Relieving stress???

A week later, as she got use to her high school, Haruka got a text from her best friend Ayane as she was about to go sleep.

Hey. You’ve seen to be so stressed and it’s only been a week. You always have the light dark circle underneath your eyes. You are going to faint one day, I swear.

Haruka sighed and her friend was right. She wasn’t getting enough sleeping because she was looking for a satisfying job and not to mention the studying part. Haruka was ahead the level of learning in her school but the college math and science that she was doing was really difficult to study on her own. But she needed to master this in order to get some scholarship for her college. Her head was filled with stress. She typed back:

Haha... I know but I think I can handle. If I get the satisfying job, half of my stress would be gone.

In ten seconds, a text was send to Haruka again.

You need to just chillax and forget about everything for a day. So... I was thinking of going to the shopping mall together in the town. You know after school, we can just shop and I will bring money. I will pay for everything.

I can’t let you do that. And how about my sister? I just can’t leave her alone.

Of course you can. I didn’t buy you a present for your 16th birthday!!!! So that is going to be my late birthday present/ Also, your sister can come with my mom. Okaasan is taking the day off tomorrow. Please let me do this, as your best friend. After that, I won’t bother you.

Haruka thought as she was reading the text. It was true that Ayane was trying to persuade to not get job all week. Instead of getting a job, Ayane suggested that she could borrow some money from the bank which was a possible way. The bank charged the students less than adults for lending money. But Haruka didn’t that. The loan was going to rise just like that. She couldn’t just rely on things like that. And if she couldn’t pay them back in the time, that will be on her record which can affect her university application.

Fine . I will be looking forward for tomorrow. But you can’t persuade me anymore about not getting a job. Okay? Haruka texted back feeling light. Haruka realized that she actually wanted to go to the mall.

Okay~~! >_<  Haruka smiled at the text and went to sleep thinking about how they are going to spend time in the shopping mall.

“So I am going to go with Ayane chan’s okaasan?” Hana asked when they were waiting for the bus to come.

“Yeah, so be a good girl. I will buy a cute hair clip from the mall. Okay?” Haruka pinched her sister’s nose.

“Okay. I promise!” Hana smiled as she glanced at the yellow school bus.

      Fujimoto sensei with his icy glare took an attendance and started to brag how he was so popular in high school.

“..... So this girl from the third asked me out at the second day of school. I was like....”

But of course, no one was really paying attention to his speech anyway including Haruka. She was staring out the window like she did always thinking about... stuff.... She turned her head to face the front which was the back of Kimura, the glorious guy in the school.

Some people in this world have some amazing looks... Not that she liked him or anything, but his appearance itself was hard to believe. She found a lot about during the week. He was a perfectionist. He didn’t show any weakness or fear. He aced academics, sports,etc... And the thing is that he doesn’t seem to try hard at all. So sometimes, Haruka kind of got pissed off maybe jealous.

When the bell rang for lunch, Haruka walked up to Ayane who was putting her books away.

“Konichiwa~!” Haruka heard a voice from her left. A boy who sat behind her was smiling at her.

His name was Ren Takahashi, the handsome flirty guy. His unnatural blonde hair with two piercing on his left ears were the first thing Haruka noticed about him.He was famous for being the filthy one in this school. He would sweet talk every girl in the classroom on the mornings and he would be surrounded by girls in the break with Kimura.

“Konichiwa.” Haruka replied quietly.

“Haru chan~~! You look gorgeous today! I am so lucky to have a girl like you in my class!” He smiled sweetly.

Haru? Only my friends call me that. And gorgeous? I didn’t even shower today and I just put my hair up in a messy bun! Lucky? Why would feel lucky to have an ordinary girl in your class who doesn’t even stand out that much? What a weirdo.... Haruka thought as she glanced at him who was now talking to another girl.

“.... Aw, Why do you need to be so beautiful??” Takahashi asked exaggeratedly.

“So how are things going with Satoru?” Haruka asked.

“Actually, things are pretty well. We went on a date the day before yesterday.” Ayane smiled.

“Cool. So I-”

Haruka stopped as she felt thick brown liquid covered her entire shirt. She looked at the person in front of her. It was Takahashi who was holding a cup of chocolate milkshake in his hand. Everyone in the class looked at them silently. The milkshake was almost gone. It dripped from her brown wet shirt. Haruka couldn’t do anything but just stay quiet. She felt the wetness on her bare skin through the wet uniform. Takahashi frozed too,

“Haruka chan- I - I am so sorry. I was walking without being cautious and....”

He lost his word.

Haruka looked at him plainly without saying a word. Just stare. Finally she opened her mouth,

“ It’s fine.”

“ Haruka chan. I really-” He started to apologize again.

“No no it’s fine! It’s just milkshake right? I am sure it will erase if I wash it.”

Haruka shook her head as she walked out the door. Haruka closed the wooden door behind and walked to her locker. She had a pair of clothes that was just for in case but it wasn't the school uniform. She use to wear them at the summer. Haruka changed in the bathroom as the lunch bell rang. In the bathroom, she washed her uniform and squeezed them hard as possible.

I will just dry them when I get home. Haruka thought as she walked with a long loose tank top that had a longer bottom and in the front it was shorter with a blue short.

