CHAPTER 6
Ayisha didn't know but Fujima was also as stunned as she was. Seeing her intense dark brown eyes looking back at him, Fujima wanted to drop down beside her and hug her fear away. But pride masked his emotions and he calmly bent down to help her carry her things.
Time ran as slow as it could, for as he bent down next to her, the two stared into each other's eyes and the hidden truth of their soul could be seen. Ayisha didn't have the strength to look into his eyes that she gently looked away and quietly stood up.
They were both standing now. With Fujima remembering the scene in the hallway that day, he stared blankly into the darkness, his brown tresses slightly covering the cover of his eyes. Ayisha looked down, as if waiting for something to break the silence. There was too much intensity in the stillness of the night that it had to be broken. But sensing that Fujima wasn't going to say anything at all, Ayisha felt the need to walk away, slightly turning to where she was headed.
" I just arrived and now, you're walking away from me ..again?" Fujima suddenly spoke, as if a force made her feet so numb it couldn't walk.
Ayisha could feel the pain in his voice. It was there again, that pain that she'd once try to run away from. She closed her eyes trying to eradicate the hurt she was feeling, Opening her eyes again, it was those bitter tears that surfaced.
" It's because my presence doesn't seem to be wanted, Kenji-san." Ayisha replied with the same coldness that Fujima seemed to show.
Fujima's heart cringed hearing Ayisha say his name once again. The truth in her statement seemed to scar his heart once more. And although he could feel himself break down, his pride didn't let it show.
" What are you doing here, at this time of the night? Alone?" Fujima asked.
" I work for the school paper . . . I have deadlines that I need to meet."
" I know. Then why didn't you ask those friends of yours from the Shohoku team to walk you home?"
" Because they're not really my friends. I only know Kogure." Ayisha answered half unsure of what he was driving at.
Fujima felt a pang of pain hearing his rival's name.
" Kogure .." Fujima said to himself.
" Besides, I don't need to. I can take care of myself."
" Right. You don't need me anymore." Fujima muttered.
" What did you say?"
" Nothing."
' Why is he acting like this? He's so. . . .cold! And heartless. . . .and even irritating!?' Ayisha thought to herself, trying to control her stirring emotions. Both of them went into deep silence. Each wanting to say so much but not having the strength to say it. Ayisha couldn't take it an longer. She knew that she was about to break. She really had to leave. The coldness of the night was too much that it seemed to be epitomized in Fujima's cold expression.
" Fine. If you're just going to stand there, I might as well leave. My parents are waiting for me." Ayisha ended the short conversation, as she started to walk away. Her feet seemed the have gained also the heaviness in her heart for she found every step, a struggle. She didn't want to leave him that night. She wanted to talk to him and ask him how he was, but his coldness was more than she could bear.
Moving only three feeble steps, she wasn't able to resist the urge to say something without looking back. " By the way. . . . good luck on your game tomorrow. I might be watching. Goodnight.my Kenji-san." Ayisha said, saying the last phrase to herself.
But the night was too still that even Ayisha's faint voice can be heard. And as Fujima heard her words, a bitter tear slowly fell from his eye.
-*-
Kogure slumped his blue sports bag over his shoulder as he trudged his tired body out of the locker room. Even though practice ended a little earlier was usual, his body was tense that even the hot shower did nothing to relax his words. He knew that Ayako was part of his anxiety. He let out a sigh as he started walking through the hallway and outside the building.
He wanted to go home immediately that he wished he'd just float through the air into his room. His feet couldn't bear standing any longer. Aside from the imminence of the most awaited game, the continuous longing for Ayako constantly bothered his mind. Until now, he had no idea how to express the way he felt.
" Hi, Kogure!" A cheery voice greeted from behind him, its sound contradicting the darkness of the night.
It was Ayako's voice that made his heart leap instantly. He turned to face her and the sight of her made all his pains vanish. He smiled meekly not knowing what to do or say.
" Don't tell me your mind's already bothered by the big game tomorrow, Kogu-san?" Ayako said, as she started to walk by Kogure, and patted him slightly on the back.
