16th November. That was today.
Today was the day results were shown to the students. The results of their mid-term.
Numerous students crowded the school board. Murmurs and shoutings flowing through the whole place.
"God! I passed!.."
"Hey! I got more than you!!"
"...it's over. I am cooked."
Just behind the crowd, two students stood. Mei and Riku.
Riku narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look of the board from that afar. Mei side-eyed him. "Why don't you go closer?"
Riku turned, still frowning from the fact he couldn't see the board clearly. He glanced at her glasses once again. A slight fade of pink forming on his cheeks.
He immediately shook his head. "I am not good with crowd." After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "Why can't you see it? Arent you wearing glasses?"
Mei adjusted her glasses to the bridge of her nose, her expressionless face calming slightly. "It's still too far."
"How about going there?"
After a pause, she muttered.
"..I am not good with crowds either.."
He turned to face the board again. He was nervous. Extremely nervous! He was competing with Mei for higher marks. The same top-of-the-classMei.
Gradually, the crowd seperated, emptying the board for the two anxious individuals.
They hadn't taken a step forward. Both were in the same dillema.
"What if I lose? What is she going to make me do? And.. if i win, what should I even ask her? Oh my god. Should I really check it out?"
On the other side-
"If i were to lose.. i wonder what he would ask of me. I know very much about him and yet at this moment it's as if i can't even remember his name... Would it be alright for me to ask for what I thought about if i win?...
God.."
"I hope I lose." They both thought in sync, still not wavering from their position.
Mei coughed, her fist covering her mouth. Her face was almost beet red. "We should go check it, shouldn't we?"
Riku flinched at the sudden request. He laughed awkwardly, still not sure about what he should do. But her request was too straightforward to deny.
"Let's get moving." He said, walking ahead as Mei slowly followed behind him.
They reached the board. After their eyes scanned it whole, thier expressions changed.
The board displayed the positions of the students in the mid-term. 25 students on top.
---
The Ranking Of The Mid-Term 20XX(Overall school)
1. Sakamoto Daiki
2. Hayasaka Mei
3. Arai Riku.
4. Yuto Murusaki
5. Kojima Taru
...
..
.
Riku didn't read more than that. His vision dropped to the ground. He had lost. Easily so.
This was never a competition to begin with. It was obvious he would have lost. In fact he knew more than anyone else.
Yes. More than anyone.
He glanced at Mei. She looked happy yet perplexed. Her stoic face was still the same. However, it was the undeniable gleam in her eyes that answered Riku's question.
"Meh. It's not like i didn't knew this would happen."
"You won, huh.." Riku muttered, a little louder than a whisper.
Mei turned slowly, a faint smile appearing on the side of her face. She was smiling. The smile grew wider the more she stared at him.
"Yes. I did. I am a genius afterall." She said as she approached him closer.
Riku's eyes widened at her approach, however, he did not step back.
A chuckle escaped from him as he scratched his head. "Yeah, yeah. Genius." He remained silent for a moment, then added, "Alright. What's your order?"
Mei hesitated, her breath hitched. She took her time before she muttered.
"Um... Riku..
Umm..well.
Uh..."
She kept on hesitating. Riku grew impatient.
"C'mon. What is it?!" He growled.
Mei still hesitated. Stuttering. Sighing. Looking at random directions.
"Ugh... Why is it so hard to say it? I read on those books that it was easy. Why?? Why? Why is my heart throbbing so fast? Why does it feels so hot."
She exhaled heavily. Her face turning redder with each second passing by.
Riku did not speak. If he would always be that impatient, it would bring him no good.
Mei murmured something which Riku couldn't catch. He leaned forward. "Huh? What?"
Mei backed off, throwing her hands defensively. "No-Nothing!! It's nothing! a-actually, i will postpone it. Yeah! I will ask it when I feel like telling you. I-I mean.., Sorry!." She turned and bolted away, rushing into the school building.
"H-Hey! Wait up!" Riku tried to follow her, but she had already left.
His running turned to a jog. Then—to a walk. Then—to a stop.
He gulped, still wondering what she was going to ask. His mind kept on wandering to her blushing face.
He shook his head again.
Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder. "What's up? What are you doing, standing here? The board's there."
He turned.
It was Takumi. His best friend.
"I already saw it." Riku replied as he turned his whole body. Takumi retreated his hand, putting it in his pocket before saying.
"Well, i haven't so let's check again."
"...ah... I would rather not." He rejected Takumi's suggestion. Yeah. He would rather not be reminded of the fact that he lost. And especially that red cute face. Mostly that face.
Although he was thinking that, his mind was still going round and round her. As if she lived there rent-free.
"Is that how friends are? Are we not friends anymore. Yeah, I guess you are right. I must be annoying, right? You best friend is annoying, huh? I see how it is.
So when you do that you get aura? Indeed.
दोस्त दोस्त ना रहा-"
"Okay! Okay! I get it. Let's go. Also, when did learn hindi?" Riku interrupted Takumi's rant.
"From the indian guy in the new restaurant near my house." Takumi replied indifferently before beginning to walk towrads the board.
"Ugh! whatever." Riku sighed and followed him.
"Seriously, i wonder what she was going to ask me. Was it a confession?
Haha. Probably not.
..
..
..
Right?"