Friend

Haruto's POV

The sky had dimmed into a soft shade of indigo, the last traces of sunlight fading beyond the horizon. The school day had finally ended, and students trickled out of the building in groups, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

I had barely stepped out of the school gates when I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Haruto!"

I turned to see Hinata jogging up to me, her bag bouncing slightly with each step. She slowed down once she reached me, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Are you walking home now?" she asked.

I nodded.

Hinata smiled. "Then… let’s walk together."

I hesitated for a second before nodding again. "Sure."

***

As we walked, the air between us remained quiet but not uncomfortable. The streets weren’t as crowded as usual, the post-Valentine’s atmosphere still lingering as some students carried gifts or bags of leftover sweets.

Hinata stretched her arms, letting out a content sigh.

"Today felt so long."

I glanced at her. "Tired?"

"A little." She smiled. "But it was fun too."

I hummed in response. I wasn’t sure how to describe today. The chocolates, the quiet warmth that settled in my chest when I received them, the thought of someone actually making something just for me. It was unfamiliar but… not bad.

"Did you eat them?" Hinata suddenly asked.

I blinked. "Huh?"

"The chocolates." She pouted slightly. "If you say you threw them away, I might get mad."

I scoffed. "I didn’t throw them away."

Hinata beamed. "So, you ate them?"

"...Yeah."

Hinata’s smile widened. "And? Were they good?"

I looked away. "...They were alright."

Hinata giggled. "You’re really bad at giving compliments, you know that?"

I exhaled a small chuckle. "Maybe."

As we passed by a small street vendor, the familiar scent of freshly made taiyaki filled the air. Hinata’s eyes lit up.

“Ah, taiyaki! I haven’t had this in ages!” she said excitedly, stopping in front of the stall.

I glanced at the golden, fish-shaped pastries sizzling on the grill. “You like these?”

Hinata nodded with a nostalgic smile. “My dad used to buy them for me when I was little. Every time we went out together, he’d stop by and get me one.” She chuckled. “I always ate the tail first because I thought it was the least important part.”

I smirked. “That’s a weird way to eat it.”

“I was a weird kid,” Hinata admitted with a small laugh.

“But what about you? Did you eat these often?”

I hesitated for a second. “Not really. My parents weren’t the type to buy stuff like this.”

Something about the way I said it made her glance at me, as if she wanted to ask more, but instead, she handed a coin to the vendor. “Then let’s change that. Two, please!”

I blinked. “You don’t have to—”

“Too late,” she said with a playful grin, handing me one of the warm pastries.

I took it, feeling the heat seep into my fingers. We sat on a nearby bench, enjoying the simple treat in the quiet night.

As Hinata took a bite, she suddenly asked, “Haruto, what do you want to do in the future?”

I stared at my taiyaki, thinking. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Really? Not even a little?"

I shrugged. “I guess… basketball is the only thing I love doing. But it’s not like I can make a living out of it.”

Hinata tilted her head. “Says who?”

I let out a dry chuckle. “My parents, for one. They think it’s a waste of time.”

Hinata frowned slightly but didn’t push the topic. Instead, she smiled. “Well, if you ever figure it out, I’d love to hear about it.”

For a moment, I just looked at her, something about her words lingering in my mind. I didn’t say anything, but a small warmth settled in my chest.

Then, Hinata spoke again.

"Haruto."

"Hm?"

"I’m glad we became friends."

I blinked. It was such a simple statement, yet it caught him off guard.

"...Why?" I asked.

Hinata smiled. "Because you’re easy to talk to. And… even though you pretend to be indifferent, you’re actually really kind."

I scoffed lightly. "That’s a weird way to describe someone."

Hinata laughed. "But it’s true."

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I simply stared ahead, my fingers lightly tapping against my knee.

Friends.

It was strange, I didn’t put much thought into labels, but hearing her say it so casually made something in my chest feel… lighter.

Maybe it wasn’t so bad.

After finishing our snack, we continued walking until we reached the street where we had to part ways.

“Thanks for today,” Hinata said with a soft smile. “It was fun.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “See you at school.”

She waved before turning to leave, and I stood there for a moment, watching her go.

Then, with a sigh, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and started walking home.

The moment I stepped inside, the warmth from earlier vanished.

“You’re late.”

My father’s sharp voice greeted me immediately. My mother was sitting on the couch, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

“Where were you?” my mother asked.

“Out,” I said simply, removing my shoes.

My father clicked his tongue in irritation. “You’re always out these days. Do you think you can just do whatever you want? You should be studying, not wasting time outside.”

I clenched my jaw. I didn’t want to argue. Not tonight.

“I finished my homework.”

“That’s not the point,” my mother cut in. “You come home late like some delinquent. What are you even doing?”

I exhaled sharply, trying to keep my voice calm. “Just hanging out with a friend.”

My father scoffed. “A friend? Who? Some troublemaker?”

I felt my patience slipping.

“No. Just… a friend from school.”

My father’s gaze narrowed. “I don’t want you wasting your time with useless people.

Stop messing around and focus on what matters.”

I bit my tongue. I knew there was no point in saying anything more. My father would never listen.

Without another word, I turned and walked to my room, closing the door behind me.

The silence in my small room was suffocating. I sank onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. The warmth I felt earlier, the laughter with Hinata, the peacefulness, it all seemed like a distant memory now.

I sighed and pulled out the empty taiyaki wrapper from my pocket. A small reminder of tonight.

A reminder that, even if only for a moment, I had felt free.

To be continued…