XIX — Silent Chaos Beneath Blooming Flowers

...

Soon after they were talking for a bit, they walked together out of Anna's house.

Because by the time they have had finished studying, the sun was about to set.

"Thanks for today."

"I deeply appreciate it."

Those were words spoken sincerely with deep humbleness.

Riku then waved at her, before bidding a farewell.

"See ya later,"

"Anna."

He said slowly in each syllable.

He really just keeps calling me 'Anna'...

"Mhm."

"Bye bye, Riku-kun."  Anna waved back,

with a smile drawn on her face, 

followed by him grinning then looked away.

She then closed the door, as soon as possible.

Was that just a dream? It was a dream, right?

She pinched her cheek for many times just to make sure.

Riku Reita... was by her side, studying and sipping a milk tea she made.

"Woah~!"

She couldn't even stop looking at him studying.

"Hehehe..." 

After all, he just looked so cute when he was focused.

...

By the time she arrived on the bedroom, she was giggling, kicking her feet, and tumbling then rolling on her bed just like your average teenager getting their first ever crush.

She kicked her feet.

A little bit too hard.

THUD!

"Ouch!"

She fell down after kicking her feet while holding her smartphone.

She was on the floor while fighting against her own blanket, the one currently twisted on her legs.

Her first reaction was to check the screen.

And gratefully, there were no cracks.

"Oh, it's alright. No scratches yet." 

She muttered to herself, while still checking for any possible damage.

As if her phone were the only thing that mattered the most.

You are being too aggressive, gravity-kun. Hmph~!

She scolded the air, blaming it for her own misfortune.

The one that happened for the third time today.

However, she couldn't care less. She just lay down on the floor, then giggling, after that holding her phone again, wondering if Riku Reita had any idea what damage he had done to her personality.

Anyway, this was a bit out of topic but... 

before all of these happened, she already was checking her lunch box.

Turns out it's still fresh, yet what stopped her from interacting with him even further was that she was eating before delivering the milk tea. And yes, as quick as possible like she always does.

Though, it's not like she was hungry. She just didn't want to waste those foods at all.

A few seconds later, her phone's notification was chirping.

It was Riku, sending her a media from MMS she taught him to use yesterday.

He learned quickly...

He showed her a picture of him eating with his family members.

She looked at those foods on the table, and noticed every

Katsu udon, kaiyaki ramen, bara-yaki, ikamenchi...

"Happy eating. I posted this on Photogram too~! :D"

What a family.

She thought, while texting him back.

"That looks good, I'm happy for you."

She waited after replying, but it wasn't for too long.

"Thx! You can join us if you want."

Idiot...

Her face was all red and flustered, before replying.

"Maybe later when I'm not that busy. I need to take care of my house and study as well. Thank you for the offer by the way."

She immediately tapped off her phone's screen.

Did I just reject his offer? I've missed it out! 

Anna, you are so stupid!

What a chance she had been getting, yet she didn't know how to take it.

She opened the screen again.

Wait, who is she? Also, is that our school's uniform too?

She just noticed a young woman, possibly around her age, sitting beside him on the dinner table.

She really wanted to text him, questioning and interrogating him to find out.

Yet she had no rights. It made her seemed like an obsessive stalker who was ready to commit a murder out of jealousy. And she didn't want to give him that kind of impression.

Maybe it's just her sister. Yeah.

She thought to herself, trying to justify it.

Yet another message.

"By the way, I can't pick you up tomorrow. Is that okay? :("

She replied without thinking twice.

"Yes, it's alright, Riku-kun. Don't worry. :)"

...

Morning was, again, still gone as usual.

She woke up from her bedroom, taking a bath, preparing for her lunch box and so on.

As for the latter, she could no longer bare her feelings of not being able to eat her most favourite.

Chicken Nanban Bento, with fish and vegetables.

After that, she went to school like usual.

However, it was a different sight entirely.

Isn't that the same girl from the picture?

A young girl with long black hair, wearing necklace on her wrist. 

