AAAAND finally we're here. NINE, NINE! (B99 reference sorry can't help myself)
This chapter is rated M. Yes, whatever you're thinking is right. Probably.
(Edit: Specifically, this chapter has lemon/smut. Sorry I wasn't specific earlier. But SetsunaEST kindly told me that I should be.)
I don't know what else to say about this chapter except I'm seriously nervous about this (like I always am)
Also, it's the longest chapter so far!
I seriously hope you guys like this chapter!
Also your follows, favorites, and comments all mean a lot to me!
THANK YOU!
Chapter 9: Shooting Star, Falling Star (Part 2)
1996
Joichiro stares in shock as Hinata faints in the middle of the arena. The judges get up from their seats and shout for paramedics. Azami himself stepped away, unsure of what to do. Some of the people from the audience who Joichiro assumed were from the research society came down to rush to Hinata's side. Two men arrived moments later and carefully placed her on the stretcher. The paramedics were going towards Joichiro who was frozen in his spot near the entrance.
"Excuse me," one of them spoke up as they passed by him, snapping him out of his shock.
He ran up to them as they went through the doors. "Hinata," he whispered, holding her hand. The two EMTs exchanged a look but remained silent as they made their way out of the hall.
When they got out of the building, an ambulance was already waiting outside. A third paramedic opened the door to the van and assisted as they gently loaded her inside. With just him left, Joichiro rushed to climb inside.
"Whoa," one of the paramedics stopped him. "You can't come with us."
"Please. She's my girlfriend," Joichiro pleaded.
"Alright, hop in," the third paramedic said. The one near the door shot him a look. "We're just taking her to the school infirmary, Okane-san," he reasoned.
"Fine, get in." Joichiro hastily climbed inside, immediately taking Hinata's hand as the paramedic opposite him closed the doors. The van jerked forward as they headed for the infirmary. "Did you see her hit her head when she fainted?" He asked Joichiro.
"Yeah, she hit her head," Joichiro replied, still staring at Hinata.
"Does she have any allergies that you know of? Medical history? Blood type?" he asked as he examined her breathing through a stethoscope. "Is she taking any medicine?"
"I don't know about any allergies and blood type. But she said that their family has a history of cancer. Her mother died of stomach cancer," he replied, still not looking up at the paramedic. "She also doesn't drink any medicine, but she drinks a lot of herbal tea."
They arrive at the infirmary minutes later. Joichiro immediately jumped out of the van, not wanting to get in their way. As the other two carried Hinata down the ambulance, the third paramedic spoke to the nearest doctor.
"This is Hinata Yukihira, 15 years old. Family has a history of cancer. No known medications. She fainted after a shokugeki in the arena and hit her head on the floor," he said as they brought her inside. "On our arrival, she was unconscious, breathing, and was hypotensive and tachycardic. BP 80/60. Heart Rate 120," he continues to relay to the doctor as the others transfer her to a bed.
Joichiro tunes out the noise as they plug a bunch of wires on Hinata. The other doctors checked her breathing, pulse, and a lot more that he couldn't understand. He stood still at a distance, steering clear of the chaos as he stared at Hinata. Eventually, the voices of the people around the room turned into white noise as Joichiro focused on the sound of her heartbeat, beeping loudly through the monitor. When they shone a flashlight in her eyes, Hinata came to her senses and mumbled as she pushed the flashlight away from her face.
"Joichiro," she mumbled as she tried to get out of the bed.
"You have to stay still. You fainted and hit your head. We have to examine you," the doctor said as they held her down.
Joichiro wanted to go over to her side and hold her hand, but he remained frozen in his spot. The paramedics had already left and now all of the attention is focused on Hinata who was in and out of consciousness. The doctors discussed with each other and threw orders around while the nurses hung IV bags and plugged it into her arm. After a while, they started to wheel her out of the emergency room.
"Wait, where are you taking her?" He asked a nearby doctor
"We're going to scan her for any head injuries. We'll let you know if there's any news," he said sympathetically before calling a nurse. "You can sit in the waiting room. The nurse will take you there."
Before Joichiro could ask more questions, he already left to catch up with the rest of the team. He could barely register what the nurse was saying as she guided him to the waiting room. Joichiro noticed that they passed by the Burn Unit before arriving at the waiting room. She left immediately after, leaving him to his devices. He looked around the room. It was empty apart from him and the unoccupied rows of seats. Joichiro sat down on the chair directly in front of the door.
I've never felt more helpless in my entire life, he thought as he buried his face in his hands. Whoever is up there seriously has it in for me. But please let her be okay. Please.
A few minutes later, her doctor walked through the doors of the waiting room. Joichiro stood up immediately and rushed over to him.
"Good news, there's no head injury," Joichiro sighed in relief. "But we do have some findings. Do you know if her parents are in Tokyo or any other family members?" the doctor asked, looking serious.
"Her father, I think. But I don't know how to contact him," he replied. "Is she awake? Can I see her?"
The doctor nodded. "She's awake. I'll take you to her room. Follow me," he said, pushing the door open.
They went up to her room silently. Joichiro trailed behind the doctor, his heart pounding. The infirmary was mostly empty, save for a few students who have minor illnesses. Other than that, the place was quiet as they walked through the halls and turned a bunch of corners. A few minutes later, they stood outside a private room. Joichiro could barely remember how they got there, but losing his way in the building was the least of his worries. The doctor knocked on the door before going inside.
"Hinata-san, you have a visitor," the doctor said, smiling at Hinata who beamed at the sight of Joichiro who went into the room after the doctor.
"Joichiro-kun," Hinata whispered. Joichiro rushed over to her side, finally convinced that she's perfectly okay and this isn't a dream.
"Hinata," he said, holding her hand. "I'm glad you're okay." He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Does anything hurt?"
"No, I'm okay. Don't worry. I just fainted, that's all." She said, smiling as she tightened her grip on Joichiro's hand.
"Hinata-san," the doctor said. "We need to discuss your treatment. Do you have family members in Tokyo? Perhaps your parents?"
"My father's not in Tokyo right now. He's in Okinawa," Hinata said. "I could try to call him so he'll come home. Would that be okay?"
The doctor nodded. "That's okay. I think we can wait for him,"
Hinata looked up at Joichiro who was watching her intently as if he was genuinely frightened that she'll fade like smoke if he looked away. "Joichiro-kun, do you remember the recipe to the soba noodle soup we made in training camp?"
"Of course, I do. Do you want me to make it for you?" Hinata nodded, smiling. "Okay, where do you keep the reishi and cordyceps?"
"They're in my desk drawer, the second drawer, inside a huge box. It's all labelled so you won't have a hard time looking for them."
