Chapter 2 – Hajime mashite
***
I couldn't get any sleep last night
Makino Tsukushi sat at her desk, her sleepy eyes gazing out at the scenic horizons. She is in the middle of the geography class, though her classmates were more interested in their own conversations rather than the sensei's teachings. A sudden polite knock on the door caught their attention. It was a girl with long brown plaited tresses. With her schoolbag casually thrown over her shoulders, the girl made a slight bow before entering the classroom. Many reckon she is one of the new transfers that the sensei mentioned during the morning class.
I thought I've seen her somewhere
"You must be one of the new transfers?" the sensei inquired.
"Hai."
"Introduce yourself to the class before I assign you your seat." The sensei thought of raising questions on her lateness on the first day of class but on second thoughts, he decided not to because the reasons these Eitoku spoiled brats gave are the same lame excuses anyway. He checked the name list instead.
"I'm Fujiwara Sakuyo. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu." With that, she bowed again as a polite gesture. But this time, the bow attracted more than just stares. Gasps of surprises followed by loud murmurings were distinctively heard throughout the class. The sensei felt absolute relief that he did not probe about her tardiness when Sakuyo confirmed his suspicions about the four new names that he just saw on his class list. Man! He should have attended the last-minute meeting the principal held this morning!
*Flashback*
"Takuya-sensei." The principal appeared behind him when he was heading for the first class.
"Why didn't you attend the meeting this morning?"
"I ah… had something personal to attend to, sorry for that." Actually he's just plain lazy to get out of bed when he receives the call from his colleague.
"It's alright. I just want to announce that you have four new students in your class. I've already added them in your class list and…" the bell for class rings.
"4 new students? Ok, I know what to do. I gotta go for class now, talk to you later, principal!" with that, Takuya-sensei came striding towards his class…
*End of Flashback*
"Fuji.. Ahem.. Fujiwara-san, I suppose the other three is your sister and friends, am I right?" the sensei cautiously questioned, thinking his probing should end there.
"Hai."
It's her! She turned out to be my classmate!
The sensei scanned the class, looking for a suitable place for her. "Hmm… do you mind sitting in front of Makino-san first? Before I arranged for a suitable seating arrangement for the four of you." With just a nod, Sakuyo saunters towards her seat.
She… she's walking towards me! Why is my heart pounding so fast?!
When Sakuyo reach her desk, she shot a lazy glance at Tsukushi. Though her face remains impassively cool, Tsukushi could sense she was a bit startled but the expression was transient.
What an ALOOF GIRL!
Luckily it was the elder twin. If it was the younger twin, he might not be excused as easily as just a nod. The sensei thought as he prepares to continue his lessons. The younger twin is known for her fiery temper by all sensei in Eitoku and this elder one, though appears pokerfaced, is said to even-tempered although most people can't seem to get close to her other than the preferential minority. The other two, who is their closest friends of all, is branded as the friendly two. He could still remember the chaos that F4 and F4 created when both groups were of the same school – Eitoku Elementary. Now thinking of it, chaotic situations are going to arise again now that both groups reunited in the same school again – Eitoku High. Eh? F4 and F4? Yeah… just the name alone is going to bring lots of unwanted disorder among the students. And the worst of all… fancy them thinking they have seen the last of them when they left for the U.S. during Grade 3…
"Ok! Quiet, CLASS!! Let's get back to our lessons!" the class didn't seem to heed sensei's words as they continue their gossips about this 'same old brand new' student. Only Sakuyo took her books out and flipped the pages to where the sensei stopped. Only then did the class stopped their chattering and resumed to their books.
Their command over the students did not diminished over the years
The thought flashed across the sensei's mind as an uneasy frown darkened his disposition.
"As I was saying, the land area…" the sensei's voice faded in the background as Tsukushi looked at her new classmate sitting in front of her.
There she is, sitting in front of me, looking so… so… Rui? Well, at least, she gave me a sense of tranquillity when she's around… like Hanazawa Rui. I wonder how she managed to maintain a poker face all the time… now… the other three… why does the sensei and the whole class reaction give me a feeling that something messy is going to happen? Fujiwara Sakuyo… Who exactly is she?
~*~*~
Somewhere in the streets of Tokyo, a girl whose outlook appears to be identical as Fujiwara Sakuyo, sat in an alfresco café, sipping a nice hot cappuccino all by herself. The only difference between the two would only be the bandages at her left ankle and hand, which are injured during the course of last night activities…
Looking at her antique pocket watch, Fujiwara Sakiyo mutters, "They are supposed to be waken by now."
