"To Where You Are" by crestfallen teen
Now I'm back for the second chapter! Thanks for those who appreciate this story. Please continue to support me. The thought of it invigorates me so much. It feels like it's worth it.
CHAPTER 2: Coincidences
It was quite early at the bus station in Tokyo when a girl with bright pink tresses had come to avail a first-class bus ticket to Fukuoka. She placed her luggage, composed of a trolley bag and a hand bag, beside her seat at the waiting area were most of the people at the bus station hanged about.
It was almost 20 minutes after her arrival when she noticed something.
She opened her hand bag to get her Rubric's cube to kill time but found out it wasn't there. The thought of opening her bag at the counter where she had availed her ticket had struck her. It must have fallen out when she got her wallet; she used to be slapdash when it comes to her things.
That Rubric's cube wasn't any ordinary cube that anyone could play.
It held her memories with her childhood friend.
It was way too special
And too much to be lost…
"Please look after my things." She told a crew and hurried to the counter.
It wasn't that far, maybe just 50 steps away? She went beside the line, keeping her posture and asked the lady if she had seen it or what.
"I must have fallen somewhere here. I have to find it. It's too important just to be lost." She said as her eye brows met.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I really didn't notice anything" was the lady's simple retort.
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"Is it this?" said a smooth voice from behind.
She averted her gaze to the impassive-looking teen who was leaning against the cubicle of the counter.
She was slightly astounded and that began the awkward exchange of stares between the two of them.
"I have been waiting for the owner who left it." He held a cube of colors on his hand and neared it to her.
She nodded.
"Thank you! That's really important to me. I don't know what to do if I completely lost it."
She took it.
"Only an idiot lets his valuable things get lost." He shifted his eyes to a spot near her feet. He hated eye contact as always.
"Uh… I'll remember that."
If only you're not the one who found my dear cube, I could have thrown you out of earth! What a hateful, cold person!
No one have an idea how much she hated cold people. She could've plucked the eyes of the stranger and fried them in cheap cooking oil.
xOxOxOxOx
With his backpack worn on one shoulder, he handed his bus ticket to the security guard and pierced in the moderate space of the bus door. As the coldness of the air conditioned bus touched his pastel skin, he glanced at the half-filled bus and searched the most ideal place available. And he found it near the back at a seat beside the window. He laid himself at the softness of the cushy seat and stared outside the hazy window that overlooked the city and its busy people.
Incrementally, the bus began to get filled with different sorts of people and the seat beside the raven-haired guy was not an exemption.
"Just sit at the back sweetie; don't worry I'll watch after you. Be good." He could hear the woman's voice as he busily watched over the altering view at the bus that began to move.
Silence
Silence
How he loved it.
He could say his mind was finally at peace from work.
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She sat at the vacant seat beside a young girl who looked apprehensive. She wondered where her companion was. She held her cube firmly as the stranger's words replayed in her thoughts. He was right. She had been very careless. Was that all Yuki-kun's worth? She turned and shuffled the cube, trying to concentrate on solving it.
Sigh…
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A film in sepia…
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"Where are you?"
A young girl
Vague pictures
A children's park
A ramshackle bench
"—kun?" She called out.
Her lips opened, but only the word kun was clear.
"Do you know how to use Rubric's cube?"
A young boy
The girl handed a ribbon to the boy.
"Who are you?"
"I'm –"
His lips opened, but no other words were articulated.
"He had left?"
Tears
"You promise?"
"I do."
"Together, we'll study at Utsukushima High."
The girl nodded.
"And we'll dance at the ball…"
The girl smiled.
"We'll be together forever."
Friendship lasts forever…
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"—kun!"
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Before she realized it, she had fallen into a peaceful sleep.
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"Excuse me, do you mind if we swivel the seat? My daughter's behind." A voice broke his reverie.
"I don't mind. Go on."
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The seat gently revolved.
A sleeping crimson-haired girl stumbled upon him.
It was a coincidence.
It was the slipshod girl again and she was right in front of him.
Even in her sleep, she looked so annoying.
The same Rubric's cube was held between her hands.
Quite impressive before the Uchiha; she had solved it.
Very rare people could do that.
And he was one.
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The moment the bus had stopped, he stood up and got his things from the hanging shelf and held it on his shoulder. He glanced back. She was still sleeping at that very moment. How careless. He shifted his focus to the way and waited for the people in front of him to depart. He glanced back. She was unchanged. She was still peaceful in her sleep. What could she be dreaming about?
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"Oi… It's time to go."
No change.
"Oi… Wake up."
Still, she didn't stir.
"The bus is leaving."
Her eyes fluttered.
He stared.
Her eyes opened.
He was still looking intently.
Onyx met Emerald.
He was taken aback.
They looked utterly like the pair of jade orbs that bothered his dreams.
Was it still coincidence?
She was taken aback.
He looked almost like Yuki-kun, especially the eyes.
He was annoyed with the long exchange of gazes.
He drew back.
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Eyes could never lie no matter what
For they hold ones' soul in them.
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"It's time to leave."
xOxOxOxOx
Konoha: 500 kilometers to the west.
That was what the mile marker said.
And finally, the place he wanted to see lay right before him.
