Season One: The Trials of Love
Episode One the Confession
Ayu Tateshi, a recent girl in love, had just found out the secret that bound her to the edge of a love worthy mountain. She couldn't believe her ears. Tetsushi Kaji, her long-term crush of two years, was confessing to upper-classmen and baseball team manager, Akiho Hirota. Discreetly, anyone nearby could hear his and her exact words.
"Akiho-san, the truth is…I love you," Tetsushi confessed, he looked embarrassed from what Ayu could see. But, this was strange; Tetsushi never appeared embarrassed. Akiho blinked as if she didn't believe a word he said.
"You're late," she snapped but, didn't explode with anger. "I told you I liked you last year. But, you said you were holding out for a crush." Akiho stared at the column that she and Tetsushi were standing near and then the paved path below her feet. "I don't like you any longer. And, besides…," she flipped her hair over her right shoulder. "I'm into older guys now." Her eyes flickered with wit and maybe that was anger. Hopefully not.
"Ayu-dear…," Nina Sakura, Ayu's best friend who's a witch, stammered at her friend with her large, hopeful brown eyes. They were standing in one of the corners in the courtyard, unseen by Tetsushi and Akiho, one would think. Ayu didn't hesitate or make any other gesture to show her sadness, she seemed unemotional. Maybe she was?
"I'm fine," Ayu put on that winning smile the sixth and seventh graders loved. "He's in love, right? And, that's the only thing that could possibly make me happy." Ayu explained with great composure even though she was in despair at the time.
"Ayu…," Nina's voice trailed off into a faint whisper. "I'm sorry." Nina mumbled.
"It's fine, really. Believe me," Ayu reassuringly said. Nina gulped nervously, not believing a single word her best friend had told her. Who would?
"Well, I need to leave…to…um, someplace. Wait for me after tennis, okay?" Ayu said, about to turn away from the courtyard. She had to leave. Leave this and her feelings here so they'd never return to her.
"Sure," Nina smiled, hoping her smile would pass onto Ayu. Nina wanted to form some chain-reaction of smiles, for sure.
"Alright then. See you," Ayu said and within a flash, she disappeared behind the columns of the middle school and back inside the building. Ayu kept running despite teachers calling after her telling her to stop. She quickly went into the bathroom and crouched down against the wall. A window lay above her head, wind softly blowing through the open crack. Ayu settled into sitting in a position where she had her knees to her chest and her elbows propped on her knees.
Tiny tears rolled down her cheeks. How dare she cry? How dare she become somebody weak? How could she? This wasn't what Tetsushi had wanted, right? He wanted his queen of cool. The girl that he admired. Or no, did he want Akiho Hirota, the popular baseball team coach from last year? Ayu smothered her face into her hands. She muffled her sound and tears together. Good girl.
On the other side of this, Tetsushi Kaji had just been rejected by the girl he had wanted for quite awhile. So he thought. Tetsushi banged a fist against the brick walling of the school. Unknowingly, Ayu was on the other side dealing with the same thing he was. The cold, bitter fate of rejection.
"Damn," Tetsushi swore under his breath. A rare occasion, yes. But, obviously for good reasons. Tetsushi bent his head, his blondish brown bangs covering his brown eyes. Tetsushi didn't cry like Ayu did but, he felt the same things she did. Maybe they were both weak but, Tetsushi had kept his emotions, really, to himself.
At least, this time, he was. Now, we wouldn't want to see a charismatic, honor student crying, would we? Ayu bit her lower lip a little too hard as she heard a fist pound against the brick of the school. She stood up and peered out the crack of the window.
There he was. Tetsushi Kaji, the boy of her dreams. Standing right before her very eyes but, there was a catch. He didn't look how he usually did. He looked upset and of course, Ayu knew why. But, being her, of course she wouldn't act as if she knew. Tetsushi obviously heard her rustle and turned to face the school. Ah-hah, caught in the act.
"Ayu-san?" Tetsushi arched an eye brow.
"Oh, hi Tetsushi!" Ayu was about to blush but, kept her composure up. Tetsushi was doing the same and inside, they couldn't be more alike.
"I hope you don't mind me asking but, what exactly are you doing?" Tetsushi felt a little puzzled. If you think about it, their situation was kind of awkward.
"Using the bathroom, of course," Ayu said as if he should have known that. "Um, if you don't mind me asking…what are you doing?" She repeated but, curiosity killed the cat.
"Oh. Just taking a walk, I suppose," Tetsushi told her, such a perfect actor. Ayu realized that if she had no clue about everything with Tetsushi and Akiho, she would have never noticed that Tetsushi was really sad.
