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Shu often let her friends stay over, and it wasn’t like anyone was particularly interested in her opinion on this matter. That’s what friends are for: to invade her personal space, make noise, and drag her to all sorts of places. And she had long since accepted that she was grateful to them for that; otherwise, she would have long since drowned in a sea of self‑deprecating thoughts. The noise and joyful laughter prevented her from thinking about anything else.
Today, as the evening came earlier than usual for the beginning of autumn, Shu decided to go skateboarding. The board obediently rolled over the smooth asphalt under her foot, and she tried to be careful so as not to aggravate her injured knee. For some unknown reason, the whole group decided they would watch a movie at her apartment. If earlier she might have objected, now she just shrugged, why not?
She hoped she hadn’t forgotten to tidy up before leaving the house.
The skateboard suddenly jolted under her feet, apparently, she had ridden past a protruding stone in an unfortunate way.
“Ah! Damn it!” she couldn’t hold on to the trembling board and fell onto her hands, painfully scratching them against the road, “Ah, shit!”
She would have kept complaining about how easily she’d been distracted by other thoughts, but a pair of sneakers appeared in front of her, along with painfully familiar white socks. A searing pain shot through her elbows, and she bit her lip to keep from hissing, otherwise, she’d look foolish. Who cared what she looked like?
“Are you okay? You looked like you were in pain,” concern echoed in the girl’s mind as she bent down to help Shu get up. “How did you end up like this, huh?”
Shu awkwardly raised her eyes, expecting to see anything but the panic on Aya’s face. She looked confused, so much so that for a moment Shu forgot that her palms were burning.
“I’m fine, it’s just a scratch,” she bit her tongue again as the girl tried to help her get to her feet. Aya didn’t even notice how her fingers were pressing against the small grains of stone that had stuck in Shu’s skin. “Why are you twitching? I’m okay, really. Stop looking at me like that.”
“You’re bleeding, you need to treat it.” Aya shook her head, shifting her grip from her elbow to her shoulder. “Let’s go. I hope you have a first‑aid kit.”
“I don’t need anyone to look after me,” Shu muttered indignantly, but she let herself be led. She didn’t really feel like being rude, all she wanted to do was scream into her pillow at such a ridiculous fall.
Only at the entrance to the apartment did she notice that Aya was carrying her skateboard in her hand. This made her feel a little warmer, as she hadn’t even noticed where it had rolled off to when she was falling. Fortunately, her apartment was cleaner than she’d imagined. Shu sat down on the sofa as usual, tossing the first‑aid kit onto the table, and would have liked to quickly wash her hands and probably apply some healing ointment. Aya had other plans for that.
“What are you doing?” She sounded almost indignant, Shu didn't understand what was wrong, "Take your hands off, I'll help you."
“What, do you think I'm an invalid or something?” Shu was indignant in response, and stubbornly climbed to open the drawer, “There's deal for five minutes.”
“Shu,” Aya slammed the lid of the first–aid kit shut, which involuntarily made the girl shudder, “I said, take your hands off.”
So this is what that tall one feels like when Aya is displeased with her. Shu shrugged, wanting to frown and start arguing, but something told her it was a bad idea. A very bad idea.
“I fell, so I should be the one to treat my wounds. What’s it to you?” she tried, and immediately realized she’d made a mistake.
Aya fell silent, watching her with her eyes; with a weary sigh, she leaned forward and placed her palms on either side of the white box with the red cross on the lid. Shu had already mentally cursed that day when the girl’s fingers briefly touched it.
“Shu,” she said softly, as if she were trying to explain something to some simpleton; otherwise, Shu couldn’t understand why that tone irritated her so much. “Why don’t you let yourself be helped?”
“Why do you want to help me, huh?” the girl managed to say; she wanted to look her in the eye, but she couldn’t. Her gaze dropped lower, to the collar of her sweater. Then even lower, to the table.
