Chapter 20: Pluvia
---Finale---
After a long week inside the comforts of the ward, both patients in room 3177 were discharged. Their last set of tests convinced them that they were in good condition. Both were able to breathe fresh air outside the hospital despite the rain after a long week. For the both of them, they missed a week's worth of lessons and lectures from their teachers. Even for Kagami, making up for the lost time was very difficult to do. She was offered a ride home to Saitama by Hajime and his father's driver in luxurious style. No choice; she can't risk running while the rain is pouring otherwise she'll get more than a fever. Moreover, a sensation of shyness enveloped her as soon as Hajime blurted out the three words that marked a change in both of their lives. Aside from its simplicity in comprehension, "I love you" also spilled a decade worth of love in which Hajime had been hiding for several years. Even inside the car they kept their distance with Miyuki acting as a divider. The atmosphere contained nothing but silence. There were instances when they peeked at each other but it was short-lived. As soon as their eyes intertwined, they looked away from one another and pretended they didn't see each other in the process. Miyuki felt uncomfortable being the border between two cities. Speaking of discomfort, their little game of peek-and-run was becoming totally annoying. It went on as such until the limo set foot on the freeway where the view was blocked by a tall barricade and a handful of cars passing by every minute.
At last, Kagami grew weary of the utter silence inside the luxurious cruise. If there was somebody to start a conversation, it had to be her.
"So…the weather here's nice, isn't it?"
Bad move. Unless the continuous downpour was benefitting the people, her statement was out of the ordinary—an overstatement. Nobody reacted to her overstatement. If they had something bad to say, it was best of them to shut up. But even their quiescence was an embarrassment to her. She thought of a different topic that was worth talking about. But before she could even react, Hajime instigated the conversation this time.
"Did you mean it? What you said…"
"You mean…"
"You idiot…!" She yelled. "That was supposed to be my line!"
"Yup, that one…" He affirmed.
"It depends. Are we thinking the same?"
"It doesn't really matter. You've said your part and I've said mine. We are now on equal footing."
"No, we're still not. There's still one more thing I have to ask you."
"Anything, Kagami-san…"
"Of all the women in the country, why did you choose me? Your status in society is higher than me. Shouldn't you choose someone of your level?"
"It's because you're intelligent, elegant, sincere…"
"I mean your true intention. There are more women out there who are more intelligent, elegant, and sincere than me."
"You saw through me; as expected of you. I don't follow what others think who's best for me. Only my heart can do that. I was originally to be engaged to the daughter of another gaming company. But my heart felt unsatisfied about an arranged marriage. So I secretly disappeared from the banquet a few days before the celebration and never saw her again."
"What about the company? They would've been pissed off by what you did."
"The following day, my father found a loophole in the contract. Their intention was to take over our company upon merging. He broke the agreement and the company eventually closed because of bankruptcy."
"I see. He has a sharp eye for sharp things."
"Eventually, I saw you for the first time since my childhood; during my second year. My chest felt like it was suffering from a heart attack when I first saw you. But I didn't have the guts. So I built up my courage for a whole year before facing you."
"Don't be ridiculous. Just say 'I like you' or something."
"That's easier said than done. You hold the choice of rejection. You, as well as any normal girl in the whole world, wield the power to destroy a man from the inside. I can still remember the slap you gave me. It shocked me from top to bottom."
"What are you saying? Not everybody has that capability. I can still even say that not everyone is engaging in a relationship."
Silence…silence…and a never-ending stream of quiescence.
In the following days after their hospitalization, the semester officially ended. As soon as the teachers were done with their last-minute announcements, the students cheered jubilantly; some throwing their books and notebooks in mid-air. Random conversations erupted from the fissures of noise around the classroom. While a selected few packed their things and hurried to the arcade or the movies, Konata and the group gathered outside the building for some bonding time. They discussed tonight's slumber party at Miyuki's house. Kagami was feeling better now after a week of hospitalization despite the fact that there were gaps in her academic standing.
"Finally, I thought this day would never come!" Konata said in utter excitement.
"I'm pretty sure that those studying hard have the right to say that." Kagami replied.
"Don't sweat the small stuff, Kagamin. Besides, it's the end of the semester; time to have some fun."
"Fun…? You're already having fun even during the semester!"
"Whoa! Kagami-sama's going to breathe fire! Help me!"
"Shut up!"
They were eager to see Miyuki's house in the metropolis. Judging by her promptness, a rich family deserves a rich manor. That was their perception of her home. While they were discussing other matters concerning tonight's sleepover, Kagami overheard two senior students talking about Hajime.