"Okay," Joichiro said, giving her another kiss on the forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Do you need anything else?" Hinata shook her head. "I'll see you later. Get some rest," he said before leaving.
Hinata listened intently for his footsteps. "Doctor Shimoda?" she called out to the doctor who spent the past few minutes, writing something on her chart and closely monitoring her vital signs. He looked up at her from where he stood at the foot of her bed. "I didn't want to alarm Joichiro, but now that he's not here, you can tell me what's wrong with me."
He stuttered for a while, unsure of what to say. "We can wait for your father to arrive, Hinata-san."
"Please tell me. My mother died young because of stomach cancer and I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop ever since. I know it's hard to get information off of doctors, but please, Shimoda-san. I need to know," Hinata pleaded.
The doctor sighed, putting down her chart as he walked over to her side. "Your condition is serious, but we don't have enough technology here to diagnose the cause. I'd like to speak to your father about getting you examined in a hospital."
"So I don't have to stay here in the infirmary?"
"You still have to stay for a few days so we can treat you with IV fluids. But this will only treat your existing condition. Since it's highly likely that there is an underlying cause, I recommend getting more tests."
Hinata sighed, frustrated by the doctor's non-answer. "What exactly is my condition, Shimoda-san?" The young doctor stared at her for a while, clearly uncomfortable. "I know most doctors believe that if you tell a patient their illness, they'll get worse. But trust me, the fear of the unknown is the only thing that's making me feel worse right now. Please tell me."
He looked down at her, his eyes filled with pity. "You have hypercalcemia, it's when there's an abnormally large amount of calcium in your blood." Hinata stared at him, nodding as she processed his words. "Right now, we can treat it with some IV fluids. But you need to get examined to find out the underlying cause since there are many possible reasons why." They remained silent for a few seconds. "We can contact your father for you—"
"No, he doesn't need to know."
"But—"
"He had a hard time dealing with my mother's death. He couldn't accept it for the longest time," she said. Shimoda sighed, the pity returning in his eyes. "I need to know 'cause it could also happen to me. It's not something I'm shying away from. This is something that I've accepted a long time ago." She paused, her eyes unwavering. "But my father can't go through this again. Call him for my insurance, but just tell him I fainted and I need some more tests in the hospital. He doesn't need to know any more than that."
"I understand," the doctor said. Hinata wrote down the number to Yukihira Diner on the pad sitting on top of the bedside drawer. After peeling off the paper, she handed it over to the doctor. "I'll tell you when we've spoken." Hinata nodded and the doctor quietly left the room.
As soon as the doctor left, Hinata exhaled. Staring out of the window, she could feel tears running down her face. She wiped them off right away. You have to be strong, she thought to herself. Hypercalcemia could be caused by cancer. That's true, but it could also be caused by something else. You're not a doctor, Hinata, she scolds herself, shaking her head to get rid of the dark thoughts that were about to go through her mind. Going through everything you've read on cancer isn't going to help. You need more tests. More importantly, you need to calm down.
Hinata continued to stare out of the window for a few minutes, her mind still stormy with all of the conflicting thoughts thrown here and there. Then one particular thought entered her mind which shut down all the rest. Do I tell Joichiro?
Joichiro walked as fast as he could. When he arrived in Polar Star, Fumio-san and Gin were already in the foyer, talking in hushed tones. They rushed to his side when he went through the door, asking tons of questions about Hinata. Joichiro ignored them and rushed up the stairs, going straight into Hinata's room to get ingredients he needs to make her soba noodle soup.
"Second drawer," he muttered, walking towards her desk. He leaned down and pulled the drawer open. Inside, there was a huge box just as Hinata said. Joichiro grabbed the box out of the drawer and placed it on her desk, pushing aside the books. He looked back down at the drawer as something caught his eye. "What's this…?" he said, looking closely at the pile of papers hidden below the box.
He could clearly see the shokugeki letter on top of the pile, its right side crumpled somewhat. Below that, he saw another envelope with Hinata's name on it and an exam sheet with an 'E' on the corner. Joichiro absentmindedly reached down to pick up the pieces of paper but then stopped as his fingers touched the corners of the shokugeki letter. I can't go through her things. These are clearly private.
Shaking the images of the letters from his mind, he focused his attention back to the box in front of him. Joichiro lifted the lid of the box. Inside were jars, boxes, and pouches full of assorted medicinal herbs, tonics, powders, and more. He went through the jars first, recalling the ones she brought out in training camp. It didn't take him long to find the correct ones. Joichiro closed the box and paused for a moment before shoving it back into the drawer, staring at the pile of letters inside. No, you can't, he told himself as he hastily placed the box back inside.
Joichiro went downstairs to the kitchen, clutching the jars in his hands. When he got inside, Gin was already there, leaning on the kitchen counter furthest from the door. Again, Joichiro ignored him as he went straight to gathering the rest of the ingredients. Gin was uncharacteristically silent as he watched his best friend run around the kitchen and storage room, grabbing and dropping off ingredients.
When he got everything he needed, plus a few substitute ingredients, Joichiro tied up his hair, staring at the pile of ingredients in front of him. Gin calmly walked over to his side.
"What do you need me to do?" Gin asked.
Joichiro looked up at him. They stared at each other for a moment. Do they know what happened? Does he know who I'm cooking for? He thought. Gin nodded as if reading his mind. "Soba noodles," he said.
Gin nodded once again before taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves. They worked in complete silence. Joichiro gave him a few more instructions once he was done cutting the soba noodles, but other than that, they didn't talk about the elephant in the room. No, the elephant sat ignored in the corner while the pair cooked as if their lives depended on it. After all, they were each cooking for someone.
They assembled the soup in a bento container, the soba noodles placed in the lowest compartment. Joichiro cooked another comfort dish which went on the compartment above the soup. He was about to cook another for the top-most container when Fumio-san walked through the door, carrying a plate.
"Add this to your bento," she said, handing him a plate of Kinpira Gobo salad. "She's fond of that."
Joichiro took the plate silently and transferred its contents to the bento. "Thank you," he said, looking at Gin and Fumio-san who stood beside each other. He closed the bento tightly, double checking the lids and clasps.
"Oh, and I almost forgot—" Fumio said, rushing back into her room. Moments later she went out with a thermos. "Schizandra berry tea," she said, setting down the warm thermos in front of him. "She always makes that for me."
He nodded slowly, looking down at the bento and thermos in front of him. "Thank you," he said again, not sure what else to say.
"We'll visit later," Gin said. He nodded absent-mindedly, still dazed. "She'll be okay." Joichiro finally looked up and met the eyes of the man in front of him. "Hinata will be okay," he repeated. Joichiro grabbed the thermos and bento, muttered another thanks, and left the kitchen.
