Vol 1 Chapter 2.4 (1/2)

“Okay, let’s go, you two!”

Halfway through elating Fus.h.i.+mi and Aya, Yata had run down the emergency staircase and tugged at the bike he had left there. He got on the saddle and pointed his chin at the bicycle carrier.

“Get on! We won’t make it if you run!”

“You plan to ride with the three of us on it!?” asked Aya in a disagreeing manner.

“You don’t need to worry about me. You two aren’t heavy at all. In the past I used to ride around with a guy as fat as three of you and it worked out!”

Aya cast a side glance at Fus.h.i.+mi and while she still hesitated, Fus.h.i.+mi walked over quickly and climbed on the carrier.

“Let’s go. She should walk, like an infantry.”

“What do you mean ‘infantry’!? Aya will ride! You’re really annoying!”

After Aya had stomped on the ground and jumped once, she too came up to the bike, pushed Fus.h.i.+mi to one side of the carrier with a “Move!” and sat down sideways on the other side. Since both of them had small b.u.t.ts Yata felt like he was beset. Aya held onto the back of Yata’s jacket in an impossible posture.

“Aya won’t hold onto your back even if she dies.”

“Same here, don’t touch me even if you’re dying.”

“It can’t be helped that you two are on bad terms, but don’t fall!”

One week ago he had rode with Fus.h.i.+mi on the carrier away from the third years. Even though the weight he transported was twice as much as back then, it was as if his motivation grew with it. Spirited, he pedaled. As expected the balance was bad and right after the departure Yata couldn’t control the speed and the bike wavered. “Uwawawawa!”

“Kyaaaa!” rose Aya’s scream from the back and she pulled on Yata’s jacket so much it seemed to rip.

“Nnuohhh!”

Yata clenched his teeth and pedaled with all the strength in his body and somehow they managed to speed up. The ladies’ bicycle protested with creaking noises as it was pushed over its limit and it seemed to break apart any moment.

“Misaki-kun, are you, like, okay?”

“Yeah! I- I can handle it! Everything’s okay!”

While leaning forward Yata bend his neck and looked up to the sky. The blimp’s shadow had entered a blind spot within the ma.s.s of buildings towering in front of them. But if he believed Fus.h.i.+mi’s calculations, then the blimp should be gradually dropping in height and coming closer. Following such a huge thing was an intense experience. Yata had a slight buzz in his ears. He continued to pedal his bike so much that ma.s.ses of dirt came from the front and hit him.

“We’re taking a shortcut! Hold on properly!”

He firmly grasped the handle and plunged the bike into a path in a gap between two buildings. The bike leaned over and seemed to crash into the wall. Yata momentarily lifted one foot from the pedal and kicked off the wall.

“Fus.h.i.+mi, hold the balance in the back!” he yelled, hoping for joined forces.

“….don’t you think you look stupid?” Fus.h.i.+mi asked in a cool voice that felt as if cold water was thrown onto Yata’s sweaty back.

“You’re the only one pedaling desperately, dripping with sweat.”

“Why? I don’t think so?” answered Yata without hesitating. “Because I’m carrying you two! Maybe it’d be stupid if I’d be alone, though.”

He pedaled the bike rhythmically and raised his voice with every stroke. “I like doing stuff with somebody else. Getting angry, too, laughing from the bottom of one’s belly about silly things, too. Because having friends to hang put with is interesting, right? Even though… I might be a bit too pushy, maybe I can’t read situations, maybe I had been laughed at behind my back…”

Yata’s voice had lost a bit energy. His eyes, which were staring fixedly ahead, lowered.

Until now he hadn’t consider people’s feelings and he had been sure what was fun to him was fun for everybody and maybe he had pushed forward what was “fun” to himself. Yata hadn’t even realize that he had been shunned behind his back. Compared to his former self, the Yata from now, who had learned his lesson, wouldn’t forcefully push forward anymore. A bit scared, Yata searched for Fus.h.i.+mi’s reaction. For other people Fus.h.i.+mi might seem totally insensitive, but for Yata, Fus.h.i.+mi was somebody he wanted to be close to.

Why?

Because Yata didn’t want to be hated by anybody? – that wasn’t it.

It’s because he thought it was amazing how smart Fus.h.i.+mi is. Because he felt so excited his whole body trembled. Because he wanted to see him laugh. Because he wanted to do more interesting things together with Fus.h.i.+mi, because he wanted to laugh together with him.

They came out of the gap.

“We arrived!”