"Rika-chan!"
Kirihara Rika turned around and smiled when she found Yukimura Seiichi running towards her. He was unaccompanied today. Usually, after school he would go home with his two best friends Sanada Genichirou and Yanagi Renji.
"Yukimura-san" Rika bowed her head in acknowledgement.
"How many times have I told you to call me Seiichi, Rika-chan?"
"At least ten times this week" Rika replied and Yukimura chuckled.
"Where is your brother? I thought he would be going home with you after school since there's no tennis practice today" Yukimura asked.
"He stayed behind because his teacher wanted to tutor him in English. That's his worst subject, after all" Rika replied.
"Can I walk you home then?"
"I'm actually going to the street tennis courts to take pictures for my photography project. It's closer to the school than my home so I'd rather finish taking pictures and then go home" Rika replied.
"Let's go then" Yukimura said.
"Don't you have to go home, senpai?" Rika asked.
"No, no. I do enjoy the street tennis courts. It would be enjoyable to accompany you, Rika-chan" Yukimura replied.
"Alright then"
Rika and Yukimura walked along, enjoying the sunshine. Rika wasn't a girl to chatter on and on so Yukimura asked questions now and then just to break the silence. Rika replied in a few sentences and then fell silent again. Yukimura then looked up at the sky where cherry blossoms were fluttering in the breeze. He chuckled when he realised the situation they were in was like a scene out of a shojo manga.
They got to the tennis courts and Rika pulled out her camera. It wasn't a huge professional one but a simple digital one. She kept on snapping picture after picture of some tennis players and then whirled around to take a picture of Yukimura. He smiled when she giggled at his surprised expression in the photo.
"I'll print it out for you if you want" Rika offered.
Yukimura sat down on a bench to watch her. Rika was first introduced to him as a first year. She had come to him, Sanada and Yanagi after her twin brother had stormed off the court. She had apologised on his behalf and bowed profusely. Then she had said something that had ingrained into Yukimura's mind.
This wouldn't be happening if mother and father hadn't divorced.
A week later, Yanagi had approached Rika after school. He had invited her to lunch and she told them about her and Akaya's home life. Their parents had divorced just a month before the twins had started middle school. Akaya's frustration turned into anger and soon he was known as the devil on the tennis court. Rika, however, was a gentle soul who couldn't hurt a fly.
"Yukimura-san?"
Yukimura snapped out of his reverie and then smiled. Rika seemed worried and she gave a sigh of relief when she realised that Yukimura wasn't going to faint.
"Are you finished?" Yukimura asked.
"Yes. I'll buy you a drink take up for delaying you" Rika replied.
"You don't need to buy me anything. I'm quite alright waiting for you" Yukimura said.
Rika fiddled with her camera and then tucked it into her bag. They left the tennis courts and then began walking to Rika's home.
"Is your mother home?" Yukimura asked.
"No, she left for a two week business trip. Akaya and I are by ourselves" Rika replied.
Yukimura was ready to give up the spare rooms left by his elder brother and sister but he refrained. What he had learned from getting to know Rika was that she hated when people took pity on her. She also hated making other people uncomfortable or bother other people. They got to her home and Yukimura stopped right by the gate.
"Ne, Yukimura-san, will you go out on a date with me?" Rika asked suddenly.
Yukimura was speechless. Little, cute, shy Rika was asking him out? He admitted that she was plain adorable and he had sometimes thought of her in a romantic way but since she was Akaya's sister, he hadn't said a word.
"Rika-chan, this is out of the blue" Yukimura said finally.
"I've never been on a date before and the girls in my class were talking about their boyfriends and all that" Rika said.
"Rika-chan, isn't your first date supposed to be reserved for someone special?"
"Yukimura-san, you are special. You're amazing at tennis and Akaya looks up to you. Every other guy at school thinks of me as a quiet and shy child. Please go out with me on a date"
"Alright. Tomorrow afternoon at two, I'll pick you up after tennis practice" Yukimura said.
"Thank you. Ja ne"
Rika unlocked the gate and then walked through the front door of her home. Yukimura waved once before heading his own way. He smiled when he realised who exactly he was going to have a date with tomorrow. The next day, after the usual weekend tennis practice, he walked to Rika and Akaya's home.
The gate was unlocked so he walked up the pathway and knocked on the door. Rika answered the door and Yukimura nearly fell to the floor. He had never seen Rika out of her school uniform before. She was dressed in a green sundress and a white cardigan. Her curly black hair was tied up in its usual ponytail and she was wearing a pair of cream flats.
"You look very cute, Rika-chan" Yukimura commented and Rika nodded.
Yukimura led the way but then once again there was only silence accompanying them. He had a certain thought that was disturbing. Shy girls like Rika usually blushed at the drop of a hat. However, compliments or even jokes never made Rika flush at all. He glanced over at her and noticed her distracted because of the cracks of the pavement.
Yukimura led her to the movie theatre and then bought to tickets for an English movie. He had picked up from Akaya that his sister loved English movies. During the movie, while Rika was distracted, Yukimura couldn't help but think there was something wrong. Did Rika actually like him or not? Well, she was the one who had asked him out but why wasn't she responding to anything he was saying or doing?
He reached out and grasped her hand in his own. Rika froze but then focused on the movie. Yukimura nodded in satisfaction. Now that was a reaction he enjoyed. They finished the movie and Rika spoke tentatively about the movie and Yukimura commented despite not having paid attention.
It was only four when they got to the street tennis courts. Lots of tennis players were hitting on the courts and Yukimura felt amused as he watched them return easy shots.
"Tennis is like life" Rika suddenly commented.
"Hmm? Why do you think that?" Yukimura asked.
"In tennis you only have a split second or two to decide where you want the shot to go. If it goes to the wrong place then your opponent will easily reach it. But then, if you aren't experienced enough to hit properly then you can make it go out, giving your opponent the advantage" Rika explained.
"And in life you cannot take back the decision you've made, like in tennis. You're rather smart, Rika-chan" Yukimura said.
"Thank you, Yukimura-san. I must have made you very uncomfortable with what I said yesterday"
"It was rather surprising Rika-chan. I can understand the need for being at a level with your peers but you can take things at your own pace. You don't need to follow the pack" Yukimura explained.
"But I'm not normal, Yukimura-san. I'm not like all other girls" Rika said.
"What do you mean you're not normal?"
"Because I'm in love with my best friend" Rika said quietly.
"Your best friend?" Yukimura searched through his mind as he remembered a girl with brown hair and dark eyes. Rika was in love with her best friend. Did that mean? Yukimura looked down at the green eyed girl in shock.
Rika was in love with a girl?!
Well this story might seem like a bit out of my usual writing scope. I've done stories in genres like supernatural, romance, humour, pain and yaoi. This is my attempt at trying to describe something my cousin lived through. The events and Rika's personality has come entirely her and she has lived through a period of her life like Rika's. I had no idea how much confusion and pressure she lived through. I'm sure there are many other people like her out there and this story is merely a reflection of her decisions.
Read and review if you wish to.
Thank you.
Onyxinlife.