Ethereal Wheels

Chapter 8

I didn't look out the window, by the time Miki notified my cousin about being dead last. I heard a small crash from outside, causing me to cringe. The van halted to a stop as Kinjou exited the van. Once Miki opened the trunk of the van revealing me and the road racer, I could see Sakamichi's desperate face change into an expression of shock.

"Onoda-kun, here's your road racer."

I watched as my cousin gazed upon the road racer before him. I wondered if he did listened to Kinjou's words, however the expression on his face flared signs of determination the moment Sakamichi tightly clenched his hands. 

I don't absolutely know, but I can tell. 

Hoping on the bike, Sakamichi hid his face from everyone's view by burying his head in between the handle bars of the road racer. Muttering, "I'll pedal...and pedal."

Miki jumped slightly, surprised of seeing how fast my cousin strapped on the protective gears she handed to him. Walking over to my cousin. I stopped in front of him. His face was completely directed to the road racer's handle bars.

'He might be weak. He might be straight forward. He might be different from normal expectations of perfect cyclists. He might be a klutz. He may be forgetful.'

'All in all, Saka-nii is...someone I believe is capable of making the unbelievable become reality.'

'Show everyone.'

'The Bicycle Racing Club members.'

'Naruko-san.'

'Miki-san.'

'Imaizumi-san.'

'Show me.'

'How unbelievable you are.'

"You can do it." I told my cousin, "You'll be able to reach them. No. The feelings spoken through this road racer will gradually link you to the others."

"I will." I heard his reply. He didn't move, but the firm sound of his voice seemed new to me. I grinned as I muttered to Sakamichi, "Then pedal. Pedal to the point where you can see them."

Once I headed back over to Miki. Kinjou announced, "Five minutes is up."

"I want to ride with them!"

'Good luck, Saka-nii.'

'I have faith that your message will reach them.'

'To Naruko-san and Imaizumi-san.'

The wind's breeze passed by me as I watched my cousin's pedal faster than I have ever seen before. A smile graced across his face the few seconds he passed by me and Miki. A smile in which reminded me of a friend of mine, who would probably never choose to show such a side.I decided to hop back into the van's back seat again. Resting my eyes, I listened to Tadoroko, Makishima, and Miki exclaim how fast Sakamichii was going. However I ended up falling asleep. Drifting into a dream. A dream of a peaceful past.

FLASH BACK

"Heh? So this your friend?" A sickly young woman bearing short coffee-colored hair ushered me to come closer. I jolted from my hiding spot. I was hiding behind the edge of the hospital room door. My friend's eyes bored into me, signalling me to introduce myself. As I crept over to my friend's side, I timidly introduced myself, "I-I'm Onoda Chiaki. I'm in the same class as him ma'am."

The woman gave me a smile as well as my friend.

"It's nice to meet you, Chiaki-chan." She turned her head over to my friend, "You made a good friend, Akira."

Standing tall, yet lanky. I could see Akira direct his eyes away from his mother's face and mine.

A faint blush dusted upon his cheeks.

"O-Of course I did." He muttered, "Chi...isn't a bad friend."

"And a cute girl too." Now it was my turn to blush. I couldn't help, but feel embarrassed by Akira's mom.

I responded to her, "You're too kind Midosuji-san."

Akira's mom placed her hand on both me and Akira. Ruffling our hairs to the point where they fluffed.

"Hehe." She giggled as I felt a warm feeling wash over me from the sound of Akira's mom's voice.

FLASH BACK

Soon I was awoken immediately thanks to the sound of Miki's older brother's voice proclaiming, "It's the birth of the strongest beginner!"

"Now I know why Miki couldn't stop talking about him at home!" Tooji affirmed.

"Oh...really?" I spoke wearing a huge smile across my face causing Miki to sweat nervously, "I didn't know you had a crush on my cousin, Miki-san?"

"Wait! It's not like that Chiaki-chan! D-Don't tell Onoda-kun anything about this!"

"Her eyes were sparkling." Tooji-san added more fuel to the fire.

Miki fumed as she balled her fists to pound against her brother's seat, "Stop it Onii-chan! You're giving everyone the wrong idea!"

"Maybe I should tell Saka-nii!" I laughed when Miki pouted at me due to the fact that she couldn't reach over to pinch me in the arm. Soon another addition to the van was added on, apparently it was the coach of the Bicycle Racing Club. Making Makishima move to the back seat with me. Wow. The coach was totally a foreigner, however he spoke complete fluent Japanese. Throughout the whole ride, we continued to watch my cousin go neck on neck with Naruko and Imaizumi. Although I found it funny on seeing the upperclassmen banging their heads against the roof of the van. I guess this is what happens when your talent is found out. Sakamichi's specialized talent. Climbing. Always climbing. The secret of being able to focus solely on Sakamichi isn't charisma. It's just as the coach said. It's having fun when it comes to biking. Something in which all cyclists started out.