Chapter 2: Nightmares Again and How It Feels to Run
The Hanjima household was all astir. Saki's grandmother seemed to have fallen ill and was now bedridden for a few days. Nothing serious, but it meant that someone would have to take over the chore of cooking the meals. Saki's mother happily exclaimed that she would do it, but all the other Hanajimas sighed and said simultaneously that if Mrs. Hanajima were to cook, then Saki's grandmother would not be the only one bedridden. This news saddened Saki's mother greatly, but she cheered up rather fast. As always, she was bubbly and very open, very unlike her daughter and son. In the end, it was decided that Saki would cook, for she was the only female resident left. Sighing, Saki left the living room and went upstairs to her own. Settling down on the carpet, she closed her eyes and surrounded herself with her waves. The air crackled around her, and sparks flew at random in a hovering cloud that enveloped her. Her long, thick braid started to unravel and her flowing locks freed themselves and floated like seaweed around her head. Saki sat like this for quite a long time, until she felt herself relax, and all the fatigue and stress melt away into that ominous cloud of static matter. With a sigh of contentment, Saki opened her eyes. The waves disappeared immediately, leaving her with her hair all wild and standing on end, and the air hot and heavy. Gathering up her pajamas, she went to take a shower.
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The air was dark. Sitting in a chair in this darkness was Saki, but she was a younger-looking Saki, about 9 or 10. All she could see around her was faces. Millions of faces, all laughing and sneering at her. She could hear their taunts and jeers, and she could do nothing about it. A wave of helplessness washed over her and she felt like she was going to cry. They just kept on laughing, and laughing, and laughing…until suddenly, Saki couldn't take it anymore. She really wished they would all just go and die. It was then that she felt a spark at her shoulder. The spark grew and grew and grew, until it was a tremendous lightning bolt. Without warning, the lightning bolt flew into the middle of all those faces and burned them all. The sneers turned into horrible, horrible screams. Thousands of voices screaming and screaming and screaming…..until there was no more. No more faces, and no more laughter. Just Saki sitting in the chair, all by herself, in the vast darkness. 'No' she thought. 'I couldn't have killed them…No…No……NO!'
Saki woke with a start. It was morning, and the sun was yet again shining on her face. It had been a while since she had last had that dream. That dream of helplessness that led her to kill…Yes, it had been a while since she had started having nightmares again. 'I must need more sleep…' Saki thought, as she climbed out of bed and got ready for school.
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"Hanajima! I need to talk to you!" Coach beckoned for Saki to follow her to her office.
'Great, it must be about yesterday.' Saki thought bitterly, as she glanced at her friends and told them to go on without her. She then glided silently after Coach.
"Sit, Hanjima. You probably know why you're here. Heck, it's the reason why you're always here. But this time, I have a plan to improve your athletic abilities. As you know, you can't go on to the next year unless you pass the requirements of physical education for this year. Judging by your current progress, you're not going to make it. However, I have an idea. If you train from now until the end of the year with one of our better athletes, and if you work hard and improve, you can go on to the next year with your classmates. But, if you don't improve, you'll have to come to summer practice, and you will have to stay behind. Do you understand Saki?"
"Yes, I understand." Saki could not bear the idea of running in the blazing July sun with Coach at her heels and yelling about her grandmother being faster and what not.
"Very well. Now, about who you are going to train with. He is the fastest one in his class, so if you work cooperatively and diligently, you should be flying down that track in no time." With that, Coach picked up her whistle and got ready to leave.
"So, starting today, you will meet Yuki Sohma after school every other day and practice around the track for an hour. Good luck, Hanjima. I know you'll be able to pull through."
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'Yuki Sohma. I seem to be interacting with him quite a lot these days.' The more Saki thought about it, the more distasteful the idea became. 'He reeks of bad wave vibes, and as Megumi says, he is cursed.' Saki shook her head miserably. 'Now I must stay with him for an hour every other day?' Shaking her head sullenly, Saki walks smack dab into someone. 'I must really not be getting enough sleep. How did my waves not pick up this person's presence?' Lifting her head, Saki apologized quietly and turned to go.
"Hanjima-san?"
Well, speak of the devil.
"It is you Hanjima-san! Did you hear from Coach about us working together?"
Trying to keep from making a face at his overpowering bad wave vibes, Saki nodded and kept walking.
"I'll see you at the track after school then. Bye!" With a small wave, Yuki left.
'That was very odd. He reeks of horrible waves, but I still did not detect his presence. Other people, I would understand, but not being to pick up him? Very odd indeed….I must really be tired.' After readjusting her wave levels, Saki walked on to class.
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"Uh…Hanjima-san? Are you really running the fastest you can?" Yuki stared at Saki with a disbelieving look on his face.
"Yes. I am already overexerting myself." said Saki, as she slowly jogged along the track.
"…sigh… Looks like we have a lot of work to do…" said Yuki, as he shook his head.
"Here, give me your hand. I'll pull you and let's see if you can run faster." With that, he reached out his arms and grabbed Saki's hands. Yuki then pulled her along, slowly at first, then faster. Saki actually felt herself start to pick up the pace. Soon, she was running, slowly, but surely.
'So this is how it feels to run.' Saki thought, as the wind tickled her face gently, and the track flew from under her feet. Slowly, she started to smile. 'This feels good…' She closed her eyes in relaxation.
"Very good! See? You can run!" Smiling encouragingly, Yuki decided to pull her along even faster. This turned out to be a mistake.
Not expecting the sudden change in speed, Saki yanked her eyes open, but it was too late. As she tripped over her own feet, she flew straight towards Yuki. With a crash, they both landed on the track.
'Ow.' thought Saki. 'I think I scraped my knee.' As she opened her eyes, she noticed that she was on top of Yuki, with her hands splayed on both sides of his head. He had his arms on her shoulders, and was holding her up. It was a very awkward position. Without a word, Saki tried to get up. But Yuki wouldn't let her. He tightened his grip on her shoulders, and brought her closer to him.
"Hanjima-san, I have to tell you something…"