Author's note:
Hey readers, silly me but I found out Atobe's last name was Keigo so I'm gonna use that last name from here on. . .so forgive me if I mistaken his last name =). My apologies!
Chapter 8 – Reminiscing the past
A beautiful girl sat patiently at the restaurant as she sipped her coffee, she looked at the phone in her hand. It felt like ages before Ryoma finally came back to the restaurant.
"Sorry I took so long."
She pouted. "Didn't you say you'll be back right away?"
Without answering her question, Ryoma sat down across from her.
"I'm starving to death!" She pouted some more.
"You still haven't ate?"
"It's too awkward to eat alone." She replied, a pout still plastered on her face.
Ryoma stood up. "Let's go!"
"Where to?"
"Okaasan's kitchen!"
Mentioning his mother's delicious food brought a huge smiled on her face. She love coming over to his house and have his mother's cooking. Her parents past away a few years ago so Ryoma's parents are like family to her.
-Ryoma's house-
At Ryoma's house, he and his girlfriend sat at the huge table. There were so many food for just three people eating. "Echizen-san, you don't have to make anymore, this is too much food."
"Let her cook, she likes to be busy." Ryoma interrupted.
His mother finally showed up at the table with another dish in her hand. "Come Michiko, hurry up and eat, the food will get cold soon."
Echizen-san laid the last dish down. "You must be starving, no need to be courteous." She sat down across from the couple.
"Alright, I'll start eating then." Michiko excitedly said. "Itadakimasu!" She picked up her chopsticks and tried the deep fried salmon. "Mmm, Echizen-san, this is delicious. . .like always." She commented.
Echizen-san smiled.
Outside of the city on the mountain, Sakuno had been walking for more than an hour. She was getting tired from all the walking. For the past hour there was no sight of any car or anyone. Even though it is a nice mountain with beautiful views and pretty nature around. . . Sakuno was afraid of being stuck on this mountain alone. She looked down, a whistle was hanging between her bosom. Staring at it, Sakuno remembered back what Atobe once said to her when he gave her the whistle. "I don't know how long we both will live, but as long as I'm still alive, no matter where or what happen, you can use this whistle to call for me. I promise I will come for sure. For sure!" Sakuno thought for a minute, with a final decision and with hopes, she brought the whistle to her mouth. With one huge breath, she blew into the whistle. The sound of the whistle came out in a high screech. It was so loud that any birds or insects can be frightened by it.
Atobe-kun, where are you?
But of course, only things near by can hear her cried, but for a person that is still far away from the mountain searching for her, it was impossible for a mere human to hear from a far far distance.
Sakuno kept on blowing and blowing as she walk, hoping at least someone will hear the despair cry for help. Few minutes later she ran out of breath and energy to continue. She let go of the whistle with a sigh.
Like a miracle, in a far distance, a yellow taxi came into view, heading toward Sakuno's direction. She beamed with a relieved.
Atobe tried to search everywhere for her, but still no sight of Sakuno. He was getting worry and frustrated. He decided to head home, hoping Sakuno would be there.
"Sakuno-chan!" Atobe screamed out her name as he busted into the house and ran to Sakuno's room to see if she made it home safely.
His sudden screamed startled Keigo-san, who was sitting near the door in the living room reading his newspaper.
No sight of her in her room, Atobe went back into the living room. "Did Sakuno-chan came home yet?" He asked his Otousan.
"Where did she go?" Keigo-san asked him back.
"Otousan, if I know the answer to that why would I asked you?" He ran back out to the street
"Hey! Tell me what happened." Keigo-san yelled after him.
It was useless. Even his father doesn't know where Sakuno is, it only mean she haven't returned yet. It made Atobe even more worried. He ran back into the street, instead of taking the car this time he ran around the neighborhood looking for her.
Time flew by and it was night time now. Atobe gave up searching and walked back home. He waited at the gate, hoping Sakuno would come home soon; safe and sound.
