"A Dream Destined To Come True"
Hi again-)
Surprisingly it's not a Touhou-fic this time :) I was so inspired with Mihoko and Hisa, this nice pairing from 'Saki'-anime, that I felt the urge to write about these cute girls straightway after watching it. They are totally adorable, IMHO. I like such personalities very much - they both are not only strong, beautiful and kind, but also definitely unique in many ways. I'm truly attracted to them, especially to Mihoko-chan - she's really magnetic, isn't she?-)
So.. This is my version of how they spent that day in Kiyosumi.
Hope not to disappoint you) Enjoy & criticize!
A comfortable evening slowly falls on the Kiyosumi High School territory. Here, on the roof of the Mahjong Club, which is at a distance from the festival's main venue, the loudness of surrounding sounds are muffled. The girl alongside me is standing quietly watching the fireworks and the slight wind is blowing over her red hair.
Ueno-san.. I've finally found you.
All these years I secretly hoped to catch a sight of your face in the crowd. To find the only name on the various lists.
And this time has come at last. Mahjong games we shared some days ago.. Those two games were important for me not only because of their victory value. Your team won the tournament in the end but this fact couldn't take away the joy your unexpected presence had brought to me. Why is it that I've been striving so desperately to see you once more? I don't know. I just thank the destiny which finally connected our paths over again. You said I'm a worthy Club Captain, heh.. but I'm not, actually. Even during the tournament itself it was not only my team's result that I kept in my head. I never stopped thinking that it was you of all the others as my unhoped-for rival that time.
Before I could realize it I began to fear that everything would be over with the end of the day, and you'd disappear wihout a trace, the same way as you did after our first encounter. But happily, you participated in the individual tournament as well, so we shared another play the next day. That was me who won for that once and it seemed that we parted with a mutual sympathy so I got a hope to meet you from time to time. But your invitation to the training camp was something I couldn't expect!
To see you again so soon.. Am I truly ready for such opportunity? When I received your letter, my heart was desperately asking to agree immediately but I couldn't do it so rashly. I'm the Mahjong Club Captain, after all. I should care for my teammates' feelings, especially for Kana's. She's like a little sister to me, this always energetic, supportive and very cute kitten-like girl. Her presence by my side and unending warmth help me a lot to go through all of the complications I've ever met on my way – and well.. I suppose it's her whom I should thank for the fact that the feeling of your absence in my life made me much less lonely than it possibly could.
But these guys.. When they came to me with a passionate request to accept the invitation, I no longer had a reason to hide from an opportunity to communicate with you again. Even though it would be just for a while, but I wanted to feel your presence.. To watch your unique play style, your nice red hair, your smart and confident face. All of that was too tempting. When I realized that nothing could stop me from fulfilling my fantasies, the urge to see you suddenly became so unbearable that I came to your school myself. Even though I knew you would be surprised and maybe I really should have had just called.. But.. What's done is done.
When I arrived you were acting as if you were not surprised to see me at all – well, you always seemed to be that confident, whatever happened. We had a calm and quite amusing talk – I really relished it though felt a bit bashful at the same time. And then.. You suddenly asked me whether I would be free till the end of the day.
This was your turn to throw me off guard. The slight embarrassment mixed with the soft feeling of pleasure in my heart. And you made me blush even more by offering to spend the evening watching fireworks with you. My pulse began to flutter. I couldn't had ever imagined an opportunity to be with you in private, to spend time so intimately.
They say I'm a powerful person but actually I'm not. Well, maybe I really am in some aspects, but I have several weaknesses. And though I fear to admit it but at the moment my greatest weakness.. It's you. Since we first met I've been captivated with your manners, fascinated by your appearance, mesmerized with your play style. All of it makes me sense an unpredictable warmth when I think about you. What's this feeling? Even though I've been desperately trying to find you all these years, I haven't ever thought about exactly why I was seeking you. Maybe I've been too scared to acknowledge the true reason behind it.. So I just tried and tried - wishfully, hopefully, but pretending to myself that I had no clue. And now being face to face with my sought-for target shows me like in a mirror the intensity of my feelings to you.
I'm sure all I go through at the present moment could be seen clearly on my face, but there's nothing I can do with it. Emotions are overwhelming me and they are both creating some restless sensation in my chest and miraculously calming it down straight away. I didn't know that just a simple talk could bring me such dizziness, miss Kiyosumi High School Student Council President. This time I'm able not only to speak with you again but also to accept both of your alluring invitations. "But that's not all", I think. Now that our relationship got a possibility to be developed a bit, I want more, much more. But I postpone this thrilling thought till the time when I'm alone, and entrust myself to your care.
And this is how we turned out to be at this roof together.
