Akari's POV

*click* I closed the front door behind me and took off my shoes. "I'm back!"

"Welcome back, Akari-chan! Come here, I made you some snacks," Granny greeted.

I walked up to granny and saw a strawberry shortcake on the dining table. I put my bag down on the couch as granny sliced a piece of cake and for me.

"Granny, are you okay? You look tired since yesterday. You slept in late too," I asked worried that something had happened to her.

"Don't worry about it, Akari-chan. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, I can't seem to get enough sleep. But it's okay, I'm fine," she laughed as I sat down.

"Okay....if you say so," I mumbled as I took a bite of my cake. "Mm, this is delicious, Granny. As expected of Granny's special strawberry shortcake," I complimented.

She chuckled and sat beside me. "How was school today?"

"Hmm, it was fine."

"Still hoping you would make new friends," she sighed.

"Still telling you that I don't need them," I repeated what I said almost everyday.

"Okay okay, I'm just asking," she smiled.

"Oh by the way, Granny do you remember him? Umm....my childhood friend?" I questioned as I paused eating.

"Oh you mean Haruki-kun?" I nodded, "Of course, why? Is there something wrong?"

"Um, lately I've been thinking about him...why did he left without telling me? I thought we were friends....." I paused and looked down as I started fiddling my fingers. "Do you know something about it, granny?"

She stood up and gave me a warm hug. She always does that whenever I ask about him. Even during the time he left me, she didn't say anything and just comforted me as I cried. Maybe she thought I wasn't mature enough to handle it.

After a while she sighed, "Akari....you know about their family's circumstances. Maybe they had their own reasons. So don't blame him, okay? You'll only understand if you see his side of the story."

"I know that Granny.... I'm not blaming him. It just feels like I'm not important to him..."I muttered.

"Don't say that.....I'm sure you're important to him as much as he's important to you." Granny put her chin over my head as she stroked my hair.

"But you know that he's partially the reason why I'm being like this."

"Yes, of course, but don't worry. There will be many other people you'll get to know other than him, Akari-chan. In life, there'll always be a time when you just have to get over something and move on..."

I nodded, agreeing to what she just stated. 'That's right...people come and go.' "Yeah, but I can't forget about him..."

"Yeah, I know. I'm not telling you to forget him. He's your precious 'friend'."

I nodded, trying to ignore how she just said 'friend'. "I wonder what he's doing right now..."

"He's probably thinking of you right now, Akari-chan." I pulled away from the hug.

"G-Grannyy!! What are you sayinggg!!! >.<" Granny winked.

>>>>>>>>>>>

It was break and I was on my way to the vending machine near the sports field as a soccer ball rolled to my feet. I picked it up and looked around to see who accidentally kicked it here. Then that bastard appeared, running and waving towards me. Two boys were behind him. "Ooh! If it isn't you, elephant girl."

"Tch. What are you doing he--"

"Ooo!! Ken, are you at it again? Who is it this time? Wait, it's that girl from the other day! So you're still with her Ken? Introduce her to us!" I glared at the brown hair guy who cut in to talk while I was talking. The other guy in black hair nodded.

"You guys wouldn't want to know her. I promise," Ken snorted. "She's so violent. You can't even call her a girl."

"Could this be what you're searching for?" I picked the ball up and squeezed it so hard till it inflates. This was nothing compared to the training I did back in my martial arts school. "Oops. Sorry. Here you go." I handed Ken the flat ball and just before he takes it I dropped it on the ground. "Too late." 

All three guys looked at me with the same expression. Terror. "Don't. Provoke. Me." I hissed.

All of them straighten their position and put their hands by their side, "Yes ma'am!"

"Don't call me that."

"Yes!" The two guys sternly said in union.

"Yes, Yes.....elephant girl," Ken continued. I glared at him as he said, "What? You said not to call you ma'am so I'll just call you this."

I let out my breath and tried to calm down. "Hey, Ken why're you even close with someone like her?" the black hair dude elbowed him.

"Well, I just got to know her later after she hurt me," he explained.

They stared at me as I just clicked my tongue. "Uwahh, she hurt you?? That's scary!"

"I know right?" Ken replied as I continued throwing daggers at them.

"Anyways, lemme introduce you guys to her," Ken started. "This is Ishikawa Ryouta," he pointed to the brunette, "and this is Nakamura Shou," he patted the tall black haired guy's shoulder.

"Nice to meet ya..." the one named Nakamura Shou said.

"Ossu! Just call me Ryouta! No one really calls me by my last name," The other one greeted.

"Andd," Ken continued, "this is.........." The two waited for him to tell my name. 'Why is he taking so much time?' I thought as he finally answered , "elephant girl!"

".......What the hell man?" Nakamura-san said.

"Wait, you don't even know her name?" Ryouta-san said.

"Aha ha ha ha......" He scratched his head. "Com'on you've never told me your name before!!" He complained to me.

