Part I

Chapter 7

The temperature outside was finally becoming easier to tolerate as summer lost its influence upon it, the September weather gradually diminishing its hold. The air was still a bit warm, but much cooler in comparison to the furnace of the last few months, some brisk winds even fleeting about the school campus as they attempted to chase the heat away.

It was a decent atmosphere to walk around in now, neither too cold nor too hot, and it was just the way that Minamo liked it.

She descended down the steps of the main high school entrance with her hands in her sports jacket's pockets, taking in a deep breath to enjoy the taste of the day as she made her way outside. Although she was usually fine with most kinds of weather, a love of the outdoors allowing her to tolerate it all well, her preference was usually towards the more moderate times of the year. Since Minamo was a P.E. teacher, her job had her regularly spending a good amount of time outside on the school's athletic grounds, managing large groups of students who didn't have as much resilience against the varying temperatures of the seasons as she did. When the weather became a bit extreme, she would often find herself assaulted by endless cycles of whining from her classes as they worked out in those rough conditions, their groaning even bringing her normally solid composure to the breaking point. But when the temperature settled into a more lukewarm state, the mild air would then soothe her student's dissent, allowing her ears some relief from it all even if only for a few weeks.

Fortunately for Minamo though, there were at least a few kids in her classes that never got on her nerves as the seasons changed, that served as anchors of sanity throughout any hot or frigid day. They were a rarity amongst the regular students, girls and boys whose favorite class was her P.E. period and of whom she never heard any amount of grumbling from, no matter how bad the weather might be. Their common trait was simply a great love for sports and exercise, always taking any chance that they could get to be outdoors, and Minamo always dearly wished that she could have more than just a handful of that particular breed in her classes. She easily loved people that shared her sporting lifestyle, so it was natural for her to always develop her best school relationships with the kids that did as well; budding young athletes of whom she could personally identify with, that she could take delight in as she watched them excel with their given talents.

And, at the very moment, Minamo's most favorite pupil out of that bunch was striding right beside her down the stairs.

She took a quick glance over at Kagura, the young freshman who had come seeking her counsel today, and found a little amusement in the fact that the tan the girl always appeared to have was still as healthy as it was when they had first met each other back in April, when the new school year had begun.

Is there a day when you don't go outside, kiddo'?

Minamo smiled to herself, wondering over the amount of time that her student must spend under the light of the sun, always exercising or conditioning herself in some manner so that she could improve her athletic performance. The girl's sole aim in life seemed to revolve around becoming a professional in the world of sports, her auburn skin serving as a testament to the amount of physical training that she put in towards that goal. All her hard work had definitely paid off as well, Minamo rarely encountering a teenager that was as strong and fit as Kagura was, her body being nothing short of a machine that ran off an almost endless amount of raw athletic talent.

She was, essentially, any coach's dream member, full of prowess and determination, and Minamo was more than thankful that Kagura had chosen the swim team as her initial foray into the world of high school sports. From their very first practice her student had impressed her thoroughly, even to the point at where she had allowed the gifted youth a chance to participate in their competitive meets right off the bat, an honor which was usually reserved for her most experienced seniors. Kagura, of course, had been quite ecstatic to have had the opportunity to show off her stuff, and since then had come to develop a bit of fondness for the sensei that had presented it to her.

During the course of the school year the girl had become a familiar presence for Minamo, Kagura often visiting her on breaks so that she could hang around and chat with her favorite faculty member. The conversations that they had were usually quite lively due to the amount of common interests that they shared, the performance of their favorite sports teams or ways to improve athletically being their normal topics of choice, and Minamo had come to look forward to participating in them on a daily basis. There weren't many other students or faculty members that she could have such serious discussions about her hobbies with, so the girl's visits were always a breath of fresh air to her throughout the typical school day, acting as little stress relievers when the work began to pile up.

And as the months went on, that mutual understanding that she had with Kagura had gradually developed into genuine affection for her. Minamo saw the girl as a sort of kid sister now, someone that she cared for and looked after intensely, and so it was hard for her to bear witness to the dejected state that her favorite student was currently in today. She was so used to the sheer spirit that Kagura normally possessed, an upbeat attitude that Minamo simply adored, but at the moment that vigor had somehow become replaced with this empty blandness that corroded it all.

Was she like this earlier? I don't remember.

Before she met the girl at lunch today, when Kagura had come seeking her help for whatever was troubling her, Minamo had first seen her in morning homeroom as usual. She thought her student had appeared to be in her normal mood then, but it was possible that her sullen demeanor had just simply gone unnoticed on her own part since there were a plethora of other girls and boys that she had to pay attention to as well.

Or, maybe she was hiding it...

