A/N: Sorry about the late update... School and my senior project kept me busy...more or less... And now I'm finally back with another one-shot~ I hope you enjoy!


~The Shadows of Summer~
~SubaChika One Shot~
Requested by: SweetHoneyBee


Standing on top of a grassy hill, Subaru stared at the clear blue sky on a hot day in August. The wind blew through his orange hair and the male sighed. It's been years since he last felt this gloomy. It wasn't his fault for acting like this; it just came to him. When he thinks back on it, summer is truly a season where it cannot save you…

He remembers too… How his father died…


A young version of Subaru peered through the door and saw his father slaving away at his notebook. The boy knows that his dad is a well-known and famous idol. However he can't shake the feeling that something's off about his father. Day after day, he spent his time in his study, acting out lines by himself, writing lyrics, or doing vocal lessons. Of course, Subaru already knew that he has to keep his family and private life a secret since idols are forbidden to date and that alone must be getting to his dad.

Subaru looked down and saw Daikichi, whimpering. Subaru bended down and picked up the puppy and held him close. After taking one last look at his father, Subaru walked away and hid in his room.

A couple of days later, Subaru was coming home from school when he saw an ambulance in front of his house. His eyes widen and ran towards his mother, who was frozen and in shock. The boy, at the time, had no idea what just happened. That is until he remembered his father. Subaru ran into his house and searched the place, looking for his dad. He looked in every room and saw that...no one was inside… Subaru fell to his knees and slowly, the tears started coming down.

He had just lost his father…


Remembering a scene like that always made Subaru's heart ache. It wasn't a pleasant feeling that's for sure. Then he sat down on the grass and hugged his knees.

Why am I remembering these memories…? Subaru asked himself then looked up at the sky once again. Is it because today's the anniversary…? He questioned again, picturing a certain orange haired female smile at him. "Chika-chan…" Subaru whispered the girl's name as tears came down his eyes. "I miss you…"

Subaru then buried his face into his knees and sobbed loudly. The girl, Chika Takami, was Subaru's childhood and best friend. How they met shined in his memories…


It was sometime after Subaru's father had passed away from overworking, the boy continued going to school as if nothing had happened. The smile he wore scared people, as if they knew what was underneath it. It left the orange haired male lonely. No one wanted to go near him.

That is until…

"Hiya! What's your name?"

Subaru turned around and saw two females, one with short orange hair and the other with short brown hair. They smiled at Subaru and his eyes widen.

"My name is Chika Takami! And this is You-chan!"

"Yousoro!"

The boy didn't know what this feeling was. He felt like he was about to cry...in fact he did. The minute the two introduced each other to him, Subaru burst into tears. The girls were taken aback at the sudden emotion and did their best to calm him down.

Chika frowned then hugged Subaru and buried her face in his chest. "Don't cry… We're here to share the load…" She whispered, not knowing that she herself was starting to cry. "So please don't cry…"

Ever since that day, the two have been extremely close. They did whatever they can to talk to each other; whether it'd be before school, after school, in between classes, on the phone, over Skype, anything they can think of. Their friendship was the most important thing to Subaru. Chika cheered him up and he did everything he can to thank her for it, even after he moved away.

However...they chatted on Skype one afternoon while Chika was on break. They were both going to be first year high school students in the following month and they were talking about their future studies and whatnot.

"So what school are you going to?" Subaru asked Chika as he was playing with Daikichi.

"A nearby school called Uranohoshi Academy," Chika replied with a smile. She turned around and saw her sister, Mito smirk at her and she pouted. "Mito-nee, leave me alone! I'm busy talking to Subaru-kun!"

"Hiya Mito!" Subaru chuckled and greeted Chika's older sister.

"Hey Subaru-kun." Mito greeted the boy back and she left Chika's room.

"Man, Mito-nee can be so nosey." Chika grumbled then looked at her computer screen. "By the way, what school are you going to?"

"Yumenosaki Academy."

"Isn't that where your dad went to?" Chika asked Subaru and he nodded. "Eh? So you're still thinking about being an idol?"

"I wish you can come…"

"I don't think it would suit me that much…"

"Chika-chan, you always complain about how normal you are though!" Subaru pouted at the female and she smiled while giggling.

"I know. But You-chan and I already decided to go to school together." She told him.

Subaru smiled at Chika and nodded. "You two are awfully close." He told her and she nodded.

"She said the same thing about us," Chika agreed then tilted her head. "She told me that she wished that we were a thing."

"Sadly idols are forbidden to date…" Subaru reminded his friend while lowering his eyes.

"I know-" Chika said then perked up when she heard voices from outside her room. "Yeah?"

"Can you get some errands for me?" Chika's mother asked her daughter and she nodded.

