CHAPTER 12: Welcome back

NEXT DAY:

 Sana was prepared to go to school. It occurred to her that she had been missing her training for a while. However, she considered leaving school early to attend the training. 

Stepping outside, Sana's gaze immediately fell upon Suguru, her best friend, standing there with a warm smile. It had been so long since they last saw each other, and a rush of excitement filled her at the sight of him. With a quickening heartbeat, she hastened her steps, a grin spreading across her face. Without hesitation, she bounded towards him, her movements quick and eager, as if she couldn't wait another moment to wrap him in a hug. As she reached him, she leaped into his arms, the joy of their reunion palpable in the air. Suguru, taken aback by her sudden burst of energy, found himself swept up in the moment, spinning around with her in a joyful embrace. 

"How have you been? You idiot you didn't even contacted me.. I was so worried." Sana muttered still hugging him tightly. 

"Sorry." he said politely. 

"No, I'm sorry. I know you have been through a lot. I'm sorry for your loss."Sana said while still clinging to him.

"It's alright. I came back with my mother. My Father is still there." Suguru told her as they moved towards the school.

When they arrived at the school, every student offered their condolences.

Everything went smoothly and Suguru also got notes from the students. It was already lunch break. 

Understood, let's adjust the narrative to reflect Suguru's feelings towards Akagi.

As the lunch break commenced, Sana's mind raced with a plan to divert Suguru's attention away from recent hardships. She wanted him to see her cheerful side, to remember the joy they shared before life threw its challenges at them. With a determined smile, she turned to Suguru, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Hey, Suguru! How about we do something fun for lunch today?" she suggested, her tone brimming with enthusiasm.

Suguru's eyes widened in surprise at her sudden burst of energy. "Sure, Sana! What did you have in mind?" he asked, a hint of curiosity creeping into his voice.

Without missing a beat, Sana grabbed his hand and started leading him towards the school courtyard, where students often gathered to socialize during breaks.

"We're going to have a blast!" Sana exclaimed, her laughter echoing through the air as she dragged Suguru along.

As they walked, Sana recounted some funny stories from their past adventures, aiming to lighten the mood and bring back fond memories. Suguru couldn't help but chuckle at her antics, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders with each passing moment.

Reaching the courtyard, Sana spotted Akagi sitting alone on a bench, engrossed in a book. Excitement bubbled up inside her as she realized it was the perfect opportunity to introduce Suguru to her friend and possibly arrange for them to spend time together.

"Suguru, there's someone I want you to meet," she said, tugging on his arm to get his attention.

Suguru turned to her, a curious expression on his face. "Who is it?" he asked, his interest piqued.

"You'll see," Sana replied cryptically, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Approaching Akagi, Sana greeted him with a warm smile. "Hey, Akagi! Mind if we join you?"

Akagi looked up from his book, a smile spreading across his face as he saw Sana and Suguru. "Not at all. Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the empty space beside him.

As they settled onto the bench, Sana made introductions, excited to see her two worlds collide. Suguru greeted Akagi politely, but there was a subtle tension in the air as they exchanged greetings.

Throughout their conversation, Sana couldn't help but notice Suguru's guarded demeanor towards Akagi. While Akagi tried to engage him in conversation, Suguru responded with short, polite answers, clearly not as enthusiastic as Sana had hoped.

As the lunch break came to an end, Sana found herself feeling conflicted. While she was grateful for the time spent with Suguru and Akagi, she couldn't shake the feeling that Suguru was not as fond of Akagi as she had hoped.

As they parted ways, Sana couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to bridge the gap between Suguru and Akagi. Despite their differences, she was determined to find a way for her two friends to get along, knowing that their friendship meant the world to her.