"Let's visit tomorrow instead. Give them some time alone, don't you think?" Fumio said as she went straight to the pot which contained the remaining soba noodles soup, pouring some into a bowl for herself. "Hmmm…" Fumio hummed as she closed her eyes in appreciation of the soup. "Joichiro really loves her, doesn't he?" she whispered, staring down at the bowl in her hands.
Curious, Gin also got some soup and tasted it. Ahh, I see, he noted as his eyes closed instinctively. "He really does," he whispers, smiling faintly.
...
In his rush to get to Hinata's room, Joichiro got lost in the infirmary for a while. Eventually, he gave up trying to find his way alone and asked a nurse who passed by. Minutes later, he went inside her room. She was sitting up on her bed, staring out of the window.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, setting down the bento and thermos on the table by the door.
Hinata watched him as he sat on the bed. "I'm just wondering about my research society. They must hate me right now," she said.
"Hey, don't worry about them, okay? They could challenge Azami again for the kitchen and if they win, all would be back to normal. I'm sure they don't hate you. Especially after what happened," Joichiro said as he held her hand.
"That's not fair, you know?" she said. "I still lost our research society kitchen. Whether or not I fainted afterwards, they have a right to be pissed."
"Well, if they want to be mad at you, they have to go through me first." He said, pointing a thumb at his chest. Hinata laughed, shaking her head. "I'm serious. I'll beat them all in a shokugeki if they come at you like an angry mob. Or if they want to get physical…I'll protect you," he continued to joke as he shrugged off his jacket and ridiculously flexed his arms. "I'm just saying. You see this? I got muscles. They wouldn't want to go near this."
Hinata laughed harder. "Again, that's not exactly fair, anata," she said breathlessly as Joichiro continued to show off his worst impression of a bodybuilder. Joichiro fell silent. Hinata also gradually lost her smile as she realized what she just said. "I mean—you know…" she stuttered, cursing herself internally.
Joichiro chuckled before leaning in to kiss Hinata on the lips. "I know," he whispered, smiling at Hinata who stared at him with wide eyes. "You should eat," he said as he got off the bed. "Gin and Fumio-san helped me. They said they'll visit," Joichiro said, pulling the table over her bed.
"Thank you," she said, still blushing. Hinata ate while Joichiro entertained her with various stories from his shokugekis and competitions. When she was finished eating, Joichiro pushed the table back to where it initially was.
"You should get some rest. I'll be here," he said, holding her hand. Hinata closed her eyes and felt his lips on her forehead for a brief moment as she fell asleep.
The following day, Joichiro had to leave early because he has a few shokugekis scheduled for the day. Hinata went back to sleep soon after he left. Hours later, someone knocked on the door and went inside. Stifling a yawn and blinking, Hinata woke up, expecting a nurse or doctor.
"Hello, Hinata-san," Takeo Watanabe greeted her as he stood next to her bed. She sat up immediately, suddenly nervous. He smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not mad," he said, raising his hands up.
"You should be," she said.
He chuckled as he sat on the edge of the bed. "That's what they keep telling me," he said as he turned to face her, his left leg casually dangling off the side. "But I find anger exhausting," Takeo said as he shrugged. "Anyway, you need not worry. I'll get the kitchen back. I already sent a shokugeki challenge to Azami. Hopefully, he'll accept."
"Oh, he'll accept it," Hinata said, Azami's creepy smile flashing in her mind.
"Maybe, but he hasn't talked to me. It seems he has a bone to pick with you, though," he said, looking at her intently. "I was mildly surprised when he approached me last week."
"I've been meaning to talk to you about that, Takeo-san," she said. He tilted his head. "Why'd you let me represent the research society?"
"Like I said, he seemed to have an issue with you. But I let him choose you because I trust you."
"Don't you mean trusted?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
He shook his head. "No, I still trust you," he said. Hinata stared at him. "Not everyone may see it, but I know what you're capable of, Hinata-san." They were silent for a while as her brown eyes scrutinized his bright blue eyes. Hinata tried to speak but was effectively speechless. "Anyway, I'm not here to bother you with all of that. I came to check up on you. How are you?"
"I'm okay," she said, avoiding the real question.
Takeo sighed as he looked down at his hands. "I know you try to keep your life as private as possible from everyone. But you forget…I know what you're going through. It's me, Hinata-san," he said, timidly smiling at her. Hinata sighed. "So, I'll ask you again, how are you?"
"I have hypercalcemia. They say there are a lot of possible underlying causes…" she said, trailing off.
"And you think it could be cancer?" He asked. Hinata nodded slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"But they can't be sure since I need more tests. So I need to get myself checked outside," Hinata said, pausing for a moment. "I'm not sure if I want to go, though. I mean, of course, I do but—"
"But you're scared to hear it's exactly what you think," he said, reading her thoughts. Hinata stayed silent as she felt panic creep up. Takeo breathed in before saying, "I've offered this before and it still stands. My father's an oncologist. I could take you to meet with him so you won't be alone."
Hinata gave it a moment's thought before shaking her head. "Thank you, but no, Takeo-san."
"Well, it's a standing offer," he said, smiling. "It's here if you need it and so am I," he reached out and gently placed his hand on her arm. Hinata froze. The monitor beeped faster as her heart rate increased. Takeo chuckled, taking off his hand. "I should go. I'm glad to see you're doing okay, Hinata-san," he said, throwing his jacket over his shoulder before calmly walking out of the room.
...
Joichiro went inside the hospital, carrying another bento in his hand. This time, he carefully read the signs so he wouldn't get lost again. When he got up to the second floor, he turned right. The wing was mostly empty, with just a few nurses in the station directly in front of the elevator. Seconds later, the door to Hinata's room was already within view and Joichiro was about to go inside when he saw another man inside. Joichiro stepped away immediately before taking a peek through the door's window.
He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but Joichiro felt his blood boil at the sight of the guy as he smiled at Hinata. Who the hell is this guy? He thought as he continued to watch. The unnamed visitor then placed his hand on Hinata's arm. Joichiro felt his heart clench as he looked away, leaning against the wall next to the door. Crossing his arms over his chest, he breathed heavily to calm himself down.
Moments later, the man he's been stabbing inside his mind walked out of the door. At first, he was completely unaware of Joichiro's presence as the latter glared at him. After shrugging on his jacket, Takeo turned around and upon spotting Joichiro, he froze in his place for a brief moment.
"You must be Saiba Joichiro. Hinata's mentioned you before," he said, walking towards Joichiro who was still leaning on the wall.
"That's funny," Joichiro replied, sarcastically. "She's never mentioned you."
