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There is a lot to like about your school, Gekkoukan High. Granted, it sounds a bit weird to say that about your school, or any school, for that matter, but there is something about this one in particular that makes you feel glad about studying here instead of any other school in the vicinity. For starters, you’ve always thought it was cool that it was located in a man-made island. The building itself is nice, the entrance is pretty welcoming, and the classrooms are spacious, which is great because it makes them feel less crowded. The rooftop is amazing, since you can see most of the city from up there and enjoy the weather, no matter what time of the year it is. Whenever you need to be alone for a moment, you know that the rooftop is the perfect place to be. Most of the times, at least.
It’s a pretty pleasant place to be at overall. And as if that weren’t enough, you can never get bored at Gekkoukan. There are unpredictable teachers that exhibit the strangest but funniest quirks, tons of interesting students to talk to, incredible amounts of gossip that get renewed every month, and a large variety of activities to keep you entertained for as long as you want. From school clubs to transfer students that never seem to stop arriving even as the months pass, life never gets stale here. But even if it eventually were to get boring, you’ll always have your friends, who never fail to brighten up the classroom with their jokes, their laughs, and their enthusiasm. Every morning, you wake up looking forward to seeing all of them, which has made you forget that feeling of dread you used to have when you braced yourself to attend your previous school.
Speaking about friends, there is one, of course, that stands out among the rest. She’s the one who gives you the most motivation to get out of bed early, to try your best in school, and to face every challenge with a smile on your face. She’s Minako Arisato, that girl who transferred to your class at the beginning of the year. At first, you were drawn to her because you were curious and wanted to find out what kind of person she was, but it didn’t take long before you started hanging out with her out of sheer admiration. What can you say? She’s kind, optimistic, thoughtful, and talented in seemingly every aspect. She’s smart, she does sports, she cares a lot about the people around her, she’s empathetic, she has a great sense of humor, and she always knows the right thing to say. Honestly, it’s no wonder why she’s your best friend. You can’t help but feel excited everytime you see her or when you know you’re going to see her, because her presence fills you with joy just like that.
You really do love your school. But you can forget the clubs, the teachers, and the scenery. The best thing about attending Gekkoukan, without a doubt, is getting to see Minako whenever you want. You’ll be forever thankful to your school for giving you the opportunity to meet her in the first place.
You… might have a small crush on her.
The bell rings, interrupting your daydreams and signalling the end of a long week of class and the beginning of what promises to be a great weekend. The teacher quickly wraps up his lecture as your classmates let out a collective sigh of relief. Warm rays of sunlight that are coming in through the window catch your attention, so you look outside to get a glance of the deep blue sky, the green trees, and the wonderful world that seems to be waiting for you with open arms. You smile. Life sure is beautiful, especially after being dismissed from class after such a busy week.
Pulling yourself back to reality, you stretch in your seat before standing up. It doesn’t take long for you to mechanically pick up your notebooks and put them away. You cannot wait to get home and enjoy your break. Once you’re ready, you begin heading towards the door and sneak a glance towards Minako on your way out. She’s still sitting at her desk, surrounded by an overjoyed Junpei and a talkative Yukari, two of your classmates and some of her closest friends. They seem busy, so you decide not to disturb them and simply leave.
You walk down the hallway with your purse in hand, thinking about how you’re going to spend the weekend. You could spend it at home with your family or you could go out to the park, the cinema, or a restaurant. Or you could go out with some of your friends and maybe even invite Minako along. That’d be fun. You can’t forget that you have homework to do, though, so you’ll need to organize your schedule properly to leave time for that. You should try, at least. But you soon brush the thought off, knowing that whether you’ll actually succeed in organizing your time is up to fate. In any case, this weekend is a chance for you to relax, one which you’re determined to make good use of, since you can’t wait to get home and start indulging in your favorite pastimes.
“Hey!” You hear someone calling out your name. You instantly recognize her voice. “Hey, wait up!”
You slow down to a stop and turn around to see Minako rushing towards you, clumsily making her way through the hallway. She has an awkward, but adorable smile on her face, and she’s stumbling with every two steps. Both of her arms are dangerously holding her empty purse and a stack of notebooks against her chest, of which two or three are already slipping away from her, even when she tightens her grip around them. Minako halts to a stop right in front of you, blocking your path.
