My first writing excercise in ages.

This work is based on the novel "Heaven" by Mieko Kawakami, but it doesn't match it stylistically, nor the novel invited a happy ending, but I wrote it anyway. It also should stand on its own as a distinct work.

⚠️ Warning: My writing and grammar might be pretty bad ⚠️

Two years have passed since he last saw her. At first, he wanted to run away but the fear immediately transformed into burning curiosity and he mindlessly walked towards the bus stop. 

For the last four months of junior high Keizo was effectively homeschooled, the school administration, and much more unexpectedly, Ninomiya’s parents, were more than happy to accept this conclusion, as the gossip was slowly but very publicly uncovering the actions of their son. But it was none of Keizo’s business. All of the horrible things he had to live through were in the past and slowly fading, and maybe at first he spent hours in imaginary arguments trying to convince Kojima to change, to abandon her philosophy and to search for some concrete ways to help her father, but as the time passed, the new routine hid even the memories about her, and they stayed hidden, at least until this moment. 

As Keizo was homeschooled, he was assigned a youth counselor. There wasn’t anything about him that was particularly notable, but he was a hardworking man, who somehow managed to locate a list of high schools Kiezo’s, now former, classmates were planning to attend, just before the season of entrance exams. It took two separate train rides to get to his school of choice, although after some time Keizo started taking a bike there. Despite none of his wrongdoers ever suffering any real consequences, for the longest time he was afraid of meeting them, take he a bike through a serpentine of rural roads. But eventually, much to his stepmother's delight, the paranoia passed too. Although he never thought about accidentally meeting Kojima but here she is, at a bus stop.

Keizo never had another friend like her. She was the only one. He didn’t have any notable interests either, keeping him away from school clubs. Although, despite his fears, he made a few acquaintances. His new school didn’t suffer from any unjust  hierarchies, at least as far as he was aware, and he certainly wasn’t a nosy type. The first thing that Keizo noticed about Kojima, even before his brain gave him an order to walk up to her, is that she stood alongside three girls. He didn’t even have a chance to register this information, as all the new details came up to attack his sensory organs. She was wearing a neat, clean uniform. On her back, she, as well as her companions, were wearing cases, belonging to some musical instruments. Keizo felt goosebumps raise all throughout his skin. It was certainly Kojima, there was no doubt about it. 

Keizo sat on a bench by the sign signifying the bus stop. He looked at Kojima, once again making sure that it was her. In a few moments she noticed him too. She smiled at him. Quickly hopping away behind the accompanying girls, to hide the blush on her face.

Keizo didn’t even notice how they left. His body was engulfed in tingling warmth, he hasn’t felt since that December afternoon after his surgery. He sat on a bench for far too long, smiling and kicking the bottom of the bench with his feet, likely directing the views of onlookers onto him. He was right all along, she accepted it and forgave him. The last heavy stone was lifted from his shoulders.