Few minutes later, the gate to the house opened, revealing an exhausted Sakuno. "SAKUNO-CHAN!" Atobe quickly got up from his sitting position by the gate. His worried expression was plastered on his face. Sakuno glanced at him. She was tired and hungry, she didn't want to explain anything. She glanced away and headed for the house.
"Sakuno-chan, what happened to you?" Sakuno turned to look at him. "I looked all over Tokyo but I couldn't find you anywhere, did you forget about everything when you went with that pretty boy?"
'I was left alone on top of Mount Takashu, I was scared to death! And you're yelling at me?'
What? "Mount Kutori? Did that bastard do anything to you?" Atobe no longer yelling at her.
' "As long as you whistle, I'll come to you no matter how far you are."' Sakuno repeated what he once told her. 'I made my throat sore from blowing it so many times and where were you?'
Atobe guiltly apologized to her. "Gomen, but that is only a whistle," Atobe took out his phone. "You could've called my phone, why didn't you called me?"
It just occurred to her that her phone was still in Ryoma's back seat. 'THIS IS PISSING ME OFF!' Sakuno proclaimed.
"Forget it, don't be angry, I'll buy you a new one tomorrow." Atobe put his arm around Sakuno's shoulder and lead her to the house. "Okay?"
Sakuno shoved his arm off. 'No! Tomorrow, I will definitely get it back!' She said angrily then stomped into the house. Atobe followed her.
In the house, Sakuno was telling Keigo-san what happened to her today, while Atobe went to fix her some ramen noodle. It was too late to cook anything so ramen noodle just have to do for now.
"Sighed, Sakuno-chan, I'm not upset anymore so you have to listen to me. . . don't go find trouble with these people anymore."
'But uncle Keigo, he left me alone on the mountain.'
"Exactly! Who knows what else he might do?"
'I'm not scared!'
"Yes, but I'll be scared!" Keigo-san said tenderly, "Did you know that you are Uncle Keigo-san's precious Sakuno? If something happen to you I don't know what I would do. I might end up having a heart attack." Keigo-san then pretended to have a heart attack.
Sakuno silently giggled at her uncle and gave a big hug.
"See what Uncle mean? You don't' want that to happen to me do you? So listen to me, don't make anymore troubles with them, all right?"
She nodded.
In the kitchen, Atobe stood by smiling at the scene. He went to grab a magazine on the shelf to use it as a cover for the noodle. He placed it on top of the bowl. At the corner of his eyes he noticed a piece of paper. Curious, he took it out. He looked at it surprised. It had been a long long time since he hid this piece of paper from Sakuno.
Isn't this phone number from that boy that walked her home one time? He is remembering back to the time he saw Sakuno walked home with a guy he didn't recognized. Atobe was late showing up at her school to pick her up. When he arrived at her school, from a far distance, he saw Sakuno walked along side with another boy. He followed them silently, making sure nothing happened until they came to a stop at their house, it was then that he knew the boy was walking her home.
There was also one or two nights when he heard Sakuno silently crying to herself when he went to the bathroom late at night. Looking through the crack of the unclosed door, he saw her trembling body shaking. He knew she was crying and he knew that she was pain, but what was causing her to be in pain? He wondered.
He didn't find out until he noticed Sakuno tried calling someone on the phone one time. Staring at her expression from behind a wall near by, he can see it in her eyes that she was in pain and unhappy, just like the night she cried to herself. . .That boy was that important to Sakuno. When Sakuno hung up the phone and forgot the paper on the table, Atobe took this chance to call that person. The person on the other line claimed to be Ryoma Echizen.
"Echizen Ryoma. . ." Atobe repeated the name quietly to himself. Atobe glanced over at Sakuno, who is still talking to his father. "I can't let Sakuno feel anymore pain." He quickly sneaked the paper into his pocket.
He then picked up the bowl of noodles. "All right, come and eat the ramen Sakuno-chan!"
Atobe went to her side and dragged her to the table. "Come here, stop annoying her Otousan! She is hungry." He teased, "Ignore him, come Sakuno-chan!"
