《Blue Raspberry Lemonade》


 Pt. 1 - Blue Raspberry Lemonade Soda

    Yui Himitsu often found herself crossing paths with others during their most vulnerable moments. It had become the usual pattern in her life, like an unspoken ritual she couldn''t escape. So, she wasn''t particularly surprised when she stumbled upon someone in tears. Usually, she would accept the awkwardness, avert her gaze, and then move along. But on May 8, after finishing her cleaning duties, she found herself pausing on the bottom step of the stairs.


    Soft, stifled cries echoed from beneath the stairs. The source is a boy named Amari Isao, from the class next to hers. She had seen him in passing before, but he was just another face among the sea of students; the only reason she had noticed him before was because of his immense height. As she started toward her classroom on the first floor, she spotted him scrunched in the corner, making him look small despite his tall stature. Instinct urged her to keep walking, maybe even climb the stairs again, and pretend she hadn''t noticed. But something in the way his quiet sniffles fractured the stillness held her in place.


    Normally, Himitsu would mind her own business like always. But there was something different about him, something in the raw, heart-wrenching tremble of his cries that carried a loneliness she couldn''t bring herself to ignore.


    So, she sat.


    She didn''t say anything, didn''t try to comfort him, and didn''t intrude on his grief; she never would. Instead, she just sat on the step, listening as his sorrow spilled into the silence. She knew he was aware of her presence; his sobs had faltered slightly when she sat, only to resume moments later. The only sound between them was a soft cry and the faint hum of the school''s evening air.


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    Her fingers traced the smooth curve of the can in her hand, a small reward from an upperclassman she had helped with cleaning. The cool metal was steady against her skin, grounding her thoughts as she waited. Eventually, his cries softened before dwindling into subtle sniffles.


    She understood what it was like to cry alone, she had encountered many who cried in solitude. Himitsu also participated in the lonely act. She also knew that sometimes, the presence of another, someone who asked for nothing and who expected nothing, was enough.


    As Amari''s cries gradually softened into shaky breaths, she carefully placed the can on the ground, nudging it gently around the corner. Then, without a word, she stood and took the long way back to her classroom.


    She wasn''t in any rush; she never was.


    Once the sound of her footsteps faded, Isao slowly sat up, his glassy light brown eyes peeking around the corner. His foot bumped against something, sending it rolling with a dull clank. He glanced down at the object as the unopened can of Blue Raspberry Lemonade came to a stop.


    For a moment, he just stared at it. An unexpected gift from the person who had silently kept him company while he wept. He reached down, picking up the can, the blue metal cool on his fingertips. A smile broke out on Isao''s face as he wiped away the last of his tears and cracked it open. The hiss of carbonation filled the air, followed by the crisp scent of citrus and berries. He took a sip, and the taste was sweet yet tangy; his first thought was that it was good. Though he had never tried it before, at that moment, he felt it was the best soda he had ever tasted.


    The next day, as he passed by a vending machine at school, he grabbed a can. After the kind gesture from the girl he never saw, he grew fond of the drink.

 Pt. 2 - Vending Machine

    Himitsu had started noticing Amari everywhere ever since she first discovered him under the stairs. It wasn''t intentional, but somehow, her gaze always seemed to find him¡ªespecially at the vending machine behind the school. That vending machine had been her secret, the only one that carried her favorite drink, a rare find she once had all to herself. But after leaving a can behind for Amari, he seemed to have developed a taste for it too.


    During lunch, she often spotted him at the machine, the soft clunk of a falling can signaling his purchase. He was always there first, as if he knew exactly when to arrive. Then, without fail, he would stroll over to the large tree where his friends lounged in the shade, their laughter a distant murmur beneath the rustling leaves. It was strange; she had been eating lunch in the back of the school for months, yet somehow, she had never noticed them before. The thought amused her. Then again, she always sat alone, perched on her usual bench with the warmth of a freshly bought Yakisoba Pan nestled between her hands. The world around her had always been filled with smaller distractions: the rhythmic hum of cicadas, the dappled sunlight flickering against the pavement, the lazy buzzing of bees drifting from flower to flower, drawn to the sweet scent of spring. So, how could she have noticed?


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    Today was May 14, midweek, mid-month, yet something about it felt strangely off-balance. As she took a large bite of her bread, the familiar taste of sweet and savory sauce filled her mouth, but her focus remained on the vending machine. The glow of the display illuminated the dwindling row of her cherished drink, and disappointment settled in her chest. The supply was running low, practically gone.


    With just twelve cans restocked each month, she had never worried about it running out before. But now, with two people drinking it, the numbers were dwindling faster than expected. Only three cans had been remaining. By the end of today''s lunch, there was just one left.


    Her fingers tightened slightly around her bread as she shifted her gaze toward the boys under the tree. Amari sat with his legs crossed, the late spring sunlight filtering through the branches, casting dappled shadows over his neatly arranged bento. She watched as he picked up a piece of tamagoyaki with his chopsticks, the golden egg glistening in the light.


    Her stomach grumbled. She couldn''t help but wonder when was the last time she had eaten from a proper bento. She tried to recall, but the memory was hazy and lost somewhere in the depths of her mind.


    She took another bite of her pan, but for the first time, the fluffy bread and rich sauce felt¡­ lacking.

 Pt. 3 - A Cough or Two

    Isao coughed lightly before taking a sip of his soda, his gaze drifting toward the girl who always sat alone, quietly eating her Yakisoba Pan. The warm, savory scent had reached him yet again, carried on the breeze. She was the only other student who spent lunch behind the school, a solitary presence amid the rustling leaves and distant chatter of students.


