Chapter V: F x Looks
A couple of days passed and Ryu haven't heard of anything from Kana. It's as if everything that happened didn't happen at all. He sees Kana at times but she avoids meeting and having eye contact with him.
Student Council Office (3rd week of March)
"So, Ryu… I need volunteers for the town cleanup this weekend. Would you and Maki mind helping out? Of course, all of the student council members are also volunteering."
Every 3rd week of March the Se't Creads University helps in cleaning the city. Just like a normal school, it's like a mandatory routine for the university to help keep the city clean and provide a comfortable place for the residents.
"Okay. It's been a while since we've done another big project. Right, Ryu?"
Maki responded as he smiled at Ryu.
"Ah, yes. Let's help clean the town. Hehehe."
"You do realize that The Festival of Hearts was just a month ago, right? Ahahaha."
Kuki said with laughter. She can see that Maki was already so eager to do things after spending so much time with them.
"Yeah but well, it's good to have continues flow of activities for us to do."
Again, as a response to Kuki, Maki smiled right after.
Wednesday, March, 3rd week (Afternoon, 5:00 pm)
Since he hadn't been in touch with Kana for a while now, He decided to head towards the gymnasium. As he gets closer to the gymnasium he remembered something.
"Ow, right. Kana is only free on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But maybe I can still catch her practicing here. I guess I'll just go and check."
Ryu went towards the back entrance of the gym. As he went closer he heard a familiar voice. Yes, he can't be more right with what he heard. That angelic and euphoric voice. It was Kana practicing her song.
"I can finally talk to you. SIGH"
Ryu said slowly as he went inside the room.
"Whaaa… go away… I don't want to talk to anyone right now. Please…"
"Don't worry. I just wanted to talk, really…"
"That's basically what I don't want to do with you."
Feeling defeated, Ryu sat down on a boxed-shaped stage prop. He began talking again out of exhaustion.
"I remember the first time that I got to talk to a girl like this. Yeah, it was awful. But in the end, it became one of the most meaningful memories that I got to keep. Dealing with my problem last time, dragging my personal problems towards my friends, not having a good job on how to move on, and now I'm here meddling my ass off on my best friend's love story. I look like a side character from a rom-com these past few weeks. Ahahahah."
"What do you mean by meddling with your best friend's love story? You're the one who helped me to get this far. That phrase right there should have more recognition you know."
"And here I thought that you didn't want to talk to me."
"Whaa… SIGH… fine… I'm just avoiding you since when I see you I remember what happened. And… it still hurts… it hurts being rejected… that's just it."
"Well… it seems that you're fine now. If you want to cry just cry it out. Even for a princess like you, it's pretty normal to cry you know."
Ryu understood that it was not a common thing for a girl like her to feel this way. But, nobody is exempted from such an experience.
"Well if you're also wondering about the Prince. He's moved on already from what happened. Well, I guess to keep an act… He's just good at it and so people around him don't have to catch on the same vibe."
"That fast… I guess I really am nothing in his eyes…"
"NO… it's because you were someone whom he knew that dared to do what you wanted for yourself. And that's why he is trying his best to keep composure in response to someone he admires. He respects you. He knows that you are strong and that you can be what you dream of. Just like how you change your confidence and appearance in front of your audience to give the best performance, he also makes sure that he is at his best in front of the people that surround him. After all, as the PERFECT PRINCE, he should always have a bright aura, right?"
"I… I also want to be strong. Thank you, Ryu."
"Yeah, no problem. Well then, I'll be going now. I hope to see a wonderful performance this week."
Ryu smiled as he went off.
Friday, March, 3rd week (Afternoon, 5:00 pm)
As usual, Kana performed in the gymnasium and gave off another perfect performance for her fans. The performance ended and after a couple of minutes, she went back to the backstage. After getting out of the gym she saw Ryu waiting by the tree.
"Yow…"
"You never fail to amaze me and your fans with your performance. I actually invited Maki to watch also but before I knew it, the president told me that he was already out shopping for some materials with the vice pre….. Apparently, we needed a lot of materials for the town cleanup this weekend so, that's why."
"It's fine. Also, what town cleanup?"
"Yeah, we will be cleaning the town this whole weekend along with the other volunteers. You may join if you want."
"Okay. A change of pace I guess."
Saturday, March, 3rd week (Morning, 8:00 am)
The town cleanup program started. All the schools participated and a lot of students have joined. Well, almost everybody in the town is helping anyway. If not for the overall town coverage help, the others are helping by cleaning their own house and the nearby place that surrounds it.
