Episode Six – Friday After School
November 1994, Tama New Town
She suddenly stopped walking and after a few paces the others did too.
"You go on, I want to wait here, I'll see you Monday."
"What are you waiting for?" the shorter girl asked
"Nao, don't be so nosey!"
"It's a perfectly reasonable question. Is it a boy, Yuko?"
"I'm not going to answer that! Get off with you, I'll tell you on Monday."
"Right, make sure you do. We want to hear everything, every delicious detail!"
"Nao, leave her alone. C'mon, let's go, there's this new single I want you to hear. Poko's Music Store just got them in."
"OK, have a good weekend, Yuko."
"Yeah, and you. Bye!"
Kinu and Nao went on ahead. Yuko stood, looking back the way they had come, bag held in front of her knees, watching the passing children and the traffic. She knew he was behind them, she'd been conscious of him being there since they'd left school. He was with a few of his baseball team mates. She was even prepared to talk to him in front of them. Well, maybe, depends how they are behaving when they come by, she thought.
The group of boys came round the corner. Chattering, laughing and swaggering. Yuko felt nervous, her heart beat a little faster.
-o-oOo-o-
It had been such a strange day, Shizuku had breezed into class with a big smile on her face, walking like she was floating on air. Her whole character was so changed from what she'd been like these last few weeks. At the end of the first period, unable to hold her curiosity in any longer, Yuko had spoken.
"You're happy, is it a boy thing?"
Shizuku had turned round, her face one huge smile.
"You will never guess what happened this morning. Something woke me up really early, I don't know why, it wasn't even light. I looked out the window and... He was there. Waiting! On his bike! He came back a day early!"
"Seiji?"
"Hm! I went down and he took me for a bike ride, at dawn! It was lovely. We went miles to a hilltop. We saw the sunrise," Shizuku blushed, "he even told me he loved me."
"Oh, Shizuku, that's fantastic! I'm so happy! You two were made for each other. Oh, this is great, such good news."
"How are you getting on with you-know-who? Any progress yet?"
"No. Nothing. I keep offering to help him with study time, and I even watched one of his baseball matches at the beginning of the week, cheering in all the right places but he just doesn't seem to get it."
"He will, Yuko, he will. I thought Seiji was a complete idiot at first but I just got the wrong end of the story completely. I found out he's liked me for a long time."
"He has? Well, what a sneak! He kept that quiet."
"Hm!" Shizuku beamed, "Well, if I get the chance I'll drop a good word in for you with, you know, him."
"Thanks, but don't make me out to be desperate or something."
-o-oOo-o-
At lunchtime Yuko couldn't find Shizuku at all. Nao and Kino hadn't seen her, not even Mich. Yuko assumed she must be hiding somewhere with Seiji, so she ate alone with Kousaka-Sensei, they talked about dieting, it was Yuko's new topic of interest.
-o-oOo-o-
"Sugimura, wait there!"
The boy stopped, turned. Shizuku ran up to him, red faced and breathless. She had just caught him, right at the end of lunch break, he'd been messing about doing some pitching with his friends and was returning to class. Shizuku had been talking with Seiji about what Cremona was like when she suddenly realized she wanted to talk to Sugi. She'd run all the way here from the roof.
She bent over, hands on knees panting.
"Yeah, what is it?"
She looked at him, he still looked wary and a little awkward when she was near, even though it had been over two months since that afternoon. Shizuku remembered it clearly, she thought she'd probably remember that horrible ten minutes by the shrine until the day she died, so it was no wonder Sugimura went on the defensive when she spoke to him. What must the memory be like for him?
"After school, you've not got club practice have you?"
"No, 'course not, it's Friday."
"You know the bus stop, on the high wall?"
"Sure, what of it?"
"There will be someone waiting there for you. Talk to them, I think you'll be surprised."
"Who? Some player? We don't need anyone else for the team."
"Not a player, silly. A girl."
"A girl? Playing baseball?"
Shizuku rolled her eyes. Were all boys this dense?
"No, not anyone for the team, boy or girl. Just a girl."
"Uh, why?"