"Okay!" Chika answered then looked back at Subaru. "Sorry! Looks like I'll be going…"

Subaru smiled and said, "It's no problem! I know how busy it gets during this time."

"Hehe~ Welp, I'll see you later this evening!"

"Yep! Same time as usual!"

After that, the two ended the call. It was late evening and Subaru looked at the clock and noticed that it was almost 7. He wondered what could've happened to his friend. They would've been talking at this point, yet he got no phone call or text message from Chika.

Before he can worry any further, Subaru got a phone call and he smiled as he answered the call. "Hello?"

"Subaru-kun?" The voice on the other side sounded like a girl in distress. Subaru noticed that the voice was You's.

"Yes?"

"Are you at home?"

"Yeah. Why? What's-"

"Chika-chan's in the hospital!" You cut off Subaru and his eyes widen in shock, worry, and fear.

"W-What happened?!"

"She was doing errands for her mother and when she was on her way home, a huge truck didn't see her and it ran her over!"

"Are you still in Uchira?"

"No. We're on our way to a hospital in Numazu."

"Okay! I'm on my way!" Subaru told the girl then ended the call.

He grabbed a jacket and quickly put his shoes on before exiting his house. He left a note to his mother, saying that he was going to see Chika in the hospital. Subaru looked deathly afraid and worried about his best friend. Chika was the one who made his life all happy and sparkly. If she wasn't there to comfort and support him, Subaru knew that he was going to keep that happy-go-lucky smile and attitude and scaring away his classmates. In his mind, Chika was his most precious treasure. It made him want to protect the girl, do everything he can to be by her side, even when he's not there. It was his job.

When he arrived at the hospital, he told the receptionist that he was here to visit Chika and she told her that she was in the west wing. Subaru thanked the female and hurried to Chika's hospital room. When he arrived, he saw Chika's family members and You.

"Subaru-kun!" You turned to Subaru and tears started coming down her eyes. "Chika-chan is… Chika-chan is…"

"She's what?"

"In a coma…"

Subaru's eyes widen and before he can say anything, You ran up to him and hugged him, just like Chika did when they first met. The girl, along with Chika's family members were in the state of despair as they all cried their eyes out. Subaru stood there in shock. He didn't know how to process this information. It was like the people that he cared about most was disappearing. First his dad…

And now,...

Chika…

Ever since that day, Subaru and You began visiting Chika everyday with hopes that one day she might wake up. A month had passed and the two began their high school lives as first years. But it didn't change much. They were still worried about Chika. The days had went by and soon months. Subaru became part of a group called Trickstar, along with his classmates, Hokuto Hidaka, Makoto Yuuki, and Mao Isara. However, even with the three by his side, it didn't compare to how Chika made his life turn upside down with her antics and cheerfulness. To him, it wasn't the same.

However, he got a call from Chika's mother and told him to go to the inn. Confused by this, Subaru had to leave practice early to see what Chika's mother wanted. When he arrived at the Takami Inn, he saw Mito, Chika's other sister Shima, Chika's parents, and You gathered around the living room.

"What's going on here?" Subaru asked as Chika's mother walked over to him with a sad look in her eyes.

"Subaru-kun, I hate to inform you but…" Chika's mother paused, hesitating whether or not to tell him the news. She breathed in and said, "Chika...passed away this afternoon…"

Subaru's eyes widen in horror. Chika, his best friend...had passed away. To Subaru, it was turning out exactly like how his father had passed away: on a hot summer day. The male looked down and saw that no tears were coming down from his eyes. He was engulfed in despair...just like that day years ago…


I remember...even now… Subaru thought to himself as he rubbed his tear-filled eyes. He stared at his hands then pulled out his phone, a picture of him and Chika in middle school appearing on the screen. I wish you were still here… He said to himself as he turned off his phone. That way I can tell you how I feel… I've always loved you… However, I can't tell you… Tears started coming down from Subaru's eyes yet again and he let it out.

However, he stopped when he thought he felt someone hug him from behind. It felt like the warmth she gave to him when they were still children. That made Subaru cry harder.

"Don't cry… We're here to share the load… So please don't cry…"

Subaru thought he heard Chika's voice, telling him the exact same thing she said when they met. The boy wiped the tears away as he turned around and started walking down the hill.

"Yeah… You're here to share the load…" Subaru whispered to himself then looked up and saw Hokuto, Makoto, and Mao. The orange haired male stood there for a second then genuinely smiled. "No matter where you are, I'll always think of you…"

As the boy walked away with his friends, Chika watched him disappear and she smiled as tears came down her eyes. "Thank you, Subaru-kun… I'll always watch you...think of you...loving you… I'll always treasure the times we spent together…"

"...I love you…"