"Well then, Ryu and Princess Kana, I'll be sticking with you both for now. The president is with Maki and Kana who are assigned to clean the surrounding area beside the school. We are assigned to clean the park. Thanks again for helping out Ryu and Princess Kana."
"No problem, Atchee."
Ryu responded.
"It's my pleasure to help, Prince Atchee."
"You two really talk to each other so formally, ey… Ahahah."
"Let's finish this quick so we can eat these cookies I baked at home this morning."
"Nice, let's do this! Atchee! Kana!"
"Ah, yes…"
"Okay."
As the cleaning goes on, Atchee went and help clean with the others while Ryu and Kana were cleaning the park with each other.
Saturday, March, 3rd week (Morning, 11:30 am)
"We are almost done on this part, Kana. Let's move on to the back entrance of the park next."
"Yeah, I'm almost finished here also."
As the two were talking, a mysterious person who was walking suddenly bumped into Ryu as he was cleaning near the walking area. The mysterious person dropped a bag of what it looked to be…Video Games… The mysterious person was wearing a tracksuit with a hoodie, long black pants, and slippers. He kneeled and picked up the dropped items that he supposedly bought at a game store that had a logo on it on the bag. Ryu also knelt and helped him pick it up.
"You have so many games here, wow. Are you going to play all of these tonight?"
The mysterious man looked at Ryu and responded.
"Yeah, but I won't be able to finish it all in one go so it means I can take my time to enjoy all of these."
He smiled.
"You…you… You're that person who is always at the top of Maki on the test score bulletin. I only got to see you once and it was during a test. The so-called Enigmatic Scholar. Rein Nier."
Kuki was shocked to see a rare person whom she has only seen once since her stay at the university.
"Why… do you seem to look so familiar…"
Ryu kept thinking about why he looked so familiar. Rein Nier just kept looking at him wondering if he can already go home. As these were all happening, Atchee came back at the right moment.
"Ryu, Kana, I brought some snacks from the… ow, I didn't know that you two were an acquaintance of the president's cousin."
That was it. A flood of understanding went through Ryu's mind. Yes, he finally remembered. The person in front of him looked exactly like the president.
"Ahahah. I guess being a genius really is from the genes for you and runs through the prez's family."
Ryu laughed at the facts that were being shown to him.
"Since it's almost lunch, why don't we all grab an early one in that small food area? This is one of the reason's I love this park because it has all the necessary places for a memorable place."
Atchee smiled as he tugged the bag that was full of his sweets.
The four of them went to the food area and began to eat what Atchee brought.
"Your sweets really are the best Atchee!"
"Yes, this is even better than the ones that are served at our home."
"Come on, you too, Nier. Eat up."
The 4 of them enjoyed the sweets. They spent their whole lunch break talking and eating in that small food area.
Saturday, March, 3rd week (Afternoon, 1:00 pm)
"Well, I guess we should start going back to work now."
Atchee said as he was concerned about the time that they spent eating and talking.
"Yeah, let's get back to work."
"Okay."
Both Ryu and Kana were satisfied from eating that they were all pumped up for another round at cleaning the remaining places beside the park.
"How about you, Nier? Care to join us?"
"I've already talked to Ray that I'll just be cleaning the house. He knows that I don't really want to be out that much."
"Ow, right. Well, you look that kind, his total opposite."
"Well then, goodbye. Hope to see you three when the exam comes up."
"Yeah, goodbye."
"Bye."
"See you later, Nier. I'll be going to your house later to check if you really cleaned up."
"Okay, Atchee."
Nier hastily walked away.
"PHEW, he really cares more about playing his games. If only I'm that smart. Ahahahah."
"No, if only WE were that smart. Ahahahah."
"Nice one, Kana. Ahahahah."
"Ahahah."
"Ahahah."
Just like that, another fateful encounter ended. The three of them went back to cleaning and after a couple of hours, they finished.
Genius, Prodigy, and being a step above the others. What really qualifies someone to be at such a level? Someone, who is born to be? Someone who strived to be? Or someone who happens to be? We humans desire to be unique. We desire to be better than our fellow men and yet, we also fear people who are above us in such an aspect. Maybe that's the problem why few are among the others.
It's because even though we want to be different, we fear the different and we also fear being different.
