p class="MsoNormal"Just gonna hold you up for a couple of minutes before we begin with the continuation of the story. For all my readers who used to follow this story - I deeply apologize for the almost never ending hiatus. But I have returned now, with a new and lengthy update because I simply could not conclude with leaving this as an open-ended story. If I could have your time to read till the end of the chapter, I'd explain a little more for this but I promise my readers that I will complete this story and give it a proper finale! A little more on that later, and right before you dig in, if a little music is good for your reading sessions, I would suggest you guys taking a quick listen to 'Lost Stars' by Adam Levine. It was the musical atmosphere that transpired this chapter... now... enjoy.../p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"Lost Stars/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"Once upon a time, they were three kids in school who befriended each other under the destiny of Karuta. Then, a dare transpired. One had almost ruined a surprise party by sheer habit of overlooking the obvious. Another confessed, as passionately as a river that broke loose from the dam. The last one walked into the turmoil he carefully side-stepped for years. It felt like years have gone by when morning arrives and they all woke to a blank stupor, being twenty-four again./p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya had barely slept and her closing eyes were trapped in an endless battle against rationality. She should get up, it's almost noon. One moment she was back in that school. Right up next she's in her hollow room with nothing but her loud and almost obnoxious thoughts. One of them stood out, the recurring thought plaguing her through the night was relentless – Taichi finally said it. He said he loves her./p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata fared no better. He had survived an emotional bus wreck and the way his legs refused to walk another step out his door made it seem like they no longer belonged to him. They cannot possibly belong to him. The cautious, balanced Arata who had ten steps planned before him no matter the situation had gone on a limp and jumped right into where he wished he never would. He gave away the one he loved to the one he had always felt a shade paler just standing next to. Taichi finally said it. She knows now he is in love with her./p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi could be the one with better odds out of them three. If this endless loop does not drive him insane any sooner and he could move on to his day. Overjoyed to have finally let everything fall off his chest like autumn leaves silently signalling a change of season. Delirious to have such a moment with Chihaya that was uniquely his. And regretfully back to the same state of having to wait – ever oh so patiently until the snow arrives. He had a change – Taichi finally said it. He was all hers since the day they met./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Good morning.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The room had wafts of coffee mixed with freshly toasted bread, something else burnt and without a doubt, it was his mother's signature burnt egg and toast for breakfast. How a woman so perfect in every way had yet to master making scrambled eggs was a mystery Taichi could not solve all twenty-four years and today, his mind lacked the grandeur for it. He sat as inconspicuously as he could next to his mother whose natural talent is to unearth his insecurities. But she caught on quick./p
p class="MsoNormal"'So, no sleep last night? You looked like you came back from a birthday party with friends, were they from your ex-club?'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nope, there was no mention of Karuta as always. Taichi could relate somewhat, she had been carefully avoiding mentioning it since she recovered. Her past attempts to alienate him from this unwilling destiny that spurned into his son's life had lessened significantly since. Still he felt like the eggshells they walked on their whole life for this were all crushed up and poured into the coffee he just took a sip off. His throat was scratchy and just made her observation more obvious. He struggled to find words./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Yeah, there was one. Apparently, it's a surprise party where everyone was surprised to find out I was uninvited,' Taichi attempted to drift a little. His mother looked surprise for a moment and then, she laughed./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Have to be that ditzy Chihaya leading the gang, I suppose.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi looked alarmed. If there was another taboo between them as mother and son, it was the mention of Chihaya. Taichi often wondered why the two women he regarded with utmost important had to be placed at the polar ends of the world. And that's how this unexpected mention was unsettling him to say the least./p
p class="MsoNormal"'She did, she sure did it again.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'It's the most fun I've seen you had in years,' she had turned to drop off her cups and dishes at the sink. Really slowly. Her back remained unturned. 'It's good, I missed it. And you know that even if we never got back to how we were, I want you to have that.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi was mildly confused. He blamed it on his lack of common sense that resulted in a lot of blank staring at the ceiling last night as his emotions looped endlessly like an overplayed YouTube video. He was not usually as dull…/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Have… what? A party?'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Joy. Passion. Determination, just to name a few. These gifts that I had never managed to unleash from you despite being such a tiger mom but Karuta had easily gotten them out of you. It would be a lie to say I was never jealous being left out of it, but Taichi,' at this point she had turned and looked at him gently in the eyes. He felt like he was four once more./p
p class="MsoNormal"'It made you so strong, and in turn, you helped us survived it all.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Good morning.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya was all sunshine and roses this morning, dancing towards the table in their cafe designated as their breakfast spot. Arata looked up and choked on his miso soup, it took him no more than two seconds to resume tranquillity and pointed out the obvious./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, there's a toothbrush in your bun of hair.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The doors clanged as she was instantly displaced to set herself proper and she entered the room again albeit a little more cautiously with her smile unmistakably plastered across her face./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Sorry about that, had overslept and was rushing into getting ready.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata hesitated to point out her shower cap were pointing out of her jean pockets. He smiled carefully to not alarm the unicorn he spent the morning waiting for. He was just glad the unicorn had finally left the room and made an appearance./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Have some lunch, you must be famished. It's already noon.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya waited no further and begun ravishing Arata's famous 'Sunday Bento' as they had playfully termed it. It was a little unorthodox but given that the café was to double up as the location where their weekday Karuta training sessions panned out they never bothered to open for business on Sundays. It was their day to have a break – and every week this day they would try their hands cooking up a different kind of lunch they would someday feel brave enough to add to their menu. Though they never did, it was an unexpectedly scrumptious lunch consisting of Miso soup, egg and chili fried in tempura batter with a serving of buttered salmon and pasta. It was their fusion little secret. And they had enjoyed experimenting it till it reached its perfect comfort level and they never missed making it every week./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, since we are closed and all that on Sundays, let's go on a date today'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Damn those chilis! Chihaya had taken a bite at the seeds she always carefully avoided in the panic that was named unexpected Arata. Her mouth was flaming and she coughed, only to be spurred into more panic when she could not seem to stop. Finally, she managed to douse them with miso soup and a latte coffee Arata had made her in haste./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Like a...'