“Because I’m worried the cuts will get infected, you know?” Aya exhaled as if she’d been holding something back for a long time. “It won’t take long, and it won’t hurt. You’re not afraid of pain, are you?”
“What makes you think that?” Shu’s face flushed red at such an accusation. “I just always do everything on my own, and it’s not normal for me to have someone just thrust their help at me like that.”
She hadn’t planned to say that, but the words came out as a flood of chaotically restrained emotions. She hesitated and was about to run her hand through her hair, but Aya caught her wrist.
“Be careful, it’s still being treated, silly,” the grip seemed so gentle, “I understand you, Shu,” she loosened her fingers, “but I’m glad you told me that. You know, it’s nice when someone says how they feel.”
“You’re not offended?” Shu narrowed her eyes suspiciously, which earned her a laugh.
“What would I be offended about? You’re annoying.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re stubborn as a donkey, and you’re terrible at skateboarding.” Aya crossed her arms and pointedly turned toward the skateboard that was lying by the entrance.
“That… that was just bad luck!” Shu tried to object, but her arm started hurting again, “Shit”.
“Well, you should be luckier; that was awful. I’d bet I skate better. Now, be a good girl for a couple of minutes and let me treat your hands.”
Shu froze in surprise when Aya finally grabbed the first‑aid kit. And who’s the stubborn one here? The girl sighed, but she still had to give in, because the extremely persistent person had already started rummaging through the bandages, ointments, and antiseptics. There was something utterly captivating about it. Aya’s fingers were gentle, with all care she removed the dirt from the wounds and treated them. The hissing was unbearable. Shu didn’t want to get yet another nickname from her temporary nurse, so she held back as much as she could.
Since when did treating simple scratches require so many procedures? Shu could have gotten away with just washing her hands under running water, but Aya turned it into a real ordeal. A few minutes passed, and Shu was sitting on the sofa, with both elbows bandaged with a layer of gauze.
“You got carried away. Now I’m like a mummy.”
“More like a zombie,” Aya snapped, closing the first‑aid kit with a satisfied look. “Don’t take off the bandages, don’t strain your arms, don’t fall off the skateboard.”
“Are you a doctor or something?” Shu gave an awkward laugh, leaned over to clear the leftover bandages from the table, but the girl beat her to it again. “Doctor, can I do something myself in my own home?”
“No, you stay here, and I’ll bring some snacks and we’ll watch a movie.”
“It’s kind of awkward, you’re a guest… you should be sitting here, not running around the house…”
“Hush now.”
Shu fell silent.
Today they had chosen to watch a documentary about the history of some musical group. Shu had no idea what the narrator was talking about, but Aya looked very engrossed. Shu didn’t want to eat; she was trying not to move at all, so as not to distract Aya from watching the film. Shu was looking more at Aya than at the screen, to be completely honest. At least, it was more interesting.
Then she felt something pressing against her lips. It was Aya’s fingers, holding the popcorn. She was feeding her, of course. Shu was embarrassed by such straightforwardness, but Aya didn’t seem to be bothered at all. Such intense concern was new to Shu, and as the film told the story of the singer’s success, Shu struggled with the growing heat that made her face flush. Well, she was glad the room was dark and Aya was focused solely on the screen.
“Do you like it?” she suddenly asked, without taking her eyes off the screen.
“It’s kind of bullshit,” Shu said honestly, which earned her a chuckle.
“I like it, but you should have said so earlier. I would have put on something else.”
“Don’t.” Shu shook her head. “Let’s keep watching.”
“Oh, so you do like it. I knew it.”
Shu didn’t give an answer because she didn’t want to explain why she didn’t want Aya to start looking for a new movie. She herself didn’t fully understand why she was so accommodating today. Not enough to become as captivated by the performer’s biography as she was. By the end, Aya even shed a couple of tears.
“Like a child,” Shu snorted.
“I’m just… so happy for them… they deserved it,” Aya sniffed, pulling a tissue out of nowhere to blow her nose. Shu didn’t dare to press the issue.
