Empty Boy

"You're so going to get it today!"

I smirked and lazily replied,

"Oh really?

"Since you want to touch me so much, why don't I just touch you?"

I took off one of my gloves and pressed my hand to his face. I could see the shock and confusion in his eyes, then the uncertainty.

"Aren't you the new transfer student?" a female voice came from the side.

I turned around and looked at her. For a moment, shock overwhelmed me. Then I grinned at her.

"Yes, and you are?" I said.

She pushed her glasses up carelessly and stared at the boy behind me, who was looking at me with confusement written on his face.

"I'm Akane. I'm in the student council. What are you two doing here?" she said.

I grinned airily at her. Was she my next victim?

"Ask him. I'm sure he won't remember anything about me." I said.

"Why? He's your classmate, isn't he?"

I held my hand right in front of her face. I saw her flinch for a second, and then she stared at me, not speaking.

"That's right. When I touch people with my bare skin, they would forget everything about me." I said, still grinning.

"Is that why your eyes looked so sad?"

"Aoi!"

I turned to look at the person calling me. I saw Akane waving from a distance. I waved back at her and waited for her to reach to where I was sitting.

"Aoi! You were supposed to be afraid of the sun, remember? Now you're sitting directly under it!" she yelled at me.

I smiled and pulled my hood up.

"Well sorry. My memory isn't that good."

She sighed and saw the dog beside me.

"Oh! How cute…" she said as she reached to pat it.

The dog growled at her and they both back away at the same time. I laughed and stroked the dog to calm it down.

"This dog doesn't like people. But it recently got close to be because I kept feeding it. Isn't it strange? We both don't like people, yet can associate with one?" I said with a smirk.

Akane frowned at me. I could tell that she wasn't too happy about my comment. Then she looked up to the sky and sighed.

"Today's sky is so clear. There are no clouds at all." She said.

"I hate cloudless skies." I said.

"Why?"

"Because it seems so lonely."

Akane went speechless for a moment. Then she closed her eyes and said;

"Well, I like it."

"Why?"

She turned and smiled her most dazzling smile at me.

"Not telling,"

"There you are, Aoi! I've been looking for you all day!"

I peeked at who ever that was calling me. It was Akane. I sat up and smirked lazily.

"Now you're stalking me? How scary…" I said.

She blushed faintly. Her cheeks glowed pink with my comment. I laughed and dismissed her disapproving comment.

"Why are you in the nurse's office anyway?"

I shrugged.

"A nap, maybe?"

She raised her eyebrows at that.

"You know, Aoi. You really should get a hair cut. I mean, how you see through your thick bangs?" she asked.

"I just do. Doesn't matter anyway." I shrugged.

"It does matter. To me."

I snorted.

"So? You're going to cut my hair or something?"

"Yup."

I meant that as a joke. I didn't think that she would really cut my hair. Could she even cut it?

"You're seriously going to cut it?" I asked with a laugh.

She took a pair of scissors from her pocket and nodded. I raised my eyebrows at the sight of the scissors.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure not to make u bald."

Now that scared me.

She took up a few parts of my hair and began cutting like a professional. I could see that she was trying very hard not to touch my skin.

I lessened the distance between our faces and stared at her. Her eyes widen and I closed my eyes and went closer. I couldn't control my urge anymore, but I didn't want her to forget me, so I backed away.

Silence fell between us. Then, the bell rang.

"Oh! Sorry, Aoi. I have to go." She said.

I nodded wordlessly. She removed the pins from her hair and pinned my bangs so they weren't blocking my sight anymore.

"Well, this would hold until later. I continue cutting it later. Bye!" she said before walking away.

I touched the pins she left for me. Was she really going to continue cutting it later? But more importantly…

Did I just try to kiss her just now?

I really shouldn't have done that.

I should start avoiding her now, before it gets worse.

But I don't want to?

I walked out into the rain feeling it fall on my face. I closed my eyes and cleared my mind.

"Aoi!" I know that voice.

I ignored her and continued standing in the rain. Soon, I couldn't feel the rain on my face anymore. She must have arrived with her umbrella.

"Really! What were you doing standing in the rain? You might get sick!" she lectured.

I looked at her, without smiling.

"And what does it matter to you?"

He cheeks glowed pink.

"We-well, you shouldn't do that! Do you want me to walk you home?"

"No thanks. I'd rather walk in the rain." I said and walked off.

I could hear her chasing after me.

I could feel her presence behind me.

Why couldn't she just leave me alone?

"Hey…" she said, "Aoi… Your mom can touch you right?"

"… Yes."

"How come?"

"Because this whole thing is handed down from her side of the family."

"Your father?"

"Left me 'cause he didn't want to accept the son he couldn't remember."

"Oh…"

Silence fell again.

The silence was unbearable.

If the person you like was standing beside you and ignoring you, wouldn't it hurt?

"Aoi," she called.

I didn't answer.

"I lo…" I turned around and cut her off.

"Don't say it." I said.

"But…"

"I said don't say it!"

I accidently pushed her.

The bridge was slippery.

She lost footing and fell off the bridge.

"Akane!" I called.

I saw her hanging off the edge of a rock with a hand. I held my hand out for her.

"Here," I said, "take my hand."

She smiled and shook her head.

"I don't want to forget you. I want to always remember you, no matter when. I'm so sorry, Aoi"

Then she let go.

"Akane!"

I dived in after her and searched frantically for the blonde girl.

"Akane! Where are you?" I called.

I heard a gurgle and turned toward the sound. I saw a mess of blonde hair and hurried to it.

"Akane!" I called as I caught her.

I dragged her to the nearest shore and check for a heartbeat.

"Damn it! Breathe, Akane, breathe!" I cried out.

She didn't breathe.

I panicked.

There's only one way to help her now.

But she would forget about me.

I couldn't care less. Her life was more important than her memories of me. So I leaned down and looked at her face again.

Then I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to hers.

'Ba-dump. Ba-dump.'

A heartbeat!

I continued giving her mouth-to-mouth respiration, hoping that it would wake her up.

After a while, her eyelids fluttered open, revealing her oceanic eyes.

"You're safe." I exclaimed with a smile.

She smiled back at me, than sat up. She looked at me and opened her pursed lips.

"Who are you?"

'Just a little bit more…'

I pushed my head up from the cool water and gasped.

'That was close…' I thought.

I sat on the grass and looked up to the sky.

Another clear day.

"Hello!"

I turned to see where the voice came from and saw Akane waving at me.

"You're the one who rescued me the other day right?" she asked.

I smiled tiredly and nodded.

"You're a really kind stranger. I have yet to thank you!"

"It's fine. That's nothing to thank me for." I said.

She caught sight to what I held in my hand and exclaimed;

"Are those my glasses?"

I nodded and gave them back to her.

"Thanks! I've been looking for them, contacts are irritating." she said.

Then she sat down next to me and looked up the sky.

"Wow, another clear day! Isn't it beautiful?" she said.

I shook my head.

"I hate clear skies." I said.

She shook her head, disapproving.

"How can you hate it?"

"Why do you like it then?"

"Well, it's because it's Aoi*!"

My eyes widened at her comment. Then I looked back up to the sky and smiled.

"You're right."