Sakiyo thought of finding the friendly two when dawn came but on second thoughts, Sakiyo decided to have the time all by herself. It's been ages since she enjoyed a cup of coffee in the morning peacefully in such a nice and warm ambience but as the hours goes by, she miss the lively chattering of Shiori and Sanako. She was about to call the two when…
"Eh?" Her cell phone signals the battery was low.
I must have forgotten to charge it
Sakiyo signed as she reminisces last night's events. She was racing, and just when she thought she was about to bid the world goodbye, she met Akira… Mimasaka Akira. And she actually said Hideto is her boyfriend! Judging from the looks of Akira, Sakiyo reckoned Akira didn't believe what she said, but he went along with it, accepting what Sakiyo said.
"Arrgghh!!!" Sakiyo grimaced; scratching her head, thinking that only a real baka will say things like that! Everyone in the whole wide world knows she is engaged to Hayashida Kenichi, not Hisashi Hideto! By saying things like that, it's obvious she have not gotten over her confession! And she was in such distress that she totally forgot she was injured. Only after they parted did Sakiyo feel the intense pain in her ankle and hand and she was hush back to her mansion before she knew it. But now thinking of Akira, Sakiyo can't deny he has turned out to be a fine young man…
AH!! What am I thinking?! That was only a childhood crush, a childhood infatuation! Now! It's over! LONG OVER! What am I still embarrassed about?! So what if he turned out to be good?! It's none of my business!!
"ARGH!" Oblivious to her, all eyes already turned to her in unison when she was whining to herself, now that she slapped her table hard…
"What are you looking at, dumbo?!"
"Soorrry…" the passer-by quickly whisk away.
Looking at her cell phone again, Sakiyo called for the waiter.
"Ye…yes, Madam?" Looking at the waiter with a disgruntled face, Sakiyo retorts, "Why are you trembling?"
"Not.. nothing…"
"Now you're stammering, is this the way you talk to customers?"
"No Madam!"
Shaking her head disappointingly, Sakiyo continues, "Anyway, may I use the phone here?"
"We don't have one."
"EH?!" was Sakiyo's disgruntled response.
The waiter sweatdrops as they became the centre of attention. He has not seen any girl as tetchy as this customer right in front of him before. Keeping himself in composure, the waiter seeks to pacify her…
"Act… actually we do have one, it's just that it's not working."
Instead of being pacified, Sakiyo looks even more irritated "What did you say just now?"
"Eh? Oh, I said that the phone is not…" "Before that…" Sakiyo impatiently interjects. "Before that?" Scratching his head, the waiter inquired, "What did I say before that?"
Sakiyo let out an exasperated sign. "You really test my patience, waiter boy…" In a calm tone, she continues, "You said that the café doesn't have a phone but the next minute you said that it's out of order. So… looks like you don't like this job very much…"
Upon realization of what Sakiyo will and CAN do, the waiter immediately responds with an apologetic bow, "Gomen! Hondo ni GOMEN NASAI!!"
Ignoring what the waiter said, Sakiyo drawled, "How long has it been?"
"… It's almost a week now…"
"A WEEK?! It's been almost a week and yet no one at the café bothers to get a new phone?!"
Ignoring their stares and gossips, Sakiyo snaps, "What if there's an emergency?"
"But so far…"
"I said WHAT IF!"
"Hai!!"
People around them were anticipating what Sakiyo would say next, but instead of continuing chiding the waiter, Sakiyo just sat quietly at her seat, looking intently at the waiter. The waiter thought it is strange for her to stop her reprimanding and thus leans towards her, feeling befuddled. "Nani?"
"Nani? You're asking me NANI?! GO get a phone for me! Isn't that basic Customer Service? Tending to the needs of customers?"
"Ha.. ha.. HAI!!!"
When the waiter frantically search for someone who can lend his/her cell phone, everyone turns away. It's not that nobody wants to help the helpless waiter; it's just that nobody dares to lend Sakiyo his/her phone.
"I'm dead…" the waiter thought hopelessly as he looked around, with everyone turning away their faces.
"Yo!"
The waiter gasped, frozen in his tracks.
Seeing no reaction from the waiter, Sakiyo called again, this time in a louder tone. "Yo! I'm calling you, waiter boy!"
The waiter turned back slowly, expecting another rebuke from this Madam. "What is it, Madam?"
"Forget it… just get me the bill."
"Ohh! Hai!" and he ran along to get the bill. Sakiyo, while feeling peeved at her situation was digging in her exquisite pouch when she found a big hole at the bottom of her pouch.
"Where's my purse?" Sakiyo was talking to herself but a kid answered her.
"A big brother took it while you were rebuking the waiter brother."
