The much anticipated Friday night has arrived. Everyone is exhausted from a week of hard work, but also excited for what's to come.
Esmarie collapses on her bed with a huge sigh of relief: "We made it through the first week."
Erika: "Yippee!"
Esmarie: "The weekend is upon us. On that note, I notice your wardrobe is a bit lacking at the moment."
Erika: "Yeah, I didn't want to fill the dorm with my clothes so I only brought a few pairs."
Esmarie: "You could've brought more girl! We're going shopping tomorrow!"
Erika: "Hehe. Okay. Can I invite the others too?"
Esmarie: "Of course!"
***
Dakota's Pov
The weather is suspiciously perfect today. The kind of warm, late summer sun that feels engineered by some higher being just to make you feel bad for staying inside.
Not that I'm complaining. I just don't trust good weather. It's always the start of trouble.
Erika had called me last night with the kind of enthusiasm that makes it impossible to say no.
Erika: "Everyone's free tomorrow! We're going to the shopping district!"
Everyone as it turned out, meant Erika, Esmarie, Austin, Remi, and me. She asked Sylvie but apparently she had prior plans.
The plaza was already buzzing at 9 a.m in the morning. Students in casual clothes, couples, food stands, some guy playing a slow guitar tune. It was lively, but I didn't dislike it.
Erika spotted me and Austin first. Her wave could have signaled a rescue helicopter.
Erika: "Hey guys! Over here!"
Esmarie stood beside her, one hand holding an iced coffee, the other casually resting in her hoodie pocket. She was obviously used to this atmosphere, she had the kind of composure that only comes from being surrounded by chaos.
Austin wore a button-up shirt, sleeves rolled up, was looking like a sales manager.
Esmarie: "Glad you guys made it. Erika's been vibrating like a phone all morning."
Erika: "Don't say that!" She puffed her cheeks. "I was just a tad bit excited!"
Arriving last was Remi. She greeted everyone but specifically gave Austin a high-five. They were obviously close. She looked at me, catching my gaze for half a second before giving a friendly, almost teasing smile. For some reason, it made me blink twice.
We moved in a loose formation through the shopping pathway. Esmarie leading the charge like a tour guide, Erika and Austin followed in the middle. Remi walked near me. Not beside, but close enough that I could see part of her face from behind.
Remi: "You go shopping a lot?" she asked suddenly.
Dakota: "Uh, a few times. Mostly for manga releases."
Remi tilted her head: "You read a lot?"
Dakota: "Yeah."
Remi: "That's cool."
She said it like she meant it, simple, genuine. No teasing, no judgment. Just a quiet approval that somehow made me feel seen. I didn't have a good follow-up, so I nodded like a malfunctioning NPC.
Esmarie dragged us into a cute girls clothing shop next. Erika followed, humming under her breath. And for some reason Austin went in too. The girls in there would probably fawn over him though. Inside, it was all pastel colors and soft lighting, the kind of place where time slows down and male presence feels illegal. I stayed near the entrance and Remi waited outside with me.
Remi: "Not your kind of shop, huh?"
Dakota: "Yeah. I feel like I should apologize to the color pink for being here."
Hina laughed: "You're not that out of place."
Dakota: "Thanks, but that's a lie."
Her laugh was small but real, the kind that escapes before you can hold it back.
Dakota: "Why aren't you going in?"
Remi: "I went on a shopping spree during the summer. I need to stop myself from buying more clothes."
Something fluttered faintly in my chest, and for once, it wasn't anxiety.
An hour later, we'd migrated to a row of food stalls. The street smelled like fried batter and sweet dough. The girls shared taiyaki, somehow turning it into a photo session.
Austin: "Let's do the same."
I didn't respond to him, with words at least. I just stared at him with a disgusted face.
Austin bought everyone drinks, black coffee for himself, pineapple juice for Erika, more iced coffee for Esmarie, raspberry iced tea for Remi, and somehow correctly guessed I wanted Dr. Pepper without asking. He impressively carried all of the drinks without a cup holder. He stared at me smugly like he knew me in and out.
Anyway, I noticed Remi's hands, a faint bruise on one knuckle, probably from practice. The sunlight caught her hair as she tilted her head, and for a moment, I forgot to look away.
Every slice-of-life group trip needs an arcade scene. It's basically law. Esmarie ran straight to the claw machines. Erika watched, sipping her juice, while Austin tried to analyze the perfect angle at which to drop the cane. Meanwhile, Remi challenged me to a basketball hoop mini-game. I couldn't help but think how good Chifuyu would do.
Remi: "I'll go easy on you," she said, grinning.
Dakota: "You don't have to. I'll lose anyway."
Remi: "Oh, come on. Where's your confidence?"
Dakota: "I traded it for social anxiety."
Remi laughed: "Doesn't seem like a fair trade."
We started. Unsurprisingly, she destroyed me — 36 to 15.
Remi: "Wow, you weren't wrong."
Dakota: "Told you."
Remi: "But I had fun."
There it was again, that genuine sincerity. It's unfair how natural she is at being kind without trying. I found myself wanting to say something back, something not self-deprecating for once.
Dakota: "You made it fun for me."
Remi blinked, caught off guard. Then smiled, slow and soft: "Don't mention it."
It was just a moment. But my brain filed it somewhere deeper than it should have.
By the time we'd gone through most of the shopping district, the sun had started to dip behind the rooftops.
We sat by the plaza fountain, the air cooler now, the postlights flickering on. Erika was happily recounting the day to Esmarie. Austin and Remi were chatting it up, then she came to sit beside me for some reason.
Remi: "You got quiet."
Dakota: "I usually am."
Remi: "Not like that. You're thinking about something."
Erika: "…You sound like Akebi."
Remi: "Then she's right."
Her gaze stayed on me, curious but not prying. It's weird. Usually, being noticed makes me want to shrink into my hoodie and disappear. But with her, it didn't feel suffocating. The fountain lights reflected in the water. The others laughter echoed faintly. I glanced at Remi again. Her expression was soft and content. The kind of face that made something stir in my chest.
We were making our way back to the dorms. This time, Remi walked directly beside me. I wondered why she wasn't walking with Austin. Maybe she's just getting to know me. Even so…
Remi: "How'd you like the day?"
Dakota: "It was good."
Remi: "Good? That's all?"
Dakota: "Fine, it was pretty good."
Remi laughed: "That's better."
We walked a few steps in silence before Remi added: "You know, you're easier to talk to than I expected."
Dakota: "…Thanks?"
Remi: "That's a compliment."
Dakota: "Then I'll take it."
The postlight above cast a pale glow on the pavement. Remi adjusted her bag strap, and for no logical reason, I noticed the way her shadow curved alongside mine. Something about that, the quiet alignment of steps, the small warmth between us felt different. No fireworks. No drama. Just a slow, almost invisible shift inside me. When we reached the dorms, she turned with that same easy smile.
Remi: "See you at class, Dakota."
Dakota: "…Yeah."
She waved once, then said bye to the rest.
We'd returned to our room. I was in bed as my head was ticking like a clock. All I could think about was Remi. I tried to think what I was feeling towards her was admiration and respect. But that wasn't it. Because when she smiled, something in me had reacted before I could reason it away. And now, lying in bed with nothing but my thoughts, the realization slips through like an uninvited guest.
I might be in love.