Sakura Romance- A promise from long ago

It all started in preparatory when I broke the doll she brought to school one day.
She was the silent type who never shows any emotion, she was the outcast in our entire class and even the teachers never pay her any attention.
We were playing in the playground when I saw her looking at a doll in her hand intently.
"Hey look the weird girl has a cute doll don't you think?" one of my friends said and everyone agreed.
"But she won't probably let us borrow it." Another one said.
"Then why don't we just steal it? " I whispered a plan I thought of and they all agreed
When it was time to go home I had some of my friend call out to her and while she was busy I secretly took the doll out of her backpack and then hurriedly left the room with all of my things.
I met up with my friend in the park near my house and we all played with the doll I stole until my friends began to argue on who gets to keep the doll, the resulting argument ended up with the doll's hands separating from the main body.
No one looked at each other in the eyes and they all agreed never to mention this again, but for me I was scared, I ended up thinking about it the entire night until I can no longer take it and decided to apologize to her tomorrow.

After class, I called out to her and led her to the back of the school I showed her the broken doll and bowed my head deeply apologizing.
Silence prevailed and I looked up only to see her throwing the broken doll into a nearby trashcan.
"Umm-"I tried to speak but was too scared of her lack of emotional response.
"It's alright, but please the next time you take my stuff ask me for permission okay?" she said nonchalantly her voice sounding calm and composed.
"Please let me make it up to you," I said still bowing.
"Please don't mind it and you can stop bowing now," the girl said excusing herself but I blocked her path still guilty at what I have done.
"I won't move until I can make amends please," I stood firmly and heard the girl give out a sigh.
"You're a difficult one," I saw her furrow her brows trying to think of something just to make me satisfy my guilty feelings.
"How about I just ask you for a favor someday?" She suggested looking like she just wants to go home and finish this.
"Fine I promise you err--"Despite being classmates I never did learned her name so when I was about to say her name my mind drew a blank.
"Shirogane Kuro" She said in a tired manner.
"I-I'm Hiiragi Aya, I promise you I'll do anything you say," I said sticking out my pinky.
"Then Hiiragi-san it's a promise until then," Kuro stick out her pinky as well smiling at me before excusing herself.
Perhaps it was all because of that smile that it all started because after I got home that day Kuro's smiling face always lingered in my mind.
The more I see her smile the more my heart began to race and before I knew it, I was drawn to her.

After that we never spoke again although I tried to talk to her she just ended up giving me the cold shoulder and not once did she ever ask me for a favor.
Time passed and by pure coincidence we went to the same middle school together but in the end she still haven't talked to me once even when we graduated with her being at the top of the class.
Now we were in high school, again by chance we were enrolled in the same school and not only that we were also classmates and despite my attempts at befriending her it all ended up with me being glared at and given the cold shoulder.
"Hey, Good morning Kuro!" I energetically greeted her as I entered our class room only to be greeted back by an annoyed glared.
"Hiiragi-san please be quiet your disturbing others," Kuro remarked calmly despite her face looking like she wants to murder me if I don't stay quiet.
"Oh come on let out the gloom and let in the joy," I happily replied minding my voice now.
"Please be quiet, my head already hurts from your yapping," Kuro slumped on her desk looking away from me.
"Jeez why are you always acting that way, if you keep that up time will pass you by," I said looking following her gaze.
"Sorry to say but I'm actually having the time of my life, now please spare me human interaction and go back to your seat," I obediently followed not wanting to mess with her after what happened when we were in elementary after I went too far and got her angry at me.
Returning to my seat my friend immediately greeted me and I greeted back with the same enthusiasm as I had earlier although there was a slight disappointment in my face.
"Looks like your owner got angry at you again" one of them said and the rest immediately started to laugh.
"H-hey are you treating me like a dog, that rude you know," I laughed back hoping that kuro wouldn't hear knowing that she will get angry if she heard
"Then your lover?" No one else spoke curious to hear what I have to say about it.
"When did I became a lesbian?" I asked wondering if another rumor like the one in middle school when we were mistaken as some sort of couple spread like wild fire which ended up in me having to clear it all up while Kuro harshly denied it with the most offended look I have ever seen.
