Hardly Platonic

Chapter 12

As she arrived at her house, Hanae opened her laptop. She had an assignment that needed to be submitted by next week. She glanced at her phone like she was contemplating on something. Yahiro paid for her food and bought her favorite cake for her.

'I keep on thanking him these days.'

"'Hi, thank you for today, next time the food's on me.'" Makoto readout Hanae's message from behind. She was drying her hair with a towel.

"Hey, don't read-"

"What's with this progression? A date already? After telling me nothing is going on between you two?" Makoto grinned.

"No, it's nothing like that," Hanae replied nonchalantly. "There's Nacchan too. You can come too, Makoto."

Makoto stared at her in disbelief and plugged in the hairdryer. "It's okay, just have fun."

"They're going to be happy to know you, you know?" Hanae said as she gazed at her phone. "And...I also want to introduce them to my first and closest friend I made in college."

"..." Makoto stopped blowing her hair. "That's cheating."

Hanae smiled. "I'm being honest though."

"Ugh..." Makoto sighed. "Alright, but next time!"

"I'll hold onto that promise."

"When did I...... fine." Makoto continued drying her hair and mumbled. "You're so sure that guy doesn't like you, huh..."

She glanced at Hanae who was focusing on her assignment, thinking that she did not hear her question.

"Yeah, I'm hundred percent sure," Hanae replied while looking at her laptop indifferently.

.....

15 years old...

"Asahina-san, can you please hand this key to the gym teacher."

Hanae nodded her head as she inwardly sighed. She had to go to the teacher's office after she had to clean the indoor court with her classmates. She had no close friends there, so she had no one to bring along.

'I wish Wakana, Satoru or Yukirin were in my class...'

As she walked, she started thinking about her tuition exercise that she hadn't completed yet. There were more than 20 pages of paper that she needed to finish before this Friday. She was thinking of asking Yahiro later.

'Before this, the only person I can ask for help from is Nacchan...I guess making new friends is nice.' She smiled.

After she passed the key, she walked to Yahiro's class which was quite far from where she was. She was relieved when she finally arrived at his class. However...

"Yahiro? He's not here. He went to the teacher's office just now." Yukirin said as he popped a lollipop into his mouth.

'I was there, though. I guess I missed him.'

"Want me to pass him your message?"

Hanae shook her head. "It's okay, I'll do it myself."

Hanae decided to walk back to the teacher's office. She might be able to meet him on the way. On her way, she saw Natsuki walking towards the school's garden which was located next to the teacher's office.

'Nacchan!' She quickly walked to where he was but quickly stopped when she noticed that there was another person with him. '..and Kiyoshi.'

"Yahiro, another girl?" Natsuki said as he put his hands in his pockets. "What do you not like about her? She's cute."

"It's not that." Yahiro leaned against the wall and clasped his hands together. He just silently stared at his hands.

Hanae covered her mouth thinking that she just heard something that she shouldn't. She couldn't move because she was afraid that they would notice her presence.

Natsuki looked at his friend helplessly and ran his hand through his hair. "Don't feel too bad."

Yahiro gave a tiny smile. "Yeah." He slowly turned to walk away.

"But for real though, do you have anyone you like?"

"....."

"Ohh what's this? You actually do have one."

"I don't know-" Yahiro pushed Natsuki away.

"Eyy... come on and tell this brother who's this girl you fancy?"

'I think I should not listen to this.' Hanae thought.

"Don't tell me, is the girl Hana?" Natsuki covered his mouth as he poked Yahiro's shoulder.

Hanae had never seen Natsuki nor Yahiro as anything more than a friend. So his answer made her feel more relieved than anything.

"No."

"Ahh really? But why didn't you deny it when our friends asked you about Hana?"

"At that time..." Yahiro slowly replied. "I just let them be because I don't want them to keep asking..."

"About the girl you like?"

"Yeah...but I did tell the girls who confessed to me that I don't like Asahina-san."

Hanae slowly tip-toed away and walked quietly straight to the nearest stairs. As she climbed the stairs, she stopped and looked down at her shoes. She suddenly remembered all the questions she got because of the rumor. The stares, whispers, and teases. She realized that for Yahiro the rumor was just a way for him to get away from their curiosity, he did not have to face the same thing as she did. She felt like she was being used by him. It wasn't anger that she felt towards him, but disappointment knowing that he didn't care that the rumor affected her. She felt lonely in a way, because she was the only one disturbed by the rumor while he was taking advantage of it.

'He doesn't care about anyone but himself...'