FOREWORD: Whatever happens in between, those dark empty spaces where shadows of the untruth combines.The real images however is invincible…not to be seen by the human eye and that is what we all intend to find.
THE UNDELETETABLE PAST
CHAPTER FOUR: Crystal clear reflections in misty mirrorsThe stillness in the air…unmoving without any pressure. The small pond in the park was undisturbed. Golden and silvery fishes swam smoothly at each curve…as if playing and teasing two reflections that appeared just a moment ago. The shoal of fish that swam silently in the sparkling blue pond attracted both their eyes. They both sat facing the pond . She dusted the bench before settling down , he did not even care and sat on a few small, tiny faded buds of sakuras.She had a disapproving look on her face and he stood up to brush away the wilted sakuras off his side.
An unspoken bond has developed within them as they ease themselves of each other's company. They seem to have understood every signal and gesture that was made without words, a silent language.Under the shade of a huge, old cherry blossom tree they sat watching nature, the fishes in the pond, the swallows in the sky and the blooming sakuras. Her knee grazed his lightly as she reached out for a falling sakura. The spilt second warmth on his knee made him extra conscious of her presence beside him yet he couldn't fight his sleepy mood.
Aiji sat back down. Looking at the small white flower with shades of pink. She held it in her palms and closed her eyes for a brief moment before releasing it into the pond. It floated and followed the streamline of the pond circling some water lilies on the way to its' destination, wherever that may be. Aiji shifted her gaze to Rukawa. He was peacefully sleeping with his head tilted on his fist and his elbow was on the armrest. For the first time she dared to look at him fully from head to toe.
She closely examined his taut body and handsome face. She felt that she didn't deserve someone like this. She was a loner and this was meant to be for the rest of her life.She knew she had to part with him…this was unavoidable…they couldn't stay together. She softly sang to him…to his unconscious body…a song that she replayed in her head when she thought of him in the past…a slow, sad song by Utada Hikaru…titled First Love.
Translation:
Saigo no kisu wa (So close your eyes for a final kiss
Tabako no flavor ga shita That tastes of want and bitterness
Niga kutetsetsu nai kaori Our last kiss like a smoldering cigarette
Ashita no imakoro ni wa So at this time tomorrow, I know
Anata wa doko ni irun darao Would you be off in your world all alone
Dare wo omotterun darao And who would be in your heart for you to
Hold?)
You are always gonna be my love (You are always gonna be my love
Itsuka dare kato mata koi ni ochitemo And one day if I see another like you I 'll
Know what to say
I'll remember to love-you taught me how I'll remember to love- you taught me how
You are always gonna be the one You are always gonna be the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song In my mind as I pick away the saddest of
Saddest love songs
Atarashii uta utaeru made…. Till another one will come and give me a
New one)
Aiji stopped abruptly as Rukawa suddenly shifted his head. Her sweet soothing voice that melted hearts was sealed until today, she never sang for anyone before. She felt confused. She laid a small sakura she plucked on his thigh. She stood up meaning to leave but a masculine voice spoke.
"My mom used to sing to me."he said eyes still closed.
Silence.
"She had a beautiful voice,"he continued his eyes flashed open but in a daze.
He made out her back a few feet a way from him.Then he notice the sakura on his thigh.
"The sakura is pretty,"he said picking it up.
Her body shook slightly. She stood frozen, not knowing what to do. She blinked back the tears that were building up in her eyes. Funny …she thought her tears were all dried up since she cried for Takashi so many times. Those endless sleepless nights where her tears flooded her pillow, her sobs stiffened into her teddy bear. It suddenly grew cold as dark clouds formed.
"You have a bad way of saying goodbye…"his voice penetrated her ears slitting her heart slowly making her heart break into two.
Finally she turned around meeting his eyes. Diving her dark brown pupils into his deep blue pools. Her face was bright pink.
"I don't think you want to hear those words,"she said taking a few steps forward.
