It was a bright morning, and Haru, a black-haired girl, walked through the school hallway. Despite the sunshine, she felt exhausted, weighed down by the responsibilities she had at home and the endless tasks she was expected to handle at school. She sighed, her thoughts already on the work ahead.
"Ugh, I can't believe there's even more to do today. Now I need to make sure everyone is in class—"
"HARUUUU!!"
Startled, Haru turned around at the sound of her name being called so loudly. She was greeted by a familiar face.
"Oh, it's you, Kasube," she muttered as a boy with brown hair came running toward her, his grin wide and full of excitement.
"Why were you running?!" Haru scolded him, her tone sharp. "You're going to fall if you keep this up, you idiot!"
But Kasube, ignoring her nagging, threw his arms around her in a cheerful hug. "Oh, come on, Haru! If I fell, I'd fall for you!" He winked, clearly teasing.
Haru gave him a deadpan look. She knew him too well to be fazed. "Ugh, you and your cheesy lines..."
Kasube smirked. "So, does this make you too shy to even look me in the eye? Ohoho~ It's not your fault. I am quite the beauty, after all!"
"Total nonsense," Haru said, cringing in response.
"ACK! You're so cold!" Kasube pouted dramatically.
"Come on, let's go to class," Haru said, already walking ahead. "There's a ton of things I still need to do today, and I'm really tired."
Kasube's playful demeanor shifted. His face softened with concern. "Haru, are you really okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, brushing him off. "I just need some rest."
But Kasube wasn't convinced. He knew her too well. "Really?"
"Really," she insisted.
"Really? Really? Really??" he repeated, teasing her with every "really."
"YES! REALLY!!" she finally snapped.
Kasube suddenly placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in close, whispering, "Haruuu~ Haru, Haru, Haru, Haru~"
Haru's patience cracked. "Alright! Enough! I'm not okay, okay?!"
Kasube grinned triumphantly. "Hehe, see? You finally told the truth!"
She didn't respond, knowing full well that Kasube was just worried about her. And while his antics could be annoying, she appreciated having a friend like him. Kasube wasn't like the others at school, who only saw her as cold or rude. He treated her like a person, and for that, she was grateful.
As they finally reached their classroom, the school day passed by like any other: lectures, idle chatter, and the constant buzz of students. For Haru, it was routine. She went through the motions, waiting for the bell to ring.
When it finally did, signaling the end of the day, Haru was quick to pack her things. She was relieved; now she could go home, rest, and hopefully get some sleep.
As she waved goodbye to Kasube and began walking home, her thoughts drifted.
"I wonder how Kyu is doing…"
CONTINUE...