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In the morning of April 25th of year 680, Kimi waited at the bus stop at the usual place. Glancing at the digital timetable for the umpteenth time, her foot started to tap rather impatiently; the bus ran late—again—for the 3rd time this week. Traffic jam wasn’t exactly unheard of in Welton, but repeated delays were unacceptable. Less lesson time meant less time for practice, and with her upcoming performance being just three days away, she really couldn’t afford wasting time waiting idly.
Known for its busy streets and exuberant economy, the capital of Apple Federation served as the international hub of Miraland. Countless of skyscrapers pierced the clouds above and vending machines were stationed in every corner for your convenience. The shining city offered many opportunities, but those who came to taste stardom often left with broken hearts and broken dreams.
‘Time is of essence,’ she tried to convince herself, keeping her thoughts on check. Clutching the strap of her Epiphone guitar case a bit too tight for comfort, Kimi glared at the other side of the street. The cars that drove by only served as obstacles for her field of view, but even if they weren’t there, something told her she still wouldn’t be able to spot that person. Even with the bus running so late, it was strange how she hadn’t arrived yet.
Did something interfere with her schedule? Was she sick? Kimi could only guess. Since 3 weeks ago, a pink-haired girl always arrived 5 minutes early, waiting at the same stop as her. She also wore the same outfit as her, but for some reason she always jumped off at another stop. She usually spent her time browsing through her phone while her earphones were plugged in, humming with whatever tune that was playing. But sometimes she turned it off and just stared out to the window, gazing at the city. Kimi was good at reading faces, so she could tell something was troubling her.
Why was Kimi so fixated on her? She didn’t even know her, yet her eyes always seemed to gravitate to her direction. Sighing, she sipped the lukewarm cup of black coffee she forgot she had. Grimacing, she almost spat it out because of how bitter it was. Despite that, she insisted on drinking it anyway. If Uncle Joe could drink it, she most certainly could too.
After waiting a couple of minutes, the bus arrived at last. Just as the door was about to close behind her, hurried footsteps and panting closed in.
“Wait!” a feminine voice pleaded, just meters away from the door. “Please let me ride the bus too!”
However, the girl was too late, because the doors had already closed. When Kimi looked back, she caught the small tears that moisten the girl’s amber eyes. Her long, pink hair fluttered with the wind as she stretched her hand out futilely towards the glass.
As embarrassed as Kimi was, there was no time to get caught up in her own feelings; the bus was about to depart.
“Bus driver,” she called out politely with a hint of assertiveness. “Please let that person in,” she knew full well that couldn’t actually demand that, but she had to try. Luckily for her, the driver complied and opened the doors, letting the pink-haired girl sneak in.
Clutching her knees and gasping for air, the girl that Kimi knew but-at-the-same-time-didn’t-know smiled in relief, looking up to see who her saviour was. Kimi could feel a flush rise up when their eyes met. Whenever it happened, she was a little scared how easy she was pulled in. The world always seemed to come to a standstill, anticipating who the ice breaker will be. With that said, though, their eyes had only met thrice by now. Kimi just wished she didn’t look like a complete fool; her pride wouldn’t allow her that.
Hiding under her bangs, Kimi hastily averted her gaze and simply walked away to an empty seat, trying to calm down the butterflies in her stomach. As the bawling engine set everything on motion, the black coffee in Kimi’s hand rippled in response. ‘If I wanted something black to drink, I’d rather have coke…’ she thought, glaring at the beverage. The aroma may be nice, but no matter how many times she tried, she just couldn’t get used to the flavour. She wished she could discard it and forget about the bitterness.
“Uhm, excuse me…” a soft, hesitant voice made Kimi’s thoughts halt. “I-I wanted to thank you for stopping the bus for me. I wouldn’t have made it without you.”
Trying to come off cool, Kimi merely glanced sideways before leaning to the window. “It’s fine. I couldn’t just leave someone like that.”
The girl’s giggle felt foreign but something about it gave her a warm feeling. “I greatly appreciate it,” stretching out her hand, she smiled brightly. “My name is Nikki and I’m a med student. Can I ask what your name is?”
Kimi was slightly taken aback by the suddenness of it all: the girl, whose name was Nikki, was actually introducing herself to her! When Kimi shook her hand, Kimi hoped she didn’t notice the sweat. “I’m Kimi,” was all that Kimi blurted out. How curt but typical of her.
“It’s nice to meet you Kimi,” Nikki beamed. “Mind if we sit together? I’m going to the styling arena but it’ll take a while anyway.”
