Chapter 4 – Friends of friends

Haru lays in bed staring at his phone

6:40am

'I've been getting used to getting up early'

Haru opens up his contacts and looks at Miku's name

'Maybe because I get to see her every morning, it makes it all a lot better

Haru sits up and sighs

'My last day on set up duty, didn't think I'd miss it'

Haru gets out of bed and opens up his curtains, letting the morning sun illuminate his room

'More like I'm going to miss getting to chat to Ichinose-chan in the morning'

Haru arrives at school walks up to the classroom

'Hmm, no humming'

Haru makes his way into the classroom

"Morni...."

Miku was nowhere to be seen

'She's always here before me'

Haru looks at his phone 7:50am

'Maybe I was a bit too excited to see her'

Haru takes down the chair at his desk and sits down

He pulls out his Japanese History textbook

''Get a bit of studying in before she gets here'

As time passes Haru looks up to the clock above the chalkboard

8:15am

'Maybe she's not feeling well'

Haru stands up and starts getting the chairs down

Once all the chairs are set down, he looks at the chalkboard

'I guess I will have to do the handwriting on the board today as well'

Haru starts writing up the daily schedule

'It's a shame since Ichinose-chan has such pretty handwriting'

Haru finishes writing the schedule

As the class starts to fill up Haru makes his way back to his desk

'Maybe I should see if she is okay?'

Haru pulls out his phone and scrolls to Miku's name

'Morning Ichinose-chan, Is everything okay? Missed seeing you this morning'

Haru taps send and puts his phone away as class starts

'Guess she is not coming in'

As lunchtime arrives, Haru checks his phone

'No new messages'

Kohei notices Haru's worried expression

"Everything okay?"

Haru looks up

"Oh, I'm good just haven't heard from Ichinose-chan today"

"This happens sometimes with Ichinose-san, she tends to miss quite a bit of school"

Haru looks at Kohei with a puzzled expression

"Does anyone know why?"

"Not as far as I know, I haven't spoken to her much though"

"Okay, I'll speak to Misaki-san"

Haru stands up and makes his way over to Sakura's desk

"Hey Misaki-san"

Sakura cuts Haru off

"I don't know where she is, she does this all the time, but won't ever say why"

Haru grabs a vacant chair and sits next to Sakura

"I texted her this morning but I have no response"

Sakura pulls out her phone and shows her messages to Miku

Multiple texts from Sakura asking whether Miku is coming in today, all read and ignored by Miku

"So, she just doesn't come in and goes off the map for a day?"

Sakura shakes her head

"It's usually a few days, it was once almost 2 weeks since I had heard anything from her"

Sakura pauses with a worried expression

"Miku is my best friend but she never talks about her home life, even over these 3 years that we've been friends"

Sakura continues

"I know all about her, the fire, the burns, I know she's told you about them as well"

Haru sighs with a depressed look painted on his face

"Thanks, Misaki-san, if you have no one to eat with today, you can join me and Kohei"

Haru flashes a weak smile

"It's okay, I'll go and see Kuri"

Haru stands and waves briefly to Sakura as he sits back at his desk

Kohei looks at Haru with a devious smile

"Heard you joined the cooking club?"

Haru nods

"3 girls and you in 1 club, it really is the perfect harem"

Haru nods again

"Maybe with you out of the way I can date your little sister?"

Haru looking out the windows nods

"Haru!"

Haru snaps out of it and looks at Kohei

"Did you hear anything I just said?"

"No, sorry, I am just worried about Ichinose-chan"

"It's not as fun when you don't bite, Haru"

Haru looks back out the window

"Sorry, Kohei"

As lunch passes the end of class soon comes

Haru stands up for his last clean up duty

'Weird to not have Ichinose-chan here again'

Kohei waves at Haru from the door

"See you on Monday, Haru!

"See ya"

As the class leaves, Haru starts clean up but notices Sakura waiting to speak to him

"Everything okay?"

Sakura has a slightly sorrowful look in her eye

"Don't bug her about not being in, she'll push you away"

Haru stops what he is doing

"Has that happened to you?"