"Thank you Echizen-san, I ate so much today."
"Michiko-chan, you're really not going to stay here for the night?" Both of the ladies walked into the kitchen to find Ryoma at the dinner table, working on his laptop.
"I want to, but I have a deadline article to work on tonight."
"You're such a hard worker, Michiko-chan." Echizen-san praised her. "Ryoma, Michiko-chan is leaving."
"I'll take you." Ryoma stood up.
"No need to, you should get some rest, just call the taxi for me!"
"Hn." Ryoma took out the phone. "Hi, I want to call for a taxi (paused) 0345615446. . . ."
"I don't really understand Ryoma-kun, his phone number is so hard to remember, why doesn't he change it?" Michiko question Ryoma's mother.
"That number is our old house's number, when we moved to this house, he chose that number especially because of an old friend."
"Oh? He never told me about this before." Michiko stared at Ryoma's back, wondering who this old friend that was so important for him to keep the same previous home phone number.
"Ok!" Ryoma then hung up the phone. "The taxi should be here soon. I'll walk you out."
"Come over more often when you have the chance Michiko-chan," Ryoma and his mother walked Michiko to the front. "Ryoma, make sure you see Michiko-chan get on the taxi all right? Michiko-chan, call us after you get home."
"I will Echizen-san."
"Take care, bye."
"Oyasumi nasai, Echizen-san."
Ryoma and Michiko went down the steps and headed for the gate. She watched them go. "Michiko really is getting prettier." She said to no one in particular. "Ryoma should marry her soon, one more person in the house will make it more livelier."
The next day...
"CEO-san, the president is asking for you, he would like to see you in his office as soon as possible."
"Thank you." Ryoma left his office.
Outside of the building, Sakuno hide around the corner, with her hat to cover up her face she tried to think how to get pass the security standing by the door. Does he have to stand so close to the door? How am I going to get pass him now? Sigh, what a dilemma. But I really need to get the phone back. I just have to give it a try. With a final decision, Sakuno bend her head low and put her hand over her mouth like she is sick. She walked past the security nervously. The security guy looked at suspiciously. When Sakuno manage to get pass the guy she thought she was safe...until she open the door and was block by someone. She look up and smile sheepishly when she realized that there was another security guy. Baka, I should have known there would be more of them. She put her hand to her ear to make a phone sign, hoping he understood. 'My phone...'
Unfortunately, the security guy didn't understand so she took out her pencil and her paper. She showed him her message. I only want to get my phone back.
"You should give up, Miss. For our meal, I can't let you in. Please!"
Sakuno sighed sadly. She went back outside and took the hat off. What should I do now?
Meanwhile. . .
"Osaka's shops are under construction but there are still some problems. You should go and take a look in the next few days." The man, known as the president and Ryoma's stepfather, instructed Ryoma.
"Hai." Ryoma replied in a monotone.
"The construction plan should be in the possession of the site executive."
"Hai." With that said, Ryoma left the office. He went to another department.
"Hello, CEO-san." A person saw Ryoma and quickly greeted him.
"Is the executive around?" Ryoma asked the guy. As on cue, the guy showed up.
"Yes, CEO-san."
"Is the construction plan for Osaka ready?" Ryoma went straight to the point.
"Hai, it just got finished today." The executive guy went to his cubicle to look through the pile of the files for the document. Ryoma was standing nearby patiently when the cubicle next to the executive's cubicle caught his attentions. The cubicle was empty, there was no owner but that was not what got his attention, but it was the tiny portable time machine and the time stamps on the desk that caught his attention.
"Who's this cubicle used to be?" Ryoma asked the guy.
The looked at the empty cubicle next to his and then at Ryoma. "It used to be Keigo-san's cubicle."
I see. I just never gave him a chance. . . Ryoma thought to himself with a hint of remorse.
On the other hand, Sakuno didn't want to give up so she went to the parking structure to search for his car. It was quite easy for her to sneak into the parking structure since the security was being lazy reading the newspaper instead of doing his job. She didn't care how long it will take her to look for his car but she was determined to find it no matter what.