A teen in a black jacket strolled at the busy streets of the village, searching for the nearest fast food. The two-hour bus ride made him hungry and thirsty as the crowded street added to the nuisance. He always thought having breaks was boring. And going to places like this was more boring. But staying at home and reading really thick business proposals was the most boring.
The thing that actually made him come and see the place was the letter he got from someone whose name wasn't specified. At first he thought it was some kind of prank or practical joke. But he could feel the person was sincere. And more to that, for the first time a possible link to his past had emerged. It said it was from a childhood friend but he wasn't that convinced. Anyway, that was why he went to Konoha. He had to know the truth no matter what.
He had to.
xOxOxOxOx
"Nee-chan, I'm home." The girl that Sayaka was waiting for had finally arrived. (Note: For those who don't know, nee-chan is a honorific which means older sister.)
From the reception table, she stood up and went to her facsimile, except the hair for she had a sleek amber mane, to hug her. Her younger sister was free, at last. It had been three months and yet Sakura hasn't changed at all. She always thought it was sad to stay at the inn alone. Not to mention, the two managed an inn at the heart of the village.
"Welcome home." Sayaka loosened her hold and smiled cordially.
"I miss you, Nee-chan." Sakura stared at her sister's ageless features and smiled back.
"Same. You must be hungry. I've prepared lunch for us."
"Thank you. How did you know I missed your cooking too?"
"Oh come on. Stop the flatteries. How's Utsukushima High?"
"Oh yeah. I have a lot to tell you…"
xOxOxOxOx
When the sun set to west, it emitted pinkish-orange shafts of light as the brightness of the sky began to falter. And by that time, the sleep-lover Haruno had fallen asleep in their room at the inn, safe and sound. Her older sister was wearily waiting for any tenant to fall from heavens as she sat at the reception table with her perfect posture ever. She was expecting for at least 10 percent increase of occupants since it was every schools' quarterly break. But she thought kami had been so wicked to her since from that early morning, no one even went there to canvass.
Sigh…
The wind chimes sounded.
Praise kami!
Someone had come.
She eyed the entrance as a teen of her younger sister's age came into view. The good-looking guy went near and checked-in for a week. Subsequently, he signed the receipt and got his duplicate keys.
Room 3
"Are you from here? I haven't seen you around." Sayaka read the piece of paper and asked.
"I'm from Tokyo. Is my room upstairs?"
"Yes. Thank you Uchiha-san."
How did she know? It was written on the receipt.
There were ten rooms and the biggest was used by the two. He turned to the stairs and went up to find his room.
xOxOxOxOx
It was almost suppertime so Sayaka went to their room to wake Sakura up. She was comfortably lying at the futon which she used to use before she went to the city to study. Sayaka greatly disputed her choice; there were lots of good schools nearby so why did she have to go to Tokyo and be far from her home? But she was way too pigheaded and no matter what she had to support her as the older sister.
"Sakura-chan." Gently, she tapped Sakura's shoulders.
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Afterwards, the two went down to eat their meal which Sayaka had ordered from a nearby fast food. She took turn with her assistant who had helped her throughout everything since her younger sister decided to study at the metropolis. They preferred to eat at the round table adjacent to the reception desk to savor the cool night air and the free music from the nearby CD shop rather than at their quiet and dull room.
Soon, after the long banter and conversation they finished eating. Sakura noticed the extra box of dumplings and asked to whom it was intended for.
"Now that you ask, can you deliver it to room 3 to Uchiha-san?"
"A new tenant?" The cherry-head asked.
"Yeah. Just for a week. Not to mention, he's good-looking."
"So?" Sakura could hear her sister slightly giggle.
The Haruno's had been so thoughtful to their occupants. A good businessman takes care of his costumers as the saying puts it. And that was one good thing about them.
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Knock! Knock! Knock!
"U-Uchiha-san?"
No answer.
"Uchiha-san, are you inside?"
No answer.
"Uchiha-san?" She said in a louder voice.
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The door opened.
"What are you calling about late at night?"
She quietly stared.
Good-looking, huh?
"Are you Uchiha-san?" She asked the salt-and-pepper-haired man who emerged from the door.
"No. Now, get lost!"
The door banged.
Room 4
She got the wrong room.
How careless.
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"Why are you looking for me?"Her gaze drifted to her side and stopped at the young man.
"It's you."
He slightly crinkled his forehead upon the presence of the annoying girl he had come across earlier. Then he would have to see her for a week? He grunted at the thought of it. But he didn't wish to dwell in paranoid thoughts.
Coincidence again?
Maybe…
"My sister wants to give this to you. Take it as a welcome and a thank you gift."
Dumplings in carton
"Take it. She didn't have to." He shifted his focus to the door and turned the knob to enter.
This cold bastard's getting on my nerve!
"Wait! You please take thi—"
Why did the floor have to be wet?
Now she slipped because of the merciless floor.
He was stopped.
And the dumplings?
They fell right to his dark blue shirt.
How careless.
He was so pissed off.
She held her head low sheepishly.
She was expecting a loud rebuke.
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"Now, be careful." he said in his flat voice.
She couldn't say if he was concrnced or what.
Incrementally, she tilted her head to face him with disbelief.
xOxOxOxOx
END OF CHAPTER
…So at last they met. Any suggestion? Please review if you think it's nice. Thanks! I'll do a better third chapter. I'll try not to get laid-back I swear.
From crestfallen teen, the writer who's crestfallen for life…