"Would you like to take one together? The other day, I found this spot where cherry blossoms are in bloom. Want to see?" Tetsushi asked her with his famous, heart warming smile. No girl could reject this.
"Sure," Ayu smiled shyly. "I'll meet you around back." Ayu said and walked away from the window and out of the bathroom. Tetsushi turned back around and looked up at the cloudless, light blue sky. Things might just be looking up. Ayu thought happily to herself as she walked towards the back exit of the school. Maybe this was her chance to prove herself worthy of loving Tetsushi Kaji. She could change this. She really could.
"I'm determined," she whispered to herself and changed her facial expression. It was a mix between satisfied with hints of optimism. Ayu turned a few corners but, finally found Tetsushi, standing in the same place, spacing out as he peered up at the bright sky. At that moment, the wind swept Ayu's beautiful chocolate brown, mid back length hair and her eyes gleamed. Tetsushi heard footsteps coming his way and turned to the direction the sound was coming from.
"Hey," Ayu greeted her love quite shyly but modestly.
"Hi," Tetsushi could barely say. He was breathless. In that one moment or second, Ayu had looked ravishingly beautiful. It was picture perfect. The way the wind lightly brushed her hair over her shoulders, her shimmering pale brown eyes and her modest greeting. Anybody could say that Ayu was absolutely perfect. Even he.
"How are you?" Ayu had quickened her pace slightly as she caught up to where Tetsushi was. Tetsushi smiled down at her. Ayu wasn't too short compared to him, probably a few inches, give or take.
"I'm fine," Tetsushi said. Liar, Ayu thought but, gave a small smile back. "And, you?"
"Same as well," Ayu said, realizing how much of a hypocrite she was.
"Actually…to be truthful, I'm not that okay," Tetsushi gulped nervously. Was it really alright to tell Ayu Tateshi, Ms. Popularity and Queen of Cool, this? Sure, it was.
"You see, this girl I like…just rejected me. I mean…it's not the first time it's happened. But, I really like this one girl. I must sound pathetic, huh Tateshi?" Tetsushi wasn't a liar, Ayu cleared up in her mind. How sweet.
"No, you don't," Ayu clarified and turned to look at the trees that the two were passing as they walked down the empty path.
"You're so popular and cool though, Ayu-san. Things like this probably never happen to you," Tetsushi said, sounding a bit too sure of himself. Yeah right.
"I wouldn't say that," Ayu mentioned, hoping Tetsushi realized that as much as Ayu acted like Ms. Popularity, she was still a normal girl.
"Quite frankly, I wouldn't expect you to be rejected. Of anybody, you're the famous one, Tetsushi-san. All the sixth, seventh, eighth, and even some of the ninth graders favor you. If I'm this Queen of Cool, you say, then you're the King," Ayu was careful about which words she chose as she formulated these sentences.
"Well, let's just say that I'm just your normal, average guy then," Tetsushi laughed slightly and Ayu couldn't help but smile at this fact. She made Tetsushi laugh. Simply wonderful.
"Then, I'm your normal, everyday girl!" Ayu declared. She and Tetsushi had no choice but to laugh at themselves and with each other.
"Ayu-san, you really are something," Tetsushi wiped away a fake tear. Ayu glanced away from the boy she loved. Did he really just say that? Yes, really, he did.
"I was upset before," Ayu heard Tetsushi say from behind her. She was still looking away. "But, you just made me feel so happy." Ayu glanced back at him. "Thank you!" Tetsushi said and Ayu felt her heart flip. Everything about him was everything she loved.
"Don't look now but, we're here!" Tetsushi waved his arm upwards and gestured to the beautiful, fully bloomed pink flowers around them.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" Tetsushi asked once Ayu had took the sight in. Cherry blossoms were spread everywhere and petals were flying every which way. The trees were scattered across from either side of the path with fresh, green grass laid on the ground. Such a magnificent sight, it was.
"Yes," Ayu replied and smelt the sweet smelling flowers. From the school, the two had heard the bell ring. Ayu and Tetsushi quickly glanced at each other.
"Time to go then," Tetsushi said as if Ayu couldn't hear.
"I guess so," Ayu nodded, in response. "I'll see you soon."
"Probably," Tetsushi lips curved into a smile.
"Well, bye," Ayu walked her own way and so did Tetsushi. Ayu continued to think to herself. Now was definitely not a time to give up. Of anything, it was time to strengthen those forces and maybe with a little magic, a miracle could form. Oh yes, a miracle, that would be like the cherry blossoms, simply a magnificent sight.
-Cue: Roll the credits-
Author and script: me
Message to all: Hope you enjoyed the first episode! See you next time in Ultra Maniac: How to Make Tetsushi Kaji Fall in Love.