I’ve Never Been Better

“I mean, we aren’t busy. Do you want to go get taiyaki with them?” Kumonami-sensei looks down to her daughter slouching on the bench next to us.

The daughter sits up and moves a bit of hair away from her face to look at us. “No, I’m goo–”

Our eyes meet, and our shocked reactions are mirrored. We point at each other, and exclaim.

“Aki-chan?!”

“Katsuki-kun?!” We blurt in unison.

I can recognize the black and red hair, the short height, the casual grunge aesthetic, and especially the red headphones anywhere. Kumonami-sensei’s daughter is Aki??

“Oh my god, she is pretty.” Minori slaps her hands over her open mouth in awe.

“You two know each other?” Kumonami-sensei’s head tilts curiously. “Do you go to the same school?”

Before I can answer her question, Aki hastily stands up, and scuttles over to me. “I’ll go with them, thanks Mom.” Aki’s arm hooks onto mine, and she doesn’t waste any time in hauling me out the door with Minori following close behind me. I quickly manage a swift farewell to Kumonami, and we run out far enough to be out of her sight.

Panting, Aki finally lets go of me, and Minori stares in confusion. “Thank you so much, you saved me from her…” Aki holds her stomach to regain her breath.

“Ok back up please. How do you two know each other??” Minori takes Aki’s place and grabs my arm, tugging my sleeve in search of an answer.

I pat Minori’s head tiringly, also breathless. “She goes to the same school as me. She’s also my–”

Minori interrupts me and jumps. “Oh wow, Aoi-nii, you actually have friends?? That’s amazing! Let’s go get boba and talk!!” She gets in the middle of me and Aki, takes our hands, and brings us to Boba Fans.

While Minori orders us all boba, Aki and I take a seat at the usual table. “You haven’t told her about us yet, have you?” Aki says quietly. I guiltily scratch my head and nod yes.

I look over to Minori, who seems to be taking some time getting us boba. It seems her perky personality has her in a full-blown conversation with the cashier, who looks awkward talking to her. I feel bad for the cashier…

“So, I didn’t know your mom was Kumonami-sensei.” I comment, and I scooch my chair closer to hers.

Aki shrugs. “Yeah, sorta.” Aki blankly goes back on her phone, and I purse my lips thinking I might have hit a sore spot. When I notice she’s wearing her bracelet too, I take her hand and put on a baby face.

“Anyways, I’m so glad I got to see you. I told you I wouldn’t be able to go out today, but here we are~” I chuckle lightheartedly. Aki’s face lights up, and she gazes up at me merrily.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect to see you there.” Aki grins, and Minori finally comes over with our 3 bobas– chai milk tea for Aki, my orange Thai, and Minori’s matcha. Our hands let go.

We all sip our bobas in satisfaction, and we’re so quiet in enjoying our drinks. “So, Minori-chan, I heard you like NewJeans.” Aki mentions smugly, knowing she’s now gotten to Minori’s good side.

Minori’s eyes widen and she chokes on her boba. “You- you know NewJeans?? Oh my god, who’s your bias?? Mine is…” Minori starts ranting about them, and Aki laughs and joins her conversation.

“Pftttt, they’re so cute.” I mutter as I sit back, sip my boba, and watch them fangirl over NewJeans and all these different music groups. To me, they’re talking in a completely different language, lol. This music stuff is all their field.

It’s getting close to lunchtime, so I pat the girls on the shoulder. “Hey, I’m getting hungry, should we–” But I immediately freeze and retract my hand when Aki and Minori turn to me with faces of disgust…

“Huh? Don’t interrupt, we’re in the middle of an important conversation.” Minori scoffs.

“Yeah, we’re trying to rank the different b-sides of the albums. Don’t disturb us.” Aki huffs. I forgot how passionate both of them are about music…

Nervously gulping, I nod ok and continue to drink anxiously. I’m hungryyy…

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Someone help. I’ve lost track of time. I’m on my 3rd boba drink. I can hear my stomach raging inside me. I’m slumped over the table in exhaustion. Why am I still here?? How are these 2 talking for so long?? I need nourishment… meat maybe? Some rice sounds good right now… anything… any real meal… please…

In the background of the sound of my tossing hunger, I catch Minori saying, “...head out now?” I desperately stand up and yell, “We’re leaving now??”

Much to my disappointment, Minori just beams and skips out of Boba Fans with Aki. “No, we’re going to the mall to go shopping.”

“But– but– Can I at least leave you two so I can get some food?! I didn’t get breakfast this morning!!” I let out a big, weary groan as I follow behind the 2 energetic ladies, hunching.

