Chapter Three: Awkward? Indeed

Tappei spent his break by wandering around his childhood neighbourhood. Unlike Lazy Moon, it had changed. The swimming pool he used to go was no longer there, and a small department store stood as a change. The park he used to play with Kenta, Yamada, and his other friends was still there, but the trees and the playground had changed. The small bookstore and the butcher shop had gone, and Tappei wondered where those places were now.

He sometimes went with Yuki to her school. She reintroduced him to his hometown, and he was glad with that. It turned out that she had gone to his elementary school, and, unlike him, she excelled in academic lessons. When she used her glasses and opened her books, she reminded Tappei to Yoshida.

"Tappei?"

The swimmer looked back and saw a curly-haired woman, still plump from her childhood. Her hand was gripping a huge sketchbook, while the other was holding a bag filled with drawing tools. Her eyes, as well as his, flashed in recognition.

"Shimura?"

"Long time no see," she sneered. "What makes you come here?"

Tappei patted his own head, which was covered in his usual cap. "I'm taking a break," he said, pretending not to hear her condescending tone. "So I come home."

Shimura nodded. "Yukko told us she and Kenta met you last year. Well, why don't we go to my house, and share more stories? I wonder why our friends haven't met you yet."

"Alright." Tappei answered curtly.

Shimura Mari lived with her oldest sister, who was working the time Tappei came into her house. She lived a bit far from her old house, and she had her own studio.

"Hope I can make your story into a comic," she said, looking out the window. "Too bad our friends are still working now. Oh, you can sit there."

The swimmer obliged, and was extremely uncomfortable when she stared at him. He knew exactly what she wanted from the stare alone. He had gotten them from the Satou couple, after all. "Now, spill. I've heard things from Yukko and Kenta and now I want to hear your version."

See? Seeing no way out from this, Tappei slowly retold his story. How guilty and sorry he was for abandoning them, but his pride had defeated him. Shimura scoffed at that.

"I see," she finally said. "But your pride destroyed us, you know."

Tappei lifted his eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"Kenta punched the wall after your mother told us you had left. He broke some of his fingers. Miho cried herself sick and was absent in her first day in middle school. Miiko didn't want to talk about you. And she still does."

At the mention of his old friend, Tappei launched himself towards her. "How's she?"

Shimura scoffed once again. "See that you still care for her after all."

"How's she?" he snarled.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. "She's still as noisy as ever, you know her. And Yoshida's going to propose to her this Christmas. I'm sure Kenta and Yukko have told you?"

Tappei staggered out Shimura's house, his face ashen. He still couldn't believe what he had heard.

Yoshida's going to propose to Yamada?

After hearing the news, he hurriedly excused himself. Shimura walked him out, her brown eyes shone in something indescribable. Tappei wasn't sure about this, but he saw she smiled a bit before she closed the front door. The smile made him shudder, because it reminded him of his mother's smile every time he got chocolates from his crazy fangirls in his elementary school.

Tappei walked without any destination in mind. He saw the mysterious comic writer from his childhood (Hono Heriko or something like that) walked nearby. Her hair was mostly grey and she wore glasses behind her weary eyes, but she still carried her sketchbook with her.

Not everything changed, it seemed.

Well, all but Yamada.

Tappei's insides tingled when he remembered her name. His mind played the memories of the short, silly girl he once knew. The girl who, just like Tappei himself, had been too naive and childish. The girl who had been his playmate since God-knows-when. The girl who had spirits like fire, the girl who he had been harassed every time he had a chance.

And now she was getting married.

And not to you.

Tappei scoffed at his own mind. Why it has to be me?

Because you loved her. No, you love her.

"Whatever," he muttered to himself before resumed his walking. Little did he know that a certain young man was staring at him from under a tree quite solemnly.

Two weeks passed pretty quickly. Tappei had met many of his old friends, Tanimura, Yoshiki, and Yamada excluded. They had practically beaten him for leaving like that, but he knew that they were happy that he was finally back, even if that was only for several months.

And now, he was sitting in a rather uncomfortable plastic chair in the quiet stadium. He was waiting for the interview. Nobody was there when he arrived. He knew he was early. The reporter would come in several minutes, if he or she was someone who valued time more than everything.

"Mr. Eguchi? It's nice to see you."

Tappei looked up and saw a fine-looking young man, a bit eccentric with his blond hair reaching his shoulders. His face was stoic, as if he had a hard past. He frowned; maybe he had seen this guy around somewhere in his childhood?

"My name is Yuuma," he said, bowing at him. "I'm not the one who's going to ask you questions, but I want to say thank you for coming. My brother once told me about you."

"Oh... alright. You're welcome. And thank you." Tappei bowed back at him.

Yuuma nodded and sat next to him. "She will come soon. She just needs to prepare herself. Always be the last, she is."

"She?"

"The one who will interview you."

"Oh."

"Yuuma, can you please leave? I'm ready." A woman's voice broke the silence. Yuuma complied and left.

Tappei looked up and gaped.

"Good morning, Tappei," the speaking woman greeted through gritted teeth.

"Yamada?"

A/N: Sorry for the delay! 12th grade is starting to get under my skin, darn. I wonder can you help me with the questions Miiko will ask Tappei? Pretty please, please, please?

And for Maruki Shitoichi, thanks for the review. :)

Dan berhubung kita senegara, cinta bahasa asli ya :P

Sebelumnya selamat puasa dulu dong :D (meskipun gue nggak puasa)

Oh ya, soal Miiko jadi sama Tappei... maybe yes maybe no. Gue nggak jamin mereka bakal jadian lho. Kali aja Miiko malah nikah sama Yoshida. *tawa setan* Intinya gue nggak jamin. Makanya baca terus! *plak *promosi