In-between

Before the Accident

Driven by her anger and confusion, Megumi scrolled through her phone seated on the floor sobbing. She deleted every thread she had with Shinomiya in every application/platform she could find where there could possibly be lies.

It was too petty and foolish, but she has a degree of understanding with the heroines in a lot of dramas who were acting on their feelings. It does end up clouding one's judgment, and in the craziest way.

But this is crazy too...

Having mutual feelings with a chef who's yet to achieve a different pinnacle of success. It's also a crazy thought, that he was willing to wait it out for her.

Maybe it's too good to be true...

The interview rewinded gripping her insides again.

I have to calm down...

The urge to have an outlet for all these mixed emotions made her race out of the dorm, get on her bike, then peddle aimlessly. She did it for a while, not knowing where to go.

Her senpai couldn't that be heartless to fool around.

He can't be... but... that woman on the interview... I guess it's only normal for women like her to get attracted to him...

And of course, it may be normal for her senpai to give in to such a beauty.

Not someone like me...

With her, there are too many considerations to think about, like their long distance communication, or their social standing. No matter what other people say about her talent and potential, it's not going to be on par with his current accomplishments.

Most importantly, he may have been too conscious with every word he has to say to her or it may be taken against him, and it's all because of their age difference...

I guess it's easier to be with a woman his age...

She then speeded up on a blind curve.

Yuki and Ryoko entered Megumi's room excited that she may have brought home treats from the ryokan like last time, but instead, they found her weeping on her pillow, still wearing her outdoor clothes.

Yuki then signaled Ryoko to close the door, as the former cooped up Megumi into a bear hug.

After some time crying on Yuki's shoulder, Megumi finally exhausted herself from all her tears, the three of them now seated on her bed. Ryoko made her drink some water, which relieved her sobs.

"S-sor...ry..." Megumi murmured, her throat still a little dry to speak.

"It's okay, Megumi... Whenever you're ready..." Ryoko reassured.

It's days like these that prove why she became friends with Yuki and Ryoko. They always knew when to leave her alone, or when her misery needed company.

Both were aware of what happened to her and her senpai, or more like, they squeezed it out from her, but she made them promise not to talk about it too much.

Megumi finished her glass, and her story unfolded all the recent events. Yuki and Ryoko listened, keen to every word, barely blinking without interrupting their friend and then...

"Megumi, we're so sorry we didn't tell you about you and Shinomiya-senpai... We were scared too!" Yuki now bursting with guilt.

When Megumi came home from the hospital, Soma recreated the Nine Vegetable Terrine from the training camp for lunch. The sight of it already gave her a sharp headache.

"That's when Isshiki-senpai tested a theory that you're only feeling unwell whenever you see something related to Shinomiya-senpai... so we all agreed to be careful around you when we're talking about him..."

Yuki and Ryoko shared how they would at least give her some space until she could be ready to face him again. Somehow it all concluded with the three of them hugging, Yuki now on the verge of bawling.

Ryoko led both of them to the kitchen where she prepared camomile tea to calm their nerves.

"Megumi, which interview are we talking about?" Yuki thought hard trying to analyze something.

"The one we watched before my accident." Megumi softly blew the steam from her cup.

"You mean, that interview where the publicist said they were dating? I think that's just a ploy to get more media attention." Yuki pointed out.

"They do that?" Megumi said a bit dumbfounded at the idea.

"Yes." confirmed Yuki taking her cup to her lips. "It's dirty, but it works. Eizan-senpai and I have been talking about these small business plans after graduation. You'd be surprised with the amount of knowledge he has on legal marketing schemes. This is one of them."

"I have no idea that you and Eizan-senpai are getting along so well." Ryoko now joined them on the table with her own cup.

"Hey. Don't change the subject. Nikumi and Shun are in this business too." Yuki shutdown the tease immediately. "Megumi, I'm sure you already know this, but you might have to finish that talk with him..."