"We haven't even been friends yet so being lovers is kind of--" everyone began to stare at me wild eyed with amusement on their faces.
"W-what is it something I said?" Everyone simultaneously let sigh and patted me in the back, while looking at me and then to Kuro with troubled looks.
"You know if only the other party wasn't such an anti-social loner you two might have already become a couple already" one of my friends said before everyone returned to their seats because the teacher just arrived.


Class ended and immediately one of my friend packed up and went ahead apologizing to us.
"Sorry have to go bye," She immediately walked out of the classroom excitement filling her eyes.
"W-wait where are you going?" I asked her as she was about to leave the room
"I have a meetup with Sensei today so I'll see everyone tomorrow," with that she dashed off leaving the rest of us.
"Sensei?" I asked my friends who lightly shook their heads confused as I am.
"Ritsu wouldn't tell and even if we try to follow her it only results in her hanging out in a bookstore next to school," I wondered who could be the sensei that my friend always seemed to excitedly meet but decided to put the matter aside now as I began to pack my things and head home.
As we left the room I encountered an upper classman that I have meet when I was in middle school.
"Kana-senpai, hello what are you doing here?" I greeted the upper classman respectfully and she greeted me back with a smile.
"Hello my cute little junior actually sorry, I have a favor," she clasped her hand in a prayer like manner.
"What is it this time?" I placed a hand on my hip and told my friend to go without me since dealing with senpai's requests will most likely end up with me spending time in the school until six in the evening.
"Help me organize some paper from the student council," my mouth went agape at her request.
Kana-senpai is the student council president and is usually a very responsible person but from time to time she would end have having so much work that she couldn't possible handle everything by herself so she ask me from time to time.
"Fine but it will cost you," I said agreeing to help.
"T-then is my body okay?" Senpai said in an inviting voice and immediately I cornered her in the wall and placed an arm on her side like a stereotypical scene in a manga.
"Well aren't you quite the pervert my kitten," I spoke in the most mature voice as I could say.
"No~ if you say it like that I'm going to fall for you," Senpai began to squirm placing both her hands to her face acting like she was blushing.
"Right, right now tell me what do I have to do," I lightly chopped senpai in the head and she regained her regular composure immediately guiding me to the student council room.
When we arrived, I was surprised to see Kuro inside organizing and stamping a mountain of papers left and right with an irritated look in her face.
"Kana-senpai where was the help that you said was coming?" Kuro irritated said looking at our direction surprised to see me.
"Again?" She said to me.
"Yup hopefully we won't end up sleeping here like last time," I said as we both remember the horrible result the last time we help senpai with a mountain of work.
The last time that happened was on our third year in middle school where Senpai was also the president and practically begged the two of us to help her with work, which ended up resulting in the two of us accidentally sleeping shoulder to shoulder while sitting on a chair.
The accident resulted in a rumor that the two of us were going out and it ended up spreading rapidly throughout the school.
"Well then handle the papers on my left and let's finish this up quickly," Kuro let out a sigh returning to her paper work.
I complied and after a few hours, we have done all the papers and other documents have been worked on and checking my phone the displayed showed the time, which was eight o' clock.
"I walk home so no problem for me, what about you Kuro?" I asked her still not knowing where she lives after all the time that we kind of spent together.
"Just a thirty minute walk from here so I'm okay as well," Kuro said stretching her arms.
We waited for a while until Senpai returned to claim our reward, which ended up with us staying for another hour until we saw senpai enter the room.
"Sorry for making everyone help me thank you very much," Senpai said showing us a pair of tickets.
"I have good news and bad news for the both of you which do you want to hear first?" Kuro and I looked at each other and had a wordless understanding.
"Bad news," We both said at the same time preparing ourselves for more work to do.
"I have two tickets to a cake buffet, the bad news is that it's only for couples," Senpai mischievously showed us a pair of tickets to a cake buffet from a famous store in the city.
Kuro and I looked at each other wondering who would take them since neither she nor I have had a boyfriend in their entire life.
