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:: Rambles ::

Sorry for taking so long to update this – been extremely tied up lately. Anyway, for those who have read and reviewed this, thanks for taking up the time to do so! Really appreciated that. Promise that I'll update the next chapter ASAP.

Neffie, Nabiki and Suisen
It was great knowing you peeps at AI.
Am dreadfully missing you guys already.

LID and Nellie
Sorry that I couldn't go online that much anymore.
But I'll definitely find the time to read your ficcies!

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:: Snow-Covered Dreams – Hanagata's Side Story ::

[ 5. How do you do? ]

Fujima's mind wandered as he absently bounced the ball that was in his grasp up and down. The day's practice had ended way earlier than one had expected, especially when they had him as the team captain. It came as a surprise to the rest and even to himself too. But there was of course no whatsoever complaint – for how could someone ever whine about being given a death roll pardon?

It was just another few weeks away from the championship. He was ready. Shoyo High was ready. He was sure they would definitely emerge as the final victors. A little too optimistic maybe, but he was also well aware they had all it takes to reclaim what was once theirs. Yes, everything was perfectly in place. It was no longer just some snow-covered dreams many had presumed it to be. They would certainly succeed.

So why was his confidence vaporizing by the moment?

His gaze flickered briefly to the tall center that could still be seen practicing his rebounding plays amidst the burning sun. They were now out in the open court by the playground – Hanagata had persisted earlier that he needed some guidance over several court tactics he had come up with – but Fujima knew his friend was merely worried about him.

Yes, good old Hanagata.

He raised his head a little to meet the glaring rays that was partially blinding his vision. And he minded not. Perhaps it was better that way. Sometimes being given the ability to see the road ahead too clearly was not entirely a blessed gift.

He was always known to the people around him as the great tyrant who dominated everyone else's life, that, including his own. He dictated in almost everything he did and the rest followed him without demur. But when he met her one summer ago, he knew he had changed and he was still constantly changing along with the passing time.

He never thought that her very existence would weakened him in such a way that he could actually see himself as just another ordinary, vulnerable being capable of the many emotions that make people who they are. That he was not all that superior to the rest of the world. And no, he was definitely not a lovesick puppy pining over a romance that never even had its chance to blossom. He merely saw the differences that reflected so contrastingly in both of their lives – those tiny factors that had eventually shaped the persons that they were then. That was what attracted him to her. The simple way she had led her life. And that was what drove him to see things differently.

They say that it takes the exact opposite to change the other.

Fujima felt a sudden tap on his arm. He promptly glanced over his shoulder to find Hanagata staring at him impishly; in some way dreadfully reminding him of what Miho would do when she was feeling mischievous. He shook his head lightly and grinned to himself. Somehow he really needed to get her off his mind. But he was about to find out that it was a task entirely impossible to accomplish. Not even for someone like him. Especially not on that day.

"Fujima-san!"

It had only been a year but it felt like a lifetime of absence. That voice – one that he was so accustomed to – was ringing in his ears again – although this time it sounded a little foreign to him too. His feet froze momentarily to the ground before he finally rose and turned to where she was.

There she was, standing by the side of the court, smiling and waving at him. Just like the way it had always been. One summer ago. She was wearing a pale turquoise dress with her hair – it was much longer than before – hanging loosely behind her, slowly swaying to the motion of the passing wind. She looked so much different from what he had remembered her by. But nevertheless, it was definitely her.

His Miho.

Sure, he had thought of the things he would say, things he would ask when he saw her again. Was he ever remembered – in which he knew he must have been since she did call out his name. Those other hundred and one unanswered questions. Like how she had cope with her life for the past one year. The whole account of the things that have occurred since the day they bid farewell at that particular place now served only as a memory to the two of them. But when his eyes met hers once again, he was at a total loss.

What do you say to a girl that has been haunting your thoughts endlessly all these times? What do you do if that girl is just right in front of you at this very moment? Do you just say hello or do you run to her and hold her close?

~~~~~~ ****** ~~~~~~

He stared at her for a long moment before he finally let out a resonant chuckle that sounded just a little too eerie at that particular point of time. It was after all the middle of a very still night – where the only sound heard was the echo of the rustling leaves.

The girl in front of him frowned; feeling wholly agitated at the way he took her words. She pouted, stomped her feet and started to leave. He promptly reached out to pull her back – and their faces now stood just few inches away from each other. He then grinned lopsidedly and slowly entwined his pinkie finger around hers. Yes, it was certainly absurd but …

"Why not."

~~~~~~ ****** ~~~~~~

It was not entirely the way she had expected it to be although she had imagined the scene taking place countless of times in her mind. And if truth be known, she had even practiced what she would say to him in front of the mirror that she swore she saw numerous cracks by the side of it. She was sure that she had gotten everything well prepared – which was why she had finally decided to set up the meeting. But the moment she saw him turning around, the words seemed to have disappeared to nowhere and she found her legs growing shaky.

It felt so good to see him again.

Her eyes examined him as the silence fell between the two of them. Or rather, the three of them. But of course, she was totally oblivious of Hanagata's presence there even though she did see him when she stepped into the court.

