Kick the Can

During lunch, Toba Shigeru kept sighing.

"What is it? Just tell us already," Ishida finally said.

"I..." Toba Shigeru opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "I need to brace myself."

"Since when did you get so wishy-washy?"

"I got my heart broken," Toba Shigeru finally said.

"Shiraishi?"

"Yeah."

Ishida and Takahashi Ren exchanged a glance. Neither spoke.

"The good news is, I wasn't scammed." Toba Shigeru tugged at the corners of his mouth. "The bad news is, I was the clown all along."

Ishida put down his chopsticks and looked at him. Toba Shigeru was ready to be mocked. He had even thought up a comeback.

"See? I told you."

There was still a hint of gloating in Ishida's tone, but he had clearly toned it down.

"You're not going to laugh at me?" Toba Shigeru sounded a little surprised.

"If I were going to laugh at you, I would've done it ages ago," Ishida said.

Toba Shigeru froze for a moment, then sniffled and leaned toward Ishida, touched.

"Boo-hoo, Ishida, I never knew you had such a tender side for me. I get it now. Even tough guys have soft hearts."

"Get lost." Ishida shoved his face away. "I'm just telling the truth."

Takahashi Ren had stayed out of the conversation. Only after seeing the two return to their usual selves did he ask, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Who do you think I am?"

Toba Shigeru puffed out his chest and gulped some water. "A little setback like this won't knock me down. So what if I got my heart broken? The next one will be better!"

That was a quick recovery. Relieved, Takahashi Ren lowered his head and went back to eating.

That was the good thing about optimists. No matter how hard they fell, they could pick themselves back up before long.

At that, Ishida immediately changed his tune and went on the attack.

"Bullshit," he cut in. "You looked like you were dying a second ago. Why act so easygoing now?"

"You..."

"You what? Who told you to brag so much before? Serves you right."

Watching them, Takahashi Ren finally understood.

These two were always trading barbs, always competing, but they were also always there beside each other when needed.

Neither would ever admit that it was concern.

Perhaps this was their own particular way of getting along.

"Forget it. Enough of that." Ishida waved a hand, then turned to Toba Shigeru. "Tell us, though. What exactly happened with your heartbreak?"

"Haven't I already told you?"

"You told us the outcome." Ishida refused to let it go. "What happened along the way? How were you the clown?"

"What happened... There's nothing much to say."

He seemed to choke on something. His gaze drifted involuntarily toward Takahashi Ren, then quickly darted back.

Takahashi Ren noticed that glance. Toba Shigeru's heartbreak seemed to have something to do with him.

He was beginning to get an inkling.

But since Toba Shigeru did not intend to talk about it now, he would not bring it up himself.

"Anyway-"

Toba Shigeru suddenly sat up straight, raising his voice. "Have you heard? Some Crystal Fortune Teller came to school. Want to give it a try?"

The change of subject was hardly smooth, but Ishida did not keep pressing.

"Yeah." Toba Shigeru immediately perked up. "They say they can tell your romantic fortune. Really accurately, too."

"I don't think there's any need," Takahashi Ren said.

"I don't believe in that stuff either." Ishida shook his head as well.

"All right, then."

Toba Shigeru did not insist. After thinking a little more, he said, "How about karaoke, then? I've still got some pent-up frustration to let out. Just keep me company, will you?"

Ishida agreed. "Now that sounds good. Come to think of it, I've never heard either of you sing."

Takahashi Ren hesitated for a while, but nodded in the end.

He could not say he liked karaoke places, but he did not dislike them either.

It was just that singing itself was rather difficult for him. He was the sort who went off-key the moment he opened his mouth, and stayed consistently off-key.

Oh well. I'll just sing a couple fewer songs and go along for the atmosphere.

"Let's go."

As the three walked along, Toba Shigeru suddenly stopped.

"Look."

He pointed toward the roadside.

A drink can lay all alone beside a trash bin, as though someone had tossed it there and no one had bothered with it since.

Ishida frowned. "I'll go pick it up and throw it away."

"Leave it," Takahashi Ren said. "Someone will take care of it."

"Hang on." Toba Shigeru had a sudden flash of inspiration. "I have a suggestion."

"What?"

"Kick the can."

His eyes shone. "Whoever kicks the can into the trash bin gets his bill paid by the other two today."

"Isn't that a bit questionable?" Ishida asked.

"What's questionable about it? We're doing a good deed. Our approach is just a little unconventional."

As he spoke, Toba Shigeru had already kicked it.

The can bounced twice on the ground, then rattled to a stop five or six paces from the bin.

"Your turn, Ishida," Toba Shigeru said.

"I'll pass."

"What, scared you can't beat me?" Toba Shigeru taunted.

"You've got to be kidding." Ishida snorted. "You think I can't outkick you? Watch this."

He stepped forward, fixed his eyes on the can, and swung his foot. The can rolled past, grazing the edge of the bin. Just short.

"Tch." Ishida frowned and stepped aside.

"Your turn, Takahashi."

Takahashi Ren had not wanted to join in such a pointless bet. But if he refused, Toba Shigeru would never stop pestering him.

He walked up and gave it a casual kick.

The can rolled crookedly away, stopping even farther off than before.

"Again!"

And so, beside a roadside trash bin, three high school boys with nothing better to do began an inexplicable can-kicking contest.

At first, they were only messing around, but before they knew it, all three had grown serious.

Sweat slid down their temples, but none of them bothered to wipe it away.

"You suck at kicking," Ishida said.

"You suck more," Toba Shigeru retorted.

Takahashi Ren said nothing. He simply stared at the can on the ground, quietly adjusting the angle and force of his kick.

He lifted his foot, aimed at the bottom of the can, and gave it a gentle nudge.

The afternoon sunlight caught the can, scattering tiny glints across its surface that brightened and dimmed as it traced an arc.

With a clang, it landed squarely inside the bin.

All three froze for a moment. Then-

"Goal!"

"Beautiful!"

The three cheered, brilliant smiles lighting up their faces.

They looked a little silly, but no one cared.

"Have you played soccer before?" Ishida asked.

"No," Takahashi Ren said. "Just luck."

He did not like sports involving physical contact, including soccer and basketball.

He had, however, played a little browser game called Road Rash as a child, and had found it quite fun back then.

"Let's head back," Toba Shigeru said.

"Okay," the other two replied.

The three walked back shoulder to shoulder. The mood was relaxed, and even their steps had grown much lighter.

After walking for a while, Takahashi Ren suddenly stopped.

"Didn't we forget something?"

Only then did Toba Shigeru and Ishida realize it too.