Chapter Faive
POV Saruhiko Fushimi
AHHH... I really am terrible at updating fanfics, sorry. Also, please REVIEW. o.o I really want to know your opinion on this fic! So let's make a deal. You guys leave reviews and the more reviews we receive, the faster we'll update. I promise I won't be lazy about it. [Bull shit.] Hahaha, okay. So…. see you. :P
-CaramelaPurin
The sound of a high-pitched bell rang throughout the school, echoing and resounding off the walls. The students had finally been released from the sleep spell and the classroom immediately erupted in a series of voices roaming off into different conversations about different topics. I, however, do not participate in these petty conversations, and so I am the always the first student to leave the classroom. Picking up my bag, I exit the noisy room, and travel down the nearly-deserted hallway.
Once I had made my way down the stairs and outside the building, I continued my way out of the campus, through the open gates, and started down the street. Once I had walked a few blocks, I came before a small shop surrounded by several pots of flowers. With a sigh, I pushed open the entrance door, being welcomed by a light and cheery bell sound that echoed from above.
"Saruhiko-kun!" a shaky, yet cheerful voice called out, "How was school?"
I looked up to see a skinny woman around her fifties with brown hair tied up into a bun. She had a warm, young aura surrounding her, despite the gray hairs that could be seen shining in her bun, and her eyes were squinting with a smile.
"Fine, Ba-chan," I answered apathetically; although I called the woman 'Grams,' I actually had no blood relations with her at all. Despite that, she persisted in treating me as if I were her own grandson.
I traveled passed aisles roses and lilies before I reached the end of the room, and grabbed the spare apron hanging on a metal hook. "How was business today?" I asked, while tying a knot around my waist with the strings of the green fabric.
"It was average, but hopefully sales will raise once Valentine's Day hits," the woman answered.
"Aren't you typically supposed to get someone chocolates on Va-"
"Oh that reminds me!" Ba-chan shouted, interrupting my question, "What did you do with those flowers I gave you?"
"Nothing," I answered in monotone, trying to brush off the question. After tightening the bow, I let my hands fall back to my sides, and rotated my body to face the elderly woman once again.
However, I found myself completely dumbfounded when the woman began chuckling, trying to conceal her hiccups of laughter by placing her the back of her hand against her mouth, leaving me staring at her with a look of uncertainty etched onto my face..
I clicked my tongue and with a sigh, I traveled towards the back of the cash register, "You know, Ba-chan, if you keep laughing so hard you'll break a hip."
"Ahh, sorry," she raised her hand waving me off while her other hand clutched her waist, "I was just thinking; you look so handsome and yet you don't have a girlfriend. Must be that personality of yours."
With my elbows upon the counter, I rested my chin upon the palm of my hands in a slouching position. My face turned into a somewhat annoyed glare as I retorted with, "And what's wrong with my personality?"
"Oh nothing," she assured, and began sweeping the dust off the floor with a broom.
The day seemed to pass by fast; before I knew it, the sun had set. I gathered my belongings and hung the green apron upon its usual place.
"It must be horribly boring having to spend your entire day working," the old woman sighed in pity as she ran her bony fingers through her hair.
"It's not like I have anything to do outside of work," I said, walking back to the counter to grab my bag.
"Then it must be a pain to finish homework."
"No, homework is nothing, really," I convinced, "well, I better be going."
"Yes , you should," she agreed, "Your parents must be worried about you."
Something about those words stung. 'As if I had parents that cared enough to worry to begin with,' I couldn't help thinking. However, I decided not to dwell upon such thoughts as I raised my hand up in farewell and exited the shop, a soft jingling bell followed the sound of my footsteps.
The cold of the night hit me immediately, a light December breeze, and I could tell that a white Christmas was soon approaching.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and continued through the night. However, exasperation couldn't help but fill me as I thought more about the old woman's, Endo-san's, words. Your parents must be worried about you.
I scoffed a bit under my breath, the situation was a bit ironic actually. I remembered Endo-san saying that she had a daughter with an inability to give birth.
I remembered how she was rushing out of the flower shop without a warning and how the next day she was hurling a thousand apologies at me. Her words. 'Your parents must be worried about you.' I really do find it a bit painful. She's the only one I have.
