Chapter 8
Why did I have to go and do that? Why did I hug her? Why did I walk her home? Damnit why?
Echizen ran and ran, not knowing where he was going. He just ran.
I can't help myself.
" I didn't know who Ryoma-kun was after my accident, but now that I might regain my memory of him back, I really want to. It's like a big hole in my heart if I don't find out." She had said it. She really said it. I couldn't deny the happiness I felt when I heard her say it. I couldn't stop myself from holding her. I didn't want to stop myself. Echizen you idiot. Now you've gone and done it. Baka yarou! She'll be scared of you now! She'll become cold and distant.
He stopped running and breathed heavily, sweating dripping down his brow and off his chin.
I can't deny it anymore. I've denied it too long. I've been a bastard to her too long. What if she denies my feelings? She's not the same Sakuno anymore. She's not the same girl that used to like me. I think she used to like me….but I was to bone headed to acknowledge it.
He dropped down onto the ground. Unknown to him, he had run to an empty basketball court.
The next morning::
Sakuno walked side by side with Kaidoh all morning since she saw him. Instead of being chirpy and chatty like she always was, she was unusually quiet. She hung her head low and dragged her feet.
Kaidoh tried to ignore the fact that something was upsetting her, and for a while that worked well. Finally his conscience just kicked in and he began to feel uneasy. For the past month or so, he had gotten accustomed to her bright little voice. And also, he was embarrassed to admit that he felt brotherly towards her. He'd never had anyone depend on him so much before. Hazue went through the stage where it was nii-san this and nii-san that, but he grew out of it. Something else that nobody knew was that he liked kids.
Although Sakuno wasn't a little kid, she was only one year his junior, and older than Hazue, her state of memory loss, left her vulnerable and scared of many things. She was on her quest to discover and experience everything yet again. That's what Kaidoh was drawn to, in subtle ways.
"Oy..doushita." he asked.
"Betsuni." She answered and kept on walking. He stared after her with his snake eyes and followed.
"Kaoru-nii, do you have a spare tennis racket?"
"Nani."
"A racket. I want to play. Can I? Kaoru-nii." She turned to him with glassy eyes.
"S-sure." He pulled out an extra racket when they reached the courts.
Now Kaidoh never used to pay attention or see her play, but he had a feeling she wasn't great.
"Just this once please?" she begged him. He gave in and followed her on to a court. He gave her easy serves. Many times she missed, other times she fell over.
He couldn't believe anyone could be so bad.
"Let's stop. Sa—kid." He said after she fell over once more. He wanted to stop partly because she wasn't returning his serves, but also because her hands and legs were getting grazed and bruised.
"No, not yet. I'm not done yet." She said getting up. This time there was this odd fire and anger in her eyes.
Kaidoh shook his head but gave her another serve. This time she chased the ball like mad and smashed it back at him. It caught him by surprise and smacked him right in the chest.
He gave large coughs, and started laughing to himself.
How ironic. I'm having fun with this kid.
From that point on, every (easy) serve he gave her, she returned it. If it didn't bounce in the court then it would be direction right at him. She wasn't angry at Kaidoh, she just couldn't control it.
With some proper training, she'll get better.
Finally, she began to enjoy herself. She ran after the ball no matter where it went and tried to return it. She was perspiring but she was laughing a lot.
Girls, can never understand them. Cheh.. Hsshh.
When she hit the ball outside the court, Kaidoh took that chance to get the ball so she could have a rest. He didn't understand why she didn't quit, because she looked really beat.
Arigato Kaoru-nii. I'm wasting so much of your time. Not just today but all the other days as well. I feel so lonely all of a sudden. Since…that accident, the only person I can remember is you. I know that you're not very fond of that idea, but I'm really fond of you. I've heard people say that you're scary and a very cold person, but I can't seem to see it. You're looking after me…aren't you?... but I don't feel like I belong anywhere.
Echizen Ryoma. I feel that he's a significant person in my life. Was a significant person. But I can't remember. I feel something there, but I'm unsure. After what happened yesterday, I feel that I'm even further away from recovering my memories. Sakuno no baka. You should be feeling closer to something at least! But I feel….the more I grasp the more I seem to fall.
Nande Echizen-kun. Why did you apologise? What happened before my accident? Just when I feel that you're a really nice person, and someone…someone who stirs my heart the way you did, you uncover something that makes me don't want to know my past.
I want my memories, but I don't. I want to run away. I'm so confused!
"Eh?" The ball flew right past her.
Kaidoh was bouncing the tennis ball, getting ready to serve again.
"Oy, what are you doing. Pay attention." He said.
I'm going to get rid of this worry. I'm going to beat it out of my system. It has to go!
But the more she hit, the more anger she felt. The more anger she felt, the more confused she got. It was like her lungs were being filled up with air and she would soon burst. She was unaware of her strikes, but they seemed to target Kaidoh more and more.
"OY KID! What do you think you're doing?" he asked when the ball hit him on the arm for the fifth time. "Oy!" he called more gently and walked over to her side of the court. She had tripped over and remained seated on the ground, facing down.
He squatted down next to her.
"Oy." He poked her shoulder. Silent tears were dripping off her face, and yet she still avoided looking at him. He threw his towel around her shoulder, then, seated himself on the ground more comfortably.
"Doushita, Sakuno." He asked, using her name for the first time. She moved to bury her face in his chest and cried harder.
"Gomen. Gomenasai Kaoru-nii." She sobbed.
I don't understand it. What's she sorry about? Little kids are complicated.
The thing is, Sakuno didn't understand either. She cried for everything. Her fondness of Kaidoh, her apology for Kaidoh, for Echizen Ryoma, for the girl who she used to be, for the girl that she is, and for the girl that she wanted to be.
For once Kaidoh put his arm around her small shoulders and patted her back to soothe her.
***
"EH!!!!" Arai and his friends spotted the viper on the courts. Arai smacked his friend over the head.
"Te-me!! What the hell was that for?!"
"What the hell is going on? What's wrong with Kaidoh senpai? This dream is getting to weird!!" Arai cried.
His two friends looked at him weird. Yes, it was strange to see Kaidoh being affectionate, but damn what the hell is Arai going psycho for.
"Te-me, if you want to see if it's a dream, hit yourself." His friend muttered.
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Thanks for the reviews everyone! Love them! Hope you're enjoying it, somewhat.
Cinpii – Hey you said that zero-shiki was Tezuka's move. Yeah it is, but Echizen can do it as well. I think first appearance of him doing it was ep…um 68 I think? Right after Tezuka's game with Atobe. So yep yep.
Oh and a QUESTION
What do you guys think of my chapters? I mean they're pretty long…PLUS my stories are long. I've noticed that with all my stories (only a few I know) but they're practically more than 15 chapters. Is that too much? Would you recommend I make shorter chapters? Keep going as it is? Or stretch them out REAL REAL long (my stories I mean). Yeps well, opinions appreciated as always! Ja ne.