The time I met her

Night.

Cold.

That's all I feel as I keep walking in the middle of the cold weather. I suddenly tripped and lost my balance which caused me to fall to the ground. Snow, I am surrounded by snow that causes cold all over my body. As I remained lying in the snow, I gradually found it difficult to breathe. I don't know if it is because of the cold or because of the pain I feel in my chest.

I feel pain and soreness in my chest that causes difficulty in breathing. Every ache and pain I feel makes me cough up blood, blood with white petal, blood-covered petal.

I covered my mouth before coughing and I noticed the petals covered in blood that if you look closely it looks like a flower that looks hurt.

*COUGH* *COUGH* *ACK*

Cough with pain in the end. As time goes on it becomes harder and harder to breathe. Is this my end in removing emotion?

I still remember what my mother told me when I was young.

[Flashback]

"Choose what makes your heart bloom." Mom said in a very sweet voice as she smiled happily.

[End of Flashback]

"Hahahaha, is this what you mean mom? But why does it hurt? The pain, it hurt so much?" I said wrapped in frustration and misery.

I hid my eyes so as not to see the tears dripping hard in my eyes and began to complain to the sky that was always there and looking at me.

"I thought it was easy for everything to be flowery and full of fun. Full of color and full of glitter, but I was wrong." I whispered to myself mixed with remorse.

"I wouldn't have fallen so deep and become like this. I wouldn't have accepted this emotion, if I hadn't met her I wouldn't have become like this." I continued.

I raised my right hand and tried to reach the sky.

"What would my life be like now, if I didn't try to reach you?" I asked myself but couldn't find the answer.

"Is this my end?" The last words I uttered to myself.

I lowered my hand, closed my eyes and then rubbed my eyes.

-------

Our first day as a sophomore at Senior Secondary School started, but for me it was another tiring and boring start of my life.

I was walking down the hallway when someone called behind me.

"Heyyy !! Haru !!" Aoi called to me in his most lively voice.

By the way, I am Kobayashi Haru, sophomore, and 17 years old. A person who is separated from others, cold to other people but admired by others. Not good to talk to anyone but everyone wants to. I am a serious and cold looking student but everyone wants to be close to me, maybe because of my looks.

I don't know how to express emotions because I lack understanding of these things, so I always have a poker look embedded in my face.

And the person who called me was Hashimoto Aoi, a sophomore and he was just like me, 17 years old. He is my classmate and best friend. I met him when I was in Lower Secondary School. He is the opposite of me. He is a happy person, agile and cheerful person. He wants everything but he is shy but he wants to be close to everyone. And he is the person who'll do everything he can to achieve and get it when he wants something or someone.

We both like flowers and we are both well known in school even though we have different behaviors.

"Oh, Aoi." I answer seriously and straightforwardly.

"Good morning Haru! Same as always tired and serious early in the morning. " He greeted me happily.

"Morning Aoi, Energetic as always huh?" I answered simply.

"We need to start our day as bright as we can right?" He told me while there was a bright aura around him.

"Too tiring." I answer directly.

"You also have to make an effort at least once." He responded.

"No need." I said tiredly.

When we got inside the classroom everyone could see the excitement of meeting each other which caused a commotion inside. Talk there talk here, whisper here whisper there. They are too noisy.

"Too noisy." I said with a complaint.

When they saw us enter they greeted us one by one. The first to greet everyone was Aoi.

"Good morning guys!"

"Good morning Aoi-kun."

"Morning Hashimoto."

"Morning Aoi."

"Morning Hashimoto-kun."

"Good morning Haru-kun."

"Morning Kobayashi."

"Morning Haru."

"Good morning Kobayashi-kun."

"Good morning Haru-chan."

I backed away because of the last greeting to me. Only Aoi greeted them but my name was also mentioned. * sigh how torturous it is.

As I sat in my chair I lowered my bag and then laid my head on my desk, when suddenly my classmate shouted after he arrived inside the classroom.

"Guys we have a new classmate." He exclaimed as he sighed and caught his breath.

Because of what he said, it caused a lot of noise inside the classroom. Some are happy, some are excited, while others are just waiting for our teacher to introduce the new student.

"A new noisy classmate will add up." I whispered to myself.

"That's rude Haru, you need to express excitement sometimes." Aoi replied when he heard what I said.

"Emotions are pain." I said seriously.

"* Sigh, as always. Nothing can work you out. " He replied as he surrendered.

After our classmate told everyone what he heard, Kimura-sensei then entered our classroom. He stopped in front of us and then lowered the book he was carrying on the table in front of him.

"Before we start our class, we have a new transfer student." Kimura-sensei said as he gestured to the door.

A girl walked over to Kimura-sensei. She stopped at Kimura-sensei's side and then faced us. She has black hair up to her shoulders. Has a sincere face that seems to have no worries to think about. She had a cheerful person in her aura but when I looked into her eyes the opposite was what I saw, that she was not like the aura she was releasing. I can see those dead eyes with nothing but emptiness in it. Like she was a hollow who gives off different kinds of personalities but nothing inside.

"I'm Nakano Hana, nice to meet you all." He introduced herself with a smile on her face.

"Woah !! She's cute." The boys whisper.

"Wahh so cute." The girls murmur.

"She's totally my type." The boys mutter.

"I want to be friends with her." The girls mumble.

Everyone was in awe as they saw her. Everyone got excited to know and befriend her after seeing her.

"She looks like she's an energetic girl." Aoi said while looking at the transfer student.