Ryoko placed a hand on Megumi's shoulder. "It's only fair that you hear Shinomiya-senpai's side, don't you think?"

Yuki agreed. "Yeah, I mean, we know he tends to be rude, and he's always cocky, but he cares for you."

Ryoko poured more tea into Megumi's cup. "In the hospital during your surgery, he waited until your mom arrived which was already the next day."

"And after your hospital release, he called a couple of times to check up on you." Yuki continued. "We're not taking his side... but won't you give him a chance to explain? If he's playing with you, we can go to Sadatsuka to curse him."

"I don't want to hurt him in any way... but I'll think about that talk..." Megumi all grounded now became more conscious of how tired her body is. All her tears seem far away from this table with Yuki and Ryoko consoling her.

Shinomiya heard from the manager that Megumi already left.

Such a handul... I knew I shouldn't have let her go.

He already called her multiple times until she was out of reach. None of his messages were answered. He's now almost anxious of the possibility that another accident might have happened.

The lively presence of his Tootsuki alumni friends, while he's grateful for it along with their birthday surprise, he couldn't jive with it... Not when he's too worried that she might be out there possibly in danger.

"Not interested in any of them Kojirou?" asked Donato.

"Huh?" He couldn't follow through their conversation anymore.

"Weren't you staring at the women earlier in the game room?" Donato tried to continue.

Women? All puzzled, he snobbed and took out his phone again.

Now that he thinks about it, he did space out that time, but only because Megumi was behind those women. She was receiving her tasuki from one of the ryokan staff. She elegantly tied it around herself to hold up her sleeves before their quick table tennis match.

His inbox was empty. Still no message from her, and he further dreaded on it.

"Kojirou, you seem out of it. What's wrong?" Fuyumi asked hinting a bit of concern.

The room became quiet, his friends' eyes now attentively on him. He couldn't answer, but unlocked his screen again.

"Are you having problems with a girl again?" Donato initiated.

"Is it your current girlfriend?" said Hinako.

"Don't mind me." Shinomiya said distantly.

"So it's your girlfriend?" Donato tried to dish something out.

Shinomiya kept his silence, and his friends took it as a cue that they hit the mark.

"You're not even going to deny it?" Hinako tried to peek over his phone, but he hid it in his yukata sleeves.

"Who is it?" said Donato with strong curiosity.

"I am not obliged to tell you." Shinomiya replied concentrating on his drink.

"Give him some names. He'll budge if we get it right." Donato suggested.

Hinako concurred and both started to throw in names.

"Amy Tendo?" guessed Donato.

"Anne?" mentioned Hinako.

"No! Stop guessing." Shinomiya couldn't be more annoyed.

Donato and Hinako kept on guessing until...

"Megumi Tadokoro." said Fuyumi.

Shinomiya simply looked away almost blushing.

"You're kidding..." said Donato in disbelief. "But..."

Shinomiya sighs scratching his head in frustration. "Hey if you're contesting due to our age gap then..."

"Oh Kojirou, you have much bigger problems than that for sure." said Fuyumi. "Did you perhaps force her into this?"

"Poor Megumi!" cried out Hinako. "Did you threaten her? Did you trap her in a dungeon and enslave her 'til she agrees to go out with you?!"

Shinomiya poked Hinako's head as usual. "Shut up! I am not torturing her."

"I wonder how you made her fall for that unlikeable attitude of yours?" asked Donato more inquisitive than ever.

"Donato we should make a plan on saving Megumi from the wretched hands of this vegetable demon!" Hinako said all fired up.

Donato nodded hard and balled his fists with Hinako both imagining Megumi as a damsel in distress.

"You..." Shinomiya banged both their heads together.

He sat back on his cushion sighing again. "Keep it down, and don't say a word to anyone... at least for Megumi's sake." he said in a low voice. All the teasing and he's still more worried than irritated.

His friends felt the sincerity of his statement, then sensed the weight on his shoulders.

