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.
~
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.