"The good news is that the two of you could go in as a couple," Sensei puffed her chest proudly as if she thought out an incredible plan.
We both whack senpai in the head slightly annoyed at her so-called reward.
"Well we don't have a choice now, Hiiragi-san we should just do as senpai said," Kuro spoke to me her face slightly red.
"I guess so, but still are you alright with it?" I said wondering if Kuro has a slight fever since her face look flushed and I noticed her uncharacteristically, fidgeting opposed to the usual calm attitude of hers.
"I want to eat cake so it's alright with me but--"She looked at me waiting for my reply.
"I-its fine I actually want to eat cake to so is tomorrow okay?" I asked since tomorrow is a Saturday we wouldn't have classes so it was the perfect time for us to go enjoy a cake buffet.
"Sorry, I have something to do tomorrow how about Sunday?" I nodded wondering what she was doing tomorrow.
We both bid farewell to senpai who suggested that we should walk at least partway together since it was safer for two instead of one and now walking together I was fidgeting wondering if I smelled bad or looked horrible.
"Hiiragi-san is something wrong?" Kuro said walking a few steps in front of me.
"N-no nothing it's just that I don't look bad right?" I blurted out embarrassed.
"You're about to go home now so I don't think looking good would matter much," Kuro said without even giving me a glance.
I sigh wondering when the day would be where Kuro and I could just talk like normal friends instead of her always giving me the cold shoulders.
"Well I take the left road and you?" Kuro said pointing on the left side of the cross road that we were currently in.
"Oh mine is a few more blocks straight up I guess this is good bye," Kuro nodded and we both went our separate way.
"Oh Hiiragi-san I think you look pretty cute right now," Kuro said smiling as I she turned around to look at me and after saying that she immediately turned around and walked away.
I felt my face turn red and my brain beginning to short circuit especially after seeing Kuro's smile after all this years.
"Jeez, why is my heart beating like crazy right now" I muttered as I hurried home with a smile on my face.
It's Saturday and usually I go out with my friends or waste time watching TV but right now I was rummaging through my closet mixing and matching different clothes to prepare for tomorrow, I was trying to go for a more mature and responsible style to at least make Kuro have a better impression of me.
Despite my intensive searching, I came up with nothing and had to beg my mother for extra money to buy clothes, in exchanged for a month's worth of extra chores and less time on the TV, I got the money and immediately went out.
Heading for a shop that I found with my friends I saw Kuro standing in a fountain on the park located at the center of the shopping district of the city.
I tried to approach Kuro only to see our Art teacher approached her, I instinctively hid a few meters away and observed the two.
I saw them exchanged a few words as if they were already age old acquaintances although I never noticed Kuro talked to him in school before.
I saw the Art teacher pat Kuro on the head as if a brother would to a little sister only for Kuro to glare at him in an annoyed way.
I saw them leave together with Kuro a few steps behind him and despite a welling urge to follow them I stopped not wanting to interrupt Kuro's private time.
Doing what I thought was right I proceeded to go to the store but when I arrived, I just plowed through cloth after cloth with a blank look in my face still wondering what the relation between Kuro and the art teacher is.
My stomach began to rumble while I was walking around through the shops and I decided to grab a bite to eat on a small cafI accidentally found when I was wondering through the city during a special sale.
I sat outside enjoying the warm sun while eating a sandwich when the art teacher I saw with Kuro earlier approached me.
"Hey you're Hiiragi Aya right?" He spoke in a friendly manner and I greeted him back as friendly as I could.
"She really did describe you perfectly," He said nodding to himself.
"Who did?" I asked and immediately I saw Kuro appear behind the art teacher with an annoyed look in her face.
"What do you think you're doing with Hiiragi-san?" She said crossing her arms in irritation.
"Nothing just a little chat," Sensei said but Kuro immediately grabbed on to his hand and looked at me as if telling me to stay away from him.
"Whatever let's go, I look forward to tomorrow Hiiragi-san" Kuro said before walking away while holding Sensei's hand tightly as if protecting him from me.
"W-wait, Hiiragi-san if you have time please read the works of longing heart I'm sure you'll like it," Sensei said before being dragged on by Kuro who yelled "She doesn't have to".