She furrowed her brow as that possibility went through her mind. While Kagura was indeed a tough kid on the outside, Minamo had eventually come to learn that her student did have a bit of a soft heart underneath it all. The girl was the type of person that didn't enjoy being the concern of others, who feigned bravado over injuries so that none of her friends or team mates would have to worry over her. It was essentially a modesty about her own problems, mixed with what Minamo felt was an inexperience about being able to convey deeper sets of thoughts and emotions. Her student usually shied away from conversations that involved herself on a more personal level, never really appearing to be comfortable with topics that ranged outside of her immediate interests, even when talking to Minamo. While they were indeed close to each other, there was still this slight formal gap that Minamo had always sensed between them, at least on Kagura's end, and she couldn't help but feel a little disappointment whenever the girl become a bit reluctant towards her on certain matters, as if she didn't fully trust her yet.

Well...at least she's coming to me about this, whatever it is. Maybe we've known each other long enough now as to where she finally feels safe enough to talk to me about more personal things.

Minamo pulled her wrist out of her jacket's pocket slightly, just enough so that she could check the time on her watch. For the last few minutes they had just been walking together silently as they put some distance between themselves and the main building, Minamo wanting privacy for their conversation so that Kagura would feel secure enough to talk openly. She was satisfied that they were well anyways now though, so she decided to get things started before anymore of their lunch period was used up. "Ok. So, Kagura...what did you want my help on?"

The girl looked over to her slowly, her arms folded behind her head casually as she walked. "Oh...yeah, umm, well..." Her eyes darted around, as if something was distracting her. "I guess I don't want 'help' so much as, like...I want some assurance, I guess."

"Assurance?"

"Yeah, like…" She paused for a few moments, gathering her thoughts together. "I know I'm kinda' new to the swim team and all, but...do you think I'm good, coach?"

Minamo gave her a humorous look. "Is that what's bothering you, with that sour face? What, do you think I'm going to bench you or something?"

"Oh, no, no way! That's not what...I didn't mean it like that. I mean more like…'good', as in...long term, like, if I keep swimming, or whatever, and do ok, then I really can maybe, ya' know, go to the nationals or something. And then maybe after college, kind of go pro and stuff."

"Ah, I get it. You want to know if you're good enough to make a career out of it, yeah?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean."

"Well…" She took a second to ponder the question. "If you keep at what you're doing, as in practicing all the time like you do now, then I don't really have any doubt that you'll go far. But really, Kagura, only you know the answer to that in the long run, right?"

"Me…?"

She gave her a smile. "Yes, you. I think you really do have potential, but I can't really make a definite call and tell you whether you'll make it or not. Making a sport your life, or, anything really, has a lot more to do than just talent."

Kagura frowned. "Like what?"

"You know, being dedicated to what you do, not giving up, all of that. It's kind of like...oh, like as in what one of my old coaches told me. She said that anyone can develop skills, but developing heart is something that only a few ever really do. Do you understand what that means?"

Her student bit her lower lip, mulling the words over as she glanced at the ground. "Yeah, I do. I agree with it."

"Good! But, really, you won't know if you'll make it or not if you don't try, right? That's all you have to do, and then be happy that you did, even if things don't go your way. I think you'll do fine though, Kagura, so really, you shouldn't worry about that when you're this young."

Kagura looked back over to her. "Yeah, I get it. Thanks, coach. I guess I was just having some confidence problems, so hearing things from you helps."

Minamo stared at her quizzically, her student's words sounding quite absurd to her. The girl was normally one of the most confident athletes that she had ever met, and so for her to have doubts about herself just didn't seem at all possible. "Really? You? Why would you think something like that?"

"...I dunno'...I guess, you know, we all question ourselves sometimes, right?"

"Well, sure, but this seems kind of out of the blue for you. You didn't look like you had any doubts about yourself at practice yesterday, or look bummed out like you do now."

Kagura fidgeted, trying to look a bit more upbeat. "Oh, well...it was just something that I thought about last night, when I was going to bed. Like, 'Can I really do this?', and stuff. Because...I know it's a lot of hard work to do, and not many people get to go all the way, so I was kind of feeling like I might not be good enough."

Minamo frowned, something about her student's tone of voice just not making her words feel very genuine. They were a bit hurried in pace, as if she didn't want to converse anymore and was just simply giving her a mock answer so that she could leave. "Ok, sure, but there has to be a better reason than that, though. Maybe if you didn't do well at the meets or something, then it would make sense, but you did great, so, it just confuses me as to what could make you think such silly things."

Kagura didn't answer, keeping quiet as they continued to walk. Her face was set with confusion now, as if she were wrestling with some decision.

