Disclaimer :
Guys, please don't blame me! HAHA
It just a fiction which come from my head, collaborate with my hobby to write a story also how I like Ran as my new athlete-idol since the Olympics Tokyo.
The cast in the story just an other cast I make to support my storyline.
This is my first story in English, since I'm bad in grammar it must be not perfect anymore.
But I will continue to improve my English so I can write better in the next time.
This is the TAKAHASHI's POV so you must read the NAGAHARA's POV first here >>
Thank you to be my reader, and happy reading
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TAKAHASHI's POV
Spring 2020
It was spring at 2020. After I moved to Tokyo on the one season before to continue my collage study in NSSU. As my hobby since elementary school, I played volleyball in the campus club named NITTAIDAI. I was graduated from one of highschool in Kyoto as a captain in the volleyball team and won the tournament before graduated. And with NITTAIDAI I got my first MVP in the collage stage even I just won the 2nd position with the team.
After a few months, I invited to join Japan National team and it was my big dream to strengthen Japan's team. Another happiness when I joined Japan's Senior team as people know as Ryujin is my girl also join National Women's team. She's my childhood friend and live beside my house. Since she's a year older than me, she joined National team 2 year ago.
We're a happy couple since I decided to ask her to be my girlfriend on my 17. We live together since we're a child. We know anything each other, so I can't imagine another women who'll live with me in the future.
"She's the greatest one, Ran-chan. I don't know why since I joined the team 2 years ago, I felt comfortable with her. Like... she's my own sister"
But sometimes, I don't know with my girl-Yukiko Higashino. She kept talked about another women in front of me even when we're on the satnight dating.
"Stop talking about another women, Aka-chan", and when I said something like that. She just smiled and said she just proud to someone she admire.
She's her theraphis in the women's team. I know because Yukiko kept talking about her everyday. I didn't know who is she till someday I met her talked with men's therapist during combined training camp. She bow with me a second because my therapist introduced me to her as the new member of Ryujin. And that time I know Yukiko's favourite women's name is Ai Nagahara.
-
It was sad news because Olympics Tokyo delayed till 2021. One of my another dream also delayed. So to fill our free time, I invited Yukiko to join short vacation with me in Hokkaido. I still remember on the highspeed train that we rode that day, Yukiko said to me a nonsense word.
"How if I gone before we got married?", I turned around to her.
"Don't talk nonsense Yukiko, we-", before I finished my word, Yukiko continue her word "If it happen I hope you'll life with another kind women like Nagahara-san", And as always she kept talking about her favourite one.
On the same day we went to Hokkaido, Yukiko felt her body wasn't good, so we decided to back to Tokyo with the last train on that day. But, I didn't know why that was happened to me. I just remember I took a taxi with her to reach the train station. On that rainy night, I felt Yukiko rest her head on my shoulder. On the couple minutes after that I felt my world is gone. I didn't know what happened after that because when I opened my eyes, I lied in the different place.
Peoples in front of me is common, that was my mother with her puffy eyes, my father and my youngest sister since my brother on his another traning camp with his club, he didn't join. I felt my whole body hurts, and I can't moved my left arm. I kept talking where's Yukiko and how is she be. But everyone just silent. Riri, my youngest sister run with his tears and my mother tried to reach my shoulders.
"Calm down, sweetheart", I still remember how's my mom voice on that day. Shaking and full of pity for me. I screamed Yukiko name with my tears followed with my mother hug me tightly.
-
It almost 2 weeks after that incident I locked up myself on my room. Even when my mother give me some drink and food in front of the door, I just rejected that. I just can't though anything. Why it happened to me? I lost my dream with Yukiko. To be the Olympian together, to continue our future life, to did anything just the two of us. And suddenly Yukiko's word on the train flying on my mind "How if I gone before we got married".
I cried and can't stop blame myself about that accident. Maybe if I didn't invited Yukiko to did a vacation. She's here now. We continue to our training camp, prepare ourself to the next year VNL and Olympics as our highest dream. That's was my fault, anything blowed just to blame someone named Ran Takahashi.
Until a couple minutes I heard peoples talked outside my room. It wasn't my mother. It was Nakagaichi-san as my coach in National team. He tried to persuade me, but anything that he said just remember me with Yukiko. I'm dizzy and just silent in the corner of my room. Till I heard another voice joined.
"Takahashi-san, we never talked before. You didn't know me so well, but I knew you because Yukiko kept talking about you", It was Nagahara. I didn't know why she came to my home, but since I remembered Yukiko was closed with her. I knew Nakagaichi-san maybe asked her to come.
"On the sunny day Yukiko come to my apartment, I still on my slept but I wake up since my bell rung. When I open my door Yukiko jump and hug me suddenly. When I said what happen with her, she said you invited her to join short vacation together. She can stop smiling during shopping with me to buy anything that could you like it", I heard it but it just make me to felt more dizzy. I closed my eyes but Nagahara kept talking about Yukiko. I want to screamed but her last long sentence felt like a healer for me.
