Last School Activity? - Part 4: Dopamine

"What?" Saya turned and looked at Mika in surprise.

"Exactly what I said. Let's go, tell the teachers and then we'll run away."

"But they won't allow it."

"It doesn't matter. We'll tell them and if they say no, we'll run."

Saya stared at Mika in disbelief. She was both deeply affected and incredibly excited. She walked towards Mika.

"But won't we get sick?"

"What's the worst that can happen? At most you'll catch a cold in July."

"We're on the disciplinary committee, but we also have to set an example for other students."

"Not every student has to be perfect. Of course, if you don't want to, just say so. I just want to go, more for your sake."

"Do you really?" Saya asked in amazement. Drops of water fell from her hair onto her face.

"Well, yes, I think so..."

"You really need to see a doctor soon," Saya said, still in disbelief.

"Are we going or not? If the rain stops, we might get caught without even going."

Saya looked at the flowing river for a while, then suddenly turned to Mika. An uncertain smile was on her face.

"Let's go."

They quickly walked inside. The teachers were sitting on a bench, sipping hot drinks. When they saw Mika and Saya hurrying off somewhere, they asked.

"Hey, Mika and Saya, where are you going?"

"We're just going to the Kappa Bridge and come back. Give us ten minutes," Saya called excitedly. They opened the cabin door to step outside.

"Wh-what are you saying? Wait a minute-" The teacher was still talking when both Mika and Saya had already left.

"Run!" Mika shouted.

They started running together. Ran along the gravel path without looking back. Despite the heavy rain pouring down on them, 

Saya suddenly burst into laughter and they kept running.

"ARE WE GOING THE RIGHT WAY?" Saya shouted.

"YES, KEEP GOING THAT WAY!" Mika shouted back.

Mika looked behind them. No one was following them. But for some reason, he still wanted to keep running.

"YOU'RE SUCH AN INTERESTING PERSON!" Saya shouted as she ran ahead.

"WHAT? WHY?"

"WHO ELSE WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL ANYTHING?" Saya laughed.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Mika shouted back, trying to close the gap between him and Saya.

Finally, they reached Kappa Bridge.

"We made it, finally!" Saya exclaimed out of breath.

"Yes, now we have to hurry."

"It's really bad, we'll be scolded."

"It's okay, nothing will happen," Mika said.

Saya was still laughing when she stepped onto the bridge, looking around with a smile on her face. She was silent, just laughing and taking in the surroundings. Mika stood at the entrance to the bridge and watched her. 

Saya was spinning on the bridge, almost dancing, her eyes fixed on the sky.

He watched Saya from the entrance of the bridge, his eyes moving from her to the mountains and trees around. 

 He took his phone out of his pocket and opened the camera app, shielding the camera with his hand to protect it from the raindrops.

She looks beautiful, especially in the rain.

After taking a few pictures, Saya looked at him.

"MIKA, come over here," Saya called.

"WHAT'S UP?"

"COME HERE," Saya said with a big smile on her face.

Mika slowly walked onto the bridge and joined her.

"What's going on?"

"Give me your phone."

"What...?" Mika started to ask, but Saya had already taken his phone. 

She stretched out her arm to hold his phone, and with her other hand, she grabbed Mika's arm.

"Smile!" Saya said as she took a selfie.

The events that had just unfolded had left Mika confused. He was experiencing a strange mix of emotions, including the recently rediscovered feeling of shock. He looked at Saya in amazement.

The picture had been taken.

"Hey! Look at the camera, not at me."

"O-okay," Mika replied, trying to force a smile on his face.

"It's done," Saya said.

"Alright then. We can go back now..."

Suddenly Saya hugged Mika. She buried her head in his chest, her wet hair smearing his T-shirt.

"S-Saya?" Mika said in shock. He still couldn't quite comprehend what was happening.

Saya suddenly lifted her head and looked at Mika.

"Thank you, Mika. You have made me so, so happy!" she said smiling.

They stood side by side on the bridge, the rain falling on them. There was no one else around because of the rain.

"Did you really have to hug me?"

"Be glad you don't have emotions, or I would have done more."

"What?"

"N-never mind."

Saya let go of Mika and started walking back along the bridge path.

After the recent events in the rain, Mika felt strangely out of sorts. His face twitched strangely.

 He touched his face with his hand and realized that 

He was smiling.

The feeling he felt was also strange. As Saya walked ahead with her back to him, Mika found himself thinking.

I've felt this feeling before. It's so nostalgic... It's probably the hormone of the most popular emotion: dopamine.

***

Saya and Mika returned to the cabin, soaking wet from their run. The teachers looked at them worriedly through the window, and when they saw them, they asked angrily,

"WHAT WERE YOU TWO DOING?"

"U-um, Mika was just really curious about Kappa Bridge, and as President of the Disciplinary Committee, I wanted to do a good deed," Saya explained.

"What?" Mika said in surprise. He hadn't realized how surprised he was.

"Still, you shouldn't have done it, Saya. What you did was very risky and we weren't even there."

"Teacher, both Mika and I are seventeen years old. In a few months we'll be eighteen and considered adults. We're not children, don't worry."

"But you acted like children!" the teacher said in frustration.

"I apologize."

"Whatever, you said ten minutes and you really did come back in ten minutes. Don't think you can get away with it. Both of you will be punished tomorrow."

"What kind of punishment?" Saya asked curiously.

"Tomorrow, when everyone goes on the nature walk, you'll be waiting and controlling the order."

"But we're in the disciplinary committee-"

"I don't care! Be thankful I don't report this to the headmaster."

"I'm sorry, of course, teacher."

After taking a deep breath, the teacher turned and went inside.

"Go inside and change, or you'll get sick. I won't have time to deal with your parents later," the teacher added before leaving.

Saya smiled at Mika and went inside.

Is she still smiling after that scolding?

They changed inside. Despite the teacher's anger, he ordered them something warm to drink. After they had finished their drinks, they returned to their own group of friends.

When Kai saw Mika, he asked curiously, "Mika? Where have you been? We looked for you but couldn't find you."

"W-well, I was in the toilet," Mika replied in a flat tone.

About an hour had passed since then, and the rain had stopped. Because of the delayed plans, everyone was now walking back at a faster pace.

 On the way back, Rin, Saya and Eirin had also joined Mika's group. The seven of them walked together. While everyone chatted with each other, Saya and Mika walked together at the back.

"Mika, I thanked you already, but thank you again. Without you, I wouldn't have had the courage to go there."

"You're welcome."

"And I had a lot of fun, too."

"Me too," Mika said without realizing that he had said it.

"What?" Saya looked at Mika in surprise.

"I-I mean, just an expression. You know..."

"Yeah, I was a bit surprised too for a moment."

After the incident, he thought to himself.

I'm not quite sure, and I don't quite understand, but I think I had fun too...