Minamo looked at her curiously, wondering what was actually on the girl's mind. While she did believe that Kagura had come to her today in order to hear some words of encouragement from her, the real reason for doing so seemed to be something that she didn't want to talk about. The girl had probably hoped that the advice she would be given would be enough to overcome whatever was truly bothering her, so that she wouldn't have to get into the hard details of it.

That would make sense, given what a softy she is. But...come on, Kagura, don't we get along well? I hate to see you down like this, so why can't you tell me a little more about what's bugging you? Don't you trust me? I'll help you, no matter whatever it is tha-

An idea came to her.

Ahh, maybe not 'what', but rather...

"Hey, Kagura. You...get along well with the other girls, right?"

Her student looked up from her little reverie. "Huh? On the team, you mean?"

"Right."

"Well, yeah...everyone is really cool."

"So, you like everyone, then? No one is giving you a tough time or anything?"

Kagura crooked her head at her. "Uhh...I don't think so. What do you mean?"

"Well...you know, teammates are usually pretty close to each other, but once in awhile, not everyone gets along, you know? Sometimes they get jealous of each other, or don't like seeing others get so much attention, like they don't want to see them succeed. Just things like that."

For a very brief moment there was some surprise on Kagura's face, and Minamo felt that she had just slightly touched upon whatever the girl might actually be fretting over. "Y-yeah...I know what you mean, but, no, no one is like that, that I know of anyways."

She gave her a stern look. "Are you sure? Because, to be honest, Kagura, you don't seem like the type of person to have doubts about yourself, so I'm wondering if anyone has been giving you a hard time at the pool, you know?"

"No, really, coach...everyone is ok with me, honest."

"The seniors? Are they picking on you any?"

Kagura laughed weakly. "I'm being honest...I really like everyone, and none of them are being mean to me or anything."

Minamo scrutinized her for a moment. The uneasiness that had been in the girl's voice a few minutes ago wasn't present now, Kagura sounding like she was being truthful with her words, but Minamo still felt as if she were on to something. She had ventured a guess that it could have possibly been some other person that had taken a shot at the girl's self-belief, like a jealous senior on the swim team who had decided to give a little grief to the young freshman after being out-ranked on the roster. Although that sort of bullying was a bit rare on the women's side of things, it still had happened in Minamo's experience, both in her coaching career and as a competitor herself back in the day.

For this particular instance, however, that didn't seem to be the case, at least from what Kagura was saying. Minamo did believe her, but she just couldn't ignore what her gut was telling her now. She really did feel that someone else had shaken the girl's confidence, but Kagura's humbleness about her own problems was keeping the truth locked away.

"Anyways...that's all I needed. Thanks, coach. I'll see ya' later today."

Minamo took one of her hands from her pockets and placed it on Kagura's shoulder, halting her as she looked on with genuine concern. "Hey, hold up a sec..."

"Y-yeah...?"

"You know...ok, let me say this first. I'm not doubting you or anything, Kagura, but really, if anyone ever gives you a hard time on the team, or other kids, or whatever, I want you to tell me, ok? Don't feel like you can't come to others when you need some help. I mean, I'm glad you came to talk to me about feeling down, but, what I'm talking about is stuff that's a bit more personal, ok? I understand if you don't want to talk about some things, but...I just don't like seeing you sad, kiddo', and you still look sad. I came out here with you because I wanted to fix that, but it doesn't look like I'm helping at all."

Kagura looked away from her, having been caught unaware that whatever was on her mind was still effecting her outward expression. "No, no, you did, but..." She sighed. "I dunno'. I just don't like worrying anyone."

Minamo smiled at her warmly. "That's ok, Kagura. If they...we, get worried, then it's just because we care about you. It's also a nice thing to do, to let us help with your problems I mean, because it shows that you trust us." She patted the girl's shoulder. "And you like it when others trust you, right? Doesn't that feel good, when they can tell you things freely?"

Her student looked at her awkwardly. "You mean like...sharing things together?"

"Yes, kind of like that. But it's more like..." She paused as she thought. "When I let you compete at the tournaments, it was for a few reasons. Obviously you're very good at swimming, but, I also felt that you were grown up enough to handle the pressure it can bring, you know, when you're out there in the lanes." She moved her hand to place it on Kagura's head, messing with her hair a bit. "I put my trust in you, kiddo', because I knew you could help the team, because I have respect for you and what you can do. Do you get it?"

Kagura didn't answer her immediately, just simply staring at her sensei as the words sunk in, the faintest bit of redness now showing through her tanned cheeks. "You...really think that about me?"

"Of course! And, I hope you can trust me too, Kagura, because I want to help you out, like you help our team, ok?"

The girl frowned, looking away again as she debated something with herself.

Minamo placed her hand back into her pocket and then waited patiently as Kagura remained quiet. She had no doubt now that there was something more to her student's dilemma, but the girl still appeared as if she weren't quite ready to talk about it all yet.

