Takeuchi

A vast carpet of blue sky reflected in Takeuchi's eyes. There it was, the clouds drifting off slowly towards an unknown direction.

Wonder where that cloud is heading... Takeuchi thought as he stared at it.

After a while, a low whisper reached Takeuchi's ears, and when he looked at the sources, he could hear a few people murmuring to each other. They are wearing the same high school uniforms, just like him, murmuring to each other, stealing glances in his direction a few times.

I must look like an idiot, standing alone outside the gate of the high school, looking up at the sky. In my defense, I was on my way home. I wasn't joining any particular club, I was free as a bird... Takeuchi thought, arguing about his weird acting.

He cleared his throat and decided to start walking.

Somehow my heart feels empty lately. As if something is missing, something I used to have. It's strange, but I feel like the cloud I saw is moving in a direction I don't know where to go... Takeuchi thought, depressed about his future.

"Maybe I'm at that age," Takeuchi murmured in a low voice.

"Takeuchi!" a girl's voice shouted.

Turning around, he saw a girl who was the same age as him.

Wearing a tracksuit, people would recognize her from the sports club. She had black braided hair with a soft and athletic body.

Her long black braided hair swayed from side to side as she ran towards him.

"Oh, it's you!" Takeuchi said to her as she approached him.

"Do you want to walk home together?" she chirped after coming up to him.

"Wha- Sure, I was alone anyway," He replied.

And they both started walking together.

The Pedestrian wasn't too crowded as people were already on their way home, but the road was still busy with cars and motorbikes passing by now and then.

After a few minutes of walking, Takeuchi asked, "Do you want to go to the shopping district together?"

She giggled and said, "You always go to the shopping district on your way home, don't you?"

"What?" He asked, not hearing what she was muttering.

"Nothing," she said in a panic, "Then let's go! Home we go!"

"Come on, what are you waiting for?" she said as she ran excitedly ahead.

It's strange enough, but I don't know where she came from. I don't even know what her name was, I never asked, but I assume she was from another class...

But somehow, her sudden appearance didn't bother me, maybe because I was a fan of mystery. Since she's a mysterious girl, I'm kind of interested in her...

At first, she kept following me around, kind of annoyed, then I tried to talk to her. Then, when I started to think that she liked me, I shamelessly asked her how she felt about me...

She immediately rejected it with a disgusted look on her face. It hurt, and I spent the rest of the day in bed thinking about what was wrong with me...

But somehow, I had the feeling that she was lying. Maybe she had some reason to hide the fact that she loved me, or maybe it was just my loneliness that was making a fool of me...

In my high school and middle school years I was always alone, by alone I mean there weren't any girls that close to me, and I was too busy catching up with my studies to bother about it...

When she came in, it gave me hope, but at least after she was honest about her feelings, it made it clear about our relationship...

We didn't talk as we walked, but it was strangely comfortable. It was my second year now, about to graduate, and here I was walking home with a girl whose name I don't even know... Takeuchi's thoughts are filled with nostalgia as he looks at her.

"You know..." She said, breaking the silence, "What if we traveled together sometime, I think that would be great!"

"Travelling, huh," He replied hesitantly, dozing off with his thoughts.

Sometimes, I would go for a walk when I was bored, but that was it. I think it was the first time I had ever thought about going to another city...

If I got a free ticket to another city, I would take it without hesitation. Who wouldn't want free things? I always welcome them... Takeuchi thought.

"But where to?" He asked after a while.

After thinking for a while, she finally said, "Um, how about Hokkaido? I heard it was a nice place."

"Hokkaido?" He asked, half confused by her choice.

"I heard you can have a lot of fun there, and the food is delicious," she said excitedly.

"Is it the same? I mean, it wasn't much different going to the shopping district," He said.

"You have no spirit, Takeuchi!" she said, her cheeks pouting.

"It wasn't just about going from one place to another, and it was about having fun! Going out with friends, having fun together, and making memories, that's what traveling is all about," she said, counting with her fingers.

That reminds me, I haven't many close friends, maybe... Takeuchi thought.

"You're right," Takeuchi said to her after some thought. "Well, it would be more fun if we invited more people, wouldn't it?"

"Heh!?" she said, looking shocked at what he said.

"What?" Takeuchi asked, confused by her reaction.

"Nothing, I just thought it wasn't like you to agree to go on a trip," she giggled.

"I've had a bad day lately. Maybe that's why," Takeuchi said, making excuses.

"Ohhh..." she said suddenly with bright eyes as her face approached Takeuchi.

"What?" He said, a little shocked at her sudden approach.

"You know what would make your day? Shopping!!!" she exclaimed excitedly, raising her hands.

"I wa- hey, where are we going?" Takeuchi asked as she dragged his hand.

"Of course, we're going shopping!" she giggled happily.

As she dragged him to follow her, they reached the bookstore in the shopping district and went inside. After one look, she realized she wasn't that good with books.

Then they went to a clothing store, and she would have tried on almost everything in the shop if Takeuchi hadn't begged her to stop.

Finally, after she had had enough, they both sat down on a bench in the park.