The same school uniform, laughing with him with a smile on her face.

Yet she didn't want to think badly about him. 

It was just his sister, after all.

She joined the class with feelings full of contradictions.

Meanwhile, Riku waved at her in the corridor.

"Hey, Anna."

"Sorry for not picking you up."

She waved back dismissively as a reply, while the other one was clenching its fist.

"What is it, Reita-kun?"

He noticed that sudden change. There was something off.

"I will explain about it after the break."

He replied, yet she never answered it. As if any explanation would never be enough.

"Canteen. I will be there, waiting for you. Okay?"

She never flinched. Just a slight nod and that's it. 

She had no rights to be jealous, but there she was.

Looking away before quietly walking into the classroom.

...

The lunch break, where everything should be resolved.

Anna walked away out of the classroom during the lunch break.

And it was her first time. However, she already knew the destination already.

By the time she had already arrived, Riku was waiting along with her.

The same girl from that picture yesterday...

She waved at her with a bright smile on her face.

In her mind, she compared how similar she is to Riku himself.

"Hey, over here!" Riku waved at her, with a bright smile on his face.

"We've been waiting for you, Anna."

"Now... take a sit." He asked her gently.

There was only a seat left on the table so she took it immediately.

Shiina Komori.

Her name tag, the one placed on her chest, was noticed immediately using her glasses.

Not her sister at all? So, who is she?

Her mind already got her thoughts swirling.

She already imagined something else, such as...

"So, Anna..."

"She is my fiancee!"

Along with his well-captured signature smile, so infuriating that she felt like wanting to bury it from her own memory along with herself together. Wishing no one could find her.

That would be so embarrassing!

But then, her thoughts were interrupted all of a sudden.

"So, Anna..."

Oh, no...

The "So, Anna..."

Oh, no...

The déjà vu simply struck like a thunderstorm, without her permissions.

She never asked, let alone did she ever prepare for this worst possible outcome.

"This girl is..."

She really wanted to die. She couldn't bear the feelings of getting hurt anymore.

"My childhood friend."

"She is our senior, and a year older than us."

Eh? Hehhh...

Despite still wearing her cold, indifferent mask,

her mind was deeply under chaos.

Wait, so... not her fiancee? Just a childhod friend who is always losing?

That trope was so memorable for her, so much so she couldn't help but smile deep down.

However, she couldn't get complacent just yet.

No, Anna! 

Don't underestimate her! Maybe she still got a chance. 

Maybe...

As she stopped thinking about it, her reaction was quick.

She offered her hand immediately. 

Introducing herself, with a polite smile.

"Anna Kanzaki."

"Nice to meet you, Komori-senpai."

However, Shiina never saw that coming. 

Let alone Riku, who was watching both of them in silence.

"Oh..."

However, she immediately followed.

"Nice to meet you too, Anna-chan!"

Eh... "-chan" feels...

She didn't know what or how to feel about it, but her gesture was quite friendly.

So, she accepted her friendship request immediately. No hesitations at all.

The conversation then ended with a handshake, followed by them talking and sharing so many things. Eventually resolved the situation with other topics, such as the dinner yesterday.

"You really should come here! There are so many foods on his house!"

"Reita's mom is such a good cook~! Hmmm~!"

"Heh, you just want some free foods without paying for a bento, don't you?"

"Ehhh, no! That's so impolite of you. Hmph~!"

"Well, I can cook some bento too."

"Wait, you can?! That's impossible."

"Mhm. I always bring them at school."

"I can also teach you if you want."

"Heh, really?!"

"Sure sure, I want!"

The conversation kept going, just like that colourful morning.

However, mornings were still grey. 

Always the same. Absolutely empty. 

 At least, that was how a high school girl like her would have described them. 

 Yet funnily enough, those ordinary mornings eventually became the ones she missed the most. 

 Right here, right now—living beneath the vase as her own little poetry. 

 Thus spoke Anna Kanzaki of the future, smiling quietly at the memory.