Two Years Ago...

The little smiles of the first-years put all the teachers in a good mood.

March has come. The first cherry blossoms are finally beginning to bloom. The sun today didn't shine as bright as other days, and there was a chilly breeze in the air - a remnant of the winter from a month before.

The world was returning to normal after a year of staying behind closed doors and windows. The cherry blossoms people could see from outside their homes - beautiful like the first time man saw the tree aeons ago.

School has been over for an hour, yet nobody really wanted to go home. All the first and second-years took walks in groups to somewhere only they knew. Spring had come, it'd be a waste to not go out in this weather.

There was a group of three first-years, walking down the road and to a park they've played in since they were little. The boy with blonde hair was Yamada, the boy to his left was Tetsudo and the blue-haired girl to the right was Hiraya. The three trotted for a while through the lively trees and finally sat on a bench.

"Tetsu, lemme have what you're drinking!" Hiraya said to him.

"No way. You should've bought mango juice for yourself instead of begging." Tetsu refused and drew back.

"Awwww! Come on! Just one sip!" Hiraya pled him.

"Mmmm... Fine, just one." Tetsu gave her the plastic bottle.

She drank almost all of it.

"IDIOT, YOU SAID ONE SIP!" Tetsu yelled at her, his face had turned red.

"I'm sorry. Techichally, it was one sip... One big sip!" Hiraya lifted her hands in the air and smiled.

"Ugh, I'm not giving you nothing from now on."

"Ehhhhh?? Why? I said I'm sorry!"

"Tetsu, don't be such a cheapskate! It's okay for guys to give girls things!" Yamada interjected.

"Yes, yes!" Hiraya immediately put her hands on the hips in a cocky way. "Yamada, could you buy me a juice tomorrow?"

"Sure!" Yamada accepted the request without thinking.

"You both just baffle me..." Tetsu sighed.

The sun shined brightly. The whole winter was lonely and cold or at least that's how it looked for Tetsudo. He didn't like winter and was more of a summer person. Even spring wasn't that great, because of allergies. And in the fall, there was too much rain. He always knew Hiraya loved fall and winter - the many holidays, the gathering of the family and the food, that was her favorite time of year. Yamada hated every season for every reason people hate seasons, he always says it's everyone else that helps him see the good in a season. Although it seems sometimes that he likes late summer/early fall the most.

"Guys, sorry, but I have to go home." Hiraya got up from the bench.

"Whaa? But it's spring now! You should stay outside more!" Yamada said.

"We have 2 exams next week, Yamada," there was a moment of silence.

"HUH?!"

"Ehehe~" Hiraya chuckled at his reaction. "You should both start studying as well. See ya tomorrow!"

Hiraya waved at them and walked away. The boys were left on the bench amongst dogwalkers and couples on a "picnic". The breeze all around complemented the spring picture alomg with the hanging green trees and laughing students with their new uniforms.

"What date is it today?" Yamada asked, leaned back on the bench with legs open and arms spread.

"March 13th," Tetsu responded. "You ready with your chocolate?"

"Yeah."

"This is time will you actually say that you like her?" To Yamada that question struck like lightning. After a few moments of silence, he let out a big sigh.

"I don't know if I have the confidence..."

"Man, you gotta believe in yourself. Hiraya isn't some punk girl that rejects everyone or a polyamory." Tetsu looked at Yamada. It was like he had sank into his seat.

"I don't know..." Yamada sighed. "I'll probably chicken out again, like on Christmas."

"It's okay to be afraid, but you gotta tell her at some point. You still have two years so do not worry. Even after school you can tell her."

"That seems like a long way," Yamada smiled. "I wonder what we'll be like in two years."

"Don't think about the far future too much," Tetsudo said almost in a scolding way. "It messes with your head..." He looked at Yamada and smiled.

"Today you live for tomorrow after all, you know?"

The little rustling from the wind became distant when Yamada heard Tetsudo's words. The sun seemed far away. The people walking around in the corner of his eye became unrecognizable silhouettes, like some smooshes of ink on a troubled canvas. The birds on the electrical wire were hugging and singing something. The trees' bark was golden and the smell of recently cut grass had filled the air.

"I know," Yamada smiled back. "Thank you, Tetsu."

"What are ya thanking me for? Come on let's go, I want to buy a new manga." Tetsudo got up from his seat and stretched.

They went and passed down the streets of the busy and blooming town. One could say the town during spring was at its most productive state - constantly you'd see cars and bikes passing up and down the streets, workers and businessmen hurrying to some meeting while speaking on the phone, students sitting at some stairs or at cafes, laughing at something unimportant, dogs and cats playing together in some back alley. During the summer or winter, the town is never this alive. It always dies down and gets resurrected back - that's the cycle of the season. It never changes.