The Last Day of School

Thursday. School again. No student or teacher was happy being up so early. Everyone was falling asleep. That included Tetsudo and Yamada.

After the bell rang, they went to the vending machine, just like yesterday. Tetsudo noticed that Yamada was a bit more reserved than usual and so he tried to cheer him up and buy him something from the cafeteria. Yamada didn't say no, but that clearly did not improve his mood.

After Tetsudo bought him a chocolate, they sat down on the floor. Tetsudo looked at Yamada again - he had a distraught look on his face, something like that never occurs. Only something to do with Hiraya could bother him so much.

"Alright. There's no one here, you can tell me what's going on." There was a moment of silence before Yamada snapped back to reality and decided to speak.

"Yesterday I, uh, found Hiraya crying..." Tetsudo immediately gazed at him, scared and worried. "She told me someone liked the boy she liked, and she had no chance against her."

"Who was she talking about?" Tetsudo asked.

"She didn't tell me."

The deafening silence resurged. Yamada was blank and Tetsudo was pale.

"I felt helpless listening to her story. I couldn't believe myself. I wasn't there for her. I couldn't even-"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Tetsudo interjected. "You listening to her story was you being there for Hiraya!"

Yamada looked at him with a dispirited face, but quickly turned away and grabbed his blonde hair, that was now wet from the blazing heat and lack of air conditioning. Anxiety and hopelessness had taken over him. But these feelings, were they really true?

He thought about all the times he was with Hiraya and Tetsu - he loved them both dearly. But did he let them down? Maybe sometimes, but they never showed regret in meeting him or being friends with him. They were his true friends. And what if he ruined this precious friendship? With carelessness or clinginess?

"Tetsu..."

"What is it?" He was worried about Yamada. He had an empty look on his face.

"Do you think... if I confessed to Hiraya, she would feel better?"

"Of course! You should tell her how you feel! I've been telling this for 2 years now!" Tetsu encouraged him like he always did.

After a moment of thinking, Yamada raised his head and smiled faintly.

"Next week, I'll confess to Hiraya. How does that sound?"

"It sounds awesome!" Tetsudo's face gleamed from joy. "That's what I love seeing in you - your determination! Don't let it slip away, you hear me?"

Yamada looked at him. His joyful eyes were infectious. It made Tetsu shine even more. 

"He really is wonderful person, helping everyone to the best of his abilities."

"I won't." Yamada's smile brightened up. "Thank you, Tetsu."

"What are ya thanking me for?" Tetsudo stood up and stretched. "Come on, let's go to class, don't wanna be late on the last day."

"Sure."

Tomorrow, school ends, huh... " Tetsudo thought while walking.

Tetsudo and Yamada made their way to the classroom together for one last day.

*

The end of school had come. All the students had already dispersed across the town. The streets looked as yellow as they always do. The birds on the fence around the school were looking at the trees' their green leaves and yellow barks and how they were going to build beautiful homes around the branches.

Hiraya and Tetsudo were going home together today. Maybe the last time they would see each other, who knows. Hiraya was definitely worried about that - they would drift apart and not go out like they do now after school. Tetsudo on the other hand was feeling happy that he could help Yamada today with his love troubles. But he still wondered about Hiraya's story and who she was talking about. He wanted to ask her, but he knew it would make her uncomfortable, so he smothered his curiosity down just so it didn't look like something was bothering him.

As the two walked in silence down the street, they reached the place where they would go their separate ways home.

"See ya tomorrow at the last day of school!" Tetsudo waved to Hiraya and started walking home.

Suddenly he felt a light pull, like someone grabbing his uniform. He turned around and saw Hiraya with her face down holding his shirt.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Tetsu..." Hiraya lifted her head and looked his way, her face had turned pink. Then she uttered what Tetsudo least expected.

"I love you."

"Huh?" Tetsudo couldn't think of a worse response, but he was at a loss for words. He got red in the face and quickly covered his face with his now sweaty hands. "W-what?"

He didn't hear a response back. He made a gap in his hand covering his eyes to see Hiraya - she was all red as well, but with a very pleased smile on her sweaty face, that was pretty much screaming "I said it!".

"I-I said I love... you." Hiraya said with a staggered speech.

Tetsudo couldn't handle it anymore and he fainted. He fell backwards and on Hiraya. She then dragged him to a bench, still gleaming with joy. How proud she was feeling that she confessed to her crush. She constantly played with her hair and laughed at herself while waiting for Tetsudo to wake up, but after a while she got impatient and started shaking him. He suddenly opened his eyes and stood up in the blink of an eye.

"Did you just say you love me or was it a dream?" Tetsudo asked her.

"I did just say that." Hiraya smiled slyly.

"Um... Well... I don't have an answer... If you could give me time I coul-" She put her finger on his mouth.

"I just said I love you, I never said to go out with me." She said, still smiling. Tetsudo was perplexed.

"Why did you... say you love me? Actually, why do you love me even?" He had a billion questions to ask her.

"I said it just to say it. But I don't want to go out with you and ruin our friendship or something. Even with Yamada."

"Ah, um... I see your point." Tetsu thought for a moment and looked at her. "Even if you love me, but can't go out with me, I'm sure that, uh... love will soon come your way..." He wished he had said the last part a bit less thorny.

"Ahaha~" Hiraya chuckled cutely. "I sure hope it does. I know it has already come your way."

"I think we're in different lanes." Tetsudo laughed awkwardly.

"I wasn't talking about myself." Hiraya said smiling. There was a moment of realization and Tetsudo's head exploded.

"ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT YAI?! NO WAY, NO WAY, NO WAY! SHE'S GOING AWAY THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, YOU KNOW!?"

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Hiraya laughed at his embarrassment.

"God, even now you tease me..." Tetsudo muttered annoyed.

*

The sun had gotten smaller over the last few days, but its light was not shrinking. The town was still afraid it would get burned, but the rails and forest welcomed the lovely scenery. Tetsudo, as he was sitting at home, was still thinking about Yai's confession.

"Maybe it was really the best for us not to be together, even Yamada didn't like her, just for his sake..."

Tetsudo's phone rang. It was his mom: "I will be gone until next Friday, make sure you eat enough and go out!"

"Nothing surprising..." Tetsudo thought as he was thinking of things to do at home alone with Yai. Just a day and a half left for her in this house. 

"She still hasn't asked anything of me... I wonder what she will ask for..."