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Chapter 18: Hiroko's Farewell

Kogure was playing basketball in the sports hall listlessly. He then did a three-point shot and the ball bounced off the rim.

"Kiminobu!"

Kogure turned and his eyes widened.

Hiroko was there at the door, smiling at him.

Kogure smiled back in delight and made his way to her. He grabbed her hands and pulled her into his arms.

"Hiroko, I miss you."

Hiroko didn't say anything. Kogure released her.

"Don't leave me again, all right?" he asked as he held her hands.

Hiroko just stared at him sadly and shook her head. "I have to go."

"Nani? Again? To where?" asked Kogure anxiously.

"Don't ask me, onegai…" Hiroko and pulled her hands out of Kogure's grasp. "I'm leaving. Sayonara."

After giving Kogure a goodbye kiss, she turned and started to run.

"Hiroko, chotto matte!" called Kogure. "Don't go, please!"

"No…"

"Kogure…"

"Hiroko, please…"

"Kogure…"

Kogure suddenly sat upright at his seat, yelling, "Hiroko, don't leave me!"

Silence.

Breathing heavily, Kogure wiped away the sweat from his forehead.

"He's dreaming again…"

"It's the fourth time this week…"

"Poor Kogure…"

Kogure looked around and finally realized that he was in a class. All of his classmates were looking at him in fear and anxiety. Slowly, Kogure got up.

"Gomen nasai, Sensei." said Kogure quietly to his teacher.

"You need to go the infirmary, Kogure." suggested his teacher.

Shaking his head slightly, Kogure said, "I… I think I need some fresh air."

"You are excused." said his teacher.

Immediately, Kogure walked out of the class. Once the door closed behind him, his classmates began to whisper.

The teacher shook her head in sympathy. "Poor child."

"Kogure…" thought Akagi and sighed.

Kogure was excused from the rest of the classes and was allowed to go home. Instead of going home, he walked on the shopping street, thinking about the places he and Hiroko went.

He passed by a sports equipment shop and saw all the beautiful tennis rackets on display.

Immediately, he remembered how he and Hiroko met. It was like just yesterday when she hit him with her tennis ball by accident… Hiroko was so active and beautiful back then…

Everytime when they were together, Kogure would always see a smile on Hiroko's face. Her smile was radiant and Kogure loved to see it when it appeared. He loved the way her lips curved when she smiled and he sometimes would simply lean forward and captured that smile with his own lips…

But now he never got a chance to see it again. Hiroko was dead.

Remembering Hiroko's death, tears filled his eyes and sniffling, Kogure wiped them away and continued his way.

"Gather!" yelled Akagi at the sports hall during the basketball practice.

Everyone hurried to gather.

"Eh? Akagi, where's Kogure?" asked Mitsui as he looked around.

Silence.

"He doesn't have the mood to attend." said Akagi finally.

"Again?" asked Mitsui quietly.

"Kogure sempai…" thought Ayako.

Silence.

"When is he going to stop feeling depressed? We are all upset as well." said Sakuragi. "I know it's hard to get over your loved one's death, but it's time for him to get a grip."

Immediately, he made his way towards the door.

"Sakuragi, where are you going?" asked Ayako.

"Find Megane-kun and wake him up." said Sakuragi, showing Ayako his fist.

Instantly, Mitsui and Miyagi knew what Sakuragi was going to do. They rushed to Sakuragi and held him back.

"Oi, let go of me!" yelled Sakuragi.

"Dame! You will make things worse!" said Miyagi.

"Let Kogure be!" said Mitsui and turned to the younger students. "Don't just stand there! Help us stop Sakuragi!"

As the rest of the basketball team (except Rukawa, who just sighed and shrugged helplessly) went to help Mitsui and Miyagi, Akagi turned to Anzai. "Sensei, what shall we do about Kogure?"

"Akagi… Kogure will come back when he wants to come back." said Anzai.

Kogure didn't get home until night and once he did, he went to his bedroom and locked himself up in it.

Lying on his bed in darkness, Kogure hadn't the mood to do anything else. For a few times, he thought he might as well just lie there and die of a broken heart… then he could join Hiroko…

Knock Knock

Kogure blinked and lifted his head slightly at the sound.

"Kiminobu? Are you asleep?" asked his mother in concern outside.

"Iie, Okaasan," said Kogure quietly.

"You have a visitor."

Kogure closed his eyes and lay his head back onto his pillow. "I don't want to see anybody."

