Bonds

Hinata's POV

I sat cross-legged on my bed, my textbooks spread out before me like a fortress of academia. The soft glow of my bedside lamp illuminated the room, casting shadows that danced along the walls.

I was engrossed in my studies, my mind focused on the complexities of calculus, when suddenly my phone rang, shattering the tranquil atmosphere.

Startled, I glanced at the screen, my heart skipping a beat as I saw the name flashing across it.

Haruto! It was unusual for him to call me, especially at this hour. With a furrowed brow, I hesitated before answering, my thumb hovering over the screen.

"Hello?" I said tentatively, my voice betraying my surprise.

"Hey, Hinata," came Haruto's voice from the other end, warm and familiar. "Sorry for calling out of the blue. I, uh, accidentally pressed the call button."

I let out a nervous chuckle, relief flooding through me. "Oh, it's okay. I was just... surprised, that's all."

There was a brief pause before Haruto spoke again. "Is everything okay?"

I bit my lip, my nerves fluttering like a flock of startled birds in my chest. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just studying, you know."

“I see,” he replied.

I kept the conversation going. “How are you lately?”

After a short silence, he responded, “Quite good, nothing in particular.”

We fell into an easy rhythm of conversation, swapping stories about our day and discussing the latest gossip from school. I found myself relaxing in Haruto's company, his voice a comforting presence on the other end of the line.

As we talked, my initial nervousness melted away, replaced by a sense of warmth and connection. I found myself opening up to Haruto in a way I hadn't before, sharing my hopes and fears with him as easily as if we had been friends for years.

Before I knew it, the conversation had turned to our upcoming study session in the library. I reminded him of our plans, and he agreed with a smile in his voice.

"Yeah, I'll be there," he said. "I could use the extra help with math."

I felt a surge of happiness at his words, a warmth spreading through my chest. We lingered in silence for a moment, the weight of our shared understanding hanging between us like a promise.

"Well, I should probably let you get back to studying," he said, breaking the silence. "Goodnight, Hinata."

"Goodnight, Haruto," I replied, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

As I hung up the phone, I felt a sense of contentment settle over me like a soft blanket, wrapping me in its comforting embrace. For the first time in a long while, I felt truly grateful for the unexpected connection that had brought me closer to Haruto.

And as I returned to my studies, my heart light and buoyant, I knew that our friendship was something worth holding onto.

***

The school bell rang as I quickened my pace towards our classroom. There, I faced Haruto, who was walking from my opposite side.

I gazed at him right into his eyes, and so did he. Suddenly, the environment felt awkward, and I waved my hand slowly.

“h-hey,” I greeted.

With a quick response, he nodded. “morning.”

When we became quiet again, suddenly Ren and Rei appeared behind me.

“Hinata!” Rei embraced me while she stood on her tiptoes.

“C'mon let's get inside,” she dragged me inside the classroom. Ren and Haruto followed us from behind.

***

After a few sessions, the school bell finally rang again and it was time for our break.

“Let's go have our lunch together!” Rei exclaimed with an excited tone.

I agreed as I nodded and said, “Let's go!”

As we left our classroom, Ren stopped. “You two go ahead, I'll fetch Haruna, meet me at the canteen.”

He rushed in the opposite direction from ours, right after he saw Haruna get out of a classroom.

I suddenly stopped as I realized that Haruto was not around. “Where's Haruto?” I asked Rei.

She replied with a calmer tone, “He went to the restroom, he'll catch up with us.”

“O-okay,” I nodded.

As soon as we arrived at the ground floor, we entered the canteen and ordered our food. “I want set B please,” I pointed toward the menu that was displayed on the big screen.

After a few minutes of waiting, our food was ready.

“Where do you wanna sit?” I asked for Rei's suggestion.

Seeing the canteen was crowded, she replied with a higher tone, “That corner sitting over there would be nice, there are five seats too.”

I nodded.

We sat down on the table we picked, and as soon as we took our seats, Ren and Haruna arrived. But we're still missing someone…

“Hey, we're here,” Ren greeted while opening a chair for Haruna.

They started eating as soon as they found their comfortable seats.

Worried, I asked everyone at the table, “Have you guys seen Haruto?”

Not as I thought, everyone shook their heads. I worried even more as I got up to search for him, leaving my unfinished lunch behind.

“Have you seen Haruto?”

“Have you seen Haruto?”

“Have you seen Haruto?”

I asked my classmates, but… I still can't find him anywhere. I caught my breath after a few laps of running. Inside of me kept on telling me not to give up yet.

And so, I continued. From one classmate to another, I asked them all. Until finally… “Have you seen Haruto?” I asked a student.

She paused before answering, “I saw him walk upstairs, might be on the school rooftop right now.”

After hearing her words, I remembered that Haruto's favorite spot at school was the rooftop. I rushed.

***

“Haruto!” I opened the door. The sunlight instantly illuminated the stairs, before I closed it again. As expected, he was there.

"H-Haruto?" my voice trembled slightly as I approached him on the school roof, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over me since I realized he was missing from the cafeteria.

Haruto turned at the sound of my voice, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Hey, Hinata," he said softly, his gaze drifting back to the sky above. "Sorry for disappearing like that. I just needed some fresh air."

I let out a sigh of relief, my tense shoulders relaxing as I took a seat beside him, my eyes following his gaze to the vast expanse of blue overhead. "It's okay. I was just worried about you."

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound the gentle rustle of the wind through the trees. I stole glances at Haruto out of the corner of my eye, my heart fluttering at the sight of him bathed in the soft afternoon sunlight.

I looked at him and with a calm tone I started, “Let's go back, our friends are waiting.”

a three-second pause before he gazed at me and replied, “Sure, let's get going.”

I nodded as I walked towards the stairs, and suddenly…

“Hinata!” Haruto called out.

I stopped and turned to him, only to see his unusual face. Raising one eyebrow I asked, “Yes?”

“I…” then, he paused.

To be continued…