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Date.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Where you…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Hang out and stuff, yeah.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'In public?'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Where the other half of the population will be having dates, yes.' Arata finished impeccably while sipping coffee. Does this man have to always, always be so poised when he isn't wracking his brain for Karuta?/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya blamed it on her lack of common sense that resulted in the unwitting task of staring at the ceiling as if they were panned out Karuta cards she had to memorize last night. Every word on that card spelled 'Taichi'. She was not usually as dull, but that's just her delusion./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Oh. That would be nice. I am totally not tired at all.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata smiled a warm one and Chihaya thought despite flaming chilis, this moment was worth that./p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, wake up. We are going to reach the end soon.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"After a few more nudges and shaking as gently as Arata knew how to, Chihaya jumped up from her seat and wheeled a three sixty while rooted to her standing spot. She's in, what resembles, a carriage looking sphere. And there were more carriages above and below her, so she must be in a…/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Oh my gosh! Arata I'm so sorry, I must have dozed off. It was not because the conversation was boring or anything, it's just – last night I couldn't sleep a wink and then I was up all night like a dolt. I mean I tried to put some sense through that mindless staring upwards but,' Chihaya rambled on helpless like a child caught with crayons and a vandalized wall./p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata winced, he had thought that it was all too boring for her, the conversation was not exactly flowing prior to Chihaya drifting off to lala-land. Here they were, on a date to the amusement park and he thought he had it all packed together and could be as smooth as chawanmushi – but it was anything but that. It was almost an absolute disaster to have gone through this which was supposed to be a date. He could blame it on the nerves, the evident lack of sleep on both their ends, and the fact that every other couple here were so 'coupley' it simply closed the loop and enraged his nerves more than he would allow./p
p class="MsoNormal"They started off with a crazy ride, the battle-star roller coaster set to mince your guts until all you have left are knots and goo, it worked just as the slogan claimed it to be. And perhaps a little more, it had Arata almost hurling after that hefty brunch they shared in the morning. Chihaya had looked a little pale as well, but cleanly forgotten it all when she saw a panicked Arata trying to keep his insides em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"inside/em./p
p class="MsoNormal"So, they decided to take it easier after that and were casually taking a stroll, Arata had just about recovered from the initial shock of being flung all directions on the roller coaster. Up until Chihaya spotted the haunted house with another ridiculous sounding slogan splashed in vivid colour paint right at the entrance./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Your greatest nightmare awaits, put your mortality at stake and take an endless stroll through the valleys of death!/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Great, thought Arata, dear god - if I needed another hint on how the day would progress I'd be sure to ask you for it before you smack it in my face./p
p class="MsoNormal"For the benefit of Arata's shredded ego and waning mortality, we shall skip over the obvious horrors they encountered in the haunted house. By the time they left the place, both Chihaya and Arata were speechless, Chihaya had tried to guide out an almost soulless Arata out of theredespite her own state of mind. They remained silent for another good ten minutes or so before conversation resumed with Chihaya apologizing profusely for dragging Arata along./p
p class="MsoNormal"'It's alright, Chihaya. If I could survive Shinobu's constant random frightful attacks in my teenage years, I'd survive this.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya then decidedly pull a hesitant Arata forward, claiming she had a perfect plan for their next item up the non-existent itinerary. Just as they passed through the crowd, Arata spotted the merry-go-round that would indefinitely be the safest option of the lot./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Let's take a timeout here, Chihaya,' and Arata smiled another warm one at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"When they first got on, Arata casually inquired where Chihaya had wanted to head towards if undisrupted and she cheerfully mentioned a boat rowing adventure down the lane. Arata felt compelled to hide from her the fact that he remained irrationally afraid of ducks and breathed a sigh of relief instead./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"This is it/em, he thought to himself once they were comfortably seated opposite one another,em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" I'd spill all the beans to her. She deserves the full story, I owe her that./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Back and forth he deliberated on the best way to start his story, only to look up minutes later staring at a sleeping Chihaya. He hung his head low in unbelievable defeat, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"could this day be any worse/em?/p
p class="MsoNormal"Now back in the future where he had finally woken a dishevelled Chihaya minutes before they arrived at the landing of the ride. She looked guilty. And he felt worse. He was still trying to map words from his whirling trail of thoughts as he made to move towards the door, only to be pulled back abruptly by Chihaya./p
p class="MsoNormal"'No, no we're good,' she waved to the amusement park staff who was about to open the door, 'another round please!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Hang on, Chihaya!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Give me another chance, it's just another twenty minutes ride and I swear I'd stay awake this time round'/p
p class="MsoNormal"When the carriage had floated past the landing, Arata sighed in defeat./p
p class="MsoNormal"'It's just that, I really needed to go to the washroom, Chihaya.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Oh. Oh wait, let's jump off! We can still make it!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'No! SIT!' Arata sat decisively and gestured for Chihaya to do the same./p
p class="MsoNormal"She sat down and he did a mental rundown of what he should do now. He looked up at her and smiled, 'first of all, let's make it a rule to not mention the washroom in the next twenty minutes.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Hey! Taichi'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nishida and Tsutomu sat at the café table after greeting a bespectacled Taichi. They looked at him curiously, wondering what brought on the sudden fashion fade. Taichi read their mind and replied, 'Well, didn't manage to catch much sleep last night hence the glasses.' The other two nodded in understanding and ordered themselves a cup of drink each./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Sorry for calling you both out on a Sunday at such short notice, there's something I really need to find out that happened when I was away at America.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nishida and Tsutomu turned to look at each other, they had sensed it and threw a couple of guesses into the air prior to meeting Taichi. Something happened between the trio yesterday, the lack of sleep was a telling confirmation for that./p
