Chapter 2
Reina’s POVWhen I woke up this morning it was already past 8 in the morning. For some reason I felt exhausted. At first my eyelids parted slowly, then they snapped open and I jolted up.
“Shit! I’m gonna be late for my registration!”
I rushed through her shower and made sure my hair is in the right place. That’s very important you know. Can’t leave house looking like a drag. Hmm just enough time for a quick breakfast.
“Good morning to you too”
I heard a familiar voice from the kitchen and turn my head, praying it was just an illusion.
“It’s you. So, it wasn’t a dream?”
“You could have spared me that line. It’s awfully predictable” Eri pouted.
Wow this girl pouts a lot, but it’s really cute though, I thought. Okay bad bad Reina. Didn’t you vow not to care for anyone anymore? That way you won’t get hurt anymore.“You know, you haven’t told me what you are doing right now” Eri asks.
“Erm, as you can see, I’m actually eating my bread right now”
“Not that. I mean, you seem very young. Are you still studying or wor…” Eri’s question was interrupted by her ringtone.
“Morning Sayu! Okay. I’ll see you later. Bye”
Chance! Let’s get out of here whilst she’s still on the phone. I was opening the door when I heard…
“Bye Reina. Have a safe trip”
My hands paused on the door knob. It’s been so long since someone said that to me. Unconsciously, my vision blurred as moisture formed in my eyes. Why does it hurt so bad?
~~~
Eri’s POV“Eri you’re late!”
“Heehee sorry Sayu. I couldn’t find any decent socks without any holes in it”
“Oh Eri I swear you can be a dork sometimes. I know! We’re going socks shopping later!”
I can always count on Sayu to make my day brighter. I thought about what happened this morning. Reina was acting cold towards me when she left the house. Okay I mean, she’s cold but this morning…colder. Cold like an ice cream or something. Hmm, I could do with an ice cream right now.
“Eri are you okay? You suddenly spaced off when I’m talking to you”
“Sorry Sayu. Wanna eat ice cream?”
“Huh? Anyway I was asking when you will invite us to your new pad. We can hold a pajamas party!”
Yeah I like that idea. We can invite Ai and Risa too. I felt a heat in my cheeks when I thought of Risa.
“Kame why are you blushing?”
That voice sounds oddly like Risa. Wait! Risa?!
“Risa? I mean Gaki-san? When did you arrive?”
“While you were still communicating with the Eriens” Sayu answer.
“Eri spacing off again?” Risa laughs.
“Tell me about it” Sayu grumbles.
Great. Now I really feel like a dork. Mission to impress Risa: Failed. I saw Ai standing beside Risa looking around the campus.
“Looking for someone Ai? I asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Yeah I’m looking for the new student. Gaki-san and I are in charge of her orientation. But she didn’t report to us this morning. Wonder what happened?”
Ai looked worried when she said that. Must be hard being the student council leader. But at least she had a wonderful sub-leader to depend on. Right. I need to stop blushing whenever I think of Risa. We started walking towards the music room for our dance practice.
“Oh I heard of the new student! A cute girl. O blood group. 1.51m tall. Born 11 November…” Sayu gushes.
“Okay we get it Sayu. I swear you are like a walking search engine when it comes to cute girls” Ai teased.
Our conversation was interrupted when I accidentally knocked into someone. Both of us fell onto the ground. I was about to apologise when I saw who I knocked into.
“You?” I asked, surprised to see her in my school.
“You!”
“Tanaka Reina? I’m Ai from the student council. We were expecting you this morning” Ai introduces herself.
Reina did not answer Ai. Instead, she picked her books off the ground and dragged me away from the group. After walking out of the earshot from the group, Reina stopped and turned to me.
“Kamei-san. By strange coincidence we end up going to the same school. We may be housemates but I don’t see the necessary of being acquaintance in school as well. I would appreciate it if you could keep this relationship of ours a secret and pretend that you don’t know me”
“You could have thought of that before you pulled me away from my friends” I said bitterly. I mean, what is her problem?
I saw Ai came towards us and asked if there’s anything wrong. Reina just shook her head and both of them left for the student council room with Risa.
“Do you know her?” Sayu looked concerned. They must have been puzzled about what just happened.
“Nope. I guess the pajamas party just have to wait”
~~~
OH. MY. GOD. Did an elephant just enter the house? This place look like it’s seen better days. Okay calm down Reina. Just calm down. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY HOUSE???
“Kamei-san what did you do to the house?”
“Oh Tanaka-san. I thought we’re not supposed to know each other?”
“Spare me the sarcastic talk. Why are your clothes all over the house?”
“Oh light up. It’s not that bad”
Reina took in a deep breath before asking politely, “Since I still need to live in this house, can we keep the mess strictly to your room? Please?”
“Okay okay I’ll clean them up”
Reina enters her room. This is her only world to go back to. Her own private sanctuary where she won’t be rejected and won’t have to reject anyone else. Reina opened her window to let the fresh air in. Full moon tonight. Just like the night she left without saying goodbye. How can the world just carry on as if nothing happened? From that moment on, Reina decides to tuck her shattered dreams and broken dream deep in the corner of her heart.
~~~
It’s been over a month since Reina moved to Tokyo and started her studies at HP University. Life in Tokyo is not that bad if only she wasn’t so bogged down with assignments and projects. Reina still hasn’t made a single acquaintance except for her boss at the bookshop that she’s working at and sometimes Ai. To her credit, Ai did try to bring Reina into her clique but Reina preferred to be alone. Oh, and her relationship with Eri is just passable enough to pass through the day. Eri kept to her request of not talking to her in school. Problem is, Eri refused to say more than a few to her at home too. Reina knows whose fault that is.
Whilst searching for a book, Reina accidently knocked her stuffs off the study table. A photo slipped off from her organizer. Reina picked up the photo. A flood of memories came rushing, bringing back the laughter and also the pain. Reina felt a stab of pain in her heart as she looks at the girl standing next to her in the photo. Nothing quite the same anymore.
“I miss you. I miss you so bad”
The day you slipped away. Was the day I found it won't be the same.N.B. I wasn't in the best of mind when I wrote this. Please don't hate me