"Hey, Makoto. What was that yesterday?"
My usual walk to school is interrupted by Setsuna Kiyora stepping in front of me, hands on her hips, eyes sharp. She's glaring, which would be intimidating if she wasn't so much shorter than me. As it is, I mostly find it funny.
I lower the volume on my music player. "What do you mean?"
"The walk. With Kotonoha," she says, clicking her tongue. "I told you Sekai would get jealous if you did something like that. It took me forever to calm her down."
She exhales hard, then falls into step beside me like she's always done.
I shrug. "I thought I told you to tell her I don't care who I walk home with."
Setsuna pinches my arm.
I barely react.
That, unfortunately, makes her angrier.
"Could you imagine how devastated she'd be?" she snaps. "Have some tact, sheesh."
She rubs her forehead like she's already tired of me, and I keep walking, hands in my pockets, music humming softly again. Setsuna's footsteps are quick, sharp, annoyed — but she still matches my pace.
We've been friends since we were kids. Same apartment complex. Same elevator rides. Same mornings.
Our mothers became friends almost instantly. Mine liked her because Setsuna talked too much. Setsuna's liked mine because she listened.
My father avoided both of them.
I've never met Setsuna's father.
I never asked.
Some silences are better left untouched.
"Learn some tact, okay?" Setsuna says again, softer this time, like she knows it's useless but wants to say it anyway.
She speeds up and walks ahead, leaving me behind just as Sakakino Academy comes into view.
I watch her go.
Then I turn my music back up.
"Hey, Makoto. What was that yesterday?"
My usual walk to school is interrupted by Setsuna Kiyora stepping in front of me, hands on her hips, eyes sharp. She's glaring, which would be intimidating if she wasn't so much shorter than me. As it is, I mostly find it funny.
I lower the volume on my music player. "What do you mean?"
"The walk. With Kotonoha," she says, clicking her tongue. "I told you Sekai would get jealous if you did something like that. It took me forever to calm her down."
She exhales hard, then falls into step beside me like she's always done.
I shrug. "I thought I told you to tell her I don't care who I walk home with."
Setsuna pinches my arm.
I barely react.
That, unfortunately, makes her angrier.
"Could you imagine how devastated she'd be?" she snaps. "Have some tact, sheesh."
She rubs her forehead like she's already tired of me, and I keep walking, hands in my pockets, music humming softly again. Setsuna's footsteps are quick, sharp, annoyed — but she still matches my pace.
We've been friends since we were kids. Same apartment complex. Same elevator rides. Same mornings.
Our mothers became friends almost instantly. Mine liked her because Setsuna talked too much. Setsuna's liked mine because she listened.
My father avoided both of them.
I've never met Setsuna's father.
I never asked.
Some silences are better left untouched.
"Learn some tact, okay?" Setsuna says again, softer this time, like she knows it's useless but wants to say it anyway.
She speeds up and walks ahead, leaving me behind just as Sakakino Academy comes into view.
I watch her go.
Then I turn my music back up.