Hoshino POV
The sky was smothered in deep grey clouds, each one carrying a gloom that seemed to drag all the energy out of my body.
The rain pattered against my umbrella, creating a steady drumming overhead; while the ground was completely soaked, the asphalt gone black and slick.
Eventually, I arrived at the park— the same park we played basketball in a couple of weeks ago.
I wiped off as many of the residual drops of rain as I could before taking a seat on the bench. I clearly didn't manage to do a good job, as my pants soaked through at the back, but it was too late now.
I looked up through my translucent umbrella, watching the raindrops burst against it.
I knew plenty of people who hated it when it rained, and I could understand why. I couldn't recall the amount of times I was supposed to go out with friends only to stay inside because it rained. Still, I believed there were some good memories with it, but I mostly just found it somewhat relaxing.
I pulled my earbuds from my pocket and put them both in. The music drowned out the world, the curtain of rainfall around me isolating me from everything except for the bench.
I closed my eyes and let myself sink into this sensation.
But just as it got good, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
It was a little disappointing, but I opened my eyes and took out an earbud, entering the world once more.
"Sorry, did I disturb you?" Luna asked, scratching the tip of her nose sheepishly.
"No, it's fine," I said as I dropped the earbud back in its case and snapped it shut.
Luna glanced around the park, her eyes soft with nostalgia.
"To think that we were having fun here just a few days ago. It feels like forever ago."
I could only catch parts of what she said with music still going in my other ear, but it wasn't too hard to fill in the rest.
"Well—if you miss it that much, we can play once finals are over. It'll be summer break by then, anyway."
Luna brightened. "Ah! That sounds like a great idea! I'm so in!"
"What sounds like a good idea?" came a voice from behind us.
Luna flinched and spun around with a surprised yelp. Even though I was surprised too, I wasn't as dramatic as she was. I just turned and gave Yu a small nod.
"Jesus, Yu! Haven't you heard it's rude to just show up without saying anything!" Luna huffed.
Yu scoffed. "Uh, excuse me? Didn't you hear the overly obnoxious splashing as I got closer to you?"
"...No."
"Then that's on you. Not my problem you don't have any court vision."
'Court vision?' I doubted she even knew what that meant. I thought it was pretty funny, though, so I let out a small chuckle.
"Anyway," I said, reluctantly pushing myself off the bench. "Should we get going, or are we waiting for something?"
"Wait." Just as he said that, Yu set his bag on the bench, unzipped it, and rummaged through it.
Luna and I snuck a glance at each other, then shrugged. Still, neither of us decided to say anything. We just waited. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened—or at least, with him.
After a few moments, Yu pulled his hand out—revealing a basketball. My eyes narrowed involuntarily as I stared at it.
"...Why the hell do you have that?"
"Why else? To shoot around, obviously," he said, dribbling it lazily.
I sighed, suppressing the urge to smack my head. "Okay—I get that, but we have school soon. Are you trying to run a whole game or something?"
Yu shook his head. "No, I just wanted to take a shot for old times' sake. I felt a little nostalgic!"
That was when everything clicked.
I thought it was a pain to be moving around this much early in the morning, but I couldn't help the subtle grin spreading across my face as I dashed at him and stole the ball.
"Hey–!"
He stretched his arm out in an attempt to grab me, but I slapped it away and threw the ball up to the basket. It looked and felt like a good shot—until it bounced off the rim and rolled off into the grass.
Ah. Just like old times.
Luna's eyes darted between the two of us as she still struggled to understand what was happening. "So, uh—I'm always down to play, but is anyone gonna fill me in?"
"Oh, right," Yu said. "I forgot you weren't there at the time. But basically–"
Yu went on a whole five-minute lecture about how back in middle school, he, I, Kevin, and a few other friends used to walk home together and play basketball. It didn't matter if it was raining or snowing, we always found a way to play.
Dribbling a ball that was wet or half-frozen, and seeing your hands stained with dirt or numb in the cold, was something I'd never want to do again. In fact, I tried not to even think about those days—but hearing Yu tell Luna about these things strangely warmed me.
