Seiichi was sitting on one of the benches in the park, feeding the pigeons some bread crumbs while thinking of something deeply. He noticed that week by week he kept on seeing her and not that he minded it but he whenever they did, he would have the urge to tell her about the dream he had about her. Sadly, he had also thought about the bad side and that would mean she might think of him as someone he was not. Still in thought, he didn't see a golden retriever approaching him.
When the dog barked, he snapped back to reality and saw him. "Ichiro…?" he called. The dog barked again while wagging its tail. "So that means…"
"Ichiro! Where are you?" a familiar voice called out the dog's name.
Seiichi looked up and around and saw Kaori sitting on a bench not far from where he's seating, looking slightly worried. He glanced back at Ichiro and the dog simply barked at him enthusiastically and looked as though he wanted him to greet his master. Smiling faintly, he went to her with the dog.
Ichiro went back to his master barked once to inform her that he arrived. "Where did you walk off to? I was worried you know…" she muttered to her pet as she patted him on the head lightly.
The dog barked yet again, wanting to tell her something but sadly she couldn't understand him. He then turned towards Seiichi's direction and barked. Talk to her! Ichiro said in dog language.
Seiichi sat beside her and said gently, "Hello Ogawa-san."
She gasped a bit and replied, "Yukimura-san? Is that you?"
"Hai. Your dog approached me few minutes ago and ordered me to greet you." He said jokingly to her.
"So that's why he left." She giggled a bit. "Are you taking a stroll here at the park?"
"Not really. I was thinking about some things." He said slowly as he stared at the clear sky.
"What were you thinking?" she asked.
He thought for a moment whether he should tell her and said finally, "It's not that important."
"Oh okay."
After two minutes of complete silence, they said together, "Ne," Seiichi blinked once and said calmly, "You should go first."
Kaori flushed a bit and shook her head slightly. "Oh no. You should be first."
"Ladies first, Ogawa-san." He said softly and persistently.
Kaori frowned for a short while and let out a soft sigh. "I was wondering if you want to eat with me…I mean if you don't mind at all!" she said quickly, a blush started to spread across her face.
He simply watched her ramble and chuckled. "I was feeling a bit hungry. Let's go, shall we?"
Hearing his answer, a smile graced on her lips and she nodded. "I want some parfait."
"I don't get it," Akaya grumbled.
"What do you mean by that, idiot?" Niou said indifferently.
A vein appeared on the kouhai's forehead and he pointed an accusing finger at the trickster and said angrily, "Why am I with you of all days?! It's a weekend dammit!"
Niou snorted as he put his right hand on Akaya's head and ruffled his head roughly. "It's your problem, not mine and don't point you wimp."
He tried to swat his hand away but failed and stuck his tongue out at him. "Like I'm going to listen to you, Niou."
"Respect your sempai or you'll pay the price very dearly." The trickster growled as he head-locked him. "And if you're wondering why we're together today is that Sanada ordered us to buy some new grip tape and if we were not able to buy them any sooner, you'll know what will happen, right?"
The little demon shuddered at the sudden thought and said quickly, "Okay I get it now!"
"Good." Niou finally let go of him and walked off towards the direction of the sports store when he stopped abruptly.
Akaya, who followed him from behind, didn't see him stop and because of that, he hit himself against the trickster's back. "Hey why did you freaking stop?!" he complained.
"Puri." He said as he pointed on a couple sitting together in front of the ice cream parlour.
Akaya turned his direction and eyed on the couple closely and after a minute had past, his jaw fell. "It's Yukimura-buchou and that girl!" he said incredulously.
"Keep your voice down, you idiot." Niou hissed as he pulled him down with him.
"Why would I listen to you, huh?" Akaya said stubbornly as tried to stand up but failed miserably.
"Can't you see that they're dating? You're such a total dumbass." The trickster told him as he craned his head to look at what's happening.
"Dating? I know Mura-buchou's popular with all sorts of idiotic girls ever existed on earth but he's not an idiot to date a girl---" He snorted.
Niou hit him on the back of his head and said, "But what's different is that she's doesn't know what Seiichi looks like. Understand now, dumbo?"