Minori and Aki run ahead of me towards the large music shop. I stroll behind them, when suddenly–

Sniff. Sniff. Sniff.

Three big inhales. I smell something delicious. It’s a fresh smell off the grill. It’s a nice and toasty waft and somehow, I’m able to smell how juicy it is. After a bit of searching, I spot it. There, with the most inviting entrance, is a luxurious buffet. I sprint to their windows, and I see all of the steak and rice on display in their gold plates.

My mouth waters, and I can’t resist. I step inside, not even caring about the others right now. Right when I’m about to get my dream, when I’m about to finally feast on everything I’ve been imagining…

“Where do you think you’re going? I forgot my wallet at home, so you’re paying for my stuff!!” Minori catches me by my shirt and drags me like a dog back to the music shop. Noooo… my steak lunch…

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

I mean, at least they let me go out super quickly so I can get myself an onigiri. When I came back with 5, they thought I got some for them, but it was all for me. I got quite a scolding from them, but it’s ok. At least my belly is satisfied~

“You should have told me you had a friend like this!!” Minori springs out of the shop hauling her 5 music albums, 3 pins, 6 keychains, and so much more. Aki follows next to her with a bag stuffed with the same things Minori bought, plus a bit more. I trail behind them, staring into the now-empty abyss that is my wallet.

By now, it’s almost evening. Minori excitedly runs off, screaming, “This was the best shopping trip everrrr!! Aki-chan and Aoi-nii are the best!!!” Instead of chasing after Minori, Aki and I stroll behind.

It’s weird though. Back before we started dating (so basically every day before yesterday), I’ve walked at Aki’s side plenty of times. It felt ordinary and normal, until the Okinawa trip. That’s when I started feeling more anxious around Aki. Other than that though, our relationship feels the same as we’ve always been– side by side with her red headphones. I guess the only thing that’s new is our matching bracelets, we’re holding hands, and I’m wearing my hair up more often now.

“Heck of a first date, huh? We had quite an energetic third wheel~” Aki jokes around, and pokes me with her elbow.

I scoff, and take her hand. “Minori can be a handful sometimes. Still, you had fun with her and totally bonded, didn’t you? You looked adorable talking with her.” I think back on Aki’s passionate and spirited laughs I heard all day.

Aki’s cheeks turn a bit red and she pouts. “A- adorable? Come on, I’m sure I was just as I always am.”

“Exactly, and you’re always adorable~” I pat her head, and I’m loving Aki’s little reactions. “I guess I have the red headphones of yours to thank for helping us meet.” I chuckle as I glance at her headphones.

Aki places a hand on her headphones, and sighs deeply as she thinks back on our meeting. “Yeah, I guess so.” She tiptoes to look around for Minori, and when she can’t find Minori, she puts her bag down on the floor and holds both my hands, turning us to each other.

I ruffle my eyebrows in confusion. “What is it?” Her hands tighten around mine. Looking down at the brown platform boots that she always wears, she pouts and turns her gaze up to me. Her face is completely flushed, like a rose in the springtime. She glances out for Minori one more time, then mutters.

“Katsu– A- Aoi-kun, I know this is our first date- I don’t even know if it could be considered a date with Minori here- but still, I’ve been holding back this whole time, and I can’t anymore.” Aki stutters, but stays confident.

“Huh? What is–” I try to ask, but she shuts me up.

How does she shut me up, you ask? Aki, out of the blue, tiptoes up towards me, and our lips are pressed together. We kiss.

My mind races, and the only thing I can sense is the warmest and softest touch on my lips. The only thing I can hear is both me and Aki’s heavy breathing. The only thing I can see, Aki’s gently shut eyes. It felt like time had stopped.

A few seconds pass, and Aki loses her balance from being on her toes, causing our lips to finally part. She stumbles backward, then forward, then grabs onto my shoulders so that she doesn’t fall.

“A- are you ok??” I support her by grabbing her slim wrists. Both of our faces are tinted a bright red.

“Y- yeah, I’m good.” As she regains her posture, she puts her hands behind her back and fidgets without making eye contact with me. “I’ve never been better.” She quietly remarks.

“Me too.” I smile and reply, as she takes my hand and we start back to our homes, under the starry night sky and dim streetlamps.

Tonight reminds me of the night we met.

“Where did Minori-chan go?”

“I don’t even know, she got too excited and ran off on her own probably.”

“Haha, she’s adorable.”

“Like you.”

“S- stop that!”

End. (maybe?)