"Hmm, why's that, I wonder," Takeo said, unaffected. "Well, you're also getting quite a reputation around campus." Joichiro continued to glare at him, ignoring his comment. "If you don't mind me asking…are you and Hinata-san together?"
"Oh, she never mentioned it?" Joichiro asked rhetorically. The man opposite him was about to answer. "Yes, she's my girlfriend. We're keeping it a secret, but I think you should know so you could keep your hands away from her," he said, taking a step closer to Takeo who only chuckled.
"I see. Well, whatever you saw, I assure you that meant nothing," he said, smiling. "I'll see you around, Saiba-san," Takeo said before leaving.
Joichiro watched him walk away and get into the elevator. When he was finally out of sight, Joichiro went into Hinata's room. She was staring out of the window before turning to look at him when he walked in.
"Joichiro-kun—" Hinata said, smiling at him.
"Who the hell was that?" he asked, clearly struggling to keep his jealousy under wrap. Hinata only stared at him. "The guy who just here, who is he?"
"That's the president of Medicinal Cuisine RS, Takeo Watanabe—"
"Why was he here?" he asked, interrupting Hinata again who continued to look up at him with wide eyes.
"He just came by to tell me that the research society will be fine and he'll be challenging Azami again for the kitchen—"
"That's all?" Joichiro asked, pacing as adrenaline rushed through him.
"He also wanted to see how I was doing and—"
"Couldn't he have done that through a letter or—?"
"Wait a minute," Hinata said. Joichiro stopped pacing and looked at her from the foot of her bed. "Are you jealous? Is that why you're acting weird?"
Joichiro stared at her for a few seconds before walking over to sit on her bed, sitting in the exact spot Takeo occupied earlier. "I saw him touch your arm."
Hinata sighed. "That meant nothing." Joichiro looked at her again. "Trust me," she said.
"I trust you," he finally said before leaning over to give her a kiss. "I just don't trust him." Hinata laughed as she took his hand. He smiled. "I brought another bento from Polar Star. Akiko sends her love, she cooked her signature tempura."
Hinata watches outside the window as a pair of birds fly in and out of view. Joichiro left an hour earlier to attend a competition outside of Tokyo and won't be back until later that night. Doctor Shimoda arrived that morning to clear her for discharge and she was just waiting for her discharge papers to arrive so she could leave the infirmary. The door creaked as it opened slowly and someone walked inside. Hinata sat still on the bed as she faced the window, expecting a nurse with her papers.
"Hinata," the man said, coming into her view.
"Headmaster?" Hinata said, staring at Senzaemon who stood in front of her.
"I suppose I'm the last person you're expecting to see today," he said. Hinata nodded, still stunned. "But we do have an important matter to discuss. Surely you know what I'm referring to."
"My probationary status…?" she said nervously as her heart beat rapidly. I'm glad they removed the monitor this morning, she thought.
Senzaemon nodded. "Well, more than that, we have to discuss your future here in Totsuki," he said, sitting down on the armchair that had become Joichiro's bed for the past few nights. "You are aware that you are on probationary status and that means you are still one failure away from being expelled. I am not here to expel you from Totsuki, Hinata." Hinata sighed in relief. "But I am here to advise you to leave."
Hinata's heart sank. "Leave Totsuki," she whispered. He nodded again.
"Totsuki is not for everyone. I've always made that clear. But every now and then, a student comes through those doors and reminds me that this place is not enough for everyone. You have potential that Totsuki, even with its proven success, cannot manage properly," Senzaemon said, looking outside the window. "If you stay here, this school will destroy you. As headmaster, I cannot let that happen."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Hinata asks, staring at Senzaemon who looks up at her and meets her gaze. "I'm sorry, that sounded rude, but I—why care about me?"
The headmaster sighs and for a brief moment, Hinata saw something in his eyes that she cannot pin down. Then it was gone and his eyes were determined again. "Let's just say you remind me of someone, someone I had to let go of…so she could grow."
Hinata nodded slowly. "I have to leave Totsuki?" she asks, mostly herself.
"Doctor Shimoda informed me of your condition. It's not something I can overlook. Your condition, if I'm correct, has already affected your grades and is the reason why you're on probation," he said. "Overcooking meat, forgetting to season, and using cilantro instead of parsley…" Hinata holds back a gasp, realizing that he just enumerated her failed exams. "These could've easily been mistakes made by an untalented chef, but what I find curious is that all of your failed tests fall on two specific dates. Otherwise, your record is pristine," he says, staring her down. "I'm explaining this to you so that you know why Totsuki is not the education you need to be a great chef."
"Where can I study, then?" Hinata said, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"I'm not telling you to study somewhere else, Hinata. You need to see what Japan and the rest of the world have to offer to expand your knowledge and hone your talent. Going to another school or returning to your diner is not going to be enough for you," he said. Hinata looked out the window as the birds came flying back. "If you try to go that direction…at some point, it will feel insufficient."
"How do you know?" she asked, looking back at Senzaemon.
"I know you barely know who I am, but trust me. Like I said, you're not the first chef I've had this conversation with." Hinata sighs. Senzaemon stands up from his seat. "I've arranged a car to bring you back to Polar Star. I can also arrange a taxi to pick you up later tonight and bring you back home. Doctor Shimoda requested these when we spoke."
The headmaster turned to leave. "Wait—" Hinata called out. "I'm probably not in the position to make requests, but would it be okay if I leave tomorrow morning instead? I want to say goodbye to everyone."
Senzaemon nodded. "I understand. I will arrange for the cab to pick you up early tomorrow morning at Polar Star."
"Also…" she said. He stepped closer to her. "If ever Joichiro comes around asking questions, please tell him I got expelled because I failed. Don't tell him that you advised me to leave because of my health."
"May I ask why?"
"He needs to be here, in Totsuki. If you tell him that I had to leave because of my health, I'm scared that he'll drop everything and follow me," Senzaemon nodded, as if pondering the possible outcomes as well. "Even if there's a chance that won't happen, I can't risk it. He deserves to stay here. I know it's probably too much to ask, but I'm begging you. He can't know."
Senzaemon was silent for a while. Hinata looked up at him, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall again. "It's against my principles to lie," he said. She looked down at her lap. "But I see what you mean. I may not be fond of gossip but the nurses are. They've been gushing about your secret relationship." Hinata blushed, still not looking up at him. "If Joichiro asks me, I will lie to him for you. But this is not a simple request. If you ask me to do this, you have to be absolutely sure."
"I'm sure, Senzaemon-dono," Hinata said. "Thank you…for everything." He nodded once and then turned around to leave. Soon afterwards, a few nurses came to assist her out of the infirmary.