"Demo, Kiminobu, he says that he can't leave without seeing you first, because he has something important to give you."

Kogure was silent for a while before he got up. "Okay, I will see him."

Kogure was surprised to see who's at the door.

"Sendoh?"

"Konbanwa." said Sendoh, nodding slightly. He was wearing a suit (which, to Kogure, looked rather odd on the Ryonan Ace Player) and had a large suitcase in his hand. He also had a small box in his other hand.

"How are you doing?" asked Sendoh.

"Not so good. You?"

"Bad." said Sendoh quietly.

"Um… what's with the suitcase?" asked Kogure.

"Actually, that's the reason why I'm here. I'm here to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?"

Sendoh nodded. "I'm leaving Japan."

Kogure blinked in surprise. "Where are you going?"

"America."

"Will you be coming back?"

Sendoh smiled slightly and shook his head. "I don't want to come back here any more. Too many memories. I want to start anew in America."

"Oh."

"There's another reason why I'm here…" said Sendoh and put down his things.

He took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "Hiroko wants me to give this to you in case… well, she dies. I helped her wrote it while she was in the hospital."

Kogure stared at the letter before he swallowed and took it.

"Ah, and this too…" said Sendoh, picking up the box. "It's Hiroko's music box. Her parents were sorting through her stuff when they saw it. They found out that it's you who gave it to her, so they asked me to pass it to you. They figured that you might want it."

Kogure took the box. "A-arigato."

Sendoh smiled slightly and picked up his suitcase.

"Read the letter, okay? I have to go to the airport now…" said Sendoh and turned.

"Do you want me to see you off?" asked Kogure.

Sendoh paused for a while and shook his head. "No need. Just read the letter."

"Okay."

"By the way… although you and Hiroko can't be together…" Sendoh turned and smiled at Kogure. "I still treat you as my future cousin-in-law."

Kogure smiled slightly and held out his hand. Sendoh took it.

"Good luck." said Kogure, shaking Sendoh's hand.

"Arigato. Sayonara."

"Sayonara. Give my regards to the basketball team. If you ever return to the team, that is." he said and left.

Kogure went back to his room and sat down on his desk. Quickly, he unfolded the paper and read it:

Dear Kiminobu,

First, I want to apologize for not being able to fulfil my promise to you, gomen nasai.

Thank you so much for loving me this few months. I really cherish our relationship and the happy times we have.

Ever since I know that I'm betrothed to Akira, I thought that I will never have a chance to love.

But that's before I met you.

You bring me joy, friends like Ayako, Haruko, Mitsui… and most importantly, love. You love me with all your heart and I know that. For some reason, I know that our relationship won't have a happy ending, but I don't care. I just want to love you and enjoy our relationship while it lasts.

What a great price I have to give in order to love you! But since I already have a chance to love, I will leave the mortal world without regrets.

Kiminobu, although I have died, I have never truly left you. I heard that when a person dies, he or she will become one of the stars in the night sky. I'm now a star in the night sky, watching you. You must be strong and live on happily.

Remember, I'm still by your side.

Aishiteru.

Hiroko

Kogure put down the letter and closed his eyes. He opened them and took out Hiroko's music box. Slowly, he winded it up.

As the soft music filled the air, he thought of all the wonderful moments that he and Hiroko shared. Smiling slightly at the memories, Kogure got up and went to the window. He then pushed it open and looked up to the night sky, where million of stars shined.

"Hiroko… I promise you… I will get back on my feet… Don't worry... aishiteru."

The Shohoku basketball team was practicing again in the sports hall on a Saturday. When they were about to start practice, the hall's doors opened.

"Kogure!" exclaimed Miyagi.

"Kogure sempai, you're back!" cried Ayako in delight.

Smiling slightly, Kogure nodded and went to Anzai.

"I'm back, sensei." said Kogure, bowing at the coach.

"Ho ho ho…" said Anzai sensei, pleased.

"Oi, Kogure, daijobu?" asked Mitsui.

Kogure smiled again. "I'm all right now."

He turned to Akagi. "Let's start practice."

"Yoshi, everyone together now!" called Akagi.

Everyone, including Kogure, all lowered themselves at the center of the court. Together, they yelled, "Shohoku! Gambatte!"

Anzai smiled at Kogure, who was now jogging around the hall with the rest of the team. He was glad that Kogure could finally pull himself together, even though it might still take him a while to get over Hiroko's death completely.

Gambatte, Kogure! Today is a brand new day!

The End