"Yukiko love you more than everything, and I know so do you. But Takahashi-san, shut yourself like this isn't good idea. You just will make Yukiko sad there. You should come to visit her, bring a baby-breath flower that she like and said anything will be alright. I know it was sad, we also, the world who love Yukiko is crying till today. But, lost a person is enough for us, we won't lose you too. Yukiko won't it happen. Please open the door and let's visit her", yeah. Nagahara was right, since her funeral I didn't come to her to at least say goodbye or give her a bucket of flowers. I just busy with my own mind to blame myself. If Yukiko here, I know she'll pat my head and talked "Stop blaming yourself, it's not your fault". And after a long decision with my feeling I opened the door bring my body to hug my mother and cried together.
-
Padova City, 2023
I see the women with her eyes are close in front of me. I don't know why she's just hobby to wasting her time in front of the tv at the night to watch his favourite serial movie. But before the serial end, she's falling to her sleep. I kept looking at her and and brushed away the remaining hair that covered his eyes.
"Ah..you're home?", she opened her eyes when she felt my hand touch her face. I just nodded.
"I said don't waiting me, just go sleep first", I talked with her who always try to waiting me back from my routine practice with my club even I always remind her not to do it.
"It's still 8pm", and as always his smile being a healer for me.
It wasn't an easy decision to end my life with her. Bring her with me in Italy isn't one of my bucket list since the one who always in my mind is Yukiko. But, times goes year by year, after Yukiko accident with me, I met her many times to at least share her opinion, and the one is my favourite is she always said a healer words to me. I don't know why that was my strength after Yukiko gone.
That was an Olympic that I want. After doctor judged me recover at least 97%, I can joined the game which is my big dream. In the first match beat Venezuela, I can scorer and bring the team won. In the corner of locker room, suddenly my tears fall down. It was a year after that accident and Yukiko's dream to be Olympian also gone. I cried for some reason, but the huge reason is I miss her.
The last match in our Olympics was Quarter Final. We face the strongest one Brazil and lost in 3-0. I heard the woman's team also lost beaten by Korea. I won't to be melancholic men's again. So I walked alone in the village area to chill my self. Until I faced Nagahara who walked alone seem like wanna back to her room.
"Takahashi-san, How are you?", that was the first words from her. I just said that I'm okay even maybe she knew a news about me in the first match someday ago.
"Thank you", I didn't know why I talked it so do her who look confused with my word.
"For what?", I just smile before let her go back to her room. After a long day I reliazed, Nagahara is the one who open my door after Yukiko's accident. and I don't know why I felt relieved.
-
"Do you wanna some dinner?", with her sleepy eyes she asked me. Did she really wanna go cooking for me with this condition? I can sure why she always did for me. Since our wedding day in March, she's the one like a magnet, she just the one who make me felt like there'se no an accident in the past. Even when I can't forgot Yukiko overall. But I don't wanna to compare Yukiko with her. Because I just reliazed Yukiko is the one who lead my destiny to her. My real destiny-Ai Nagahara.
"No, I just want to sleep", I join her in the living room sofa and lied my body beside her. I close my eyes and bring her to my hug even she can't stop punch my arm and did a nagging words like "go wash yourself first", or "You'll be sick if don't change your jersey".
I choosed to bring her to Italy since I've nobody here. I can do my activities alone but I don't know why I just need a woman who accompany me. It doesn't matter if she's older than me, but in any condition I need someone like her so in the beginning of 2023 with all of my confident. After fight with my feeling for a couple years, I proposed her.
I still remember she cried in front of her room when I said I need her with me in Italy. I'm not the romantic man who bring a bucket a flower, reserved a private place to proposed her. I just a 23 years old boy with a training suit who come to her. But but strangely she's not bothered with that. She just speechless to answered my question. So, in the first time after my last hug with Yukiko, finally I hug another woman except my mother,it was her.
We did a secret wedding, it mean just our family and friends who knew about it. We didn't released in the media or my fans. I just though it was hard for Nagahara at least for now, since the world knew my past reliationship with Yukiko after that accident. and Nagahara agreed with that. We did our activities as a common couple. We lived in Nagahara apartment since I busy to prepared my tournaments and will moved to Italy soon. So I can't prepared yet an another house for us.
On the day we heading the Italy, I saw a strange face from Nagahara. I don't know what it the feeling but when I asked he, she just said that nervousness. She left her work and resigned as the Hitonori therapist to joined with me in Italy. I know it would be hard for her, even to left Japan it was the hardest one.
"We'll back, don't worry", so that was my strengthen word for her while holding her hands tightly. She noded and smile.
The first day after we headed Italy, I got confuded feeling in my mind. I just felt this is not fair for Nagahara. My fans kept talking about me in Yukiko on my social media even when 2 years passed. They kept tagged my old video or photo with Yukiko. It's not felt like I want to forgot about Yukiko. No, she had a room in my heart, at least as my happy past story. but my past just a histoy and I've Nagahara now, as my wife. So with all the considerations and consequences that I will bear in the future, I posted my clarification on my social media.
Hello everyone, I'm Ran Takahashi from Japan National Team.
