Together For A Day With My Friend
Stories similar to this that you might like too.
The next morning, the sun was already high in a cloudless sky. The air had been crisp and cool when they’d left their room at dawn to go out for breakfast; now it felt warm enough that I could have worn my sleeveless blouse without feeling too hot. It seemed like we were finally getting some summer weather after all this rain—and with any luck, our trip would be over before another storm hit us again!
I got up early so I wouldn’t miss seeing them off on their last day of school. They didn’t seem as excited about going back home as usual… but then, neither did I.
We said goodbye outside the front gate where everyone else waited: Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Auntie Yumiko (who came along because she wanted to see her niece graduate), Uncle Hiroki, and even Mr. Kajiwara from across the street who always gave me candy if he saw me walking past his house.
He must’ve come by while we were gone yesterday afternoon or evening since there wasn’t much time between leaving him a note and coming down here today. But what surprised me most was how many other people showed up just to wish them well.
There weren’t nearly as many kids waiting around as normal, though—most likely due to the fact that classes hadn’t started yet. And besides, I knew plenty of adults who still went through graduation ceremonies every year despite having finished college ages ago. So maybe it really is different for students?
“Goodbye, Satsuki!” My parents waved goodbye to me until I turned away from the crowd, then headed inside together. “You take care of yourself,” Dad added quietly once we reached the door.
My heart ached slightly at hearing those words. Even knowing that they couldn’t stay forever made saying farewell hard. After all, I loved being able to spend more than half my life with these two wonderful people. If only I could make things easier on both of you…
But no matter how long I thought about it, nothing changed. This was something I needed to do myself. That’s why I kept quiet instead. Instead, I walked alongside them toward the station platform, trying not to let tears fall onto my cheeks.
Once we arrived there, I watched them board one of the trains bound for Tokyo Station. Then I took a deep breath and looked around at the faces staring back at me. Most of them belonged to strangers passing by—but there were also several familiar ones among them.
One woman smiled gently as she passed by; another man nodded politely as he hurriedly stepped aside to give me space. Both of them probably recognized me from TV interviews or magazine articles. Their expressions told me everything I needed to know: You’re doing great. Keep smiling. Don’t worry. Everything will work out fine.
And so I tried my best to smile right back at each person who glanced in my direction. When I caught sight of someone waving frantically behind me, however, I stopped dead in my tracks. It was Haruto. His face lit up immediately upon spotting me, which made me feel guilty for keeping him hanging.
Still, I didn’t want to run into him alone. Not after what happened yesterday. Plus, I figured it might be better to wait until later tonight anyway. Maybe he’ll call first…?
So I casually continued onward, pretending not to notice him. As soon as I entered the train car, though, I heard footsteps approaching from behind. Turning around, I found him standing there looking anxious.
“Hey.” He flashed me an awkward grin. “Sorry to bother you…”
His voice sounded strained somehow. Was he nervous about meeting me again? Or perhaps worried that I’d tell him off for running away yesterday? Either way, I decided to put him at ease. “It’s okay. Come sit beside me if you don’t mind?”
He hesitated briefly, then sat down next to me. Before either of us spoke, the doors closed and the train began moving forward. Now that we were sitting side by side, I noticed how close he was to me. Our shoulders touched lightly whenever we shifted positions.
And although I tried to keep my eyes focused straight ahead, I couldn’t help noticing how attractive he looked. Especially when he leaned closer to whisper in my ear.
“…so sorry for making you cry yesterday. I promise I won’t ever leave your side again. Okay?”
I blinked rapidly, unable to reply. All I managed to say was, “…okay.”
Haruto grinned happily. “That’s perfect. Because I’m never letting you go again, Satsuki.”
Then he kissed me softly on the cheek. Just like yesterday, I froze completely stiff. Only this time, it lasted longer. The moment our lips parted, I felt dizzy. A warm sensation spread throughout my body, causing me to shiver uncontrollably. I quickly pulled away, embarrassed.