Is it really something that personal?

She continued to watch Kagura, whose demeanor was now starting to give off the impression that she wanted to leave, to go off by herself for the rest of the lunch period, and Minamo couldn't help but feel a little hurt by the notion. Her favorite part about being a teacher was becoming a good friend to her kids, to always be there for them when they didn't have anyone else to go to, and so to witness her most adored student still display a hesitancy towards her aide, the one who she loved to be called "coach" by even outside of practices, was a terribly bitter feeling for her to taste.

Maybe I'm thinking too highly about myself? Maybe she doesn't see me as I thought she did...

Minamo sighed, consigning to defeat. She was just about to tell Kagura that she would leave her be when the girl suddenly looked back towards her, a warm, inviting look painting her face now as her brown eyes came to level with the blue-gray of her sensei's.

"Yeah, I do. I trust you, coach."

Minamo blinked a few times before she could answer, caught in surprise as a mix of relief and happiness washed over her. "I'm…I'm really glad to hear that, Kagura…"

They both looked awkwardly down at the ground, silence between them now, neither student nor teacher having any idea on how to continue the conversation after just having their emotions tested. It was a bit strange to Minamo, but she felt as if she had just really connected with the girl for the very first time, beyond simply talking about their favorite activities. There was this quality about Kagura now that she had never felt from her before, an air of longing and need, as if the girl had finally found someone that she was truly comfortable to be around, that she could safely discuss more of her life with.

It was the trust that Minamo had wanted from her student all along, the bond that finally cemented them as true mentor and pupil, and it felt wonderful to her.

After a few more moments she finally looked up at Kagura, smiling as she saw that her student had done just the same, her face returning her sensei's expression.

The girl spoke first, her face becoming a bit grave now. "I wanna' ask you something, coach, and…you can be honest with me and stuff, I won't mind."

"Well...sure...w-what do you want to ask me?"

Kagura looked around, checking to see if any others were within earshot of their conversation before turning back to her. "Umm…it's a weird question, but…do you think I'm kind of...different?"

Confusion set in on her. "I'm…not sure what you mean."

"I mean...I mean, like from the other girls, how they usually act, and stuff...like, I'm not into the same things and whatever." She began to scratch the back of her head, looking a bit self-conscious now. "Like...I know I'm kind of a tomboy..."

Minamo couldn't help but chuckle. It was true that her student wasn't exactly the most 'feminine' girl around, Kagura never having shown any real preference to what most other girls her age were usually into, but she failed to see why being the athletic jock that she was would be of any concern to her at all. She had never seemed to care about her image before, let alone even be aware of such a trifling thing, and Minamo couldn't fathom as to how it played into the confidence issue that she had originally come to her about. "So? What does that matter? You're not different, you're just 'Kagura', that's all. And I mean..." She grinned, showing her teeth as she stuck out a thumb towards herself. "You're in good company, right? Don't you think we have a cool style going?" She winked.

Her words and actions had the desired effect, Kagura's face lighting up in awe at the praise. "Y-yeah...we do..."

"Ok! So, then, why are you asking me about that?"

Kagura hesitated with her response, looking as if she were debating something with herself again. "It's just...I like who I am, but..."

"But?"

"...but, some other people don't...and they think, that it's not right for me to do, to act like I am, and to be into sports and stuff, 'cause it's not for gir-"

"Oh come on, kiddo', who told you that nonsense?"

A streak of somberness went across her student's face suddenly, her demeanor changing into that earlier one of denial, as if she didn't want to tell. "Just, some people I know..." She shrugged.

"Your friends?"

"Nah..."

Minamo tilted her head. She was starting to piece together the reason as to why her student's belief about her future had become a bit brittle, but it was still hard to imagine how someone could accomplish such a feat against this particularly spirited and hearty girl. If anything, Minamo would have put money down on Kagura getting into a fist fight with anyone who ever spewed such accusations at her, instead of giving into them and sulking as she seemed to be doing now. "Well...it doesn't matter who it is. It's nonsense regardless of who said it."

"I know...but, this is different, coach."

"Why?"

Kagura laughed lightly, a touch of cynicism running through it. "Because...it's my folks who told me that."

"...what?"

The girl sighed, looking up at her sensei to go on with her explanation, but stopped as shock overtook her. "Um...coach?"

"Yeah?"

"Are...you ok? You look really angry all of a sudden."

Minamo stared at her blankly before she shook her head a few times, clearing it out. "Sorry, it's nothing. Um...so, your folks, are telling you that? Why would they do that?"

Her student looked at her curiously for a few moments before addressing the question. "It's...a long story. We kinda' had a little argument last night..."

"About what?"