"In the end everybody leaves without saying those words, they just go… like mom,"his eyes never shifted from hers.
"Have you ever wanted them to stay?"she asked uncertainly.
"They did not give me a choice," came his answer
"What would be the best parting gift?"
"I didn't know break ups can be bought," he said wistfully
"When the time comes, people has to leave,"she said averting her gaze elsewhere.
"Who are you referring to?"he said bringing her eyes back into his.
"Your mother…and me…I never wanted to be in your life anyway,"she said carefully.
"Liar. You came back to Kanagawa, went to our kindergarten, you wanted to find something there didn't you?" he retorted at her statement.
"I hate to be called a liar," she said biting each word out.
"Hate…you used this word frequently nowadays,"he said.
"We only met today might I remind you,"she replied.
"The antonym of hate doesn't exist in you heart anymore?"he persisted
"I don't know what you are talking about,"she pretended to not understand his words.
"Do you love anyone?"he asked in a matter of factly
"I am going to be a nun, I am not suppose to get involved with that disgusting word," she said bravely.
"A nun has to be vegetarian, meditate, chant and pray everyday, I didn't know you were that religious, I doubt you even know a thing about your religion,"he countered.
"Don't underestimate me,"she said annoyed.
"You only have a year to live,"he reminded her.
"No , I am going to win that battle and my future is going to be laid out then, "she said confidently.
"So you aren't a coward after all, "he said in a sarcastic tone.
"No one messes with me that gets away, I will put up a tough fight and only my dead body will leave them safe, "she returned his sarcasm.
"You don't seem to be looking for them,"he said suddenly realizing it.
"I am a future nun, I don't like to fight, I prefer peace," she said softly.
"So that's why you want to walk away…hide from me…What good does that do?" he asked her
"You want to hear those words then I'll say them out loud," she said changing the topic.
"Second round of running away, "he noted.
"What do you want me to do?" she cried exasperatedly.
"I didn't know what I wanted mattered to you, " he said making her go red.
"You are making fun of me,"she concluded.
"I am very conservative so when I really start to debate, I never lose, Dad often become baffled by my words ," he explained.
" You really love your parents don't you?" she asked with a sadden expression.
" Don't you?" he asked puzzled.
"I don't know anymore, I tried to be good but they never understood. They seem to be avoiding me…no more like ignoring me since I came home that day with bruises and the deep cut on my forehead. They didn't ask any questions and I offered none," she said.
"Maybe they didn't know what to do, they put their trust and believed in you, somehow you turned out…"he faltered.
"Not they as they have expected," he finished looking as her expression changed.
"I know but it is at these times I needed their support," she seem to be pleading.
"You didn't open up to them…How are they to know, "he said careful to not hurt her.
"I voluntarily came here and they agreed to let me come here for a change of surroundings," she said quietly.
"I think they know that you are mature enough to sort things out yourself, if that's the case they really understand you…did you want them to scream at you? Then you would've ran away and that would've been worse," his words brought her to realize.
"Yes , mom and dad really love me," she said after flashing happy scenes in her mind.
"I think I know the reason you walk away from people so fast, you back out so that they won't know what is in stored underneath your safety shell, your barrier," he said knowingly.
"Don't give yourself too much credit, you are also like that," she lashed back at him.
"Yeah, we are pretty much the same," he relaxed.
"That's why we read each other so well," she sat back down beside him.
"You're not going?" he asked surprised.
"I am…later," she said.
Rukawa succeeded in luring her back. But he knew she would be gone before the day ends. He wanted to share one last thing with her.
"Do you want to play basketball?" he asked.
"I don't know how to play," said shyly.
"Oh."
"But you could teach me, it could be fun," she offered.
"I need to get my ball first," he said.
Then two shadows proceeded towards the Rukawa's residence. Both knew that it would be the last thing they would do together. At the end of the day they will part as strangers.