"Hey, have you heard? Takashi's moving to America after the semester."
"Really…? Is it because of the Sunday Crisis (the name of the event given to Kagami's hostage situation)?"
"He didn't mention anything about that. He did mention about a business trip."
"Seriously…? He must be going to learn the tricks of the trade on running a multinational company."
Of course, she knew this set of information. The next set of information totally shocked her.
"Rumor also has it that he's going to be engaged to somebody once he's there."
"An arranged marriage…? I don't like the idea. But I guess it can't be helped. So who's the lucky girl?"
"I don't know. But I'm very eager to find out."
By the time she had heard of the piece of troubling news, her friends were calling out to her from afar.
"Kagami-sama, let's go!" Konata cried. "Your fancy dragon rider is waiting."
"Don't call me a dragon!" Kagami responded as if nothing happened to her.
0
The afternoon has passed by and the orange-dyed sky quickly turned pitch black. Little white dots started adding up to the silk black sky. The wind turned chilly and the wild racket of the suburban creature was silenced for now. Along with their bags, Konata: all the way from Satte; and the twins of Washimiya simultaneously arrived at Miyuki's house where lights beamed out of the huge windows facing the outside world. Miyuki and the others greeted each other as soon as the front door was opened for them. Kagami didn't see Hajime upon entering the living room where she thought he was likely to be there sitting in the couch and scanning every channel available on the TV.
A bubble bath and some snacks later, they hit the sack. Konata slept in disarray; one foot outside the blanket and the other outside the futon with both of her arms reaching outward in opposite directions—unlike the other three who slept just fine. A silhouette entered the room of the sleeping girls and tiptoed across the futon-laid floor. The stranger left a CD case beside Kagami and tiptoed back outside as silent as a stalker. It was two in the morning. The silhouette man, Hajime walked out of the house, where his father's limo was waiting, along with his two bags. He was getting ready to leave the house along with the country of Japan.
"If we hurry, we can still make it to Narita." His father told him.
"I feel bad about leaving without saying goodbye." Hajime said. "It's as if Kagami-san is watching me right now."
"You're right, she is."
"What do you mean?"
The old man pointed behind where Hajime stood, who upon turning around realized that his dad was not bluffing.
"You're leaving without even saying goodbye?" Kagami said. "And about the CD…I already have one."
"Keep it." Hajime replied. "You might misplace the other one."
"Before you leave, I have something to ask of you again."
"Before you ask, I also have something to say to you. I…I…am engaged to another girl."
Not a word came from her. She was either speechlessly shocked or was already informed by the rumor around the campus. She showed no sign of bewilderment or resentfulness; just a neutral face with nothing to say at all.
"Aren't you surprised? Angry?" He inquired curiously.
"Why would I be? That's great." She replied.
"Really…? I thought you would go ballistic or cry."
"I'm very happy for you. You found your ideal girl. I know it from the start that we're incompatible: me as a shrine maiden and you as the heir to a multinational company."
"Kagami-san, don't feel bad. Nobody can be more ideal than you."
"Don't waste this opportunity, Hajime-senpai. All I wish is a wonderful life for you and your family in America. Besides, I still have many options here in Japan."
Hajime decided to argue no more. He was about to miss his flight. He smiled and bid his last goodbye to his cousin's house, the national capital, the land of the rising sun, and finally to the girl he loved despite fate's obstacles.
"I guess this is goodbye." Kagami said.
"At least for now…" Hajime replied.
"Promise you'll come back."
"I will."
Hajime loaded his things on the trunk of the limousine and joined his father to the long journey to Narita where their flight was waiting. The long car left the Takara residence eventually on a cold morning. Kagami witnessed the limousine as it went away from the house until it could no longer be seen. She cried but not tears of sorrow and pain but tears of joy—tears that brought her new hope into her life for the journey ahead of her.
"Goodbye for now…Hajime-kun…"
0
Rain…a symbol of gloominess and sorrow. To others, it's only an ordinary seasonal downpour. To the intellectual ones, it's the element that will fight El Niño. It is in this weather that boy and girl come face to face to tell each other what they have been hiding the entire time. It is also in this weather that life will be put to the test to its extremities. But why does it feel different when it is…Kagami in the rain…
THE END
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you to all the readers for reading my story. I'm a beginner at romance and drama genres so please don't flame me.
A spinoff before the sequel will be made. "Yuri Yuri Yuri Dayo", a 15-chapter short fiction,will be released around the month of December. Then the sequel in January 1, 2008: "Kagami in the Rain 2: Desolation"
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!