The Real You

Sakura can't even remember when was the last time she had eaten a meal together with her former childhood friend, Mori Ken, but… she didn't expect it to happen all over again.

This boy is truly weird, she thought. Ken had avoided her before they even got into sixth grade without hearing any reasons from him… and yet…

"I wanted to know you more, Patty-san."

Sakura kept asking herself, 'Why? Why are you suddenly doing this to me, Mori Ken? What is it that you want from me?'

All throughout dinner, Sakura made sure to avoid making any eye contact with her 'master'. She would only talk unless it is necessary, and would only respond according to what her master wanted her to do… like making her get an extra parfait, for example.

Without the girl knowing, Cupcake, who is Sakura's best competitor in this cafe, is watching their table with envy. Her fist forms into a ball as she glares in their direction.

"Ow!' Sakura yelped all of a sudden as she accidentally bites her tongue out while eating her Om Nom Nomurice. The guy sitting in front of her looks at him with a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Is there something wrong, Patty-san?"

Sakura only shrugs it off and replies, "Not at all master. I just accidentally bite my tongue out, that's all." with a timid smile all across her face.

"They say that if you bite your tongue all of a sudden, it only means that someone is bad-mouthing you right this instance."

Sakura wasn't so surprised upon hearing it. She tilted her head to look at her surroundings and instantly spotted her rival Cupcake glaring in their direction while muttering something by herself like a ritual or something.

'I knew it,' Sakura says so to herself while keeping a straight face.

"Anyway, do you feel… uncomfortable around me?"

Sakura was stunned for a moment that made her not able to speak for a few seconds. With a slightly wide-eyed expression, she asks, "N-no master. Why do you ask?"

Holy crap, does she look so awkward around him? Is she not being friendly enough? Does she look horrible now? Sakura is currently anxious if she would receive a demerit point for not taking care of the guest well enough. After all, Mori Ken would be paying additional fees for dining with her in this cafe.

"I just thought so since you haven't looked me in the eye ever since we started eating, or would only give short replies to my questions." Ken pauses for a moment and stares at her intently, which made Sakura feel uncomfortable. "And your body's kinda stiff too."

Sakura can't help but slap herself on the face at the back of her head. She didn't know that this guy could be that observant around her.

"I-- I…"

"I saw you moving freely around other customers so I thought that maybe I am a little bit awkward myself so you feel uncomfortable around me. Only a few people understand my personality, to be honest." Ken adds while scratching the back of his neck.

Hearing that from him gives Sakura the urge to raise her eyebrow at him. This is Mori Ken we are talking about! Sakura would always see him hang out with the rich and popular kids of St. Therese High. They would always laugh together, have lunch together, and play basketball together.

Ken was never alone, unlike her, and yet… here he is, talking as if he was treated as an outcast in his past like she experienced. Sometimes, she can't completely comprehend the way boys think of themselves.

"But you have many friends, right master?" Sakura made sure to ask this question in a tone that won't totally make it obvious that she knows him since childhood.

Ken seemed not to notice it and went on. "Well, yeah. I do have a lot of friends back in high school and know a few people in my university now. And yet, that still doesn't count. You understand what I'm trying to say, right?"

Sakura pretends to understand all of it when in reality, she doesn't. Being a loner for almost all her life until she became Ryuuji's girlfriend back in high school makes it hard for her to understand all of it.

Ken smiles rather bitterly as he lowered his head before proceeding.

"Sometimes, you only show people your desirable qualities for them to like you while leaving the unpleasant ones."

"Oh." Sakura didn't mean to speak this out loud, but now… she finally gets what Mori Ken means.

Thinking about it now, that's the kind of life she had lived in high school and still continues doing it up until now….

"There's only one person who has seen the real me. But with you, Patty-san," Sakura was astonished when Ken suddenly shot his head up, now smiling vibrantly.

"I don't feel uncomfortable showing you my real side for some unknown reason. So don't feel shy showing your true personality around me as well!"

That made Sakura's eyes slowly widened, and her lips parted. Surely, she hasn't seen that kind of smile from him for a very long time.

***

The next day at school, Sakura almost flinched backward upon seeing Ken already seated in his chosen seat next to her. After what happened yesterday night, Mori Ken would be the last person she wanted to see right now!

But really… she should get used to seeing him both in school and in the cafe starting from now on.

"Good morning, Hayashi-san." Ken greeted him with a shy smile painted on his face.

Calling her by her last name, huh? A long time ago, they used to call each other by their first names. (And Ken would often call her by her nickname to piss her off sometimes if they're alone.)

Sakura's lips were pressed together, not knowing if she needed to greet back or what.

In the end, she goes to her seat, places her bag aside, and looks at Ken straight in the face. "G-Good morning, Mori-kun."

After a brief exchange of greetings formally, they haven't talked with each other anymore.