Beyond The Table Thus The Boundary

Chapter 6: Friends

It was Friday. The sun shone brightly and the weather was nice enough that people could walk freely without shades. Tsubasa half ran to the college from the railway station as she could not wait any longer. She must rush to the class or she might taint her own name for few time ditching. She did not really mean to do it. It was out of her mind control though; the latest was the day she dropped the class just to explore the Library of Amethyst College.

            Takuya’s voice lingered in her mind. He was absolutely right. So, she decided to fix that matter. She must mend the broken relationship between her classmates, her group mates included, and herself. It took her courage to buckle up, but she ought to do it by now or she might crumble herself and her group. It was bad enough to have less communication between them, and she was not going to worsen the situation by becoming the cause of mark deduction.

            Only on that day, Tsubasa realized one thing. The door of her class was quite heavy. Probably she has always arrived on time or two to three minutes late, so she had the habit of knocking the door over. Or sometimes there were a few times she entered along with other classmates so they were the one pushing the door open. She almost broke into sweat while pushing the door.

            Another thing she just grasped in on that day. It was shocking enough that she came 10 minutes earlier than usual. She startled as she entered the class. It was practically big and wide like a concert venue. She gaped as she noticed the whole place. All these while, she arrived when there were other students available on their respective seats. On that day, she managed to defeat almost everyone since she could choose any seats she desired. Due to her keenness, she wished to seat at any of the most front rows.

            It was her very first time, and it was admittedly giving her constant nervousness. She sat still on her seat and stared at everyone coming in. It was unavoidably surprising that they saw Tsubasa in the front row, and it startled them even more when she smiled at them.

            “Was my smile too weird?” she frowned to herself since there was no one sitting beside her. She wanted to start a conversation with anyone sitting there, but it could take some time for the classmate to adapt themselves with her too.

            Tsubasa took out her stationeries and notebook. She jotted something on the page when someone entered the class. She did not aware of the identity since she was preoccupied with her notebook, until that someone settled down right at her side. Even so, she still engrossed in her writing. She stopped when the lecturer arrived and began the lecture.

            “Can I know how the project goes on?” he asked regarding the assignment he has given on the day before.

            Almost each of the students replied, and everyone was reliably good in their own pace. Tsubasa had a hard time making her own sentence since she did not even recognise her own group mate. She wondered if any of those who responded was her group mate but if there was none of them, it meant the ones not answering the lecturer were definitely her group mates. Out of the blue, a sudden guilt gushed in.

            She disliked the feeling engulfing her. She was very positive around fifteen minutes ago, and her confidence went down to the drain currently. She was fully aware that anything happened to her group would be her fault. She lowered her head so that her frustration incidentally portrayed on the facial could be hidden at least from the lecturer.

            It was, however, something that she has never ever looked forward to. A piece of sticky note was pasted at her table. The one sitting beside her did so, and from the hand which attached the note, she assumed it a man’s. She covertly read the handwriting, which later shocked her to the point she abruptly raised her head to discover who the identity was.

            That Takato man was still writing but not in papers. He was taking notes for everything the lecturer talked in front of the class. He seemed so serious and quiet like how he was in the library. He was still the same Takato Tsubasa has ever known all these while, putting aside the difference in the handwriting and the paleness in his entire expression. He could be fallen sick, hence that explained his absence.

            Tsubasa detached the sticky note on the table, whilst her mouth muttering to herself. She re-read the note.

            Welcome to the front row.

            “It sounds as if he is mocking me,” Tsubasa gritted her teeth. That Takato man did not seem to have nice personality despite the cool vibe oozed from him. While she was thinking thoroughly, she just realized third thing today.

            Did this mean that Takato man was actually his classmate?

            “You are an English Literature student as well?”

            Nevertheless, nothing came as a reply. Tsubasa pouted as she waited for merely two minutes but Takato did not respond to it. Or it might be the case – he ignored Tsubasa. Tsubasa flattened the sticky note on the table and wrote the reply below the line Takato has written.

            Thank you. Don’t make a party for me.

            She swiftly pasted the note at Takato’s table. She refocused on the topic the lecturer was teaching before the class. That Takato man returned the sticky note with his reply. She tried to abandon it but she gasped in disbelief when she skimmed at it and saw some words like ‘group’ and ‘assignment’. She turned to him to find for answer, but Takato was still not looking at her.

            We don’t do party, but we do have surprises. You and I are in the same group for this week’s assignment.

            “For real?” she frantically browsed the name list for the group work available in the w******p group. And it was clearly stated that Takato was one of her teammates, with other three anonymous people. The funniest thing was Takato’s name was transparently above hers, but she did not notice it until Takato revealed himself. She had the urge to slam her face onto the table, but she was sitting in the front row so that gratefully hindered her.

            Sorry. I was too shocked. I should be the one welcoming you then.

            Welcoming him? Tsubasa scratched her own forehead, bewildering what she has written to him. Frankly, she felt that Takato man has more experience in life than she did. Even though she has never heard his voice, she could guess that Takato man was quite responsible and diligent. There must be reasons behind his weekly absence, but it did not really quiver Tsubasa to have the wish to know more of him. She was paying attention to the lecture while the sticky note has returned.

            You don’t have to. Both of us are friendless.

