"Pffttt. Seriously?" He just nodded to his friend's question. 

Shida bursted out a loud laugh ignoring his friend who was looking at him with the gaze that may kill him if it was a knife.

To be honest, he didn't expect that coming from Risa's mother.

"If only I didn't follow your stupid plan, I wouldn't be in this position." Risa took the book in front of him and smacked his friend's head and sighed.

"Ouch. It hurts!" Shida tried to avoid the book but failed and he groaned.

This kid is the real pain in the ass. He often does something ridiculous and dragged Risa along but it always him who will be caught by his mother while Shida casually slipped away from the trouble.

There was countless time during their middle school where Risa faced with lots of punishment from his mother not majorly because of his act, but because he followed along with Shida's ideas and often got teased by his sister when he came back with a sulky face.

"It's a reward for you since you left me alone, stupid. I should have hit you with the volleyball instead." Risa said. He then looked outside of the classroom and saw a few students playing in the field.

"So, you're not coming to the court this evening?" Shida asked.

He still had that teasing smile on his face and for the nth time, Risa wanted to kick him out from his view.

"What do you expect me to do? Go against my mother?" Risa rolled his eyes.

"Well, what are you again? An elementary student? As much as I acknowledge you as a good son, I didn't expect you will still obey your mother ." Shida continued to tease him.

That character of Risa will never fail to impress Shida Manaki who had been with him since middle school.

Although Risa appeared to be cold-hearted person, when it comes to his family or the person he loves, there will be a soft spot in him that will turn him into a person that nobody expected to see from Watanabe Risa.

"I will go home after this. My cousin is coming." Upon hearing the word 'cousin', Shida straightened his upper body and closed the gap between him and his friend.

"Cousin? The same age cousin?" Shida smiled widely when Risa nodded but only for a while before he let out a heavy sigh.

"Ehhh?! Why did she come when I have to go for training? I really want to meet her. She must be pretty." Shida pouted and leaned his back on the chair.

He knew about the existence of Risa's cousin but never once Risa showed to him her face nor telling her name although the girl was said to go to a high school near theirs. At least he got that little information from Risa's mother.

Risa looked at the disappointed guy in front of him and chuckled. "That's the purpose for me to invite her this evening cause I know you will not tag along." He smirked at the guy who was looking at him with big eyes.

"Wow. You're so mean, dude. It's okay. There will always be next time." Shida said and turned his body to face the board in front.

"By the way, what happened to the so-called as your soulmate yesterday? Did your plan went well?" Risa poked Shida's shoulder and once again, Shida turned his body to Risa.

"Sadly, I got turned down even before I apologize for bumping her." Risa tried to hold his laugh. He raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"Her friends came and accused me being a pervert." Then he paused for a second before continued, "I received a good slap on my left cheek though." Risa laughed so hard until he felt pain in his stomach.

"From whom?"

"That girl."

Risa laugh louder than before until tears form in his eyes.

"I told you about their rule and you ignored me. Serve you right." Shida hit Risa's shoulder lightly.

"Shut up. I just hope I won't meet her again. Or else, she will think I'm a stalker."

"It still hurts you know." Shida rubbed his left cheek.

********

"Eh?!" Her three friends said in unison as they looked at her with big eyes.

"Shh. Don't be too loud. People are looking at us now." Neru placed her index finger on her lips to shush her friends for making a loud noise in the class early morning. They immediately covered their mouth with their hands.

"Seriously? I am so happy for you!" The girl with short hair named Koike Minami hugged Neru's side.

"I knew it! Your hard work is paid off. You deserve it, Neru-chan!" Her other friend, Takamoto Ayaka who sat in front of her said.

"I'm happy for you Neru. You have been waiting for this. Congratulations!" Her elementary school friend, Imaizumi Yui said while had a wide smile on her face.

"Thank you, guys. I had troubled you guys a lot during the preparation time." Neru said while looking at each of her friends' face.

She couldn't thank them enough for the sacrifice they did when they took the entrance exam a year ago. She occupied most of her time studying until she was down for fever a week before the examination and it took her friends to help her to keep up with the chapters she left out during the extra class while they had to do their revision as well.

"So, are you going there?" Michan asked her. She immediately looked down on her hands on the table.

Upon realizing the atmosphere changed by the sudden question, Imaizumi held Neru's hand and spoke, "Hey, Neru. You know we are always here to support your decision, right?" Her other two friends nodded.

Imaizumi knew what had been played in Neru's mind. It's not like she knew Neru yesterday, but after years of knowing the girl in front of her, she could easily read her mind like an open book.

"I have yet to decide. I have a lot of things in my mind and I doubt if my decision to go there is right. I don't know what will I do without anyone that I trust." Neru spoke with an uncertain voice.

Imaizumi looked at her two friends once again before returned her gaze to her best friend.

"You know what, look into what you will achieve more than what you have now. It is not that you will become selfish if you leave us for a better future, but it is your chance to go further."

"First, this offer in only once in your lifetime. Once you reject the offer, you never know when will the opportunity like this to come. Plus, we have another two years to graduate in high school and we never know what we have prepared to enter adulthood if we stay in our comfort zone. We know that to be a doctor is always your dream and that high school is not an ordinary school like ours. They had produced a lot of successful people in the country. Take this as a stepping stone for you to know better about the world and away from your familiar surrounding."

Imaizumi paused for a moment before she continued,

"If it takes you to leave anyone behind, do that but make sure to always keep in touch with the ones you love. We will never be on the losing side as long as we make an effort for each other in our life."

Neru listened to her friend and she had no strength to reply nor deny the words. Indeed, it was true and she will challenge herself.

Her eyes were getting red from holding too much burden in her head. She knew her friends were there to support her physically and mentally when she felt their hands on top of hers.

"I will think of it thoroughly. Thank you." Neru smile looking at her friends.

"So, when is the registration?" Takamoto asked.

"The beginning of the new semester. " Takamoto gasped upon hearing the answer.

"Eh?! It is two months from now. I have to rush and plan a farewell party for you." They laughed at her excitement.

"Hey. Are you planning to get rid of me this early?" Neru sent her a sharp gaze before they continued to laugh and further the conversation with random things before the teacher entered the class.

#

-I'm out-

a/n: I was playing FaceApp (I don't remember which apps I used) and accidentally uploaded Risa's photo that I saved (Futari Saison's). I was shocked to see how good looking she is when I swapped it to male version 😂 I edited the face to fit the body and tadaahhh- it's in the poster 🤣