But the mother doesn't seem to be too happy seeing her daughter talking to this grumpy woman. Tugging her daughter, she whispered, "Mind your own business! Don't talk to her!"
Troubled brows darken her disposition as she grumbled. "I can't believe it! First, my cell phone battery was dead… then I couldn't find one damn phone, with the waiter looking and BEING so dim-witted… and now my purse is gone! Together with all those things inside! To think I can have some nice time by myself! OH! This is infuriating!!"
"Nan DA YO?!" Sakiyo snapped when she saw a figure overshadowing her.
"Yo.. your bill." *Sweatdrop*
Looking intently at the waiter, Sakiyo was about to retort when the waiter speaks. "I'll treat you!"
Raising a questioning brow, Sakiyo leans in, "You're sure?"
"Ye.. Yeah."
For a second, Sakiyo just stared at him, saying nothing. "I can't let you do that. We hardly knew each other. And I know you don't earn much as a waiter. I'm sure you still have other things to pay for."
"Eh?!" The waiter, as well as the people were amazed to hear those very words actually came out of her. Instead of ranting, her tone actually sounded quite placid compared to just now.
"What's your name, waiter boy? And your address… I'll send the money to your home."
The waiter couldn't believe his ears. She actually wanted to return the money! "There's no… no need for the money. It's alright; I can cope with the remaining money… really…"
"So you're refusing me… no one dared to refuse me so far." The waiter gulps as she cupped her face casually with her hand.
"My name is Shingo Takumi! My address is Street 43…"
"So you thought I'm a memory card…" Sakiyo cuts him off.
"I.. I.. write it down for you then" The waiter then writes his address and his full name on his notebook. Handing Sakiyo the note, the waiter manages a weak smile. "There."
Sakiyo took the note and study it a little. "Be sure to open your letter box tonight. Ja."
As Sakiyo was standing up, the waiter commented, "You are a very nice girl."
Grinning smugly back at the waiter, Sakiyo answered, "Need you to tell me?"
Sakiyo was hobbling away when the waiter yell behind her. "I'll never forget this incident today! You taught me so much about customer service! I will work hard and be the best waiter around!"
Without turning her back, Sakiyo shows a V-sign to the waiter.
~*~*~
"Now, where could she be?" it was break time and Tsukushi thought Sakuyo was fast in walking out of the classroom upon the ringing of the bell, ignoring the classmates' greetings and stares as she headed for the door. Opening the doors of the emergency staircase, Tsukushi let the cool breeze fall upon her face, absorbing the freshness of the air.
"This place is the best!" Tsukushi remarked with close contented eyes. But she thought she saw something at the corner of her eyes. Turning her head sharply, she saw Sakuyo sitting on the balcony of the emergency staircase, staring at her.
"Kyaa!!!" Tsukushi stumbles a few steps back to accept this sudden intrusion. Sakuyo chuckles silently, revealing a sweet curve on her mouth before she turns back to her front. Tsukushi thought that was unbelievable. Recovering herself, Tsukushi speaks, "Why didn't you speak when I was talking? That could well scare a man to death!"
"Do I look that hideous?" Sakuyo answers while still concentrating her attention at the scenery in front of her.
"No… not really, it's just that…"
"Do you always come here?" Sakuyo cuts her off at the same time the impassive expression comes back when Sakuyo turns to look at her. Tsukushi nods and nothing was said. Looking at Sakuyo who was quietly in her own thoughts, Tsukushi seeks to come closer to her by standing by her side, her arms lounging casually at the balcony. Still, nothing was said. As Tsukushi looked down, she thought it was pretty dangerous for one to sit at the balcony, especially when one's legs are hanging in mid-air.
"Do you want to come down? It looks pretty high here."
"No." And silence resumes again. And it lasted until break is over.
"Don't you want to go back to class?"
"No." was all Sakuyo said.
Me too
Tsukushi thought as she sniggers, finally catching Sakuyo's attention.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Hm.. Huh? Nothing, I just thought it was funny." And she sniggers again. Sakuyo just stares at her.
Suddenly the doors of the emergency staircase were pushed opened and when both girls fixed their eyes on the doorway, they realized it was Hanazawa Rui, who looked surprised upon seeing the view in front of him.
"Hanazawa Rui." Tsukushi cheerfully greets. Rui just fixed his stares intently at Sakuyo who managed a lopsided smile.
Oblivious about the situation, Tsukushi decides to introduce both of them.
"Hanazawa Rui, This is my new classmate, Fujiwara S.."
"Sakuyo." Rui finishes her sentence.
"Long time no see… Rui."
Tsukushi stood in the middle of the two, mystified.