The morning came unnoticed; Shu didn’t even realize how it happened, but she fell asleep on the sofa. Her neck ached terribly from the awkward position, and Aya’s legs were draped over hers. Oh shit. The screen was still on, showing a replay of that biographical nightmare, which Shu would probably be able to recite in her sleep now.
It was five in the morning, and the sun was about to appear outside the window, which was covered with curtains. Her arms still ached; Shu clenched her hand and immediately winced. It burned just like yesterday. She reached for the blanket, thinking at least to cover Aya from the morning chill.
Knock-knock-knock.
Someone knocked on the door, it was clear that whoever was outside was in a hurry. Shu looked around, as if she hadn’t lived in this house for the past year. Pushing the door slightly open, she was met by a black‑haired head. A tall girl was standing by the threshold, glancing around nervously.
“Shu, right?” Mitsuki put her hands in her trouser pockets. “Hello…I was told that Aya is with you… and… she hasn’t been answering her phone, and…”
“Hello. She's asleep," Shu would have punched herself in the forehead at how tactless that sounded, "I mean... We watched a movie yesterday and didn't notice how we fell asleep.”
“Ah!” Mitsuki exhaled, but still somehow persistently opened the door, not that Shu was trying to keep her out. This involuntarily alerted her, "I'll pick her up then so I don't bother you."
“She’s not bothering me, by the way,” Shu stepped aside as the girl walked past her. “Seriously, let’s not wake her.”
Mitsuki stopped, but she did it so abruptly that Shu tensed. These two were destroying her nervous system with their behavior. Aya was sleeping so peacefully, with such a satisfied smirk, and Mitsuki seemed to be considering this course of action. Her gaze lingered on Shu’s hands. Without any context, they really did seem… dangerous.
“Are you okay?”
“Huh? Yeah, just a scratch.” She rubbed her hands awkwardly, but her interlocutor didn’t look like she believed her, “I fell off my skateboard yesterday.”
“Ah, what a pain, I’ve fallen myself too when I was skating,” Mitsuki finally managed to smile. “You need to be more careful.”
Captain Obvious, indeed.
“So, you’re saying not to wake her,” the girl in black smirked, looking down at her, “you’re protecting her sleep, then.”
“She’s asleep, why would we do that?” Shu didn’t see any need to rush Aya away from there. “And why are you in such a hurry?” Now it was her turn to bombard Mitsuki with questions.
For a moment, it seemed to her that Mitsuki was taken aback by what she’d said.
“Oh! Well…” she rubbed the back of her head, “It’s just… if you haven’t figured it out yet, we’re dating, and…”
“So what?” Shu retorted even before the argument began.
“Eh?!”
“You’re dating, that’s great, I’m happy for you two,” Shu crossed her arms, “But right now she’s my guest, and she’s sleeping. So either sit and wait until she wakes up, or leave, and she’ll call you herself.”
“Oh… Well… Okay.”
Mitsuki seemed to accept the terms and sat down on the sofa, resting her hands on her knees. Shu didn’t like it when relationships were used to justify all sorts of unhealthy crap. Who in their right mind would come at five in the morning to pick up a girl who had spent the night at a friend’s place, right? Aya didn’t call. On the other hand… Mitsuki was worried and came as soon as she could. Shu felt a bit awkward.
“Sorry for being so abrupt,” she said as she went to put the kettle on.
“It’s fine, really,” Mitsuki smiled. “It’s good that Aya has such a good friend. That means I can rest easy.”
“Tea, coffee?”
“Coffee, please!”
Getting to know Mitsuki went differently than she expected. Shu decided to try skateboarding again, but life had a surprise for her in the form of Aya, who was waiting for her around the corner.
“Shu! There you are. I told you I'd show you what I'm capable of!”
The girl let her take the skateboard from her hands, but she still walked alongside her so that she wouldn’t have to argue again about the right to use the first‑aid kit.