CHAPTER X: SURPRISE!
Ayako's eyes widen in surprise. "Oh, sensei. You knew it was my birthday?" She accepts the small box. "Arigatou gozaimashita, sensei." She cradles the little box.
-But my birthday's not the reason for my sadness.- She plays with the unopened box. –It's because today…-
Anzai's keen sense tingles. –Time for the big fish.- "Why don't you open it, child?"
Somewhat intrigued by Anzai's voice, the manageress proceeds to do so. What was inside makes her give a whoop of surprise—and joy.
"These are—these are the earrings!" she cried out. "The earrings I've been meaning to buy, the earrings in the store!" She kisses the pair of blue circular earrings. "Oh, thank goodness!"
Anzai watches her dance around the locker room. "Yes. Those earrings, twins of Miyagi-kun's single earring, are very hard to find nowadays, owing to its being a vintage model. He has one, you have two."
Ayako is too speechless to speak. The earrings are very much like the one Miyagi wears. Blue, and shimmering with inner light.
At last she finds her voice. "Domo arigatou, Anzai-sensei. A thousand thanks for these, coach." She prostrates herself at Anzai's feet.
"Ah, don't think about it, Ayako-kun." He chuckles. "You've done a great job of taking care of the team. You deserve those."
Ayako straightens up. "But, how did you know about—"
"The one-month waiting period? Your answer being those earrings, which you will wear today as a sign?" Anzai sips from his cup. "I've got ears, you know." He laughs at his own remark.
"Let's just say I happened to be passing while you two talked."
Ayako remembers that day when she and Miyagi met for a private conversation.
Ayako's eyes widen in surprise. "Oh, sensei. You knew it was my birthday?" She accepts the small box. "Arigatou gozaimashita, sensei." She cradles the little box.
-But my birthday's not the reason for my sadness.- She plays with the unopened box. –It's because today…-
Anzai's keen sense tingles. –Time for the big fish.- "Why don't you open it, child?"
Somewhat intrigued by Anzai's voice, the manageress proceeds to do so. What was inside makes her give a whoop of surprise—and joy.
"These are—these are the earrings!" she cried out. "The earrings I've been meaning to buy, the earrings in the store!" She kisses the pair of blue circular earrings. "Oh, thank goodness!"
Anzai watches her dance around the locker room. "Yes. Those earrings, twins of Miyagi-kun's single earring, are very hard to find nowadays, owing to its being a vintage model. He has one, you have two."
Ayako is too speechless to speak. The earrings are very much like the one Miyagi wears. Blue, and shimmering with inner light.
At last she finds her voice. "Domo arigatou, Anzai-sensei. A thousand thanks for these, coach." She prostrates herself at Anzai's feet.
"Ah, don't think about it, Ayako-kun." He chuckles. "You've done a great job of taking care of the team. You deserve those."
Ayako straightens up. "But, how did you know about—"
"The one-month waiting period? Your answer being those earrings, which you will wear today as a sign?" Anzai sips from his cup. "I've got ears, you know." He laughs at his own remark.
"Let's just say I happened to be passing while you two talked."
Ayako remembers that day when she and Miyagi met for a private conversation.