"Why? What do you mean why? Because she likes you!"
"Who?"
"Just be at the bus stop. You know where I mean?"
"Yeah, on the raised causeway, I know."
"Bye then! See you in class."
Shizuku grinned and ran off. Sugimura watched her go. Girls. Hm. Crazy, all of them. Talked a lot of nonsense about long haired gorillas in pop bands half the time and spent the other half talking in riddles. And why was Shizuku of all people so keen to hitch him up with someone? Sugimura smelled a rat.
-o-oOo-o-
At the end of the first afternoon period Shizuku got her chance. Otomo-Sensei was always late getting to math class so she knew she had a few minutes to talk. She turned in her seat.
"Yuko, you don't have club or cram school Fridays do you?"
"No, thank heaven. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is enough!"
"Good. Stop at the bus stop and wait on the way home, the one on the high concrete causeway, you know it?"
"I know it. Why?"
"Sugimura walks home that way. I overheard him saying to his mates he had no club activities today. Now's your chance!"
"Well, I'm not sure. Kinu and Nao are walking into town with me today, they're bound to be suspicious."
"Tell them you have to go back to school. Tell them you forgot something."
"Well, I'll see. I told you not to tell him. You didn't did you?"
"Just wait at the bus stop."
Shizuku turned back to front of class, the Sensei had just come in. The class rep spoke.
"All stand. Bow. And be seated."
As she sat again, Shizuku saw him looking at her, two desks away. Sugimura gave her a very suspicious look, then he glanced at Yuko. He looked back and Shizuku gave him her nicest smile.
-o-oOo-o-
She watched them, he was there, one of the smaller ones, more nimble and quick on his feet, a good pitcher he was, she watched him pitch sometimes when she knew he didn't know she was there.
Then something really odd happened. He pushed away from the group of boys, slung his bag over his shoulder, waved to them and ran on ahead. Right towards her. She watched him running. He saw her and slowed. He stopped a little way away.
"Uh, hi."
"Hi."
"You waiting for the bus?"
"No. Are you catching it?"
"No, going into town. Uh, sports shop. Uh…"
"Oh."
"Wanna walk with me?"
"Oh. Um, yes, alright."
He walked past her, she turned, he was already a couple of paces ahead. She made the move, the first pace, the very first one. She went with him.
"What sport shop you going to?"
"EliteSport, by the station."
"I know it. What are you buying?"
"I need a new glove, this one's starting to come apart along the seam."
"It looks fine to me."
"How would you know?"
"I saw it, the day before yesterday."
"You did? When?"
"Um, it was on the bench, by your bag, when you were batting…"
Oops, Yuko, don't let on too much.
"You were there, Wednesday? When we won?"
"I was just passing, on my way to swimming club you know."
"Right."
He nodded at her slightly, he didn't look convinced.
They walked in silence to the shop and he fussed about along the shelves, he tried a few gloves but couldn't get into the groove of buying, he said sorry he really needed more time. Shopping for baseball kit was a serious business, it could take hours.
"That's OK, I'm happy waiting."
She was, she found she really was. He was just nice to be near, nice to watch.
"No, this must be boring for you, sports shopping. I really need to come back another time."
"I'm sorry, am I in your way?"
"Uh, no, no, not at all. It must just be dull for you though."
"Alright. What do you want to do?"
"Uh…"
"Do you know Misato's?"
"The bar?"
"Yes."
"That's always full of girls. Giggling. Like monkeys."
"I go in there a lot!"
"Uh, yeah, well," he went pink and rubbed his fingers up through his hair, "I didn't know you went there."
"The girls only giggle when a boy comes in they like."
"Ah."
"So if they always giggle when you go in…"
"Well, OK, as long as it's not too full."
"Of monkeys?"
"Monkeys, yeah."
It wasn't too full, being Friday lots of the high school kids had gone into town or to the movies, so the bar wasn't more than half full. Yuko asked Sugi what he wanted.
"I'll get these."
"No, I want to. I invited you."
"I'm the boy."
"I know you are. But this is my treat. You can buy next time."
