Touching Bond | Hanako-Kun

11

"Yashiro, where's Emiko?" Kou asked, standing in one of the school halls. A worried expression came over her.

"I don't know. What if someone took her!" She began to panic, breathing in and out quickly.

"No, no. I don't think that happened." Kou reached out for her hand, grasping it, and ran forward in the search of their friend.

"Maybe she's over here," Kou spoke, looking down the next empty hall, but there was no trace.

"Why," Nene said, her hand trembling in Kou's.

"Found her!" Hanako's voice rang through the old school building. Both Kou and Nene rushed towards him.

"Is she-" Kou stopped seeing her fast asleep in a cabinet that stood in the hallway.

"How can she fall asleep in that?" Nene asked, feeling her hand being dropped by Kou, who walked towards her.

"So, this is where she's been hiding?" He kneeled in front of her, seeing her resting face.

"She can't look for us if she's asleep, so let's call off the game," Hanako suggested, everyone, nodding in response.

"Let's just take her with us to a classroom and hang out there." Nene chirped, grinning with a finger in the air.

"Ok, sounds good." Hanako reached down to pick her up but was beaten by Kou. He lifted her out of the cabinet and began to follow Nene. A small down expression fell upon Hanako as he floated beside them.

"Maybe we can watch a movie." Nene began as her eyes shifted between both boys beside her.

"What movie?" Kou asked.

"I got one." Everyone nodded once she gave them an answer.

They entered the old classroom seeing the wallpaper slowly fall apart as the ceiling became dark. It is the old school building after all.

Nene began to set up the movie on the projector in the room, seeing a bright light hit the chalkboard. Hanako floated beside the windowsill, sitting on it as he gazed out into the sunset. It was pink and orange clouds that made him grin, as well as the appearing stars that began to brighten as the moon rose to the sky.

"Here we go!" Nene blurted, playing the movie. Kou sat on the floor in front of the chalkboard, still holding Emiko in his arms.

Nene marched by his side, both staring up at the scenes taking place.

"She's really asleep," Lou murmured, looking down towards Emiko, hearing her soft breath clash onto his arm.

"Yea, I guess we took too long to find her." Nene moved a few strands of hair away from her face, smiling at her friend. "She's adorable when she sleeps, isn't she." Nene raised her eyes, looking into the ocean blue ones.

"Uh, yea." Kou's cheeks slightly reddened.

"Hanako, come over here!" Nene blurted while motioning her hand.

Hanako sighed, floating towards the trio, saying, "Ok." He sat beside Emiko's body, watching the movie above him.

"Hanako," Kou whispered, turning his head to face him. He saw Hanako grip his knees into his chest, his head resting on them. "Are you ok?"

"Yea." He replied in a low tone. Hanako's eyes quickly dashed towards Emiko's body then back to the movie. "I just hope she's ok."

Emiko opened her eyes, seeing Kou above her, staring at the projection of a movie. She lifted her body, realizing she was in his lap.

"Look who's awake," Kou spoke.

"Emi!" Hanako sprung forward, grabbing her from Kou's grip. Emiko presented wide eyes in shock.

"Hey, Hanako." She whispered, feeling his arms wrap around her torso.

"You've been asleep in the middle of an awesome movie." He whined as he pulled away from her, keeping his hands on her shoulders.

"Sorry." Her slight chuckle made everyone look towards her.

"I was really worried that you just fell asleep," Nene said calmly, making Emiko spin her head quickly.

"What is this?" Emiko crawled towards her friend, the movie still playing in the background. "You're not going to spring forward and-"

"Emiko!" Nene leaped forward, hugging her dear friend. "You scared me!" Emiko chuckled at her.

"Calm down. I just fell asleep." Emiko grinned as her friend continue to grip onto her.

***

Emiko rested her head in her palm, drawing a small doodle in her notebook as the teacher presented a small video.

"Pst." Emiko heard about looked in the direction. Once the video stopped the teacher allowed everyone to have free time.

"Pst." Emiko heard once more. She stood, Nene standing by her side.

"Nene?"

"Look. Let's see if the rumor is true." Emiko followed Nene to the window, a few other classmates gazing out. There was a garden and a large tree in the middle of the field.

"Since when was that there?" Emiko asked, resting her elbows on the windowsill.

"I'm not sure," Nene replied, watching as two people appear from beneath the tree's shadow.

"What rumor were you talking about?" Emiko asked, looking towards Nene.

"Well, apparently, if you go under that tree and confess your love, it will be granted and both people will love each other." Nene pointed towards the class beside them. "See, everyone is a couple because of that tree." Emiko hummed to her words, brushing them aside.

"That's cool I guess."

"What?!" Nene blurted, looking into Emiko's shocked eyes with her pink orbs. "This means you and I can finally have a boyfriend if we go under that tree and ask the question." Nene leaned forward with her hands on her hips.

"Oh," Emiko replied, thinking of bringing a hot boy under that tree to confess. "It's just...I don't know who."

"Figure it out, I know mine." Nene stood straight, her chin held high. Emiko smirked at her friend's movements, knowing the person she would love to date.

"Teru?" Nene nodded to Emiko's guess, then opened her eyes wide as her chin dropped.

"Wait, you call Minamota, Teru?" Nene asked, taking a step forward as if her body has been out of energy.

"Yea? He let me. Or more as I say it whether or not he likes it." Emiko replied with a calm tone, not thinking of it as a strange thing.

"I need to get to your level." Nene's eyes lit with motivation and bravery. It was as if she was going to step on one of her lovely plants just to reach Emiko's level.

"Nene, you know him better than me, I think you'll be ok. I just intimidate him with my habit." Emiko snickered to herself, hearing her friend gasp.

"You're right, you get close so he isn't into you." Emiko's eyebrows twitched to her friend's words.

"What? I need some hot boy to like me so if it's him then I'm taking him." Emiko crossed her arms and scoffed as her friend almost broke down.

"Nooo," Nene begged, dropping to her knees and bowing. Emiko began to laugh at these actions, allowing Nene to stand.

"You can have him. I'm not dead set on who I want as a boyfriend, but I kind of dropped on that wish. I'll find someone eventually." Emiko shared a grin as her gaze lead to the large tree in the middle of the school field.