When they were gone my friendly smile turned into a frown, I wasn't able to finish my sandwich due to the fact that my stomach doesn't seem to want to accept anything anymore, I left the cafand tried again to shop just to waste the day but soon found myself no longer in the mood.
I went home immediately and spent the rest of my time just staring into the ceiling wishing that the painful feeling that was pricking my heart along every beat would stop.

I slept late into the night the image of Sensei and Kuro together keep appearing in my mind making my heart beat painfully each second I see them together.
I know that I should be happy for Kuro because from the looks of it they were getting along together but I just couldn't , The truth was I hated it after all this time it was the first time I felt Kuro relaxed talking to someone.
With great effort, I forced myself to get up and get dressed and after an hour, I went out slapping my cheeks a few times to let the frown in my face disappear.
I arrived at the shop with ticket in hand to see a line of couples forming outside the majority normal couples although I saw a few same sex ones.
I saw Kuro on the very back of the line listening music with her earphones, I patted her lightly in the back and she nodded acknowledging my existence.
While waiting in line I tried to talk to Kuro but unfortunately the image of her and Sensei still lingered in my mind so I was unable to mutter anything.
It was another half an hour waiting when the store finally opened and the line started to move, a full hour had passed since we waited in line and now only a few people were left before our turn when Kuro suddenly nudged me for attention.
"Hiiragi-san are you okay, it seems like you've been staring at empty space the entire time," I wasn't able to reply surprised at Kuro's sudden interest in me despite usually treating me like air.
"I-I'm alright I'm just exited that's all," I tried to pass it off as lightly as I could but I could hear my own hollow voice sounding forced while Kuro looked at me with worry.
"If you're not feeling well we can call this off," Kuro suggested but I disagree telling her that I was fine despite the fact that my chest has been hurting since yesterday.
We were able to finally enter the shop, when we entered we presented the tickets and taken a commemorative photo by the staff, after we pick our table and leave our bags we immediately went to grab our plates and finally eat our fill of cakes.
"W-wow," Kuro and I both said at the same time unable to mask our amazement at rows and rows of cakes each lined up neatly and made delicately that it was already a wonder just to look at them.
"H-hey Kuro c-can we really eat something this beautiful?" I said in amazement at the various varieties of cake lined up before me.
"I understand were you're coming from but this is a cake buffet so we should eat to our hearts content," Kuro said as she grabbed a piece of cheesecake from her right side.
I followed suit grabbing a bunch of cake that drew my eyes as well as a few familiar ones that I tasted over the years, after picking our cakes we sat down and began to wolf down on them enjoying every sweet bite.
"I know that it's good and all but if we eat too much it will be that right?" I asked Kuro whose eyes were shinning along with each bite on her cakes.
"Learn from the past and hope for the future and enjoy the present," Kuro said looking at me with blank eyes that seemed to have accepted the fate of eating too many sweets.
I tried to cover my mouth to hold back my laughter but it was not effective as Kuro looked at me with her face red angrily.
"S-stop laughing," Kuro pouted before taking another bite from a piece of chocolate cake.
"Sorry, but the way you say it sounds like it's the end of the world," I said apologizing again to Kuro who seemed to have developed a small mischievous smile.
"You say that but aren't you worried after all you are one of the popular ones in school," Kuro said taking a big bite out of another cheesecake.
"Come on don't flatter me besides I think I would like to be as elegant and beautiful as you," I said trying to butter up Kuro who looked like she was already tiring of me.
"I think you're pretty beautiful as you are now," I heard Kuro mutter as she looked at me with eyes that seemed to have been longing for me for a very long time.
"S-sorry I said something weird," Kuro said apologizing and returning to her cake.
"N-no the conversation was already weird from the start so it's fine," I said as we both return to happily eating our cake's in silence.
We happily ate the cakes for as much as we could and decided to spend the rest of the day together for a while just until our stomachs can fully digest all the sweets that we inhaled.
I followed Kuro to a bookstore when I remember what sensei had said about the work of an author named longing heart, summoning my courage I asked Kuro about it only for her avoid the subject in some way.
