-Never Ending Story-
"Hey, Shia-chan…"
"...Shia-chan!!"
"Wake up!!"
She tilted her head and looked around. Her consciousness started to recover and she blinked, "Oh…Is the school end?" Casually she asked.
"Yes, for goodness sakes!" Her best friend, Ruka poked her head and sighed inwardly, "Your Fuji-senpai already waiting for you outside the class." She pointed over her own shoulder.
"Oh!" Shia got up to her feet and hurriedly packed her books inside her bag and slung on her shoulder while bidding her good friend, "See you tomorrow!"
"Yeah. Have a good time!…Or probably not." She said softly while waving her little hand. "She's really going to have the busiest time in this year." She took her bag with her and off to the door.
0000000
"Sorry!" Shia said as she gasped for an air a bit after pacing to his place. With a weak smile she added, "Did I make in time?"
"You always come in a superb timing," He said as he smiled pleasantly at her. Just staring her smile was enough for an single apology in waiting for 5-8 minutes long in the corridor second year. "Your drowsiness seemed to increase a bit more now."
Shia laughed knowingly as she walked out from school. Fuji doesn't have the club since Tezuka and Oishi was taking their time in the student council and he always chooses to be with his girlfriend than anything else (second from tennis though).
After 6 months going out together, they got intimate more. Fuji Syuusuke and Kagami Shia were really like a perfect couple, mentioning their opposite personality. As people had known, Fuji truly likes to torture people and see them suffer, while Shia always taking thevictim part of that, which means why they can know each other.
"Want to drop by in my house for a small talk?" He asked as his house is nearby.
"Oh! I have something to do first…" She muttered lightly and tiptoed to peck his cheek, "See you tomorrow, Fuji."
"By the way, I like a kiss on the lips better." He said as he leaned forward to steal a light kiss on her lips.
Shia gasped in a slight blush and laughed a little, "Geez!"
0000000
Shia stopped by in a certain shop and walked inside.
I had to finish the preparation quickly; it's almost that time…
"Welcome!!" The owner greeted.
"Ano...I've come to find…."
0000000
While waiting Fuji's tennis club activity, Shia used her bag as her head pillow and nap below the shades of a willow tree near the tennis court. Usually she looked enthusiastic, but it was almost more than 6 times she goes to sleep when she was waiting for Fuji to come and picked her—or woke her up.
The following day was the same; she got dizzy and leaned on the tree, resting her eyes when she closed it down her senses completely. Weariness came toward her head since she had a lot of things to do. Completely messed, she sometimes called the circumstances when she thinks about it.
"Shia, wake up…Shia." Fuji shook her shoulder as he knelt down next to her with his tennis jersey still on. His tennis and sport scent went across Shia, reminding her that she was still waiting for Fuji's arrival.
"Umm—sorry about that," Shia muttered as she knocked her head to let the dizziness away, "I slept too late last night…" or every night—I mean, she thought carefully and smiled sheepishly.
"If you need a place to nap, call my room number," He teased after helping her stand, "Is something wrong? How's the study?" He was about to take her hand together, but Shia just pulled away awkwardly and smiled cheekily.
"No, I'm obviously having no worries about study; I have a genius boyfriend that infects his brain to me." She said proudly.
"So why sleeping so late until you got asleep at every History, Math and Geography everyday?" He ignored the remarks that Shia rejected his hand and continued to investigate—ask her.
"How do you know that?" Amused Shia with a slight raised eyebrow.
He chuckled, "Of course, we have our very own data-man."
Inui-senpai really needs a punishment sometimes, Shia thought evilly and let it washed away with her drowsiness, "I have things to settle first," She mumbled, "Hey I think I can't hang out with you next week. I'm sorry."
This time she refused to go with me, he thought half-hopelessly, "Like I'm forcing you to go with me," He said as he caressed her long dark hair and planted a kiss, "We have much time together."
"You are really…Sighed. Stop kissing me in the public," Shia said honestly, embarrassed. She moved him quite away from her side and gave a longing look before smiling, "I'll be going now, have something to do at the moment. Ja!"
"Ja," He waved her away and stared to her retreating figure. Why did I feel Inui's word have some truth in it? He did get a reminds or words from the data-man hours ago after the club ended.
"I assumed Shia-san never goes home soon after school, that's why she always sleeps at class. 92.76."
Flashing back about the words that Inui said, Fuji walked to his house and greeted his lovely older sister. He never feels like this before, is this means a sign of something will happen to his girlfriend—or to himself?
"Syuusuke, don't go near the balcony, I have something precious there." Fuji Yumiko said as her head peeked out from the kitchen wall.
Fuji turned his head slightly back when he entered the living room and smiled, "Sure, but why?"
"Woman's thing. You don't need to guess what it is and don't be." The woman chuckled and went back to the kitchen to make a dinner for the family, "Mom and dad will come home in a few days more."
"Oh, okay." He replied shortly.
0000000
For two things that was odd at school today: Shia went to sleep straightly, thus she directly sent to the infirmary so she can rest for the time being. She gone home earlier later after that and didn't say a word to her boyfriend at all.
