Yuri's POV:
We entered the classroom second period, and everyone were 'ooh'ing and 'aah'ing.
"So where did you take my ate (sister in Filipino), Yuri?" Ci-N exclaimed dramatically.
Where did I take? What do you mean!
"Ah, just to the rooftop." I said dryly, but April won't. Of course!
"WE WENT TO THE ROOFTOP! IT'S THE SAME OLD, AND ITS SO SPACIOUS AND-"
Felix interrupted "Now that you're back, we need chaos! When are you hosting us?!"
April froze, then she kept a finger on her chin.. thinking.. she smirked. "Today?"
Everyone started shouting, Jayjay looked at them with a questioning look. Then, as the girl she is. She came up to April and introduced herself
"Hi, po! I'm Jasper Jean Mariano, you can call me Jayjay. Transferee here."
April looked at her, and with a surprised smile "Hello, nice to meet you."
Keifer came front, and spoke to April "Okay... today we need everything set, snacks.. music... speakers.."
April grinned, "I knew this would happen, so I already set it up."
Everyone gasped, she really knew that this would happen, didn't she? "So, can we go to your home right after dismissal, April?!" Ci-n asked, excitedly.
"NAH! I need to have my beauty sleep and some rest, so that I could be energetic for the party!"
'Beauty sleep', I snorted. Of course! The most obnoxious person I've seen..
After the day got over, April called me to come over first. I went to her home with her. She owns a car now! A stylish one.
She went first, and I followed. She moved to an apartment, and she lives alone now. We went to the 17th floor, and third house from the corner.
She put the PIN, I noted it. She smirked at me, she really knows that I'll note it, haha- 1602.
We went inside, and it was minimal. A black couch and opposite to it, a long and wide window showing the whole city, and speakers, she loves speakers, by the way.
She is a tech enthusiast. And on the coffee table, was her laptop which had pretty anime and books stickers, it shows the bookworm she is.
She plopped on the couch, and I sat too. She turned to me "So."
I looked at my bag, "Wait." I took a bento box from it. Her eyes lit up like the stars.
Her eyes...sparkled. YURI, FOCUS!
I gave it to her, and she looked at it happily "Thank you!", she took out the chopsticks from my bag, and started eating already. Didn't even share?
Then comes the real April. She held out the chopstick to me, holding out a piece of chicken, her cheeks puffed out from the food she was still chewing.
"Here" she held the chopstick near my mouth, her voice muffled but audible.
April never shares food, but she did. She fought over Pandesal with Denzel like it was a national treasure..
"Real?" I asked, already giving in.
She nodded and held the chopsticks near my mouth, and I opened my mouth. She leaned in, and gave me the bite. I kept my mouth open awkwardly for a moment before closing it.
She had a tiny, barely there grin on her face, and she resumed to eat her own food.
The warmth!
She swung her legs off the couch, and turned on the TV, still eating. "Really tasty, who made it?"
"I did." I told.
"Ooh, compliments to you, you make it so well~" she said, her tiny smirk resuming back. She suddenly looked at me.
"Yuri." she started "Is there something weird on my face?"
Huh? What the hell- "Nope. None found." I muttered. "Why?"
"Because you're staring at me like so! Am I really that beautiful?!"
I went red. Oh no.
She raised that single eyebrow at me, the one that always makes me feel like she can read every thought I wish I wasn't having.
"I'm no... staring," I said, which judging by her growing smirk was apparently the funniest lie she'd heard all week.
April held out another piece of food, this time much more deliberately, like she wanted to see how fast I'd combust.
She didn't feed me, she held the bite toward me, waiting.
"Want it?" she asked, her voice teasing.
I hesitated. Her fingers were steady, her eyes locked on mine like she was testing something. Or maybe daring me.
I leaned in again, slower this time, and took the bite right off the chopsticks. Her smile softened... less teasing, more… warm. Too warm, it's hot! Turn on the AC!
She pulled the chopsticks back and popped the next piece into her own mouth, humming in satisfaction.
"You always cook like this..." she asked between bites, voice muffled.
"Not always," I said, still recovering from the proximity, "but… sometimes."
She nudged my knee. "You should cook for me more. I like it."
I blinked. "You do?"
"Mm-hm." April leaned back into the couch cushions, still smiling. "And besides, it gives me an excuse to make you flustered."
My heart did the gymnastics thing again.
I tried to play it cool. Failed spectacularly.
She looked at me and something in her expression softened further.
The room fell into a warm silence, broken only by the soft tap of her chopsticks against the bento box and the faint hum of the city traffic.
Then she shifted closer.. just a centimeter, but enough for our shoulders to brush.
"Hey, Yuri?" she murmured.
"Yeah?" My voice changed. Help!
"You're still staring."
…And I absolutely was.
I snatched the remote from her (earnt a hit on the arm) and I changed to something.. something to distract.
I found it, the TV show she swoons over. "AH!" She excitedly sat on the sofa, crossing her legs and eating.
Finally. I distracted her, now I can enjoy some time in peace!
Her eyes sparkled again, focused on the show on the screen in front of us. She moved a little closer, munching happily on her food without a care in the world.
For a moment, it was just me, April, and the TV.
Get a grip, Yuri!
"April." I nudged her shoulder, "You are gonna stay in the uniform? Go change"
She smirked, but it turned into a pout at my words. "Come ooooooooonnn...."
"Change! You stink..." I said, with a smug smile etched on my face.
She begrudgingly got up, giving me a glare and she looked at the TV like it was going to disappear.
"You look like a kid.." I whispered, so quiet that it felt like air ate it. She turned at me, and squinted her eyes.
"Yuri Hanamitchi?" oh no. "What did you just say? I look like a kid. Because... I technically am! I'm 17.5 years old, and I need to be eighte-"
"No explanations, leave!" I groaned.
She giggled, and left. Why did she giggle, anyways?-
I slumped into the couch, burying my head in my hands.
It had been 20 minutes (I may or may not have been counting) and April still wasn't back.
Maybe I should go check on her? No, that sounded a little bit desperate. She was probably fine.
Maybe she was just taking her time changing? I didn't know if I handle looking like a flustered mess in front of her. She's seen me like that in childhood though.. ah, whatever.
Just then, she came out marching, still in the uniform. She directly went near the window, and turned right. She went to the closet, and took out all the clothes in it, it was messy. All clothes rumpled.
"April?" I called out to her from the sofa.
No response. She was busy marching to the closet to the storage under another couch. She threw out few mumbled curses. She frowned.
"APRIL!" I said again, more firmly.
She turned to look at me, "Yes?"
I asked her "What happened?"
"My hoodiee!! I left it at the couch.. at morning. You've seen it! One year ago, the one I wore for christmas!"
Oh.. that's what I saw her in, before she left. I remember it clearly. Black hoodie, stars near the chest. And, "Rebel with a cause to be awesome." written.. calligraphy.
I rolled my eyes and stood up, crossing the distance between us in a few strides until I was standing next to her.
"You're searching everywhere but the right places," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
She glared at me. "Thanks, Sherlock. Your wisdom is truly enlightening."