Pieces of Childhood Memories

Chapter 13 - What, Another Memory?

Yoko sighed as she was sitting inside her car with her onii-chan and her driver. Now I can't go to Raimon to watch them practice or even call Aki or Haruna because onii-chan will always watch over me, she thought as she looked at her onii-chan with an 'I hate you!' face. Then around 5 minutes later, Yoko and Sakuma finally arrived at their school, Teikoku. Teikoku, in English it means 'empire'. No wonder the school building is huge, like a fortress. An empire's fortress, to be precise.

Yoko is always proud about her school. She has a lot of friends there, and she's very smart too. In Teikoku, even though you're the worst in class, you will be the best in class in another school. "Good morning," Yoko's friend greeted Yoko. She is one of Yoko's classmates.

"Good morning," Yoko replied as she smiled.

"And good morning to you, Sakuma," Yoko's friend greeted Sakuma. "It's very rare to see you both together at school like this."

"My brother will always watch me," Yoko said to her friend. "He doesn't want me to go to that place to see and help those people practice."

"That? Those? What do you mean by that and those?" her red-haired friend named Kushida Akari asked curiously. She is always curious with anything. Because of that, her classmates call her 'The Queen of Curiousity'.

"Oh, it's none of your business, Akari," Yoko replied. Then not long after that, the bell rang.

"Well, I guess its time for us to go to class," Sakuma said. Then the three of them walked towards their classroom, Class 2-1.

Ding, dong! The bell that marks that the classes have ended has rang. Students rushed home, some of them rushed to their club rooms. Yoko ran to the football pitch to see and help Teikoku soccer team members practice, as she was still their manager. She ran very fast that she didn't watch out her step. BANG! She bumped into someone.

"Ouch," the person said.

"Ouch!" Yoko said too. Then she looked at the person she had just bumped. It was one of her friends and also Teikoku's goalkeeper, Genda Koujirou.

"Oh, it's just Koujirou-kun," Yoko apologized. "Gomenasai, I was so careless. I won't bump to you again."

"It's O.K.," Genda replied. "Well, let's go to the football pitch, everyone is waiting," he continued. Then Yoko and Genda went to Teikoku's football pitch.

At Teikoku's football pitch...

"Minna, sorry we're late," Yoko said to the rest of Teikoku's soccer team.

"It's okay," Kidou replied. "But please don't be late for practice again. Especially you, Akiyama-san."

"I understand, The-Smartest-In-Class," Yoko replied with an annoyed tone. Kidou just smiled. "Now everyone, let's start practicing!" Yoko said cheerfully. But unlike in Raimon who will say 'Yeah!', Teikoku's soccer members just silent and went to the pitch to practice. Yoko sighed. It is better to be with Raimon, with Mamoru-kun and others, Yoko thought. I really want to go and watch Raimon practice for the next match against Mikage Sennou, but... Jirou-onii-chan will be watching me. I can't even call or text Aki or Haruna!

Yoko sighed as she saw Teikoku practice. She really missed seeing and helping Raimon practice, even though she hasn't see them just for a day. "What's wrong?" she heard a voice asked her something. Yoko then turned to see who asked her the question. It was Kidou.

Yoko sweatdropped. "Err... I'm just thinking about something, that's all," Yoko replied.

"Oh."

"How's Haruna?" Yoko asked.

"...How do you-?"

"...know that Haruna is your sister? Well, Kageyama told me," she answered as she smiled.

"The Commander told you?" Kidou asked.

"Yes, he did," Yoko answered with a very sweet smiled. Kidou blushed. Yoko didn't notice that he blushed, though. Instead, she just watch Teikoku practiced.

-Flashback-

"Akiyama, come here! I want to give you something." A girl called Yoko.

"What is it?" Yoko asked her as she approached her.

"You're moving from Inazuma Elementary School to Teikoku, right?" The girl asked, just to make sure.

"Yeah..." Yoko replied, then she started crying.

"Hey, don't cry! Oh yes, here, come with me!"The girl said, pulling Yoko's hand.

"B-But I'm going to go to Teikoku 30 minutes later!"

"There's still time, come on!"

At the Inazuma Tower...

"We're going to climb up here!" the girl said, pointing to the top of Inazuma Tower.

"But look at the sign, we are not allowed to climb up the tower. No one's allowed to do that!" Yoko said, pointing to the sign.

"It's okay, it's just for a while! I've never been up there before, too, so it'll be the first time for both of us!" The girl grinned.

"B-But I'm scared of heights!"

"Don't worry! I'll hold your hand so you won't fall," The girl said, smiling.

Yoko smiled. "T-Thank you..."

After they arrived at the top of the tower...

"Phew! The hard work has finally paid off!" the girl said.

Yoko then looked at the beautiful sunset. She couldn't believe what she has just saw. "Wow! It's..."

"Yeah, I know! It's beautiful, isn't it? A boy in my class said that this is the best place in the world according to him, so that's why I'm asking you to climb up this tower, so I can see the beautiful sunset with you!" The girl explained as she smiled.

Yoko smiled again. "B-By the way, you said that you wanted to give something to me. What is it?" she asked.

"Oh, that? Here, this is what I want to give you." The girl then gave Yoko a very beautiful swan-shaped pendant.

"It's very pretty!" Yoko said as she wore the pendant. "Wow, it looks really good on me!"

"Wow, you're right! It is good on you. I guess I bought the right pendant. And please promise me, that you will still remember me, and that you will come back one day!"

-End of Flashback-

"Akiyama-san, what's the matter? You're silent all of sudden," Kidou said to Yoko. He looked worried.

"Ah!" Yoko said. "Gomen, gomen! I'm just spacing out for a bit."

"Spacing out? I know its weird, but, you're always spacing out lately, what's wrong?" Kidou asked worriedly again.

"It's... nothing really important, so don't worry, Yuuto-kun," Yoko answered as she smiled. Kidou blushed again. But Yoko didn't see him blushing. She was just thinking about something very confusing. What is this? she thought. Isn't it a boy who gave me the pendant? Why it is now a girl? What's wrong now? Argh! It's getting more confusing!

PS: CHAPTER 13 IS FINALLY DONE! Sorry for the long update! And now, why is it a girl who appeared in Yoko's memories? Why? It's a mystery... but find out about that in the later chapters!