"Me, I guess."

Although the girl still didn't look to be in the greatest of spirits at the moment, there was this sense of relief that Minamo was picking up from her now, Kagura probably finding some joy from being able to finally discuss a personal issue of hers so freely. It was quite a turn around from how she appeared when they had first started talking, Kagura now wanting to wholeheartedly convey her tale to her sensei, of whom was more than willing to listen for as long as her pupil needed her.

Minamo gave her a reassuring smile. "Kiddo'...maybe you should start at the beginning for me, ok?"

A few students wandered by as Minamo and Kagura continued to stroll down one of the school's courtyard paths, waving at their sensei as they passed her and who in turn repaid their gesture with a smile and greeting.

Kagura, though, simply watched them as they left, resuming where she was in her story before they had come into the vicinity. "...yeah...and, that's kind of why they said that to me, and why they don't want me to go to a sports college or anything, 'cause they said it's not right for a girl and crap."

Minamo rotated her neck a few times, stretching it out. She had been quietly listening to her student for the last few minutes or so, just walking along leisurely as Kagura relayed all the details of her problem. "Because they don't think that's a good goal for you?"

"Yeah...they just want me to be 'normal' or whatever, and then just get married and then do nothing." She grunted. "They've always been kinda' telling me stuff like that, but, I've never seen myself doing anything like that..."

A frown came onto Minamo's face as she felt the disappointment in her student's voice. As it had turned out, her initial assumption as to what had weakened the girl's athletic confidence had been spot on. Some other people that her student knew were indeed causing her some trouble, but who they actually were had greatly surprised Minamo. Unfortunately for Kagura, the assailants were of a type that would be difficult to properly deal with, since they were comprised of the two people that the young teenager felt closest to out of anyone else in the entire world: her parents.

From what Minamo now knew of them, her student's mother and father seemed to be of a much more traditional mold than their daughter, never having really become quite comfortable with the rough and tough sportswoman that she had turned out to be. The way that she dressed, acted, her hobbies, none of that had ever really set well with them, and so they had gradually tried to change the girl into someone that was a bit more 'feminine' as she had grown up, of whom they felt would put forth a more respectable face for their family.

Kagura, of course, had always resisted. All she wanted to do was partake in anything but what she considered 'girly', and, while she had assured Minamo that they were still a close, loving family, that friction between what she and her parents wanted for her life had become impossible to ignore.

Their continuing disagreement, then, had finally erupted into an argument between them all at their home last night, when Kagura had brought up the topic of what she wanted to do after school. Her wish was to attend a sports college while advancing a possible swimming career at the same time, her long-term dream being that of displaying her skills on the world stage someday, or, if that didn't work out, simply involve herself in some sort of sports-related career still. Her parents, though, didn't like the idea of her going into any sort of athletic field. They both felt that it wasn't an appropriate path for a young lady to take, predicting that it would all be a waste of her time in any case, given how rare it was for someone to become a top-notch competitor. Instead, they wanted her to clean up her 'boyish' ways, take a more traditional route through college, and then find someone to start a family with so that she didn't have to 'worry' about any full-time career.

Naturally, their daughter didn't agree with them at all, and, after having some harsh words with them, had found herself somewhat doubting her future course of action after realizing that the people she loved the most weren't fully approving of who she was or what she wanted to do. If they didn't believe in her dreams, then why should she?

Minamo shook her head in frustration as she digested everything that Kagura had told her, now understanding why the girl had originally come seeking her approval for what she wanted to do in life. All that her student wanted was some praise on her abilities from someone that she greatly respected, to help restore her self-belief since it had been comprised by the people who should have been encouraging it.

This isn't right at all, to have someone with so much talent be shot down by her own family...

She sighed. "Well, Kagura…I hope, first off, that you don't think bad of them, because, even though they are wrong about all of this, you still always have to be the adult in these sorts of situations. Just realize that your parents do want you to succeed in life, but sometimes, how they want it to be done can just be different from your own plans..."

"Yeah, I know." Her student vented out some stress with a groan. "It's just...stupid. I mean, I really love my folks, coach, but, why do they have to try and control me like that? Why can't they just like what I do and be happy with it…?"

Minamo shrugged. "I'm sorry, Kagura, but, that's just how some parents can be. All that I can really tell you is that you should keep on going with what you want to do, and who you want to be. I'm not telling you to be disrespectful to them or anything, but, it is your life in the end, not theirs."

Her student nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I know, I just...I think they're wrong, but, I still don't like making them upset. Like, after yesterday, I don't know what to do when I get home." She blew out a breath, clearing some stray hairs that had crossed in front of her face. "I don't wanna' argue again, and, still, it sucks, it really sucks, to hear them say that they don't think I can do what I wanna' do..."

