Day 4: A Morning Together

—Hey…
—Sleepyhead…
—Wake up already.

Zick kept sleeping, until a breath blown straight into his ear made him jolt upright.

—AAAAAH!! —he screamed, falling off the bed.
—What the hell just happened!? —he said, out of breath.

—HAHAHAHAHA —Kori laughed from the doorway—. We need to go now.

—It’s only six in the morning… —Zick replied—. It’s still early.
I’m sure my mom let you in just so you could wake me up.

—Yeah —she admitted without guilt—, but I also came early because I wanted us to go have a nice breakfast together.

Zick sighed. He lowered his head and gently rested his hand over Kori’s.

—Alright… give me ten minutes to get ready.

—Don’t take too long —she replied with a smile.

While she waited, Kori received a message.

Zai: Should I pick you and Zick up so we can have breakfast together?
Kori: No, I came for him first. We’ll go get you after.
Zai: Oks.

Zick came out of his room already dressed. Kori immediately stepped closer and took his arm.

—Hurry up, Zick. We have to go get Zai —she said, excited.

—She’s coming too? —he asked, surprised.

—Of course. Looks like you made a really good impression on her —she added with a laugh—. Yesterday we agreed to have breakfast together.

Zick grew a little shy… but also happy.

—Mrs. Yina! —Kori called from the door—. We’re heading out with Zick!

—Have a good time, kids —she replied from the kitchen.

Zick adjusted the handlebars of the bike. Kori climbed on behind him carefully.

—Ready? —he asked.
—Yes.
—Helmet?
—Yes.
—Okay.
—I already sent you her location —Kori said—. So… let’s go.

Zai was fixing her hair in front of the mirror while listening to music. Her phone vibrated.

Kori: We’re close.
Zai: Coming out now.

She gave herself the final touches and stepped outside just as she heard Kori calling her name from afar. She laughed and waved back.

—Hi! —she said as she approached.

Zick greeted her with a smile, less shy than the day before.

—Hop on —said Kori.

Zick handed her a helmet.

Both girls shouted at the same time:

—Let’s go!

The sky was covered in a calm gray. Birds sang, the wind accompanied the road. They laughed, talked without thinking, sharing a simple, honest joy. It was easy to notice that something beautiful was beginning to form between them.

At the café they bought donuts, then headed to school.

—I’ll park the bike —said Zick.
—We’ll wait for you on the rooftop —they both replied.

There, before eating, Zai took a few photos. Then they enjoyed the view.

After that, they went down to class.

Kori said goodbye and went to her seat.
She wanted Zick to lose his shyness.
That’s why she left him with Zai.

—See you at recess for the drawing —Zai said.
—Sure —he replied.

At recess, Zai sat near the window and fixed her hair using her phone’s camera. The phone vibrated.

Kori: I’m going to buy something, I won’t be long.
Zai: Oks :3

Zick watched her closely. He analyzed every detail before starting to draw.

Ten minutes later, Kori returned. She stopped when she saw Zick focused. The feeling coming from him was obvious. The way he replicated beauty was almost hypnotic.

—Did you miss me? —she asked teasingly.

—I can’t live without you, Miss Kori! —Zai said, hugging her dramatically.

The three laughs blended together.

—How did the drawing turn out? —Kori asked.
—Do you want to see it?

They leaned in.

The level of detail left them silent.

The brown hair with reddish highlights, the delicate hairstyle, the sunlight bringing out the gold in her eyes.

Zai began to cry.

She stepped closer to Zick and hugged him.

—Thank you…

—It’s nothing —he replied, blushing.

Kori joined the hug as well.

—Shall we eat? —she asked.

It was a great day.
A strong bond was beginning to form.