Kogure just shrugged in response, trying to suppress the tingling sensation from Ayako's simple touch.
" Okay, the vice-captain is in such a serious mood tonight? Is it because of this certain problem that you don't really want to talk about?" Ayako teased, as she tried to look intently in his eyes.
" No. . . . .no, it's the game. I'm just worried about the game." Kogure said calmly, trying to suppress himself from telling her his feelings.
" I don't think you shouldn't be that worried Kogure. You've already seen the improvement of everyone!" Ayako encouraged.
Kogure remained silent, listening to the contradicting voices in his head.
' Tell her now!' 'no! It's a stupid tactless move!' 'But what if this is your last chance?' 'no! there has to be another chance.' Kogure's voices rambled in his head.
The jet-black haired vice-captain seemed to have lost himself in thought, that he didn't notice a minute has gone by without the two of them talking.
" Okay.I guess you're into that silent mode again.I must be going my way now." Ayako said carefully, trying not to distract Kogure's thinking.
"No!" He blurted out.
Ayako looked at him stunned.
" I'll walk you home, if you don't mind, of course."
Ayako nodded. " Thanks. . . . "
The night drifted by. As they walked, moonlight guided their path. Both of them walked in silence. Ayako not wanting to bother Kogure's thoughts, unaware that Ayako was the only person in Kogure's mind at that moment. They walked up to Ayako's house. Kogure smiled again meekly, unable to say anything proper.
" I'm worried about you, Kominobu Kogure. I know something's bothering. But. . . hey, I'm here if you need me, alright?" Ayako comforted, trying to get him out of his deep thoughts.
Kogure silently nodded, as he meekly smiled at Ayako's comforting words. Ayako felt relieved seeing Kogure out his trance.
" Goodnight then. And goodluck in the big game tomorrow." Ayako said as she gave Kogure a friendly kiss on the cheek.
Before Kogure could ask what the sudden gesture was all about, he was met with the silent closing of the door. He stood there for a second trying to determine if what just happened was real or just a fragmented part of his daydreaming.
Ayisha didn't know but Fujima was also as stunned as she was. Seeing her intense dark brown eyes looking back at him, Fujima wanted to drop down beside her and hug her fear away. But pride masked his emotions and he calmly bent down to help her carry her things.
Time ran as slow as it could, for as he bent down next to her, the two stared into each other's eyes and the hidden truth of their soul could be seen. Ayisha didn't have the strength to look into his eyes that she gently looked away and quietly stood up.
They were both standing now. With Fujima remembering the scene in the hallway that day, he stared blankly into the darkness, his brown tresses slightly covering the cover of his eyes. Ayisha looked down, as if waiting for something to break the silence. There was too much intensity in the stillness of the night that it had to be broken. But sensing that Fujima wasn't going to say anything at all, Ayisha felt the need to walk away, slightly turning to where she was headed.
" I just arrived and now, you're walking away from me ..again?" Fujima suddenly spoke, as if a force made her feet so numb it couldn't walk.
Ayisha could feel the pain in his voice. It was there again, that pain that she'd once try to run away from. She closed her eyes trying to eradicate the hurt she was feeling, Opening her eyes again, it was those bitter tears that surfaced.
" It's because my presence doesn't seem to be wanted, Kenji-san." Ayisha replied with the same coldness that Fujima seemed to show.
Fujima's heart cringed hearing Ayisha say his name once again. The truth in her statement seemed to scar his heart once more. And although he could feel himself break down, his pride didn't let it show.
" What are you doing here, at this time of the night? Alone?" Fujima asked.
" I work for the school paper . . . I have deadlines that I need to meet."
" I know. Then why didn't you ask those friends of yours from the Shohoku team to walk you home?"
" Because they're not really my friends. I only know Kogure." Ayisha answered half unsure of what he was driving at.
Fujima felt a pang of pain hearing his rival's name.
" Kogure .." Fujima said to himself.
" Besides, I don't need to. I can take care of myself."
" Right. You don't need me anymore." Fujima muttered.
" What did you say?"
" Nothing."
