Farewell
I was tapping my finger on the armchair silently while listening to a report from some guy I don't know. All the other heads from different departments in the company were sitting through the meeting with straight faces while I was just slumped in my chair sitting at the head of the long conference table.
"Our revenues are-"I stared at the clock in front of me watching the seconds slowly ticking by while the guy speaking was going on and on about the company profits, stocks and whatever boring stuff. I honestly don't understand why I have to attend these meetings when my secretaries jot down notes and summarize everything for me later. It's just a waste of time.
Why does time always seem to go so slow for the boring stuff and fast for the fun stuff? Is time being sadistic towards all mankind? Does it enjoy torturing us? If time was a person, I would like to meet this person and punch that person in the face.
While I was going on ranting about time in my head, I could see Rumiko who was also in the meeting as she took a glance towards me at the corner of her eyes and resumed listening to the meeting. I wonder if I can trick her into going inside a crate and then ship her off all the way to Bouvet Island. Then I remember my father is really good acquaintances with her family and he would be suspicious if she just suddenly disappeared like that.
Maybe if I somehow convince Mikan to come with me to Suwarrow Island and we can reside there forever from the crap of society and do whatever we want, that's not such a bad idea. I scribbled down a reminder to search plane tickets for two to Suwarrow Island on the paper that was in front of me.
"And that concludes this meeting" I heard some old man say; I look up and see the others ready to leave the room while I am still writing on my paper about Suwarrow Island. The meeting was over already? Finally! I thought I was going to die of boredom in here. I quickly grabbed the paper with the Suwarrow Island reminder and told my secretary to wrap up information about the boring meeting. I was about to leave the room when Rumiko suddenly approached me with a suspicious smile.
"You look like you're in quite a hurry. Do you have another appointment somewhere?" she asked, I told her I was meeting a friend in a nearby café. She nodded and just gave me her greetings. After she left I felt there was something a bit strange about her more than usual but I was too much in a hurry to give it a second thought since I was going to meet someone very important after this. An important person that makes me feels relieved and happy.
Farewell
I stared at the bulletin boards and giant TV in front me. I was at a busy intersection where all the cars and people were busy going here and there. It was like my first time seeing the busy streets of Tokyo. Since I always walked here it was always the same to me but for some reason everything looks different today. Like there's a whole new side to this place I never noticed before. It reminds me of when I first came here from the province; everything was just so huge and foreign to me. Lots of people would bump into me without even apologizing and I thought I was in a cold heartless place since everything was so unfamiliar. Come to think of it though, this city was where I met Natsume as a teenage girl. Back then I was so innocent and oblivious to a lot of stuff. I was enamored with the belief that everything would be fine as long as I was able to smile and make everyone else smile. I guess I still want to believe it; it gave me such a carefree lifestyle. I smile while reminiscing the past. The sad, the good, the funny and even those stupid moments, where I cried, smiled, laughed, loved, got upset, and even got embarrassed.
Then I started to remember how I met Natsume again after five years. What if I didn't just meet him by coincidence? What if we were actually supposed to meet again? I heard of a saying that love comes back even after it has left. Should I finally say what I wasn't able to after all these years? Have the heavens been arranging this encounter for me the whole time? (Author: yes I did) The pedestrian light turned green and subconsciously I only stepped on the white lines while chanting in my mind, should I tell him or not. As soon as my foot landed on the last white line the answer was…tell him. I figured as much some outside force wanted to taunt me but I just let it be and tried to gather my courage. Five seconds, no three seconds was all I needed. Just three seconds to be brave and shove my fear and embarrassment aside.
I walked along the street as calmly as I could and met with a corner. Around this corner I would meet him, the first word he says to me I will start to count down.
Farewell
As much as the so called outside force wanted Mikan and Natsume to finally confess to each other and be together there was another person who had other plans.
Natsume was already in front of the café about to step inside when he heard a very familiar voice. He turned around and saw the long haired woman that he knew for awhile now.
"What are you doing here?" he asked as the woman just smiled innocently.
"Oh, I was just with a friend nearby and remembered that you would be here" she said in a friendly voice. Natsume looked at her warily.
"I just popped by to say hi and would be on my way home. I'll see you then!" Natsume nodded as she was about to walk past him when her heels suddenly gave way and her body almost made contact with the hard cement ground when Natsume's quick reflexes kicked in making him hold her waist to prevent her from falling.
"Oh no, my heels broke!" she exclaimed in an almost rehearsing manner.
"Are you alright?" Natsume asked trying to be a bit of a gentleman.
"Yeah I just-"she made a pained face as she was trying to move her foot "I think I twisted my ankle a bit too much"
"I think I can call someone to get you to a nearby hospital" he suggested about to get his phone when she stopped him.
"Um, could I lean on you for a second? I just need some support. You can call someone then" she said as her pupils shifted around to search for something or someone.
"Fine" Natsume said in a reluctant manner as he searched his pockets for his cell phone and she wrapped her arms around his neck while leaning her face dangerously close to his face. In an outsider's point of view, it could be easily mistaken as a couple displaying affection in broad daylight and Mikan just happened to be the one who saw the lovey dovey display as soon as she turned the corner and saw Rumiko wrapping her arms around the guy she had been thinking about. Rumiko stared tauntingly at Mikan who had a shocked look on her face. Seeing the display made Mikan instantly lose all her boldness and courage, instead it was replaced with sadness and regret. Her lips started quivering and she looked down on the ground.
"That's right, what was I thinking?" she scolded herself "I should just…go" she took some steps back and turned around to walk away from the scene. Rumiko smirked triumphantly as she saw Mikan disappear from her sight. She withdrew from Natsume with an accomplished smile on her face.
"You know what? I think I can walk fine, my shoes were just out of balance" she said making Natsume stare at her quizzically "Well I wouldn't want to ruin your little appointment. Ja ne!" and with that Rumiko left with a smirk sticking on her face.
"Tch, women" said Natsume as he clicked his tongue and stepped inside the café to look for a table so he could wait for the person that wasn't coming.
After an hour Natsume was getting impatient. His arms were crossed and he was looking around for any sign of Mikan.
"That idiot is late" he thought with a scowl on his face "I'm going to make her face the consequences when she comes"
Mikan was back in her apartment as she checked the time.
"I wonder if he's still there" she thought, she was wondering whether to call him or not but she couldn't handle hearing his voice right now so she decided to just send him a text.
Natsume heard his phone beep as he took it from the table that was beside a half empty glass of ice tea. He started reading the text message from Mikan.
From: My Idiot
Gomene, but I suddenly have some overtime work to attend to.
Please don't wait for me. I will be sleeping in my office.
Again, I am very sorry. Have a good evening.
"Does this have to happen now?" complained Natsume as he growled over the text message frustrated with the fact that she will not show up "Can't believe I waited an hour for this. She's going to get it the next time I see her" Natsume paid his bill then went home to relieve his bad mood.
Mikan sighed as she tossed her phone on the couch, she wanted to sleep and forget about all her feelings. Maybe it's a good thing he doesn't know, she thought as she closed her eyes.
Farewell