"Okay. Got it. Do you have anything urgent later?"
Naruko-sensei pulled up a chair and sat across from Akira Miyamura and Shouko Nishimiya.
"No," both replied in unison.
"Alright, then wait a few more minutes. The other students will be here soon—you can get to know each other before you go. I'll also have your painting supplies prepared for tomorrow, so you can start right away."
Akira thanked her, and Shouko quickly echoed, "Then we'll trouble you, Naruko-sensei."
Knock knock knock…
The door rattled with a sudden knock.
"That must be one of them." Naruko-sensei sipped her tea, her gaze shifting to the entrance.
Click. The doorknob turned.
"You two are here early."
"Miyagi-senpai, good afternoon."
The door opened halfway, revealing Miyagi Yuki, the senpai Akira had met yesterday in the Art Club.
Shouko greeted her too, and Yuki nodded in return before heading to her usual spot, already guessing why the two first-years were there.
One by one, the rest of the regular members arrived:
The third-year Art Club Leader (female)
Third-year Ito Tani (male)
Second-year Miyagi Yuki (female)
Second-year Kudo Ueto (male)
Second-year Murashita Sami (female)
One more first-year member was absent due to personal matters.
After greetings and introductions, Akira and Shouko stayed about an hour, chatting and asking questions. Shouko even pulled out a notebook, carefully jotting down the seniors' advice.
Their warmth made her look forward to spending more time with them.
The lingering warmth of late summer hung lazily in the air. The sky, painted in watercolors, melted from indigo to orange-pink.
At the vending machine, coins clinked and laughter burst out as bottles dropped with a clunk.
Not far away, Atsuya Ayumi, now in casual clothes, paused on the sidewalk. She lifted her phone, snapping the sunset with a smile that revealed the dimple in her cheek.
"The Art Club Leader said there's another first-year named Kawai. Akira, do you think it could be our class monitor from sixth grade?"
On the way home, Shouko's curiosity bubbled over.
She'd always had a good impression of that class monitor—never mean, never mocking. But Akira had advised her back then to spend less time with her, so their relationship had stayed shallow.
"Japan's not small, but names repeat a lot. In a school this size, the odds it's the same person are slim." Akira gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"That's true."
Shouko tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiled, and slipped her arm through his.
Ding… ding… ding…
The distant tram bell echoed across the tracks. A boy sped down a slope on his bike, wheels crunching over fallen leaves. A corner of his Japanese textbook peeked from his half-open backpack.
"What's wrong?" Akira asked, noticing her stare.
"Nothing." Shouko shook her head lightly, her eyes fixed on the glowing horizon.
"Oh, right—Akira."
"Mm?"
"You promised Mr. Sakai about joining track. Tomorrow after school, are you reporting to the Track and Field Club?"
"Hmm…" Akira thought as a tram whizzed past. "I could go with you to the Art Club first, then check in at track after."
"I can go alone, you know?" Shouko puffed her cheeks, annoyed at being treated like a child. She bumped his shoulder with her head. "Tomorrow I'll tell the senpai myself. You should go straight to track."
"Then I'll come back quickly."
"Fine…"
A teasing voice cut in: "Sis, how long are you two gonna be all lovey-dovey? This road takes five minutes to walk, but you've been at it for thirty."
Both turned. Behind them stood Nishimiya Yuzuru, walking Hachiko. Her expression screamed exasperation.
"I saw you from far away, but wow—your pace is turtle-level."
"Woof!" Hachiko wagged its tail as if in agreement.
"You wouldn't understand." Shouko waved her hand, shoving her little sister aside.
"Right, right, I don't understand." Yuzuru darted ahead, then spun back with a grin.
"Sis, Mom bought strawberries. I was going to wait for you, but I changed my mind—I'll eat them all myself!"
She dashed off with Hachiko bounding after her.
"…" Shouko glanced between Yuzuru and Akira, then steeled herself. "Akira, I'll grab extra strawberries for you!"
"Hey, you two—don't run so fast, you'll trip!" Akira called after them, but they ignored him, leaving him no choice but to jog after.
Night fell. Streetlights flickered on, mingling with the constellations above. The glow of the asphalt road looked like stardust fallen to earth.
"Akira, here, have a strawberry."
Shouko picked one from the fruit plate and held it to his lips as he watched TV.
"Why are there so many? Did Yuzuru give up that easily?" he asked after swallowing.
Shouko bit into one herself before answering with a sly smile: "Not really. Yuzuru tried to hog them. But Mom flicked her forehead, made her split half, and even said some were for you. In the end, Yuzuru—teary-eyed—gave up another half. I didn't take it, though."
…
Akira imagined the sulky, food-guarding Yuzuru forced to part with her strawberries. The mental image almost made him laugh.
"Here, one more." Shouko picked up another berry and held it out.
"No, you eat it. I don't really like strawberries," Akira said, dodging.
"…"
From the sofa beside them, Miyamura Shizuka watched silently. Even though Shoko had shared strawberries with her too, she still couldn't help but feel speechless at the scene in front of her.
-----------
Support me at patréon com/Lukas25