The second one: Tezuka was not around in the club, Inui mentioned that he probably have a problem in the family and such. But Oishi said that Tezuka had something urgent to do. Either both matter pointed that Tezuka just gone (absent) from the club, which means the club was self-training for now.
"I wonder why…" Fuji said while smiling slyly. Soon, the acrobatic player approached him and greeted the prodigy with a loud voice.
" Fuji!! What's the matter??"
Fuji glanced at him and continued to smile properly, "No, I'm just wondering."
"If it's about Tezuka, we already told you." Oishi said and came with Inui.
I can't really believe on such statement, he thought merely and passed the subject, "Then about Shia."
"She's gone home right?" Momo came up with a jog and dragged the genius freshman with him, "Right Echizen??"
"Yeah," Echizen muttered dryly.
"See?" Momo said cheekily while giving a grin to Fuji, "You're going to be a worrier like Oishi if you stay like that Fuji-senpai!!" He laughed away after getting a glare from the vice-captain.
Fuji smiled pleasantly and sighed relief, "She's probably resting."
"Probably," The snake-like player said suddenly next to Fuji, "Whatever the case is, she's not the type to do something weird." He snakes his voice and walked away to the bench.
He talks like Shia was probably doing something else than resting at home, he thought as he cupped his chin curiously, I'm not sure. The first time he can be unsure with something—if Shia in this case, he can be really vague sometimes.
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As the night come, he went out for a walk to the street, he needed to buy sweet soy sauce for tomorrow's dinner and because his older sister said so. He couldn't stop thinking about Shia. First he generally guessed that she was sleeping and then he guessed she's having a little fever or something, but Shia is not a girl who easily gets sick. He thought she would be…Yes, she would certainly doing something behind his back—not in the negative way, but positive.
He stopped near a shop and quickly hid when he saw two familiar faces went out a department store.
"Thanks for accompany me," Shia nodded her head as she blushed slightly.
The spectacle guy nodded and walked next to her as if he was her guardian, "It's for you anyway."
Fuji heard the conversation going on and decided to go home, pretending not to see anything. It was like—his nightmare but, in a reality vision. Shia was walking with another guy and that guy was Tezuka, his own respected tennis captain and in the same time, his best friend from eight grade.
I don't expect this, Fuji thought and went home. I'll try to talk to her tomorrow.
000000
The next few days, Shia haven't talk to Fuji for a single greet or even words. She doesn't even meet him at all, only passing him and say hi at him when they met. The only thing that bugged Shia was Fuji doesn't look like worried at all, she thought she could see that he was care for her, but she needed to finish a certain job first before the her boyfriend-problem-mind started to fill her in.
I hope I didn't make Fuji mad at all, or he isn't? Shia thought and put it away, "Tomorrow is going to be the day." She gripped her bag and ran off somewhere after school.
Inui grinned as he was watching Shia running off from the school gate with Fuji by his side—doing the same thing.
"Worried?"
"About?" Smiled Fuji.
"You know what I'm talking about, 100." Said Inui after pushing his thick spectacle and decided to get into the point, "See you tomorrow." Inui walked away.
Fuji hummed in while looking out to the window blankly.
0000000
11.15 PM
Tomorrow is what Fuji was hoping for in four years. His birthday isn't going to come if not once in the four years. Finally he can see the dates in his calendar. 29th February.
He got lots of phone call from girls and boys in his class, saying happy birthday as loud as they can. Fuji can't stop smiling as he heard them gladly congratulated him.
Then a voice message came, not soon after that.
Fuji, I hope you don't mind. That's all.
Tezuka's voice made Fuji stopped his movement as he was reading sport magazine next to his bed. He looked up to the phone and confused. What is he talking about?
The next voice message was from Oishi.
Fuji, I cannot blame anyone but you. Don't get mad at me. See you.
Fuji got more and more confused, but he kept listened about the regulars apologizing at him. Why? Is it because his birthday or because of something else?
The next thing that surprised him—indeed because he don't received message for this past few days from her, Kagami Shia. He opened the message and blinked.
Look to your window in a second. Shia
He quickly went to the window and opened the curtain. "Shia?"
He immediately went out after he said, "I'm going out for a few minutes."
"Sure." The older sister said and she grinned like a Cheshire cat when she thinks about fuji—and of course with his lovely girlfriend.Cute couple, she thought.
Fuji stopped in front of her and found out she was waiting for him out in a snow, since the weather was not good—still snowing and it won't stop until the end of the march. The snow that piles on her head was the sign that she was already standing there for more than ten minutes.
"Why are you doing?" Fuji asked out of curiosity, "You're going to freeze here, come inside."
"No, wait!" Shia stopped him and pulled him to walk with her, "Come with me for a moment. It won't take long." She muttered airily.
They arrived behind the house which a big empty field would be located, which Fuji doesn't seem to understand the situation. He did thinks about what she was going to say, but none of the guesses match with her. He can't think that she's going to break off or she's going out with Tezuka behind his back. He can't possibly think that she's going to stop seeing him or….
"...5...2…1…."
A big firework flew up to sky like a rocket and blossomed to a sentence.