I remember her telling me how I was the closest thing she had to a grandchild- more irony. It was a normal day at the shop- I was organizing a bouquet of flowers and Ba-chan was sweeping the dust off the floors. The day continued similar to that until she got a phone call. Immediately, she stormed out of the store, leaving me alone without a word. The next day she impelled me with a million apologies and explained that her daughter had received news that she would be unable to produce children.
And although Endo-san had been heartbroken, she still illuminated that same light that she always h-
My vision suddenly became blurred, and I stopped for a second, confused. I then realized that it was only a drop of water that had gotten on the lens of my glasses. That drop of water was then followed by another, and another, each drop darkening the pavement below me. And before I knew it, the entire sidewalk had been stained with water droplets, and I quickly grabbed my bag to shield my head from the rain. And with that, I quickened my pace in order to escape the water and find shelter.
And as I kept running, I felt something push against my shoulder forcefully, and I stumbled, losing my footing. I turned around to see who had bumped into me, and there, I saw a boy with a red hoodie, who was also quickly turning around to see me.
"I'm s-" he began, but never finished once he saw me. And then it felt like déjà vu; the way I looked into those deep, hazel eyes…
And that's when I woke up.
I found myself in the backroom of the flower shop, laying on the couch. I sat up, my weight resting on my arms, and yawned. A wet towel slid off my forehead and onto my lap. Just then, Endo-san walked through the door, holding a tray with sandwiches and a glass of water with a worried look on her face. At the sight of me, she smiled instantly.
"Ah! Saruhiko-kun! You're awake!". The elderly woman rushed over to me.
"What happened…?", I asked.
She just smiled weakly and sat down.
"You fainted. A nice young man came in and told me someone had fainted nearby, so I rushed over and I found you! I believe the boy's name was Misaki, sounds like a girls name, doesn't it?" She chuckled, but I could still sense a bit of distress in her laugh.
'Wait…. I blacked out? And the dream I had… It was probably reality then….' The thought went on over and over in my head (Although I don't know why) until Endo-san spoke up.
"I think you you fainted from overworking yourself. You can have the next few days off, and I'll be coming over around 7 0'clock to make sure you're eating your meals properly and getting some rest."
"But-", I said straightening my back and suddenly feeling a lot more energetic.
"No buts, Saruhiko-kun!", Obaa-san scolded, shaking her finger at me. "Speaking of which, what have you been eating lately, and how often?", she continued.
I tried to avert my gaze, but the penetrating stare forced me to give in. I told her about the convenience store meals probably about one or two times a day, and that I usually skipped meals.
To my surprise, the old woman remained calm; I would've expected her to freak out and lecture me about how I should eat more. However, she asked me something that somehow threw me back, "Do your parents know about this?"
I gulped. As if I could tell this lady that my parents couldn't care less whether I was dead or not, nevertheless care that I'm eating correctly.
"Yeah…" I tried to say, but it sounded unconvincing, even to me.
She just sighed, and said, "Okay, fine… But I want you to tell your parents that you are staying here with me. I can't let you go out during a storm."
'"Kay…" I replied, and watched as the old woman leave the room, leaving me alone on an old couch. And there I was left to think… why was everyone so meddlesome? A sigh escaped my lips. Come to think of it… What was the name of that boy again? Misaki? Why does it sound so familiar? My head feels like it's throbbing, most likely being the reason I can't think. I feel a buzz in my pocket and take out my phone. On my lock screen, it shows a new Facebook message.
Misaki Yata: hey
Oh, I think, as the realization hits me. Suddenly, my vision goes extremely hazy and I feel like the world is swimming around me. Those hazel eyes are the last thing I see before I slip into unconsciousness and a blanket of darkness envelops me.
A/N: Hi, guys… Been awhile, huh? Sorry this hasn't been updated for like…. Has it been a year now? I think so. So many regrets. We finished most of this chapter a long time ago, but got writers block and I just finished with a couple of sentences just now. Anyway, regarding future updates, I honestly have no idea whether we're going to continue or no. We kinda have some stuff going on, and I'm not sure when or if it's going to end. ~So mysterious~ If any of you are actually still reading this, please tell us below if this is actually worth continuing. So for now, bye-bye and have a wonderful day, lovelies. ~Nyanko~