Chapter 03 - So Close Yet So Far
The morning sunshine greeted her as she drew her curtains and the gush of morning wind blew through the room as she opened the windows. "A very good morning indeed," she muttered, taking in breath of the fresh air. "Tsukushi, are you there?" asked Shigeru as she knocked on the door impatiently. "Huh?" a bewildered Tsukushi spun around to face her door, "Shigeru?"
The knock increases in intensity and a disbelieving Tsukushi hurried across her room to open the door. Still in her pyjamas, she could not believe her eyes as Shigeru, Sojiro, Akira and a tied-up Tsukasa stood at the doorway.
"Tsukushi!" exclaimed Shigeru as she hugged her. "What...what are all of you doing here?" stammered a surprised Tsukushi, looking from Shigeru to Sojiro to Akira to a tied-up Tsukasa, "And why is he all tied up?" Tsukasa's muffled growl could be heard as he tries to struggle free of Sojiro's and Akira's grip. "We thought this would be your welcoming present to Boston University," said Sojiro, smiling. "Yup! We reckon this would be the best present," echoed Akira. Shigeru nodded fervently.
The trio ousted Tsukushi out of her doorway and dragged Tsukasa into the room, as she stood shocked at the turn of events. "This is definitely not a good morning," thought Tsukushi, looking across her room at the four figures. "Let go of him," she said, walking towards them, "What do you think you're doing? This is no joke..."
"Tsukushi, this is a very nice room," said Shigeru, ignoring her request. "We agree," said the other two, inspecting the room. Sensing that they are not going to do as instructed, Tsukushi sighed and helped Tsukasa with the ropes. The moment the ropes are loosen, Tsukasa lunged at the two boys, shouting, "What's this all about?! And why did you use the electricity on me?!"
"Electricity?" a puzzled Tsukushi looked on. "Calm down," pleaded Sojiro as Tsukasa tighten his grip on the guy's throat and the other on Akira's. "How can I?" replied Tsukasa angrily, "For no rhyme or reason, I'm tied up and brought all the way here!" Shigeru tried to help but the look on Tsukasa made her back away.
"Makino," called out Akira, "Help!" Breaking out of her reverie, Tsukushi grabbed a book and threw it at Tsukasa. "Using violence again," she said angrily. Sojiro and Akira seized the opportunity to get away as Tsukasa fall onto the floor from the impact of the throw. Rubbing his forehead, he got up slowly and stared coldly at her before replying, "The pot calling the kettle black!"
"Ah!" screamed Shigeru, surprising all of them, "Tsukasa knows an idiom!" The other three broke into laughter as they realised the meaning behind Shigeru's comment. "What are you all laughing about?" said an annoyed Tsukasa, "I'm not stupid, you know." Tsukushi smiled at the clowning as Tsukasa looked on. "She's just as beautiful," he thought, "She's so close yet so far..." Their eyes met.
"Doumyoji is standing here in front of me again," thought Tsukushi, "He's looking at me with those eyes of his...those ever so gentle eyes of his..."
"Tsukushi," interrupted Shigeru. Tsukasa and Tsukushi looked away immediately, embarrassed by the sudden intrusion. "Oh! Did I just..." Sojiro and Akira nodded, trying to suppress their giggles before she could finish her sentence. "Is there something you want to ask me?" asked Tsukushi immediately. "Yes! Show us around!" exclaimed an excited Shigeru, slipping her hand into Tsukushi's arm, "Let's go!"
"Huh?! Wait! Shigeru..." protested Tsukushi as she was dragged out of the room, "I'm not dressed!"
************
"It's so beautiful here," exclaimed Shigeru as she gazed at the river, "Isn't it exciting to have your school located along the banks of this river, Tsukushi?" Tsukushi nodded. "Ah, ah...I like this place," Shigeru continued, "Maybe I should transfer here for a year too. Oh! What's that?" As Shigeru bounces off towards the Castle, Tsukushi turned to look at the three lanky boys a short distance away. "What are they doing here?" she wondered, "The three of them must have something up their sleeves. It can't be just visiting..."