Happy birthday Fuji Syuusuke!! Tennis ball shape
"This is…" Fuji gasped at the outstanding view and then he looked at Shia. "Have you…"
Shia stopped his mouth from saying and she kissed him quickly and she knew it was only to embarrass her more, "Happy birthday."
He hugged her lightly and made her blushed even more.
"I…I don't know what to give you since your birthday is always once in a four years, so I think make it something big like this and and…"
""""Happy birthday Fuji!!!"""
He looked to the bushes and found the rest of the regulars showed up there with presents on their hands. He was surrounded by the boys, thus Shia quickly make a space.
"That's why you all apologizing to me." Fuji smiled devilishly.
"I'm not in the plan," Tezuka sighed, giving him a present.
"Me neither," Oishi said as he gave to him.
"This is Shia-chan's idea!" Momo exclaimed and gave a rough handshake before giving the present.
Kaidou came to him and gave it with a nod.
"…Congratulation, Fuji-senpai." Echizen said as he gave a small present that was really obvious with the transparent plastic bag that contained wristband.
"BURNING!!! HORAA!! CONGRATS FUJI!" Passed Kawamura and Eiji jumped at him.
"Hey, you're so lucky!!" He gave a big hug and said he's going to give the present tomorrow.
"I'm just collecting some data," He said and got a really crafty smile from Fuji and made him shivered a bit, "Perhaps too much."
As they went inside the house (from the front door), Fuji came to search Shia, of course he wouldn't forgotten about her disappearance. He won't celebrate his special birthday without her.
"She's upstairs in the balcony." Yumiko whispered as Fuji came as the last guy. She chuckled softly and gave a pat on his shoulder, "Shoo!! Don't make her waiting too long."
"Alright."
Fuji immediately went upstairs and stopped as the balcony was a few steps ahead. The lights were off, only the starry night sky became the light in the room.
"Let me repeat again…Happy birthday," She said and blushed lightly, "Syuusuke."
Finally, Fuji thought, referring to what she called him.She only can speak his first name when they both got in a desolate place where no ears around them. Truly shy.
She gave him a box. It was pretty big, but instead of open it, Fuji embraced her tightly. The box, of course fell down neatly on the floor between them. "I don't know what to say…" He murmured beside her ear, causing her to blush more. He looked at her hand and found some scratches. "Your hands…"
"Well…It seems the time was too short and I need to be hurry for your big birthday… Sweater is hard to make these days…" She said as she pulled her hands away but, he stopped her and placed his lips on her hand.
"One thing that I like the most from you is this too, you know." He said and smiled.
"You're teasing me again, finger fetish." Shia muttered.
So that's why she doesn't want to hold hands with me the other day, he though relieved. He tugged her inside his arms again and kissed the top of her head. She must be doing it every day and every night without sleep and about this place and the fireworks would be her works too. Seriously…
A slow music tune started flowing in the room and out to the balcony. The dimmed light around the wall had begun their flashing, which makes the atmosphere really romantic.
"How do you know?" Fuji began.
"Oh, about music and this?" She said as she looked at the box on the floor.
"Don't tell me…"
"I got my own spy. Tezuka-senpai had been a generous person for me these days or perhaps because the case is you." She chuckled, "He even made a list of what things are the most favorites for you. I should have asked you months ago but, I rather like to be secretive about this event, since it's so rare and…"
"But the most important things in my life are neither the present nor the music. Not the atmosphere not the fireworks…" He whispered and pushed her to make a gap. He leaned closer to Shia and his lips touched her cheek. Unconsciously, he trailed them to her lips slowly, very slowly.
She lifted her head and closed her eyes. She felt his lips pressed on hers'. Unlike the kisses they've shared, this one was longer and poured with lots of deep indescribable feelings.
As they pulled away for a slight air, he continued to hold her in his arms while Shia was trying to not blush in the moment. Fuji chuckled in a low husky voice when he knew that Shia was already in her limit.
"That's enough for now," Fuji said as he freed her and took her hands with him. They both proceeded to the balcony, "Or I can't control myself."
Shia poked his arm and speechless. Soon after they arrived in the balcony, Shia opened her mouth to say, "It's really seems quick—when I stay by your side." The silver eyed girl said and a silent came over.
Fuji glanced at her and threw an arm around her waist, "…I love you."
Shia widened her eyes and blushed crimson. "W-why saying that now?"
"Because I really love you, that's why I said it." He said in matter of fact; he never ever feels like this toward a girl before. Kagami Shia is the first girl who made him too feel more than respects and likeness. "You don't love me?"
"I…I love you, Syuusuke." Shia said as she tilted her head and try to smile instead of blushing. "I feel like going to jump from tenth floor apartment tomorrow."
"Because embarrassed of saying that to me?" Fuji teased.
"Can you stop it?" Shia pouted and got closer to the built body, "I hate you for that."
"I love you for that too."
---
To get happiness, you will need to sacrifice something.
Love will come, when you are ready for one.
Love will come, if you didn't try to find one.
It is inevitable; a fateful meeting will happen.
Take this for example…
This is just the beginning...
-Owari-