“What … what … the f*ck are you doing?” I pull myself back and I actually almost screamed.

But also that boy, he pulls himself back and looks panicking.

“No! This is not like what you think!”

“You know what I’m thinking about?! You are a real pervert then!” I said angrily while examining who is him.

He is that boy from a while ago!

“No! Listen, I just got here and about to take some medicine, but the nurse wasn't here.”

Of course, She is maybe in my class to sent a letter while I’m here.

“And,” he continued, “I heard a noise, which happened to be a song you played on your phone! That's all!”

I can feel my eyebrows are furrowing.

“Uh!” He swiped his eyes. “I don't care if you don't believe me, but I’m just curious when I heard your music ….” He is now staring meticolously at me.

“What?” I said.

“Are you Sorata-san? The nominee for the Vocalist Hunt Competition this year?”

What? A nominee?

“N-no.” I’m not lying though, I do not know if I announced as a nominee for the competition I decided to not join months ago. I am unsure if it's me, I need to give the announcement a real check.

“Then, forgive me for the intrusion.” That boy, he give me a deep bow.

“You are that student from a while ago, right? The one who bumped me in front of the teacher's room.”

“Yes.” He said. “I am apologizing again for that, senpai.”

So he know that I am an upper classman.

“It’s okay, but I can not believe you.” I said. “Do that freaky thing again and I swear you are done in my hand.” 

He lift his face up and give me a farewell statement before leaving me alone in this infirmary.

“A nominee?” I let out an unanswered question to myself. What he said just now is definitely bugging me.

While the effect of the medicine is still kicking me—and also my headache—I force myself to open my email, and that's when my eyes got bigger.

“WHAT! Ouch!” I screamed and then pinched my forehead. 

This damn headache!

“What happened?” The nurse—who I guess, just arrived—opened my curtain.

“Ah, just … my head hurts, I think the medicine is start to kicking in.”

“It is supposed to be.” She said. “So take your time, I will wake you up, okay? Have a good rest.”

She sound really concerned.

“Mm.” I nodded.

The nurse closed the curtain, and I hear her shoes walking away from my bed.

Before I doze off, I remembered the boy’s name written on his uniform name tag, which I happened to saw it earlier.

“Kuroto Tsukishiro, right?” I hummed.

What an unique name.

*

It's a gentle pat on the shoulder with a sounds of ringing school’s bell that wakes me up from my good nap.

But, then again, when I opened my eyes, I saw a hazy figure with his broad shoulder and a familiar voice speaking through my ears.

“It’s time to wake up.”

“Kaida?”

“Kaida?” That voice who just asked me back and turns to be a sound of a woman.

“Oh, no, sorry.” I get up.

“Feeling better?” The nurse said.

I nodded.

“It’s lunch hour anyway, eat your meal so you can get better.”

“Thank you for the help.” I send a gratitude bow to her.

I walk myself out from the school's infirmary to my own class, and I take my bento and walked out again.

“Hey, feel better?”

My classmate asks me.

“Yes, gotta eat my meal.” I answered.

“Enjoy your meal then!”

I’m waving my hand behind my back and walk to my other favorite place to spend my lunch hour—it’s the staircase, on the 4th floor and about to hit the roof top.

Usually the rooftop is always on lock, so I will just sit on the 4th floor. Only a few students go here, since most of them going to the cafetaria or the courtyard. The 4th floor does not have lesson classroom anyway, it's filled with the rooms for physics lab, food lab, and rooms for literature club and art studio, sometimes used for the art club too.

Students going here if they have a schedule to use those rooms, or after the school activities ended. This one is perfect place for me to listen some music and usually … practice my singing in the lunch time.

I am about to sit when I can feel the breeze from above of my head. So, I decided to look up and find out that the steel door to the roof top is slightly opened, that's the place where the wind comes from.

“Huh?” I questioned myself.

But it seems inviting to me, and at the end, I just walked up to there. I can feel the wind once I push the door wide open—I close my eyes. It blows on my hair, it touches my skin, it embraces my hands to move forward a bit, it caresses my cheeks.

And suddenly I sing again, louder since I first time record it at the studio, louder like no one’s here. Louder like I can see him caresses my cheeks and smiling in front of me, while his hand on my hand, and the others on top of my head.

It does still linger—everything about you—and it hurts.

Klang!

I stopped, and I can feel my heart racing.

I think it's a cat—or not.

I walk to the source of that strange sound, on beside the wall, and of course, it is not a cat.

It's that boy from earlier.

There's this phrase saying that “two times it's a beginner’s luck, three times it's your fate deciding your certainty.” Well, I don't know if that phrase fits with this circumstances, but ….

“You again? Really?” I sighed.

“Before you accuse me of things I never did, I am the first one who sit here.” He said, his eyes are piercing mine.

Now, he’s right.

“But, that voice ….”

“Huh?”

“Are you not lying? You are Sorata, right?”

I step back. “Even if that Sorata is me, what is your business?”

He is looking down at the concrete floor.

“I know that contest.”

He looked up again at me.

“I am about to submit mine, but I decided to not to. And here's this thing, someone uploaded mine without my consent, so I will retreat mine from the nominee.”

“Eh … what? Why?”

“Why? Isn’t it clear? Someone uploaded mine without my consent, though it’s sent by my email.” He really did send mine, that was all where it began.

His fingers fidgeting, seems like he doesn’t know what to talk about.

“Do you happened to join the competition too?” I walk and sit beside him.

“Eh?”

“Don't get me wrong, I’m hungry.” I opened my bento. “Answer me.”

He nods. “Didn't pass to the shortlist, though.”

It's the sound of me munching my lunch box for the time being, well he, my junior beside me only tapping his fingers on his lap.

“Are you playing an instrument?” I asked, curiously.

He nods. “Yes! It's keyboard and piano!” He sounds so enthusiast.

“Kuroto Tsukishiro, right?” I closed the lid of my lunch box.

His eyes got bigger.

“I happened to read your name tag, earlier.”

“Oh ….” He said.

I get up from my position and about to leave when he call me.

“Uhh ….”

I tilt my head.

“I am about to ask one thing … if I can.” He said.

I turned around and nod.

“Is it okay … if I recruit you to sing for my band?”

My eyes widen. “Band?”

“U-um!” He nods hesitantly. “I heard this school have music club—”

“The band …,” I cut him off. “It’s already disbanded, not so long ago.”

“What?” His jaw dropped.

Seeing the word ‘band’ coming from other’s mouth give me chills, and somehow, an image of you comeback to my sight, and so does your laughs.

“Tsk.” I turned my back on him. “And I am about to stop singing, so don't ask me things like that.” I am leaving the rooftop.

“Eh? Why? Wait!!”

I hurriedly stepping down the stair, and my tears are uncontrollably falling out from my eyes.

“F*ck you! F*ck myself!” I gritted my teeths.

It still lingers, and it does really hurt.