With curiosity, I split from Kuro for a while as I asked a staff for longing heart's manga, the staff pointed me to a manga displayed in the bestsellers section and reading the synopsis from the back I was immediately interested.
I immediately brought it only to meet Kuro who was also in line holding two thick books that I made out to be novels.
"Hiiragi-san did you find out what you were looking for?" Kuro turned around noticing my presence but then she saw the manga I was holding and immediately stopped as if she doesn't want to see me holding the book.
I began to wonder why Kuro doesn't want to talk about the book but then I remembered how she acted when Sensei told me about it and immediately my chest began to hurt again more painful than last time.
Leaving the store we decided to go home since our bellies were full and we had nothing to do anymore, although I wanted to spend more time with her I could tell that Kuro would much rather stay home than spend time outside.
"Hiiragi-san are you really okay?" Kuro said snapping me out of my silence.
"I'm fine don't worry about me so much," I waved her off but I heard her let out a sigh suggesting that we should sit down in the park for a while.
As we sat down, I looked around only to be reminded that it was the same place where I saw the two yesterday.
"Hey Kuro do you remember that time when I broke you're doll?" I asked her suddenly remembering the past.
Kuro didn't speak and after a while the silence begins to settle in, I tried to open my mouth but words wouldn't come out but then Kuro spoke looking at me with serious eyes her voice firm, demanding my complete honesty.
"Tell me, did you come with me today because you wanted to be my friend or is it so that you can fulfil some stupid pinky promise from long ago?" Her words hit me hard and I was not able to reply the words seemed to have been stuck on my mouth.
"If you continue to act that way then fine, please stay as far away as possible from me," Kuro turned around not waiting to hear what I have to say walking away.
I immediately grabbed her hand holding it tightly so that I wouldn't let it go even by accident.
"Is that what you want?" I squeezed out my voice but even I could tell that it sounded so small and weak to be heard by anyone.
Again, I wasn't able to respond Kuro tried to shake my hand away but I stood up planting my feet into the ground still holding her hand making sure that she wouldn't be able to get away.
"I want you," I said unable to look at her in the face, I saw kuro turn around and opened her mouth as if wanting to tell me something but immediately thought better of it.
"What are you trying to say?" Kuro replied as my hands began to shake surprised at what I had said, unable to take it any more I began to tear up and let all of my feelings explode in one single emotional burst.
"I hate seeing you with Sensei looking like you two are going out, I hate the way you always ignore me no matter how hard I try and most of all I hate that I just can't be with you whenever I want to!" I blurted it all out letting all my feelings lose.
After all that I let go of her hand and ran as fast as I could, I could vaguely hear Kuro calling my name but I didn't turn around not even once as I hurriedly made my way home and completely breakdown alone in my room.

I returned home after a long day, today was supposed to be one of the more happy days for me but I never thought it would end up like this.
I arrived early in the shop in anticipation of her arrival and I had to force myself to remain calm otherwise a smile I had been forcing to stop would be seen by her and I don't think I would be able to live if she saw such an embarrassing thing from me.
I first met her when we were young, we first interacted when she apologized for breaking a toy I didn't really mind losing, after that she had tried so hard to become close to me but I was afraid, afraid that if I tried to push my luck and befriend her I might lose her forever.
I continued to act cold to her throughout the years but seeing her warm and energetic smile everyday was too much for me, every time she greeted me with it I feel my heart skip a beat and found myself wanting to be by her side.
When senpai gave us the tickets, I was very happy and on the way home I had to walk a few steps in front of her so that she wouldn't see the stupid grin that have been forming in my mouth for almost the entire time.
When the day came I couldn't sleep well I was nervous mixing and matching my clothes so that I could even looked as cute as her even though I could never do it given my serious face and stoic personality.
When she arrived I had to turn away pretending not to care as my face might give away my true feelings but then I noticed her looking troubled, I wanted to try to help her but I was afraid, when we began to eat it was our first normal conversation as friends.