“Hey.” She lets out a breathless chuckle. Her eyes dart away from you but they soon settle on you once again. “Um. Could you wait a minute? I promise it’s just a minute, just a little, teeny, tiny moment of your time!” As if on cue, one of her notebooks almost falls down. “Oh, hold up. I’m a mess…”
She reaffirms her grip and shoves her notebooks all at once inside her empty purse. It’s clear that she didn’t have time to organize her stuff because she was in a rush to catch up to you, which makes you feel a bit guilty. But her beautiful smile, coupled with the fact that she cared enough about you to run after you, actually makes you feel kinda of relieved. She’s always so thoughtful… You’ve always hoped that she enjoys your company as much as you enjoy hers, and this moment actually makes you think that, maybe, just maybe, she does. Could she feel about you the same way you feel about her? Maybe you’re jumping to conclusions, but you really, really want to believe that’s the case.
“You almost left without saying goodbye…” She pouts jokingly. “You have to make it up to me, alright? Just kidding, it’s okay if you don’t want to. Or if you’re busy, of course. But I promise, I really, really promise it will take just a second.” She lowers her face so that her next words comes out in a mumble. “...All I want is to spend some time with you.”
She’s all flustered and stumbling over her words, even though she’s usually a confident girl. And that’s cute, considering that there’s nothing to be nervous about. Of course you’re gonna say yes. You would never pass a chance to spend some time with her, even if it’s just for a little while, because just getting to see her smile or hear her gush about a new music album makes you blissfully happy. It’s almost as if the whole world is at peace when she is by your side. Oh, god. You think you can feel heat rising up to your cheeks, so you’re embarrassed but also a little amused when you finally answer. It’s hard to get your point across when your brain is a jumbled mess and you’re not sure how to act, but you try to say yes and let Minako know that she can invite you to go out whenever she wants.
“Great! Thank you so much! I promise I’ll make it worth your while!” She chirps, hopping in place. “So, what should we do? Hm…” She gasps and snaps her fingers once an idea strikes her. “Oh, I know! Let’s go play games together at the arcade! Oh, um, only if you want to, of course. I’m always open to requests.”
The arcade sounds like a great choice. You’re guessing that she’s talking about the one at Paulownia Mall. You haven’t been there much, but you do enjoy games and you would love to share that with Minako, though you have to admit that, even if she hadn’t proposed the arcade, you wouldn’t mind going along with her wherever she wanted. After all, you can always trust her to make a great choice for a hangout spot. Not only does she know how to have fun, but she’s kind and would never choose a place where she knew you could get bored or feel uncomfortable. And what’s important is not the place in itself, but the fact that you would have fun just about anywhere as long as Minako was there with you. If she enjoys the outing, then you’ll enjoy it too.
It doesn’t take long before the two of you are outside, making small talk and walking aimlessly through the streets of Iwatodai. You talk about anything and everything, from your school assignments, to your friends, to your plans for the weekend and games that are coming out soon. During the conversation, you often catch yourself staring at Minako’s face, which looks even prettier under the soft rays of the autumn sun, as she tucks a strand of auburn hair behind her ear nervously. While she’s talking, you take the chance to stare at her as much as you want. You tell yourself that it’s polite to look at people while they speak, but you’d be lying if you said that you aren’t just using that as an excuse. Who can blame you, though? There’s something irresistible about her smile, something really attractive about the way her hair flutters in the soft breeze… And her eyes… Her eyes are just so enrapturing… They shine with a wonderful mixture of youthful excitement and soothing calm, which is only made even cuter by her innocent expression.
Before you know it, you look around you and find yourself at the Paulownia Mall. However, when you arrive to the entrance of the arcade, Minako deflates as she spots a sign on the door.
“Huh…? ‘Closed for maintenance, sorry for any inconveniences’? Aww...” She looks at you with a sad glint in her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m making you waste your time! I didn’t know this would happen… So, um, what should we do now?” She quickly scans her surroundings, desperate as if she was afraid that you’re going to get bored and leave. “What to do… What to do… Would you like to go to the karaoke? No, no, nevermind. Maybe some other day. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to hear you sing! But I don’t think I have enough courage to sing in front of you…”
You smile. You’re not sure you would’ve been able to sing in front of Minako either, as much as you’d love to go to the karaoke bar with her. So that’s fine with you.
