Chapter 10 – Remembering


Soya sat in his classroom, staring out the window since the lesson was an easy one. He stared, noting someone rushing across the courtyard. He recognized her as one of the girls in the year above him. Where was she going? He heard one of the girls nearby whispering something about a girl who had no parents to speak of, her house being one near the dojo a few blocks away. The old man who ran that dojo was her grandfather… her siblings were both young. Her name was Akemi Aihara, and everyone knew her as the wallflower girl. She didn't purposefully associate with anyone, but she was smart and nice enough as a person. Anyone who tried to bully her was immediately put in their place by her sharp tongue and a glare that cut through you instantly.

"I heard one of the teachers saying her parents went missing." One girl whispered, another nodding her head.

"And I hear her grandfather's a recluse that works for some big company…"

"I thought he ran the dojo?"

"He does both I guess…"

"So where's she going?"

"I dunno… maybe her kid brother is sick? I hear she's gotta be like his mom since her grandfather is always busy working."

"Man, that sucks…"

"Class, enough chatting!" the teacher stated, making them all flinch. "We're in the middle of a lesson! Pay attention!" Kazama still stared out the window though, wondering about this girl. He was in his second year of middle school, but he'd seen her around often enough from grade school. She was always quiet… never smiling much, never associating with people… she just stayed by herself.


Upon entering highschool, Kazama ran into Akemi at the school orientation. She was volunteering at the food stand, all the upperclassmen seeming surprised by her cooking talent. "Aihara, where'd you learn to make that?"

"From home." She stated, plating the dish for the next customer. "Senpai, you should get back to work, shouldn't you?" she turned to the upperclassman who was staring at her. "There are customers."

"Ah, right!" he exclaimed, grinning. She looked up, seeing Soya and staring.

"Kazama-kun…?"

"Aihara-senpai…" he bowed his head, surprising her. "I'm surprised you recognize me."

"N-no no, I'm surprised you recognize me." She stated, smiling a little. "It's nice to see a familiar face." She added, offering him a dish. "That one's on me."

"Eh…?" he didn't deny the offer, but he wondered why she just gave it to him like that. "Thank you…" he noted the upperclassman almost glaring at him, glaring back. Who was this guy?


Kazama hadn't seen that boy around since that first day, wondering what had happened. There were plenty of rumors floating around school, but he didn't mind. "Akemi-senpai." He noticed her jump a little in shock, whipping around to see him standing there.

"S-soya-kun… you scared me…" she muttered, taking a breath. They'd become good friends since that first day, Akemi now in her last year of high school. "What is it?"

"Did you… want to have lunch together?"

"Eeeh… sure." She smiled, her classmates always commenting on it but never to her. Soya saw them whispering to one another, but Akemi never minded. "Let's go to the roof, ne?" she smiled, the boy nodding and following her. "Not eating with friends today?" she asked, Soya shaking his head.

"One's sick, the other didn't finish his homework, and the third one's in trouble for eating lunch early while class was in session."

"Eeeeh…" she chuckled. "Well that's fine." She opened the door to the roof, finding a place to sit with him before they ate together, chatting about simple things.


Soya had been dating Akemi for 6 months, and he finally thought it was time to ask, receiving pressure from all this friends about it. He was going to ask her. But when he did, she paled and tried to explain it away. He wondered why. "What's really wrong?" he asked, rather than get upset he just wanted to help figure things out with her. Rather than be offended, he thought there must be something else bothering her. That was when she told him… about the senpai who never came back to school. That person was the one who'd caused Akemi so much suffering… pain… turmoil… He sat, listening to her story of how he forced himself on her, about how she snapped and beat him up because she was so scared. Soya wished he had been able to see it sooner, but it was too late. The damage had been done, and Akemi was broken, scared, she didn't want anyone too close. So instead, Soya offered his hand to her as she stopped crying.

"Then… let me make a promise." He stated.

"A promise…?" she asked, looking almost wary.

"I promise, Akemi… to wait as long as it takes… till you tell me you're ready."


Kazama stood with Akemi when her grandfather's funeral was done, the girl staring blankly at the grave. She would have stayed that way for hours, had Soya not prodded her to go home. He walked her back, her siblings having gone home before her. "Soya…?"