************
"Tsukasa," said Sojiro quietly, "You must grab this opportunity and make it work between the two of you." Akira nodded and said, "We have worked so hard to bring the two of you together. Try not to disappoint." Tsukasa utter no words as he stared blankly at the river. "Tsukasa, are you listening?" asked Sojiro, nudging him. "Ya," mumbled Tsukasa. "We'll take care of things in Japan for you," said Akira, "Just stay here and spend the year with her. Work things out together."
"You think I don't want to?" replied Tsukasa quietly, "I can't if she's not willing." Both looked at him quietly. "You're worried about your mother, are you?" asked Sojiro. Tsukasa made no reply. "Oneesan will take care of that," assured Akira, "Besides, no one knows that you're here." Tsukasa gave a smug and replied, "It's not as easy as you think. That old hag will have her ways...but I'm not worried about that. It's Makino..."
Sojiro and Akira smiled. "You don't have to worry about that," both chirped happily. "Huh?" exclaimed a bewildered Tsukasa. Both grinned and refused to divulge further.
************
"TSUKUSHI!" called out Shigeru loudly, waving at her. Embarrassed by her loudness, Tsukushi hurried over to her side leaving the other three by the river. "What's this building?" asked Shigeru, pointing to the Castle. "It's known as the Castle," replied Tsukushi, "It's the focal point of the university's social life."
"Wooo!" said Shigeru, "Let's go in and take a look!" Noticing that the boys were not alongside Tsukushi, Shigeru looked around and having spotted them where she had first left them, she called, "SOJIRO! AKIRA! TSUKASA! COME OVER HERE!" The three boys frowned at her unladylike behaviour but hurried over before she does something embarrassing.
Pointing to the Castle, an excited Shigeru insisted that Tsukushi take them on a tour inside it. "You guys go ahead," said Tsukasa coldly, "I'll stay by the river. Find me there when you're done." Turning on his heels, he left the group and head back to the banks. Tsukushi stared at his back as he walked away while the other three stood dumbfounded.
The morning sunshine greeted her as she drew her curtains and the gush of morning wind blew through the room as she opened the windows. "A very good morning indeed," she muttered, taking in breath of the fresh air. "Tsukushi, are you there?" asked Shigeru as she knocked on the door impatiently. "Huh?" a bewildered Tsukushi spun around to face her door, "Shigeru?"
The knock increases in intensity and a disbelieving Tsukushi hurried across her room to open the door. Still in her pyjamas, she could not believe her eyes as Shigeru, Sojiro, Akira and a tied-up Tsukasa stood at the doorway.
"Tsukushi!" exclaimed Shigeru as she hugged her. "What...what are all of you doing here?" stammered a surprised Tsukushi, looking from Shigeru to Sojiro to Akira to a tied-up Tsukasa, "And why is he all tied up?" Tsukasa's muffled growl could be heard as he tries to struggle free of Sojiro's and Akira's grip. "We thought this would be your welcoming present to Boston University," said Sojiro, smiling. "Yup! We reckon this would be the best present," echoed Akira. Shigeru nodded fervently.
The trio ousted Tsukushi out of her doorway and dragged Tsukasa into the room, as she stood shocked at the turn of events. "This is definitely not a good morning," thought Tsukushi, looking across her room at the four figures. "Let go of him," she said, walking towards them, "What do you think you're doing? This is no joke..."
"Tsukushi, this is a very nice room," said Shigeru, ignoring her request. "We agree," said the other two, inspecting the room. Sensing that they are not going to do as instructed, Tsukushi sighed and helped Tsukasa with the ropes. The moment the ropes are loosen, Tsukasa lunged at the two boys, shouting, "What's this all about?! And why did you use the electricity on me?!"
"Electricity?" a puzzled Tsukushi looked on. "Calm down," pleaded Sojiro as Tsukasa tighten his grip on the guy's throat and the other on Akira's. "How can I?" replied Tsukasa angrily, "For no rhyme or reason, I'm tied up and brought all the way here!" Shigeru tried to help but the look on Tsukasa made her back away.
