Part 36 : Struggle

Throughout the camp, Amaya tried very hard to forget what she saw. Somehow Kaze's mask gave her some kind of comfort. It was complicating. She didn't know what was that feeling.

Akira helped her a lot by stopping by her room and accompanying her a while.

Finally, the last day of camp came. The teacher in charge "reappeared".

As they were boarding the bus, Amaya dragged her luggage along the corridor and down the stairs which made out a very disturbing and annoying sound. As she passed by one of the rooms, a door suddenly flew open. For some reason like it was instinct, Amaya tossed her luggage at the door flying towards her.

"Crap! Why did I do that?! Sorry!" Amaya said in a hurry.

Her luggage flew open as well that instant she threw it. Her clothing flew everywhere on the floor. She hurriedly bent down and conviniently tossed her clothes in her luggage again.

"Here. Let me help you." someone stooped down to help her.

Amaya stopped dead again when she heard that voice. It was Shiro. She just grabbed her clothes he picked up and pushed it all inside the bag, zipped it and hurried away.

Shiro stood up. He looked at her figure rushing of towards the lobby. There was a kind of dissapointing look on his face. Suddenly he remembered the time.

"Ah! It's my turn to be late now!" he said under his breath.

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Boarding the bus.

Amaya took her seat in front of Kazuki and Narumi alone. She kept kneeling on her seat facing them and kept chattering to them. They both just carried on talking with her.

She seems like a different person. Kazuki thought. But he just pushed that thought aside.

Akira sat opposite Kazuki. He kept looking at her. Something went wrong I swear. Akira thought. She's never so quick to change from being so troubled to being so care-free and talkative.

When the teacher took down everyone's name, Shiro wasn't there.

"Shiro. Shiro. Shiro Takumi!" she kept repeating.

"I'M HERE! I'M HERE!" Shiro shouted as he ran up the bus.

"Here's another weird one." Akira whispered to himself.

Shiro looked around for an empty seat. There was one next to Amaya and well, no more else.

"Go on. Put your bag up and go sit." the teacher said. "Amaya sit down. The bus is about to start."

Shiro reluctantly took his seat next to Amaya. Amaya didn't say anything once Shiro sat next to her. She just sat there as stiff as a stone.

"Hey." Shiro whispered to her a long time later, which was when everyone at the back were playing all kinds of bus games and making lots of noise.

"Look. I'm sorry." he continued. No answer. "I don't know what to say, I-"

Something fell on his shoulder. Shiro turned and looked. It was Amaya. She's asleep already.

That face looks ridiculously familiar. Shiro thought.