    It was Ryo, his friend, who had first noticed her. Not because of who she was, but because of the tempting aroma of her bread. She never spoke, never interacted, only observed whatever caught her curiosity. Yesterday, it had been the bees hovering near the flowers. Today, it was the vending machine.


    Isao scooped up a bite of rice, swallowing it down just before another cough escaped his throat.


    "Hey, you good?" Nakajima Ryo nudged him with his elbow, brow raised. Isao had been coughing on and off all day, it was starting to concern his friend.


    Isao gave a half-hearted nod before taking another bite, hoping he would let it go. Ryo studied him for a second, then shrugged, already giving up on prying an honest answer.


    ~


    May 15, the next day, Amari Isao didn''t show up to school.


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    ~


    Himitsu walked toward the vending machine, her heart lifting at the sight of the last can of Blue Raspberry Lemonade still waiting for her. She quickly pressed the button, listening to the familiar clunk as it dropped into the tray. But as she scanned the area, she realized something was missing or rather, someone.


    Amari wasn''t there.


    She plopped down onto her usual bench, unwrapping her Yakisoba Pan, when two familiar figures rounded the corner. It was the boys who always ate lunch with Amari, but today, he wasn''t with them, and they had arrived after her. Which rarely happened.


    As usual, they settled beneath the shade of the tree. One of them, Ryo, pulled out his phone. Quickly pressing a button to dial Isao''s number.


    "Hey, you feeling better?" he asked, his voice carrying in the quiet space, once the ringing clicked in response to the call being picked up.


    Himitsu hadn''t meant to eavesdrop, but she couldn''t help but listen as he spoke.


    Isao had texted earlier that morning, saying he was sick and asking Ryo to take notes for him.


    Ryo was quiet for a while, listening to the other end, tension in his face, but he gradually relaxed as the call continued. Whatever Isao said on the other end must have reassured him because Ryo let out a small sigh of relief.


    He clicked his phone off before tucking it back into his black slacks.


    "Says he''ll be back tomorrow," Ryo muttered to the boy next to him, unwrapping his lunch.


    "Dat''s good," Takashima Hotaka, the other boy, responded between bites.


    Himitsu exhaled softly, absentmindedly tracing the top of her unopened can.


    Guess he''s sick, she thought. She was ready to pop open the tab but stopped herself. Instead, she set the can aside and finished her pan. A quiet idea danced into her mind, making a smile form on her lips.

 Pt. 4 - Strawberry Lemon Candy

    Himitsu arrived at school early on May 16, a quiet sense of purpose guiding her steps. Today, she had a goal.


    She slipped into an unfamiliar classroom, scanning the room until her eyes landed on a girl sitting by the window, Miya Kou. If she wanted this to work, she needed to ask.


    Taking a steady breath, she approached. "Excuse me," Himitsu said, clearing her throat. "Do you know where Amari Isao sits?"


    Miya looked up, eyes narrowing slightly. Suspicion flickered across her face.


    Himitsu hadn''t thought this far ahead. She needed a reason, anything that wouldn''t invite more questions. "I wanted to thank him for something." The excuse was flimsy, but it seemed to work.


    Miya studied her for a moment before lazily gesturing to the desk in front of her. "Right here." Her tone was stiff, mildly irritated.


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    "Thanks." Himitsu''s gaze drifted to Miya''s desk, where scattered lemon candy wrappers lay like discarded evidence of a small, unsatisfied craving. On impulse, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a single, limited-edition strawberry lemon candy. Without a word, she placed it on Miya''s desk before setting her small gift on Amari''s desk.


    Miya stared, momentarily speechless and a little gobsmacked. Before she could react, Himitsu was already slipping out the door, disappearing down the hallway.


    Miya glanced down at the candy on the desk. That morning, she had tried, unsuccessfully, to get her hands on this exact flavor. The only reason she had come to school early was to check the store before the rush, only to find it already sold out. Resigned, she had settled for her usual lemon drops, eating them more out of irritation than enjoyment.


    And yet, here it was. The one thing she had wanted was casually left behind by the girl who had wandered into her classroom, asking about Amari Isao.


    She unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth. The taste was sweeter than expected, but the tartness still lingered just the way she liked it.


    A smile tugged at her lips.


    The day had barely begun, and already, it felt a little brighter for Miya. Thanks to the strange encounter.

 Special(a) - Ryo & May 15

    On the morning of May 15, Ryo received an abrupt text from his friend, Amari Isao, informing him that he was sick and asking if Ryo could take notes for him.


    Ryo accepted immediately. Isao rarely reached out for help, so when he did, Ryo always agreed.


    As Ryo stepped into the classroom, the chatter of conversations filled the air, an overwhelming buzz that made him instinctively reach for his earbuds. They hung loosely around his neck, always within easy reach. Slipping them on, he made his way to his seat situated near the back and began setting out his materials.


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    Just as he was tucking his phone away, another text blipped up on the screen. A simple text from Isao.


    Thank you.


    A smile formed on Ryo''s face. He was worried about Isao, but he was glad he could help. Isao had always been blunt and soft-spoken, and his messages reflected that; short, to the point, it matched the way he spoke in person. Somehow, that consistency made Ryo appreciate the messages even more.


    Ryo sent back a quick thumbs-up before slipping off his earbuds just as the teacher walked in.


    Even though Isao had reached out, Ryo still felt uneasy. He decided he would call him at lunch¡ªjust to check if he was feeling any better. Even if it was only to put his mind at ease.