Chapter 4: Helping Hand

...IV....

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Dawn's POV:

"Yosh~! My work's done here! I'll be going now... See you around, Dawn~!" Ash said and he brought his bag over his shoulder being held by his right hand then he walked away and disappeared from my sight.

I looked at the book I was hugging and then I walked my way too. I looked for an empty table in the library but all tables were occupied. I was supposed to just head out of the library when I spotted a table that still has two empty seats since only one was being occupied.

It won't be bad to sit there, I guess.

Since that person was likely sleeping with his head on the table, I headed to there and sat on the empty seat parallel to him and that's when I recognized that he was Drew.

My eyes widened after realizing it so I only remained quiet and read the book I brought with me.

The book was about how to grow healthy roses...

It took me about half an hour on that spot and the person sleeping before me also slept that long.

But not long after that when he was awoken and he looked to me.

"Have I slept too long???" He asked after he raised his head from the surface of the table.

"W-well... About half an hour, I guess, since I sat here... I'm sorry if I woke you up??" I told him and I closed my book so I can go if he'll ask me to.

"Oh~ About half an hour, I see.. Thank you then.." He stated and he took his bag with him and left.

Wow~ I was able to talk to Drew like that... He's not so bad at all.

I followed my eyes to him seeing him leaving the library. I spent another five minutes before I went out of the library after returning the book to the shelf.

"H-hey~!" Someone unknowingly grabbed my arm from behind while I was walking down the hallway on my way to the classroom and I felt surprised because of it.

"Oh~ Did I scare you again???" Ash spoke after I turned my head and saw him. "S-sorry again, Dawn..." He added being mindful.

"It's fine..." I told him making myself to look convincing.

Ash stood straight and he took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"I was looking out for you earlier.... I was considering if you could actually g-give me a hand, Dawn... I can't think of anyone else to ask afterall.." He clearly stated and I eyed him questioningly that he timidly smiled.

"Are you going to do something??" He asked me and he walked along with me and he brought his arms intertwined behind his head.

"Nothing in particular..." I told him.

It's been only a while since I met him but I'm starting to feel that I got more time ending up with him.

"What's it that you were planning to ask me to help with??" I asked him and he brought his arms down to his sides.

"You see... I have asked for a clubroom to use and there's actually a lot to do in there before it's labelled orderly..." He began.

"You're asking me to help then???" I inquired not waiting for his any more explanations and he cheerfully nodded with a smile.

"Can you help me then???" He asked and this time he was getting persuasive that my eyes met his.

"Sure then... Where is this room??" I only replied and he jumped once with a punch in the air being so glad to hear me out. "Hey~ Just follow me!" He said and he walked forward on a faster pace until he was somewhat on a run so I quickly started running off after him as well.

I have no idea why I have suddenly agreed to him but I found myself running after him going to that room he was talking about.

We have gone to some turns around corners and went down stairs as well until he stopped before a door and he smiled at me. He opened the door and I entered after him seeing the whole room still in a mess.

"This place hasn't been used up for years now as I was told. I really pleaded and asked for this room... They said that it will be fine to use this from now on. I just need to clean it though." Ash stated and he showed me the whole room.

"Why did you ask for this room, Ash??" I inquired having no knowledge about it.

"That's because I was planning to use it as my leisure time room. And at the same time, I would like to form a band in this school... It will be my first! I really want to experience being in a band! A real band..." He uttered with a glimpse of excitement displayed behind his brown eyes.

"Then, can you help me up with cleaning, Dawn???? I'm sorry if I'm asking too much even though I'm just a new student around here and we just gotten acquainted...." He stated and he brought his gaze to a guitar that was leaning on the wall nearby the window.

It was the same maroon guitar Ash used yesterday in the classroom and the case was next to it.

I went to look at it closely and there was an initial of 'A.E' engraved on the upper part of it where the pegs are.

"This is yours, right, Ash??" I asked him and he was already moving some stuffs. He only nodded and moved the cabinet to a corner.

I recognized something else that was engraved before the A.E. initials and it was already likely erased so I didn't mind it anymore.

"Are we going to start cleaning now????" I asked Ash and he nodded and he walked to a nearby chair and brought it to settle in a corner.

I also started to help him too and swept the floor with a broom and Ash dusted the furnitures and stuffs.

"You don't seem to be good at socializing Dawn but it's great that you could easily lend a hand to someone. I'm really grateful.... Don't worry. I'll make sure I'll treat you later on... I'm really sorry again for having you to help me out around here... I just don't know who to ask for anyone else... And I'm saying it again.." He stated continuing on his work.

