Author's Notes: Hi minna! Hope you're doing well! I apologize for the long gap between updates! Thank you for supporting me despite the long waits. Here's chapter 4! I think this was one of my favorite chapters to write. Enjoy all the Taichi Chihaya moments! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Chihayafuru!
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Scene 4: Chihaya running around school to find Taichi
"Where did he go?" thought Chihaya, panting slightly. "Why am I such an idiot?"
She was conscious of a desperate feeling building up inside her. All this time, she had been afraid of Taichi quitting Karuta, but the moment he had told her his dream, she had pushed him away! "How could I do that? What if he really quits Karuta now?" The thought brought back fresh tears to eyes. She started running faster. She had to find him and apologize. Otherwise… otherwise….
Meanwhile, Taichi was sitting on the grass outside, taking deep breaths to steady himself. He loved coming to this particular spot in school. It was where he had met Chihaya for the first time after entering high school. The image of her lying on the grass and listening to Karuta poems on her headphones always brought a smile to his lips.
Taichi sighed. "I shouldn't have left the clubroom like that. What will Chihaya think?" Shaking his head, as if to get rid of melancholy thoughts, Taichi told himself that he couldn't give up on Chihaya or Karuta so easily! He could not let his new found determination waver so quickly. After all, hadn't he promised himself that like Harada sensei he would give it his all? That he would fight it out to the end? And besides, Chihaya and Arata were not dating yet, he reasoned. He still had a chance!
"So why? Why did I leave the clubroom like such a coward? Why do I always run away?" Taichi pulled out some grass in frustration. He kept on replaying the fateful conversation in his head. After such a revelation from Chihaya could he have kept his calm? Could he have pretended to not care?
Taichi sighed. In hindsight, maybe leaving the clubroom had been a good idea. His expression would have surely revealed his heart. That with one look, Chihaya would know. He couldn't let that happen… not before…
"Taiiiiiichiiiii!" Taichi looked up to see Chihaya running towards him. "Taiichii, I found you!"
Before he could compose himself, Chihaya had enveloped him in a bear hug. "Taichi, gomen! Sorry that I didn't hear your dream properly. I do want us to aim for Queen and Meijin together. I want us to be the best in Japan! Just like the high school tournament! So…so please don't quit Karuta!"
Much to his chagrin, Taichi's heart started to beat furiously! "Calm down," he said to himself, "Be your normal self. Please!" Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself out of the hug, and gave her a light smack on her head! "Baka! Weren't you listening? How can I become Meijin if I quit Karuta? Hmm?"
Chihaya's face split into a huge smile. That desperate painful feeling was gone. Taichi was right here beside her! Smiling, and even calling her baka! Her Taichi was back.
"You ran out! And Kana-chan told me I hurt you by telling you about Arata when you were telling me something so important like your dream. So, I…" Chihaya struggled with her words. She didn't want to think about Arata anymore. She wanted to be there for Taichi – to focus on his dream.
Switching subjects she said, "Ne Taichi, I was thinking we can practice Karuta on the weekends too. I'll draw up a training regimen for both of us!" She grinned at him. Oh no! Taichi wasn't responding! Was he still mad? Chihaya made one last effort, "Taichi, how about I give you my super rare daddy bear t-shirt to make up? Hmm?"
At this Taichi started laughing. "Baka, do you think I'm mad at you? I could never be mad at you. You told me about Arata because you were confused about it, right? I AM your best friend, so you're supposed to tell me anyways!" Taichi gave her a wide smile. "Besides Chihaya, I know you heard my dream! After all, it was you who brought me to my dream in the first place. Don't you know that? I grew to love Karuta because of you."
Chihaya looked up at Taichi in wonder, and saw his eyes sparkling. "I gave you your dream?" she asked.
Taichi nodded. "Yes, Chihaya. You did. In elementary school, do you remember how you beat me when you were playing for Arata? Your passion moved me. Then, in middle school, I got sidetracked without you... I played Karuta, but I didn't feel the happiness that I felt when playing with you and Arata. I felt that I couldn't get better."
Chihaya wanted to hear more. It was unusual for Taichi to be so honest. She didn't want him to stop. "And then? What happened then?"
Taichi looked directly into her eyes. "Then… then I fell in love. The day you became A class, your play stirred my heart. I – I fell in love with Karuta again. I wanted to play with you. I wanted to be better and faster and stronger, so that I could support you to become Queen. And then one day, I realized that I didn't just want you to be Queen. I wanted to be at the top with you as well. I wanted to be Meijin."
Chihaya felt herself get lost in Taichi's dream. She pictured them together at the Meijin and Queen finals wearing their hakama, playing their hearts out! She had fantasized about being in the Queen finals many times before. But this was the first time she pictured Taichi with her. It felt comforting! She felt stronger with him by her side. Unbiddingly, an image of a raven haired boy came to her mind as well. Arata! What would she do about Arata? Where did her Karuta God fit in?
"Taichi," she said, "I love your dream. I want you to be at the top with me. But Arata's confession has made me lose focus. I…I don't know what to do. Kana chan said something about relationships ruining friendships. But, you know, I don't understand anything about love…"
She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "Just as you say I led you to Karuta, Arata led me to my Karuta dream. So he is important to me! But Taichi, I need you too. I don't want you to be angry." She started crying again. All the confused emotions she had inside of her just kept spilling out. Being with Taichi always did this to her. She couldn't hide anything from him.
Taichi pulled her into a hug. "Chihaya, I can't help you understand how you feel about Arata. That's something you have to figure out on your own. Until that day…" Taichi took a deep breath and pulled Chihaya closer to him. "Until the day you find the person who you truly love, be it Arata or someone else, I'll always be beside you Chihaya, supporting you, protecting you, being your best friend."
Taichi felt Chihaya stop crying. She was quiet for a while.
"I'll still need you after I find love," Chihaya said finally, hiccupping slightly. She pulled away from the hug and dried her eyes. "I'll still need you."
Taichi got up from the grass and laughed. Pulling Chihaya up he said, "Chihaya, the day you find your true love, that person is the only one you'll need. Trust me."
"Humph! We'll see!" Chihaya said, regaining her composure. "But for now – no escaping! We have a couple more hours before school ends! Let's play at least four more matches! Here's to the future Meijin and Queen! Yattta!"
Taichi laughed. "She's so beautiful," he thought. "I really want to just tell her everything. But I made a promise to myself! I can't! Not before –"
Unable to contain himself anymore, he grabbed her hand and said, "Chihaya there's one more thing I have to tell you. I – I have another dream. This dream is even more precious to me than becoming Meijin. But I can't tell you what it is before I become Meijin! It's hard keeping it from you, so I had to tell you this much at least."
"Ehhhhh! What is it Taichi! Tell me, tell me now! Oh no!" Chihaya suddenly recalled what she had promised him earlier! That was in a moment of weakness! " Taichiii – Please don't tell me you want my Daddy Bear T-shirt? It's a super rare item! I can't part with it! Even if you're Meijin! Noooo!"
"Hahaha! Chihaya you're such a baka! You'll have to wait and see. It might just be the T-shirt that I want, along with your other daddy bear collection!" Grinning mischievously, he started pulling a pouting Chihaya back to the Karuta Clubroom.
"Nooo Taichi….Nooooo!"
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Author's notes – Sooooo what do you think? If you liked it, please leave a review. And this baka author san will try to update more regularly! Till next time ~
