Part Two of Akaya and Risa Christmas Special

For Static

Akaya felt a wave of familiarity as this Christmas drew nearer and he was, once again, left all alone. His parents were on a vacation in America, visiting relatives, while his sister was busy fussing over the new baby with his brother-in-law. He had been invited to spend Christmas with them, but had declined upon hearing the newborn scream with such an intense howl through the phone.

Even his teammates were busy again this year. Yukimura managed to convince Sanada to take a vacation from the dojo and spend Christmas with him at his family's house in Southern Japan. Yanagi was preparing for the university spring courses during the break while studying with Inui from Seishun. Yagyuu's father had returned from his long-term assignment, so Yagyuu declined his invitation for a hangout. Niou tricked Marui into signing up for a study-abroad program over the break with him, so they were already out somewhere in the world. Even Jackal had plans for Christmas Eve and Day.

When Akaya thought about what happened the last time he was alone for Christmas, a bright smile came to mind.

Risa-chan.

The last time he had been alone for Christmas was a couple years ago when he had met Risa. She had been sitting alone in that booth for hours, waiting for her special person who wouldn't show up. The loneliness in her heart would only show itself to Akaya as he had opened his heart to her. If he wasn't mistaken, he had spent all of Christmas Day at her house playing video games and snacking.

That was years ago. Akaya and Risa hadn't been talking as much lately, because of his hard university courses and her first year of high school. He vaguely remembered a conversation during the beginning of the fall term in which she told him that she had joined a couple of clubs, but he failed to remember which ones. He hoped she was doing well since they haven't spoken in over three months.

Realizing that Christmas would be the perfect time to reconnect with her, Akaya found something to do with his day. Making the trip from his apartment to downtown Tokyo, Akaya searched store after store for the perfect gift for Risa. Sure, he had been over to her house many times and exchanged gifts with her the year after his first Christmas with her, but this present would be nothing like those. It would have to be perfect since Risa has always been a kind and loving friend.

He checked through department stores, but they only had one item that caught his attention. Earmuffs were childish and a very impersonal gift, he decided. Even if they were cute and fit her personality nicely they weren't a gift he could give to a special friend like her.

Akaya then entered several jewelry stores, but everything he found was too expensive. Those pieces of jewelry were gifts that a man would give to a lover, not a special girl like Risa.

Frustrated, Akaya took a break at the food court in the central mall and re-energized his batteries with a soothing strawberry smoothie. From his place at the table he could see every person walking into and out of the court. Many people came with children, some in groups of four or more, but every once in awhile a couple would enter and Akaya's eyes seemed to follow them.

It was only a few months ago that he had ended his five-month relationship with Tachibana An. He had known the girl since his middle school days, but when he saw her around campus he decided to give a relationship a shot. It had started out rocky, but they managed to smooth everything out. Even her brother, Kippei, supported their relationship after everything that had transpired during middle school. Things went slow and easy, but something about that unsettled him. He felt empty when he was with An. There wasn't any emotion or passion with her like he thought there would be. When he decided to end it she felt hurt, but understood why. There just wasn't anything connecting them.

When a group of loud middle school students passed by his table Akaya's eyes snapped to a lone figure who sat towards the far right of the room by herself. With her back to him, he could scrutinize the sheet of midnight hair that fell around her shoulders. On the right shoulder was a strap and his eyes followed the strap to find a large, familiar-shaped bag attached to it. The words on the bag read Rikkai Dai High.

His eyes widened in surprise that the girl attended the same high school he did, played tennis just like he did, and looked so familiar. Akaya longed for the girl to turn around, just so he could see her face. Perhaps he just wanted this girl to be Risa, because he had been thinking about her a lot lately, just as he usually does around this time of year. He wasn't about to make a fool out of himself for approaching some girl who may or may not be his Risa.

An idea for the perfect present for Risa popped into his mind as he studied the girl in front of him. He thought of a plan to engage her in a conversation if she really was his Risa and quickly went off to purchase the gift he had initially passed up hours before.

Returning nearly an hour later, Akaya was worried that he had missed his chance and would have to make a special trip to her house to confront her. Finding her sitting at the same table that she was in when he left, he put his plan into action. Walking around the food court, he passed directly to the right of her table and watched her out of the corner of his left eye. She saw his movement and turned to look at him in surprise.

"Akaya-kun!"

He stopped walking at the sound of her voice and pretended to look surprised at meeting her in the food court.

"Risa-chan!"

Her smile widened in delight as she took in his presence. "What are you doing here? Don't you college boys usually party during the holidays?" Her light teasing made his heart feel lighter. Maybe she understood that he wasn't ignoring her; only busy.

"Hey now, my wild hair doesn't speak for me." She giggled at his playful response and asked him again what he was up to. "Just shopping around and maybe playing some tennis later."

Her face lit up and her eyes sparked with interest at his plans. "I'm on the tennis team at Rikkai Dai. Maybe we could play a game?"

Akaya feigned surprise again. "You're on the tennis team? Since when did you play tennis?" Genuine curiosity overcame him and he just had to know... why tennis?

