A Silent Change

It's just real nice when a story receives more characters. The world building just grows much bigger. No new grand reveals yet, but the second volume is currently doing a good job in introducing the members of Moonlight while still proceeding with the plot. I'm liking the overall general direction...

During his usual train of thought as he walks to school, without being aware of it, Sora's mind suddenly switches topics from the manga he read recently to what happened yesterday.

After hearing Ruu Hino's name tenderly spoken, Sora felt it was the perfect closure to their first encounter and continues to walk to the cashier. He then followed suit with his usual routine, sitting in the usual seat, working on his homework and afterwards either playing his phone or reading the new volumes he just purchased. Concluded again with the sounds of closing hour. 

Sora returned the mangas he read to the plastic bag of his recently purchased mangas. Then, he stood up while wrapping his bag on one arm. While doing so he twisted his body slightly to  steal a glance at Hino. 

Hino noticed Sora's glimpse and returned it with the dream-like eyes of hers. To Sora's surprise she was closer. To be exact, her seat is closer. She was sitting two tables away from Sora. 

The school bell rings and school begins. 

The change of Hino's behavior would slip into Sora thoughts every now and then throughout the day. He might have been thinking of the mangas and anime he recently read and watched or he might be listening attentively to his music or concentrating in class, but the thought of the new changes to his routine would from time to time make its way into his mind. 

Periodically Sora would look over to Hino's table during class to observe any more possible changes. Or at least that's what he told himself. And he hit the mark. 

Sometimes Hino would also return the glance, and the two of them would share a gaze across the classroom. It's a different routine, but another one Sora welcomed. 

What stayed the same though was Hino leaving class during lunch. After finishing his lunch, Sora decided to take a walk around school, as he thought that the new routine might bring some changes that allowed him to find her during lunch. It didn't. Sora went back to class first, only for Hino to return right before the next class. 

How school ended was also the same. 

Entering into the café, Sora was not only welcomed by the owner at the cashier, but also another fact that has stolen his entire attention: Hino was sitting at the table next to his. At the seat directly right behind Sora's seat. 

Still taken aback Sora makes his way towards his usual seat, this time right behind Hino. As he makes his way there, he maintains his gaze at Hino's back covered by her black hair, as he expected that she will turn to him and/or say something. 

However, Sora reached his seat and made himself comfortable there, without any reaction from Hino.

The two of them sat behind the other, their backs facing each other. Each minding their own business. Each, their own worlds. Each doing their own things. But at the same time, they are together, or in this case, close to one another. A presence of both being alone but together at the same time. 

"It's closing hour."

Ah man... It was about to reach a climactic moment as well... Whatever, I'll just continue reading it at home. 

Sora packs his manga into his bag and pushes the chair behind him to stand up. He grab his bag and wears it on one of his arm.

As Sora was just about take his first step to leave, however, he felt a a tug on the side of his uniform. An all too familiar tug. Sora already knows what's awaiting him. 

Sora turns his body to the direction of the tug, which is right behind him. And it as he expected.

Hino just got out of his chair and was standing there, tugging on his uniform. Her eyes glaring up at his eyes, begging for something. 

After a while of simple eye contact, Hino stop pulling on Sora's clothes and crouched down to her bag, scouring its insides. 

Sora lowers down the volume of his music, in case Hino wants to say something.

Wonder what she is doing. And what she wants. 

Finished scouring Hino pulls out a manga from her school bag and, while holding it with her arms straight, she shows it to Sora. "A Family of Five." 

Oh, she has "A Family of Five"?

"Ah, I just bought that. I haven't read it though"

With only such simple lines, Hino's gesture straightened up and her entire face glowed. Completely in joy, Hino loses her left hand's grip on the manga, swings it and points it to her bag and with her gentle voice, "Look."

Look?

"You want to she me your mangas?"