“Um… Sorry! Um, um…”
As I stammered, Haruto laughed nervously. “Don’t apologize. It feels nice, doesn’t it? Like a cool breeze blowing over a hot summer day.”
The warmth spreading through my entire body intensified. In fact, it seemed to get stronger the more I concentrated on feeling it. But before I knew it, I started shaking even harder. What is happening to me?! Why am I getting goosebumps all of a sudden!?
Just as I opened my mouth to ask Haruto what was wrong, his cell phone rang loudly. Startled, he fumbled with it while still holding hands with me. Finally, he answered the call. “Yeah? Oh, hi, Mommy. Yeah, I just got here. No, I haven’t seen her yet. She must have gone home already. Yes, I understand. We’ll see you tomorrow morning, then. Bye.”
After ending the call, he stared blankly at the screen for a few seconds. Then he sighed heavily and hung up without saying anything else.
“What’s going on?” I asked hesitantly.
Still frowning, he replied, “My mom called earlier today because she wanted to meet you. Apparently, she wants to thank you personally for saving me last night.”
A wave of relief washed over me. Thank goodness. So now I can finally relax. My heart skipped a beat. Wait, but did he mean that literally? Did he really think I saved him?
When I turned to look at him, however, I saw him gazing intently at me. His expression was serious, almost sad. Suddenly, I realized what had been bothering me since the beginning. If he thinks I rescued him, does that make me some kind of hero? Am I supposed to be proud of myself for doing such a good deed?
No. Absolutely not. That would be ridiculous.
But why do I feel so bad about lying to him? Shouldn’t I be happy that I’ve fooled him into thinking I actually helped him out?
Suddenly, something clicked inside my head. This wasn’t about being a heroine or a villain—or whatever other labels people try to stick onto me. There was no need for any of those things. I simply needed to protect myself. To survive.
If I told Haruto the truth, I risked losing everything. Not only my life but also my freedom. Even worse, I might end up hurting someone who cared deeply for me. Someone whose trust I valued above anyone else’s.
And I didn’t want to lose them. Ever.
***
We arrived back at school after lunch. Once again, I headed toward my classroom alone. After checking to ensure nobody followed me, I slipped inside and took my seat.
Once everyone settled down, Mr. Tachibana walked in carrying a large box. As soon as he set it on top of the desk, he removed its lid. Inside lay several items: two notebooks, one pen, and a small bottle filled with clear liquid.
“This is for each student,” he announced. “Please take whichever notebook you prefer.”
Everyone eagerly grabbed their supplies, including me. When I reached for mine, though, I found it empty. Puzzled, I glanced around to find Haruto staring at me expectantly from across the room.
Why isn’t there a notebook in front of me…?
Confused, I looked at the teacher. He smiled reassuringly. “You don’t have to worry. You’re free to choose another if you’d like.”
So I could pick which one I liked best? I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.
Without hesitation, I picked up the first book I spotted. It was a simple spiral-bound composition notebook with plain white pages. Its cover featured an illustration of a cute little girl sitting cross legged on the ground. Her long hair flowed behind her like a waterfall. On the opposite page were four words written in bold letters:
I’M THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU.
It was signed by the author, Kaguya Houraisan.
Oh my gosh, this is amazing! I thought excitedly as I flipped through the pages. They weren’t lined, nor did they contain any writing whatsoever; instead, every single sheet was covered with illustrations. Each picture showed the same adorable child hugging a different animal.
There was a bear, a rabbit, a cat, a dog, and even a horse. And when I turned to the next page, I discovered a whole new series featuring a group of animals playing together. The pictures depicted a fox, a bird, a frog, a mouse, and a raccoon.
As I continued flipping through the pages, I noticed that most of the drawings included a caption beneath them. Some said, “I love you!” Others read, “Thank you for loving me.” Still others declared, “Your friendship means the world to me.”