Half an hour later, she arrived at Polar Star. When she got inside, it was particularly quiet. Hinata glanced at the clock on the wall. Everyone must be in class, she thought as she went up to her room. Everything was as she left it a few days ago, not a single item out of place. Except for my books, she noted as she walked over to the desk. She lied down on the bed for a moment, realizing that pillow still somewhat has Joichiro's scent. Hinata inhaled the familiar mix of earthy and citrus notes as she closed her eyes. How do I say goodbye to this place? She sat up as the reality started to hit her. How do I say goodbye to Joichiro?
Hinata felt tears fall down her face. She didn't bother wiping them off as she started to sob into her hands. I knew it. This is too good to be true, she thought as she continued to cry for the next few minutes. After a while, she just stared at the wall opposite her bed. Her tears had dried out and she had exhausted herself from crying. I guess I have no choice. Hinata got out of bed and splashed some water on her face in the sink. As she dried off her face with the towel, she started to organize her thoughts. I need to write letters to people. But I can't tell Joichiro tonight that I'm leaving. How do I hide this from him?
She packed up her things as fast as she could, leaving out a few things that she'll need for her plan. Hinata sat down and wrote letters for Fumio, Gin, Akiko, Takeo, and Joichiro. Afterwards, she walked down to the second floor and knocked on Gin's door, hoping that he's inside.
"Hinata," Gin said, surprised. "Are you feeling better now? Is there anything I could do for you? Come inside," he asked, letting Hinata through the door. She walked inside and saw that he was slicing up some ingredients on the counter. "Do you want water or tea?"
"No, I'm okay, Gin. Thank you." Hinata said, sitting down on the floor. Gin sat opposite her. "But there is something you could do for me…if it's okay."
"Anything, just name it," he said.
"The headmaster has asked me to leave Totsuki," she said. Gin blinked as his mouth flew open. "I can't stay anymore because of my health. But if Joichiro asks, I need you to lie. I need you to tell him that I got expelled because of my grades."
"I don't understand," Gin said, his eyebrows furrowing. Hinata repeated the explanation she gave to Senzaemon hours earlier. "I see what you mean."
"I know it's probably too much to ask, for you to lie to your best friend. But, I'm begging here."
"I'll do it. Don't worry, I understand."
"Thank you," Hinata said before looking down at the letters in her hand. "Also, I'd like you to give these letters when I leave," she said, handing over the envelopes to Gin who took them silently. "Promise me you won't read yours until tomorrow morning."
Gin nodded. "I'll take of it. I promise. Although," he said, pulling out one envelope. "Who's Takeo?"
"Oh, Takeo Watanabe's the president of Medicinal Cuisine Research Society. He's always in the kitchen, although now that Azami's taken it, I'm not quite sure how to track him down."
"Don't worry; I'm sure I'll figure it out." Gin said, inserting back the envelope into the pile. They stare at each other for a few seconds. "How do you plan on saying goodbye to Joichiro?"
"I can't tell him that I'm leaving tonight. I'll tell him tomorrow morning at the last minute. It's probably not the best idea, but I just know he'll try to convince me to stay and that's not something I can handle," she said. Gin nodded. "My plan is to keep my things downstairs at Fumio-san's room and tomorrow morning, when the cab arrives, I need your help to load my things while I say goodbye to Joichiro."
"What's your plan for tonight?" He asked.
"I'll arrange a picnic at the barn. Somehow I'll convince him to spend the night there so that he won't see my empty room. Is it okay if you tell him to meet me there when he arrives from his competition?"
"Sure, no problem. Just so I have everything clear. I'll tell him to meet you at the barn when he gets here, tomorrow morning Fumio-san and I will sneak your things into the cab, and then when you go, I'll give away your letters?" Gin asked.
Hinata blushed. "Now that you put it like that, I really am asking a lot, aren't I?" she said, chuckling nervously.
Gin laughed. "Don't worry about it. It's the least I can do." Hinata smiled at him. "Joichiro loves you, you know? It's not going to be easy for him…you leaving."
She sighed. "I know. This isn't easy for me either, the thought of leaving him…" Hinata shakes her head. "But I can't stay here and he can't leave. I don't want him to give up his dreams for me. Somehow that thought's the only thing that's pushing me to go through with this."
"You're doing the right thing, Hinata," Gin said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Hinata smiles at Gin, who takes his hand off after a second. "Do you need help with cooking for your picnic?"
Hinata nodded. "I'd like some help if it's okay."
Gin stood up, offering his hand to Hinata who took it as she stood up as well. "It's the least I can do. I'll just clear up here and meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes?" Hinata nodded before leaving Gin's room.
As she went into the kitchen, she saw Fumio-san who is preparing some vegetables. Hinata walked over to Fumio who immediately hugged her.
Laughing, Hinata hugged her back. "How are you, Fumio-san?"
"Don't worry about me, how are you? Are you feeling better? Oh, Joichiro will be so happy when he comes back from his competition!" Fumio said, smiling.
"I'm okay now, but there's something I need to talk to you about," she said. She must've sounded more serious than she thought because Fumio immediately stopped smiling. "I got expelled from Totsuki and I'm leaving tomorrow morning."
"Oh, Hinata…" Fumio whispered.
"If it's okay with you, I'd like to keep this from Joichiro until the last minute. Can I keep my luggage in your room tonight? Gin will explain the rest of the details later, but tonight, I'm planning a picnic in the barn so that Joichiro won't see my empty room. Is it okay?"
"Of course, dear," Fumio said, taking her hand in between hers. "Oh, I have a large sleeping bag stored around here somewhere. You can borrow that and also, I think I have a picnic blanket. I'll go look for them, okay?" she said, hurriedly leaving.
Gin arrived minutes later, carrying his knives. "So, what do you need me to do?"
...
Three hours later, they had finished cooking and had also loaded her luggage into Fumio's room. Hinata had also finished setting up the picnic blanket and sleeping bag in the barn, along with some candles that Fumio-san also gave her earlier which she reluctantly took.
"Here, you also need these," Fumio-san said, handing over a box of large candles.
Hinata looked into the box. "Oh, I don't need these, Fumio-san. There's a space heater in the barn, remember?"
"But you do need them. If you know what I mean…" she said with a wink. Gin cleared his throat and looked away, blushing. It took Hinata a while to understand, but when she finally did she blushed even harder than Gin and stuttered for a few seconds.
"Fumio-san!" Hinata said, still struggling to find the words to express her thoughts.
"Oh, don't be so immature, Hinata. How else do you say goodbye to someone you love?" Fumio said, looking at her intently. Hinata was about to protest again when Fumio gently pushed her towards the door. "Just use the damn candles, okay? This will be a little secret between us three. Right, Gin?"
Gin was still blushing as he avoided Hinata's questioning gaze. "I have to go take care of something. Is there anything else you need me for, Hinata?"