            “You surely know how to turn down a girl,” Tsubasa smirked originally at Takato, however since she was facing affront, he did not see it. She shoved the sticky note into her pencil case and chose to ignore both her heart throbbing and that Takato man. Getting to know that Takato man seemed like a piece of cake to her.

            The session went on as usual. The lecturer has already left the class. Their classmates were gathering themselves in their respective groups as arranged. Tsubasa and Takato were still stiffening themselves on their seats. She was anxious to approach either of the classmates, but she also did not know why Takato did not budge. She peeped him from the eye tips to witness him talking to someone else. That someone else was sitting at his another side, who Tsubasa could not see anything but the wavy hair of that person. That person was not there earlier. She slumped herself into her seat, feeling frustrated and disheartened.

            “You don’t have to be scared of her.”

            It was news to Tsubasa as she could hear Takato’s voice. It was gentle and manly, like a doting father talking to his beloved daughter. She actually blushed, but she covered her face. She sighed as she did not see any progression in her effort, thus she prepared to get out of the place.

            “Just approach her like how you did to me.”

            Tsubasa was about to lift her butt up when that Takato man with the girl sitting next to him leant towards her. They were confronting Tsubasa together, as if Tsubasa was a mother and they were the disapproved couple asking for a blessing. Tsubasa blinked in confuse as she saw the unknown girl.

            “Tsubasa, this girl is also our group mate,” that Takato man said while gesturing his hand to the girl. “Her name is Setoka.”

            “Hi, Tsubasa. My name is Setoka. Nice to meet you,” she bowed a little and gave her hand for a handshake.

            Tsubasa was contemplating on what action she should do as a proper answer. She shook Setoka’s hand and curved the most honest smile she thought she would have, “You don’t have to be so formal with me. We are at the same age. My name is Tsubasa.”

            Takato as the middle man remained silent even though Tsubasa and Setoka have begun chit chatting. They were engrossed with their discussion, accidentally dropped Takato out from their conversation. Takato slowly backed off and fetched his bag to get out of the class.

            “Takato. Where are you going?”

            Takato halted at the class entrance. He fidgeted and turned around. “I- I thought I am not needed.”

            “Are you kidding? Come here,” Tsubasa motioned her hand, calling Takato over.

            Takato lowered his head and made his way to the girls. While he was about to reach Tsubasa’s table, a couple of lovers arrived at the same time. They were hesitating to accost Tsubasa, but then the male did.

            “Are you guys, by the way, Tsubasa, Setoka, and Takato?”

            Setoka and Tsubasa nodded in unison. Takato gradually nodded. His hand grasped his sling bag as if he was afraid of other people. He was just fine while introducing Setoka to Tsubasa just now.

            “We are looking for our group mates. We’re sorry for being late,” The man breathed in relief, “I’m Asahi, and this is my girlfriend Mitsuko. We don’t know Tsubasa and Takato, but we do know Setoka. We saw her coming here earlier, hence that’s why we came down from the upper row.”

            “Nice to meet all of you. Tsubasa, Setoka, and Takato,” the girlfriend Mitsuko bowed. She was good-looking with fair skin and bob styled hair. “We’re sorry for wasting one day without doing the assignment.”

            “No, you don’t have to apologize over that matter,” Tsubasa was amazed at how her group mates maintained their manner. She did not ask them to overly respect her, but seeing them being all behaving well made her heart flutter. “I’m sorry for the late approach,” she intertwined her fingers. Her face was slightly flushed. “You see, I don’t have friends from this class. When the lecturer assigned us group work, I was panicked because I hardly knew everyone here. I’m relieved that you guys could approach me well.”

            Tsubasa caught a glimpsed of Takato being restless. She smiled a little. She did not know the reason, but she reckoned to thank him for connecting her with Setoka, and from that interaction the lovers Asahi and Mitsuko came to them. Her burden was lightened on the spot. She could smile without worrying on how to tackle the heart of her group mate since they were so nice to her. All she had to do was to work hard for the assignment so that she would not disappoint them.

            “I know you because I always saw you at the back row, Tsubasa,” Setoka was the shy type despite having a very pretty face and long wavy hair, “I thought you were the snobbish type – I’m sorry that I misjudged you! However, I saw you and Takato exchanged notes in the class. I guessed you were reachable, hence I did.”

            “I thought only both of us saw that,” Mitsuko’s eyes glittered, “Asahi and I saw it too. Both Tsubasa and Takato exchanged notes. We thought Tsubasa was not that difficult to befriend with, so we decided to accost.”

            “We’re sorry that we’ve mistreated you all these while,” Asahi put his palms together, “You rarely talk to us. We thought you were a selfish one. But it turned out that you are very kind.”

            “But I haven’t done anything good yet,” Tsubasa frowned as she was wondering whether Asahi was just a sweet talker or he really meant it.

            “You did, Tsubasa. This is your note,” Setoka brought up the paper Tsubasa used to plot the assignment plan on the day before. Asahi and Mitsuko gaped in amaze.

            It felt as if there were butterflies in the stomach. Tsubasa did not have the bravery to look at Takato since the three of them were talking about their activity. It was not something important though, but thanks to it, she has found her group mates and gradually become their friends.

            Tsubasa glanced at Takato. Even he was blushing.