p class="MsoNormal"'When I was away, Chihaya and Arata were still playing Karuta together but there was a decisive match that made Chihaya not play Karuta again. That's what I gathered from bits and pieces of our past conversation before, and I know we never could really talk about it before Chihaya.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nishida nodded took a sip of his Espresso before he bellowed, 'Sounds about right. And damn you for being in America back then, Taichi! Sure, we avoided talking about it for Chihaya, but it was also because of you, you dolt!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Nishida! Lay it out gently would you! Remember what Kanade-chan said…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'He deserves to know it without all that filtering, alright! If he is asking this now, he must be feeling regret-'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'That I am.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'-and could just be trying to make amends. How does one do that without acknowledging the shit they did?!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Silence took its seat at their table and they remained that way for a couple of minutes./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Look, I know it was bad, whatever it was that happened. I could feel it, could guess a few things, but just as you said I need the full story to make amends. So, tell me, without filtering.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"They spent the next half hour retelling the story of how it all happened – that shortly after winning the title there were mounting challenges awaiting Chihaya who was still coping with both Taichi's departure from Karuta as well as the new responsibilities of being Queen. There were TV appearances, people bugging her wherever she went, and endless naysayers who snobbishly put down Chihaya's talents. She barely had time for Karuta itself. But it was Taichi's leaving for America that broke her. Right before the competition for Meiji and Queen title, she had gotten wind Taichi had left for America indefinitely and it crushed her last standing resolve to go through with the competition. She ran, away from her favourite Karuta and never made another appearance since. The Queen title was effortlessly given to competitors, Arata had tried again and again to bring her back to the game every year since then but not once succeeded. That they could start a café slashed Karuta training ground together in Chihaya's home town was the best endeavour Arata had advanced them into./p
p class="MsoNormal"The reality of having the story told felt like he was watching Chihaya and Arata struggle in flesh, every tear and sweat materialized before him and crystallized into an unsettling guilt in the pits of his guts./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Well, it's about time you did something about it, vice-president!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The three boys wheeled around at a radiant looking Kanade, stunned at her confidant challenge issued to a confused looking Mashima vice-president./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Kanade! What are you doing here?' Nishida tried to make sense of the situation./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Sorry guys, she heard that we were meeting and insisted on joining. I did however-'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Yeah, you sure lied about the timing, Tsumotu-kun. I suspected as much when you three were locked in conversation earlier on, that I am made to join later thanks to a lie you told.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu remained unfazed, 'it would be wiser to find out what he was going to say before letting you meet him, right? What if he meant to leave again? You'd murder him right here.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade sat down unfazed while Taichi and Nishida swallowed nervously, 'oh please, I'm nothing like Sumire-chan. Although I probably would bill him for all those traditional wear we wore during our competition years and made them non-complimentary instantly.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Good to know, Kanade-chan, that you would have mercy on me.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade spun around so quickly the three boys jumped an inch off their chairs. She took out a flyer and placed it visibly on the table where the boys crowded around to read./p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi looked up and smiled, 'You're a genius, Kanade. This is exactly what I need.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'It all started when Taichi left, Chihaya.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata was looking at Chihaya gently, as he breathed out the words left circling his guts for years, as gently as he could without sounding reprimanding. 'Or perhaps even before that, I don't know. But I know that time has stopped for you since he left for America.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya sat rooted, unable to blink and unable to speak, she silently feared the next few words that Arata had in mind for her. She had tried, battled her own wits and had been defeated each time she wanted to return to Karuta. She yearned to, it was her everything. She wanted that feeling of playing fearlessly again – but she was afraid of the disappointment that could take the form of failures. She had been defeated endlessly before, failed time after time but the place she had after being a queen brought on impending sense of failure never felt before. She was suffocating. It was like every morning she wore a leaded vest into her daily life. Night would come and she could hide a couple of hours and dreaded the mornings again. Then there was the absence of Taichi. They were not a couple or anything like that – they were partners in crime. In glory. In triumphs. He was with her in every step of reaching her goal – and then he was gone. It crushed her to know how she had selfishly made him her crutch to reach her goal, that she had been stifling him. All she ever wanted, was to return to that room in their childhood days, playing Karuta without a care in the world. She had em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"failed/em in every sense of the word, and they could never return to how they were./p
p class="MsoNormal"And then there was Arata's return – it was like a lion had walked back in her life and made the fights more glorious than they ever were. She had a fleeting feeling they had returned to the tiny room with wisps of sunset streaming in the windows when they had both won their titles. Her eyes unconsciously searched for Taichi, only to watch his receding figure as he left them in the halls. And then he was gone./p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata made it all better, in all his cool-headed ways he was there for her. Ever so gently, he showed her the way to this beautiful claim that was theirs, the café was their fruit of labour. They stayed together managing it platonically for years, and once she had confessed when she took in the glorious success when the café finally became popular amongst both café dwellers and Karuta players. The confession was impulsive at a glance. But it held all the emotions that had swelled gloriously within her when Arata had gone too far away. Once a long time ago. Then and there, it was Taichi who was lost to her. She was missing Taichi, Arata's guess was not far off, but more importantly she was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"afraid/em of losing Arata again. He became the morning sun she sought every morning when she woke up, and that she could make the café his haven for pursuing Karuta was a dream come true em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"in a certain sense./em But now, this stands challenged./p
p class="MsoNormal"'When you told me you love me, I was overjoyed. I know I may not look like it back then, what with me being born with a face made of steel with fewer than few emotions. It was just that – I had felt it, the presence of Taichi in your heart. I mean, I…' his voice trailed off like a fleeting breeze./p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya could feel the heat rise up to her face, maybe it was the sunset, but then again it was only four in the afternoon. Perhaps Arata who was both her sun and her lion, was simply too radiant. The Arata who always reminded her of a Karuta dream she did not pursue…/p
p class="MsoNormal"'What I really want is for you to remember how it all started. We found Karuta when we found each other, and if I could jump into time and space and return to a moment in my life, it was always going to be…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'…your room when the three of us played Karuta together for the very last time,' Chihaya finished his sentence without skipping a beat./p