They understood it perfectly, they couldn't be tied down, not now but if their path crosses again then they would not let go of that chance. As destined to be the path that are crossed trice together somehow gives the sign-"Together Forever". Prophecies sometimes bring souls to unite and sometimes to part.
She stood in front of the huge opened gates of the Rukawa mansion. She didn't know he was this rich. There was even a guard and surveillance cameras around the house. He proceeded in but she stood outside not moving a step. She didn't dare go in…It was overwhelming. The guard was also surprised. His master was with a girl that didn't want to step into this beautiful mansion. Weird. He walked towards her.
"What's wrong?"he asked puzzled.She was speechless.
"This, are you really Rukawa?" she asked.
"You didn't know I was wealthy?" he smiled.
"I …"she searched for the right words. There were none.
"Just shut up and come in ," he tugged at her elbow.
They went in past a few Mercedes, sporty Mercedes ,limo Mercedes then a few antiques like Baby Austin and Mustangs before reaching the front door that was wide opened by two men in black suits.
"Master Kaede, you can't just disappear like this," one of them spoke and that was the last straw. She cracked up. Her laughter not shrill and high pitched but one genuinely of amusement.
"Master Kaede?" the other cocked one eyebrow up lifting his black glasses.
"She's alright," he replied.
"Your friend?" he continued.
"No a stranger," he said pulling Aiji past them.
She finally stop laughing…
"Bodyguards?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said obviously embarrassed.
"Stay here, you can make yourself comfortable in that couch over there, I won't take a minute," he disappeared up the stairs.
She stood as if frozen. An old lady walked out from a room. Aiji wanted to hide. The lady walked towards her.
"Konnichiwa," the lady said.
"Konnichiwa," Aiji replied.
"Aiji?" she asked.
Aiji nodded. She didn't ask how the lady knew her name. Rukawa might have told her. Anyway she didn't feel like making any small talk.
" Kaede finally got you back, I was worried but now everything is going to be alright,"
"What do you mean?"Aiji spoke.
Then they heard footsteps neared them. Rukawa was in shorts and a sweatshirt with his Spalding basketball in his backpack.
"Mrs Daichi , I am eating out today," he said.
"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Mrs Daichi asked.
"Mrs Daichi this is Aiji Shisano , Aiji this is Mrs Daichi my nanny cum personal assistant," he said jokingly.
"I am your babysitter you big infant, what is all that crap about personal assistant?"she raised her voice.
"Sorry ma'm I'll be back about eight, sayonara,"he said.
Both of them went into the garden , he told her to wait at the porch for a while,and came back with a white rose.
"It's beautiful,"she said after he handed it to her.
They went out of the gates and headed towards the nearby park's basketball court, where he taught her to lay up and dribble. She was a fast learner but fumbled with the ball a few times. She then left him to practice as she watched in the sidelines. She watched him play all fired up and it was at this time that she knew he was going to be someone big and famous in the basketball arena.
Back at the Rukawa's residence, there was a lot of hustle and bustle going on as the news of their Master Kaede coming home with a girl and he even gave her a white rose. White roses symbolized purity, sincerity, beauty, mystery and love. The Rukawa's tradition never died, white roses for them meant true love and then soul mates. These little signs made the guards, servants and his personal assistant cum nanny Mrs Daichi to believe that the best is yet to come…
Mist blurs the vision,
Making one lose their way,
Averting them from their destination,
Leaving them to wait while the vapours play.
A.N: Phew!!! I finally finished this chapter. I was in the slumps, I actually begin this twice before getting my story straight. Writing is hard work.I salute all you writers out there. I hope all of you read and review cause I took a long time to complete this and I hope you guys like it ya
Nanami: Thanks for reviewing…I'll try to make it a bit not so sad ok….
Tensaispira: Here's the next chapter…hope you like it. Rukawa rulz
Blue-obssessed: Sorry to trouble you… anyway thanks for reviewing