"But I don't see why the two of them would date---"
"When I see that it's a date, it's a date so shut the hell up and watch them like a hawk." He ordered him. "On second thought, why don't you buy the tape while I watch them?"
"Why would I do that? Go buy them yourself!" Akaya whined. As they argued, the people passing by watched them carefully and weirdly.
Seiichi glanced sideways when Kaori called him. "Yes?"
"You became quiet all of a sudden. Did something happen just now?" she wondered as she slowly scooped a small portion of the parfait she ordered.
"I just thought that someone called out my name." he said casually.
"Same here. I may have imagined someone shouted 'It's Yukimura-buchou and that girl!' not far from here." She told him.
"That's what I've heard." He said. The two of them didn't speak for a while and then they said together, "Must be our imagination." They talked a bit more until both of them finished the food they've ordered. Seiichi offered his hand to her and both of them walked together. As they walked, he asked, "Where do you want to go?"
"I'm not sure." She said thoughtfully. "Any idea?"
"How about the sea?" He smiled. (A/N: Ichiro was sent back to the mansion, if you're wondering what happened to the dog.)
The two regulars followed them stealthily. "Is it me or are they going somewhere far away?" Akaya wondered.
Niou nodded. "You're right. They're taking the train. We need to follow them."
"But how about Sanada-fukubuchou?" Akaya quickly asked, the face of one of the sannin bakemono entered his mind and made him shudder.
"Never mind about him. I can talk my way out of it anyway." He said hastily. "Now shut up and be quick! We might not be able to follow them!"
"Kamakura, Gakusei, nimai kudasai." Seiichi said to the woman at the ticket window. When he got the tickets, he held his companion's hand firmly yet gently and guided her towards the train.
"Which station are we right now?" Kaori asked.
"Yokosuka Station." He said simply. "The train's here. Let's go." He assisted her inside in entering the building and there he found an empty seat for her. In a short while, the doors closed and the train started to move. Though it took for a couple of seconds, he believed that he imagined seeing his teammates Niou and Akaya, gasping for breath just outside the train.
"Ano Yukimura-san," Kaori called.
"What is it?"
"Where are we exactly going? I know you said that we're going to the sea but where exactly?" she said slowly.
"We're heading to Yuigahama, Kamakura." He said.
"Where are you two right now?!" Sanada's voice boomed from Niou's cell phone.
Niou grumbled as the tone of the fukubuchou. "We're at the Yokosuka Station." He said boringly pulling his phone away from his ear.
"Yokosuka Station? Why did you and Akaya end up there?" he questioned him.
"The brat and I followed Seiichi." He said bluntly. Akaya went to grab the phone to tell him the truth but his companion slapped his hand away.
"Followed Yukimura? What on earth made you do that?" he barked.
"Because I saw him on a date with Marui's friend." The trickster said simply.
"Seiichi's on a date with Ogawa?" Renji spoke from the other line, taking away the phone from Sanada's grasp. "Are you sure about that?"
"I'm not mistaken, Puri." Niou said seriously. "They were eating together at a Ice Cream Parlour and he even hold her hand. I'm not making this up." He added.
"Hmm…" Renji thought deeply. "Do you know where did they go?"
"That's the sad part; we weren't able to know where they went off to." Niou said, looking disappointed.
"I see. Go back here with Akaya and no wandering off." And with that, the call ended.
The trickster stared at his phone for a while then on to the railways. "Let's go back, brat."
"Doors are closing. Please stay away from the closing doors, thank you." The recorded female voice said robotically as the doors of the train started to close.
Seiichi entered the train while holding the blind girl's hand firmly and let out a soft sigh. "We made it." He panted a bit. "I'm sorry for making you run like that. It must've been hard for you." He apologized to her.
"Oh it's no problem at all, Yukimura-san. It's been a long time since I ran like that." She said with a smile.
The Rikkai Buchou looked around for any empty seat and faced her. "There's no vacant seat."
"I don't mind standing." She piped up.
"But it'll be hard for you if more passengers enter---" he said.
"It's okay. I know that It'll be all right." She said softly.
