Sora & Fumiko

Chapter Fourteen

"So Sora, you haven't said much about that girl"

"Fumiko?" I asked as Mr. Saito and I were walking back to my house.

"Yes, she's very kind and she seems sweet." He continued smiling lightly.

"Yeah" I replied with a smile.

"She must be special, to think she comes to see you everyday, you must be fond of her."

"...Huh!" I remarked as his words drew my attention.

"What's wrong with you? You seem to be in a daze from we met this morning, and you've barely said a word."

"It's just that I feel a little different." I replied holding back details about suddenly falling for Fumiko.

"Well... Now that you've mentioned it, you look a little different. There's this look in your eyes and on your face. Maybe you're coming down with something." Mr. Saito remarked out of concern.

"Maybe" I sighed.

As we were approaching the house, I heard Mrs. Saito's and Fumiko's laughter reverberating about the place. I smiled warmly as I saw Fumiko rock back on her stool and giggle away at Mrs. Saito's words. I didn't know what they were talking about so I drew closer out of curiosity.

"Mrs. Saito Tell me -" Fumiko said between giggles. "Tell me that again!"

"Oh, you mean about the time Sora's face turned red from eating a handful of peppers from our farm?"

"Yeah!"

Oh no....

"Okay, Sora was ten years old and my husband and I had brought a handful of peppers from our farm to sell at the market. On our way, we stopped by Sora's house to give him a treat - which we usually did because we loved Sora so much. Well when we stopped by, Sora was so excited that he couldn't wait to take it out of my bag. When he did, he threw them all in his mouth at once and smiled at us brightly but soon his smile turned into a grimace and his face grew red before he spat everything out on the ground. We were both surprised by his actions before we realized that he had eaten the peppers. Sora ran around holding out his tongue while screaming for it to stop. You should have seen how cute his little red face was!" Mrs. Saito concluded while bursting into laughter with Fumiko.

I sighed and looked away in embarrassment as my cheeks were turning red.

"Oh Sora you're back, I didn't realize." Fumiko said turning to me trying to hide her laughter.

"Oh don't look so ashamed Sora. If I recall correctly you were really brave because you didn't even shed a tear!"

"Yes, that is true." Mr. Saito cut in as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"So Fumiko, do you want me to show you how to plant a pea seedling?" Mrs. Saito asked turning to her.

"Mmm, I don't know? I don't think that I would be very good at it." She shrugged with a look of uncertainty.

"Don't worry Fumiko, I don't think it will be that hard! Besides Sora will be there and I'm sure he can show you what to do. Right Sora?"

"Um... Right." I remarked, caught a little off guard.

***

The sun was setting and it was evening time as Fumiko and I were sitting on the steps of my porch watching orange painted clouds float across a pink tinted sky. Fumiko had a smile on her face as I could tell that she had enjoyed our day's work of planting seeds and transplanting seedlings. She didn't seem to mind the bits of dirt still clinging to her hands or the fact that our day's activities had strayed away from the usual - Just sitting and talking I mean, but she seemed to enjoy it just as much.

"So Fumiko, I guess you will be going now?" I turned to her and asked but her gaze was still aimed towards the sky.

"It's funny how things are, huh?" She said instead of answering my question.

"What?" I remarked staring back out into the sky.

"It always changes, doesn't it?" She continued anyways with a sigh, while putting her hands on her knees.

"The sky?"

"Yeah."

"Like my name." I said gazing back at Fumiko as I saw her blushing when she realized that fact.

"I guess but unlike your name suggests you've never really changed, well at least that is what Mr. and Mrs. Saito had said. It's such a shame they had to leave so soon but I suppose it would be easier to find their way back home before it gets dark." Fumiko said, staring at the dirt on her hands as if recalling our days activities.

"That's not true." I confessed, taking up a rock and throwing it out into the open.

"What?" Fumiko asked, her face having a confused look.

"I do like things being the same but I like it more whenever they change. For example I like watching  plants grow, harvesting them and starting over again. I know it might sound like I'm doing the same thing over again but each time for me it's different. Just as it is that I like meeting new people and learning new things, I guess." I said as I threw another rock.

There was silence for a moment around us before Fumiko turned to me,

"Sora" She called faintly, while getting up.

"Yeah, I guess you have to go now." I sighed doing the same before smiling lightly.

"I guess this is it for today." She continued softly while folding her hands and staring at them.

"Will you be back again?"

"Yes of course, I will be back as always."

Another moment of silence then passed between us as a wave of sadness filled the air. It was not unusual because each of our meetings ended this way but today the feeling was almost unbearable.

I watched Fumiko turn to walk away before turning to my house, feeling sadness pulling down on me. As I was about to walk towards it, Fumiko turned back and gave me a hug, a final farewell before she left. As I held her, her warmth indescribable, our embrace impenetrable, I knew that I didn't want her to leave.

"Goodbye" she whispered softly, my heart almost breaking at her words.

I don't want to let you go but I know I have to.

I didn't want to fall for you but I already have.

I don't want to stop loving you but I will have to.

I know it's not right for me to feel this way about her because I'm suppose to be her friend. She trusted me enough to tell me everything, to share her burdens and her sadness.
She's just a school girl and I'm just a lonely guy that has fallen for her. It must never become anything more though because if it does and I hurt her, I would never forgive myself.

She must never know.

If Fumiko should find out, her trust for me would be broken forever.