I frowned at Ken and spatted out, "Useless." I turned to them and said, "Miura Akari."

"Ahahaha oh my god, you're so cool!" Ryouta-san started laughing as he began hitting Ken on the back repeatedly.

"Huh?"

"I mean, from what I see, you don't like Ken and he's is scared of you. You even hurt him once. Ahahah that's really surprising," he explained.

"It's been more than once."

"Ken, you're so lame," Nakamura-san said lazily.

"Why are you guys ganging up on me?!" Ken wailed. The began teasing each other and started laughing. For a moment, it reminded me of the past. The time, where laughter and jokes made up my childhood. I shook my head and cleared my head. 'They're so noisy' I started to walk away from them.

"Oh? You're leaving?" Ken called after me. "Byee~" I ignored him and went to the rooftop to eat my lunch.

"Did I forget something? Why did I go there for.....?" I recalled my thoughts. Oh right, I was going to buy a drink. Thanks to those guys, I forgot to buy my juice. That bastard is always causing me troubles.

>>>>>>>>>>>

I headed to my usual eating spot. I opened the door and stepped outside. "It's getting hotter since summer's coming. I should find another place to eat when it gets too hot out here," I said to myself as i sat down on my usual spot and unpacked my bento. I saw some rice, eggs,veggies and fruits, and a hamburger steak in it. Wow, it looks so---

"Ooo! This looks so delicious!!" a voice interrupted my thoughts. It was more like it said my thoughts. I turned around to see a girl sitting beside me and leaning forward, with her face almost in the food.

"Uwah!" I accidentally slipped out a small scream. I covered my mouth and looked at her. Oh wait... I've seen her before.

"Ahhh! You're the girl from yesterday!" She exclaimed. Again, she just said what I was going to say. What was her name again....? Matsuri? Nanami? "Oh! You really helped me back there! Thanks! If it wasn't for you, my club president would've scolded me until my ears fall off."

"You were the one who took my picture without my permission. What're you even doing it with it? I have the right to know," I demanded.

"That, I don't know. It's up for the prez to decide." she shrugged. I didn't say anything. I just hope she won't display my picture or anything like that.

"Why would your president tell you to do that?"

"Hmm...I usually take pictures of sceneries and such. But prez told me to take a human portrait and I had trouble finding the right person to take a picture off. You see, I'm very picky. The pictures I take are different. I only take it when it draws me to it. I get this weird sensation when it's the right scene to take it. And I felt that when I saw you playing the guitar with the morning scenery behind you."

"Hmm," I didn't understand a thing she said nor care so I continued munching on my food. She didn't say anything for a while, I turned to her and saw that she was staring intensly at me. "What?"

She rubbed her chin, "Are you the type that is really cold to other people because something happened to you in the past that you're acting this way?"

"What?? H-How?!" How did she know about me?

"BECAUSE I'M AN ALIEN!!! Just kidding," she tapped on my shoulder. "Girls like you are quite common in the mangas. And then an ikemen will come and melt their cold heart! Ahahahah," she laughed. 'This girl....she just started casually talking and even touched me.'

"Ew. Ikemen? They only exist in mangas and animes." The only real-life ikemen I know would be that bastard. Wait-- nah that can't be it. Funny.

"Ooo did someone popped up in your head? Then it probably him. Who will change your life?~"

"Let me guess, you're the bubbly and energetic kind of girl that's actually dealing with depression?" I teased. She didn't reply; all she did was look down. 'Did I hit the bullseyes? Oh no.' "Umm.. I'm sorry I didn't mean to--"

"HAHA!! GOTCHA! I'm not like that~ Of course not!" she showed a goofy grin.

"O-Oh..."

"For you to guess that, don't tell me you read manga and watch anime too??" Her eyes sparkled.

"I guess."

"Girls in my class are not interested in them at all~ they're so boring. LET'S BECOME FRIENDS!!"

"Friends? No thanks,"I replied instantly.

"Lemme introduce myself again! I'm Tachibana Natsumi!! Yoroshiku~ what's your name?" I stared blankly at her. 'She completely ignored what I just said.'

"Like I was saying, I don't want to be friends with--"

"OH! You're in Class-A right?? I'm in class C... It's too bad that we can't be together during classes. But I hope we can meet during breaks and such!" She exclaimed in joy.

"Umm did you hear what I just--"

"Oh! And we could visit each other's houses and borrow mangas. How cool would that be? Aheheh," she giggled.

'This girl is so weird. She's not listening to me at all.'

"So?? What's your name??"

'This is useless, trying to convince her would only waste my energy.' I sighed in defeat, "Miura Akari."

"Ohh! Akari, huh? How about I call you Aki-chan? Isn't that cute? Teehee."

"Uhh...sure, sure." I couldn't keep up with her anymore so I decided to follow along with what she's saying.

"Yayyy!! We're friends nowww~" she clapped her hands and tackled me into a hug.

"Wait. WHAT????"