Humans are social creatures they say. And if someone different tried to go against this law, they are deemed to be shunned and cast out. Like a bear in total solitude inside its cave, the man finds peace in his own company and differentness. No man is an island until you find out the truth about this world. The only thing you can do is become your own island.
Saturday, March, 3rd week (Afternoon, 4:00 pm)
"Well then, see you again tomorrow for our last day Ryu and Kana."
"Yeah, see you again tomorrow."
"Bye, you two."
Sunday, March, 4th week (Morning, 8:00 am)
Street near the school
"Well, it seems that the ones assigned to the school are still ongoing in cleaning the whole campus. So we were assigned to clean here."
They all started cleaning. As always, Atchee went out to see how others are also doing in his supervising job. The two were stuck with each other again for their job.
"So Uhm, why do you always feel so lonely? Whenever I see you, you are always alone. Where are your friends?"
Ryu asked Kana out of the blue. He just had to ask that question even though he told himself last time that it was best to leave it unspoken.
"You see… I… I did have friends before… and well I guess… they just… you know… I didn't wish to be born this way. To be born in a very rich family, to have such pleasant things about herself and enjoy them to her utmost expression for it, and to experience almost all the wonders that other people don't. But I didn't have a choice. Everybody doesn't have the choice to pick what they start with. My mother always tells me to enjoy the moment and take advantage of what I have and what I can achieve to do…"
"You... you became so great, so popular with the guys, so different from the other girls and became someone whom the others will never reach that even your friends abandoned you."
Kana smiled a little as drops of tears fell from her eyes. After all these years, she actually expressed her hidden worries and feelings that she kept. It was hard keeping it all to herself.
"It's okay. Just cry it out."
Ryu gazed at the early morning sky while kana was crying her lungs out.
No matter who you are, we all have our own problems, our own emotions we want to bring out, our own feelings that we want to express, our own life that we all struggle with, and our own self that we want to find comfort for. The longing for all of these is all present in one's life and yet we fail to prioritize their existence. Instead of conquering our problems, we throw in quick solutions that don't solve anything but only keep it all contained. Instead of bringing out our emotions, we choose to keep them inside. Instead of expressing our real feelings towards another, we try to change it and cover it up with dodge signs. Scared, yes. We are scared to know the unknown. We are scared to know the difference. We are scared to be different.
We all are emotional I will tell you that.
The moment you see through a person's face, then that's the only time you will understand. That person is just as miserable as you. Even though that person received all the graces that you've wanted your whole life, maybe the graces that that person wanted to be something that you yourself discarded. This world works by not fitting in the pieces the moment that you were born. It works by going on a journey to find those pieces, making things work, failing a lot of times, and managing to hold on long enough to feel contented with what you have, to feel comfort from all the struggles, and to feel the same as everybody else even though you are different.
Atchee came back and they all had lunch. After their lunch, the 3 continued their work of cleaning. Well, it was a street so a lot of people were there in helping them clean so they finished it all in no time.
Sunday, March, 4th week (Afternoon, 2:30 pm)
"Nice, we are all finished here! Won't you two care to join me to have snacks in the Student Council Office?"
Atchee said with a smile even though he looked tired. You can see that he was really exhausted from everything but he was smiling. He didn't realize that he was also grinning a bit the moment they finished cleaning.
The pleasure of accomplishment.
As the 3 were walking in the school's first-floor hallway, they saw Kuki carrying some heavy boxes on the other side of the hallway. Atchee shouted out to her. She looked at them and waved but got outbalanced and tripped over. Luckily, Maki was behind her and caught her before she could fall off the floor.
"Are you okay, Kuki?"
"Yea... yeah... I'm fine... Heheheh."
"You really should be more careful next time. Ahahah."
"Well… you caught me so it's all good I think. Ahahahah."
Maki and Kuki were both talking as if the accident wasn't an accident at all.
Kana was staring at them both. Ryu looked at Kana and she noticed that Ryu looked at her.
"It… It's okay… Leave the cleaning materials here, I'll take them to the storage. Go help them both with those boxes that they are carrying."
"Okay."
Ryu answered knowing that Kana held back her emotions at that time.
Atchee and Ryu rushed to them. Leaving behind Kana to hold the cleaning materials that they were carrying.
"Oh, my... I'm so sorry Kuki. You didn't get hurt did you?"
Atchee said as he knew that he was the one who was the cause of what happened.
"You okay? Kuki?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
Both Ryu and Atchee helped them carry the boxes.
