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Sunlight was streaming through the curtains of the classroom, half of Hikaru’s face drowning in its yellow hues. He stood in front of Yoshiki’s desk, hands flat on its surface. He stared at his friend’s delicate features, even softer in his sleep. He could only see two of the moles on his face, feeling the urge to poke at them.
‘‘Yoshiki! C’mon, get up, we gotta get home,’’ Hikaru exclaimed. The boy in question lifted his head from where it rested on his crossed arms, looking at his friend through his eyelashes. It took some time before he could formulate his words, still drowsy from his nap. ‘‘S’rry, I’m comin’. Where’s everyone else?’’
‘‘The bell rang like 30 minutes ago, they all left ‘round then.’’
‘‘You could’ve just left with ‘em, I would’ve been fine on my own,’’ Yoshiki reasoned, hiding his face in his arms. Even then, Yoshiki was glad he waited for him, his heart beating slightly faster at the idea. He tried willing it to stop, feeling a blush creeping on his cheeks, but was unsuccessful.
Hikaru let out a laugh, surprising Yoshiki. He crouched down to his level, prying his arms from his increasingly red face. ‘‘But ya looked so peaceful! I couldn’t disturb ya and ruin yer beauty sleep!’’ he said, grinning like an idiot, oblivious to Yoshiki’s panic at having his best friend’s face so close to him. He struggled to get his arms out of Hikaru’s grasp, getting up to leave the classroom. He rushed to the corridor, but slowed down to make sure Hikaru could still easily catch up to him.
‘‘Hey! C’mon, ya know im just kidding around,’’ Hikaru exclaimed, scrambling to get up and grab both their bags before running after Yoshiki. ‘‘But really, it ain’t like ya ta sleep in class. Is s’mthin up? Are ya sleepin enough?’’ he asked more seriously, handing him his bag.
From the corridor’s windows, they could see the sun setting in the distance. Yoshiki wondered if they would make it home before it was completely set. He stared at Hikaru, mind wandering for a bit, noticing his sharp teeth and still sharper smile, before remembering the question he was being asked. ‘‘I’m fine, don’t worry. I just-’’
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Yoshiki struggled to breathe. His head was pounding, static sounding in his ear. The warmth of his dream started slipping away, leaving him in the cold of his bedroom and the seemingly colder body next to him. His heartbeat quickened before remembering the night before. Hikaru had asked to stay the night. Right.
Immediately after settling in his surroundings, Yoshiki felt the urge to step outside. He looked over Hikaru’s body, finding his bedroom window. He leaned over his friend’s sleeping form, opening the curtains to reveal the night sky. The moon’s glow spilled inside his room, and he felt himself relaxing in it. His ears started capturing the sound of the cicadas outside, as well as an owl further in the distance, but it wasn’t clear enough for him to forget Hikaru’s laughter. To forget what he knows he’ll never really hear again. He doesn’t know what he dreads more, forgetting Hikaru’s mind, his voice and his body, or having to remember him only in his most vivid dreams.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, he curled his toes into the small carpet at its edge, trying to find his footing. After what felt like minutes, he finally felt safe enough to stand without his legs immediately giving out. Yoshiki started making his way through the house, each step giving his stomach more reason to give in and empty itself on the floor. He stopped meters from the sliding door, trying to control his breathing. The inside of the house was suffocating, the walls feeling closer and closer with every second that passed. The sound of his feet started filling the house again, this time louder with every step.
Yoshiki opened the door.
The cicadas were loud.
He could hear the owl, but also the wind and each individual leaf in the trees. He couldn’t hear Hikaru anymore, not his sharp teeth or his sharper smile. Not his laughter, not his voice cracking on his words or the silences they shared.
Only the cicadas. Only the owl. And only the wind and the leaves it danced through.