Well-Wishing

They make wishes for others.

1.

It takes Chisaki a few heaving steps to get to the ringing telephone and press the receiver to her ear.

"It's me."

Chisaki chuckles. "I know."

He forgets many things but he does not forget this–once a week at half past four. Chisaki knows their routine well.

"Grandpa?" Tsumugu inquires.

Out of habit, Chisaki untangles the telephone cord, stretching spirals into lines, while she answers, "He's resting in his room."

After he asks her about Grandpa Isamu, he asks about her, questions such as, "What are you doing right now?"

"Tsumugu, you know very well what I'm doing!" Chisaki chuckles once more, dropping the whole tangle. Then, she picks it up again and nudges verbally, teasingly, "Try."

Tsumugu takes it in earnest when he says, "I know, right now, you might be in your apron, cooking up a new dish taught by your mother or sitting at home doing needlework. You might be dusting the rooms or rearranging the books on my desk. You might be playing shogi or cards with grandpa or helping him clean his fishing tools–"

"–Hahaha–" Oh, how he says such earnest things that inadvertently make her smile or laugh. Before he realizes, Chisaki's quiet chuckles have already segued into laughter that speaks from her stomach and rumbles all the way up to her throat. "Oh, Tsumugu! How on earth were you able to describe my whole day?" It amuses her to no end. A few seconds later, she also admits fondly, "You know me too well."

Chisaki thinks she can tell him everything or nothing and he will still understand the drift of thoughts or tide of emotions roiling inside her.

"Today," Chisaki goes on. "Manaka, Hikari, and Miuna dropped by for a visit. Their graduation ceremony will be held the following week."

"Yeah, Kaname told me."

"Oh? He did?" It makes Chisaki pause, at first, but no, it must not surprise her that Tsumugu and Kaname talk without her knowledge.

"Yes. I also said I'll be home for the weekend."

Again, it surprises her. "Oh? So, you told him earlier than me," she states, not asks.

"It just happened like that."

In her mind, she has burning questions but she only opts to hums out a thoughtful "Hmm."

Their conversation ends, as usual, with Chisaki's reminders–Don't forget to eat your meals. Don't forget to rest. Don't sleep on the bare floor without laying out the futon.

"And don't forget the saltwater or else you might dry out."

The last one is a new reminder piled atop a list of many constant reminders.

"I won't," Tsumugu obediently complies. In turn, he reminds her, "And you, please take care of the two of you."

Chisaki's eyes go soft and her lips curl into a smile. Unconsciously, her hand grazes her swelling stomach. "I will." Then, she cannot help adding, "She misses you."

"I miss her too."

2.

Three pairs of eyes stare bug-eyed at Chisaki when they gather at the patio.

"Chii-chan..." Manaka manages to utter before she falls back to staring.

Chisaki huffs out a sigh. "I know. I look fat."

"No! Not at all!" Miuna waves both head and palms persistently. Beside her, she elbows Hikari to get him to say something, anything, yet the boy is rendered too speechless. They have not laid eyes on Chisaki for a while, having busy schedules in their senior year and Chisaki recently spending most of days at home. They do not expect to find Chisaki looking heavily "..egnant! Oww-" Hikari yowls as Miuna elbows him hard again, this time, to get him to stop. The two of them step into a small argument, leaving out Manaka and Chisaki.

"So, Chii-chan, you really are going to be a mother now," Manaka murmurs, a little self-absorbed. Over the years, Manaka gets taller and, albeit, not as well-endowed as Chisaki, her body grows curves in the right places. The age difference is not so apparent now when she and Chisaki are together, yet they do not find the opportunity to spend as much time together as before. After all, they walk in different circles now. Chisaki has already been through rituals Manaka is currently experiencing and have yet to experience–high school, college, graduation, work, marriage.

"Manaka?" Chisaki's voice breaks through Manaka's cloud of thoughts; Manaka rivets back to the now.

"Chii-chan?" responds Manaka, flustered.

"It's a week early, but," Chisaki wishes her, "Happy Graduation!"

Manaka feels her eyes start to water. "Thank you. Chii-chan, come to the school with Tsumugu, okay?"

"Of course," Chisaki nods and then, starts all of a sudden. "Oh!" She drops her gaze to her stomach.

Manaka leans forward in concern. "What's wrong, Chii-chan?"

"She's moving." There is wonder in her voice as Chisaki rubs her stomach in circular motions. A gentle smile graces her features. In this moment, Manaka knows by instinct that her friend will make a patient and caring mother. She is caught off guard when Chisaki turns to her. "Would you like to feel her?"

Manaka thinks there is wonder, too, in her eyes, when she reaches out a tentative hand and asks shyly, "May I?"

3.