As the conversation dragged on, I was worried that she might be able to hear the loud thumping of my heart but the conversation didn't last although I was slightly disappointed I keep seeing her happy face while eating and I thought it was enough.
When we were about to go home that was when it happened, I pushed her too much, she reminded me about the request I didn't asked of her when we were kids so using that as an excuse I asked her if the way she was treating me was all because of that.
I shouldn't have done it, I knew that she was having some trouble that she couldn't tell me but when I tried to push for an answer I ended up making her run away with tears in her eyes.
I am the worst, I do not deserve someone like her, I made the one I love cry.

Monday rolled in and I could feel my body about to collapse but I ignored it as I got dressed and prepare to go to school.
After returning home in tears I spent the rest of my time wallowing in my room until I decided to at least read the manga that I have brought, I was immediately hooked on the first volume since the story have resounded to me almost immediately and not only that the characters have been almost life like.
The story was about two girls who first met during their childhood one was energetic and cheerful while the other was silent and gloomy, during the course of the manga, the energetic girl was always trying to befriend the gloomy girl only to receive the cold shoulder.
What really drive the story was that inside the mind of the gloomy girl was someone who was lonely and scared of others, in the manga the gloomy girl was cold in the outside but deep inside she wanted to be friends with the energetic girl but doesn't know how to.
As time progressed, the gloomy girl's feelings turned from wanting to be the energetic girls friend to wanting to be the energetic girls lover, the energetic girl didn't notice it but every day the gloomy girl would look at her with longing eyes wanting to hold her hand.
I immediately researched it online after only buying the first volume, I spent the rest of the night reading it up from start to latest only to find out that it was morning by the time I finished.
Shakily walking to school I dreaded to see Kuro who I tried to avoid only for her to arrive late in class after narrowly avoiding being late, we exchanged eye contact for a second only to immediately look away from each other.
It was around lunch when I began to feel the toll on my body, being exhausted both mentally, emotionally and physically finally took its toll on me and as I was having lunch with my friends, I found myself having a double vision before blacking out.
I could only hear a little while I was unconscious but I swear that I could hear Kuro's gasping voice, I could feel that I was being carried away I didn't know where but I knew that whoever was carrying me was making me feel at ease.
As I further lose my consciousness, I somehow dreamt of seeing Kuro in front of me.
"Hiiragi-san are you okay?" Kuro asked her voice full of worry.
"Kuro, I love you," I blurted out realizing that all this time ever since we were kids, all those times I spent trying to make her my friend was not because of a stupid promise from our childhood but the truth was that I had fallen in love with her.
I love how cold she usually looks but if you actually talk to her she can be friendly, I love how despite me annoying her everyday she still acts all nice and composed even though I troubled her a lot of times over the years, but most of all I love her kind and beautiful smile.
I awaited her reply only for me to hear footsteps running away from me, I tried to move but my body wouldn't allow me and just like that I began to float as if I was on air.
I woke up only to see the sun shining down on the school clinic.
I tried to get up but I immediately fall, my head still dizzy, I was sweating too much and I could feel that my face was hot.
I heard the door opened and senpai appeared in front t of me with a concerned look in her face.
"Are you okay?" Senpai asked and I replied although I could tell that my voice sounded dry and tired.
"Don't push yourself, anyway since you have been a good junior I think I'll give you a special treat today," Senpai said mischievously while I try to laugh it off bracing myself for something unbelievable.
"Well then, enjoy the treat," Senpai said before making a flying kiss gesture and leaving the room.
I wondered what it was all about only for me to hear the door open again but this time instead of senpai it was Kuro who appeared carrying both my bag and hers.
"Hiiragi-san are you okay?" Kuro said her face filled with worry.
"Y-yeah, sorry for making a scene earlier," I apologized still feeling awkward after what happened yesterday.
"Don't worry about it, as long as you're fine it's enough for me," Kuro said without moving.
I got up again but this time Kuro supported me and by this time I knew what senpai was referring to when she meant a treat, I silently praised senpai deep in my heart as Kuro suggested that she'd help me go home.
Slowly making our way to my home, I had a lot of time to talk to Kuro but again I wasn't able to speak still afraid that what happened yesterday could only lead us to a downhill slope.