"Oh, no, I've got everything else covered. Thank you, Gin," Hinata said. Gin nodded, still avoiding her eyes as he swiftly left the kitchen.
Joichiro rushed to get back to Polar Star as soon as the competition was finished. He went up to his room to drop off his trophy. Hinata's going to be so glad to hear I won again, he thought, smiling. His smile fell as he heard someone knock on his door. Is Hinata back from the infirmary?
"Come in," he shouted, watching as his visitor came inside. "Gin, guess what? I won," Joichiro said, grinning. Gin stayed silent as he walked up to Joichiro. "What's wrong?"
"What? No, nothing's wrong," Gin said, clearly nervous.
"Okay, that's highly convincing," he said, sarcastically. "What is it?"
"Hinata…" Joichiro's heart sank. "…wants you to meet her at the barn. She prepared a picnic for you two."
Joichiro laughed, shaking his head. "For a moment there I thought you had bad news," he said, lightly punching Gin's shoulder. "So why are you all nervous?" Gin reached for something in his pocket.
"Here, you might need this," Gin said, handing over a small box which Joichiro took thoughtlessly.
When Joichiro looked down at what Gin had handed over, he jumped, letting go of the box. "Gin! What the hell?!" He shouted as the box of condoms fell to the floor.
Gin picked it up from the floor, handing it over to Joichiro again who stepped away. "Come on, now. Don't be immature. We both know that you and Hinata love each other and when two people love each other—"
"Okay, fine, fine, I'll take it," Joichiro said, grabbing the box and stuffing it into his pocket. "Just spare me the birds and bees lecture, will you?"
"She's already waiting for you at the barn," Gin said as he turned to leave. "Stay safe," he shouted over his shoulder. Joichiro grabbed a pen nearby and threw it at Gin. It bounced off the wall, missing Gin by a few inches. Gin laughed, shaking his head as he left the room.
Joichiro stepped back to sit on his bed, taking out the box of condoms from his pocket. He held it cautiously as he stared at it with mild interest. Wait, Gin gave me this and Hinata asked him to tell me to meet her… is she expecting us to...are we even ready for that? He thought, thinking back at the times they've been intimate with each other. Suddenly images of Hinata as they kissed flashed in his mind—her cherry-coloured lips, her pale, glowing skin as she lifted off her sweater the first time they kissed, the adorably sexy way she bites her lips when she's too shy to ask for more kisses, the way she whimpers when their bodies are pressed against each other on the wall, locker—
"Fuck," Joichiro whispered sharply as he got off the bed. "I guess I'll be needing that after all," he whispers, thinking of the small box in his pocket, as he rushes out of the room to meet Hinata.
At the barn, Hinata sat in the picnic blanket, fussing over the smallest details. Almost a dozen lit candles surrounded the barn, casting a warm glow all over the place. The barn door creaked open and Joichiro walked in with a grin on his face, still wearing his uniform.
"Hey there, beautiful," he said as he walked over to Hinata, who sat still in the picnic blanket. Hinata bit her lip as she watched him sit in front of her. Joichiro then leaned over and kissed her on the lips.
"Hey," she whispered. "Did you win?"
"You bet I did," Joichiro said, throwing a grape into his mouth.
"I'm proud of you," Hinata said, holding his hand. "Let's eat. Gin helped me cook," she said, letting go of his hand as she took out the bento boxes.
Joichiro shared his experience at the competition while they ate dinner. "And then while we were headed to the arena, one of the contestants was walking in front of me. She pretended to slip so I had to catch her, right? And she kept winking at me throughout the day, it was crazy."
Hinata laughed. "Girls just keep throwing themselves at you, huh?"
"I know, it's insane," he said, suppressing a laugh. "But you know, I told her I'm already taken by a stunning and beautiful chef," Joichiro said as he winked at her. Hinata laughed, blushing. "Is that a radio? Come on," he said, standing up. "May I have this dance?" Joichiro asked as he reached out a hand to Hinata who took it, smoothing down her dress as she stood up.
It didn't take long for Joichiro to find the right station. "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" by Elton John surrounded the silent barn. He turned to look at Hinata who stood behind him. Joichiro felt his heart skip as he really looked at her for the first time that evening. The candles surrounding them made her glow. Hinata wore a floral, buttoned-down dress, it reached a little past her knees.
"Is there something on my face?" she asked, reaching up to touch her cheek.
Joichiro shook his head as he walked over to her. "You're breathtaking," he said as he took her into his arms. Hinata blushed.
"Can you feel the love tonight? It is where we are," the song went. "It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer that we got this far"
They swayed slowly around, staring at each other's eyes. Joichiro pulled their outstretched hands towards his lips and kissed her hand before setting it down above his heart, his palm covering hers. Hinata smiled at him as they continued to slowly swing around in place.
As the song ended, he leaned down and let his lips brush hers for a second, teasing before finally kissing her. She melted in his arms, sighing into his mouth. Joichiro could feel the adrenaline coursing through him as they kissed, heat rushed below his belt as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her closer to him. Hinata gasped as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on for dear life as she felt her knees get weak.
His soft kisses teased her endlessly. Thoughts of what exactly she wanted him to do to her ran through her mind, Hinata blushed as she struggled to bury the shamelessly carnal ideas her mind unwittingly conjured.
As if reading her thoughts, his kisses suddenly became insistent, deeper than it had ever been. He licked her lips as if begging for permission. Hinata obediently parted her lips as his tongue made its way into her mouth. She could taste the strawberries they had for dessert on his tongue. Unconsciously, her tongue met his as if tempted by the sweet taste. Joichiro groaned, pushing her hair to one side as he trailed kisses down the side of her exposed neck.
Hinata whimpered, her eyes closing in response to his kisses. She could feel his breath on her delicate skin, every inch of her body now burning with desire. Joichiro glanced behind her and noticed a wooden table a few feet away. Panting, his hand lifted her head back up to kiss her on the lips. Hinata barely had time to breathe as his lips enveloped hers.
With Joichiro leading the way, they stumbled back until she felt something hard come in contact with her lower back. Hinata gasped as the sharp pain shot through her. It was a short-lived pain as he lifted her by the hips and set her on the table, her legs dangling off the edge. He leaned in closer to embrace her then paused, looking down at her legs which were covered by her dress.
Joichiro looked up at Hinata intently. They both knew what he wanted to ask. She nodded and his hands slowly started to unbutton her dress. Starting from the bottom, he took his time working his way up. His breath caught in his throat as Hinata's legs were slowly exposed with each button coming undone. Hinata blushed as she watched him undress half of her. He stopped just a button away from revealing her underwear, his hands unmoving as he breathed heavily.