Her English teacher asked,

“Sato-san, why aren’t you wearing your uniform?”

“Well, I got milkshake on my uniform so I had to change. I didn’t have any extra uniform.” Haruka replied as she was taking her seat.

“Okay, Kimura-kun, will you show her what page we are on?” The teacher said and turned back to the chalkboard.

"Page 14." He lean backward a little without looking at her.

"Uh, arigato." Haruka said as she flipped her english book to the right page.

"... Ito san please read this phrase."

And Haruka slowly entered her four dimensional world. She came back when the bell rang for dismissal.

" Haru~! Come on." Ayane smiled as they ran across the Sakura Path.

"Coming! " Haruka ran.

They walked through the crowd in the shopping mall. Ayane lead Haruka into the Teriyaki Store.  The aroma surrounded the store making Hauka crave for it.

"Come on, I will buy you it." Ayane said as she handed the cashier money from her wallet. Right away they handed her fresh warm teriyaki to go.

" Hm. This is delicious!" Haruka smiled as she popped a teriyaki into her mouth.

" I know but we should have eaten it right after we bought it. We were too busy shopping." Ayane said as she glanced at her shopping bags.

"We should be going. The sun is setting. My sister must be waiting." Said Haruka as she got up.

" Wait, let's go to one last shop. We can try on all these accessories." Ayane replied.

"Ok, I needed to buy a hairpin for Hana anyway." Haruka nodded as they walked to the store.

" Wow, that hairpin is really cute! Hana needs to get that! Give it to me. I will buy it." Ayane exclaimed as she held a cute pink ribbon hairpin.

"Also, try this on!" Ayane giggled as she put a wavy golden wig on Haruka.

Haruka laughed as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Close your eyes." Ayane commanded Haruka.

"What-"

"Just close it!"

    With no choice, Haruka did what Ayane told her.

"Open your eyes."

Haruka saw herself with make ups on her face. Her lip was pink, her eyelashes were two times longer and thicker, her cheek was also pink, and there was a light blue eyeshadow. With her wig, she looked like a total different person. In a way, she looked more mature.

" Wow.... I look different." Haruka finally opened her mouth.

" You look like a whole different person but you are really pretty." Ayane smiled.

"Thanks.... " Haruka sighed thinking about the job.

I shouldn’t be having fun like this. I am wasting my time. I should be looking for jobs not hanging around in the mall.

" Are you still thinking of the job? You looked everywhere. I don' t there is a job for you. You should quit." Ayane said quietly. She saw right through Haruka’s mind.

" I don't know. Hey can you hold this?" Haruka handed her college math books so she could get her wallet.

“Hey remember, I am paying for you!” Ayane exclaimed as she handed Haruka back the book.

Haruka sighed again as she held the book in her arms.

“Ahem, excuse me.”

Both of the girls turned around. A man in a black suit was standing behind them.

“Uh....” Ayane looked at him.

“Wow, college is hard for you huh? The math in college is extremely hard, right? It involves a lot of logic.” The man nodded at Haruka who was holding a college level math book.

How does he know? Do I look like a college student? Haruka thought.

“So are you with your sister or something? You guys don’t look like each other though.”

Haruka and Ayane exchanged a glance,

Sisters?

“So I couldn’t help overhearing your conversations. We actually need someone in our company right now. If you can come to this place tomorrow at ten o’clock and try out for the job interview, it would be great.” The man told Haruka. She looked at him cautiously.

WTF? Does he say things to anyone who is wondering in the street? Me, a college student? Is it because of the wig and the makeups?

“Ah! Gomenasai! Very rude of me. I have to introduce myself! Just call me Kita and I work for the  

What’s Hot? company. What’s Hot is a magazine filled with popular items and story if you don’t know what it is.”

Of course Haruka knew What’s Hot? It was the number one magazine in the country. It was popular between all ages especially high school and college students. Every girl in her classroom read it.

“ We actually need like a university student our job who needs to be intelligent. And by looking at the book that you are holding, you seem to be very intelligent. The book that you are holding is very complicate and the book itself is very logical. It goes very deep into math. I read the book before.” The man said as he fixed his glasses ,” Well I have to go now. I really wish you can come tomorrow for the interview. Bye and have a nice day.” He walked away.

What was that? Haruka thought to herself. It seems like her brain has been frozen by something.

“Oh my god~! Haruka do you know what this means?! You might be able to get a job. If you are working for a company, that means the salary will be higher!!!” Ayane exclaimed.

Haruka’s brain started to work again and realized the situation,

Working for a company.... Company... College... Student... Salary... Oh my god....

“This is not happening!!! I can’t believe it!!!” Haruka smiled tearing up.

“But you need to interview first and What’s Hot? is the best magazine ever so there will be lots of people who are wanting to get the job.. I am sure you will do well!!!” Ayane slapped her back.     

“But does the man know I am actually a first year in high school?” Haruka asked, “Do I really look like a student in university?”

“Actually you do. You feel more mature. I really don’t know how to explain it.” Ayane replied.

“Really?” Haruka looked at her.

“Yeah,” Ayane replied and said to the cashier, “Excuse me, we are this pink ribbon, and these make up.”