Personally, I'm sorry to all of my supporting system around the world also for Yukiko Higashino fans.
I got married with Ai Nagahara as the Hitonori therapist. It was late to tell all of you but we got married since March. It hard to say it but I try to do, cause I don't want everyone getting shocked in the end.
If you ask about Higashino, she's had a special place in my heart, but I can't live alone forever, I need someone who accompany me and I choosed Nagahara for it. She's the one which Higashino knew since the first time she had in National Team, and Nagahara is the one who open my door after Higashino gone.
I tried to survive in 2 years after Higashino's funeral but it hard to do anything alone, I cried on my first Olympics match because Higashino face is like flying around me. But in other day, Nagahara send me a short message but full of meaning. She said everyone can sad, and I can cried but life must go on.
And the beginning of this year I proposed her, I want to be with kind person like her. I got approval from my family, also from Higashino's father. She live alone in this world without family, and I'm the one who try to completed his life like how she try to cheer me up to continue my life.
I hope everyone will accept us as a couple. We will live together in Italy for several months, and maybe we will back in Tokyo after that. But in other side, Nagahara always show her love to me. He's the one who completed my world now. She's the best for everything to me, even she's older than me but it doesn't matter. For me Nagahara is more than good enough to spend my rest of my life with.
For Higashino in the heaven, I say very thank you to lead my destiny to Nagahara. I promise to make her happiest women in the world. We will love each other, like how we love you forever.
Takahashi & Nagahara
I don't know why after saying that I feel so relieved. Feels like all the burdens that were in my mind and heart just fell off. I smile when I saw some of my fans cheer me up and said congratulations on the comments box. Some of my Italy friends, and Ryujin members who actually knows also express their feeling on the comments. After I heard the sound of crying from the bathroom. I guess it was Nagahara, I silently open the door and I saw she holding her phone while her tears falling down. I though he read my post.
"Doijobu, we can do that", I came to her. Let her tears wet my shirt when I hugged her. She just cried without a word. And that was my role to calm her down. Because I'm her man.
-
She sat when I join her lying in the living-room sofa. With his casual flower pyjamas, she always looks amazing on my eyes. I see she exhale then pull me up. She start her nagging word.
"c'mon, you need to wash your body first, OK?", then she push me in the bathroom. I just smile and followed her word. "come to the dining room after that, sweetheart", I heard she continue her speake loader since he reached the dining room.
I came out of the bathroom in my room when I saw all the lamp was off. I don't find her in the bedroom since I notice she ask me to join in the dining room. But, it's not like usual we did. And when I reach the dining room, I see someone sitting alone with the two candle in the table. is she planning to surprise me? I smile and join her sitting on the opposite chair in front of her.
"So, is this a surprise for me?", I talk to her. After see all of the food on the table is my favourite. It just some of Japanese food in common. But since we lived here for several months, I always miss it. And Nagahara is the one who'll try to served that to me.
"Yep, I though it was late. But, congratulation for yout first MVP in Kioene", I laughed. She never did a surprise for me since I know sometimes she still felt shy in front of me. Cmon, woman. You're mine even when you did anything to me, I will accept except if you wanna leave me, I'll reject.
"But, I need more gift", I'm teasing her with a wink but I felt a fork hit my head after that.
"Don't tease me, sweetheart", we laughed together and start to have a dinner. She always amazing with her food, I don't know why. I though she is more suited to be a chef than a therapist.
And that was our usual live in Italy. Nagahara will wake me up in the morning with his sweet-soft kiss, we ate breakfast together. Then I will go to practice at noon and back on the evening, sometimes she will accompany me to the hall, sometimes she will did her private activity. At the night we'll have a dinner together, watching movie or talked about anything before we sleep. But one night before we went to slept, she asked me a question.
"Do you feel like I'm another Yukiko's for you?", he looked at me questioningly. But I can't saw her teary eyes. I can't saw no more tears.
"No, Yukiko is Yukiko, and You is You. Even when you've connection with her in the past. But, I never saw you like Yukiko and You're just Ai Nagahara, no other", and then she started to cried on my hug.
Sometimes, my friend asked me the same question. But, you must know. I choosed Nagahara not because I saw Yukiko is in her. If you asked me how hard to forget Yukiko? I can't forgot her. Nagahara also tell me, anyone can forgot their first love, so do I. but, It not mean I bring Yukiko in the rest of my life. No I won't. as what I tell before, Yukiko has another space on my heart. As my first love who give a amazing history in the past. But now, I've Nagahara, she's my woman and she's everything for me now.
She's the one who healed me during my sadness, someone who wakes me up that life must go on. Someone who give me another strength to continue my life. And so I choosed her to accompany me for the rest of my life. If you ask me "do I love her?", Yes. I loved her, since we decided to live together, I love her with the deep of my heart. So now I just focused on her, live life together and try to make her happy.
Thank you Nagahara, for wake me up from my sadness story in the past.
Thank you for accepted me to be the last man than you loved.
Thank you for everything.
And the last before I close my story, I wanna say that I love you, my sweetheart.
--TBC--