The girl looked as if she were about to tear up a bit, so Minamo placed both of her hands on Kagura's shoulders, shaking her a little as she smiled to her. "Hey, hey, don't worry, don't worry. You know, I think that's very admirable of you, that you don't like making them upset, even if they're giving you a hard time. That says a lot about you, you know? Come on, come on, don't cry, you're a big kid..."

Kagura took in a few deep breaths, calming herself enough to maintain her composure. "Yeah...sorry..."

"Don't worry, kiddo'." She waited a few moments until her student was fully together again. "But, yeah, I know it's tough to be at home when you and your family have some problems. And, well, the only thing you can really do, Kagura, is to be an adult like I said, and sit down with them and talk, try to get things sorted out. Maybe you guys just haven't spoken to each other properly about all of this, and that's what led up to your fight yesterday?"

"Maybe…probably." She shrugged sadly. "I guess, I can try to talk to them, and work things out. But…what if they don't care still? Like, if every day when I go home it's always gonna' be like this?"

Minamo considered her student's words, not entirely sure on how to answer her question. She did feel that some improved communication might be the best solution for all of them, but, given how Kagura wasn't the most adept at handling serious conversations, it might not go over that well in the end. There wasn't any guarantee that things would work out even if she did have a talent for it anyways, Minamo really having no idea on the personality or true stubbornness of her parents, but she couldn't bring herself to tell Kagura that possibility. Her student was looking so out of sorts now, displaying how vulnerable she was despite her strong exterior, and so Minamo wanted nothing more than to figure out the perfect solution for her, to somehow fix everything for this talented young girl that she adored so much.

I won't abandon you, kiddo'. Not after you've told me all of this...

"Hey, Kagura, listen to me for a sec'."

"Y-yeah?"

"Your folks…will they be home this weekend?"

Kagura looked at her with some puzzlement. "Um, yeah, they should be. Why do you want to know?"

"Well…" She hesitated, not entirely sure on the plan that she was concocting in her head at the moment, but steeled herself and continued on anyways. "I was thinking…I usually have a parent-teacher conference with everyone's family around January, but, there's no reason why I couldn't go and visit your folks sooner than that. And, if I do, we could all sit down and talk about you and your future, and see if we can work something out. Would that be ok with you?"

Amazement filled the girl's face. "You…you'd come, and do that for me…?" She shook her head. "But, it's not something you should bother with, coach. It's my probl-"

"It's our problem."

She patted her student's shoulders to relax her, Kagura shrinking back a bit since Minamo's words had been so full of assertiveness. "Kagura, let's do this as a team, ok? I hate seeing you look down kiddo', so I'm going to do everything I can to help you out. Here..." She took her hands off the girl as she reached into one of her pant's pockets, pulling out a small notepad and pencil that she always kept on herself, and then scribbled something down on the top sheet before tearing it off and handing it to her. "Keep this."

Her student took it from her, reading it quickly. "Is...is this your phone number?"

"My cell phone, yes."

"But..." Her widening eyes focused back to her sensei. "W-why are you giving me this?"

Minamo chuckled. It wasn't very usual for a teacher to give out such personal contact information to their students, so she wasn't surprised that Kagura was displaying some wonder at the act. "Well, when I get some time tonight, I'm going to give your parents a call and set up a meeting with them, this Saturday afternoon if possible. In the mean time, however, I do want you to try and talk to them a bit yourself. You know, try and make up with them a little." She pointed towards the note. "And if you have a hard time with it, or, really, if you ever feel like you need someone to talk to anytime, I want you to give me a call, ok? And don't give my number out to anyone else, because this is just for you, alright?"

She had continued to talk with an authoritative tone, stern enough so that her student would simply listen to what she wanted of her without putting up any resistance. It appeared as to have worked since Kagura was just nodding slowly, looking back and forth between the note and her sensei with sheer bewilderment. "Coach...why...why are you doing all this for me..?"

Minamo put a hand behind her head, messing with her own hair a bit. "Well...let's just say..." She smiled sheepishly. "That you kind of remind me of when I was a high school kid, so, I guess that has something to do with it, ya' know, since I think we're a little alike. Us jocks, right?" She laughed.

"M-me...? I was like you?"

She nodded. "Yes, in some ways...but, to be honest, I think you were a much better athlete than I was at your age."

"W-what? No way!" Her student looked down, the flattery embarrassing her. "I've seen you swim and play other stuff...you're really, really good at everything, coach."

"Oh, don't be so modest. However..." She chuckled. "I do remember my grades outside of P.E. being a lot better. So, if you really want to make it to that sports college, try and pick those up, ok?"

The girl laughed as well, looking up shyly at her. "Y-yeah, I will, coach."

