“I’m so so sorry, Imai.” For the hundredth time, Yukihide apologized to Imai, but the latter had ignored him. He ran to catch up with Imai, but failed, “Come on. I’ll buy you some food, okay?”

Imai rolled his eyes, and then avoided Yukihide. They both walked silently through some shops downtown to the subway. Then Imai abruptly stopped after hearing Yukihide’s scream. Not only Imai was shocked by the scream but also the people around them.

There was a thud sound—Yukihide was already sitting on the pavement, with his left hand covering his face and the other hand pointed at the shop window display.

“Tha-that....”

“Are you okay?” Imai kneeled beside Yukihide, “What’s wrong?”

“I think it only happened in the storage room, but why does it follow me up till now?”

Imai furrowed his eyebrows. He didn’t understand Yukihide’s words a bit, not because he was stupid, but because he couldn’t put those words in the right context.

“THAT GUY KEEPS FOLLOWING ME AROUND!” Yukihide peeked from between his fingers. He screamed again.

“Who? Where?” Imai prepared to punch that guy in the face. He was worried that Yukihide had been followed by a weirdo, like what had happened in high school.

“There!” Yukihide pointed at the shop window display once more.

What Imai saw were only a mannequin and their own reflections, “That mannequin is following you?”

“No! That guy in my reflection!”

“I still don’t get it. Whose reflection? I only see our faces.”

Slowly, Yukihide let go of his face, “You can’t see what I see?” Imai shook his head, “How come?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even understand what you say—” Before Imai finished his sentence, Yukihide pulled his hand and they ran back toward the campus, “Where are we going?”

“Back to campus.”

***

There stood the mirror near the window—showing Imai’s reflection. Nothing had changed. Nothing different. Imai wanted an explanation from Yukihide who simply couldn’t comprehend what happened.

“Why don’t you change?” Yukihide mumbled.

“What? Should I change to a superhero?”

“No, not a superhero.” Yukihide then moved in front of the mirror. He still saw the other guy as his reflection, but when Imai saw the mirror, he said it was still Yukihide’s reflection, “But, it’s not my face.” Yukihide added.

“That’s your face, you silly. Maybe you’re hallucinating because you feel hungry. Come on, let’s go get something to eat.”

“I’m not hallucinating!” He yelled. He didn’t know how to make Imai believe in him.

At first, Yukihide didn’t care about the change in his reflection, because he thought only when he saw this certain mirror, his reflection would change. But he realized his reflection literally changed in all mirrors, he panicked and felt irritated.

How could he concentrate whenever he saw that guy?

“This mirror made me like this. It changed me. Please believe me, Imai. I’m not joking. This mirror does magic.”

Imai stared at Yukihide as if he was the craziest person ever. Yukihide was disappointed. Betrayed. He never thought that Imai wouldn’t believe in him. Whom he could talk to?

Yukihide covered the mirror again, “Don’t ever talk about this anymore.”

Imai sighed. He felt relieved Yukihide had stopped talking about the mirror, “You must be so tired thinking about the exhibition. Take some rest and continue painting tomorrow. Let me take you home, okay?”

“Don’t need to. I can go home by myself.”

***

Yukihide finally had a time where he could be alone, enjoying his new reflection. He sat in front of the mirror so that he was able to paint the guy’s reflection. He took his sketchbook from his bag. He never brought home his canvas. He wanted to respect his father who didn’t like his painting. But deep down, Yukihide never said yes to whatever his father wished him to do. Shaking his head, then he started to sketch.

There was something unique about the guy that made him have the strong urge to draw. It seemed so fun to use his own reflection as his drawing object, even though it wasn’t his face. In several hours, his sketchbook was already full of sketches of the guy. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it.

As usual, after he finished sketching, he posted on his Instagram, under a pseudonym. He wanted to see more people appreciating his arts. He was quite famous online. Only seconds after posting his sketches, he already got fifty likes. Smiling widely, Yukihide laid down on his bed while waiting for comments and other likes.

This is so great!

Whoa! So handsome! This must be nee-chan’s boyfriend!

Nee-chan! Your boyfriend is so cute. Can I have him?

You already have a boyfriend?  T.T

Yukihide tried not to laugh while reading those comments. He’s used to be called nee-chan by his fans. Yet, he never revealed his identity, including his gender. People on the comment kept asking who the guy in the sketch was. Suddenly, his Instagram notification showed Imai’s comment, all in uppercase letters as if he was screaming, WHO THE HECK IS THIS?

Then his best friend called him, “Who the heck is that? Do you know him? Why did you draw him and not only one, but five? What the hell, Yukihide?”

“That’s the guy in my reflection. I’ve told you, but you ignored me.”

Realizing his mistake, Imai quickly apologized to him. He regretted not believing in Yukihide, “I’m really sorry, Yukihide. I thought you were joking.”

“Now you believe me, huh?”

“Well, kinda.” Although Imai still doubted it, at least he was on Yukihide's side, “How did it happen? Aren’t you scared?”

Yukihide shrugged, “I’m not and I don’t care. Somehow, I enjoy looking at my reflection now. Unlike before.”

Imai laughed, “Seriously? You didn’t enjoy looking at yourself in the mirror? Don’t you realize that you have such a perfect face?”

“Perfect? Huh. I’m not.”

“Humblebrag.”

“No. Really. I’m not perfect.” He watched himself in the mirror. He traced his strong jawline in the mirroring image, “You know, now I have a strong jawline and a pair of big eyes, but I hate my hair. It’s short.”

Imai’s laugh burst, “Yukihide Shota! This is the craziest reaction I’ve ever heard! You lost your reflection yet you’re still so calm?”

“Why should I be worried? This guy is handsome. I wouldn’t mind exchanging my face with him.”

“Every day you’re with a super handsome guy, but you praised another guy? I can’t believe you.”

“Handsome? Who? You? Oh my God, you’re so embarrassing. Stop it.”

“Hahaha, okay then. Draw the sketch once more, probably I could help you to find him.”

Yukihide stiffened, “Um, no need. It’s better if I don’t meet him. I simply want him to be my inspiration. Nothing more.”

“Oh, well then, see you tomorrow at the campus. I’ll pick you up for lunch. Don’t forget to have dinner. And—”

“Shut up.”

***