Chapter 2 – The Blizzard covering the sun
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Shigeru entered the room and found Kazuma, Kyousuke, Tsukino and Ken staring at him.
" What is it?"
Tsukino stepped towards Shigeru. " What happened between you and Kikyou?"
Shigeru shrugged and looked away. " I think it's none of your business."
" It is our business! Kikyou left a letter stating that she is going away for a month! Now, our chance of winning in the Yakitate! 9 challenge is less than a hundred percent!" wailed Kyousuke.
Shigeru looked at him with an icy stare. " We shouldn't be too dependent on that girl."
" That girl! But she's our friend!" protested Kyousuke.
" He's your friend not mine! Now if you keep on saying that girl's name, you better start looking for another employee!" hissed Shigeru and slammed the door in Kyousuke's face.
" I wonder what happened." Said the ever-innocent Kazuma.
" They must have had an argument. I think it's a love quarrel." Suggested Ken.
" A love quarrel? But I never thought that both of them had a relationship." Wondered Tsukino.
" Oh, they didn't have a relationship. It's in the matter's of jealousy." Answered Ken.
" Jealousy? Wait, why the heck do you know these things?" asked Kyousuke.
Ken shrugged. " I just know."
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Shigeru sat on the grass and looked up the sky. So this is how she deals with the problem, he thought. She runs away.
" Coward." He murmured as an airplane passed by.
Kikyou looked down from the airplane, as if sensing Shigeru. " Sorry." She murmured. " I just needed to go. I'm not leaving you alone."
Hiro patted Kikyou's nervous hand. " It's going to be fine."
" I'm worried about them. I'm worried about Shigeru." She replied. Kikyou's other hand grabbed the necklace Shigeru had given him when they were still in Harvard.
Hiro let go of Kikyou's hand and sighed. " You still love him don't you?"
Kikyou blushed slightly. Then she nodded. " I don't know what I did wrong that made him become so cold to me. I thought that maybe going away for sometime could help."
" No. They'll just think you're abandoning them. A letter is not enough." Argued Hiro.
Kikyou sighed. " You're right. But I think it's better to keep distance for a while. It will give us some time to think."
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Shigeru stared at a picture in his bedroom. It used to be his favorite one. He and Kikyou was sitting in a bench, eating pizza. However, since the Monaco tournament, this picture became the most painful one to look at.
I thought I had a chance, he thought. I thought that since Hiro is gone, I could be with Kikyou. But I was wrong.
Shigeru sighed and took the picture from the table. He took one last look at the picture and tore it to pieces. Then he threw it away.
It hurts. The only way I can stop a bleeding wound is by applying ice.
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" Do you think you could keep this secret from your father? Even though I'm helping you out by pretending that we still have a relationship, I don't think Higurashi-san is too stupid not to notice your feelings for Shigeru." Said Hiro as the plane landed in Paris.
" I don't think so too. He'll soon find out. He hated Shigeru ever since he found out that he was one of the heirs to the Hashiguchi company." Replied Kikyou.
" Then what are you going to do?"
" I can't tell him about my feelings for Shigeru. He will surely find ways to make Shigeru's life miserable. If anything happens to Shigeru, the blame is on me." Answered Kikyou.
I'm sorry Shigeru, Kikyou silently whispered in her head. This is the only way.
Kikyou and Hiro walked towards the Mr. Higurashi's car.
" Well, well, well. How is my beautiful daughter?" Mr. Higurashi asked as they entered the limousine.
" I'm fine father. It's nice to see again."
" It's nice to see you too my dear. Oh, it's good that you are here Hiro. Now we can talk about the wedding."
Kikyou's eyes widened. " Wedding? Dad! I'm only sixteen."
" Yes, you're daughter is right Mr. Higurashi. Even though we are both finish with school, we are still too young for this matters." Said Hiro who also looked surprised.
" Oh, I think it's necessary. I already prepared for your wedding. Kikyou, I already talked to Paris' leading gown designers and we decided to hold your marriage in the most famous cathedral in France, Notre Dame." Continued Mr. Higurashi.