Nothing seemed to have changed much. The eloquent light was still there in his eyes. The air of self-possession still lingered around him. He was exactly the same as the last time she saw him. Well, in short, he looked great. And in that brief moment of time she wondered if she too looked good enough to him. She had gone to great ends to find the perfect attire for the day. She had even continuously bugged her friend about it so much that Natsuko turned away each time she saw her lifting up a dress.

She had asked Natsuko to come with her, but for some peculiar reasons, her friend decided to mope around at home instead when she casually mentioned the open court, basketball and of course, a certain somebody. She was sure the answer laid somewhere there. But she couldn't care less, not now anyway, she could figure all that out later – what she needed to do now was to get rid of her stupefied expression. Her cheeks were growing tired from the smile that was plastered across her face.

But what was she supposed to say?

You look great. How have you been? Did you miss me the way I had?

~~~~~~ ****** ~~~~~~

Hanagata felt as though he was completely transparent. He was standing next to Fujima and the girl was right in front of him. Yet, it seemed that he was still invisible to them. He switched his gaze from his friend to the girl, and back forth. No one moved nor spoke a word in that long-stretched silence. Everything was completely still. He was starting to wonder if he was somehow caught in the middle of a long lost reunion of some sort – one that you always get to see in the movies. And he knew he was definitely the trespasser there although it was the raven-haired girl whom had intruded their so-called practice in the first place.

The look on Fujima's face spelt out everything. The girl must be Miho. That explained why she knew his name even before they were acquainted. Well, at least not officially yet. Fujima must have told her all sorts of things, one of them being himself. And that got him imagining what else was exchanged. But before he went dwelling on that, he was certainly not going to miss this chance of a lifetime.

So he strode forward to the girl, breaking the moment of captivation between those two. He offered his hand and spoke, "You must be Miho-san! Kenji has told me so much –"

Before Hanagata could finish his sentence, he felt a light kick on his knee. He turned to face a glaring Fujima and he promptly broke into a slight grin. That was what he had wanted to see. Satisfied, he picked up his tarnished ball and swung his bag over his shoulder.

"Well, see you in school tomorrow then!" He then proceeded to the exit but stopped halfway and turned around. "And it's nice seeing you again, Mi-chan."

He deliberately drawled when he mentioned her name – and he knew he had succeeded in making the girl feeling so out of place. He could see her squirming, looking down at her own feet uneasily. No, he was not being mean, he was merely being happy for his friend. At least one of them would no longer lead a miserable life now.

He paused for another moment and this time, he took a step closer to the girl. "I'm sure Kenji feels the same way too." He whispered silently into her ears before winking at her and left for good.

~~~~~~ ****** ~~~~~~

"Masaka … I can't believe I'm actually eating ice-cream in this weather!" Natsuko grunted.

She gazed up to the sky and heaved in a sigh. She should have gone with Miho to the open court earlier that afternoon. It was dreadful watching time passing by alone in the house. She tried to finish up her homework, but the questions sounded utterly weird to her. She tried to sleep – she had even counted sheep – but she only ended up staring blankly at the ceiling above her. And so, she decided to go for a walk instead.

The chill in the air was slowly weaving itself into her spine. Yes, she was freezing – the thin sweater she had on was not doing her any good – and yet somehow she was still unable to fight her sudden urge for that cup of caramel-flavored frost. She shamefully took a spoonful of it, then gritted her teeth as the chill ran past her. And everything felt great once again.

She halted her steps the moment she reached the traffic light and stared at the vast open space in front of her. It used to be a playground she had frequented when she was a child. Somehow the residents of that area have decided its location – situated in the middle of a busy traffic – was not suitable for kids and tore it down. It was sad to see it go, especially when she had shared so much fond moments with it. But it mattered not now. For she had found what she was looking for. And that her memory of it was good enough.

Just as she was about to take a step forward to the old playing ground, she found herself walking straight into the arms of a passer-by. *thud* Of course she was not looking ahead – her eyes were all on that cup of ice cream she was holding. And when she regained her focus, she realized her caramel rime had left a huge stain on the green-colored jacket that the stranger wore.

She promptly bowed apologetically. "Gomen nasai!"

"Don't worry. I bet the stains will go off this time." The tall stranger spoke.

There wasn't any need for her to look up to know whom that deep voice belonged to. There was only one possibility. And despite it being almost zero-degree out there, Natsuko felt her cheeks burnt immensely. Fate seemed to have a funny way in bringing the two of them together. She frantically wished she could just disappear with the momentary breeze that was passing through then. Somehow she had to stop meeting him this way.

She felt his eyes watching her intently as she slowly raised her head to meet him. She half-expected him to be angry, to burst out, like the way she did when he first spilled his drinks on her. But when she finally tilted her head high enough to see his face, Hanagata only grinned.

"I guess we're even then."

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(to be continued)

And before I forget, neffie mentioned something about why Hanagata was drinking milk in school … erm … I dunno … just thought milk was healthy enough for him … hahahha … or was that me drinking milk when I was writing that? *grins*