Splash of Color

12.5: Ami

Surprise! Just a little side chapter in Ami's perspective (as well as her relationship with Hanamaki Takahiro). Hopefully it'll give you some insight on the behind the scenes work that the reader doesn't know about!
I've gotten some interest in the reader's friend Ami and it inspired me to write about this! Thus an impromptu chapter was born!
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– 2nd Year –

Ami's eyes scrunched up at the letters on the board, clutching onto her chalkboard eraser tightly. She was having a minor problem. Her arms stretched out as far as they could go to get the rest of the words off the board but to no avail. She huffed. "Where is that Hanamaki guy? He's supposed to be cleaning today too!"

She grumbled and moved away from the board for now, cleaning up all the other things in the classroom. Unfortunately, once she was done doing so, she was met with the same problem with the board. Ami glanced over at the chairs but they were attached to the desks. She quickly tore her eyes away from it. Ami was a prideful individual and didn't want her classmates to see she had to pull over the desk just to clean up the board.

Her eyes make contact with the broom. She could...

A few minutes later, Ami made a makeshift chalkboard eraser extension with the broom and smiled proudly at it. Right when she lifted it up, the classroom door opened to reveal the classmate she thought ditched today's cleaning duty.

"...What are you going to do with that," his monotone voice cut through the silence as she stared back at the invention in her hands.

Ami quickly put it down and huffed at him. "Where have you been Hanamaki-san?!"

He stares at Ami for a moment before walking up to her until he was face to face with her—well, face to chest. Ami froze as his towering body leaned over her and shut her eyes to brace herself.

However, as quickly as he came, the presence was gone. She glanced back at her hand which was holding the broom but missing the chalkboard eraser. Her eyes trailed over to Hanamaki as he easily erased the remaining letters on the board. As soon as he was done, Ami snapped her eyes away from him, irked by how aloof the guy was.

Hanamaki made his way to Ami once more, the crinkling of a plastic bag catching her attention and making her look at him again. He lifts a white plastic bag for her to see, a familiar café logo on the bag. "There were these limited edition cream puffs and I wondered if they would taste as good as profiteroles." He noticed the confused expression Ami had. "Profiteroles are cream puffs from the US, I really like those." After he spoke, he dives his hand in the plastic bag and pulls out the box, proceeding to open it. "Take one. Sorry I skipped out on cleaning duty today."

Ami blinks up at him, surprised at his apology and his rather interesting excuse for not cleaning up the classroom with her today. Not a second later, she beams up at Hanamaki. "Don't mind if I do!" As she takes one, Hanamaki nods at her before closing the box.

"The classroom looks clean already, good work." He nods again at Ami, his usual bored face present. "Also, if I ever come in late again, just leave the things you can't reach." Ami started to open her mouth to argue that she could manage it even with her height but he cuts her off before she could. "—It's not that I think you can't do it, but I would like to help you out too, just like what you did for me today."

Speechless, Ami nods at him to which he returns.

Just like that, Hanamaki leaves the room, leaving Ami to stare at the cream puff in her hand. She felt her warm cheeks and the subtle churning in her stomach. Ami bites into the cream puff with a thoughtful hum.