"Oh~ No... It's fine... I'm glad to help." I told him.

There were a lot of old stuffs in the room that we have gathered and packaged and there were also broken ones. This room actually seemed to have been a classroom before it was left unused.

"Yosh~! Guess that's it??" Ash told me after we finished and he shook off the dusts from his hands.

I, on the other, dropped myself on the wooden chair and took a breath out.

"Here..." Ash handed me a handkerchief that I looked at him. "It's clean... Don't worry..." He told me smiling like that with his usual demeanor.

I only accepted it thanking him back with a smile then I used it to wipe my sweat on my forehead and neck.

"Where did you get this handkerchief, Ash??? Flame Meteor's name is printed on this...." I asked him out of my curiosity and Ash rolled his eyes to me while he was drinking from his bottle.

"Is it?? I'm actually keeping that as a memento... The truth is..." Ash pulled another wooden chair and sat down next to me.

"I actually met the real Flame Meteor by chance~!" My eyes grew in surprise after Ash whispered to my ear.

"Woah~ Really??! You did??"

I wasn't able to believe it instantly and Ash covered my mouth. "Shh~ Don't tell it to anyone, okay??? They might come asking me about him..." Ash told me then he uncovered my mouth.

"Fine... But really?? You met him??? How?? When?? What does he look like???" I asked continuously not keeping myself from excitement.

I heard Ash chuckled on his seat and he placed his waterbottle on the wooden table.

"Now, look who's the unsociable girl who happened to be an ABC's fan~.. So that's why you were able to sing along with me yesterday... Haha~" Ash said and I eyed him that he gradually stopped chuckling.

"What's with that 'unsociable' , you say???" I asked him lifting my brow. "And so what if I really is what you call an ABC's fan?? You're one too afterall.... And besides, anyone could admire ABC and their music..." I said and averted my eyes from him.

"O-Okay~ I get it.... Don't be upset now... I'll just tell you how I met him then..." Ash said and I prepared my ears to listen.

"It was actually just last month... I was walking around the city when someone unknowingly grabbed my phone from my hand and ran off with it. It was a sudden incident and I went to chase after that thief who took my phone but I ended up losing him in the midst of the crowd. It actually made me depressed that time and I even got to punch a treetrunk because of it. When I was walking going home in the afternoon, someone called out from behind me and he handed me my phone which made me feel so grateful to him. I was also surprised seeing him after I recognized that he was Flame Meteor. He was actually wearing the mask he used to wear during their music videos and he smiled at me telling me not to get frustrated anymore. I really thanked him more than three times and he even laughed because of it." Ash narrated and he was smiling while he was telling it to me.

"He told me that he saw when my phone was taken and he ran after that thief too... 'The thief was already at the police station', he said. I asked to have his autograph but he gave that handkerchief instead...." Ash said.

"Wow~ So Flame Meteor is such a kind of person... I would like to meet him too~!" I uttered looking at the name on the handkerchief.

"Hm... Then you could have that handkerchief if you want to~" Ash told me.

"Huh~???! But you just said that this is a memento... I can't accept it~" I told him and quickly extended my arms and handed the handkerchief back to him.

"Well.. Yeah.. But I could see that you're quite an ABC's fan too so it's alright to me. How about this.. I'll give that to you since you helped me out cleaning this room..." Ash said and took my left hand and placed the handkerchief on it.

"Are you serious!?? I don't think it's reasonable enough... This is from Flame Meteor himself afterall... Are you really okay with giving this, and especially... To me???" I asked trying to give him back the handkerchief but he already stood from his seat and walked to his guitar.

"It's alright... Really... And you know what~?" Ash said after he lifted his guitar and held it as if he will be playing something with it and he smiled at me.

"During that day I met him, I told him that I also want to experience being a musician and he said that I should go for it if that's what's resounding inside me... Make music and do something you're passionate about and anything can come afterwards." Ash said. "The reason why I asked for this room is to make this the main room where I will be starting off with that dream I said to Flame Meteor. He said that I'll eventually meet him if ever I'll really turn out to be a musician. And I'll do my best!"

"So that's why you were trying to write a song yesterday... I think it's nice that there's something you're aiming for, Huh?? I think you're amazing, Ash~" I told him and I suddenly felt embarrassed with what I have just said.

Did I just gave him a complement so straightforwardly??!?

"I'll always remember what you just said~" Ash stated and softly giggled.

"I didn't mean anything from that~" I muttered and he eyed me lifting his eyebrow that he didn't seem to have heard me anyways.

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Signing out from chapter IV! 👋

#Flame'shankie😊

🌟AerixielDaiminse🌟

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