p class="MsoNormal"He smiled, just like how she effortlessly read his mind all the time, their sentences concluded in unison. He knew the next few words would take all the courage he could ever muster, but there was no turning back. Even though he is briefly reminded that he would need the washroom the moment they landed./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, there is something else you should know.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya's head whipped up so quickly her long ponytail swished in the residual wave. Her eyes were large and bore right into his, there was a pounding in her ears. She remembered how Taichi looked with his pink rosy cheeks when he confessed just a day before. The softness of his voice, the earnest tender way his eyes regarded her. Internally, she panicked./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, I love you. I always have, since the day we met. In that room where we played for the last time. Every single day, in our little home we built together.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"She tore her eyes away and looked behind her, true enough, they were reaching the landing. In a very rare occasion, her mind was reeling her options the way one would speed-read through the papers. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"What would she say, what should she say?/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"'We should, get ready to go. We've almost reached the landing and you do have a rather urgent case of – stuff, to attend to.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata sighed, he wasn't sure if it was a sigh of relief that he had finally said it or that he could finally dash out of this ridiculous carriage, where the most amazing thing had just happened. He had let the cat out of the bag, there was no more hiding after this. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Everything is going to change. Damn, he needed the washroom./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"The moment they landed, all business was attended to in an instant. Chihaya was walking through the souvenir shop, she figured how a little bit of space was much needed. They both needed that. Things will never be the same ever again, she realized. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe acknowledged her feelings and she is now fully aware of his. With an absentminded act, she started punching a mascot toy placed before her. All through these years there were times she wondered how Arata could be within such proximity to her and felt em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"nothing/em. She had long since lamented that it was for the better, she had far too little charm as a woman to be of equal to him. There was the fact that she ran from Karuta and never faced it all these years. She wanted to hide, dig a hole all the way to America where she could hide her guilt and shame for being so weak and useless./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"What could I possibly have done to deserve them both regarding me as a love interest? I break things, burn stuff and possibly set everything off a wrong foot. The only thing I have ever been proud of was…/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, I implore you to spare the life of that dolphin.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya looked up at Arata in surprise who was somewhat grinning, and realized the mascot she was formerly punching was wrung up by her in a twist as she battled inner demons. Two girls around the age of five gaped at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I also attempt to murder cute, harmless mascots before the eyes of young children. Just great./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya could not say she was leaving the amusement park feeling em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"amused/em. On the flip side, she now began to realize that she was probably no more mature than she was when her world came apart years ago. Perhaps Arata was right, her time had stopped back in those years and she had walked into the rain without a care all these years./p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Kanade-chan, you are indeed a genius.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"They were walking back home after their catch up at the café, having talked a little longer than they had intended to./p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade smiled at her boyfriend, she had wanted to say the same to him when she found out how he had carefully planned every detail of their chance meeting with Mashima today after considering everyone's situation. He had this habit of doing this subconsciously all the time, and was one of the many reasons why he became the most important man of her life since./p
p class="MsoNormal"'The plan em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"will/em work. We have the key to make it work now, Mashima is committed to it.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu had visible changes physically ever since they first met in high school, he was the tallest of the gang and though he was never the muscle type of guy he could be the most calming presence for Kanade. His hands that are wide and warm wrapped around her delicate small ones in tender care, almost afraid he would crush them. It made her proud being there for him through these years, and feeling incredibly blessed that they had much better luck than their good friends in the department of love./p
p class="MsoNormal"'The only thing I wish for president and vice-president is that they would come to be honest with themselves. We had watched them all these years, as comrades and as silent partners. It was unbearable watching them cope with a loss when they did not have to. I just wish…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"At the slightest tremble of her voice, a tear streaked down her slightly chubby cheeks. They were adorable cheeks that Tsumotu had grown to love, but not like this with tears streaming down. He stopped walking down the dusk-lighted street and held her face gently in his palm, as gentle as he could to let her know he was there./p
p class="MsoNormal"'I'm so useless at handling emotions. The two of them, they were both warriors and mentors to me. All the confidence I had grown to possess, they taught me how to claim them. I just want them to have the same chance, that someone would be there for them.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'We will. We will be there for them, we're a team remember? With or without Karuta!' Tsumotu could no longer withhold the emotions he felt and pulled kanade into his arms where he could shield her from the invisible leeching monsters set on drawing out her vulnerability. 'And even if no one else wanted in on this team, I do! We will drag them back together and beat them senseless until they conceded defeat!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade laughed as she imagined the flailing arms of Tsumotu trying to beat sense into tall and sturdy Mashima vice-president. But if anything, it made her feel safer than she could ever feel./p
p class="MsoNormal"'…should just get married.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu felt his glasses glide off his nose bridge as beads of sweat glided down his face. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"What did she just say?/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Kanade-chan…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'THEY SHOULD JUST GET MARRIED AND HAVE BABIES! LOTS OF THEM!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The outburst almost gave Tsumotu a heart attack and he rapidly gathered his wits to make sense of it. Knowing what a fan girl Kanade was towards the Taichi x Chihaya pairing, he realized where gravity of the situation leaned towards. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"A shame, really./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu held her hand gently and pulled her along, 'well if they don't, we'd just beat them to it and get hitched before they do.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"He almost regretted saying it as soon as the words tumbled out of his mouth and turned to look anxiously at Kanade. She smiled knowingly at him and a different kind of tears brimmed in her eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Turns out, you did hear what I said after all.'/p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"-End-/p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" /p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"And here you have it, a humble update from yours truly! If you used to follow and wondered where on earth I vaporized into, I certainly did not 'go hiding in America' but there was another stage of my life where I experienced many more but that took away all the personal time I used to ungratefully take for granted. Now that there is a short reprise before me turning yet another year older, I just had to finish this! Before I'm some wrinkly old hag trying to conclude a love story I grew to love in my youth. The wonderful thing is through these years there has been emrather exciting development on the manga front/em and it almost made it impossible for me to write this. Nothing can top those heart stopping moments one gets from the manga. But I had re-read this fanfic during commute several times now and just could not leave it undone./p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"It's probably going to be a short sprint with a few more chapters ahead, but I promise to spill and craft all those fleeting ideas that crossed my mind during the long hiatus to give this the finale it deserves. If there's anything to say I love all the characters here equally though this story had its origins in the love triangle surrounding our infamous trio. Hope you enjoyed it and do review and fav to keep me on my toes!