Running After You

Chapter 2: Running Behind

"We... Don't hang out that much anymore." He sighed on how far behind she had gotten in his life.

"But her mom says you two walk together to school everyday." If only that women knew the truth about that. "Anyway, don't you still want to see her? You're still friends at least."

"And I can do that without making some dumb club." He swiped the paper from her hands and stood up. "I'm going to do homework now." Youta hastily gathered his things to drag it along upstairs to his room for some much needed privacy. Still tightly gripped in his hands was the paper his teacher had handed him.

Somehow, as he dropped all his school work once more onto the ground, he couldn't get himself to crumble up the lone page and toss it into the trash. If he had done so earlier, then he'd been able to avoid that conversation and not have to continue thinking about that nagging constantly picking his brain.

Yet as he was about to do just that, he hesitated. Again he couldn't make the final decision to say no as he placed it on his desk. Why couldn't he do it? Why couldn't Youta do what was already going on in his head?

As he wrestled with the thoughts, he found himself looking outside his window. As luck would have it, his eyes spotted Mitora, running as always, heading home as he rushed up to her front door. At her pace, she'd already be up in her room, which happened to be visible through her window from his own room.

Quickly, he moved off to the side to hideaway, hearing her entering her room with a quick slam as she carelessly closed the only entry point. Youta didn't make a sound as he continued to hide, knowing she'd do the same thing she always did after a hard practice.

That was to change out of her sweaty clothes to put on something much more casual. He recalled the first time he had accidentally spotted her doing this back during their first year in high school. It was the first time he had ever seen a girl in nothing but her underwear, and it just happened to be the girl he had grown up with.

Apparently Mitora liked wearing blue.

Now he had gotten to a point where he knew how long it'd take her to regain her decency. So he didn't move a muscle until the time elapsed, where he'd be confident in being able to get her attention.

And today would be a little different as he turned the corner to see her now lying on bed to catch her first proper breather since school ended. Youta opened up his window and used a hand mirror he kept for the purpose of reflecting light through her window to get the girl's attention.

She sprung out of bed upon noticing the telltale ray of light and rushed to her window in an instant.

"Hello!" Mitora gave out a hearty greeting as she opened up her window and leaned out. "Haven't seen you doing that in a while."

"Mitora, don't hang out like that." Every time she'd take her standard pose on the window sill, he'd get anxious. She seemed precarious the way she sat. Where a strong gust of wind could send her plummeting down to the ground. "It's not safe."

"Anyway, what do you need?" She ignored his concerns, relaxing by leaning her arm onto the frame.

"What makes you think I need something? Maybe I just wanted to talk." He tried playing coy, but it wouldn't work on her.

"Because you almost never use that thing anymore." She answered, referring to his mirror. "In fact, you're never the one asking to talk like this either." She chuckled, taking a glance over at her desk where there was a pile of pebbles. This was her tool of choice to summon him.

"Gee, I wonder why." He began to remember why he didn't use this method anymore as they got older. However, her carelessness about safety aside, there was something he wished to talk to her about. "But I did want to ask... How's track been?" He proceeded to get cold feet and ask her something different than his original intent.

"Great, you know you can always just hang around and watch." Her still sweaty face was proof of the effort she put into it everyday. "It's not like we'd force you to run, you know." Mitora laughed, even if her position was no laughing matter for him. "But it'd be totally funner if you did."

"Everything going well, huh?" He thought about what his role would be if he accepted the club offer. "Is there anyone having any trouble? Or causing trouble?"

"Not that I can think of in the track team." She answered, putting a finger under her chin as she considered the question. "Some of the girls have been complaining in the other teams, I hear. But whatever, it's not like it matters to us." Mitora didn't think of the troubles around her, but his teacher wouldn't ask for help if the situation wasn't somewhat dire. "But, I guess I'm a little troubled."

"You are!?" He quickly got a bit excited, forgetting his own safety concerns as he leaned over the window sill to hear her better. "What's wrong? Is someone causing you trouble?"

"I don't have my best friend cheering me on in the stands." She laughed at him getting too uppity from her suggested issue. "I swear, you should be some kind of manager. You're always wanting to help someone." He didn't think of himself as compassionate, but she would always tell him this. "You'd be totally awesome as a manager. I'd love to see you hanging around the field, even if you're not going to be with the track team all the time."

"You... Really think so?" Somehow, coming from her, Youta began to find his heart softening up to the idea.

"Yeah. And to tell you the truth... I really miss seeing you whenever I'm running track." Those words stuck to his brain as it fused with the page simply laying on his desk.

"Then, I have a surprise for you." He couldn't believe it, but Youta knew he was about to make a choice he wouldn't be able to easily take back. "Just wait until tomorrow. I know you'll really like it."