Can't Let Go
Written by: Jhoeydagger
Chapter Three:
"Amano's with him!" Yukari screamed.
"Shh…quiet Yukari." And they are on their way towards their table.
"I can't believe this! Why is Amano with him?"
"I don't know…I don't know…" she whispered staring at both Amano and Van.
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She held her breath as they approached. * What's he doing with Amano? * is the question that keeps on going into her mind. * friends, close relatives, acquaintance… too many possibilities, endless . * They both stopped in their table.
"Hello…" Amano greeted sitting beside Hitomi who is sitting across Yukari.
"Sit down Van." Amano said offering the sit beside Yukari. Yukari kicked Hitomi's feet under the table giving her a glance and forcing a smile.
"Hello." Yukari said smiling.
"So…what are you doing here?" Yukari asked looking at Amano. Amano laughed. Yukari and Hitomi are both startled.
"I can't believe you both! You didn't even ask what I'm doing with Van and I know you both too well that you really want to know." Yukari and Hitomi looked at each other embarrassed but that didn't stopped Yukari from throwing him one of her books lying on the table. Amano instantly caught it between his fingers grinning at her.
"So you caught us. Why don't you tell us what are you doing with Van here."
"Well…" he put the book back in place.
"He's a cousin."
"A what!" Yukari exclaimed.
"A cousin, I do have cousins Yukari."
"Well! We obviously didn't know that you do! How come, you never told us about having a cousin before?"
"I haven't seen him since we're both a kid and I only remembered him when he visited us last week and told us he wanted to stay here in Tokyo."
"Permanently?" Hitomi asked her voice week.
"Yes. Why?" Amano asked.
"Nothing." Van then stared at her. He leaned forward towards her.
"It seems to me you don't want me to stay." He said his voice again cold and frightening.
"That's not true!" she countered.
"Really? Why then are you curious if I'll stay here long or not?"
"Is it wrong to be curious?" she answered her voice angry.
"No…but curiosity did kill the cat. " His voice sent shivers on her spine.
"Then I should be more careful not to be a cat." Hitomi stood up.
"Wait Hitomi! Come on you two there's no need to be grouchy." Amano said. Hitomi sat down and looked at Van angrily.
"So what are you both doing this summer vacation?" Amano asked.
"We haven't decided yet. Where are you going?" Yukari asked.
"My parents have a vacation house near a sea. If you want to you could come with us."
"Us?"
"Yes us, Yukari. Van is coming too. So what do you think?"
"You know what? I don't understand how come you entered the school at a time like this?" Yukari asked Van.
"A time like what?" Amano asked puzzled.
"It's almost summer time."
"Oh that. Van's a scholar Yukari. He's smart that it wasn't at all hard for us to have him enrolled."
"I see…"
"So are you coming or not? You too Hitomi."
"I'm not sure. I have lots of things to do at home." Hitomi said quite lamely.
"I could…" before Yukari could continue Hitomi kicked her.
"Ouch!" she gasped.
"What?" Amano asked.
"N-nothing."
"So are you coming?"
"I'm not sure Amano, but we'll think about it right Hitomi?" Hitomi nodded.
"By the look on her face she won't." Van said standing up and leaving them looking at his back.
"He's right." Amano agreed looking at Hitomi.
"What!" she wailed.
"Would you think about it?"
"Of course, Amano." Amano then laughed.
"You don't know how to lie, Hitomi."
"What happened? It seems you hate him more today than you did when he drenched your clothes." Yukari relented all that happened that morning. Amano laughed.
"What's so funny?" Hitomi asked.
"I can't believe you said that!"
"I was angry! He should have accepted the gift."
"If I were him I wouldn't."
"What! Why not!" Yukari exclaimed.
"Yukari, if you don't like the guy and he's giving you a gift would you accept it?"
"Yes. Why not?"
"After accepting the gift he then again offered you a gift would you accept it?"
"Yes…I think so. Where the hell is this leading?"
"Then he asked you out, what would you say?"
"Of course no! I don't like him right?"
"Yes…so what do you think would he feel when you said right in front of his face?" Yukari didn't answer.
"See…Van doesn't want to hurt the girls' feelings so he didn't accept the gift." They both looked at Hitomi who's looking down.
"He should have at least told that to the girl." She whispered.
"Van doesn't talk that much."
"But still…"
"Hitomi, it's the way of Van. He doesn't want to hurt her so at least from the very start she wont get the impression that he likes her." * But...it would have been better if he just told her right? * She only nodded.
"Still…he hurt the girl and that's inexcusable!" Yukari pushed on.
"Let's stop talking about it okay." Hitomi said.
"So are you coming or not?" Amano said looking both at Yukari and Hitomi.
"I do love to go Amano but…" Yukari gave an uncertain look at Hitomi.
"I'll think about it." Hitomi gave in.
"Please…Hitomi come with us. This is the very first time we'll all have to go to a place together. Please…for me and Amano." Yukari pleaded.
"I'll think…"
"No! We need your answer right now." Yukari pushed on.
"And you wouldn't have to be with Van all the time because we're both there."