There'll be a next time? Sugimura thought about that and decided yes, it would be nice to have a next time. She was OK, pretty cool, she seemed to have an interest in baseball anyway, so she wasn't all clueless. And she didn't seem to be a giggler.
"Sugi! I said what do you want?"
"Oh, just a Coke is fine."
"A Coke and a banana shake please."
They took their drinks to the back of the bar. There were some squishy seats here, sofas for two and some armchairs, some arty black and white prints on the wall, it was a nice corner. A two seat sofa was empty and they sat.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
They drank.
"So, are you busy most evenings?"
"Tuesdays and Thursdays is cram school, Wednesdays is swimming."
"You're in the swimming club?"
"Hm, it's good exercise, I can do thirty lengths now."
"Whoa, that's good. Are you going in the team for next summers sport event?"
"I hope so."
"I'll cheer you on."
"Thanks, you'll be in the baseball though won't you?"
"Sure, we're gonna kick ass, we're hot, no one can touch us."
"You're a good pitcher."
"Have you been spying on me?"
"Well, not spying. But I heard all the monkeys giggling and wondered what they were looking at, so…"
She trailed off. He looked a little perturbed, a little overawed.
"Well you're a top student aren't you? Everyone thinks you work real hard. What are you, tenth in the school?"
"Eleventh, but thanks for noticing."
"Yeah, cram school. That must be hard."
"Sometimes, but it's rewarding too."
"Do you get free time at the weekends?"
"Not much, Saturdays is studying. We usually do a family thing Saturday evenings. Sundays is quieter."
"You busy this Sunday?"
"Katsura Sugimura, are you asking me out on a date?"
She looked at him, trying to appear proper and at the same time sound pleased.
"Uh, well. That is. I think so. If you'd like to…"
"What had you got in mind?"
"Um, er, the Kobi Gardens are nice this time of year."
"They are? In November?"
"Well, OK, then. Maybe not. Do you wanna go round the shops?"
Anything actually, Sugimura, anything at all. If you're there, I don't mind.
"Yeah, sure, sounds fun."
"It does?"
"Hm."
"OK, I'll meet you here. At two?"
"Good."
"It's a date then?"
"It is."
They smiled at each other.
"I ought to be going. I help mom cook on Fridays."
"Oh, right, sure. You don't live far from here do you?"
"No, about half way back to the school in fact. What about you?"
"I get the train, three stops to Ochikawa."
"Well, I'll have to come there sometime, you can show me your neighbourhood."
"I'd like that. We have a great swimming pool. It has a wave machine and slide tubes and everything."
"Oh, we must go. Well, better be going."
"Yuko, thanks. Thanks for coming."
"No problem. It was fun. See you Sunday."
They stood outside on the pavement. His walk to the station lay one way, hers to her house the other.
"Well, bye."
"Bye."
They stood, just looking.
"See you then."
"Yeah, safe journey."
Still, no one went.
"Yuko?"
"Yes."
"You go first."
"No, you go first."
"Let's go together then."
"Alright."
"Yeah. Bye."
"Go on then."
"No, together."
Neither wanted to leave, both wanted to stay. To be here. With the other one.
"This is silly."
"Let's count to three and both go."
"Alright."
"One, two, three!"
They turned, they began to walk. Sugimura had taken twenty paces when he looked back. A warm buzz went through him, she was walking away, and she was looking back too. He raised an arm. And so did she.
Whistling he ran to the station.
-o-oOo-o-
Mistao's Bar wasn't really a proper date, but it was the first day they met. Their first meeting out of school. So in the end I suppose it does count. Misato's is gone now and an upmarket restaurant is in it's place, but Sugimura and Yuko still go there even now, thirteen years later, they go there every year, on their anniversary. Not their wedding anniversary, no, but on November 11, the anniversary of the day they met.
Yuko never did tell Sugimura it was Shizuku who told her to wait at the bus stop. And Sugimura, knowing no different, thinking Yuko didn't know, never told her that it was Shizuku who had told him. They each kept it a secret with Shizuku, and she, as she is so good at doing, kept it a secret within herself.
21 Mar 2007