The Space Beside Me

Saya's whisper was still too close to my ear when the first junior bowed. A bit too close, I'd say. But as she had already proceeded towards the classroom, I shifted my attention to my adorable juniors and saw them confused by that passing view.

"Who was that?" One of them asked to the one that originally greeted me. Her name was Ringo, who looked really extravagant with all her makeup.

"Oh, that was Saya-senpai. She has been together with Natsuki-senpai since the start, although she doesn't quite have a lot of presence so it's easy to miss her." Oh, you couldn't be more wrong, Asuka. This girl is part of the basketball club that I used to be a part of. I left the club in her "dutiful" hands, but I was having second thoughts after seeing her same ol' free-spiritedness.

"Oh cool. Anyway senpai, are you going to take part in the school festival? We need to see you again back on the court!" Ringo's eyes were shining brightly, enough to make me shy away from facing them.

"Hey, leave her alone now. She needs to focus on her studies. And anyway, I'll carry the team to victory" said Asuka, with a face that looked extremely full of confidence but to me felt dismissive. I actually really respected her talent for the sport, but the discipline in her was severely lacking. And that was the reason I handed her the reins of the team so as to make her grow. Hope it didn't have the opposite effect on the team! But the way she looked at Saya and the way she dismissed Ringo's request struck a completely different nerve with me. It was like ..... Nah. I shrug my shoulders, as there is no way Asuka is aware of it.

"Thanks Asuka, I'll leave the team to you. Anyway, I gotta go now as the class is about to start. See you later."

I take a slight jog toward the school entrance to switch shoes. I felt a weird shift in my posture as I expected somebody to be near me, but found no one. Huh? That was weird. Anyway, as I hurried up to the classroom, I was almost just in time for the class to start. I noticed Saya looking back, but she hurriedly turned forward as soon as she met my gaze. Your red ears are visible to the whole class you know that, right?

I somehow slog through the morning lectures, which were already in my mind since God knows when, so it became a bit too boring to go through the same concepts. Obviously the perks of an honour student! As the bell rang for lunch break, it was time for some munch time. For a quick turnaround, this time I approached Saya by myself. I wonder why I did that unconsciously, but it just felt like the right thing to do.

"Hey, let's have lunch at your desk." I suggested.

"Wah! Oh, sure." That initial reaction was so funny, I let out a chuckle. As she opened her bento, I quickly snatched that rolled omelette from her box, the only sweet dish in it.

"Hey, that was too fast!"

"Early snail gets the worm, or something."

I rested my head on the headrest as my legs splayed. I wonder where this girl will take me next.