The moon
May 28, 2025•1,037 words
He stared out the window from his seat. Closing his eyes to enjoy the late warmth of the sun as it set under the horizon. The fifth period ended and suddenly the room burst in sound. His ear catches the sound of scratching chair legs, hurried steps, zipping of bags and after-school talks.
Then, he heard his name called by the teacher as he put his textbooks in his bag. His gaze flicked up and the man with glasses smiled at him. “Good job for today too, Hirata-kun. It seems like your grade has gradually improved.”
Hirata never realized someone would give close attention to his grade, as a result, he just nodded. Before the teacher can say anything else, hurried steps can be heard from the hallway then the class door slides open. Of course, naturally, all eyes looked towards the class door.
There stood a female student, long blond hair tied in a ponytail shining under the sunset. Her eyes widened for a bit when she saw the teacher and Hirata, as if to say Am I intruding something? The teacher shakes his head, “Don't worry, Sara-san. It's just a little chit-chat. Anyway, both of you, take care.”
Now, it was only two of them. Hirata and Sara. Hirata continued to tidy up his desk, then slung his bag over his shoulder when done and walked towards Sara who's waiting at the door. They walked together down the hallway.
Sara leaned forward and looked up at his face. “Did he get mad at you again? You know, grades,” she asked, a look of concern in her emerald eyes.
“No, he .. praised me. I think. About how my grade has been improving lately. Maybe sarcasm, I don't know.” Hirata answered with a shrug.
Sara hummed then nudged his left arm, with a smile she spoke, “good for you then. I've seen you wake up late nowadays. Although–” she paused then chuckled, “–I didn't expect it because of studying.”
Her chuckles sounded like a steady water stream on his ear. For a brief moment, he catches her smile together with the sunset through the hallway windows behind her. Her blond hair amplified by the sunset looks warm like a field of sunflowers.
If only I could take a picture of it. He mused to himself, before taking a quick breath. “I'm just tired of getting lectured by my mom, everytime she finds my test paper, that's all.” A pause then he continued, “Anyway, what about today? Gonna get some runs done too?”
Sara smiled and nodded, “Of course!”
Afterwards, they reached the end of the hallway. They can see the courtyard glows in amber, two goal post stands firmly at the soccer field circled by the running tracks.
Hirata nodded when Sara said she's going to an empty classroom to change into a tracksuit. So, he stood there beside the classroom door. Faintly, he can hear rustling from inside. For once, he tried to imagine but stopped immediately. I need a drink. He thinks, watching the tiled roof of the hallway.
To the nearby vending machine he goes. Buying one canned coffee and one bottle of pocari. He put the pocari in his bag. When he's back to the classroom door, Sara was standing there looking anxious.
“Hey,” he said as he walked towards her.
Her gaze instantly flicked to him and she ran up to him in hurry, “Mou! I thought you just went home without me!”
Hirata scratched his neck before patting her lightly, “Sorry. I just went to get drinks.”
Sara was visibly sultry with pout in her lips, before then sighing and said, “Well, I guess I forgive you this time. But! Next time, say something!”
Hirata nodded, “Yeah. I will.”
***
Beside the tracks, Hirata sat on a small wooden chair with his bags beside him. In his hand is a stopwatch. Sara is standby in her position, waiting for his signal. He looked at her, she nodded and he shouted, “go!”
In a blink, she ran. He watched as that ponytail danced under the now darkening sky, for once she's unreachable for him. For once he wanted to touch the moon.
She proceeded to run for 10 laps, before finally giving up. He smiled at her when she lay down on the grass at the soccer field, the grass felt familiar through his shoes. He gave her the pocari he bought earlier as she sat up and he sat beside her.
“Pocari? Since when?” She looked at her side, at him. He shrugged, “Earlier.” She just hummed and nodded. They spend a bit of time there to let her cool down. She looked at her side and found him looking up, maybe, at the moon. She refused to look at it and instead played with the grass below her.
“Hirata,” she said. Hirata's gaze turned to her, his head tilted to the side. She seems to hesitate a bit, before finally asking him, “Why are you stopping soccer?”
“Hmm. Got bored of it. That's all,” Hirata answered, with a smile. That's a lie. Sara knew it, deep down, he always lies when he smiles.
In the end she just nodded, “Okay. Anyway, let's go home. We can't make your mother angry for coming home late, again.” She sat up then gave him a hand, Hirata gladly took her hand. He almost stood up firmly when he felt something in his legs and almost fell down when she supported him.
“Hii-kun!? You okay?” Sara asked with concern in her voice. Hirata grunted a bit before stabilizing his position and finally stood firmly, “Sorry. I think I got a bit dazed there. I'm okay.”
Sara still looked worried, “You sure?” Hirata smiled, “Yeah, don't worry, Saa-chan.”
So, they walked home together. Hirata can still feel an itch on his ankle but decided to ignore it. He looked up to the now night sky. The moon peeked out behind the cloud. Then, his gaze back at the girl beside him. Her emerald eyes catch the light of a car passing by, it glows like vast grass fields.
For once he wanted to touch the moon, but he had forgotten how to fly.