They amble along the sea wall on the way back from Chisaki's place. Clutching her school bag with both hands at her back, Miuna falls behind Hikari and Manaka. With Chisaki and Tsumugu both grown up, Hikari, Manaka, and Kaname naturally form a new company with Miuna and Sayu when they enter high school. However, Sayu and Kaname join the student council during senior year and naturally, too, Miuna starts spending less time with Sayu and more with Hikari and Manaka. The two take to bringing Miuna along with them to the underwater village, where they introduce her to their favorite childhood haunts. It is in these moments that Miuna's heart brims with the feeling that she is finally becoming a part of their world.

But, there are moments, too, when Hikari and Manaka stand together and they are recalling a memory–a smile, a grin, a joke, angry faces, splotchy faces, funny faces, red-rimmed eyes, teary eyes, red noses, snotty noses, a row, an apology, yells, squeaks, laughter, a smile, a grin, a blush...

If a heart is a vessel that may be filled to the brim, it may spill over too. And yet, Miuna believes her vessel still holds enough to keep her going.

She hears a voice call out to her, "Miuna." A warm touch slips into the palm of her hand. Miuna's heart stills for a second but she curls her fingers in and she and Manaka begin to walk side by side. Miuna tries to catch her attention.

"Manaka?"

Manaka cocks her head to the side. "Hmm?"

"Do you remember the time when you wore the seaslug stone I made into a necklace?"

The auburn-haired sea girl bobs her head.

"I said you were beautiful, kind, and fun."

Manaka waits for her to say more.

"I think you still are," Miuna finishes in the next breath.

Manaka's eyes shine like blue crystal while it catches light. She inches closer to Miuna. "I think you're beautiful too, Miuna-chan." She touches her cheek, "Here"–her heart–"and here." and then, Manaka smiles. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't understand these feelings. I wouldn't be able to tell you this. I hope someday you'll find someone who will tell you the same."

Miuna's cheeks flush. No, it's you who is beautiful, Miuna wants to convey to her. "Thank you, Manaka."

"Hey, hurry up or else I'm going to leave you girls behind!"

Miuna and Manaka exchange a look and then, nodding at each other, they sprint to catch up to Hikari.

4.

"When do you plan on moving from that spot? I'm afraid you might fossilize."

Sayu pricks up. She shuffles her feet and finally reveals herself at the doorway. She ventures inside, uncertain at first, and comes to linger beside Kaname's desk. "How long have you known I was standing there?"

Kaname does not tilt his head to look up at her, but there's humor in his voice when he says, "I was waiting to see if you'll come in."

Sayu pouts. "Gee, thanks. You could have saved me some suffering."

Kaname levels his sea-blue eyes at her honey-brown ones. "It was worth it."

Sayu crosses her arms and lets out a throaty "Hmph!" but still settles down on the nearest chair. She watches Kaname scratch words and numbers into his notebook. "You seem to be busy."

"Oh? Wasn't it the President who told the Vice President to do his job?"

"Did she now?" Sayu's hackle rises.

"I hear people are glad that term's ending. She's been such a slave driver!"

"What!? I'm not–"

"–Ahahahaha!" Kaname cannot hold back the gurgle of laughter pushing its way past his throat. Sayu turns away from Kaname, chafed. Soon, Kaname's laughter dies down and he takes on a solemn look. "Is it really?"

Sayu turns back to him, uncomprehending. "Really what?"

"Suffering to approach me."

Sayu flashes back to one of many typical school days when Sayu waited anxiously for his arrival and when he did, she turned stiff as a board. Kaname was about to sit down next to Sayu but stopped upon having a glimpse of his desk. He moved his gaze towards Sayu. "For me?"

Sayu twiddled her fingers. "I-it's nothing special. I just felt like giving you something."

Kaname's eyes grew a fracture wider. He glanced back at the item on his desk and traced his fingers over the cottony material for several seconds. He noted Sayu's bandaged fingers too before he finally said, "Thank you, Sayu. I'll wear it for the winter."

Sayu did not think she imagined his mellow eyes and mellow voice.

Behind her, Miuna leaned in to whisper. "See, he does notice."

He does notice, Miuna's words from before ring through her mind. Sayu is back to dealing with now. She crosses her arms again and answers his question. "N-not at all!"

Sayu wonders if he, too, will notice these–concern, hesitation, and effort.

Kaname shuts his notebook and tucks it into his bag. He pushes back his seat. "Let's go," he aims at Sayu.

"Huh?" Sayu blinks.

Kaname tells her, "Thank you for waiting for me." His eyes and lips smile gently, sweetly. "So, in return, let me walk you home."

Saya allows herself to admit, even just a little, that he does notice and appreciates her for it.

1 of 2 end

I was going to write more TsumuguxChisaki but this happened. It's just something short and a bit different from my usual. I think SayuxKaname and ManakaxMiuna have grown on me. Part 2 will be the boys' POV. After this, I'll be continuing Growing Pains or at least, I should be, lol.