her hand. Suddenly, light flashes from the left. A big truck coming. I then, of course, look to my right and there was a fast car. Then I pulled her into a hug and we were both hit by a big truck. Shili only sprained her right leg, but I took most of the damage. From head to toes. Even my spine got affected. Although the biggest damage of all is the damage of the bullies did to Shili. Her mentality. Of course, the incident became huge and everyone visited her and the bullies got punished and even got expelled from the school. At the hospital. We were in the same room. Getting visitors from relatives to friends, friends to students and students to teachers.

(Back to the present)

I always thought about how lucky I am. Having a friend like her. Of course we don’t have romantic feelings but were great friends. As times went on. Shili’s depression went away. It’s a good thing but I can still feel the pain of my body. Not much pain as before but it lingers.

-I returned the hug to Shili. “Yeah, I’m happy. Don’t worry about it okay?”

Later on I helped Shili make her a novel by giving ideas to her, character development and stuff. All those kind of things. Then she gave me free manga to read. Suddenly she excused herself to go to the bathroom. I of course went around her room. Searching different kind of novels. I then found one novel that stood out. I took it out and read it. It is good. About fantasy and stuff. Then Shili went back into the room and took the novel im reading.

-“Already skipping to the last page? Unethical.” She said with a huff.

Moving on, her parents arrived. I then politely and gently shake their hands and say hi. Of course, they were welcoming too. Although I leave before they invited me to dinner. I then took a seat at a bench near the city’s park. Looking up at the sky, smiling.