Each time I came across a drawing showing a specific person, I felt a rush of emotion. At times, I laughed out loud. Other moments brought tears to my eyes. But all throughout, I remained completely captivated.
The more I gazed upon these images, the harder it became to breathe. How wonderful… These are truly beautiful.
In fact, I hadn’t seen many works quite like this before. Most books focused primarily on romance between humans. In contrast, this collection seemed to celebrate the bonds shared among nonhuman creatures.
Perhaps that’s why I enjoyed reading them so much. Because I’m part human, too.
After finishing the last page, I placed the book gently on my lap. Then I leaned forward until our faces were mere inches apart.
Haruto stared right back at me. His gaze was intense, yet gentle. For a moment, we just sat quietly, looking deep into each other’s eyes. Finally, he spoke.
“Hey, Minori?”
My breath caught in my throat. What should I say? Is it okay to tell him the truth now? Or maybe I shouldn’t risk revealing anything at all. Maybe I’ll wait till later.
Before I had a chance to decide, Haruto broke eye contact and began fidgeting nervously with his hands.
What does he mean, ‘hey’? Did he forget what he wanted to ask me?
He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Um, uh…”
His voice sounded strange. Almost as if he was trying hard not to laugh.
Is he nervous because he thinks I won’t answer him honestly? That would be awful. If I can’t trust Haruto, then no one will ever know the truth about me. No matter how badly I wish for people to understand, I simply cannot let myself get hurt anymore.
But still, I hesitated. Why am I hesitating?!
Just as I started to panic, Haruto finally blurted out whatever question he’d been dying to ask.
“…Are you really a witch?!”
A few students snickered. A couple of girls gasped loudly, while some boys burst into laughter.
At once, I realized something very important. This wasn’t a game. There was nothing funny here.
And I definitely didn’t want anyone laughing at me again. So I stood up quickly and faced Haruto directly.
Then, without waiting for permission, I launched straight into my explanation.
“Yes, I am a witch. My name is Minori Tomozaki, and I’ve lived in Japan since birth.”
When I finished speaking, silence fell over the classroom. Everyone stared at me in shock—including Haruto.
For a brief second, I wondered whether I should apologize or explain further. But I decided against either option. Instead, I took a step backward and folded my arms tightly across my chest.
That way, everyone else wouldn’t see my face.
This is bad. Very, very bad.
All I could do was pray silently that nobody would make fun of me today.
***
Once class ended, I headed toward the library alone. As usual, I made sure to stay well away from Haruto and his friends. It was almost impossible to avoid them altogether, but I tried my best anyway.
On the way there, though, I ran into someone who looked familiar. He was tall and thin, with short brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. When I saw him standing outside the school gates, I stopped dead in my tracks.
Wait, isn’t that…?
It couldn’t possibly be. Could it?
No, surely not. After all, I only met him yesterday.
Still, I knew exactly where to find him.
So I walked slowly down the path leading to the main entrance. Eventually, I spotted the man sitting by himself under an old oak tree.
“Hello,” I called softly.
The stranger glanced up, startled.
We both froze. Neither of us moved a muscle. We just kept staring at each other.
Finally, after several long seconds, the man smiled warmly.
“Minori-san! You’re late!” he exclaimed happily.
Oh, crap. Now I have to talk to him.
I swallowed hard. Then, taking a deep breath, I turned around and hurried off.
As soon as I reached the library door, however, I heard footsteps behind me. Turning back, I found the same bearded guy walking briskly toward me.
“Sorry, sorry, I’m so terribly sorry. Please forgive me.”
He bowed deeply, apologizing profusely.
“Huh? Um, hey, um—”
“Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Tatsuya Shiba. And you are…?”
Trying to remember the name he’d given me yesterday, I stammered through an awkward introduction.
“Uh, Minori-chan. Nice to meet ya.”
Shaking my head slightly, I gave him a small smile.
“Well, nice to meetcha, too. Sorry for running into you like this.”