She gestured to the empty seat in front of him and he gladly accepted the offer.

"It was a few years ago. A friend got me into it and I found that I really love the sport. Tennis is fun, ne?" She cocked her head to the side in a childish manner and Akaya couldn't help but observe the differences in her appearance from that of years ago. Her heart-shaped face had an edge to it now compared to the light fat she used to carry. Her gray eyes were sharper, but retained that happiness and warm feeling that he had missed. Everything about her had changed, but yet they were so familiar to him. Cell phones didn't do her voice justice as words spilled from her delicate pink lips.

"Akaya-kun, are you alright?" She asked concernedly, leaning over the table to place a cool hand on his forehead.

"I-I-I'm alright, Risa! I promise!" He stuttered quickly, his face burning up from his thoughts moments ago. He mentally chastised himself for thinking those indecent thoughts about Risa.

Risa frowned and set her mouth in a cute pout. It reminded him of all those years ago when she would be thinking deeply about something and then she'd completely change the subject. Maybe he had said something wrong, but he didn't think so. Did he offend her in some way?

"As long as you're sure."

He blinked, not expecting a reply of that sort.

"So what are you studying at the university?"

They chatted back and forth about school, tennis, and new movies coming out, but his heart wasn't in it. She looked troubled by something, but she didn't say what it was. Had Risa really changed that much? Had the happy girl he knew from years ago matured into an ordinary woman? Akaya had hoped not, but it seemed as if she had.

"Come by tomorrow. I have something to show you!" Her eyes lit up into two bright clear pools with a silvery gleam. They reminded him of the pure happiness that she held when he first met her. He anxiously wondered if she could notice his distractedness or if she merely chose not to comment on it.

"Sure." A grin plastered his face as she pressed her soft body against his tone one in a quick hug before she departed. A small duo awaited his friend as she smiled at him once more with a good bye.

The next morning Akaya woke up early. The sun wasn't up yet, but his heart felt lighter than it had in years. As he showered and ate breakfast the silly grin from the day before appeared on his face. Risa's body had been soft as she hugged him. Her hair smelt of lavender mixed with the cherry blossom perfume she sprayed. If only he had held onto her longer...

A light reflected into his eyes and he followed the blinding beam until he found the source. Smacking himself on the forehead for his near stupidity, Akaya picked up the gift he had bought for Risa out of the bag and held it in the light. He admired the piece for a long moment before setting it down on the table next to his wallet.

Checking the time, Akaya decided that it wasn't too early to meet with Risa. The walk from his apartment to Risa's house was only thirty minutes and he didn't once mind the cool air that nipped at his exposed ears and nose. No, his body was light and warm with thoughts of Risa clouding his head.

As he reached the single-story home, Akaya could hear voices drifting faintly from outside of the front door. He stopped along the edge of the lining bushes at the end of the corner and hid his presence so as to not disturb whoever was talking. What surprised him most was when he heard Risa's voice along with another male's. He peaked around the edge of the large shrub to watch the conversation.

"I appreciate this, you know." Her voice was quiet and grateful. The normally loose locks were pulled back into a sleek knot with a single strand hanging loose.

"You better. You know how I feel about these things." The boy, younger than him, with dark brown shaggy hair brushed the strand back away from her face.

Risa frowned and pouted lightly. "I've known him twice as long as you. He's a good friend."

"You haven't seen him in how many years? How do you know what he's really like?" The boy countered, lightly brushing her cheek with his thumb.

Risa's frown turned into a harsh glare at his accusation. "I know a lot about him. Don't insult my friend."

Akaya's stone body seemed to have been overtaken by climate and froze. His heart beat painfully at his chest when she spoke the word friend. He couldn't understand why he would be upset at being called her friend. He is her friend, so why did it hurt so much?

He watched painfully as the man smooth-talked his way through the rest of the conversation, allowing Risa to warm up and forgive him. Akaya's frozen body started to thaw as raw anger poured out of his eyes. He wanted to run up there and tear the boy away from Risa. No one should be able to talk to her like that, touch her in that way, or...

Akaya blinked in realization at what he was thinking. He wanted to be the one to do those things with her. He wanted to be the one she could rely on. All this anger was because he was too late to comprehend all of these feelings he felt for her and do anything about them.

Risa was the girl he met at the restaurant by the train station on Christmas Eve. She was in grade six at the time and nowhere near Akaya's age. At least that's what he thought. Looking at her now, he realized that four years isn't a lot of time between them. If anything, they had a connection since the day they met.

Akaya turns his head to look around the bush when he doesn't hear anyone talking. His body becomes heavy and his breathing slows along with his heart clenching painfully. The scene was a little much for him to handle with his newly realized feelings. His hand tightened around the gift he brought with him before he lost his grip and the piece fell to the snowy ground.

As he walked away from the kissing couple a single hot tear trailed down his right cheek. He ignored the calls of his name and made quick long strides down the sidewalk before crossing the street to turn the corner. He missed his chance with her and he'll have to live with that. Even if he wasn't happy, she was and that's what mattered.

This Christmas was the first one that Kirihara Akaya was truly all alone.