[ ⎷ ] 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 ¦ 𝘏𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘺𝘰 𝘹 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚍𝚎

"Senpai! Senpai!! Good morning!!!"

Argh. Not again. I don't need to turn around and see who it is since it became a morning routine already that Hinata will be bothering me on the whole way to school.

He's this annoying underclassman who keeps on insisting for me to ride on his bike and he never stopped even though I tell him off or even threatened that I'll report him to the police for stalking and harassment. Hinata will just always show off those white set and just continue to bother me for the whole 30minutes everyday.

For the past 12 months, he didn't miss a day. Since his house is just in front of mine, he'll offer to give me a ride on his bike to the convenient store, to the church, even when I take my dog for a walk every weekend. He was always there like a stalker but I never give in.

I know it's been a year already that my friends told me I'm being hard to get when the guy is just offering me a ride on his bike. That's the thing, I don't want anyone thinking that we're together since Hinata has a reputation in the school and the prefecture for being one of the top volleyball players. I just want a normal highschool life.

"Senpai, come on. Just one ride. It will be easier for you to get to school and it's free."

"No."

"I'll treat you to ice cream later after school."

Argh.

"Oh! There's a food bazaar in the next town. Let's go there!"

Stop.

"Just one ride. Come on, senpai!"

"You'll never know if this is the last offer so why not take this opportunity, right?"

"Will you please stop?"

"Of course. It's really comfortable at the back seat. I had a seat customized for it."

"No. Stop bothering me. You're being annoying."

There was a loud screech on the ground when he clutched on the break indicating that he already stopped. And he needs to stop.

I looked at him beside me with his feet on the ground and his head bowed down with an unknown expression on his face. I don't know why something tugged inside of me. Maybe I wasn't expecting that he will really do what I told him, because he never did. Except today.

"I'm sorry for being such a bother to you, senpai. It's just one ride that I'm asking and I'm being annoying because if it. Sorry."

It's not his usual smile that I'm seeing right now and I hate how my system is getting twisted with that look he's giving me before he takes off  and cycle ahead to school.

For the next couple of days, I wasn't able to see his bike parked in their lawn or in the bike rack at school. No constant 'senpai' calling me out unlike before. My mornings were quiet without him around. And he just wasn't there.

----------

"Did he come back? What happened?"

I can see myself in her back in the days. Out of all the kids inside this room, she's like the exact replica of me, just the younger version. The gap is visible with my wrinkled hand on her.

"Girls, it's late. Nana needs to rest so say goodnight to your nana now." and he's just like his father, also the younger version of him.

I can see the girls whined that they want to know what happened next when their father told them to go to bed already. Girls and their love stories.

The door closed as they bid their good nights which just left me and the darkness in my room. Thanks to the moonlight seeping in the window of these white walls, I was able to see his smiling photograph in my hand. It's been years but it still gives me the twisted knot in my chest whenever I see his smile. As I closed my eyes, I held his memory in my chest bidding my greetings to the night.

----------

"Oi senpai!!!"

My eyes snapped open at that familiar voice. I am in the place where he used to wait for me every morning and he's there. On his bike and smiling at me. He's back.

"Senpai, let's go for a ride!"

He's smiling like the usual. That goofy smile that annoys me every time as he waved his hands in the air. Hinata is finally here and ready to annoy me again. My feet dragged me towards him with my eyes betraying me, for the tears are now falling from my eyes like a waterfall as I came face to face with him again.

His hand reached for my cheek and I leaned in at his warmth while he wipe my tears away with his thumb. It's like time went back for us as his touch made me feel younger, like I was back in my highschool days and I knew that there's no turning back this time.

I opened my eyes to see his smiling face just like before whenever he's greeting me good morning. His face is as clear as the morning sun. Far from the headlines with the highschool boy who was hit by a truck on his way to school. He's the Shoyo I used to know.

"Took you 53 years to say yes." his soft chuckle resounded in my ears as I wrap my arms around his waist from behind.

He's right. The back seat is comfortable.

xx