Akushi
Chapter 2
"How's your ankle?" Mion asked as she watched me rinse my face with the cold water we had just recently splashed around in. I swallowed some of it, and it tasted a little bitter, but I didn't care. The heat was too intense to skip out on it.
"It hurts a little bit," I said as I turned to her, wet face, and wet hair. Water dripped from my bangs, and I had no urge to dry off. It felt good and refreshing.
Mion had one of her soft and concerned looks. She spent plenty of time making fun of me for being so reckless, and now it was her turn to be gentle.
I smiled goofily. "I think racing Rika-Chan here did so much pain that it sort of pushed my ankle back in place. I mean, it still hurts, but I feel like I can walk on it now." I peered down and put pressure on my foot, and once I did, I hissed in pain. Still hurts.
Mion cackled. "You are something, Kei-Chan. Rena is too. She was concerned when she saw you fall down that hole." My friend's smile faded away, and that that made me frown. "I know what you were doing," she continued. "Winning that stone for her was important to you because it would make her happy."
She looked over her shoulder and peered at Rena, who was having a cheerful conversation with Satoko and Rika-Chan. "It's like she was afraid something was gonna come out and get her," Mion said softly. "I never imagined Rena being afraid of water like that."
I watched Mion closely, then Rena. She was laughing happily in the distance, holding the steppingstone close to her like it was her baby. Mion was right. It was just out of character for Rena to be so scared of something as simple as a stream. And it was part of the club activities!
And then it hit me. Mion must have noticed Rena's odd behavior. In fact, she noticed it even before I did. So why hadn't she done anything about it?
"You really have a way of turning her frown upside down," Mion said with a grin. "I didn't wanna approach her because I thought you were best for that." It's like Mion was reading my mind and answered my question! "She looked very down. You cheered her up."
That's right! I did cheer her up, and that's what my intentions were! I won't leave my friend hanging. "Thanks, Mion," I said. "I didn't think too much into it. But I'll find out what's bugging her. I mean, she looked so upset."
Mion nodded. "Go get her!"
So soon after my conversation with Mion, I pulled Rena aside to have a talk with her while Mion told Rika-Chan and Satoko her childhood story about the steppingstone. As interesting as it would be, figuring out Rena's feelings was more important, so I was willing to wait for the encore version.
"What did you want to talk to me about Keiichi-Kun?" Rena asked. She sat down in the grass with her knees slightly up and flattened her long white dress down. She looked so proper.
I stayed standing, because it was natural for me when I wanted to get answers from someone. "Rena," I started, "why didn't you join us looking for the stone? You were so excited about it and yet you stayed put." My voice might have sounded a bit aggressive, but I don't think my words were near as harsh.
Rena didn't seem offended, but she did have a serious look on her face. She glanced down at the grass and kept quiet for a good ten seconds. I waited, but if I had to wait for a whole minute, I don't think I could keep my patience going any longer. "I don't want to go, Keiichi-Kun. I mean, not by myself."
Huh? Go? I hated that word. It scared me, and it made me feel so alone, like I was going to get abandoned or something. "What are you talking about? What do you mean? Are you going somewhere? Please don't tell me you're moving!"
Rena perked up a bit and chuckled. "I would never leave this place again. It's my home. But, in two days, I have to visit my distant aunt. Aunt Rin."
"Your aunt?" I asked. "Where is that?"
"Takayama." Rena looked at me with a small grin. "I visited there once when I was eight, and I remembered a creek just like the one Mi-Chan brought us to. I reminded me that I had to visit. I don't wanna go alone, Keichi-Kun."
She doesn't want to visit a lost relative and that's why she acted that way during our club activity? The way she stood stiff like that with no desire to join the fun. It was more like she was afraid. Still, I took Rena's word for it. "What about your dad? Won't he be there?"
Rena stood up now and placed her hands behind her back. I watched as she shifted by me and peered up. It looked like she was admiring the view of the afternoon sky. It's not like it wasn't beautiful. I rarely got a good view on anything in Tokyo besides the city lights. I loved the country life.
Something was on Rena's mind, and it was almost like she was planning something, just like Mion would for the club. Only Rena's face was a lot softer. "Keiichi-Kun," she replied, "you told me earlier you never got to have special times during summer vacation back home."
She's going back to that? Why is she suddenly thinking about me? I nodded slowly and kept my silence so my friend could continue.
"It would be a lot of fun if you went with me."
"Huh? Go with you?!" Now that was sudden. Had she been thinking of that idea this whole time? How long had she known she had to visit her aunt?
"Yeah. You can keep me company, and we will have so much fun. I already asked my dad, and he said it was fine."
I can understand how weird it would be to be alone with an unfamiliar relative, even if her dad would be there. It could get boring, and I know having your best friend there would make it better, even if I had to suffer whatever hectic things her aunt would put upon her.
This was Rena. My best friend. She does everything for me. She saved me from the hole. She cares about me a lot and she would do this for me.
"So, Keiichi-Kun," she said as she turned around and narrowed her eyes at me with a hopeful smile. "Would you like to have a special two-week event during summer vacation?"
I should have saw this coming. Of course, she wasn't just doing this for herself. She was doing it for me. She doesn't want me to miss out on every opportunity I can get. That's my Rena. I smiled positively, giving her the obvious answer.
Rena was thrilled and smiled back.