Smiling back, he replied, “Not at all. Actually, I came to thank you for helping me yesterday.”
“Helping you? Oh, yeah, right. Well, it’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it.”
With that, we parted ways.
Afterward, I spent most of the afternoon studying in the library. The rest of the day passed quietly enough until lunchtime rolled around.
By then, I felt much more confident about being able to handle things on my own. Still, when I went to the cafeteria for food, Haruto and his group were already seated together.
They must have seen me coming. They weren’t even pretending they hadn’t noticed me.
Haruto waved cheerfully at me as I approached our table. His eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Hey, Minori-chan. How did your first day go?”
“Pretty good, actually. Thanks for asking.”
I sat next to Haruto and began eating my meal. For some reason, I had trouble looking at him. Maybe I was afraid of what might happen if I accidentally caught sight of his face.
But eventually, I managed to force myself to look up.
His expression was bright and cheerful. He seemed genuinely happy to see me.
Why does he act like that?!
What happened between us last night was completely out of line. If anything, I think he owes me an apology.
Just thinking about it made me feel sick.
I forced a smile onto my face and said, “You know, I got lost trying to get here. Can you believe that? I thought I knew how to walk home from school…”
My words sounded rehearsed. Even I didn’t really buy it.
And yet, Haruto nodded enthusiastically.
“Yeah, I can totally imagine that happening to you. That’s why I always come straight to school from the train station. No sense wasting time getting lost along the way.”
Then, without missing a beat, he added:
“Anyway, let’s eat up before the food gets cold. I’ve been waiting all morning for this.”
“Ughhh, fine. Whatever. Just hurry up and finish your stupid sandwich.”
I glared at him, but he just laughed.
Soon afterward, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period.
“See ya later, Minori-chan!”
“Later.”
When I left the cafeteria, I could still hear Haruto laughing loudly somewhere nearby.
***
That evening, I decided to take another stab at talking to Yumiko.
This time, I waited until she finished her homework. She usually worked diligently during study hall, which meant there would probably be fewer people hanging around outside the classroom.
She looked over at me and smiled.
“Hi, Minori-san. What brings you here today?”
“Um…well, I wanted to ask you something.”
Yumiko tilted her head curiously.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, yes, absolutely.”
I tried to sound reassuring, but I wasn’t sure whether or not I succeeded.
“Okay, well…what is it?”
“Do you want to hang out sometime?”
Her eyes widened slightly, and she blinked several times.
“Hang out…? Hang out where?”
“Anywhere. We don’t need to do anything special—just spend some time together.”
At least now I finally understood what those two guys had talked about earlier. Apparently, they’d invited Yumiko to join them for a little fun.
The idea of going out with someone other than Haruto scared me, though. It was one thing to talk about doing stuff like that; it was quite another to actually try it. But since I couldn’t exactly say no, I figured I should give it a shot.
Still, I wondered if maybe I shouldn’t have asked her directly instead of making up some excuse.
Maybe I’m just being paranoid.
“Oh! You mean, like, date?”
“No, no, nothing so serious,” I hurriedly assured her. “It doesn’t matter where we go, either. As long as it’s somewhere quiet, that’s fine by me.”
As soon as I said that, I realized how lame it sounded.
A few seconds ticked past. Then, after glancing nervously toward the door, Yumiko spoke again.
“All right. Sure. Sounds great. When are you free?”
“Tomorrow, I guess. Why?”
“Well, tomorrow’s Saturday, isn’t it? And I’ll be busy Sunday through Wednesday.”
“Ahh, yeah. Sorry about that.”
In retrospect, I suppose I should have checked my calendar before suggesting a specific day.
“So, um, what time works best for you?”
“How about three o’clock in the afternoon?”
“Sounds perfect. See you then.”
We shook hands, and I headed back to class.
Once inside, I leaned against the wall near the entrance and took a deep breath.
Now I only needed to figure out what to wear…
The End