" When is the wedding?" asked Kikyou and Hiro saw panic rising in her eyes.
" Hmmm…a month from now. Yes, I think that time would be enough to prepare. Unless you would have other plans…"
" Yes! We do have other plans! Um…I have a bread tournament in a week and I just flew here to talk to you. I also have…um…a figure skating competition in London and-"
" You'll just have to cancel your plans Kikyou. You're wedding is the most important. Hiro, your father and I have decided that after your marriage, the Mizuhuko Corporation and the Higurashi group of companies are going to merge giving both of you the power over both companies. This will make our companies more powerful. I already posted an article about your wedding in newspapers all over the world since Kikyou has many fans and-"
" YOU DID WHAT!" Kikyou shrieked making Hiro jump. " You posted an article about our wedding and now almost all of the whole world knows about our wedding!"
Mr. Higurashi nodded.
Kikyou turned pale. Oh no. Shigeru.
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Shigeru entered Pantasia's Southern Tokyo branch and found Kazuma, Kyousuke, Tsukino and Ken sitting around the kitchen table with a newspaper on it. Their faces were grave.
" Hey, what' up?" Shigeru asked as he picked up the newspaper.
He scanned it and froze on a certain article.
" Japan's pop star betrothed." It read.
Japan's ultimate pop star princess, Higurashi Kikyou, is betrothed to the heir of the Mizuhuko Corporation, Mizuhuko Hiro. Both were seen in the airport getting a flight to Paris, France wherein the wedding will be taking place….
Kyousuke, Kazuma, Tsukino and Ken looked at him anxiously. Then, Shigeru placed the paper back on the table. After a few moments he smiled at them.
" Why the long faces? Shouldn't you all be happy that your friend is getting married? Anytime now, invitations will come and you will all have a chance to go back to Paris and enter the famed Notre Dame." Said Shigeru.
" Aren't you affected by it?" asked Ken. Shigeru looked at him and gave him a questioning look.
" Affected? Why should I be affected?" replied Shigeru.
" The two of you are close, aren't you?" continued Ken.
Shigeru shrugged and gave a casual look. " Long ago, we were. Now she's nothing but the past for me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something to do. By the way," he included. " May I borrow your newspaper?"
Ken just nodded.
Shigeru got the newspaper from the table and exited the room.
" What happened? Why was that his reaction? If I were him, I would go to France and pull Kikyou out of that place." Commented Kyousuke.
Ken just shrugged.
Shigeru leaned on the wall of the alley beside the store. He slipped down and sat on the pavement. He stared on the article and tears began falling from his eyes.
" So this was why you left me." He murmured. " I hate you! I hate you!"
" Shigeru."
Shigeru looked up and found Tsukino, Kazuma and Kyousuke looking at him.
" Are you alright?" Tsukino asked. Shigeru didn't reply. He just continued crying.
" I loved her." He whispered. " I loved her so much. Why? Why?"
Kazuma patted Shigeru's shoulder.
" Why!"
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Kikyou sat down on the bed and tears began to fall down from her eyes.
Shigeru, I'm sorry. She thought. I won't forgive myself if anything happens to you. This is the only way. You have suffered too much.
Kikyou stared at the necklace that Shigeru gave her. She touched it and adored the turquoise stone encrusted on the middle of the golden heart pendant. She still remembers the words that Shigeru used to describe the necklace her had given her.
" I chose the turquoise stone because it represents Hathor, the Egyptian Goddess of love and beauty. It suits you Kikyou and I hope you will keep it."
" I will. Thank you."
Thank you Shigeru, Kikyou thought. This is the highest form of love that I felt in my whole life. You filled the empty space in my heart. I will always keep this necklace, as I had promised.
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I hate you. I wish I never knew you. I hate you Kikyou.
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I love you. I'm having no regrets that I met you. I love you, Shigeru.
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The Blizzard covers the sun as pain and hatred covers a warm heart, turning it into an icy abyss.
But the sun will always rise, as love will always prevail.
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