"Yes?" he asked, feeling her stop walking, stopping with her.

"I… I know you must be tired of waiting for me…" she muttered, Soya sighing a little to himself. She did this often enough, telling him she wasn't worth waiting for. But he gripped her hand and caused her to look up.

"I'm not." He replied. "I know you went through something terrifying… so I don't blame you… but I want to make sure you're comfortable with me." He replied. "So…" he leaned over, kissing her cheek gently, making her face color. "Give me a goodnight kiss? And then I'll be fine." He smiled, making her stare, cheeks brightening more and more. She hesitated, trying to compose herself. But eventually she got her nerves up and leaned in, kissing his cheek. "Good job." He congratulated her, glad that she was able to do that much. She was trying hard for his sake, too.

"S-sorry it's not more…"

"It doesn't have to be…" he squeezed her hand more. "Now, go inside… get some sleep… I'll see you again soon." He added, Akemi nodding and smiling as he left her at her doorstep, turning to head inside. He was always good to her. Though she felt awful for making him wait, she greatly appreciated that patience.


Akemi was sitting at home, staring at her hands. Soya was in Border now, officially… she'd attended every match in their first ranking war, she loved seeing him fight. It was incredible, the way he moved. It made her happy. But now there was a mission, and she had to leave tomorrow… she had to leave her brother and sister alone for the first time. She heard a knock at the door, looking up to see Kagami. "Kazama-kun is here, Akemi."

"S-soya is?" she jumped up, rushing to the door, Kagami smiling a little. She really liked him… it made Kagami hopeful that the horrible incident from high school was fading from memory.

"Akemi…?" Soya noticed she was a little out of breath, smiling. "Are you okay?"

"S-sorry… I… I wasn't expecting to see you… so when Kagami said you were here…" she looked up, cheeks flushed. "I got too excited…"

"It's fine…" he offered her a bag, then leaned over and kissed her cheek a little, causing her to jump. "I heard you're leaving tomorrow…"

"Y-yeah… for a couple months…"

"Well, make it back safe…" he was a little worried about her, but he knew she could take care of herself. He'd seen her in action against some of the A-Rank teams, she was incredibly well versed in fighting. "And when you do, let's go somewhere… ne?"

"O-on a date?" she asked, Soya nodding. "O-okay!" she gave him a hug, surprising him. "I… I look forward to it…" she added, pulling away after a moment.

"… I do too." He smiled, wanting to hug her and kiss her again, but knowing it might freak her out. He would wait… be patient… he loved her.


"A shooter trigger?" Kazama asked as Akemi sat next to him, sipping her coffee.

"Yes…"

"But you used Kogetsu before, right?" he asked, tilting his head at her. "Why the change?"

"I thought… it was safer." She smiled, making him quirk an eyebrow at her. "I got hurt too much and lost too much trion being so close… though I can handle it, its just the fact that I want to be able to fight at a distance too…" she turned to him, looking up at him. "So… can I have a match?"

"A match…?" he paused, nodding his head. "Can we play for stakes?"

"Eeeeh, for stakes?" she pouted. "What sort of stakes…?" she asked, apprehensive and not knowing what he was thinking.

"Kiss me if I win… just a little one." he put a finger in front of his lips. "But no cheek kisses."

"Eeeeh…" she blushed, sighing. "Oh, fine." She muttered, embarrassed. "If that's what Soya wants…" she stood up, turning to him. "But not here…"

"Of course not. It would be after our date." He added, making her blush more. "And I promise not to take advantage." He added, making her chuckle and smile. "Ah, there…" he smiled back. "You smiled."

"Soya, you're so silly." She smiled, the blackette shaking his head. "I love you."

"And I love you too." He replied, glad that she was feeling better now. She'd been on too many missions recently, he knew she needed some time to detox after all that madness. But he was glad that she smiled, at least. "Now let's have that match. The sooner I win the sooner I get my prize."

"Eeeh, now you're all fired up…" she chuckled. "I might actually be in trouble… oh dear."


