Chapter 18: I Remember

HOSPITAL (KIYOTA'S ROOM)

Kiyota opened his eyes, he looked around and saw his parents who was so glad seeing him awake. Mrs. Nobunaga wiped a tear from her eyes and said, "Kiyota my child! I'm so glad to see you awake"

"Okaasan.. daijoubu... I'm all right!" Kiyota replied his voice weak. Mr. Nobunaga smiled and said, "We can see that son. Next time don't try being a hero okay?" Kiyota smiled a little and said, "Yes dad"

Mrs. Nobunaga then showed Kiyota a table filled with get-well Kiyota cards and other get well gifts. "Your friends and class mates visited you frequently while you were unconscious. Especially that beautiful red-head girl from Shohoku"

"Oh you mean Sakuragi Veniz? I see..." Kiyota replied. Mrs. Nobunaga then exclaimed, "And dear Arika also visited you with her brother Shuichi" Kiyota raised and eyebrow and asked, "You know Arika?"

Mrs. Nobunaga exclaimed, "Of course I do Kiyota! Don't tell me you have forgotten about your child hood friend Arika!" Kiyota's eyes nearly popped out to what he had heard, "Childhood friend?!?" he demanded.

"Yes son, Arika Fujisawa was your child hood friend way back in Hokkaido. You always played with her not to mention protect her from bullies" Mr. Nobunaga explained. "However, before you graduated from elementary we move to Tokyo... and since then we never or rather you never saw Arika ever since... not until now"

"Who whould thought she'll be your schoolmate in Kainan? She grew up to be a pretty and beautiful young lady Kiyota. It is so sad to learn that her parents died so early" Mrs. Nobunaga replied. Kiyota wasn't able to speak for a second.

Mr. Nobunaga laughed and said, "Son, don't tell me you're shocked? You never knew?" Kiyota shook his head and exclaimed, "How could I knew? I forgot!" Mr. Nobunaga shook his head, "That's bad son, Arika remembered you and you didn't even remembered her. Ahh that's really bad"

"Yeah... how stupid of me! Arika was my childhood friend... but I don't remember! Not an inch of it" Kiyota replied into his mind recalling his childhood days. Mrs. Nobunaga sighed and said, "Don't stress yourself now, you'll figure it out soon"

Kiyota nod his head. Then suddenly there was a knock on the door. Mr. Nobunaga opened it. "Son, it's your friend Jin!" Jin entered the room carrying a photo album. "Hello Kiyota, nice to see you awake"

"Yeah..." Kiyota replied, he then pointed to the photo album Jin was carrying, "Why are you carrying a photo album?" Jin smiled and said, "Ahh... this is Arika's. I secretly stole it from her. What I found here shocked me." with that he handed Kiyota the photo album.

Kiyota opened the album and gasped. Inside were pictures of him as a child along with a girl wearing glasses. "Jin, this is me way back and whose the girl?" Jin snickered and said, "The girl is Arika idiot! I can't believe you've forgotten that you and Arika are childhood friends"

"I know that... it's just I don't remember" Kiyota replied guiltily. Jin sighed and said, "Well I hope those photos will regain back memories pal."

Kiyota looked through the photo. There was this photo of him playing with Arika. Him and Arika on their first day in elementary school... almost all of the picture in the album is filled of him and Arika, together. "It seems like we're best of friends here..." Kiyota thought.

And just like an old memory, it started to come back to him. One by one as he looks at the photos, he remembered his childhood days with Arika. How he protected her from bullies, how they met, and the day he aid goodbye...

FLASHBACK

"I'm going to Tokyo, me and my parents are going to Tokyo" young Kiyota exclaimed. Arika's face saddened and said, "So I will never see you ever again eh Kiyota-kun?"

"Of course not! You'll see me again Arika-chan!" Kiyota exclaimed cheerfully.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Yeah, we did saw each other again... but when we did, I forgot who you were..." Kiyota wondered. He could feel anger seeping into him. How could he forget? That is like so stupid of him. He gave Jin a look and said, "I remember now Jin"

Jin smiled and said, "That's good" Kiyota looked at the calendar and said, "Shoot, two days from now, it's Kainan's Annual Music Festival!"

"That's right. Arika and the others are practicing very hard that's why they don't have time to visit you anymore" Jin explained. "Oh man! what to do? I still have a week in this hospital, as I know" Kiyota groaned. Jin sighed and said, "Can't be helped pal, I'll video taped everything for you"

Kiyota shook his head and said, "What's the use of that if I can't see Arika perform live? No way Jin, I want to see her sing live, not on video!" Jin grinned and said, "Speaking of Arika... man, she still loves you" Kiyota was stunned to what he has heard.

"She still loves you and she forgives you Kiyota. She didn't stopped crying until she knew that you were all right." Jin replied. Kiyota smiled and said, "I'm such a fool you know" Jin pat his friend on the shoulder and said, "Yeah you're a fool, but it's not too late"

Kiyota sighed and said, "The only way to clear things out is for me to watch her sing in the music festival, but in this condition... I don't think so" Jin looked at Kiyota's parents and grinned, "I think... there's a way my friend"

TO BE CONTINUED

AU: What's Jin up to? hehehe... sorry for the late update!