"Since that's out of the bag, can you at least tell us what happened?" Fuyumi started, setting the mood as how they would all talk about serious matters.

"It's nothing." Shinomiya denied.

"If it's nothing, then she should still be here with us tonight." Fuyumi darted back.

Shinomiya hated it when his friends can see through him. "Look, she's not my girlfriend. It's a long story."

"Good. For a moment I thought you were being irresponsible." Hinako judged.

"Well, you know what..." Donato opened the bottle and started pouring into each of their glasses. "...we have the whole night, and we didn't look around for your favorite wine for nothing, Kojirou."

Just like old times, they would eat or drink while talking all about their problems. It could be about their career and the social pressures around it, sometimes a break-up, but a lot of those times never focused on him. His role has always been the one to talk sense into any of them. Moreover he was too proud to admit to show any kind of weakness.

Maybe you should rely on them a little more, Senpai. It could be your turn for them to listen to next time.

"Fine..." He then chugged all the wine in his glass and refilled it.

Later that night in the girls' room...

"Fuyumi-senpai, are you still up?" whispered Hinako still lying down in her futon.

"Yeah... Kojirou and Tadokoro are a strange pair." Fuyumi read Hinako's mind and bluntly said it.

"I know! I wouldn't think that Megumi would be his type." Hinako sat up. "He always ridiculed her."

"That's how it is..."

"But you know, I'm happy for him. I don't think I've ever seen him care enough for someone to be vulnerable like a while ago... A little sad that he's going through that though..."

"Yeah..." Fuyumi knows Kojirou a little longer than Hinako and Donato, and throughout this time, he never did make such a helpless face, not for a woman even.

"It would be nice though... If they can endure this... and if Kojirou can be a little more patient, then I'm sure they can be happy."

"You're not against this, Hinako?" Fuyumi sprang up doing an indian sit. "You've always been the type to block Kojirou's dates if you didn't get along with them."

"I should say the same to you. You fend them off by being an ice queen yourself." Hinako jeered sitting up with her.

"That still doesn't answer my question."

Hinako smiled. "I like Megumi very much... and she does make Kojirou a better man... A happy one... so I'll cheer for them."

Fuyumi now recalled how Kojirou looked at Megumi from across the table as they all relaxed after dinner. It wasn't out of fascination. Nothing sly. Thank goodness it's nothing malicious. That look... It was pure joy. "Me too."

Megumi approached her dresser then knelt down to pull the bottom drawer. She hauled out a gift bag, and in it she took out small wooden box.

She traced the details of its exterior, not missing a line or a crevice, feeling accomplished of her work despite not being a professional craftsman.

"What should I do with this now..?"

She opened the box and sorted its contents, reviewing them with fresh eyes to scan if there were mistakes.

I wonder if he would still take it...

Talking to her friends and waking up from a deep sleep clarified all the chaos from last night. Being well-rested didn't necessarily bring self-actualization, but it was enough to know that it might have been unfair to leave her senpai like that.

Dunce...

His voice echoed at the back of her mind. An insulting word, but coupled with a tinge of his smile, its meaning evolved over time, and along the way he stopped calling her that.

You think a dunce like you can beat me?

You dunce. Stop repeating the same mistake! It's Beaurre Monte, not Rocket Science!

Again, I'll be here if Totsuki kicks you out. I'll make an exception for a dunce like you.

Can't you be more confident you little dunce!

Too many good times to throw away to something that might only be a misunderstanding.

...it's only fair that you hear Shinomiya-senpai's side, don't you think?

Her friends are right. She and her senpai are in a grey area now, not knowing what they have, where they are, or where they're headed... but there's nothing wrong with asking, and there should be an explanation.

Coincidentally her phone loudly disrupted her, ringing with all its might.

It could be anyone, but if it was her senpai...

I should answer...

Author's Notes:

I always thought that no matter how much I love Megumi's character, I have to keep in mind that she's still a teenager.

This chapter is quite heavy on the conversation. I'll update again soon...