Seiichi wanted to say something back but decided not to. Instead, he put his right hand on her shoulder and neared her. "I'll keep you safe."
Kaori felt the nearness of him from her and faintly blushed. This is embarrassing. I believe I'm blushing right now. No don't think about it. She shook her head mentally and calmed herself down. In a couple of minutes, the train came to a halt and the doors opened yet again, letting more passengers enter, thus making the place more crowded than ever. She felt someone's shoulder hit her side and she thought that she's going to fall when one strong arm caught her.
"Stay here." Seiichi said calmly as he helped her move her way until they reached to the edge. He motioned her to lean against the corner and stood in front of her. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.
She nodded slowly. "There's no need to worry, Yukimura-san. I'm perfectly fine." She said with a convincing smile.
"By the next stop, we'll step out." He said.
"Un." She replied. She can tell how much closer she was to him than before and the very thought of it made her temperature rise. She can tell hear his heartbeat. I'm never this close to any guy before other than Bunta-kun and it's making me feel dizzy for some reason. I don't even know how Yukimura-san looks like and yet it feels somewhat familiar…
"Ogawa-san? You face is a bit red." Seiichi pointed out. "Are you feeling sick?"
"N-no! I'm not feeling sick at all. Maybe I just need some air." She said quickly.
"Ah. We'll be at Yuigahama soon." He said reassuringly.
I just hope so, Kaori said to herself.
"Arriving at Yuigahama Station."
As soon as the doors opened, the two teenagers got out. "So are going to ride a bus?" Kaori asked.
"Ah." He smiled as he held her hand again and the two of them walked together. At the front of the station, they soon rode a bus, Kaori sitting first before Seiichi. In a couple of minutes, both of them stepped out from the vehicle.
Kaori felt the air brushed over her face and breathed. "We're already here at the sea, ne?"
"Yeah. Let's go down." Both of them walked down the stairs and there, the blind girl felt the sand on her toes. Seiichi slowly let go of her and distanced himself from her to give her more space.
"Ne Yukimura-san," she called as she stood rooted to her spot.
"What is it, Ogawa-san?" he replied.
"Why did you suggest the sea? And at Yuigahama. There are other beaches that are quite near at our houses but why here?" she wondered, her hair flowed as the wind passed by.
"I used to go here often." He told her. "When I was young, that is. Yuigahama beach is indeed popular but when I get here, there's hardly anyone so I decided this will be my retreat base." He sat on the soft ground and watched the waves with a serene look on his face. Did Bunta told you that back in junior high, I had a neurological disease and I was close to dying?" he asked her.
She nodded. "He told me a bit about it."
"At that time, my body was frail and my health wasn't really my top priority. I would rather play tennis with the whole team to the Nationals. I even considered it as my last game." He chuckled. "But Genichirou, Renji and the others insisted that I should rest and have the operation. It was really thoughtful of them."
"They sound like good people. Marui talks a lot about what you and the team did in those days and sometimes, I wished I could've watched a game." She said.
Seiichi smiled. "Bunta would've loved that."
"Eh? Did you say something?" She asked, looking somewhat confused.
"Nothing." He said nonchalantly.
"Yukimura-san," she called yet again. "I want to go near the shoreline."
"Hai." He stood up, brushed off the sand from his pants and approached her. "We won't go too near, okay?" he said.
"Just as long as I can feel the water." She smiled as she took his hand.
Over half a hundred feet away stood another teenager, holding a bag of sweets on his right hand. He was staring the two who were at the beach. "Niichan, let's go now or we'll be home late Mom said!" chorused voices of two young boys said to him.
He turned to their direction and gave them his usual smile and replied, "Ah I heard you." With one last look, he turned his gaze away and walked with his two twin brothers as his side.
SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT!
Second semester just started yesterday and I wanted to make a comeback in my academics but my confidence let me down because of the professors and the schedule I had. And right now I don't want to talk about it. Grrr…
Going back, this chapter was sort of rushed and i'm sorry again for that. Something interesting MIGHT happen in the next chapter and I hope that you'll keep on waiting until I released it! That will be all for the moment and please review! Love you guys so much!
