Chapter 2 "The Reunion"

Chapter 2 "The Reunion"

"Natsume…" Mikan thought as she ran away from the shore…

"Congratulations…"

"Mikan, you're gonna be married, you should be happy."

"Natsume… I don't understand… Why are you happy that I'm going to be married…?" she thought as her tears prickled down her cheeks. She ran and ran until she reached a little house with a big Sakura tree in the yard. The garden is painted with the different colors of the flowers planted in every corner. The house gave a peaceful and quiet aura that lures you inside. Mikan pushed open the gates, took out her key and opened the front door. She closed it shut and leaned on it. She clenched her fist and put her hand close to her heart.

"Did he ever forget what he said when I promised that I'll be back…? Am I the only one who's hurt here…?" She murmured to her self as she stood there, covering the door to her home.

"Mikan, are you okay…?" Asked a guy who just came out of his room. "You're crying! What happened?" he said as he approached Mikan.

"Don't worry about me, Shoichi-kun… If you'll excuse me… I'm just going to my room." She ran to her room and closed the door…

"Natsume, you must have found someone you love more than me huh…" she went to her bed and wept softly...

Meanwhile, Natsume was still in the gazebo looking at the horizon.

"She did return, but…" he clenched his fist and bumped his head on one of the pergola's posts. "She must have found someone she likes better… Come to think of it, she might not been in love with me in the first place…" he went out and walked on the shore.

"I could still remember the first time we met here and also the second time. Both of those days were rainy. You were crying and the next day we were smiling… we played in this shore right? You returned and fulfilled your promise but I guess I would never fulfill mine…" he looked up at the clouds when his cell phone rang.

"Natsume! There will be a reunion of our batch on Wednesday. Are you free? If so, just go to the place I faxed to you. Bye!" the voiced uttered before Natsume could even say hello.

"Sumire…" he said and he went home to check his organizer.

"Mikan, there's a call for you!" Shoichi called from the living room. I think it's Sumire!

"I'll answer it here in my room! Please put down the phone." Mikan said with her voice still trembling because of her weeping.

"Hello…?"

"Mikan, it's me Sumire! I'm glad you're finally back here in Japan!"

"I'm glad to be back too… How are you?"

"Me? I'm fine…and oh… I just called to say that were going to have a reunion party this Wednesday… Are you free?"

"Uhm… Wednesday… That's May 7? Uhm…sure… I think I can squeeze a bit of my time…"

"That's great! You know the park in front of the Hanabishi Company right?"

"uhm… Fuyukoi Park?"

"Yeah! That's the one. That's the location. Be there on 4:00 in the afternoon. Okay? Bye!"

"Yeah… bye…"

Mikan put down the phone and sat on her bed.

"Wednesday… I'm glad Sumire finally decided on the reunion. It's hard answering her questions everyday…" she giggled a bit and noticed that she wasn't crying anymore. She stood and walked to the door and opened it. She went to the fridge and got some cucumber and some crabs sticks. She sliced them into strips while waiting for the rice to cook.

"Mikan…"

"Oh, Shoichi-kun… What do you think of some sushi for lunch?" she said at the man who just came in the house.

"That's fine with me. It's sure to be yummy when you're the one who cooked it…"

"I know that…" Mikan giggled… "Make sure to wash first, you're dirty from doing all the garden chores…"

"Yes MADAME…" they both laughed and Shoichi went to his room to take a bath.

"Lunch is ready!" Mikan called…

"I'm coming!"

They sat down on the table and got their share of sushi.

"Mom's not here yet… I wonder what happened to her presentation…" Mikan said opening up a topic…

"Yeah… well I hope it went well…"

"She should have cooked lunch; she knows I still have work later…"

"Don't worry about it; I'll be the one to wash the dishes…"

"Thank you Shoichi-kun…"

There was silence until Mikan brought up the topic about the reunion…

"Ne, Shoichi-kun… can we move the wedding dress on Thursday? My friends and I will have a get together on Wednesday."

"Sure…"

"I have to get ready for work…"

"Okay…"

"Oh, Natsume. I thought you'll visit tomorrow?" Ruka asked Natsume as he opened his car's door and went out.

"I just wanted to ask you about something…" Natsume replied… "But let's talk there…" he added while pointing at the cliff where he stood gazing at the sea every time he visits Ruka.

"…" and Ruka followed Natsume to the precipice.

"So, what did you want to ask?" Ruka said as they reached the place Natsume pointed.

Natsume just stared at the ocean as if he didn't hear him.

"…"

After a long silence... Natsume started to talk…

"Do you know why I like this place?" Natsume said… still looking at the shore.

"…no… why…?" Ruka asked.

"You can see the whole beach from here. Do you see the gazebo and the part of the shore in front of it over there? That's where I first met someone very dear to me…"

"…"

"When I'm here I feel that that time was coming back to me… You know who that girl is right?"

"Mikan…" Ruka replied in a whisper. Natsume closed his eyes and said…

"She promised that she'll return three years after graduation…"

"You know Natsume, Sumire told me news about that special someone of yours. She said that she's back that's why there's a reunion at the Fuyukoi Park."

"I know. She called me a while ago…"

"…"

"Ruka, what will you do if you found out Hotaru is engaged…?"

Ruka looked at Natsume…

"…" Ruka looked at the view beneath him.

"I'll just let her follow what her heart says... I can't do anything of course if they love each other… time will pass and I have the chance to move on…" he continued…

"… Mikan is going to be married in a month's time…"

"What…?"

"She said it herself while we were down there…" he said pointing at the gazebo which looked like a marble sized turtle hiding in its shell.

"She must have lied, you know, just to know what your reaction is…"

"She cried too… She wouldn't cry if it was all a joke…"

"So, you believe her…"

"I wish I don't… at all…"

"Natsume…"