Wakatoshi hasn't come to school. Two days to be exact.
I don't know why, but something inside me is worrying about him. I couldn't really focus in class today. I want him to be safe, so we can continue our tutoring lessons together.
"Miss Takahashi? Question 3 please."
"Oh, sorry." I continued, snapping out of it.
~
I couldn't help but ask about him at practice.
"Hey Tendō!"
"Hello Hana!"
"Just wanted to ask, where's Wakatoshi? He's been gone for a little while now."
"He told me he's sick, says it's the flu! He told me not to worry but I know how terrible the flu can be!"
"Where is he?"
"He's staying at his mother's for a few days. I'm going to visit him after school, wanna join me?"
His mother's? Maybe his parents are divorced?
"Sure."
He started walking away. There was a question itching my brain that I really wanted to ask. I just followed him and went for it.
"Um..Tendō?"
He turned around.
"Yes?"
"If you don't mind me asking, what's Wakatoshi's favorite food?"
"Hayashi rice." He said snickering.
~
I rushed home and I immediately began cooking. Not for myself this time. I found myself cooking Hayashi rice. With no pauses, I cooked everything carefully. I packed it in a huge tupperware and slipped that into a paper bag.
After I finished, I got ready. I wore an outfit suitable for the weather, sending a message to Tendō. I wore dark pants and a white knitted sweater, with a little scarf and my beige jacket. It's cool outside.
I'm running a bit late, mind meeting me at this address?
I sent Tendo a message.
I wasn't actually running late, I'm never late.
I quickly slipped my shoes on and took the steaming tupperware off the counter.
I walked over to the address I sent to Tendo, it was a house down the street.
Clenching the strap of my bag, I walked step by step in frustration.
Is Wakatoshi going to be okay?
I didn't know why I was stressing.
"Hey hey!" Tendo called out.
"Hi!" I said, reciprocating the cheery mood.
We began making our way down the sidewalk.
"Let's go to Ushijima's before the Hayashi rice gets cold." He said, looking ahead and smirking.
"How did you-"
"Who wouldn't know?"
We started walking in the opposite direction of where Wakatoshi told me his house is.
"Isn't his house this way?" I pointed to the direction I knew.
"He must've forgotten where his own house is! It's this way."
I could tell he was lying, but I kept quiet.
We talked about Wakatoshi on our way. He told me more about him.
"He may seem easy going, but he goes really hard on himself. I have a feeling that's why he got sick. He feels the need to be perfect! I try to tell him, but he's stubborn!"
"I don't blame him, he has lots of people pressuring him."
"He does seem that way."
"I know he'll be very happy that we came to visit! His mother isn't the most caring, to say the least."
"I haven't heard the best things about her, that's for sure."
"She's the reason why he's always tired and stressed. She's always pressuring him to be the best! That cranky woman."
We arrived.
"How awful." I rang the doorbell.
An old woman opened the door.
"Hello! We are friends of Wakatoshi from school. We came to visit. Could we come in?" Tendō said.
"Wait here." The old woman said.
She walked inside.
"That's his grandmother, scary woman she is."
She came back.
"Come in."
She closed the door behind us and walked back into parts of the home, we took off our shoes and rushed after her.
"Follow me." She said.
She opened his door, then left.
There he was, Wakatoshi. Lying on the futon, under the sheets, half asleep. He definitely didn't look well. He was white. His eyes were fluttering, almost asleep. His head was looking upwards and he had a measly cup of water next to him, half full.
"Wakatoshi.." Tendō's usual gleeful expression changed.
I was shocked, speechless even.
We rushed over by his side, closing the door.
I raised my pointed index finger up to my mouth, indicating silence.
"We mustn't disturb him." I said, taking off my jacket.
I opened my bag and took out 3 little bowls and the required utensils.
I sat on my feet and handed Tendō his plate. Opening the tupperware, Tendō began slowly waking up Wakatoshi.
With a nudge or two, he opened his eyes.
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Ushijima's POV:
I felt a soft nudge or two on my arm.
"Wakatoshi..Wakatoshi.." It was a voice, Tendō's.
I turned my head to my right, only to hear a light clatter of chopsticks.
I opened my eyes, Tendō was sitting next to me on the floor.
He helped me sit up and rest my back against the wall, the blanket in my lap, before I asked him:
"What are you doing here?"
"Hana and I came to visit!"
"Hana?"
He moved back and I saw her. She was putting something steamy in bowls. I looked closer and it was a meal of some sort. Why would she come here?
"She made Hayashi rice."
She tucked dangling hair strands behind her ear before taking notice of my awakening. Her eyes were shimmering with delight, I'm sure she's happy. They squinted once she saw me sit up.
"Wakatoshi..are you alright?"
She walked and sat at my left, carrying a steaming bowl.
"You made Hayashi rice?"
"I heard it was your favorite." She smiled.
"Let's eat! I'm starving!" Tendō said.
"Here." She handed him a bowl.
She held a steaming bowl with both hands and handed it to me very carefully, smiling.
We said our thanks and ate. It was clearly fresh and homemade, but something about it was different than my mother's rice. It was tastier, more flavorful, and just delicious. It tasted like home. Not this one, a different home.
"Hana, this is delicious!" Tendō exclaimed.
"I'm glad you like it!" She laughed before pointing to a rice grain stuck on his chin.
"This is very delicious." I spoke.
"Really? This is my first time making it. I'm surprised it turned out this well."
We ate and talked. They talked to me about school and they told me about the tournament still a while from now.
"I hate being the first to leave but Coach Washijo wants me to come for the last hour or two of practice. He hates it when I miss it, he gets all grouchy."
The room went silent at his mention but we did end up saying our goodbyes to Tendō.
I was still exhausted so I ended up staring at the wall, not wanting to stare. Then she said,
"Seconds?"
My bowl was empty, I'd finished it.
"Yes please."
With a little smile, she gladly scooped more in my bowl.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm tired but I'm sure I will be able to recover quickly."
"I believe so. In the meantime, when you feel like it, I've brought all the notes from the subjects so far. So you can catch up. I've talked to the drama teacher you're working with and I've taken the script from her. I wrote down some tips on some lines I quickly looked at, but I didn't read the whole thing and-"
"Thank you, Hana."
"No need to thank me." She said, calming down.
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Author: Finally got the chance to publish this!