It was the second day of school, the actual beginning, and I felt exhausted. The lack of sleep clung to me like a heavy blanket, making it a challenge to get out of bed.
Suddenly, my phone started vibrating wildly on my nightstand. I grabbed it, squinting at the bright screen. It was Ichika.
I answered, pressing it to my ear. "Hello?" I mumbled, my voice laced with grogginess.
"Kenji!" Ichika's voice was filled with urgency.
"W-what?" I stammered.
"Come to the train station, or you'll miss it! You have 10 minutes!" Her words hit me like an adrenaline rush.
I hadn't even realized that I was running late. Normally, I'd be at the station at least five minutes before the train's arrival. "I'll just get a taxi. I can't run that fast," I replied, my sleepiness still lingering.
"You don't want us to sit together?" Ichika's voice dipped into a teasing, sarcastic pout.
My face instantly felt hot. "A-Ah... I-I'll run!" I stammered.After ending the call, I hiked my bag higher on my shoulder and bolted down the street. I dashed through the neighborhood, my legs carrying me as fast as they could. A few early-morning commuters gave me strange looks, but I didn't care.
Reaching the train station, I hurried down the stairs and spotted the train doors, wide open. I sprinted towards them, but just as I was about to make it, the doors began to close. "No!" I gasped, realizing that I couldn't make a scene by forcing myself in.
Then, as if in answer to my silent plea, the doors unexpectedly reopened, revealing Ichika standing there.
"Kenji! You made it!" she exclaimed, a hint of relief in her voice.
I panted heavily, trying to catch my breath. "Barely," I replied, my words coming out between breaths.
"It's your fault for waking up late. Do I need to wake you up every morning?" Ichika's voice held a hint of playfulness.
"Of course not," I mumbled, my thoughts momentarily wandering to the idea of Ichika calling me every morning, which would honestly be amazing. But I wasn't about to admit it out loud. We found our seats, and Ichika sat down first. Once again, I became self-conscious, wondering if I should sit next to her or leave a seat between us. However, my determination won, and I chose to sit beside her, my face still flushed with embarrassment.
"Are you tired from all that running?" Ichika asked, her words breaking the awkward silence that had descended between us. I sighed, realizing that the silence was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
"Oh, yeah," I replied, rubbing my eyes to hide my burning face. "I wasn't ready to run that fast."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Ichika's lips, and a light blush colored her cheeks. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on me.
"So much for sitting next to me." My blush deepened, and I stared intensely at my scuffed shoes. My brain tried to formulate an excuse, that I just happened to sit here, that it was a coincidence, but my exhaustion betrayed me.
"W-well..." I mumbled, my voice barely audible over the hum of the train. "I just... I didn't want to be alone."Ichika's smile grew warmer, her eyes softening. "Thank you. That's very sweet of you."
She then shifted her attention to my appearance, focusing on my fatigued expression. I couldn't help but wonder how she noticed – how she saw past my exterior.
"You didn't get many hours of sleep last night... Am I right?" Ichika inquired.
I was taken aback. How had she known? I decided to play it coy. "W-why do you say that?"
"Your eyes," she pointed out, a gentle smile on her face. "Under them... you lacked sleep today. Yesterday, you were fine. So it must have been something today. What have you been doing?"
I hesitated, but she seemed genuinely concerned, so I decided to be more open.
"Uh... I was reading the handbook."
"The whole thing? No wonder you look like a zombie," she teased softly.
I reluctantly admitted, "Yeah, just a little."
It was rare for me to confess fatigue. Even as a child, I had always pretended to be fine, refusing to acknowledge exhaustion or sickness. Showing weakness at home usually just led to sarcastic comments or unwanted attention. But sitting here with Ichika, my usual defenses felt too heavy to hold up.
Ichika shifted her gaze around the train, checking if anyone was close enough to overhear. We were relatively alone at the moment, providing a temporary sanctuary for our conversation.
"You can rest right now if you want," she suggested, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red. Her offer took me by surprise. Why would she suggest such a thing?
"Huh... where?" I asked, genuinely unsure of where I could rest on the crowded train. I gripped the strap of my bag tighter, my heart starting to race.
"K-Kenji, you dummy..."
I remained bewildered, trying to understand her intent. "W-what did I do?"
"I mean... You can rest... On my shoulder..." she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
My face flushed bright red, and my heart pounded in my chest. The mere thought of resting my head on Ichika's shoulder was both thrilling and mortifying. It was an offer I hadn't expected, and my mind was in turmoil. How was I supposed to respond to such a proposal?
"N-n-n-no, I'm okay!" I exclaimed, my face burning as I nervously brushed off her suggestion.
"Just kidding!" Ichika laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Thank god... I met her just yesterday and she's already throwing jokes like that. My poor heart couldn't take it.Still hopelessly flustered, I shifted away from her slightly. Since I had taken the seat right at the edge of the bench...
Still flush with embarrassment, I shifted away from her slightly. Since I had taken the seat right at the edge of the bench, I leaned the side of my head against the cold metal pole separating the seats from the doors, using my arm as a makeshift pillow. It was a little unconventional, but it was infinitely less dangerous than her shoulder.
In my exhausted state, the rhythmic vibrations of the train against the metal pole quickly lulled my racing thoughts. Before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep.