Inspired by the song "Inevitable" by Anberlin (The Notebook OST)

I do not own the song, VY1 and VY2.

UNDERNEATH THE OLD WILLOW TREE

CHAPTER 1

"Hey, Yuma!" Nine year old Mizki called as her playmate ran to the old willow tree where she was playing. Nine year old orphan Yuma was carrying some rope and a piece of wood, the rope constantly making him stumble. The tree was standing in the middle of Mizki's family's orphanage from down the street, where young children from the neighboring houses are welcomed to play.

"I'm coming... I'm coming" Yuma called back. As he ran, the ropes tangled themselves to his feet, making him fall face first to the ground.

Mizki ran over to him. "Are you alright?" she asked, taking out a pink handkerchief from her dress. She wiped the soil on Yuma face, making him blush.

"Thanks" Yuma whispered. Mizki then took hold of the rope he was carrying and brought it to the tree. Yuma carried the rest of the wood, relieved of his easy carry.

His playmate then threw a rope on a branch of the tree, letting it fall on the other side. She threw another rope the same way. Yuma then tied up the rope to the board and made a makeshift swing. They looked at their creation, wiping the sweat off their faces.

"Want to give it a try?" Yuma asked.

"Don't you want to try it first?"

Yuma shook his head. "I want you to be the first to try it."

Smiling, Mizki took hold and sat on the wood, the swing was able to carry her weight. Yuma want behind her and started to push, sending Mizki inches away from the tree. Mizki began to giggle and Yuma smiled watching her. Both of them took turns riding it.

After a while, the two friends began to feel tired. They stopped when the lunch bell rang, and all the children on the playground went inside the orphanage. They were the only ones left outside.

"Mizki, lunch already started" Yuma said. Mizki was yawning and looked tired.

"You go on ahead" She said, laying on the roots of the tree, preparing to sleep "I'll just rest my eyes for a bit" her eyes began to droop.

Yuma, looking at his sleepy playmate, sat beside her. "I'll just stay behind too" he said.

Mizki noticed this and opened one eye. "You don't have too..."

Yuma didn't answer, but just looked up at the blue cloudy sky, seeing different shaped clouds moving slowly with the gentle breeze. Yuma began to ponder for a while.

"Hey, Yuma?" Mizki asked, breaking his focus on the clouds

"Hmmm?"

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Why did you ask?"

"My parents said that once you turned ten here in the orphanage, and no one will adopt you, you'll have to leave here."

Yuma, though he already knew this, pretended to be surprised "Really?"

"Uh-huh" Mizki paused for a while. "I just don't want you to leave here without being able to take care of yourself. I want to know what you want to be someday. Maybe that way, you have a dream to follow…" she trailed off, looking at her playmate's quiet state, her voice filled with sadness.

Yuma stared to the sky again, and began to think. He was turning ten next week, and hasn't thought about what his future is going to be. He had been in the orphanage for a long as he can remember, being taken care of by Mizki's parents. He heaved a sigh.

"I want to be..." Yuma began, looking at his playmate. Mizki was now sleeping soundly on the big roots of the willow tree. He was looking at the sky for so long; he wasn't able to answer her question. He stopped at his sentence.

He smiled at Mizki's sleeping form, reaching out and moved some hair covering her face. Mizki has been his closest playmate, being the daughter of the orphanage's owners, the closest thing he had as a family. She had been taking care of him like a parent takes care of her child.

Then after a week, he'll leave her, without saying anything.

Yuma covered her cheeks with his hand. He lowered his face and brushed his lips to hers.

"I want to be… yours…" he whispered, caressing his friend's cheek. The clouds began to cover the sun and its shadow landed on the fields below.

Author's note: My second story. At first I was reluctant to even post it here, but I finally got the courage to post (partly because of my sister's nagging). This story is in Yuma's POV. Comments and critiques are still welcome. BTW, this is already edited. Thanks for reading..