“What else…?” Minako taps her chin, still deep in thought. “Hey, are you hungry? We could get something to eat.”
Now that she mentions it, you realize you’re a bit hungry. You nod and tell her that you kinda are. You could definitely go for a snack.
“Really?! Oh, well... I can’t keep you hungry for a second longer, can I?” She winks at you. “Let’s go, then!”
She suddenly takes your hand, grinning from ear to ear, and leads you out of the mall. At first, you’re taken aback, because you’re not used to the gesture and it makes you feel sort of numb, as if none of this was real and you had been fantasizing all along. But then it sinks in. Minako is holding your hand! Her skin feels so smooth and so soft and so warm… You gently squeeze her hand, following her blindly. It’s almost as if all your surroundings have disappeared, as if the noise of the city has died out, and as if Minako’s happiness is all that matters in the world. Speaking of which, the meaning of this hits you like a truck. Minako does not mind being seen holding your hand, she doesn’t mind passerbys assuming that you’re dating, and she doesn’t mind any possible rumors that might come up after this. No, in fact, this is natural to her. She doesn’t even look back at you as she makes her way through the crowd towards Iwatodai Station, but from the way her fingers fidget, you can tell she values this as much as you do. It’s like a dream come true.
Minako only stops once you’re both inside Wild Duck Burger. “We’re here!” She says, fisting the air with her free hand. “So, what would you like to eat?”
She looks down, her smile grows wider with embarrassment, and her face suddenly turns red. It seems like she’s just noticing that she grabbed your hand out of nowhere, without asking how you felt about it first. “Gah, I’m sorry!” She lets your hand go with a jerk and scratches her head awkwardly. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for! I don’t know what was I thinking!”
You smile, also nervously, and reassure her that it’s alright. You try to make her feel at ease, but you’re chuckling uncontrollably and can barely make out the words. Plus, she can read you like a book, so of course she knows you’re flustered, but, hopefully, she also notices that you actually thought that was really pleasant. You’d love it if she did that again.
Minako and you go sit down at a table and order. You choose one of the lightest items in the menu, making sure that it’s tasty, but not too large because you’re not that hungry, after all. Minako, on the other hand, merely orders a milkshake. “I just want something sweet.” She says, shrugging.
While you wait for your food, Minako starts a conversation once again. As you look at her and listen to what she’s saying, definitely with a dreamy look in your eyes, your mind wanders a bit. She’s just too amazing. She’s gentle and kind, but energetic at the same time, and she can quickly become the most passionate person you’ve ever known as soon as she starts talking about the things that interest her the most. It’s really contagious, and it always leaves you wanting more, wanting to listen to Minako’s musings, wanting to understand what makes her tick. She knows a lot about a whole lot of things, like music and games and cooking and about the city, but she always makes sure to explain anything you don’t know, so that you aren’t left behind. And even though she can get way too excited at times, she always lets you intervene whenever you want and asks for your opinion every once in a while. Even if you don’t think you have anything important to say, she genuinely values your input, no matter how insignificant it might be. And, since she knows that sometimes you can be too nervous to speak up, she always remembers to smile at you reassuringly to give you courage to say what’s on your mind.
You’re now munching on your food while Minako delights in the flavor of her strawberry milkshake. They brought your order pretty fast. How is time going by so quickly? You wish it would go slower, because you never want this afternoon to end.
“Hey…” Minako calls your name. “There are some rumors going around, but… Just in case you wanna know, um… I’m not dating Junpei.” She giggles nervously. Then she continues drinking from her milkshake before perking up again. “And I’m not dating Yukari, either! Or… Or Akihiro-senpai! Or Mitsuru-senpai, or Fuuka, or Shinjiro-senpai, or Aigis… Not that I don’t like them, of course!” Minako seems unable to maintain eye contact with you any longer as she starts to avert her eyes and glance at random spots around her. “They’re my friends and all and I hang out with them a lot and they’re great and I’m very thankful to have them and I’m not trying to say anything bad about them, but, erm, people say a lot of things that are just inaccurate, and though I appreciate them, um… you know, I just don’t see any of them that way and...”