Her student had some of her regular vitality back now, so Minamo continued to talk with her about lighter topics of conversation for the next few minutes, trying to help ease the girl's mind so that she could at least forget about her family troubles for the rest of the class day. When the banter eventually began to thin out though, she then made note of the time on her watch, seeing that lunch just about over now, and then said a farewell to her young student as the girl started to head back to her homeroom.

"I'll see you later today, coach. Thanks...thanks again so much, for everything." She smiled widely. "You're...you're like, the coolest person I know."

Minamo laughed. "No problem, kiddo'. I'll see you in class."

Her student went off then, Minamo standing alone as she watched her leave. After the girl was out of sight she looked up to the sky, gazing at the shifting blue hue of it.

Parents, huh?

She took in a deep breath.

Is it really right for me, to tell her to try and talk to them? For me to go talk to them?

A sudden jolt of anger shot through her, the same cold rage that had touched her for just a second when Kagura had told her who exactly it was that had broken her confidence.

When even I...

She exhaled, letting the stress out, and then shook her head as she rid herself of some unwanted thoughts that had snuck their way into it.

Just do your best. Just like always.

The hallways of the school were mostly empty now, the majority of kids and teachers having already left for the day after finishing up their after-school clubs and activities. Evening was just beginning to break in, the sun slowly setting down as it cast an orange light through the windows, the rays flickering across Minamo as she made her way up to the faculty work room. It had been quite a long day for her, keeping busy throughout it all while at the same time bearing Kagura's family troubles on the forefront of her mind. The concern she had for the girl herself was still fresh, but Minamo had mostly been thinking about how she would deal with her parents once she met them on the weekend, what her game plan would be when trying to coax them into easing up on the pressure that they were placing upon their daughter.

You'll think of how to do it well, don't worry. Just take it one step at a time.

Minamo would give them a call later tonight, after she had made her way over to her friend's house. Yukari was still expecting her, the woman probably eagerly awaiting whatever mix of snacks and drinks that her friend would be bringing, all of which would continue to help fuel the gaming binge that she was undoubtedly still on.

Minamo smiled, looking forward to the company of the woman after such a tough day. Before that, though, she'd first have to gather her things from the office, head to the store, pick up a few of the items that Yukari wanted, and then finally make her way over to her house. All of that would take a little bit of time, so Minamo planned to at least give her friend a call before she left work, so that she could inform her that she was indeed still coming. She had wanted to contact her earlier but hadn't gotten much of a chance to visit the work room today to grab her phone, as far too many people had needed her attention today whenever she had gotten even a few free minutes to herself.

After another flight of stairs Minamo finally reached the office, entering quickly and making a beeline straight to her desk so that she could get her things and leave as fast as possible. Upon reaching it, however, she noticed that something was off.

Wait a minute. Where is it?

She scoured the desk, pushing aside some of her class binders as she searched around for her cell phone. She remembered last using it at lunch time when she had been talking to Yukari, and had sworn that she had just left it sitting on top of her desk afterward, but it was no where in sight at all.

"Ah, Kurosawa-sensei. There you are."

Minamo jumped up in surprise, not aware that anyone else was in the room with her. She turned around quickly, nodding her head in greeting once she saw who had spoken to her. "Oh, sir! I'm sorry...I didn't see you there."

A refined old man, his thick glasses only outdone by his thick belly, smiled at her warmly as he sat in one of the desks at the front of the work room.

He stood up slowly, making his way over to Minamo. "Don't worry, don't worry. I can tell that you're in a hurry to go home, yes?"

She smiled politely. The fellow before her was the vice-principal of the school, a kind but stern individual who had been on the staff since Minamo herself had attended the campus as a young girl many years ago. "Y-yes, Kyoto-sensei. I was just getting my things quick. Umm...did you need me for something?"

"Oh, well, nothing in particular, sensei. I do have something of yours, though."

He turned around, Minamo following him as he wandered to the back of the room, going though a thick pile of books on one of the counters. "I put this in your drawer first since it was going off all day, but it kept rattling around in there and making noise. So, I figured this was the best way to muffle it."

Relief went through Minamo as she saw what he had pulled out from underneath all the books, taking her cell phone graciously as he handed it to her. "T-thank you, sir! I thought I had left this outside of the classroom..."

The man chuckled. "No, no, it was here all day. As I said, it was going off quite a lot, and I didn't see you throughout the day, so I had to take care of matters myself. I'm not sure how to turn these things off, so I suppose my method was a bit impractical, yes?"

"Oh...oh, no, not at all, sir. I'm sorry I didn't put it away properly."

"No worries, Kurosawa-sensei. Just make sure that it doesn't happen again, hmm? I'm fine with phones in the office, but there is a limit. It really was going off all day." He lowered his stare a bit, his eyes hovering over the brim of his glasses as the tone of his voice became serious. "And it was very, very annoying for everyone."

