A Single Footprint in the Snow (17)
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN: Ninomiya Kazunari, Age: 21 -- Aiba Masaki, Age: 21
"Nino, you're not eating," Tanaka observes. She turns to look behind her at whatever has Nino captivated. "What are you looking at?"
Through the glass windows behind them Aiba is taking lunch with a girl in the courtyard of their college. She catches sight of them and exclaims, "That's your best friend, Nino. I didn't know he is dating Suzuki."
"Suzuki?" Nino repeats.
Tanaka picks at the curry on her plate and shoves the potatoes around with a fork. She shrugs. "Suzuki Lilian. She's the prettiest girl in our dance class. She knows it, too." The last bit of her words is said with bitterness. She adds, "Our Professor likes her a lot."
"And Aiba's dating her?" Nino reemphasizes.
Tanaka throws him a wry look. "It's obvious."
Nino stares down at his own food tray. He wasn't hungry to begin with, but he no longer has an appetite for anything.
Just last month, Aiba and he had drowned themselves in alcohol together. Matsumoto had been a wall between them, but he was history. Comforted by the end of Nino and Matsumoto's relationship, Aiba had been ecstatic and drunk. That night Nino had felt that once and for all he had found his best friend again.
Yet, Aiba had not even allowed Nino a moment to settle in the familiar warmth of his gaze before turning his attention elsewhere.
As always, Nino feels numb.
"Nino, are you listening?" Tanaka asks and Nino realizes that his classmate has been talking.
He remembers that he bought two tickets to the baseball game that he wanted to go with Aiba. He cannot go with Aiba now, not this soon.
Nino interrupts Tanaka's monologue and asks, "Tanaka, want to go to a baseball match with me?"
She shuts her mouth and blinks rapidly. "Nino, are you asking me out on a date?"
A date or whatever, it doesn't matter. He isn't interested in girls, but no one except Aiba and Matsumoto knows that.
He asks again with the rephrasing, "Want to go on a date with me?"
Tanaka becomes shy and looks down at her hands. "Maybe," she says.
Nino looks out the window behind her and realizes Aiba has turned around and is watching him. He and Tanaka are seated in the cafeteria near the windows in the line of their view. At catching Nino's eyes, Aiba waves merrily. Suzuki sees Nino and nods. Nino's stomach churns, but he forces a smile on his face and acknowledges them. He wishes there is a hole where he can crawl into, away from the eyes of the world that laughs at him.
* *
EIGHTEEN
SEVENTEEN: Ninomiya Kazunari, Age: 21 -- Aiba Masaki, Age: 21
"Nino, you're not eating," Tanaka observes. She turns to look behind her at whatever has Nino captivated. "What are you looking at?"
Through the glass windows behind them Aiba is taking lunch with a girl in the courtyard of their college. She catches sight of them and exclaims, "That's your best friend, Nino. I didn't know he is dating Suzuki."
"Suzuki?" Nino repeats.
Tanaka picks at the curry on her plate and shoves the potatoes around with a fork. She shrugs. "Suzuki Lilian. She's the prettiest girl in our dance class. She knows it, too." The last bit of her words is said with bitterness. She adds, "Our Professor likes her a lot."
"And Aiba's dating her?" Nino reemphasizes.
Tanaka throws him a wry look. "It's obvious."
Nino stares down at his own food tray. He wasn't hungry to begin with, but he no longer has an appetite for anything.
Just last month, Aiba and he had drowned themselves in alcohol together. Matsumoto had been a wall between them, but he was history. Comforted by the end of Nino and Matsumoto's relationship, Aiba had been ecstatic and drunk. That night Nino had felt that once and for all he had found his best friend again.
Yet, Aiba had not even allowed Nino a moment to settle in the familiar warmth of his gaze before turning his attention elsewhere.
As always, Nino feels numb.
"Nino, are you listening?" Tanaka asks and Nino realizes that his classmate has been talking.
He remembers that he bought two tickets to the baseball game that he wanted to go with Aiba. He cannot go with Aiba now, not this soon.
Nino interrupts Tanaka's monologue and asks, "Tanaka, want to go to a baseball match with me?"
She shuts her mouth and blinks rapidly. "Nino, are you asking me out on a date?"
A date or whatever, it doesn't matter. He isn't interested in girls, but no one except Aiba and Matsumoto knows that.
He asks again with the rephrasing, "Want to go on a date with me?"
Tanaka becomes shy and looks down at her hands. "Maybe," she says.
Nino looks out the window behind her and realizes Aiba has turned around and is watching him. He and Tanaka are seated in the cafeteria near the windows in the line of their view. At catching Nino's eyes, Aiba waves merrily. Suzuki sees Nino and nods. Nino's stomach churns, but he forces a smile on his face and acknowledges them. He wishes there is a hole where he can crawl into, away from the eyes of the world that laughs at him.
* *
EIGHTEEN