Kazama sat up from bed, face red. He looked to his side, seeing Akemi still passed out. He was glad she had gotten more used to him, but he knew she was still a ways away from being okay. But at least she was alright enough to sleep next to him and be comfortable. He sighed, looking at his phone. He had to commentate on the B-Rank wars today with Kako. He sighed, knowing that was a sore spot for Akemi. Kako was always intimidating to Akemi. Not as a fighter, but as a woman. Akemi was not at all confident in herself when it came to being a woman like Kako was. But he knew that aside from that, she also hated when Kako flirted with him… then again, Kako flirted with everyone with a name starting with K. It made Akemi highly uncomfortable. "Akemi."

"Mmm?" she looked up at him from the pillow, smiling. "Morning, Soya."

"Morning." He pet her head. "I gotta go, okay?"

"Aww… okay…" she smiled, sitting up and letting him hug her. "You're going to commentate today's matches, ne?"

"… Yeah." He nuzzled her, making her blush. "I'm sorry I can't just watch matches with you… I know I missed your birthday and all."

"It's okay." She shook her head. "It's just a birthday…" she seemed to want to say more, but Soya didn't push. "I'll be watching you commentate, ne?"

"You should be watching the match, though." He chuckled, kissing her cheek. "I'll see you after, ne?"

"Yeah." She nodded, letting him go get ready, sighing a little to herself once he was in the bathroom, changing. She was still bothered since Kako was his commentating partner, but she told herself Kako was just pushy. Soya would never… cheat, right? She told herself to calm down, trying to focus. Soya wasn't going to do that to her… she knew it… but somehow that nagging sense of doubt made her cranky. She scolded herself all morning, forcing herself to get up and go get dressed so she could go watch the Rank Wars, maybe get into a couple sparring matches to let off steam, too. She paused, looking at her triggers. Mukou, that she kept on her at all times… then Nitrous, her Tamakoma trigger. She stared though, at the third trigger in the drawer. Her first border trigger… her Kogetsu… she hadn't picked it up in years, feeling a little listless whenever she did. Mostly this was because of her grandfather's death, but something else was holding her back. She took a breath, telling herself that she had to try… this was just one more way she was moving forward. Moving past all the scary things in her past to a future with Soya. She picked it up, heading out a while after Soya had left. She headed to base, straight to Kido's office.

"What is it?" he asked her, noting the trigger in her hand. "Your Kogetsu?"

"I still have my points from before, right?"

"Yes, you do… but you're an O-Rank." He stated.

"I can still practice, can't I?" she asked. "With Kogetsu… if I leave Mukou out of it?"

"… You can."

"Then I intend to do just that." She stated simply. "If you can permit that much, Kido-san."

"… Fine." He replied, wondering what was on her mind and why she was so insistent on suddenly practicing with her first trigger. It had been a long time since he'd seen her fight with it. She left his office, heading down to the match viewing area first. She wanted to watch the matches before she went to train. A familiar head of blonde hair walked up next to her, causing her to look up.

"Kako."

"Akemi-san." She smiled. "Are you here to make sure I don't touch Kazama-san?"

"I'm here to watch my kouhai's match, Kako. Don't be weird." She added, looking away. Kako chuckled, offering her a little bag. "What is it?"

"Valentine chocolates, of course. Since your birthday is on the 12th, I figure I should get you something." She stated, Akemi sighing a little.

"Thanks…" she hated getting chocolates for her birthday, but she didn't mind as much now as she used to. Before she'd have likely thrown them away. At least now she had the tact to eat them.

"Did you make some for Kazama-san?"

"He asked me not to." She replied. "But he's making dinner with me tomorrow to make up for preventing me from giving him chocolate."

"Eeeh, you two are so cute~" Kako grinned at her, Akemi's face reddening as she realized she'd just let her "secret" about dating Soya out. "Don't worry, plenty of people know already. Its not so secret anymore." She added. "I promise I'll try not to flirt with him for your sake. I don't want to be beaten up by the strongest woman in Border after all."

"I'm not that strong, Kako." She replied. "But I'd definitely beat you up."

"Haha, that's the spirit." She pat Akemi's back, wishing her well before heading to her post to commentate the matches to come. Akemi sighed, calming down before heading to find a seat so she could watch the matches.


((Look how long it's been oh my goodness.
I heard the opening theme on my shuffle playlist and I got fired up to write for this series again. Ahaha. Maybe more things will happen soon for this story? We'll see if my motivation stays.

-Winter Cheshire))