a Song for Autumn

06 : On our way home

Aki's POV.

——————————— ○・9:52  P.M.

"Hey Mizuki, are you friends with Syuichiro-san?" I asked her while she was eating sushi. She laughs at me. "Why so curious, Aki? I told you to call him Haru, and we're just friends okay? I ain't gonna steal my friend's type!" Mizuki started to make fun of me. "Hey! He's not my type." I pouted and drank my milkshake.

"Seriously? Aki, he is tall, talented, good-looking, and he isn't that out-going, he has a few friends and lives a quiet life with Riku and his other friends. Didn't you want that in a guy?" Mizuki nudges me on my shoulder. "Stop it, they might come down here any minute." I try to stop her from talking more by putting sushi in her mouth, and a mouthful of wasabi.

"Mm! Aki! It's too spicy!" Mizuki takes the wasabi out of her mouth and starts to cry. I started to laugh at her and gave her a bottle of water. "Hey, what's happening?" We both looked on the left side of the cafeteria and saw Riku with Haru, who looked like he was scared for his dear life. "Maybe I should ask that." I point at Haru and laugh. "What happened up there?" Mizuki started to laugh at Haku as well, even though she is still choking up her tears.

"Well, he is afraid of the dar--"

"I am no scaredy cat, okay?!" Haku exclaims and covers Riku's mouth. Riku removes Haru's hand and starts to laugh. "Okay okay, he was scared of the dark that's why he looks like that." Riku spoke quickly and it made us laugh except for Haru, who looked grumpy and annoyed.

"Well then Mr. Scaredy cat, meet Mrs. Scaredy cat right over here." Mizuki points at me. "Hey I am not a scaredy cat! I am a strong and independent woman who can raise herself and pay her own tuition and rent--" Riku cuts me off by sneaking off behind me and "TSHK!"

I screamed and turned behind me but alas, there was Riku laughing behind me. "I hate you Riku!" I pouted and crossed my arms. The three of them started to laugh at me. "Hey stop it, please." I begged and pretended I was crying.

"Well, I'll just go pay the hospital bills and we can leave." Riku pats Haru's shoulder as Haru sits down. Haru kept quiet and just looked around. "Hey Haru-kun, want some sushi?" I turned to him, his eyes widened. "Wow, that's the first time I heard you call me Haru." Haru laughs and smiles at me. I felt my cheeks burning. Why am I blushing?! I ate all the sushi left on our plate and turned away from him.

"Aki! That's 4 sushis! Are you out of your mind?!" Mizuki grabs my chopsticks and places it down. I used my hand and ate wasabi. It was too many and too spicy. "Aki! Wha-uhm, here, spit it all out here." Haru grabs the plastic bag from our table. I grabbed it and spitted everything out. Mizuki and Haru started laughing at me. "What were you thinking?!" Haru kept laughing and gave me a water bottle. "Yeah, and you even swallowed the wasabi whole. That's dumb." Mizuki laughs.

"I-I'm sorry, someone attractive was staring at me and smiling-- oh gosh, I forgot you're beside me." I cover my face, realizing I just talked about him like that. "Ohoh, Aki's got a crush!" Mizuki exclaims. "It's not like that!" I exclaimed back, making Haru laugh. "It's okay, I needed someone to appreciate me anyways." Haru laughs and looks at me.

"Guys! We can go home now, I've already paid the bills. Let's go?" Riku suddenly rushed up to us, we both looked at each other and stood up to leave.

We went outside to find out that the streets were already quiet except for the crack of the leaves that once we stepped onto, the winds were loud that night and the chirping song of the crickets made a majestic scene with the moonlight above, the scene was heartwarming for all of us.

It took us a couple minutes to move on and we then went to Riku's car, "Alright, who wants to drive?" Awkward silence began to spread. "Alright then" We then went inside the car, the car seems pretty cool since it seems that it's fully customized, He then drove the car fast to get us home quickly, It's tuesday that night. Staying late at night is definitely dangerous for us girls,

——————————— ○・[ T i m e s k i p ]

Aki's POV.

——————————— ○・10:23 P.M.

We reached mizuki's house and she opened the car door gently. She waved us goodbye and without any hesitation she slammed the door which didn't even really matter to riku, but for me? I'd probably freak out and be mad at her definitely.

Riku played some songs to make us comfortable, well haru's been sleeping a while now riku must have known his personal or not Interests when it comes to music, likes disliked, and so on.

After a while "Spring Day" played on Riku's car playlist. Passing the first minute mark, Riku finally said "Aki? may I ask you a Question?" He said, "Yes? What is it?" I wondered why he talked so suddenly?. "Do you ever Miss someone you loved?" He said with a low tone. The question made me think about for a while, "I do, I miss my parents." I said "What happened to them?" He asked with evidence of sadness in his tone "they left me all alone so suddenly." I said I yawned, making me feel sleepy. "Is that all?" He questioned me once more. "Yes that's all I know." I said tiredly. "Alright. We're here." He said with a smile, I opened the door and waved them goodbye, Haru's still asleep in the front seat. Riku smiled back with sincerity. Without any hesitation, I shut the car's door and Riku then drove away. What a long day, I really feel sleep deprived.