𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍. ʜᴀɴᴀꜱʜɪʀᴏ

2 3 : 彼について

About Him

—

Nene heaved a sigh in boredom as she stares up at the ceiling, "Hanako-kun, Hanako-kun."

"What?" Hanako replies as he looks at her. "You called?"

"Oh, no," she glanced at him and looked back at the ceiling, totally looking bored than any day they've been together. "I just wanted to say your name. Even though it's not the real one, that is."

"Oh." Hanako shrugs and scratches his cheek a bit before putting his hands behind his head, relaxing. "Okay."

The both of them fell silent as the train continued to let out its typical puffing sound as it rolled over the tracks, steam blowing through the stack. They were still at the forest setting and nothing has changed, except for how they dealt with boredom. Hanako and Nene would usually play a lot at times like this — like just simple rock-paper-scissors or shiritori — but right now, both of them were not in the mood for a game. Neither for a rest.

Hanako blows upwards, making his bangs fly a bit for a moment. Nene would surely fall asleep at a time like this so he glances at her, expecting for her to be sleeping her ass off while snoring — but she wasn't. She was just quietly staring at the void, her eyes in a daze.

And so he thought, maybe it was about time.

He clears his throat, "Uh, Nene. Do you remember those times when other people has always cut you off or interrupted you about something?"

"Don't know." Her voice was flat as she puts her hands on her lap, still not even glancing at him.

"Come on, at least look at me!" Hanako whined, his lips pursed. "Here I am, actually going to tell you about something about me at least and you're not even appreciating it! I feel embarrassed now."

"Really?" Nene brightens as she finally looks at him, a smile finally making its way to her lips. She sits properly and grins. "I appreciate it very, very much! Please go on."

"Oh? Then, I guess I have no choice but to tell you," he can't help but brighten up a bit too as he grinned back at her. "Okay."

Nene lunges a bit forward towards him, totally curious — no, quite excited. It would be the first time that Hanako will tell her about himself. She prayed silently so that no one will finally interrupt them today — all of the other times she tried to talk to him about it, they all failed after all.

"W-Well, go on, ask me a question."

"There's so much I want to know! I don't really know where to start but," she giggles. "What kind of things do you like?"

"Things I like?" He repeated as he puts his index finger on his chin, thinking earnestly. "I've told you about my plain donut obsession, but aside from that—" he flashes her a toothy grin. "—I love astronomy a lot; the moon, the stars, and everything that makes up the whole of space."

I earnestly love them all.

Nene was stunned for a second; no, he didn't say that last thing — it was more like she just heard it in her head, with his voice. Because she just felt his sincerity from both his eyes and smile — he must've loved them with all his heart.

And for some reason, when she thought about that, she felt kind of uncomfortable — because it felt like she was jealous with the moon, the stars, and all that makes up the whole space.

She wished he loved her too with all his heart, more than all of those heavenly things.

Nene slapped herself.

"Woah, what the? Are you okay?" Hanako barked out a laugh at her random actions, "Were you even listening, though?" He suddenly looked like he grew a bit timid as a blush appears on his cheeks; he averted his gaze. "You know, a lot of people from before always hated me because I talk too much whenever the thing I like or love is the topic. So, if I was already talking too much, I can just stop now—"

"No, no, no, no! It's fine, really!" Nene mentally cursed at herself for saying too much no just so she could hear more from him. She waved her hands and put her arms in an 'x'. "You said and promised. Go on! I want to hear more about you."

Hanako timidly looked down at his hands and smiled, "Okay."

"I'll listen to every bit of it," Nene's lips curled into a gentle smile. "I'll be here."

He seemed to be a bit more eager to say about himself now after what she said and so he says, "Oh, I have a twin brother too."

"Twin?!" Nene couldn't help but be amazed about what he said; a double Hanako sounded nice. "Really? What's his name?"

"Tsukasa." He leans near the window. "He's kinda mean at times, but I've grown used to it. To be honest, I kind of feel like he'll be a grampa by then if I ever get back."

"No way," she laughs. "You're exaggerating."

"It's just a feeling," he half-heartedly smiled at her, "Hope it won't be like that, though. We're just the same age, but I hope if you ever get back first, I won't meet you as a grandma by then too." He laughed.

Nene didn't laugh. No, it wasn't the same humour she would laugh at whenever he joked — because this was a very dark humour for her. It felt like if she would even just force herself to laugh, it would become true. Nene didn't want that — she would rather see him right now in his youth than when they're old.

"Sorry," Hanako sensed her feeling and shook it off. "I just wanted to make you laugh."

Nene huffs, "What's your dream?"

"My dream? Oh, it's relevant with the things I like," Hanako hums. "I'll have you a warning first, okay? Don't blame me if you go bored while listening!"

Oh, I'll never get bored with you, though, she sighs.

"I want to see the universe setting again," he says, his voice gentle. "Since I can't go the moon, I at least want to see it up close again."