Take This To Heart ~ Chapter 1
(A/N: Fushimi Saruhiko is from K, and Aihara Yuzuko is from Sabu Routa's Citrus Manga. I don't own them)
It was in the middle of summer when they first met.
A young boy is riding his bike by the river. The morning sunlight shines through his cerulean hair, while his azure eyes concentrated on the road.
His shoulder bag contains rolls of newly published newspaper. Then he slowed down when he reached the neighborhood. He pulled one of the rolls from his bag, and tossed it on the front door of the house. He did the same on every house he passed by.
This was the routine of the young Fushimi. He rides his bike throughout the neighborhood, and delivers fresh newspapers to the houses every morning. The boy is only 7 years old, and at his young age, he already knows the importance of money for helping his family.
His family is rather poor. Fushimi s parents are divorced, his father had an affair with another woman, so after the trial, Fushimi stayed with his mother, who is often sick, and lived at his grandmother s house, from the mother s side.
Because of his mom s weak condition, she only stayed home, but she sewed and knitted clothes for sale. His grandma helped her with the business.
Upon witnessing and realizing the state his family was in, He volunteered to be a newspaper boy, which gives minimum wage, but still able to support the family.
At first, they were against it. But after receiving the boys countless pleadings, both the mother and his grandmother agreed at last. He was very happy when he received their approval, He looked like a kid who just received a jar full of cookies. And they could only watch their beloved little boy with pride and delight.
Fushimi dragged his bike on the road. He assumed it was past 9:30 am already. Sweat dripping from his head, he was so tired from pedaling his bike and tossing newspapers, so he stopped by a mango tree that is overlooking the river to rest. He leaned his bike against the tree s trunk, then he dropped his empty bag on the grass, and used it as a pillow. He lied down there, covered by the massive tree s shadow. The gentle breeze blows, giving a soothing feeling. His exhaustion wearing off, and he fell asleep.
The young boy opened his eyes slightly, he saw a pair of emerald eyes staring at him in close up. He jolted awake.
"Oh! I'm sorry." The little girl said, startled from the sleeping boy s action.
"What are you doing?" Fushimi said in exasperation. He quickly backed off to the tree I was just playing hide-and-seek with my friends, and I was about to hide on this tree, and then I saw you sleeping. She said, looking down and pointing both her index fingers together.
Fushimi looked at her. She has wavy blonde hair tied on twintails, a light complexion, and pretty emerald-green eyes.
"What's your name?" she asked.
The boy snapped out of his daze, and answered.
"F-Fushimi. Fushimi Saruhiko." He blushed a little.
"I'm Yuzuko Aihara! But you can call me Yuzu." She said in glee.
Suddenly, some kids can be heard shouting from the distance.
"Yuzu! Where are you? Let s go to the playground!"
The girl stood up. Fushimi looked up at her.
"Oh! Those are my friends, I've gotta go!" She ran a few yards before looking back at Fushimi.
"You look cute while you sleep!" She said waving her hand to him, and continued running off to her friends.
The boy was blushing, and surprised from the encounter.
"She's cute.." he murmured.