/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"Lost Stars/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"Once upon a time, they were three kids in school who befriended each other under the destiny of Karuta. Then, a dare transpired. One had almost ruined a surprise party by sheer habit of overlooking the obvious. Another confessed, as passionately as a river that broke loose from the dam. The last one walked into the turmoil he carefully side-stepped for years. It felt like years have gone by when morning arrives and they all woke to a blank stupor, being twenty-four again./p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya had barely slept and her closing eyes were trapped in an endless battle against rationality. She should get up, it's almost noon. One moment she was back in that school. Right up next she's in her hollow room with nothing but her loud and almost obnoxious thoughts. One of them stood out, the recurring thought plaguing her through the night was relentless – Taichi finally said it. He said he loves her./p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata fared no better. He had survived an emotional bus wreck and the way his legs refused to walk another step out his door made it seem like they no longer belonged to him. They cannot possibly belong to him. The cautious, balanced Arata who had ten steps planned before him no matter the situation had gone on a limp and jumped right into where he wished he never would. He gave away the one he loved to the one he had always felt a shade paler just standing next to. Taichi finally said it. She knows now he is in love with her./p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi could be the one with better odds out of them three. If this endless loop does not drive him insane any sooner and he could move on to his day. Overjoyed to have finally let everything fall off his chest like autumn leaves silently signalling a change of season. Delirious to have such a moment with Chihaya that was uniquely his. And regretfully back to the same state of having to wait – ever oh so patiently until the snow arrives. He had a change – Taichi finally said it. He was all hers since the day they met./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Good morning.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The room had wafts of coffee mixed with freshly toasted bread, something else burnt and without a doubt, it was his mother's signature burnt egg and toast for breakfast. How a woman so perfect in every way had yet to master making scrambled eggs was a mystery Taichi could not solve all twenty-four years and today, his mind lacked the grandeur for it. He sat as inconspicuously as he could next to his mother whose natural talent is to unearth his insecurities. But she caught on quick./p
p class="MsoNormal"'So, no sleep last night? You looked like you came back from a birthday party with friends, were they from your ex-club?'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nope, there was no mention of Karuta as always. Taichi could relate somewhat, she had been carefully avoiding mentioning it since she recovered. Her past attempts to alienate him from this unwilling destiny that spurned into his son's life had lessened significantly since. Still he felt like the eggshells they walked on their whole life for this were all crushed up and poured into the coffee he just took a sip off. His throat was scratchy and just made her observation more obvious. He struggled to find words./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Yeah, there was one. Apparently, it's a surprise party where everyone was surprised to find out I was uninvited,' Taichi attempted to drift a little. His mother looked surprise for a moment and then, she laughed./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Have to be that ditzy Chihaya leading the gang, I suppose.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi looked alarmed. If there was another taboo between them as mother and son, it was the mention of Chihaya. Taichi often wondered why the two women he regarded with utmost important had to be placed at the polar ends of the world. And that's how this unexpected mention was unsettling him to say the least./p
p class="MsoNormal"'She did, she sure did it again.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'It's the most fun I've seen you had in years,' she had turned to drop off her cups and dishes at the sink. Really slowly. Her back remained unturned. 'It's good, I missed it. And you know that even if we never got back to how we were, I want you to have that.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi was mildly confused. He blamed it on his lack of common sense that resulted in a lot of blank staring at the ceiling last night as his emotions looped endlessly like an overplayed YouTube video. He was not usually as dull…/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Have… what? A party?'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Joy. Passion. Determination, just to name a few. These gifts that I had never managed to unleash from you despite being such a tiger mom but Karuta had easily gotten them out of you. It would be a lie to say I was never jealous being left out of it, but Taichi,' at this point she had turned and looked at him gently in the eyes. He felt like he was four once more./p
p class="MsoNormal"'It made you so strong, and in turn, you helped us survived it all.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Good morning.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya was all sunshine and roses this morning, dancing towards the table in their cafe designated as their breakfast spot. Arata looked up and choked on his miso soup, it took him no more than two seconds to resume tranquillity and pointed out the obvious./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, there's a toothbrush in your bun of hair.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The doors clanged as she was instantly displaced to set herself proper and she entered the room again albeit a little more cautiously with her smile unmistakably plastered across her face./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Sorry about that, had overslept and was rushing into getting ready.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata hesitated to point out her shower cap were pointing out of her jean pockets. He smiled carefully to not alarm the unicorn he spent the morning waiting for. He was just glad the unicorn had finally left the room and made an appearance./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Have some lunch, you must be famished. It's already noon.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya waited no further and begun ravishing Arata's famous 'Sunday Bento' as they had playfully termed it. It was a little unorthodox but given that the café was to double up as the location where their weekday Karuta training sessions panned out they never bothered to open for business on Sundays. It was their day to have a break – and every week this day they would try their hands cooking up a different kind of lunch they would someday feel brave enough to add to their menu. Though they never did, it was an unexpectedly scrumptious lunch consisting of Miso soup, egg and chili fried in tempura batter with a serving of buttered salmon and pasta. It was their fusion little secret. And they had enjoyed experimenting it till it reached its perfect comfort level and they never missed making it every week./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, since we are closed and all that on Sundays, let's go on a date today'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Damn those chilis! Chihaya had taken a bite at the seeds she always carefully avoided in the panic that was named unexpected Arata. Her mouth was flaming and she coughed, only to be spurred into more panic when she could not seem to stop. Finally, she managed to douse them with miso soup and a latte coffee Arata had made her in haste./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Like a...'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Date.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Where you…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Hang out and stuff, yeah.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'In public?'