Chapter 8- Chiharu’s sadness and Chihiro’s reasons
Yesterday was an awkward situation to be in since I’m not really good in interacting with people. I got to know that her name is Chiharu though. Originally, she didn’t know her family name but when Kuriyama Sensei adopted her, she made it to Kuriyama Chiharu.
Such a kawaii name. And it matched Chihiro too. Well, should I not call that fate? Or maybe coincidence. They were childhood friends. Close ones. Chihiro met her when they were 8 years old.
Chiharu was brought in by an adoption house and they met when she was trying to catch her flying tennis ball. Chihiro saved her from getting hit by a car and she was indebted to him. But when they were 15, they had to separate and both of them went to enter different high schools.
They had a fight before Chiharu left Kyoto but she wouldn’t tell me why. And today I woke up feeling the extreme laziness to get up and go to school. After sending Yukina to school, I walked casually since it’s still early and it seems that Yukina did find some friends at school given that she’s always excited.
“You weren’t supposed to be here !” a voice said. I stopped just as I was about to turn to a corner and peeked.
Chiharu and Chihiro! They were standing, facing each other.
“It’s my choice to be where I want! Besides, it’s mother’s choice for me to live here! You have no rights to complaint !” Chiharu yelled, fists clenched.
Chihiro tch-ed. “You know, it wasn’t a mistake to let you go !” then he walked away.
Chiharu frowned at that. “And it wasn’t a mistake to actually leave you !” she shouted but Chihiro didn’t turn to acknowledge what she was saying. I blinked, still surprised by that scene.
Chiharu stood there, sobbing. I approached her, not knowing whether this is a good choice or the other way around. “Chiharu ?” I spoke. She turned to me, her face and eyes red, results of the cries just now.
Without saying anything, she hugged me almost immediately and with that huge momentum she has, I almost stumbled backwards but managed to regain my balance. I patted her back. She sobbed harder as she buried her face onto my shoulder.
“It was a few days after graduation from middle school. We were dating but then one day, Chihiro said ‘I think it would be better for us to depart’. I was broken, really really broken. I don’t know why he was saying that but it doesn’t make sense !” Chiharu explained.
I nodded.
“I was mad and told mother to transfer to Tokyo, not wanting to be in the same place where he is breathing. I wanna be far away from him. It’s been a long time and I hardly could forget him. But I didn’t really care when mom told me to transfer back to Kyoto.
“I didn’t have the slightest idea of his whereabouts. Mom said I’m going to Rakuzan and it was my first day when I met you in the library that I met him. He didn’t smile, he didn’t hug me, he didn’t cry when he see me. He just mad at me and.... and now, he just left me like that !?” she bit her lower lip when she finished.
“What was he like before this ?” I asked.
“Cheerful, childish, bad at both sports and academics but I still love his funny jokes and he cares about other people. He often skipped classes to sit under the tree outside the school building. I don’t even know how he managed to get in Rakuzan .”
Sit under the tree. Yeah. And look at someone’s underwear, I might add. “He’s bad in sports ?” I questioned.
Chiharu nodded. “He always wanted to play basketball but always ended up getting laughed at. He never showed his emotions during the days, he just like to smile and smile and smile .”
Then how come he’s in the basketball team?
/(^o^)\
I climbed the tree once again, this time, better. Looking down, I saw only green grass. Damn! Chihiro should be here! I sighed and looked down again.
“Since when are you there ?” I asked as I saw him down there. He wasn’t there in the first place!
“Since just now ,” Chihiro answered. “Today is black right ?”
“Lucky for you there ain’t any bricks here or it would land on your face in any moment .”
“Go away .” he said.
I frowned. “You have no rights to order me .”
Then silence. I decided to start the investigation on why Chihiro said that this morning. “I heard it from Chiharu .” I spoke.
He didn’t look up. “Yeah whatever .”
“Why did you tell her that ?”
“Tell what ?”
“Why did you want to separate from her ?”
“You don’t understand .”
I tilted my head. “Yeah, that’s why I want you to tell me so I would understand .”
He sighed. “She had always been a lot better than me. All I do was skipping classes, messed up and detentions forever. She’s good in netball and volleyball along with tennis. Her grades are always on top. She’s kind, she’s cheerful, she can do anything. I never did anything .” he stopped, admiring the wide green grass with some flowers on it.
“I became embarrassed to be with her. I made a promise to myself to be the best before going back to her again. Let her go, study hard, make it to a perfect school and I wanted to play basketball. That’s when that bastard, I mean, Akashi took me to play saying I got that phantom new version whatsoever and now I’m playing basketball. I’m not ready to meet her and was really really shocked when I saw her .”
“Thus, you lost control and accidentally blurted out that unintentional words .” I continued.
“Don’t tell her anything. I’m still incomplete .” he said and walked away. I smiled to myself.
“How long are you gonna be up there, little girl .” a voice shocked me. I shrieked as my legs slipped and landed on the ground—wait, no, I looked up. I landed on Akashi’s arms! I blushed and quickly stood up.
“Sorry .” I muttered and brushed my skirts.
“Reo’s waiting for you in the library .” he said. I nodded and went to the library with him. When we arrived, Reo, Kotarou and Eikichi looked at me.
“Yeah what’s wrong ?” I asked.
“School festival is coming .” Kotarou said.
“Really ?” to be honest, I’m quite excited for this.
“Well, there’s gonna be few representatives from each two years to fight each other. Year 1 and 2 which is us, will fight with Year 3. The games are basketball, volleyball and netball. The reason why year 1 and 2 need to be combined is because year 3 have too many students .” Kotarou continued.
I nodded, waiting for further explanations.
Reo sighed. “As for basketball, we were chosen, I mean, me, Hayama, Nebuya, Sei-chan and Mayuzumi. Volleyball, we are lacking of 2 person since Akashi is too busy. As for netball, it’s girls’ stuffs .”
“.... So ?”
“Sei-chan is good in strategizing but, we need you too .” he finished.
“What do you mean by you need me too ?”
“Sorry to say this, Seikina but we did a tiny research on you. You were the strategist for your old school, Suzumi High School basketball team. Won lots of gold medal for fights between other countries but never showed up in any Inter-high competition or stuffs like that .”
I was speechless. “.... Um.... we have our reasons .”
“I know the reasons ,” Akashi interrupted. “But for now, let’s focus on this battle .”
I frowned at his answer but decided to keep it shut. “Well.... so I’m in the volleyball team along with Chiharu and the strategist for the basketball match. Is that so ?”
They nodded in response.
/(^o^)\
“We have one month before school festival though. There’s still much time, don’t have to worry that much .” Akashi said on our way back with Yukina.
“Festival ?” Yukina tilted her head. I clenched her hand tightly and smiled.
“You’ll be there, don’t worry .” I said.
“And I’m planning to make a training camp for the basketball players .” Akashi continued.
“Really ?” I turned to him. “That’d be awesome !”
“Yeah, you’re invited too ,” he nodded. “But that is yet to be confirmed .”
“How about me ?” Yukina asked.
“You too, Yuki. I’ll never forget you so don’t panic .” he answered softly. I smiled.