Sakura nods

"In our first year here, I texted her multiple times and asked her so much when she finally came back in"

Sakura looks pained to be thinking back about this

"She stopped speaking to me, ate lunch on her own, didn't respond to any of my texts"

Sakura continues

"Miku is my best friend, but she just cannot understand why I would want to be her best friend"

Haru walks closer to Sakura as she continues talking

"I think she sees herself as useless and that no one wants to know her, but in class she gives off this vibe of being a happy outgoing girl, but I know that gets to her"

'Misaki-san is really perceptive'

Haru puts his hand on Sakura's head as she starts to tear up

"She's lucky to have you as her friend, how about we work together and get to the bottom of this"

Sakura looks up at Haru and nods

Sakura smiles at Haru as she leaves the classroom

Haru places the last chair on the desk

'I've missed her today, I didn't want to get involved with anyone, but she never leaves my mind'

Haru leaves the classroom and closes the door

He takes his phone out of his pocket

1 New Message

A message from Miku

Haru quickly opens the message up

'Can you meet me at Miyano park?'

Haru confused by the message back

'What time do you want to meet?'

As Haru goes to put his phone away, it vibrates in his hand

'6pm, will you come?'

Haru responds

'Of course, see you at 6'

Haru leaves school and returns home

After making up some food for Kaya, he leaves for the park

Haru wearing a black pair of jeans and a white v neck t-shirt sits on a bench at the park fountain

The sun is setting slowly, Haru sits back to appreciate the sight

A quiet voice emerges from Haru's right

"Kugimiya-kun?"

Haru looks up to Miku dressed in a blue dress, her black hair flowing down her back

As Haru looks up to her face he notices a tint of red in her cheeks

'She's stunning'

Haru catches himself staring at Miku

"Hey, Ichinose-chan"

Haru pats the bench for Miku to sit next to him

Miku obliges and sits down next to Haru

"So why did you want to meet today?"

Miku looks down at her lap as she nervously messes with her hands

"I just... wanted to see you"

Haru visibly shocked

"You wanted to see me?"

Miku nods

"I felt bad about leaving you with class duties today as well"

Haru laughs

"I missed seeing you too, my writing on the board is nowhere near as good as yours"

After sitting in silence for a couple of minutes Haru goes to speak, but is cut off by Miku

Miku has moved closer to Haru and is looking directly at him

"Why can't I stop thinking about you?"

Haru blushes while looking at Miku in astonishment

Haru's mind is racing trying to think of anything to say

"I think you see right through me, Ichinose-chan"

Miku looks puzzled

"The façade I put on, the way I act, I do the same thing as you, I make it seem as if I am a happy and outgoing when really"

Haru pauses to think

"I'm cold, analytical, I've never cared for anyone outside of my family, I just want to reach the goals that have been set for me"

Haru is beginning to tear up and his voice breaks at the end of his sentence

Miku puts her hand on Haru's

"It's okay, you can be yourself around me"

Haru grasps Miku's hand

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either"

"It's scary because I don't want to care for anyone, but I care for you, I already care for you, ever since that moment I saw you on the roof"

Haru's head falls, Miku places her hand on the back of his head

"Thank you for caring about me"

Miku takes a deep breath

"I don't understand people, their feelings, how they act out due to those feelings, I don't understand my feelings for you, but I really, really want to understand"

"Please keep caring about me, Kugimiya-kun"

Haru looks up into the deep blue eyes of Miku

Just looking into her eyes made him feel safe

"Is it okay to care, Ichinose-chan?"

Miku nods

"I think so"

Haru finally lets out a smile

"Can I ask where you were today?"

Miku hesitates slightly

"Sometimes it just gets a bit too much, like I don't want to get out of bed, I don't want to do anything"

"It gets the better of me, and I give it to just staying home"

Haru looks at Miku

"Don't your parents try to get you to go?"

Mikus eyes look sorrowful

"My dad works a lot, so I don't see him much and my mom... isn't around anymore"

Haru looks regretful for dragging up an obviously unpleasant memory

Miku continues talking

"We lost Mom in the fire, she was rushed to the hospital after dragging me out, but... she didn't make it"

"Ichinose-chan... I'm so sorry"

Miku looks to Haru

"I want you to know me, I'm an open book to you, I hope it goes both ways"

Haru nods

"I'll be open to you as well"

Haru looks at the sun-bathed face of Miku

'I still really want to see that genuine smile"

"Ichinose-chan, can I take you on a date on Sunday?"

Miku's face blushes bright red as the struggles to hide her shock

"I think... I would like that a lot"