"Makino," called out Akira, "Help!" Breaking out of her reverie, Tsukushi grabbed a book and threw it at Tsukasa. "Using violence again," she said angrily. Sojiro and Akira seized the opportunity to get away as Tsukasa fall onto the floor from the impact of the throw. Rubbing his forehead, he got up slowly and stared coldly at her before replying, "The pot calling the kettle black!"
"Ah!" screamed Shigeru, surprising all of them, "Tsukasa knows an idiom!" The other three broke into laughter as they realised the meaning behind Shigeru's comment. "What are you all laughing about?" said an annoyed Tsukasa, "I'm not stupid, you know." Tsukushi smiled at the clowning as Tsukasa looked on. "She's just as beautiful," he thought, "She's so close yet so far..." Their eyes met.
"Doumyoji is standing here in front of me again," thought Tsukushi, "He's looking at me with those eyes of his...those ever so gentle eyes of his..."
"Tsukushi," interrupted Shigeru. Tsukasa and Tsukushi looked away immediately, embarrassed by the sudden intrusion. "Oh! Did I just..." Sojiro and Akira nodded, trying to suppress their giggles before she could finish her sentence. "Is there something you want to ask me?" asked Tsukushi immediately. "Yes! Show us around!" exclaimed an excited Shigeru, slipping her hand into Tsukushi's arm, "Let's go!"
"Huh?! Wait! Shigeru..." protested Tsukushi as she was dragged out of the room, "I'm not dressed!"
************
"It's so beautiful here," exclaimed Shigeru as she gazed at the river, "Isn't it exciting to have your school located along the banks of this river, Tsukushi?" Tsukushi nodded. "Ah, ah...I like this place," Shigeru continued, "Maybe I should transfer here for a year too. Oh! What's that?" As Shigeru bounces off towards the Castle, Tsukushi turned to look at the three lanky boys a short distance away. "What are they doing here?" she wondered, "The three of them must have something up their sleeves. It can't be just visiting..."
************
"Tsukasa," said Sojiro quietly, "You must grab this opportunity and make it work between the two of you." Akira nodded and said, "We have worked so hard to bring the two of you together. Try not to disappoint." Tsukasa utter no words as he stared blankly at the river. "Tsukasa, are you listening?" asked Sojiro, nudging him. "Ya," mumbled Tsukasa. "We'll take care of things in Japan for you," said Akira, "Just stay here and spend the year with her. Work things out together."
"You think I don't want to?" replied Tsukasa quietly, "I can't if she's not willing." Both looked at him quietly. "You're worried about your mother, are you?" asked Sojiro. Tsukasa made no reply. "Oneesan will take care of that," assured Akira, "Besides, no one knows that you're here." Tsukasa gave a smug and replied, "It's not as easy as you think. That old hag will have her ways...but I'm not worried about that. It's Makino..."
Sojiro and Akira smiled. "You don't have to worry about that," both chirped happily. "Huh?" exclaimed a bewildered Tsukasa. Both grinned and refused to divulge further.
************
"TSUKUSHI!" called out Shigeru loudly, waving at her. Embarrassed by her loudness, Tsukushi hurried over to her side leaving the other three by the river. "What's this building?" asked Shigeru, pointing to the Castle. "It's known as the Castle," replied Tsukushi, "It's the focal point of the university's social life."
"Wooo!" said Shigeru, "Let's go in and take a look!" Noticing that the boys were not alongside Tsukushi, Shigeru looked around and having spotted them where she had first left them, she called, "SOJIRO! AKIRA! TSUKASA! COME OVER HERE!" The three boys frowned at her unladylike behaviour but hurried over before she does something embarrassing.
Pointing to the Castle, an excited Shigeru insisted that Tsukushi take them on a tour inside it. "You guys go ahead," said Tsukasa coldly, "I'll stay by the river. Find me there when you're done." Turning on his heels, he left the group and head back to the banks. Tsukushi stared at his back as he walked away while the other three stood dumbfounded.