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“You’re not permitted to see that Kamishiro boy until further notice.” Nene heard her mom say before she left the house.
She quickly turned around, already halfway out of the door, looking at her mother. “Wait, what? Why?” She pouted, but as much as her mother wanted to give in to her daughter’s cuteness, she couldn’t give in.
“He’s… Well, I don’t know how to put this nicely… Just don’t talk to him for now, alright? Now go to school.”
The pastel-green girl left her house with a huff, slightly annoyed at what her mother just told her. They didn’t even say why I can’t see him anymore… What’s so wrong with him anyway? Yeah, he’s weird, but he’s just… He’s just Rui. Nene could only keep thinking about the purple boy as she walked to school. God, why was he on her mind so much?
She only sees him as a friend… right…?
…
She knows damn well how much of a lie that was.
School ended as similarly as it always did, and Nene nearly dozed off again. And didn’t bother much learning today, especially after what her mom told her earlier this morning before she left.
Nene took her usual route from school to her home, passing through Kamiyama Street and ending up passing by the neighborhood playground. It was empty, with slight rust on some of the metal bars, and the sandbox in a mess.
With a sigh, Nene went back and replayed her old memories with Rui in that very playground, how the two of them would play around the swing, always Nene the one being pushed by Rui, and how they’d play around in the sandbox, throwing the sand at each other.
Nene could remember one time that Rui made an invention to automatically push the swing for him in his stead, but Nene doesn’t want to remember that. But, if she was being honest, it was kinda funny how much her parents had scolded him for giving her a scraped knee, and how much she told them he did nothing wrong and that he was just a child… How effortlessly annoying he could be.
It was like he was actually there, playing once again on the monkey bars- Wait, no, he’s actually there, sitting on top of the bars, tinkering again with another miniature robot in one hand, screwdriver in the other.
She unconsciously smiled as she watched the purple boy in his zone, all of his focus being put on such a tiny, tiny thing. He would always be that “weird boy who liked robotics and would not touch a vegetable with a ten-foot pole” to Nene, just like how he was when he was younger– despite how much he’s overcome since then. Nene can’t even begin with all of that, though.
As she was just about to approach him, Nene remembered what her mom said that morning.
“You’re not permitted to see that Kamishiro boy until further notice.”
…
Nobody’s going to know, right?
“What’s with the change of scenery? Tired of staying in your room all day?” She sat on the ground below the purple boy who only just happened to notice her presence when she spoke.
“Oh, if it isn’t Nene~,” He said sing-songily, pocketing the mini robot and screwdriver. Nene liked taking his attention over his work, but of course, she would never admit that. “Why, I’m just taking advantage of the perfect weather right now. I’ve figured out that I can obtain the perfect breeze sitting on top of these monkey bars, while not having to deal with any sun rays getting in my way.”
Nene understood everything he said perfectly fine, she just didn’t want to bother with all of the extra stuff. “I’m just glad you’re not holing yourself up in your room all day…” She gave him a faint smile, looking up at the boy sitting far higher than her… so out of reach…
He looked down at her, reciprocating the smile, except his smile was definitely bigger. “Would you look at that… The Kusanagi Nene, worried for my well-being.” He had the cutest and sly smile that sent Nene nearly over the edge.
“I’ve always been worried…” She muttered.
Wait, she didn’t mean to say that out loud.
She quickly covered her face and blushed furiously, internally screaming. After her little outburst, she looked up at him, expecting another smug smile. “Oh really?” She expected him to say, teasing her, but no. He was also blushing, wearing a similarly flustered and shocked expression on his face.
THE Kamishiro Rui was flustered.
God, this day just kept getting crazier.
“I knew.” he got the smile back. “Do you even know how equally worried I am for you as well?”
“I… Um… Yeah, you make that pretty obvious sometimes… Especially after Tsukasa lashed out at me after our first show.” She giggled, thinking back then, but the blush was still there. It definitely wasn’t going anywhere.
“Well, everything’s alright now, isn’t it?” He sighed. “But, I have to say, I really was furious with him back there.”
“…” Nene paused. “Hey, um… my parents kinda banned me from seeing you. Thought I should say that.”
“Huh…” Rui put rested his chin on his face, acting as if he was thinking. “Well, I should have a talk with them.”
“…I’d rather you not out for the sake of you embarrassing the both of us, but sure. Be my guest.” Nene let out another sigh. “It’s just… well, I just can't imagine the thought of me never being able to see you again. You’ve just… meant so much to me.”
“Hm? In what way?” God, there was that teasing look again.
There was no use hiding it anymore, huh?
“Come down and you’ll figure it out.”
Rui obliged, jumping down from the monkey bars and turning to look at Nene. “So?”
Before he could even process it, Nene got up and kissed the boy, holding it for a few seconds. Rui was shocked at first by how unusually bold Nene’s action was, but he happily closed his eyes and let it happen.
Nene broke the kiss off after a little while, and the two looked at each other as if the events that happened literal seconds ago were a fever dream. “Hehe, I really don’t know what to say there, Nene,” Rui smirked, but inside, he was a flustered and hopeless mess. He was able to compose himself outside, but that kiss seriously broke his mind.
“Um… That… Yeah.” Nene giggled a little awkwardly, also not being able to believe what she just did. “We should… We should go ask my parents to allow me to see you again, yeah…?” A desperate attempt at changing the topic instead of continuing on with the awkward silence.
“Alright.” Rui extended his hand to Nene. And of course, she took it. His touch was so warm… Just like when they used to hold hands when they were younger.
No matter how many times they did, it always made Nene’s heart go insane.
That sense of familiarity… Nene loved that feeling.
The feeling she had when she was with Rui… It was a feeling Nene wanted to keep.
Forever.