"Were here," I told Kuro as we both stopped on a modest two story sized house.
"Thank you for taking me home," I politely said as I began to walk towards the front door.
"Wait, Hiiragi-san I--" Kuro spoke and I immediately stopped to turn around only to see her holding out a manga magazine.
"I-I heard you're interested in Longing heart's work so I just thought that--" I gladly took it from her, happy that she was considerate enough to give me a gift and at the same time happy because this was the first time I ever felt her be friendly to me.
I thanked her again and she bid farewell, I looked at her disappearing figure feeling lonely that I was no longer able to spend time with her but decided to look on the brighter side as I thanked the stars for the fact that the relationship between Kuro and me still have not change.
When I returned to my room, I took the medicine my mother prepared and began to read the latest chapter on longing hearts manga.
After finishing the latest chapter I found out that as a special thank you for buying the magazine, I could request an author of my choice their autograph and not only that I could have the author draw my short story as part of the magazines anniversary.
After reading the details, I began to plan my story although there was a nagging thought in my mind telling me that this wasn't going to end well for an amateur like me.
I slept like a log that night only for me to wake up the next day with a fever, I called the school and told them that I would be absent and proceeded to rest for the rest of the day while finishing the story that I wish will reach longing heart.

She has been absent for two days now and each day I am filled with uneasiness as to whether or not her condition is improving.
I know where she lives but I'm afraid of visiting her, no it's not that I was afraid but I had no right to I made her cry back then so I'm sure that right now she hates me.
Unable to visit her I was always trying to listen in on the conversation between her friends but I couldn't hear any news regarding her state.
As I paced my room back and forth wondering if I should visit her tomorrow for some sort of reason or not, I received a call from someone I knew and was told news that managed to put a smile on my face.
The next day she was still absent and I still don't know if she was okay but I hurried home after school with anticipation on my face.
When I returned home, I checked my mailbox and as expected, it contained an envelope with the name of the sender at the back written in a black marker, I checked the name and to my surprise it was someone I knew and dear to me.
I opened up the envelope in my room and read the script only to be left mouth agape, because unlike mine which focuses on the gloomy girl she reversed the story this time focusing on the energetic girl.
I knew that she was passionate about this, it was not just a story she hastily put together for the sake of it but I could tell that she have dedicated it to herself.
With a smile on my face I began to draw, her script as well as the ending that I had wanted to happen all these years.

I expected my recovery to be only for a few days but I wasn't expecting it to take an entire week, my friends have kept me updated on class work and all that, senpai also visits me from time to time but even with all that Kuro still didn't contact me in anyway.
I was sad but I still remembered how stupid I acted last Sunday and decided that it was better if we didn't meet for a while, though I was supposed to be recovering I spent most of my time writing a story to send to longing heart which is probably why my recovery got delayed.
Arriving in school I greeted my friends cheerfully apologizing for being absent for the entire week before returning to my seat and take out my notebook preparing for class when Kuro suddenly appeared in front of me and for the first time was the one who talked first.
"Hiiragi-san it's good that you recovered," Kuro spoke though I could somewhat feel a sort of distance she was putting between us.
"T-thank you for helping me back then I'm sorry for the trouble," I replied and Kuro returned to her seat without saying another word to me.
The rest of the day passed by almost in an instant and I soon found myself packing myself packing my things preparing to go home when senpai suddenly called out to me.
"Senpai is there something I can do for you?" I asked senpai who seemed to have an amused smile on her face.
"Oh it's nothing I just wanted to know how you were feeling after being absent for an entire week," Senpai spoke and I noticed that Kuro just left the room and at the same time it seemed that senpai's smile began to widen.
"Well then I'll be on my way since I don't want to prolong it any longer," Senpai said leaving immediately.
I scratched my head wondering why she even bothered to call me out here just to ask if I was okay, I returned to my seat in order to get my bag when I saw the latest volume of longing heart's manga placed in my desk.
I looked around hoping to see someone looking for it but I was alone in the room, I picked it up only to see the signature of longing heart in the cover.