"I doubt that." I contradicted him.

"You can sit there in the available seat in front of Kobayashi." Kimura-sensei said as he pointed at the chair in front of me.

"Hmm .. strange girl." I whispered while seeing her walk towards the seat in front of me.

"At least she's not like you." Aoi said as he heard again what I've said.

"You're eavesdropping too much on me." I straightforwardly said.

"Interested huh?" Aoi asked.

"Let's hope not." I bluntly said and rested my head on my desk.

I fell asleep unconscious because I made my head rest on my desk.

-------

"Heyy Haru, it's lunch time. Let's eat. " Aoi said as he poked my face to wake me up.

I fell asleep.

I stood up after Aoi poked me. That poking is irritating but got no energy to argue so I'll just leave it like that.

We walked out of the classroom and went to the cafeteria for lunch. While walking I talked to Aoi.

"Anyone got mad?" I asked as I yawned and stretched out my arms and hands.

"Well some, who're not yet used to what you do inside the class." Aoi responded.

"I see." I sparingly said.

"Don't worry about them. I know for sure you'll regain their expectations for you when the exam comes. " He confidently said.

"You look super happy right now." I said as I saw him sparklier than usual.

"Is it obvious ?? I'm just glad that we have a new student in our class. " He excitedly said.

Maybe it's normal to be excited, eager to see new people in the classroom, especially since everyone has been together since we were freshmen. Maybe the abnormal is me because I do not feel anything.

We arrived at the cafeteria and went straight to the queue to buy food. Then we looked for a vacant seat where we could sit. While looking for a seat I noticed the new transfer student, as far as I know her name was Nakano Hana.

"Let's go to her." Aoi exclaimed when maybe he saw Nakano-san eating alone.

Aoi approached where she was while I was just following Aoi and then he talked to Nakano-san

"Hey, Nakano-san. Can we share the table? " Aoi asked.

"Sure." She agreed while smiling.

"Thanks." Aoi thanked her and smiled back.

We stood on the other side of Nakano's seat, put down the tray we were holding and then sat down. I looked at the vegetables in my meal and one by one set them aside on the side of my plate and then started eating.

"Haru, stop doing that. You shouldn't order this if you don't like the vegetables. " Aoi nagged me.

"But I hate vegetables." I answered plainly.

"Then don't order it." He said.

"But I like the taste." I plainly said.

"Then just give me the vegetables." He responded.

"Hmm .." I said as I agreed.

Suddenly we heard Nakano-san burst into laughter.

"Pfft .. hahaha, you guys are so cute to look at." She said as she laughed at us.

"Sorry about that, Haru is always like this." Aoi apologized to her.

"That's fi--."

She was in the middle of answering because of what Aoi said when I suddenly spoke which caused her to interrupt what she was going to say.

"Happy but empty, I'm curious." I said still looking at my food.

"Huh?" She was utterly confused.

Suddenly, silence enveloped the area because of what I've said that made Nakano-san confused.

"It's nothing haha, don't mind what he said." Aoi said as he faked his laugh to not ruin the air.

"Ok, hehe I'll be heading back to class now." She said as she stood up and left us.

"Dude, why did you say that? I think you made her mad. " Aoi said as he stared at her until she left.

"I just saw it." I straightforwardly said.

"Saw what?" He asked.

"I saw how empty she is." I answered.

"You sure about that?" He asked.

"Yeah, look at her eyes. Then you'll know what I'm saying. " I plainly said as I lifted my tray and threw away my garbage and put the tray back.

"Heyy Haru, wait for me." He said as he saw me stood up and put back the tray.

We returned to the classroom before lunch time was over. We sat in our respective chairs. I noticed Aoi was deep in thought, was that because of what I said?

"Curious?" I asked out of nowhere.

"Hmm… kinda. The way you said it a while ago it looks intriguing. And I want to know it for myself. " He said excitedly.

"Just don't be too obvious." I warned him.

Since he's always obvious when he does something, whenever he gets curious or puts his mind on it. Everything is noticeable.

Everyone got back to their seats as the afternoon class started. The whole classroom fell silent and everyone started listening while our teacher taught.

Our teacher left when he finished his lesson and said goodbye to all of us. I finished the whole class without going to sleep again because I slept in our morning class. After our teacher left, everyone started arranging their belongings and chairs. Some leave early, some talk and chat, while others invite friends to eat out or go somewhere like going to karaoke. I have never experienced going anywhere so I do not know how the rest of them goes.

"Heyy heyy, Kobayashi-kun we're going to karaoke, wanna join us?" A girl suddenly said as she got herself in front of me.

Aoi interrupted her while waiting for my response.

"Ah sorry about that, we already have plans." Aoi nervously said thinking if he made an excusable reason to reject their invitation in my stead.

"Ohh, is that so. Then we'll be going now. " She said while smiling and left.

"Thanks." I sparingly said while releasing a * sigh.

Before leaving the classroom I notice that Nakano-san isn't here anymore. Hmm .. maybe she left early at the exact time when the teacher dismissed us. Strange she seems to be avoiding something, maybe avoiding us? Or just me? Is it because of what I've said? Well that's fine.

I closed our room as we left the classroom. I started to walk while Aoi was right behind me. As my mind was floating somewhere I suddenly bumped to someone that made him/her fall down. I looked back to see who it was.

"Sorry, huh? Utsuro-san? " I said as I saw her, it's Nakano-san.

As I gazed upon her eyes, I saw that emptiness again but with a dead expression on her face.

That's when I got interested to know more about her.