"Okay…I'll come…"
At home…She pushed her window open. It started raining and the dark clouds occupied the sky. It was quite unusual that it would rain nowadays when the summer is already here. She started at the darkened skies thinking things. * Am I right? Shouldn't I've told him that? * She felt the wind blowing away her hair a she stared outside.
"Are you wrong or are you right?" she asked herself.
"Wrong or not, would not make any difference. You don't like this new Van and that's that." She looked at the street. * A little walk might help… * She got up and took her blue jacket and her umbrella then walked outside.
"I'll be back in an hour mom!" She's wearing shorts and a plain fitted shirt. She started walking looking at each side of the street. As she passed the park, she paused and looked around. There were no people around at this time and it was raining. She slowly walked beside a tree. She closed her umbrella and sat down. The leaves of the tree are quite thick that it serves as a roof as she stayed there.
She looked up staring at the sky. * Two years... but nothing really change. * Then she heard a sound. She looked up and saw a man sitting at the tree. His back was resting at the trunk and his head bent down. He seems to be asleep. She slowly got up and was about to leave when he said.
"What are you doing here?" That voice. She looked up and tried to see him more clearly but before she could even blink he jumped in front of her. She stared wide-eyed.
"What are you doing here?" she asked shocked.
"None of your business." He was about to leave when he heard her said.
"Rude as usual." She then opened her umbrella and was about to walked pass him when he took hold of her arm.
"If you don't mind!" trying to pull away.
"Rude am I?"
"Yes! Not only rude but also quite offensive!" she pulled again but he wont let her go.
"If you don't mind…let me go!" she screamed right in front of his face.
"It seems to me you don't like me?" He said his face right in front of her.
"I don't know you!" and again tried to pull away. His nearness seems to cloud her mind and she doesn't like it because this is not the Van she once knew this is someone she doesn't know.
"So, you act this way on those people you don't know?"
"No. I only act like this to those people I don't know and I know by instinct that isn't good mannered at all."
"Really?"
"Really! And I hate to break this to you but you are a rude, arrogant, overconfident and bigheaded bas…" before she could even finish her sentence, he pulled away her umbrella and pushed her against the tree.
"What…" she whispered as his face hovered near her face.
"You know what?" he whispered.
"I hate to break this to you but you talk too much." She could feel his breath against her face. * Why does he have to be so near? * They stared at each other.
"Let me go…" Her voice small, he slowly let her go a small smile tug at his lips as he saw her blushed.
"So that's the secret."
"What secret?" frowning toward him.
"Obviously, you don't want someone attacking you directly."
"Attacking what?" her frown intensified. He didn't answered rather picked up the umbrella and gave it to her.
"Is your instinct wrong sometimes?"
"My what?" she still hasn't recovered from what he did minute ago.
"Your instinct."
"I…don't know."
"Maybe you should check it out if it's wrong or right this time." She didn't answer.
"It's late you better go." He said leaving her.
At school…"He what!" Yukari exclaimed sitting beside Hitomi.
"Shhh…quiet Yukari."
"But why did he do that?" she whispered.
"I think he got mad."
"How dare he…"
"Shhh…here he comes." Pushing Yukari to her seat. She sat back at her chair not even looking at him. * What would he do now? * She felt a hand on her shoulder and a voice on her right ear.
"Good morning…" his voice sent shivers. She pulled away, standing up and frowned at him. He laughed which made the whole class quiet. Girls stared swooning at his sight.
"What's funny?" she demanded.
"Nothing." He then took his seat. She stood there looking at him angrily. * What's he up to? * She looked at Yukari who's also frowning at Van.
The class started and for the first time she had a hard time concentrating on her class. * It's all because of him Hitomi. He's different now and you know it! What's his plan? Why is he acting this way? * She stared at his back frowning at that very instant he looked back staring at her. She didn't move nor did she breathe. * Damn! Why does he have to have Van's face and name! * She looked away, she heard him chuckled.
On the way home…"You're quiet, what's wrong?" Yukari asked.
"Hmm…nothing."
"It's about that Van again isn't it?"
"Yes. And I can't help thinking why he's acting this way towards me. I hate uncertainty, it makes me think things."
"Why don't you use your cards?"
"No! No, Yukari I stopped reading cards two years ago and I won't start now." Her voice hard.
"There's no need to get angry. I'm sorry."
"No…I'm sorry. It's just that…" Hitomi couldn't continue. She looked at Yukari seeing the worried look on her face.
"I'm sorry Yukari." She whispered.
"I know. You don't have to tell me. There's no need to tell me but if ever you need any help Hitomi…"
"I know… you're always right there, quite ready." Yukari smiled and hugged her close.
"Don't ever doubt that Hitomi."
"I won't. I promise."
"Hitomi?"
"You do know I love you right?"
"Of course, Yukari and I love you too that will never change."
"Good! Now let's stop talking about this Van thing. I don't like him and I know you don't like him too. He might be doing this so he could take revenge about what you did to him with that girl."
"But I didn't do anything."
"But he thinks otherwise. Just stay away from him okay?"
"I will…"
To be continued…