Oh god. She’s so cute. She really cares about you a lot, so much that she’s trying extremely hard to say the right thing with the right words and at the right time. If only she knew that she doesn’t have to try so hard and that she can feel at ease around you, because every single thing she says just makes you love her even more...
Minako stands up and slams her hands against the table. “I’m single!” She shrieks, blushing furiously. “That’s what I’m trying to say! Just... Just thought you should know.” She plops back down into her seat and lets out a sigh. “Gah, I’m not any good at this…”
Minako gulps down the rest of her milkshake without daring to look at you in the eye for a while. You’re not too sure of what to say, partly because you don’t want to make her even more uncomfortable but also because you’re nervous as well. All you manage to say is that you’re also single. And, even then, you’re not sure that came out as naturally as you hoped…? Well, maybe you shouldn’t dwell on it too much. The two of you fall in silence until you finish eating.
“What should we do now?” Minako asks, as she steps out of the restaurant. “Do you wanna check out some manga at Book On? There’s some pretty cool stuff I wanna show you!”
You immediately agree, as someone who enjoys anime and manga to some degree. Minako has a great taste, so you’re sure that whatever she’s about to show you will probably get you hooked. If you end up loving it, you’ll also have someone to talk to about it, so that makes discovering new series even more exciting.
A few hours and a bunch of manga later, you decide to call it a day. It seems like it has only been half an hour since you two decided to go out, but it’s already dark outside, proving that it’s easy to lose track of time when you’re having fun with Minako. Neither of you want this outing to end, but Minako is yawning, even if she denies she needs to go get some rest. You’re also exhausted yourself, after all the studying you got done this week and all that walking around Iwatodai this afternoon. You’re already close to the dorms where Minako lives, so you head there first, not really looking forward to waving her goodbye.
You’re now standing in front of the dorms, but none of you wants to take the initiative of going separate ways. The sky is colored a beautiful shade of navy blue, with the stars twinkling on the background and the moon shining brightly. It’s nearly full. The breeze feels fresh against your face and you relish in the feeling of being at Minako’s side on such a lovely night. Around you, everything is quiet, so quiet that you can hear her shaky breaths, while she plays with her fingers and stares at her feet, hesitating to take her leave.
“So this is goodbye, huh? I… I had a lot of fun, you know.” She lifts her face to stare at the moon wistfully. “I should go to sleep early today. But, um… Before you go… There’s something I want to tell you.”
She hesitates for a moment. She then balls up her fists, looks straight into your eyes, and continues in full force, her doubt replaced with the kind of firm resolution that only she is capable of. “I’m not sure about what I’m going to say, or if it’s too soon, or if this is too awkward, or what! But if I don’t say it now, I’m gonna regret it, so! Here it goes!”
Minako closes her eyes, breathes in sharply, and clears her throat. She slowly breathes out, places her hand on her chest, and gets herself together. Still, she loses her confidence as quickly as she gained it. “I… I am…! Um... Oh, there’s no use! I can’t do this!”
She turns around, almost hitting you with her ponytail accidentally, and buries her face in her hands. You instinctively step forwards to try and comfort her, but she speaks up before you can say anything. “No, no, no, what’s wrong with me? Why is this so hard...? Come on! This is a fight I can’t back down from. Not now! I’m gonna do this. I know I can.”
She glances at you again and your presence seemingly makes her feel better, because she smiles. She carefully says your name, as if trying to bring herself back to her senses. “I’m s-sorry, I just want to, um, I just want you to know that you’re the one that I… No, no, that’s wrong… I mean, I just honestly, kinda, sorta, um... Oh, what’s with me today?! I wish I wasn’t so nervous! The thing is that I… That… That I’m in love with…” She bites her lip and closes her eyes, blushing once again. “Nngh!”
You’re excited, oh god, is she gonna say what you think she’s going to say? No, there’s no way. But she looks so nervous… So worried… So vulnerable, actually. You’ve never seen her feeling so weak. You wish you could calm her down and help her somehow. In the heat of the moment, the best thing to do just seems like grabbing her hand to give her some reassurance. And, so, you do. It seems to work, because she finally manages to make eye contact for more than five seconds. Her eyes are teary, but you suspect it may be because of excitement rather than actual worry. Then, she breathes in one more time and cries out your name, using both of her hands to grasp yours in return. “I’m in love with you!”