Ryu looked back and didn't see Kana. He knew that Kana was supposed to put the cleaning materials back so he proceeded to help the two. The 4 of them put the boxes in their designated place and went to the Student Council Office to have a snack.
"Uhm, did you see Kana, Ryu?"
"Don't worry, I'll go look for her. You did say that we will have a snack in the Student Council Office. Maybe she is just taking a while to put back the cleaning materials. I'll go get her."
Ryu stood up from his seat and went to find Kana.
"It's okay Ryu, You don't need to find her. I think she is doing something else."
"Go and find her. The more people we have the better the snack party will be. Heheheh."
"BOOM! Yes! I'm here. Sorein Ray is at your service. Go get her Ryu."
Although Maki tried to stop Ryu, the childish personality of Kana didn't want her to be left out. And when the prez also came and requested such, Maki knew that there is nothing that he can do about it. Ryu went out of the Student Council Office and find Kana.
Ryu directly headed to the old shed at the side of the school. He just had the instinct that Kana would be there and luckily she was.
She was sitting on the side of the old shelf.
"Why are you sitting there all gloomy and stuff? Come on. Atchee told you that you are invited to have a snack with us, right? You wouldn't let Atchee down, would you… Even the president asked me to get you, now I really can't go back there without you."
"You really think I can stand to sit with Maki and Kuki there?"
"I know but… there will be no point in just staying here and doing nothing. Yes, the truth hurts and you see, it's better that way. Because if it doesn't hurt then how could it be a genuine feeling and experience."
Ryu replied with a grin as he looked somewhat satisfied with what he just said.
"You do realize that you don't look that cool when you think you were cool for a moment do you?"
"Come on. Just bear with it. Hahaha. Now let's go back there."
"Heheheh. Okay. But if I won't be able to control myself I'm going out, okay."
"Don't worry. It's all part of moving on."
Ryu escorted Kana to the Student Council Office.
The moment that they arrived there, the president welcomes Kana.
"Welcome Kana, the School Idol. I'm Sorein Ray, the President of the Student Council."
"I… I already know who you are Mr. President. But thank you for the welcome."
"Don't mind it. He does that every time that he talks to a person. Even if that person happens to be a person whom he talks to every day."
Both Ryu and Kana sat down. They all started eating and talking about some stuff. Kana couldn't fail to not see Kuki and Maki always talking when they were eating but as of this moment, she was calm and didn't let her emotions flow uncontrolled.
"Ah, so you talked to my cousin yesterday. I didn't know that you two knew him."
"Well, we just knew him yesterday and we also didn't recognize that he was your cousin at a first look even though you two almost look similar."
"Ahahaha. Well, we do have that so-called, copy-cat face curse on our family. That all the ones who are being born in our family look the same. AHAHAHAH."
"What the heck is a Copy-Cat Face Curse Prez! Ahahahah."
"AHahahah the prez is killing it today!"
"My.. AHahah… Stomach… Ahahahah… hurts so mu… muchhhhh… AHAHAH."
"hahaha."
"AHAHAH."
They all talked the whole afternoon. Even though hesitant at the other one's presence, both Maki and Kana enjoyed the snack party along with the others.
They all went their separate ways. Since Maki had to deliver all the expenses to Lily in the Gardening Club Office, Ryu went home first along with Atchee and Kana.
Sunday, March, 4th week (Afternoon, 4:30 pm)
"Well then, this is the intersection where we part. See you guys tomorrow at school."
"Bye, see you tomorrow."
"Cya."
Atchee said goodbye to the two as he was headed toward a different path from them.
"Want to take a detour? Let's go to a café."
"Yeah, sure. It's still early anyway."
Kana invited Ryu to go to a café. They went to the usual spot that was close to their school.
"So… Uhm… it was good earlier. With you acting calmly and all when we were all together… Hehehe. See… with a little bit of time you can…"
"Are you free this coming weekend?"
"Huh? Wait yah, why?"
"Let's go out this weekend. You've already started out helping me and all and well… at least help me finish this. I know it's kind of selfish but… it's been so long since I had someone to talk to like this and…"
"Yeah. Okay, let's hang out this coming weekend."
"Wait, what.., are you sure?"
"Yeah, that feeling you were feeling. The longing for what you've lost. I'll surely accompany you. We're friends, right? Heheheh."
"Thank you."
The two went home after talking for some while.
As Ryu was walking home, he felt something different when he thought of looking forward to them both going out next weekend. Maybe because it was something that he hasn't done but he was sure that it was something that he is happy to know of.