The doorbell tinkles, signaling a new customer. A man clad in a long brown trench coat walks into the fairly quiet café. He takes a brief glance around the café, his gaze drawn across the cute cat chibi decor and the brown tables that glimmer at a certain angle. He makes a beeline towards the counter, and after a few seconds of waiting, is handed a bag with a printed picture of a cat eating a glazed donut with a coffee on the front. He grabs his package and is out the door.

Nestled in the plush leathers of the thrift store, the stale air is filled with an aroma of old vintage clothes, and the ambiance is a dull yellow. It takes me back to those carefree childhood afternoons when I would watch the sunlight dance through the curtains, casting playful shadows. A store breathes fresh air as the door jingles, momentarily breaking me from my trance. I look at the new customer, who immediately gets to work sorting through the pile of old, rusty vintage wares like they've been doing this a long time. They sort through the rack like a pro, and I leave them to it. Like them, I have a mission.Directly across the street is the newly opened donut café. Since its opening just a few days ago, it hasn't drawn the crowd like other cafes, but it's clear that anyone who tries their pastries comes back for more; it's safe to say it could become a hotspot. My eyes roam all around the shop and 

soon find their target.

Sitting at a round table, Hisako has her blue, flowing dress tucked neatly beneath her. Her hair, typically let down, is now styled in a low ponytail that she nervously twirls around her fingers and braids on one side of her shoulder. Her date soon exits the men's restroom, walks over, and sits down. Their feet are close together as a waitress approaches to take their order again. After 45 minutes, they have consumed 4 donuts, 2 coffee drinks, 3 biscuits, and 1 cookie. Hisako tucks her hair behind her ear for the 19th time. I see their lips moving, but I can't tell what exactly they

are saying. I wish I were better at reading lips.

They keep at it for another 15 minutes before they suddenly stand up and walk out of the café. I scramble to get up from my seat. I take my brown trench coat and walk from the dull room to the sunny room.The streets are reasonably packed with some students from regional schools, affordable cars from workers around this district, and the smell of early morning baked bread. Hisako lets her hands fall to her sides, her fingers nervously reaching for the boy's hand. She seems hesitant and unsure. If I were in his position, I would grasp her hand right away, not giving her a moment 

to second-guess herself.

The boy, Nanami Kenzie, from Seoul, got admission this school term. He didn't have outstanding academic results and was into sports like basketball and badminton. Within the 3 months of him being a student, he already had the reputation of a playboy even though he had not shown 

interest in any girls. Until Hisako.

I watch as Hisako inches closer and closer for his hand and pulls away. Hisako wasn't the type to hesitate, God. My feet follow them as they walk toward Hisako's street, which is about a 15-minute walk away. Once again encouraged, Hisako shakes her head, pumping herself up, but then deflates as she once again hesitates. I remember all the times Hisako held my hand. From our archery lesson with the bow and arrow, Dad gave me for my 10th birthday to the day we ran away from punishment from a teacher last year to when Shino taunted a dog, and it came chasing after us. I can't catch their words from my distance, but she's smiling brightly, and her eyes twinkle like a 

night full of stars.

What was this feeling? I didn't want her to be with this guy; I didn't want her smiling with him; I didn't want her this happy at the sight of his dimples coming out. This wasn't selfishness; it was just this senior...I didn't want him with her. I don't want him making her smile. He was not good for her.

When they stop at a zebra crossing, their hands sway by their sides. Kenzie reaches out to wrap his hand around Hisako's smaller ones. I watch her duck her head into her scarf as she blushes a deep pink. Kenzie smiles softly, looking down at Hisako, and right there, and then I stop following them.

Kenzie was a nice guy, the type to hold cars to wait on an old granny at a crossing; he was the type of guy to give his umbrella to a cat, heck, he was the guy to take the cat to an animal help 

center.

And I was nothing. Hisako just proved it. If she could see how easily Kenzie liked her and wanted to go out with him, then why couldn't she notice my love for her for the last three years? Was I not enough? The way home is quiet; I keep my distance from them. The path to her house is a long slope with spring flowers fluttering along the way. In a few minutes, we reach Hisako's house.  Kenzie takes his turn to leave but not before a grand gesture of taking her hands into his and dropping a peck on the back of her hand, to which Hisako blushes.

Why does this hurt? At our sixth-grade graduation, I did the same thing, but Hisako belittled me. It had taken me so much courage, yet it seemed so easy for Kenzie.

I walk up to the black gate to the corridor and knock on the white door. The door is thrown open and Hisako stands there with her mouth agape and a hopeful gaze at what could have been but at the sight of me, her face squeezes up a little.

What, not your prince charming?

"Ohh, Kenny? What are you doing here?" She holds the door to herself.

"I'm not allowed to come to your house after school anymore?"

"Aii, I never said so tsk." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at my being. "If you wanna come in first, you gotta give me what's behind your back" I shuffle at her piercing gaze.

"You don't know if it's yours! I can't just give up something like that, I huff, glaring at her with mock anger. I can't stay angry at her for too long, so I cower. I'm just an awkward guy after all.

"Sure, suit yourself. My parents aren't home right now, and I'm sure your mom would have delivered the message over the phone. She begins closing the door.

"Ahh, wait! wait!" I use my foot to stop the door from closing in my face. I quickly ruffle through the bag and bring out the pink peony."Um... well, there were no white roses or yellow tulips. I wanted to say sorry... you seem to be going through a rough patch. I...I really don't know why. But I wanted to-" 

I can barely finish my words when Hisako swings the door open and envelops me in a tight hug. Her body shivers slightly as her ticklish black hair cascades and caresses my cheeks.

"Thank you." Her sniffling reaches my ears, and I realize how much the math camp must have weighed on her. The skepticism surrounding the camp led to significant bullying for Hisako after Mr. Ralph put her name forward. Hisako, a ninth grader, was pitched against people three grades up. The seniors may have initially shown her some leniency, but they likely felt a sense of affront competing against someone three grades younger."It'll be fine." I stroke her back comfortingly. I swear to protect you.

"You know," I can feel her smile against my neck. "If you wanted to express regret, you should have chosen white peonies. Pink peonies are all about romance." She steps back from our embrace, her eyes slightly puffy, which she quickly wipes away.

"It's sweet that you made the effort, but there's no need to apologize for things beyond your control. Aside from that, you really gotta pay more attention when picking flowers in the future, you almost had me there,baaaka" She chuckles softly, tousling my hair before taking the flower from my hand and leaving me in the open doorway.

"I know what a pink peon means, baka." 

  Author's note

I'm not one of those anime kids😭😭 I know the characters are Japanese but nooo, I cringe every time I think of making them say Japanese words.

I need to know how to add music to the chapters. I was listening to 'Blue' by Yung Kai (Absolutely masterpiece, btw😗👌) and it matched so well with our poor male lead😕. I also want the music to last the whole chapter and not just suddenly stop, you know?