The Office Encounter

Sakura remembers Mori Ken to be that typical high school guy who loves to hang out with cool guys and is so into basketball. He's as much as popular as his ex Ryuuji, but you wouldn't expect that he could be this crazy-ass smart. He isn't the type of guy who loves to display his intelligence in front of other people, even before when they were still kids.

That is why when Sakura first witnessed him standing up on that platform and giving his speech as the one who got the highest score in the national universal test, it nearly drove her crazy. And I'm sure their batchmates would also be thrilled once they know about this!

Yes, Ken was her former childhood friend, when he and his mom moved into their neighborhood just two blocks away from their house. Two days after they moved, she was rather bizarre to know that both their moms were once high school besties the moment Sakura's mom invited them over for a small dinner.

Their friendship started over a racing video game. Eight-year-old Ken at that time had walked into their house for the very first time with her mom, seeing Sakura, who was then seven years old at that time, sprawled over their floor and was busy playing the game. She was both a book nerd and a gamer by heart ever since.

He approached her, with a smug look on his face, and proudly declared, "I got the highest score on the global rankings. You can check it for yourself, just search the username, Turbo Ken."

Sakura, being her competitive seven-year-old self that time, did as he says. She had just won a race when she started scrolling for the global rankings. True to his word, there he is… with his name printed as the first placer is none other than Turbo Ken. Sakura's eyes went into full circles. Her name, NekoNii was right below his name.

"No way…" she said. After that day, she had continuously challenged him into a racing game every single time Ken came over to his house but always ended up getting defeated as always.

And before they knew it, Sakura and Ken became close with each other.

Ken transferred to Sakura's school during their third grade and stayed in the same room with her. At the time, he was considered the shortest boy of all the boys in class, and the last one to grow tall among them.

As close as they were, Sakura believed they would always be friends until Ken stopped coming to her house and being friends with her in their sixth grade. It was as if he completely removed himself. And just like that, the sibling bond that they once shared was instantly broken.

It was then exactly during their middle school years when their paths had crossed once again during a party held in some rich kid's house when Sakura became Ryuuji's girlfriend and Ken became his best pal.

They seldom talk during their middle school years, only on important occasions that is, with either of them intentionally avoiding crossing paths with one another.

Sakura honestly thought that after she graduated high school at St. Therese High, she would also stop seeing old colleagues from Kyoto. But after seeing Mori Ken here at Hirosaki University, giving his speech as the student who got the highest score in their national universal test, she then knew that she was completely wrong about it.

Yamaguchi Alan, whose presence was totally forgotten by Sakura at this time, stared at her with a crease forming in between his brows. Finally, after the orientation was done and now they are walking together towards the business and economics building for students under that certain field, he dares to ask her what was going on with her.

"Is that your boyfriend? The one who was on stage earlier?" he asks in his most casual tone. He knows that he and Sakura had just met and that he has no right to ask her these certain questions, but he can't help it.

Sakura immediately goes back to reality. Her head snapped forward and met Alan's gaze. She now realized that she was still walking with this stranger up until this moment.

"We are definitely not a thing. He was just an old acquaintance, you know." After saying this, Sakura shrugs and adds, "Why am I even explaining this to you? We just met, for goodness' sake."

Now they are in front of the department building and stopped in their tracks in the middle of the intersection where they had to part ways. Sakura must go to the student affairs office to discuss her scholarship, while Alan must find his first-period class according to his schedule.

"Right, I totally forgot," Alan says casually, like Sakura's words didn't bother him at all. "See ya' then, stranger."

Sakura felt a little bit guilty for snapping at this guy who did nothing wrong to her. But she knows she can't take her words back anymore.

Alan waves his right hand through her as he turns his back and heads towards his destination. Sakura can't help but mutter, "Way to go, Sakura! So much for making new friends, huh?"

She then shrugs and also begins her trip towards the said office.

---

Sakura's eyes went into full circles one more time after arriving at the student affairs office. It was already astonishing for her to see Ken in the flesh, standing in that platform earlier during their orientation. But to see him here for the second time around is another thing she needs to bear.

"Oh, please. Tell me this is not happening to me right now," she mutters to herself before she enters and closes the door behind her.

She took a seat that was across to where the boy is currently sitting. An embossed metal name tag that says Mr. Philip Sato, director of student affairs, was placed on a table in front of them. The room itself was fully air-conditioned, with the lingering coffee aroma filling their nostrils right now.

Seeing that the person in charge is nowhere to be found, she starts craning for her neck to look for this Mr. Sato mentioned on the tag.

"He, uhm, got the documents for us to sign on. In case you are wondering where Mr. Sato is." Ken says quietly in his seat, making Sakura stop from whatever she's currently doing.

"Oh. And he says he also went to get himself some coffee as well," he adds.

Clearing her throat, she says, "Oh, is that so?"

Ken just nodded his head as his response.

None of them talked for, like, a few minutes, before the boy seated across Sakura had spoken once again.

"Long time no see."

That caught Sakura off guard.

"What do you mean? We often see each other when I am still… you know, your best friend's girlfriend." She honestly doesn't want to mention that bastard's name, nor wanted to remember it completely.

Ken knew whom Sakura was pertaining to, but he set it aside and replied, "You know that's not what I meant. I mean… like, for a very long time, we haven't really seen and spoken to each other."

Sakura snickers inside her head. The words: And whose fault is that, you think? was just at the tip of her tongue but she tried to hold it off and just forget about it.

Instead, she just gave him a one-word answer. "Yeah."

They both knew that awkwardness is starting to build up between them, with both of their presence present in one room. Smiling to himself, Ken tries to break this by suddenly declaring, "I'm taking up B.S in Business Management. You?"

Sakura's lips parted, her expression was aghast.

"I'm in Accountancy. So wait, does that mean…"

"Yup. You and me... will be classmates for some particular subjects." Ken fills in the right words for her. "Just like the old times."