As he went on, I walked over to the ball sitting on the wet grass. I stepped carefully to keep my pants dry, but there was no avoiding getting my hands dirty.
I let out a quiet sigh as I bent down and picked up the ball. I regretted it the moment I touched it.
...Some things never change.
It was disgustingly cold and wet, the grit clinging to my palms. I wanted nothing more than to just throw it away and turn back. Yet, I held onto it until I got back to Yu and Luna.
"Here," I said as I tossed the ball to Yu. The instant he caught it, he sprinted towards the rim and dunked. The hoop shook hard, the metal groaning as rainwater was flung all over. Luna clapped, her mouth hung open in awe—while I rolled my eyes.
Tsk. Show off...
Yu turned back to us and flashed a bright grin.
I sighed and shook my head.
…Okay. MAYBE you were a little cool...
Yu waddled back to us proudly and handed Luna the ball. She just shot it from where she stood, which was over half the court. Surprisingly—or maybe unsurprisingly—she sank it with a clean swish.
Seeing that, I began clapping loud enough for the whole neighbourhood to hear. "OKAYYYYY! GOOD SHIT, LUNAAAA!"
Luna let out a bashful—yet haughty—laugh as she twirled her hair. "Hehehe, thank you, thank you. I couldn't have done it without you. "
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Yu cut in, stepping between us with a scandalized expression. "So you clap for her, but not for me?! I've known you since elementary school!"
I simply shrugged. "Uh—of course I would? I already knew you'd dunk. I didn't know if that shot was going in. There's a big difference."
"Uh, guys–" Luna tried to mediate, but Yu spoke over her.
"No! Where's my compliment?! I will not let this slide!"
"Call it preferential treatment."
Yu's eyebrow twitched, and he took a deep breath, loading his next comeback, while I fought the urge to laugh.
He's just so easy to make fun of!
Before his words could come out, however, Luna stomped, splashing water at both of us as she yelled.
"Okay, HAHA! Very funny! Anyway—we're going to be late for school! So stop fighting, lovebirds!"
Yu and I shot each other a look before scrambling. He ran for the ball and stuffed it into his bag while Luna and I took off out of the park toward school.
I glanced back. Yu was only a little bit behind us.
We continued running as fast as we could. I hated the thought of the water splashing up my clothes.
God, I wore such a good outfit today just for it to end up like this!
It should have irked me beyond belief—and it did—but the air around us was filled with laughter. Luna's soft, energetic one; Yu's carefree, happy one; and my own.
We kept up our pace until we arrived at school.
***
"This is so miserable…" Yu muttered on my left, head down on his desk.
He wasn't supposed to be here—he wasn't in our homeroom—but our homeroom teacher was fine with it for this week.
We'd just gotten in, and the energy we'd carried earlier was gone—as if it had never been there to begin with.
...I guess that's what exams do to people.
Luna seemed to be doing a little better. At the very least, she wasn't face down on her desk—but her once vibrant blonde hair seemed to blend into the grey atmosphere around us.
Considering the mood, it was probably best to stay quiet, so I pulled out my phone and began reading a random fantasy world story Yu recommended to me three years ago that I never bothered picking up until now.
I didn't even get through the first page before the teacher suddenly called out to me.
"Hoshino! Can I talk to you in the hallway for a moment?"
I looked up. The teacher was waiting by the door, her foot tapping impatiently.
Am I in trouble? I know I'm not wearing a uniform or anything, but I thought Miss didn't care about that anymore.
Asking all these hypothetical questions wasn't going to solve anything, so I put my phone away and got up.
I caught the side glances of my peers as I walked by, but it wasn't a big deal. This time, there wasn't anything actually behind them. It was first thing in the morning, afterall—and finals were around the corner, so they had other things to worry about.
In the sea of heads, a familiar pair of deep, purple eyes with streaks of pink found mine. The instant I caught a glimpse of those eyes, I felt something inside being pulled in—or out.
Of course, it was Mei.