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Where the other half of the population will be having dates, yes.' Arata finished impeccably while sipping coffee. Does this man have to always, always be so poised when he isn't wracking his brain for Karuta?/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya blamed it on her lack of common sense that resulted in the unwitting task of staring at the ceiling as if they were panned out Karuta cards she had to memorize last night. Every word on that card spelled 'Taichi'. She was not usually as dull, but that's just her delusion./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Oh. That would be nice. I am totally not tired at all.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata smiled a warm one and Chihaya thought despite flaming chilis, this moment was worth that./p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, wake up. We are going to reach the end soon.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"After a few more nudges and shaking as gently as Arata knew how to, Chihaya jumped up from her seat and wheeled a three sixty while rooted to her standing spot. She's in, what resembles, a carriage looking sphere. And there were more carriages above and below her, so she must be in a…/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Oh my gosh! Arata I'm so sorry, I must have dozed off. It was not because the conversation was boring or anything, it's just – last night I couldn't sleep a wink and then I was up all night like a dolt. I mean I tried to put some sense through that mindless staring upwards but,' Chihaya rambled on helpless like a child caught with crayons and a vandalized wall./p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata winced, he had thought that it was all too boring for her, the conversation was not exactly flowing prior to Chihaya drifting off to lala-land. Here they were, on a date to the amusement park and he thought he had it all packed together and could be as smooth as chawanmushi – but it was anything but that. It was almost an absolute disaster to have gone through this which was supposed to be a date. He could blame it on the nerves, the evident lack of sleep on both their ends, and the fact that every other couple here were so 'coupley' it simply closed the loop and enraged his nerves more than he would allow./p
p class="MsoNormal"They started off with a crazy ride, the battle-star roller coaster set to mince your guts until all you have left are knots and goo, it worked just as the slogan claimed it to be. And perhaps a little more, it had Arata almost hurling after that hefty brunch they shared in the morning. Chihaya had looked a little pale as well, but cleanly forgotten it all when she saw a panicked Arata trying to keep his insides em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"inside/em./p
p class="MsoNormal"So, they decided to take it easier after that and were casually taking a stroll, Arata had just about recovered from the initial shock of being flung all directions on the roller coaster. Up until Chihaya spotted the haunted house with another ridiculous sounding slogan splashed in vivid colour paint right at the entrance./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Your greatest nightmare awaits, put your mortality at stake and take an endless stroll through the valleys of death!/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Great, thought Arata, dear god - if I needed another hint on how the day would progress I'd be sure to ask you for it before you smack it in my face./p
p class="MsoNormal"For the benefit of Arata's shredded ego and waning mortality, we shall skip over the obvious horrors they encountered in the haunted house. By the time they left the place, both Chihaya and Arata were speechless, Chihaya had tried to guide out an almost soulless Arata out of theredespite her own state of mind. They remained silent for another good ten minutes or so before conversation resumed with Chihaya apologizing profusely for dragging Arata along./p
p class="MsoNormal"'It's alright, Chihaya. If I could survive Shinobu's constant random frightful attacks in my teenage years, I'd survive this.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya then decidedly pull a hesitant Arata forward, claiming she had a perfect plan for their next item up the non-existent itinerary. Just as they passed through the crowd, Arata spotted the merry-go-round that would indefinitely be the safest option of the lot./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Let's take a timeout here, Chihaya,' and Arata smiled another warm one at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"When they first got on, Arata casually inquired where Chihaya had wanted to head towards if undisrupted and she cheerfully mentioned a boat rowing adventure down the lane. Arata felt compelled to hide from her the fact that he remained irrationally afraid of ducks and breathed a sigh of relief instead./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"This is it/em, he thought to himself once they were comfortably seated opposite one another,em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" I'd spill all the beans to her. She deserves the full story, I owe her that./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Back and forth he deliberated on the best way to start his story, only to look up minutes later staring at a sleeping Chihaya. He hung his head low in unbelievable defeat, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"could this day be any worse/em?/p
p class="MsoNormal"Now back in the future where he had finally woken a dishevelled Chihaya minutes before they arrived at the landing of the ride. She looked guilty. And he felt worse. He was still trying to map words from his whirling trail of thoughts as he made to move towards the door, only to be pulled back abruptly by Chihaya./p
p class="MsoNormal"'No, no we're good,' she waved to the amusement park staff who was about to open the door, 'another round please!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Hang on, Chihaya!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Give me another chance, it's just another twenty minutes ride and I swear I'd stay awake this time round'/p
p class="MsoNormal"When the carriage had floated past the landing, Arata sighed in defeat./p
p class="MsoNormal"'It's just that, I really needed to go to the washroom, Chihaya.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Oh. Oh wait, let's jump off! We can still make it!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'No! SIT!' Arata sat decisively and gestured for Chihaya to do the same./p
p class="MsoNormal"She sat down and he did a mental rundown of what he should do now. He looked up at her and smiled, 'first of all, let's make it a rule to not mention the washroom in the next twenty minutes.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Hey! Taichi'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nishida and Tsutomu sat at the café table after greeting a bespectacled Taichi. They looked at him curiously, wondering what brought on the sudden fashion fade. Taichi read their mind and replied, 'Well, didn't manage to catch much sleep last night hence the glasses.' The other two nodded in understanding and ordered themselves a cup of drink each./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Sorry for calling you both out on a Sunday at such short notice, there's something I really need to find out that happened when I was away at America.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nishida and Tsutomu turned to look at each other, they had sensed it and threw a couple of guesses into the air prior to meeting Taichi. Something happened between the trio yesterday, the lack of sleep was a telling confirmation for that./p
