運命の赤い糸
Red String of Fate
"What's meant to be will always find a way" ― Trisha Yearwood
Long, long ago and you know the rest. It was bright and early in the morning. Naoko was walking alongside Ryoko, Saburo, Ringo and Ryoshi, making their way through the gates. Huh, what's this now? Naoko's instincts picked up something strange. She looked over her shoulder and saw someone from behind the small trees. She tried looking for the shadowy figure but it had disappeared.
"Kitsune-san is something wrong?" Ryoko asked.
"I thought I saw someone." She replied. Ryoko took a look for herself and saw no one there.
"Well whoever it was is gone now. C'mon, we better get going." Saburo said, slinging his book bag over his shoulder and walking with the others. Naoko stole a glance of the person who was following her within the shadows. She was about to go after, but unconfident with her instincts she decided against her better judgment not to.
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The school day ticked away with ease and soon school was already over. Naoko was about to accompany her companions, but she had completely forgotten that she had a student representative meeting immediately after school. Saburo was walking out pass through the school gates with when he spotted someone loitering by the entrance. She had bright green eyes sheathed under her frayed bangs. Her hair was long and curly, tied back in a half do hairstyle with a big red bow. She was wearing a white sailor fuku top with a red tie and a navy blue skirt with suspenders and black tights underneath. She held her hands tightly and kept her head bowed down.
"Hey, you there." Saburo called out. Startled, her head quickly looked up at response.
"C-can I help you?" she asked meekly.
"School's over. Why are you still standing there?" he inquired. She kept quiet, too demure to respond.
"Are you waiting for someone?" He enquired. She gave him a small nod.
"Uh… do you know Kitsu-nee-chan?" she asked. Saburo gawked at her.
"Kitsu-nee-chan?" he repeated. He then smiled. "Oh I get it! Kitsune-san, Kitsu-nee-chan. That's really clever word play. I haven't seen you here before; do you go to this school?"
She shook her head. He tipped his hat a bit.
"Ah I see, so you're the one who was stalking Naoko-chan this morning." Saburo said, almost like a scolding. She became frantic.
"Y-you saw me. I'm so sorry I didn't mean it to be like that." She lamented with a bow.
"It's alright you don't have to apologize. Anyways I'm third year Saburo Nekomiya. Naoko's at a student representative meeting right now but I'm sure she wouldn't care if you go in to see her." he said. Saburo lead the girl through the corridors inside the school all the way to class 2-C where the meeting was taken place.
"Here we are." He said, tapping his knuckles against the door. The door slid open and standing there was Ryoko and Naoko. The members of the Otogi Bank were present, since they had a significant part in the school's community.
"Oh, hi Nekomiya-senpai I thought you left for home already." Ryoko greeted.
"I was until I found her." he said, gesturing his head towards the girl he was accompanied with. "She wanted to see Naoko." He then grabbed the girl by the shoulders and moved her in front of him, encouraging her to speak with her. She kept silent. Naoko smiled.
"Wow, she's so cute! I didn't know there was someone like her at school. Go on say something; I won't bite like a real fox." She joshed and coaxed. The girl blushed. "So what's your name?" she inquired, hoping to break the ice.
"I'm Hiromi Tora." She introduced with a bow.
"It's nice to meet you. Now go on, just say what's on your mind." Naoko said. The girl's blush became redder.
"S-say what's on my mind." She repeated in a faltering voice. "I… I just want you to be with me forever and ever." Hiromi professed in a soft voice. Naoko's face flushed a furious and flustered red. Everyone else who managed to hear became red with shock.
"N-Naoko, what kind of relationship do you have with this girl?" Saburo asked in a shaky bewildered voice. Her blush became redder.
"I-It's not that I swear!" both girls said in unison. Naoko then gawked at the brunette when she said that. "Wait so you didn't mean that in a… well yuri way?"
"No of course not! I wouldn't even dare to think of you in a perverse way like that!" Hiromi denied. "You really don't remember me Kitsu-nee-chan?"
"Not really, but the name you called me by does sound familiar." Naoko said. Hiromi smiled with relief.
"You're starting to remember! Here, this will help you remember some more." She said, untying her red bow around her uniform. Naoko's red blush returned.
"W-what are you doing!" she asked frantically as she placed her hands over her eyes.
"Look." She said, showing the scarlet fabric. "You wrote this when you made this bow for me."
Naoko looked at the fabric. On it was wrote friends forever. A few images came flashing back in her mind but they were hazy.
"This is my handwriting and I do know how to sew and stuff." She said, gazing at the red fabric in her hand. Her hand was then wrapped in Hiromi's hand.
"Please remember Kitsu-nee-chan." She begged. In the back of her mind she saw a few images of herself and a friend in her childhood. Hiromin! Hurry up! Coming Kitsu-nee-chan!
"Hiromin…" she mumbled under her breath.
"Yes! That's the nickname you used to call me. Do you finally remember me now Kitsu-nee-chan?"
Naoko looked down, her mood now solemn. I remember now… Hiromin. She looked up and saw her hopeful expression. I'm sorry but this is for your own good.
"I'm sorry but I've never seen you before." she lied half-heartedly.
"But…" Naoko halted Hiromi's sentence.
"I have to go home now." She said, grabbing her bag and dashing down the hall.
"Wait!" she called. Naoko just kept running.
"She… she remembered me… but why?"