I opened it up and I saw a written message addressed to me in the first page of the magazine.
Miss Hiiragi Aya please come to the roof -Longing Heart
I excitedly went to the roof expecting to meet the author of my favorite manga.
When I arrived, I saw Kuro looking down near the edge of the rooftop and before I knew it, I spoke to her maintaining our current distance.
"Hey Kuro did you happen to see someone come up here?" I asked Kuro who slowly turned around her face red and I could see her hands shaking slightly.
"Hiiragi-san do you remember what happened to the doll you stole?" She said and I nodded remembering the doll that my friends and I accidentally broke when we were younger.
"You still haven't repaid me for what happened back then that's why right now I want you to listen to my request," Kuro said raising her voice.
I did not spoke preparing to hear her tell me to stay as far away from her as possible.
"Hiiragi Aya I love you!" Kuro replied taking a step back using the railings for support looking like, she might collapse at any given point.

My eyes began to tear up and I began to tell her everything, about how much she made my heart skip a beat, how each time she smile I keep falling deeply in love with her and most of all about how important she had become to my life.

"Kuro I love you, but we just can't--" I was happy that she confessed but I still remember her being with the art teacher acting close to each other as if they were going out together for a long time.
"Is it because were both girls?" Kuro said her face pale with her eyes telling me how much she had longed for me the entire time.
"You're going out with the Art teacher right, that why we can't," I replied as tears began to fall from my cheek.
"Art teacher?" Kuro looked at me dumb folded but then clapped her hands together seeing what I was talking about.
"Oh if it's that guy then I can tell you that you're wrong," she said shaking her head while her usual calm demeanor return and she starts to calm down.
"How can you say that, you two look like you're pretty close together," I said as my heart began to hurt more and more as I remember, the way Kuro felt so at ease while talking to Sensei.
"Well of course we'd interact that way after all he's my brother," Kuro stated in a matter of fact way.
The sudden revelation made me lose my mental processing for a while as my brain began to figure out and explain to itself how the scene that caused my heart to hurt so much was actually just an interaction between a brother and a sister.
As my brain finished explaining it my face suddenly felt hot and I immediately hugged Kuro in order to hide my red face.
"Jeez after all that it was just a stupid misunderstanding I'm so embarrassed, I really want to die right now!" I yelled burying my face in Kuro's chest, I noticed her place her palm on my head and began to pet me calming me down.
"Hahaha, if that was all you were worried about then tell me Hiiragi-san no, Aya do you love me?" Kuro said looking at me with serious eyes.
I swallowed my saliva, looked at her in the eyes, and slowly placed my hands behind her drawing in for a small kiss directly on the lips.
"Kuro, I loved you for a long time now," I said to the now as red as a tomato Kuro who looked at me with relief kissing me on the lips, taking me completely by surprise.
"I'm glad, I thought that after the way I treated you, you actually hate me," Kuro whispered in my ear as I felt her body began to collapse and we both fell into the floor hugging each other.

"Hey tell me Kuro, did you happen to see anyone come up here?" I said as we both finally calm down and as we sat at the center of the roof enjoying the waning sun.
"No, why?" Kuro asked and I explained how longing heart the author of my favorite manga wrote a message addressed to me telling me to come to the rooftop.
"Aya how to tell you this but--" Kuro said looking at me with a stiffened face as if trying very hard to mask her emotion.
"I'm Longing heart and I called you out just so that I could confess to you," I looked at her with a dumb folded face for the second time in the last hour as she began to laugh loudly no longer able to suppress her feelings.
"Kuro kill me now please," I said as I lay down into the floor too embarrassed to continue living.
"I just confessed my love so I don't think I want the killing my lover to be the next thing I'll be doing," Kuro said standing up and stretching her hand helping me get up.
"But this is to embarrassing," I said as I try to regain my composure.
"I don't mind after all I love every part of you, you're embarrassing part, you're serious part, everything I love it all," Kuro said turning my way with a big smile on her face.
"Kuro, I love you too, I love everything about you," I said as we both descend the stairs holding each other's hand as proof that we have finally laid our feelings bare to each other and have accepted one another.