p class="MsoNormal"'When I was away, Chihaya and Arata were still playing Karuta together but there was a decisive match that made Chihaya not play Karuta again. That's what I gathered from bits and pieces of our past conversation before, and I know we never could really talk about it before Chihaya.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nishida nodded took a sip of his Espresso before he bellowed, 'Sounds about right. And damn you for being in America back then, Taichi! Sure, we avoided talking about it for Chihaya, but it was also because of you, you dolt!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Nishida! Lay it out gently would you! Remember what Kanade-chan said…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'He deserves to know it without all that filtering, alright! If he is asking this now, he must be feeling regret-'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'That I am.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'-and could just be trying to make amends. How does one do that without acknowledging the shit they did?!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Silence took its seat at their table and they remained that way for a couple of minutes./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Look, I know it was bad, whatever it was that happened. I could feel it, could guess a few things, but just as you said I need the full story to make amends. So, tell me, without filtering.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"They spent the next half hour retelling the story of how it all happened – that shortly after winning the title there were mounting challenges awaiting Chihaya who was still coping with both Taichi's departure from Karuta as well as the new responsibilities of being Queen. There were TV appearances, people bugging her wherever she went, and endless naysayers who snobbishly put down Chihaya's talents. She barely had time for Karuta itself. But it was Taichi's leaving for America that broke her. Right before the competition for Meiji and Queen title, she had gotten wind Taichi had left for America indefinitely and it crushed her last standing resolve to go through with the competition. She ran, away from her favourite Karuta and never made another appearance since. The Queen title was effortlessly given to competitors, Arata had tried again and again to bring her back to the game every year since then but not once succeeded. That they could start a café slashed Karuta training ground together in Chihaya's home town was the best endeavour Arata had advanced them into./p
p class="MsoNormal"The reality of having the story told felt like he was watching Chihaya and Arata struggle in flesh, every tear and sweat materialized before him and crystallized into an unsettling guilt in the pits of his guts./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Well, it's about time you did something about it, vice-president!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The three boys wheeled around at a radiant looking Kanade, stunned at her confidant challenge issued to a confused looking Mashima vice-president./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Kanade! What are you doing here?' Nishida tried to make sense of the situation./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Sorry guys, she heard that we were meeting and insisted on joining. I did however-'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Yeah, you sure lied about the timing, Tsumotu-kun. I suspected as much when you three were locked in conversation earlier on, that I am made to join later thanks to a lie you told.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu remained unfazed, 'it would be wiser to find out what he was going to say before letting you meet him, right? What if he meant to leave again? You'd murder him right here.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade sat down unfazed while Taichi and Nishida swallowed nervously, 'oh please, I'm nothing like Sumire-chan. Although I probably would bill him for all those traditional wear we wore during our competition years and made them non-complimentary instantly.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Good to know, Kanade-chan, that you would have mercy on me.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade spun around so quickly the three boys jumped an inch off their chairs. She took out a flyer and placed it visibly on the table where the boys crowded around to read./p
p class="MsoNormal"Taichi looked up and smiled, 'You're a genius, Kanade. This is exactly what I need.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'It all started when Taichi left, Chihaya.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata was looking at Chihaya gently, as he breathed out the words left circling his guts for years, as gently as he could without sounding reprimanding. 'Or perhaps even before that, I don't know. But I know that time has stopped for you since he left for America.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya sat rooted, unable to blink and unable to speak, she silently feared the next few words that Arata had in mind for her. She had tried, battled her own wits and had been defeated each time she wanted to return to Karuta. She yearned to, it was her everything. She wanted that feeling of playing fearlessly again – but she was afraid of the disappointment that could take the form of failures. She had been defeated endlessly before, failed time after time but the place she had after being a queen brought on impending sense of failure never felt before. She was suffocating. It was like every morning she wore a leaded vest into her daily life. Night would come and she could hide a couple of hours and dreaded the mornings again. Then there was the absence of Taichi. They were not a couple or anything like that – they were partners in crime. In glory. In triumphs. He was with her in every step of reaching her goal – and then he was gone. It crushed her to know how she had selfishly made him her crutch to reach her goal, that she had been stifling him. All she ever wanted, was to return to that room in their childhood days, playing Karuta without a care in the world. She had em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"failed/em in every sense of the word, and they could never return to how they were./p
p class="MsoNormal"And then there was Arata's return – it was like a lion had walked back in her life and made the fights more glorious than they ever were. She had a fleeting feeling they had returned to the tiny room with wisps of sunset streaming in the windows when they had both won their titles. Her eyes unconsciously searched for Taichi, only to watch his receding figure as he left them in the halls. And then he was gone./p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata made it all better, in all his cool-headed ways he was there for her. Ever so gently, he showed her the way to this beautiful claim that was theirs, the café was their fruit of labour. They stayed together managing it platonically for years, and once she had confessed when she took in the glorious success when the café finally became popular amongst both café dwellers and Karuta players. The confession was impulsive at a glance. But it held all the emotions that had swelled gloriously within her when Arata had gone too far away. Once a long time ago. Then and there, it was Taichi who was lost to her. She was missing Taichi, Arata's guess was not far off, but more importantly she was em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"afraid/em of losing Arata again. He became the morning sun she sought every morning when she woke up, and that she could make the café his haven for pursuing Karuta was a dream come true em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"in a certain sense./em But now, this stands challenged./p
p class="MsoNormal"'When you told me you love me, I was overjoyed. I know I may not look like it back then, what with me being born with a face made of steel with fewer than few emotions. It was just that – I had felt it, the presence of Taichi in your heart. I mean, I…' his voice trailed off like a fleeting breeze./p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya could feel the heat rise up to her face, maybe it was the sunset, but then again it was only four in the afternoon. Perhaps Arata who was both her sun and her lion, was simply too radiant. The Arata who always reminded her of a Karuta dream she did not pursue…/p
p class="MsoNormal"'What I really want is for you to remember how it all started. We found Karuta when we found each other, and if I could jump into time and space and return to a moment in my life, it was always going to be…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'…your room when the three of us played Karuta together for the very last time,' Chihaya finished his sentence without skipping a beat./p