Minamo bowed apologetically. "Sorry, sorry, Kyoto-sensei. I-I guess I forgot to set it on 'silent'."

"No worries, no worries. You're usually very good about how you conduct yourself, so I suppose one little incident is meaningless in the grand scheme of things." He nodded. "In any case, be more considerate next time. I won't keep you any longer, so have a good evening."

She bowed again. "Thank you, sir. Y-you too!"

The vice-principal smiled at her gingerly, Minamo doing the same for him. As soon as she turned around, however, a wicked scowl broke across her face.

Yukari!

She gnashed her teeth together as she went back to her desk, collecting her belongings as she prepared to leave. There was no doubt in her mind as to who had been calling her incessantly all day, as she knew of only one person who would do such a childish, immature thing. Her friend had probably become quite angry when she had hung up on her at lunch, and more than likely had spent a good chunk of her day trying to get her back on the phone, so that she could let Minamo know as to how her insolence made her feel.

She took a few breaths, trying her best to keep her cool as she checked the log of her phone. Her guess as to who had been trying to contact her was correct, as Yukari's number listed itself well over seventy times since she had last spoken to her.

Tanizaki, when I get over there..!

Her grip on the phone tightened as she bristled with sheer irritation at what her friend had done. Minamo didn't at all enjoy being cautioned by upper faculty members, an event that was all but foreign to someone as responsible and diligent as her. She always went great lengths to keep a solid reputation amongst her coworkers, so it was humiliating to learn that she had become a nuisance to them all by just simply leaving her phone out on her desk for so long, of which Yukari had then bombarded.

And as Minamo scrolled further down through the phone's log, her annoyance with her friend continued to grow. The first few occurrences in it were just regular calls from Yukari, but after those had come a gigantic wave of text messages, each one just containing a single word in order to vex Minamo in the best way possible.

She shook her head sadly, removing each message after gleaning over them quickly.

'I – KNOW – UR – THERE – U – CANT – HIDE – FROM - ME'

It went on like that with the same amount of eloquence, her friend making absolutely sure that Minamo understood the full travesty of her crime. Seriously, Yukari, grow the hell up.

She continued to clear the phone's inbox while picking up her things from her desk, swinging her bag over her shoulder and stuffing a few notebooks under her arm. A quick cursory glance revealed that she had everything that she needed, so without any further delay Minamo left the work room, making her way back down the hallways and out of the building, the school parking lot her destination.

There was a slight wind sailing about outside now, tossing Minamo's long ear-bangs across her face as she strode across the campus. In a few minutes she was at the lot, her attention still glued to her phone, and took a quick look up from it to spot her little blue car awaiting patiently at the far end.

Her free hand reached into her pocket as she walked towards it, her fingers fumbling around blindly as she dug out her keys, and was just about to hit the button to unlock her vehicle when her entire body suddenly froze stiff.

What...?

Minamo stared at her phone blankly, no emotion showing on her face at all.

What...what the heck does she want?

On the bright display, sandwiched quietly in between everything that Yukari had sent her today, was a single message that wasn't from her friend. Minamo had almost removed it by habit, her thumb quite used to the motion now, but had just barely caught herself when she realized that the number it had been sent from was different from that of Yukari's.

In retrospect, however, Minamo wished that she had accidentally deleted it, so that she could have missed out on seeing who the sender of it was, so that she could have avoided the quiet rage that was now building up inside of her.

Leave me alone.

She gripped her car keys tightly as that anger began to make its way throughout her body. What Minamo was feeling at the moment was an instinctive response to a certain person, someone that she had known all of her life and had a great deal of mixed feelings for. There was love in her heart for this individual, an admiration that she had always held for her, but as Minamo had grown up it had all slowly become overshadowed by this deep sense of resentment, a stinging bitterness that pricked her whenever she felt this person intrude upon her life, when she tried to cut into the sanctity of her adulthood.

Calm down. She only contacts you once in awhile. It's probably nothing, so don't worry.

Minamo shut her eyes, quelling the anger as she told herself that she shouldn't let such negative emotions take control of her.

But in the darkness of those closed lids, the image of the girl that she had been talking to at lunch today instantly lit up before her, the sad tale that she had told now beginning to echo around in Minamo's mind, every reverberation awakening a host of sleeping memories that had been resting deep inside of her.

And as they arose from their long slumber they bellowed out in pain, their cries reigniting her rage once more.

Her eyes opened, taking in the message one more time. They were such simple words, from a person who should have been as equally simple to deal with, but to Minamo, they were both anything but that.

On the screen, written briefly, she read:

'Please call me tonight. -Mom'