I didn't expect to spend the day with Hisa when I went to Kiyosumi. The possibility to join her in watching such a beautiful sight makes me awkward and both happy. Another quite big and colorful firework explodes in the sky, and I'm really excited to look at it. These bright spots in the dark evening sky are really fascinating and so romantic and..
– Finally, – I hear her calm voice. "Huh?" I turn to her and realize she's watching me with a pleased smile.
– Finally… You've opened it. This beautiful eye of yours. Your face.. it's incredibly nice, you know?
I lose my breath. I was so enchanted by the fascinating sight that didn't even realize that I began looking at it with both of my eyes. She truly can catch anyone off-guard, this girl.. "Blue sapphires and red rubies, they all have the same chemical composition", – I'll never forget those kind and exciting words she told me once upon a time. Since that moment I've been secretly hoping to hear at least another single praise from her again one day, but now I'm completely taken aback.
The strange bittersweet feeling fills me inside. I'm surely blissful to be complimented in such a way yet frightened that it was only a joke.
Suddenly a sharp blast of wind dishevels my hair a bit. Hisa stretches out her hand and tucks a hair lock back behind my ear carefully. She takes away her hand immediately but it's enough to make me feel as if I burn inside. Her fingers brush against my skin only for a second, but I'm able to notice that they are unbelievably soft.
I can only stare at her with my eyes wide-open whispering: – Ueno-san…
She turns her gaze away and watches the sky asking suddenly: – Say, Fukuji-san, why are you still calling me Ueno even though my family name is Takei now?
The sudden realization that the reason to change a surname could be something dreadful that had happened to her family hits my head.
– Ugh… I'm very sorry! I-I didn't mean to remind you of any grievous accidents-…
What an idiot I am.. Since we met again, I've actually been so excited about this fact that I haven't ever thought about the occasion of her being Takei-san now. The fear I could hurt her clutches me.
But fortunately, she dispels my anxiety:
– Hey, hey! Please, don't be so worried – my parents' divorce is not such a painful thing for me anymore. I'm just amused that you remember my old name after such a long time. Ah.. Tell, could it be that you remembered me sometimes since our first competition?
"E..Eh." The fright leaves me, but instead of that I begin blushing deeply and hesitate before answering. She has a prankish smile on her face now, but somehow the expression of her eyes is soft and kind. As I watch her I realize that she's still waiting for my answer. But she says abruptly: – Just kidding! Never mind. Sorry, it was rude of me.
Actually, I've already decided to answer. Oh my, it's so hard to give a proper response to such a question. But I don't want to lie. That's why I say quietly:
– Yes. I've been thinking of you.
Her eyes widen. She didn't expect I'd answer it after all. – Why? – she almost whispers.
Why, you ask? But how would I dare to come out to you with my complicated feelings? How can I tell you that I wanted to see you badly, that I wished you once again to praise this eye of mine which I open so rarely? That your confident smile is something I want to have in my heart. That you are the person in whom I want to confide.. For the moment all of these simple facts are too complicated to acknowledge even for me. I'm not ready yet to show the emotions you create inside my soul.
So I just smile – a bit helplessly, I guess, and tell the truth. Another side of the truth.
– I don't know.
How odd. Her reaction is completely different from what I thought it could be. She laughs softly and utters: – I like it.
– What exactly? – I can't help but ask.
– To spend time with Fukuji-san. I definitely like it. So if you don't mind, let's meet again sometimes! Ok?
She's completely wonderful, this girl, my mahjong-rival to whom I'm so attached. She's able to say such important thing with a crafty yet sincere smile on her face, so easily as if there's nothing to worry about. And I totally accept this lightness of her behavior for a while just relaxing and smiling back: – Sure! With pleasure, Ue.. I mean, Takei-san!
- That's settled then! And well.. Actually, you can call me as you like. I'm not against being named Ueno if it's you who does it. – She gives me a wink.
- Thanks. - I'm truly pleased to hear it. Several moments pass in comfortable silence, and then I suddenly add something I've never expected to be telling out loud: – Um.. Ueno Hisa-san.. please, don't disappear for such a long time again.
After that I immediately scold myself. It's rather stupid to tell this stuff to a person with whom you're merely acquainted.
But she takes my hand and squeezes it tight. I look at her face stunned by her sudden action. This time she's serious.
– I won't. This is a promise.
..She's standing at the school gate bidding me farewell. When we part and I have walked off to some distance already, I suddenly hear her voice: – Fukuji-saaan!
I turn back and see her waving at me. – Actually it's much better than just a phone call, isn't it? I'm really delighted you came!
I nod and wave back at her walking away with a joyous smile on my face. She tells my thoughts actually.
One day I will certainly be able to tell her what she means to me. I somehow have a strange feeling that she'll understand me, this girl who is so good at reading people's hand and mind.
I leave her, but this time I'm not feeling lonely.
'Cause now I know we'll definitely meet again.
---
The end