p class="MsoNormal"He smiled, just like how she effortlessly read his mind all the time, their sentences concluded in unison. He knew the next few words would take all the courage he could ever muster, but there was no turning back. Even though he is briefly reminded that he would need the washroom the moment they landed./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, there is something else you should know.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya's head whipped up so quickly her long ponytail swished in the residual wave. Her eyes were large and bore right into his, there was a pounding in her ears. She remembered how Taichi looked with his pink rosy cheeks when he confessed just a day before. The softness of his voice, the earnest tender way his eyes regarded her. Internally, she panicked./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, I love you. I always have, since the day we met. In that room where we played for the last time. Every single day, in our little home we built together.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"She tore her eyes away and looked behind her, true enough, they were reaching the landing. In a very rare occasion, her mind was reeling her options the way one would speed-read through the papers. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"What would she say, what should she say?/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"'We should, get ready to go. We've almost reached the landing and you do have a rather urgent case of – stuff, to attend to.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Arata sighed, he wasn't sure if it was a sigh of relief that he had finally said it or that he could finally dash out of this ridiculous carriage, where the most amazing thing had just happened. He had let the cat out of the bag, there was no more hiding after this. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Everything is going to change. Damn, he needed the washroom./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"The moment they landed, all business was attended to in an instant. Chihaya was walking through the souvenir shop, she figured how a little bit of space was much needed. They both needed that. Things will never be the same ever again, she realized. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe acknowledged her feelings and she is now fully aware of his. With an absentminded act, she started punching a mascot toy placed before her. All through these years there were times she wondered how Arata could be within such proximity to her and felt em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"nothing/em. She had long since lamented that it was for the better, she had far too little charm as a woman to be of equal to him. There was the fact that she ran from Karuta and never faced it all these years. She wanted to hide, dig a hole all the way to America where she could hide her guilt and shame for being so weak and useless./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"What could I possibly have done to deserve them both regarding me as a love interest? I break things, burn stuff and possibly set everything off a wrong foot. The only thing I have ever been proud of was…/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Chihaya, I implore you to spare the life of that dolphin.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya looked up at Arata in surprise who was somewhat grinning, and realized the mascot she was formerly punching was wrung up by her in a twist as she battled inner demons. Two girls around the age of five gaped at her./p
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I also attempt to murder cute, harmless mascots before the eyes of young children. Just great./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Chihaya could not say she was leaving the amusement park feeling em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"amused/em. On the flip side, she now began to realize that she was probably no more mature than she was when her world came apart years ago. Perhaps Arata was right, her time had stopped back in those years and she had walked into the rain without a care all these years./p
p class="MsoNormal"-/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Kanade-chan, you are indeed a genius.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"They were walking back home after their catch up at the café, having talked a little longer than they had intended to./p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade smiled at her boyfriend, she had wanted to say the same to him when she found out how he had carefully planned every detail of their chance meeting with Mashima today after considering everyone's situation. He had this habit of doing this subconsciously all the time, and was one of the many reasons why he became the most important man of her life since./p
p class="MsoNormal"'The plan em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"will/em work. We have the key to make it work now, Mashima is committed to it.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu had visible changes physically ever since they first met in high school, he was the tallest of the gang and though he was never the muscle type of guy he could be the most calming presence for Kanade. His hands that are wide and warm wrapped around her delicate small ones in tender care, almost afraid he would crush them. It made her proud being there for him through these years, and feeling incredibly blessed that they had much better luck than their good friends in the department of love./p
p class="MsoNormal"'The only thing I wish for president and vice-president is that they would come to be honest with themselves. We had watched them all these years, as comrades and as silent partners. It was unbearable watching them cope with a loss when they did not have to. I just wish…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"At the slightest tremble of her voice, a tear streaked down her slightly chubby cheeks. They were adorable cheeks that Tsumotu had grown to love, but not like this with tears streaming down. He stopped walking down the dusk-lighted street and held her face gently in his palm, as gentle as he could to let her know he was there./p
p class="MsoNormal"'I'm so useless at handling emotions. The two of them, they were both warriors and mentors to me. All the confidence I had grown to possess, they taught me how to claim them. I just want them to have the same chance, that someone would be there for them.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'We will. We will be there for them, we're a team remember? With or without Karuta!' Tsumotu could no longer withhold the emotions he felt and pulled kanade into his arms where he could shield her from the invisible leeching monsters set on drawing out her vulnerability. 'And even if no one else wanted in on this team, I do! We will drag them back together and beat them senseless until they conceded defeat!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Kanade laughed as she imagined the flailing arms of Tsumotu trying to beat sense into tall and sturdy Mashima vice-president. But if anything, it made her feel safer than she could ever feel./p
p class="MsoNormal"'…should just get married.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu felt his glasses glide off his nose bridge as beads of sweat glided down his face. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"What did she just say?/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"'Kanade-chan…'/p
p class="MsoNormal"'THEY SHOULD JUST GET MARRIED AND HAVE BABIES! LOTS OF THEM!'/p
p class="MsoNormal"The outburst almost gave Tsumotu a heart attack and he rapidly gathered his wits to make sense of it. Knowing what a fan girl Kanade was towards the Taichi x Chihaya pairing, he realized where gravity of the situation leaned towards. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"A shame, really./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tsumotu held her hand gently and pulled her along, 'well if they don't, we'd just beat them to it and get hitched before they do.'/p
p class="MsoNormal"He almost regretted saying it as soon as the words tumbled out of his mouth and turned to look anxiously at Kanade. She smiled knowingly at him and a different kind of tears brimmed in her eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal"'Turns out, you did hear what I said after all.'/p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"-End-/p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" /p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"And here you have it, a humble update from yours truly! If you used to follow and wondered where on earth I vaporized into, I certainly did not 'go hiding in America' but there was another stage of my life where I experienced many more but that took away all the personal time I used to ungratefully take for granted. Now that there is a short reprise before me turning yet another year older, I just had to finish this! Before I'm some wrinkly old hag trying to conclude a love story I grew to love in my youth. The wonderful thing is through these years there has been emrather exciting development on the manga front/em and it almost made it impossible for me to write this. Nothing can top those heart stopping moments one gets from the manga. But I had re-read this fanfic during commute several times now and just could not leave it undone./p
p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"It's probably going to be a short sprint with a few more chapters ahead, but I promise to spill and craft all those fleeting ideas that crossed my mind during the long hiatus to give this the finale it deserves. If there's anything to say I love all the characters here equally though this story had its origins in the love triangle surrounding our infamous trio. Hope you enjoyed it and do review and fav to keep me on my toes!/p