She went through every black car in the structure to look for her phone. She was about to give up when a next black car brought her hopes up. It look just like it. It has to be this one! Sakuno went over and peeked in. There it is! Sakuno can clearly see her phone in the back seat of the car. She tried to see if the door is unlock when suddenly a guy grabbed her wrist, it frightened her.
"Thief! What are you doing?" The guy yelled angrily.
Sakuno was so stunned she didn't know how to react. Before she know it, she was taken to the police station.
"She keeps denying it, but it's against the law." The man spoke on the phone, "I sent her to the police station immediately."
"All right, after you finished return to the company as soon as possible." The other person on the phone said then hung up, just right then, Ryoma showed up. The secretary girl went up to him. "CEO-san."
"Is the car ready?" He simply asked without paying much attentions to his surrounding or the person in front of him.
"Gomen, but something happened to the car." She fully got Ryoma's attention.
At the police station...
Sakuno showed the officer her notepad.
"I was not stealing the car." The officer read.
"But I clearly saw-"
"Wait, wait!" The officer interrupted the man, "Why did you go there ma'am?" He looked at Sakuno. The officer figured that since Sakuno is mute then she must be deaf too so he tried to use hand gesture to show her what he was trying to ask her.
'I can hear you.' Sakuno tried to explain.
"I know you can't hear me."
Sakuno sighed.
"This question is really hard to do." The officer said out loud.
"Officer, don't give her sympathy just because she is mute, there are a lot of crime organizations which all use these kinds of tricks to commit crimes."
Sakuno angrily stood up. 'You are going too far!'
"Calm down, calm down Miss." The officer tried to calm Sakuno down. "Don't be so irrational."
'I really wasn't going to steal the car!'
"What is she saying now?"
Sakuno was getting impatient, luckily Atobe came to her rescued when he came running into the police station. "She said she wasn't stealing the car." Atobe looked at Sakuno, reading her hand gestures. "She said, my phone is missing, it's in the car! Her phone is in the car, she wasn't stealing it." Now looking at the officer.
"What a joke! How could her phone get in my boss's car?" The man proclaimed.
"Because she wasn't content." A man intruded.
All four of them turned their heads to see Ryoma.
"CEO-san." Ryoma's chauffeur greeted him.
"What do you mean and who are you?" Asked the officer.
"The owner of the car and. . ." Ryoma went around the officer, shove Atobe aside, and put his arm around Sakuno's shoulder, "I'm also. . .her ex-boyfriend."
Atobe's and Sakuno's mouth dropped open in surprised. Ryoma just stood there with a hidden smirked plastered on his face.
"Ex-boyfriend?" The officer looked at them suspiciously.
"I'm sorry Officer for taking our relationship problems into the station."
Atobe glanced over at Ryoma.
"Relationship problems?" The Officer questioned Ryoma.
"It's because I want to break up with her, but she doesn't want too so. . .she thought clinging onto me will get me back."
Sakuno was speechless. Unbelievable, he's lying to an Officer!
Ryoma continued, "Just yesterday, she purposely left her phone in my car so she can draw me out."
'He's lying! It was not like that!'
Ryoma grunted. Baka! He grabbed both of her shoulders, forcing her to face fully to him, "Are you happy now that we are in this situation? Locked up in jail just for a broken relationship. . .is it really worth it?"
Sakuno struggled against his hold on her and glanced over at Atobe. 'Quickly and tell the officer that I'm not his girlfriend!'
"Ah...she..." He was still a little speechless by Ryoma's sudden acting.
"What is going on now? Is it a theft or a relationship problems?" The officer asked frustratedly!
'Tell him quickly!' Sakuno glared at Atobe.
In this condition, I probably should go along with this guy or else Sakuno will end up in jail. I can't let that happen. "Uh. . .It should be. . .a relationship problem!" Atobe sheepishly said to the officer. He didn't dare to look at Sakuno in the eyes, he can feel her eyes sending him death glared.
Ryoma smirked.