' Why is he acting like this? He's so. . . .cold! And heartless. . . .and even irritating!?' Ayisha thought to herself, trying to control her stirring emotions. Both of them went into deep silence. Each wanting to say so much but not having the strength to say it. Ayisha couldn't take it an longer. She knew that she was about to break. She really had to leave. The coldness of the night was too much that it seemed to be epitomized in Fujima's cold expression.
" Fine. If you're just going to stand there, I might as well leave. My parents are waiting for me." Ayisha ended the short conversation, as she started to walk away. Her feet seemed the have gained also the heaviness in her heart for she found every step, a struggle. She didn't want to leave him that night. She wanted to talk to him and ask him how he was, but his coldness was more than she could bear.
Moving only three feeble steps, she wasn't able to resist the urge to say something without looking back. " By the way. . . . good luck on your game tomorrow. I might be watching. Goodnight.my Kenji-san." Ayisha said, saying the last phrase to herself.
But the night was too still that even Ayisha's faint voice can be heard. And as Fujima heard her words, a bitter tear slowly fell from his eye.
-*-
Kogure slumped his blue sports bag over his shoulder as he trudged his tired body out of the locker room. Even though practice ended a little earlier was usual, his body was tense that even the hot shower did nothing to relax his words. He knew that Ayako was part of his anxiety. He let out a sigh as he started walking through the hallway and outside the building.
He wanted to go home immediately that he wished he'd just float through the air into his room. His feet couldn't bear standing any longer. Aside from the imminence of the most awaited game, the continuous longing for Ayako constantly bothered his mind. Until now, he had no idea how to express the way he felt.
" Hi, Kogure!" A cheery voice greeted from behind him, its sound contradicting the darkness of the night.
It was Ayako's voice that made his heart leap instantly. He turned to face her and the sight of her made all his pains vanish. He smiled meekly not knowing what to do or say.
" Don't tell me your mind's already bothered by the big game tomorrow, Kogu-san?" Ayako said, as she started to walk by Kogure, and patted him slightly on the back.
Kogure just shrugged in response, trying to suppress the tingling sensation from Ayako's simple touch.
" Okay, the vice-captain is in such a serious mood tonight? Is it because of this certain problem that you don't really want to talk about?" Ayako teased, as she tried to look intently in his eyes.
" No. . . . .no, it's the game. I'm just worried about the game." Kogure said calmly, trying to suppress himself from telling her his feelings.
" I don't think you shouldn't be that worried Kogure. You've already seen the improvement of everyone!" Ayako encouraged.
Kogure remained silent, listening to the contradicting voices in his head.
' Tell her now!' 'no! It's a stupid tactless move!' 'But what if this is your last chance?' 'no! there has to be another chance.' Kogure's voices rambled in his head.
The jet-black haired vice-captain seemed to have lost himself in thought, that he didn't notice a minute has gone by without the two of them talking.
" Okay.I guess you're into that silent mode again.I must be going my way now." Ayako said carefully, trying not to distract Kogure's thinking.
"No!" He blurted out.
Ayako looked at him stunned.
" I'll walk you home, if you don't mind, of course."
Ayako nodded. " Thanks. . . . "
The night drifted by. As they walked, moonlight guided their path. Both of them walked in silence. Ayako not wanting to bother Kogure's thoughts, unaware that Ayako was the only person in Kogure's mind at that moment. They walked up to Ayako's house. Kogure smiled again meekly, unable to say anything proper.
" I'm worried about you, Kominobu Kogure. I know something's bothering. But. . . hey, I'm here if you need me, alright?" Ayako comforted, trying to get him out of his deep thoughts.
Kogure silently nodded, as he meekly smiled at Ayako's comforting words. Ayako felt relieved seeing Kogure out his trance.
" Goodnight then. And goodluck in the big game tomorrow." Ayako said as she gave Kogure a friendly kiss on the cheek.
Before Kogure could ask what the sudden gesture was all about, he was met with the silent closing of the door. He stood there for a second trying to determine if what just happened was real or just a fragmented part of his daydreaming.