She could feel heat pooling towards her core as his hands hovered inches away, the thin cloth of her dress not doing anything to make the heat less pronounced. Hinata pressed her thighs together, biting her lips as she flushed at how desperate she is for his touch. Oh, screw it, she thought as she grabbed the knot of his necktie and pulled him to her.
As Hinata tugged him closer into a kiss, Joichiro's hands flew away from her dress and slammed against the table, his palms on either side of her. She pulled him even closer, moaning against his mouth. He could swear a growl came out of his throat as his hands slipped into her dress, the unfastened fabric separating as they fell outside her thighs. He grabbed her thighs and wrapped them around his hips which took a life of its own as it grinded against her core.
Pulling away from their kiss, Hinata moaned out loud as her head rolled back. She could feel his length straining against his pants as he ground his hips against her increasingly wet core. Joichiro kissed her neck gently before biting a sensitive area just underneath her jaw. Hinata wrapped her legs around him, this time, pushing herself against the tight front of his pants. He moaned before pressing his lips against hers as he unbuttoned the top half of her dress. Releasing her grip from his neck, Hinata let the dress fall off her shoulders, the cotton cloth pooling around her waist, exposing her black strapless bra.
Joichiro pulled away from her lips to take in the sight of her as she slowly slid her hands out of the dress sleeves. Hinata propped herself back on her arms, looking up at him with a heavy-lidded gaze. Her pale skin glowed against the candlelight, her chest rising up and down rapidly.
"Joichiro-kun…" Hinata whispered. He looked up at her. The sight of her flushing skin and swollen lips as she bit the lower half sent a rush of blood deep below him. Increasingly aware of how tight his pants are becoming, he leaned over her body and kissed her.
His left hand propped him up as his body pressed against hers, his right hand slowly making its way up her back to unclasp her bra. Every inch he touched lit a fire in Hinata as his hand ran up her back, his long, slender fingers tenderly stroking her skin. When his hand found its way to her bra, she held her breath for a second as she looked up at him. As if having done it before, he unfastened her bra effortlessly. She let it fall to her lap, exposing her breasts. Her peaks hardened as she felt the wind on her bare chest.
As he leaned in once again to kiss her, he ran his thumb over her breast, making Hinata gasp in pleasure. She reached up and tugged his necktie loose, throwing it aimlessly. Getting more restless by the second as he continued to stroke her breasts, Hinata swiftly pushed his jacket off his shoulders. Without even pausing their kiss, Joichiro let the jacket fall behind him. She reached back up and swiftly unbuttoned his shirt. Hinata let her hands run up his taut torso, feeling the muscles underneath his soft skin. She decided to leave the shirt on him, quite liking the idea of having something to grab.
Breaking their kiss, Joichiro leaned down and teasingly gave one of her peaks a quick lick. Hinata whimpered, grinding her hips against his. Smirking, he took the other into his mouth. She moaned as he gently bit her nipple while his hand played with the other. Joichiro kissed his way back up her neck as his hand ran up her thigh, pausing when he almost got near her hips. His fingers swiftly undid the last few buttons of her dress, pushing aside the bra on her lap. He softly pushes the fabric apart, letting it fall on either side of her. His fingers reached down and gently caressed her core through the thin cloth.
Hinata whimpered. "Please," she said, breathless as she looked up at him languorously.
Leaning over her again, he kissed her as he slipped his hand inside. He felt his mind go numb as he felt her wet core against his fingers as he gently stroked her clit. She felt her hips instinctively grind against his fingers, her mind screaming for more. He pressed her hips back down with the heel of his hand, tutting softly.
"Patience," he whispered into her ear.
"Joichiro-kun," she pleaded, moaning as he continued to play with her clit.
He silenced her with a kiss as he inserted a finger. Hinata moaned in his mouth, her hand reaching up and grabbing his hair. She started to see stars as he continued to pleasure her. Her muscles tightened around him as he inserted another finger. Panting, Hinata threw her head back, her eyes closing instinctively. Joichiro trailed kisses down her body as she slowly fell on her back, the sensation overwhelming her. As his strokes sped up, so did her breathing. She was practically gasping and for a moment, Hinata was scared that she might faint from too much pleasure as her heart pounded in her chest. She could feel something building up in her, her whole body working its way towards a climax.
"I need you, Joichiro," she moaned as he was trailing kisses across her collarbone.
He stopped stroking her as he looked up at her intently. "Are you sure?" he asked, breathless.
Hinata nodded. "Please," she pleaded, reaching up to hold his face.
He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before straightening up and reaching into his pocket. Hinata blushed as she realized what he brought with him. Joichiro took out one and threw the rest of the box onto the table, landing with a soft thud beside Hinata. He ripped open the pack with his teeth and carefully took out the rubber. She sat up and stopped his hands as they reached for his belt.
"Let me," she said as she unbuckled his belt. She could feel his eyes on her as she slowly unbuttoned and pulled down the zipper of his pants. Hinata gave it a gentle tug and watched as it fell to the floor, pooling around his feet. She looked back up his hips and bit back a gasp at the sight of him.
Sensing her shock, Joichiro pulled down his boxers to reveal his length. Gulping and blushing furiously, Hinata could feel her heart race as she watched him put on the rubber.
Joichiro leaned over. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle," he whispered.
She blushed harder, biting her lip. He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her. Eventually, Hinata felt herself loosen up again while they kissed, the heat rushing back in between her thighs. Slowly, they fell back on top of each other, the buttons of her discarded dress digging into her skin as she lay on her back. She held her breath upon feeling his tip on her entrance, looking up at Joichiro who stared into her eyes while he slowly went inside her.
"Oh, Joichiro," she moaned as he filled her.
"Does it hurt?" he asked as he looked down at her with concern.
"No," she said, reaching up to grab the collar of his shirt as she pulled him to her.
His kisses were gentle for a second, still worried that he might hurt Hinata as he thrust into her. But then she moaned, which is all the confirmation he needed. Joichiro barely let her breathe as his kisses grew more aggressive, his hand grabbing her waist as he thrust even harder. His other hand found hers and pinned it over her head, their fingers intertwined and held on as if their lives depended on it.
Hinata couldn't stop herself from moaning; the sound filling up the room, accompanied by the noise of the radio still playing a random love song, and the table banging against the wall of the barn. For a moment, she was worried that they would get caught or that people could hear them. The thought lasted for only a second and was gone the moment Joichiro reached down to rub her clit while he made love to her.
She felt her body build up to a climax again as her muscles tightened around his length. As if sensing her incoming orgasm, Joichiro picked up the pace and parted with her lips to leave kisses in other areas of her body. The unexpected sensation of a kiss on random areas of her body pushed her even further to the edge. And then like a tide washing over her at sea, she felt her muscles shudder as she reached her release. She screamed out his name as Joichiro met her with his own climax, slowing down his thrusts as they rode out their orgasms.