With the problem being settled, outside the station, Ryoma still has his arm wrapped around her shoulder like a happy couple, except Sakuno has a frown and vice versa for Ryoma.
On the other hand, Atobe wasn't liking it but there was no choice but to go along with it.
Sakuno was definitely not liking it as much as Atobe does, but what can a mute girl do? She was powerless at this point and Atobe wasn't a much help either.
"All right, all right, I think you two will work it out just fine. Gambatte!" The officer said then went back inside.
"Thank you." Ryoma lightly patted the side of Sakuno's head, with his arm still wrapped around her shoulder. When the officer was finally gone, Sakuno angrily shoved his arm off her shoulder, the shoved made Ryoma's watch flew out of his wrist and landed on the floor, broken.
Ryoma glared at her then quickly went to pick it up. "I was being nice and helping you out, but this is how you treat me." He smiled, "But since being a nice guy as I was, I shouldn't be too mean to my ex-girlfriend, right?" He teased. Sakuno continued to give him the glared. "Wish you guys good luck."
Ryoma's car pulled up, he got into the car.
Atobe ran up to the car, "Hey!" He knocked on the window, indicating to Ryoma that he wants to have a word with him. Ryoma rolled the window down.
"Let me tell you something, she is not your ex-girlfriend, she is my future wife, you got it?"
Ryoma ignored Atobe and just rolled the window back up and told his chauffeur to take off.
In the car. . .
"CEO-san, I'm sorry, I didn't know she was your ex-girlfriend."
"No worries." Ryoma put a cold face back on.
The chauffeur giggled, "CEO-san, you're such a nice man, to think that a man like you would go out with a mute girl," the chauffeur kept on stealing glances at the front rear mirror, "you have a really good heart."
"Did you know. . .I hate drivers who don't concentrate on driving?"
The chauffeur frown then went back to focus on the road. Fe seconds of silent, Ryoma spoke up, "Let's stop by the jeweler first."
"Yes, sir!"
Inside the Jeweler shop, Ryoma looked around while waiting for his watch to be fix. He was looking around when a pretty ring caught his eyes. The ring was made with three round diamonds and a silver band. He thought long and hard before he asked the sales lady to wrap it up for him.
For the rest of the day, Ryoma went back to the company until black covered the sky.
The next day, Ryoma work up extra early to head out to the tennis court to practice. It has been awhile since he practiced. He definitely missed playing it in tournaments and with Momo-sempai.
It definitely had been a long long time when he wield his red racket against his opponent. For what reason? The thought made Ryoma frustratedly put more force on the racket against the ball, making the the ball slammed the fence with powerful force. . . over and over until he ran out of stamina. He laid on the court, with his white cap shading him from the burn of the sun, he heaved in the air with exhaustion.
Oyaji. . .! He closed his eyes. He tried to block out the images of the night that brought tragic upon his dad. His father's death took great pain for the both of Ryoma and his mother, especially Ryoma. He blamed himself for his death. If it wasn't for a final match for the U.S Open, he would still be alive.
Ryoma was late for the match again! He had Nanjiro hurried to drive him to the stadium. Due to fast speed, Nanjirou couldn't stop in time when a small cat suddenly ran into the street, startling the both of them. Nanjirou lost control of the wheel and tried to avoid killing a small kitten, he served to the side of the road, causing another car next to them to collide with their car. Ryoma was in a state of shock that he couldn't register what just happened. He felt the car ended up rolling upside down and smacking into something hard. The next thing he knew, he was knocked out unconscious.
Ryoma woke up in a hospital bed, with IV needle intervene with his skin. It was still a blurred to him when he opened his eyes. He looked around the room, seeing four while walls and machine, he knew where he was. Feeling dead weight on his abdomen, he looked down to find his okaasan laying on top of him. He woke his mom up with his sudden movement against her heavy weight.
Ryoma's mother woke up. She was happy to see Ryoma finally woke up from his slumber for three days of sleeping. She quickly alert the nurse and the doctor.
