Summer Break

A week passed and summer break came. Haru woke up to an absence of sound like any other day, but it was even more vacant without his parents around. No warm breakfast on the table. No funny note to wish him good day. He was left alone with only Grace to visit him at night.

He thought it would have been less stuffy without them. After all, he was free from their influence for a month. Somehow, he had broken free from their gaze and all their little nudges toward a path same as theirs.

A month to rediscover himself. Somehow, that first step felt daunting once he realized it. But then, Haru shrugged it off. He had already been making strides all this time, the goal firmly set in his mind.

Haru went to school like before. Soccer training continued throughout the summer. It was quite fortunate that he could use it as an excuse to move forward. An aimless agenda would have kept him holed up in his room.

Instead, he had a morning full of balls flying toward him, which he promptly slapped away with sharp jabs. Haru putt on a little show to intimidate anyone taking potshots at his domain. The goal was his; he wouldn’t let any fly past him without a fight.

“Alright, Jackie Chan. How about you catch and return the ball instead of sending it out of bounds?” Daichi stepped forward with a grin.

“Got your action stars mixed up, haven’t you? I’m practicing Way of the Dragoon, mind you.”

“Better get ready for this if you don’t listen to your captain, Essence of Eating Grass!”

Daichi launched a whizzer. Haru swore blue flames engulfed that kick. Barely a moment to blink and the ball slammed square into his torso. At that point, he felt air. Then, netting against his face. Daichi’s shot had sent him twirling headlong into the back goal.

Haru was apparently no match for true aces. Not yet anyways.

A groan escaped his mouth as his face ate grass, just like Daichi claimed. It was still better than rug burn. If only by a hair.

“Getting serious out there, aren’t you?”

A suave face matching the voice hovered over Haru. A hand was extended to help him up. Haru felt the urge to let out puppy dog eyes in a fake swoon.

“Koichiiii, help me against this brute!” he said, all cutesy, after climbing to his feet.

“No way. I’m the bard of this group. I bust out the tunes for distraction and then hide. Face him yourself, generic hero #1.”

“You’re no fun. What are you even here for then?” Haru dropped the act and sighed. “Just killing some time?”

“Yup. Though, I ran into someone on the way. You’ve got a spectator in the stands, Harucchi.”

Haru turned and saw a lone girl, half hidden behind bleachers. It felt like their line of sight took a moment to connect the dots before Kasumi hesitantly waved. How awkward.

The week after Kasumi’s confession, she had given him nothing more than a simple greeting in class, with him doing the same. Haru wasn’t sure how to break the ice after that. He didn’t mean to push her away, but neither could he find the right words to smooth it out. So, he just chilled.

“Go on, shouldn’t keep the lady waiting, bud. Soccer practice is winding down anyways.”

“Have fun, but remember that we have a live this evening. Don’t get cold feet.”

Even Daichi and Koichi were now giving him jabs. He hadn’t told them what happened, but they had noticed some rough waters ‘normal for a couple’. He didn’t want to be put in the spotlight, explaining his reasons. Being an awkward fool instead worked for now.

“Hey.” Haru said.

“Hey,” he got in return.

He knew he had to say something else. Anything. But the way he suddenly felt self-conscious at times was rearing its ugly head. The worry of ‘anything’ not being ‘right’ gripped his throat.

“Um, Sato-san, I-”

“Let’s not start with tiptoeing on glass, shall we?” Kasumi eyed him sharply. “We’re still friends, right?”

“Kasumi…-chan, what are you doing here?”

“It’s summer break. I was wondering what you were up to. And since I knew you had practice, I thought that I’d drop by to cash in on that friend time.”

The grin that crept onto Kasumi’s face unnerved him. Her body language added to the ‘request’ that she was about to drop.

“Goalie duties for Kurabe-kun. Playing in a band with Motoyama-kun. It got me wondering… What would friend Haru do for me?”

That word stung again like knives when she put it that way. It made him flinch with each use. All he could think about was how to counter it.

“Is that all I am to you, a convenience?” Haru joked, shrugging his shoulders dramatically. But then, Kasumi popped right in front of him. That one move commanded his attention. He couldn’t help but look her in the eyes.

“An interest for an interest. A little give and take. You’re too kind to turn me down if I ask nicely. But I’ll make sure you won’t regret it.”

Kasumi let out an impish grin as she beckoned Haru to follow. He grabbed his bag and quickly caught up, wondering if things would settle down if he simply complied. The way that she smiled certainly led him on, regardless of whether it was false hope.

A trip to the train station and five stops over, Kasumi led Haru to the main drag of a business district, a place he had no reason to be. The array of cute and trendy shops made Haru fondle his wallet nervously.

Did Kasumi drag him here for another hit on his allowance? Would another Horn-kun tide over the cold shoulder that he gave her?

“I didn’t bring you here to go shopping, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Gah, how’d you guess?”

“The way that your eyes stared at every fancy thing in the window. I hardly doubt that you’re the type for frilly dresses and shiny jewelry.”

“What if I do?”

“Then… I’d have an excuse to play dress up, I suppose.”

Haru’s joke had failed horribly. He should have realized by now that backtalking her left him with nothing but Ls. Yet, he didn’t mind so much in taking them. It was much better than dead silence.

“Ah, here we are. Let’s go inside.”

Haru froze. His senses trembled as they pinpointed several things off about the place they were standing in front of. A list of red flags scrolled in his mind.

Bright and cute décor across the front.

Cardboard cutouts of 2D girls in aprons.

The ringing of the welcome bell, followed by “Okaeri nasai, Goshujin-sama!”

Haru’s legs twitched as he stared up at a sign that read, Maid in Heaven.

Kasumi took one look at him and giggled.

“And here, I thought a weirdo like you would have no problem with a maid café.”