He looked down at her, panting as sweat dripped down his face and back. Letting go of her hand, he reached down and held her face, brushing his thumb against her cheekbone. Also breathless, Hinata stared up at him, a faint smile playing in her lips.
"You mean the world to me, you know that, right?" he whispered.
Hinata nodded as she leaned against his hand. "I know," she said, her voice breaking. She gulped, blinking back the urge to cry.
...
"I always thought it'd be easy to create new recipes. Of course, not easy, but you know what I mean," he said as he mindlessly trailed his fingers up and down Hinata's side, brushing lightly against the fabric of her dress. "But now the ideas aren't coming to me as easily as it did. I find myself thinking of ideas I've already done, which, of course, beats the point of innovating. It should always be new, better than before. And it's not as easy as it looks," he said, sighing.
After dressing up, they blew out most of the candles and turned off the radio before slipping into the sleeping bag to rest. As they've done every night, Hinata snuggled into Joichiro's arms which he impulsively opened once they settled inside the bag. They talked throughout the night about random things, mostly food and cooking. Hours later, the sun rose and the birds began chirping. Light streamed through the cracks on the wall as Hinata felt her heart beat faster, knowing what's about to happen.
"Is it worth it?" she asked, keeping her face hidden from his view as she rests her head on his chest. "All this hard work you do just to create new recipes." She could feel him looking down at her. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking this so you'd be discouraged. I just want to make sure that you're happy."
"Of course, it is. Because you're here," he said. Hinata looked up at him. "As long as you're here, I'll always have a reason to push myself. Finding new ingredients, learning techniques, creating recipes…none of its easy and without you," he paused, staring into her eyes. Hinata gulped, wondering if he could read her thoughts. "I don't know what I'd be doing all of this for. I could do this for the fame and money. That's easy, but I think I'd lose my way without you there. It all becomes worth it because, at the end of the day, you're who I dedicate my cooking to. All of this is for you, Hinata," he said, leaning over to give her a soft kiss on the lips.
"But what if I'm not here anymore?" she asked, breathing heavily to keep herself from crying.
"Why wouldn't you be here?" Joichiro asked, chuckling.
"Just hypothetically," she said, feeling her calm façade fall apart slowly as she sits up. "Let's say I'm gone for some reason. Will you still go out there and cook? Will you still do whatever it takes to be better?"
He props himself up on his elbows, looking up at her curiously. "Where is this coming from?"
"Just—I need to know," she said, her voice starting to shake. "Please."
"Of course, I'll still cook. Like I said, it's all for you. It doesn't matter if you're in the audience or not, because you're always with me. Having you in my heart is enough for me to keep going," he said.
Hinata felt her chest tighten as she saw the honesty in his eyes. "Promise me you'll never forget that, no matter what," she said, blinking as tears fell down her face. "I'm always here for you, Joichiro."
Joichiro sat up immediately and wiped the tears from her face. Hinata closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears from flowing. Holding her face in his hands, he whispered her name. She looked up at him. "You're starting to freak me out, Hinata. Where is this coming from?" he asked, more insistently than before.
Hinata paused, reaching up to gently pry his hands from her face. "I've been expelled from Totsuki," she said. Joichiro fell silent. For a few seconds, the barn was completely quiet.
"What?" he said, staring at her in disbelief. "How did this happen? Is it because of your shokugeki with Azami? I'll—" Joichiro said as he started to get up.
"You won't do a thing," she said as she swiftly reached up and grabbed his arms, forcing him to sit back down. "This isn't his fault. It's all mine."
"What do you mean?" Joichiro asked slowly.
"I've been failing my classes and after the match, Senzaemon-dono came to talk to me in the infirmary. I'm out of the program," she said.
Joichiro paused, recalling the letters he found in her drawer. Regret filled him as he thought he should've read the letters and done something about it. Of course, I wouldn't have read the letters. Because if it has come to this I thought she'd at least tell me, he thought as panic started to rise in him. "How come you didn't tell me about this?" he said.
"I didn't want to worry you—" she said. Joichiro opened his mouth to protest. "You were busy with the shokugekis and contests. It's not your fault, but I just didn't want to burden you with my problems."
"But your problems are my problems too, Hinata!" he screamed, a little more harshly that he would've wanted. He internally winced as Hinata shrunk back. Joichiro sighed. "I've told you that I'm here for you no matter what. I meant that. You should've—"
"I'm sorry," Hinata said, looking down as tears fell from her eyes. "You're right. I should've told you. But there's nothing I or you can do now," she said, resigned.
Joichiro stared at her. Emotions swirled around inside him, there was too many that he couldn't pin down exactly what he felt as he looked at her tear-stained face. Breathing heavily, he tried not to be maddeningly frustrated with the woman he loved but he couldn't help it as panic and fear pushed him to be. "So this is it?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "You're leaving, just like that?"
She looked up at him, her eyes swollen. "Trust me, this is nothing but easy," Hinata said, her voice breaking. "I wish there was something else I could do," she said, standing up from her seat.
"But, Hinata…" Joichiro protested, grabbing her hand as she stood up.
She looked down at him, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I have to go," she said, pulling her hand away from his grip. Outside of the barn, they could hear a car honking. "Goodbye, Joichiro-kun. I wish you the best." She smiles at him before rushing out of the barn.
Joichiro stared after her, paralyzed in his seat. Seconds later, he heard the unmistakable sound of a car door closing. But I'm in love with you, he thought as he stared at the door. If I told you that, would it be enough to make you stay? If you can hear me say this— He got off his seat and ran out of the barn, hoping he hasn't missed her.
He sprinted out of the barn. "Hinata—!" he shouted, slowing down to a jog as he saw her car driving down the road, already a distance away from where he stood.
Joichiro watched as the car turned a corner and eventually disappeared from sight. He turned around slowly and stopped as he saw Gin, Fumio, and Akiko watching him, pity evident in their eyes. Ignoring their stares, he walked towards the door.
"Joichiro—" Gin called out.
"I don't want to talk about it," he said as he calmly walked inside the dorm.
"Joichiro—" Gin called out again as he started to follow him inside.
Fumio grabbed his arm. Gin turned around to look at her. "Let him be," she said, looking at Joichiro who was slowly making his way up the stairs.
I hope you guys liked this chapter
Comments are always welcome, please please leave one if you like it, hate it, have an idea, have a review, anything!
Thank you so much!
P.S. I don't know anything about medicine aside from what I've seen in Grey's Anatomy and House so please take all the medical details with a tub of salt