Ryoma was happy to see his mother too. Although, the accident was still a blurred to him, but he knew it was a serious accident. Feeling alert, Ryoma quickly scanned the room for a familiar presence. His father was not around. He darted his glances to his mother. "Where is Oyaji? He was with me, is he all right?"
His mother looked away with a sad expression. "I'm afraid your father couldn't make it."
Ryoma opened his eyes. Ever since then, he stopped entering tournaments. It was all his faults, he blame himself for his death every year. His mother never blamed him but still, he couldn't get rid of the pain and sorrow he see in his mother's eyes. She had mourn for her husband for many years. Ryoma couldn't stand seeing the hurt in her eyes, so he stopped to be at home more often with his mother. Being strong for her and be more of a man in the house. After long years of mourning, Ryoma convinced his mother to move on and to find another person to take care of her.
Ryoma closed his eyes once more and let in a huge breath and let it out with a heavy sighed. Ryoma stood up, he looked at his watch. It was time for him to get cleaned up and go meet Michiko for lunch.
"It has been awhile since we went out for lunch like this." Michiko commented.
"Hn!" Ryoma replied, "Before I forget, I have something for you." He reached inside his suit jacket that is hanging on his chair, he took out a silver box with bow on top. He laid it in front of her.
Michiko stared at the small box, hoping to see what she wanted to see. Inside her heart, she was yelling out of excitement and happiness, but she tried to control her emotion, she didn't want to bring her hopes up for disappointment if it's not what she thought it would be. She took the small box in her hand. "For me?"
Ryoma shook his head 'Yes.'
Michiko opened the box. She was thrill to see a pretty ring in front of her eyes. "Why give me the ring?" She questioned him, hoping it would be a good reason.
"Is there a rule that it can't be a ring?" Ryoma simply answered.
"Is it just a present?"
He nodded 'Yes' again.
Michiko frowned and closed the box. "Then I won't accept it." She slide the small box back to his side.
"Why not?"
"A ring is a promise, it's used for proposing to someone. I don't want an unclear ring like this."
"Unclear. . .It wasn't like I stole it, I brought it." Ryoma looked at her in the eyes.
She sighed. "You don't understand, but it doesn't matter, I won't accept it when it's just a gift."
Ryoma thought about what she said. "Then what about the ring?"
"Well, you can save it until you're proposing." Michiko suggested.
Ryoma was deep in thought. . .13 years ago, on that rooftop, Saku-Chan and I made a promise as well. We promised to come back when we are both 25 years old and on that Christmas day. . .I will be able to see her again. I even gave her my phone number, hoping she would called me...so I waited and waited to hear her voice. Maybe it was just a game, or perhaps she forgot our promise? 13 years had passed and I still haven't received that call yet. Ryoma thought long and hard about that special girl he had come to feel much more than friend. Maybe it's time I should let it go...she probably felt the same way.
"Then just take it as a proposal."
Michiko looked at him with a sly smile. "How can you propose like this?"
"Then what do you want?"
"At least ask. . . 'Tanaka Michiko-chan, will you marry me?"
It was easier said than done. . . asking something like this was too much for him to open his mouth to say those phrases, it was too hard for him. "Forget it..."
Wait...Michiko held her hand on top of his to stop him from putting the box away. "Then. . The least you can do is set an engagement date."
"Then let's get engaged."
Michiko smiled. She took the box and held her hand out. Ryoma took the hint and took the ring from the box and put it in her ring finger. Michiko's smiles grew bigger. She had been waiting for this day since they have been dating for a long time now. Her dream finally came true.
He should be excited and happy just like her...but unfortunately, he couldn't reciprocate Michiko's happiness. Deep down he denied the fact that he is still waiting for her...
Hey again! The chapter is finally up! Sorry it took me so long to update. I'm afraid I might not be able to update quite often now. I'm starting a new job soon and it required a full time training and on job. . .and there is school =( so I can't update as much as I hope for. Please bare with me, I will try my best to update as soon as possible.
Until then. . . .be patient ^_^