Goodbye
5 years ago
"Well Fuji, I guess this is where we say goodbye." Emiko Hiyama said to her friend. "I'll come back soon I promise. We'll talk over the phone and over the computer so don't worry." She patted Fuji who still looked like she was never going to come back.
"Once you get home, you better call or I'll get worried okay?" Fuji replied and she just nodded her head and then looked at the watch. "Well I have to go. See you soon." She started but, Fuji decided to give her one last hug. Emiko taken back by surprise hugged him back before picking up her luggage and leaving behind the gate.
A few hours into the day, Fuji turned on the TV. As always it was on the news channel. Before he changed it something scrolling at the bottom caught his eye. He read out loud, "Flight 043 leaving from Tokyo to Toronto today at two pm, was found shattered out in the Pacific Ocean. The pieces have been burnt black and have no chance of any survivors." He turned off the TV and sat there for a moment, stunned. Just not that long ago he had told her goodbye and now he'd never see her again, never be able to tell her his true feelings.
-x-x-
"Ehh Fuji, Fuji!" yelled a certain red head to him and shook his arm. Fuji roused a bit but, didn't lift his head. "FUJI WAKE UP!" was yelled into his ear and made him stand up. He turned to Eiji, the smile still on his face and replied, "You didn't have to yell." He sat back down and looked at his piece of paper. They were in the middle of a test and he fell asleep. He quickly scribbled down the answers and flipped over the paper and just relaxed until the bell had rung signalling for lunch.
He quickly stood up and packed his stuff, while his red headed friend bounded after him. "So, what was it that you were mumbling about Fuji?" Eiji asked as they walked to the lunch table. "Why did it interest you?" He asked back rubbing his left ear. He could still hear him yelling in it.
"Well you kept saying some sort of name. What was it again oh yeah Emiko Hi-something. Ohh is that your girlfriend?" Eiji asked as Fuji stopped in the hallways. "Don't worry about it. Just an old memory." He mumbled a bit pissed off but, not showing it. Eiji just shrugged and didn't say anything anymore. He'd just bring it up at the lunch table.
Soon enough the whole gang was sitting around eating lunch in silence. Tezuka had no expression on his face, Momo and Kaido seemed to be mad at each other again, so Eiji decided to break the silence by saying, "Ne ne, did you guys no that Fuji had a girlfriend in the past her name was Emiko." This certainly got everyone's attention and Inui grabbed his book and wrote something down. Tezuka looked over at Fuji who seemed to be choking on his food.
"Eiji, didn't I tell you not to worry about that?" said Fuji in a sadistic tone as he stopped coughing. "But! I wanna know. And I bet everyone else wants to too, nya." He replied with a sad but, exciting tone. Fuji just sighed and continued, "Like I said she's just a childhood friend and an old memory."
Tezuka decided to take a stab at this and asked, "Why do you say old memory?" Fuji opened his eyes showing the brilliant blue eyes he had and replied, "Fine I'll tell you guys the story."
He cleared his throat and began, "Emiko Hiyama, was my neighbour and my best friend. Before entering middle school, she was moving to Canada for a while. Her grandma was sick and they were sure that a funeral was going to be happening. She was suppose to come back the year after but, the plane crashed over the Pacific Ocean and their were no survivors found. Only burnt parts of the plane. This happened five years ago for anyone who cares about dates…" He paused and looked over to Inui who scribbled down everything. "And well today was the day that plane crashed, so I guess I'm experiencing some of the old memories."
The whole table was silent. "I'm sorry, that you had to repeat such a terrible thing." Tezuka said and broke the awkward silence. "I'm sorry too nya!" added in Eiji hugging Fuji. "I'll never ask again promise." Fuji just smiled and replied "I wouldn't want it any other way." Everything seemed to get a lot better from there.
-x-x-
"Come on you slow players. I want those laps done now!" Yelled their sensei from the other side of the courts. Everyone was doing laps, even the freshmen. Fuji ran ahead of most with Tezuka just a few steps in front of him. Behind him he could hear Momo-chan and Kaido arguing and Taka-san yelling "BURNING!" and running right past both him and Tezuka finishing first.
"Good work everyone, go home and rest and come back here bright and early. Anyone late will get twenty laps around." Tezuka said as everyone bowed and left the tennis courts. The sun was already setting and Fuji hitched a ride with his sister home. "So, it has been five year since that incident hasn't it." She said sadly as she pulled into the front of the house. "Yeah.." Was the reply she got back as Fuji opened the door and closed it. "Thanks sis." He said as she backed out and drove away to finish the errands.
Fuji entered the house while yelling, "I'm home!" and then going straight to his room. He closed the door and slid down till he was sitting on the floor. He just sat there for a moment before he clutched the left side of his shirt with his right hand and fell down onto his back.
"Why couldn't I tell you then, at least it wouldn't be haunting me now." He muttered to himself. A single tear trickled down his cheek and hit his hand which was resting by his face. "Why." After that he fell asleep,
-x-x-
The next day he was up bright and early, he also had a mark on his cheek from sleeping on the ground. He rubbed it and watched it fade away. He held in a yawn as he finished breakfast and was soon out the door heading towards the school. By the time he got there others were slowly showing up, naturally Tezuka was already dressed and ready for the rest. The practice was short and also light.
After changing he headed up to his first class, English. He didn't hate the subject, he was actually good at it. He sat down in his seat and listened to the gossip going around the class. "Ne did you hear some new girl is coming into our class. I hope she's single." Was the popular one. Great another girl, just what this class needed.
"Okay butts in seats now." Yelled the teacher as she walked in. "As you all know, we have a new student coming into our class now, be nice to her." She motioned with her hand and the girl walked in. She had long blue hair, that touched her waist, green eyes that just seemed hard not to see. She had a petite build, unlike others. "My name is Emiko Hiyama. Please take care of me." She bowed as the class got noisy again.
Fuji's eyes widened. Could it be, no it couldn't. Eiji watched as Fuji seemed to be frightened. "Ne ne is that the Emiko you were talking about?" Fuji didn't reply, all he could do is stare. How'd she survive that plane crash, there was no way. They say the thing blew up in the air, there was no way she could have, could she?
Something that seemed to stand out was a purple necklace and the hanging piece was in the shape of a feather. It had a weird glow to it. "Emiko-chan you can go sit by Fuji-kun." Said the teacher as Emiko nodded and walked over. She sat down and didn't really say anything. Her gaze fell to the desk in front of her.
Fuji stuttered for a moment and then asked "Emiko, how did you…" She looked at him a confused look on her face. "How did I what?" She asked as he had stopped to find the teacher glaring at them.
/I'll have to ask her later./ He thought. He surely would. How could she have survived. It just wasn't possible.