You really have to think before you speak, Aster!

He tried to compute the best course of action. Calix had looked up from his finished food and thrown him a suspicious glance. He decided the best course of action was to take a page out of Calix's playbook and act as nonchalantly as he could, and quickly drive the conversation away from what he had said.

"Heh, that's true, I guess. How do you get inspiration for your songs, though?"

"Well, I write about a lot of things. There's a little hidden spot by the river, I tend to go there when I need inspiration."

Aster's strategy seemed to have worked. He had dodged a very dangerous bullet there. Had Calix found out what he was doing, he was sure his entire social and academic life would enter into freefall. He would have never been able to recover from such a blunder.

"I was actually planning on heading there after this to work on an assignment. Wanna come with? It's just a walk away!"

Aster was beyond ecstatic. His heart was bursting at the seams with happiness.

Calix is gonna share his secret hangout spot with me? Why? Am I the only one who knows about it? Or has he already shared this spot with Hazel, or even Lila?

Aster refused to let any feelings of jealousy jeopardise his chance to learn more about Calix. He tried his hardest not to let his excitement come on too strong, but he failed tremendously the first time.

"Yes! I would love to!"

He faked a cough and cleared his throat, trying again. 

"I mean… yes, that would be nice"

Aster was startled to see that it was Calix, who was unexpectedly visibly enthusiastic. Gone was his standard deadpan expression, now replaced by a genuine look of excitement. 

The one time I curb my enthusiasm, Calix actually gets excited???

Still, Aster was thrilled to see Calix with so much positive energy. 

"You would? Let's go then!"

They stood up and made off.

Wait, we haven't paid yet!

***

After making payment and apologising for forgetting about it, Calix and Aster walked side-by-side through countless streets. Despite living in the city all his life, Aster only passed this district on the bus during his daily commute. It was nice to walk through a new area and take in all the scenery and atmosphere. The spring air was fresh, and cherry blossoms blew in the wind. It was the first time in a while that Aster had had the opportunity to experience the cherry blossoms without the worries of school or family weighing him down.

How does Calix know his way around so well?

The walk was silent, but Aster didn't mind. As much as he considered himself to be an extrovert, he appreciated silence from time to time. However, the walk seemed to last forever. After about thirty minutes of constant walking, Aster was dying. Calix seemed to be just fine, despite the arduous journey that they had been taking. No longer was Aster appreciating the walk; he was now struggling to keep up with Calix's pace. Aster was audibly panting. Calix turned around with a look of worry on his face.

"You okay? Wait here."

Calix started walking to the nearby convenience store. Aster watched as he pushed the door open and disappeared inside. Aster looked around the area- there were many street stalls open, some selling food, and others with clothes or crafts. This was an area of the city that Aster was totally unfamiliar with. A few moments later, Calix emerged from the store with a small plastic bag in hand. He pulled out a bottle of water and passed it to Aster.

"Here you go." 

His personality is as beautiful as he is.

"Don't worry, it's on me."

Once again, Aster felt the same feeling that he had felt in the restaurant. He could hear his heart beating out of his chest, and his face started heating up once again. This time, he had nowhere to run.

"We're almost there," Calix reassured.

He was right. Soon, they took a turn to a little park with a view of the river. It was now the peak of spring, and like the garden in CUA, this park was filled with a vibrant assortment of flowers, most of which were in bloom. There was a singular bench swing in the shade of one of the few cherry blossom trees that littered the area. The gentle sounds of the rippling water from the nearby river and the rustling of the trees created a serene atmosphere. Aster understood why Calix had loved the place so much.

I wonder how Calix found this place.

Indeed, it was a secret spot. The two of them were the only people around. Otherwise, the park was truly empty, free of any human activity. A ray of light shone through the cherry blossom tree onto the bench swing, almost as if it was inviting the two of them to sit there. As they walked, Aster continued to admire his surroundings.

"It's so beautiful here."

"Yup, especially with all the flowers blooming."

Calix walked over to a lilac bush, which had just begun to bloom. 

"I especially like these ones. They're so pretty."

No flower is as pretty as him…

They sat on the bench. Aster took a deep breath in, savouring the fresh spring air. A gust of wind surged through, showering Calix and Aster with a bunch of pink petals. They landed all over their hair and outfit. The pink petals contrasted Calix's full black outfit, but somehow the two colours meshed well together. Aster couldn't explain it. Aster dusted his outfit off, but Calix was unbothered by the petals.

"You'll be covered again in a few minutes." Calix chuckled.

He rummaged through his bag, withdrawing a black laptop. 

"Thanks for accompanying me here, Aster. I'm gonna do some of my assignment for a bit. If you want, you can stay here and chill, but I won't keep you."

Every time Calix said Aster's name, he sent butterflies into Aster's stomach. 

"I'll stay."

Aster leaned back and closed his eyes. It had been a long day of school, and he could feel the tiredness building up within. It was not long before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.