‘Ah, I guess that explains some things,’ Kimi thought, setting her things aside. While she still followed the dress code, Nikki’s uniform did divert from the norm a little: instead of a necktie like Kimi she had a bow, and her legwear were a bit longer than usual. It definitely made her look more conspicuous—not in a flashy way, but in a natural way. Regardless of her appearance though, Kimi still found it strange that Nikki was so willing to talk to her. Did she have some kind of ulterior motive? No, that couldn’t be; she didn’t seem to be that kind of person. She seemed very sincere when she thanked her. In comparison, Kimi felt useless; if their roles were reversed, she wouldn’t have the courage to speak out to a stranger like that.
“I’m heading to the music section which is two stops after yours.”
“Seeing your guitar, I figured you’d major in something music-related,” Nikki remarked as she sat down, dumping her handbag on the ground not far away from Kimi’s guitar case. The proximity between her and Nikki made Kimi feel self-conscious. She tried her best to ignore the tugging feeling, staring out to the window and watching the boutiques pass by. One of them was a newly renovated dessert house while another was a flower shop, which were both popular dating spots…
Wait, why was Kimi thinking of that? Goodness, she needed to get a grip of herself. Unbeknownst by Kimi, however, Nikki was also staring out at the same place at the exact same time. “Wasn’t that the Sweet Spell bakery? And Wisteria Atmosphere? I’ve been wanting to visit them since I first arrived here!”
Nikki’s word choice caught Kimi’s attention. “Since you first arrived? Are you new to Welton?”
Nikki tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and laughed. “Yes, I moved here a month ago. I used to… um, never mind, it’s not important,” Nikki’s attempt to shrug it off made Kimi only more curious, but she decided not to inquire. “It’s a bit silly, but I came to Welton to become the best stylist in the world. People say it’s unrealistic but I like to believe that with great effort, I can do it.”
Kimi shook her head. “I don’t think so at all,” she coughed; that might have come out wrong. “I mean, the unrealistic part, not the effort part,” Kimi tried her best to ignore the steam seeping from her ears. “No matter how grand the dream may be, people who work hard to achieve it are nothing short of amazing; they are like gems in the sea.”
Realizing what she had just said, Kimi tried to find escape by sipping the coffee she had neglected. She frowned; it had gone cold and the taste was even worse than before. How uncool; she spouted cheesy lines and failed to mask her displeasure. Nikki probably thought she was some awkward kid who tried to look like an adult.
Au contraire, because Nikki—who was stunned for a moment by Kimi’s word—broke out in a ray of light. “Do you really mean it? Thank you, really; you have no idea how much those words mean to me.”
“Ah, y-you’re welcome…” Kimi mumbled, unable to speak clearly. That girl really knew where to tug at Kimi’s heart strings, did she? “I think just by looking at you, one can tell that you’re already great at styling,” the smile that Kimi gave her was small but it was a smile nonetheless. “Those small details gives you more personality, and judging from the way your hair shine in the light, I can tell that you maintain it properly,” Kimi’s face heated up; what kind of comments were she making? “It’s just something I noticed; your styling talent shows, that’s all.”
For a second, there was a moment of silence, but Nikki quickly broke it with her gentleness. “And I’m sure you’re just as good with your guitar. Do you play other instruments too? Like piano, drums or some kind of wind instrument?” from there, the two became completely absorbed in their conversation, colouring the mundane bus ride with joy and excitement.
“Oh, my stop is coming up,” time ran quicker than they anticipated, and the bus stopped at Nikki’s destination in what seemed like a blink of an eye. “Talking with you was so fun. I’d really like us to be friends so would it be ok to exchange contact info?”
“Sure,” Kimi took out her mobile, unlocked it and gave it to Nikki. Nikki dug inside her bag and did the same to Kimi. While searching for the application, she noticed a cat in a bear hoodie in the background. While it looked kind of cute (?) the snarky aura it emitted told her that Nikki may be even more peculiar than she thought. She couldn’t help but chuckle; she looked forward to learn more about her.
After exchanging their numbers, Kimi scratched the back of her neck. Could this be the beginning of a new friendship? Maybe, possibly, even something beyond that? Kimi kicked herself in her mind; she shouldn’t be presumptuous. Still, she was glad that her sight fell upon someone as agreeable as Nikki. “Well, I guess I’ll see you later?”
“Yes! We’ll definitely see each other,” as people exited the bus, Nikki leaned over to Kimi’s ear and whispered: “You’ll have to play a song for me later, Kimi,” and so she dashed off, her steps as light as the wind, leaving a staggered Kimi behind.
Kimi could only shake her head and down the remains of her coffee.