S2 Prologue
Dawn of a New Day
All I remember was a garden. A fluorescence, eternal, blooming garden. If I close my eyes, I can still see it vividly bloom before me. The purple tulips that gently swayed with the wind. The dazzling, blooming daffodils that blinded us with their bright colors. The adorable bush of Forget-Me-Nots - mother's favorite flowers - that bloomed an adorable baby blue. It's still my favorite shade of blue.
And finally, the big anemone bushes that surrounded us, and embraced the whole garden. They created an impenetrable fortress that shielded us from the outside view.
Back then, I didn't know how much they protected me and how much they provided a safe bubble for us to live in. They were the borders of our world. Unaware of the truth, I was only happy to live in this world of only the two of us - Mother and I, and this garden of colorful, blooming flowers.
Once again, I saw this vivid bright scenery in front of me and it feels strangely nostalgic. I wondered why and turned around.
There, I saw a beautiful woman with the same familiar ashen colored hair. Her hair was loosely tied into a low ponytail, and placed over her shoulder. Her face was thin, but still vibrant with life and passion. She sat hovered over an old wooden table. Dozens of sheets, pens and music sheets laid sprawled all over it.
How did I know this was an old wooden table? The surface was covered with sheets and tools, it shouldn't be possible for me to know. Before I could ponder on it for much longer, I was already smiling at this strange but familiar scene.
It suddenly hit me. This was a dream.
Omniscient Reader's POV
In her dream, Yui approached the focused woman, whom she had recognized as her late mother, with slow steps.
Suddenly a tiny shadow passed her by. It was a little girl not older than four. She wore a tiny red dress adorned with a simple white shirt underneath. Her fingers were smeared with dirt that came from the garden. Some traces of dirt had gotten to her face and on her beautiful ashen hair as well.
Yui watched the scene in front of her quietly.
The tiny figure stopped at the desk. Her small dirty hands held onto the corner of the table.
She tried to see what it was that kept her mother so busy, but with her smaller frame, she could barely glance at it.
«Mother, what are you doing?» The little girl asked as she struggled to take a look.
Her mother laughed, and pulled the little girl onto her lap.
«My… look at you. All dirty and tattered. Are you done playing around?»
Yuuko asked her cute daughter gently. She playfully brushed the dirt stains from her hair while doing so.
Little Yui nodded eagerly as she happily retold her mother of her newest adventure. «Today, Mr. Adam was happily munching on a leaf. I think he grew bigger! But he's still as green as before.»
«Oh my, is that so. It's all thanks to Yui-chan for taking such good care of the flowers. If you keep taking care of them then Mr. Adam, Ms. Maja, and their friends…»
«Ms. Natasha and Mr. Emil.» Yui happily interjected.
«That's right, Ms. Natasha and … With Yui around, they will all keep eating delicious food and grow up healthily.»
Nakahara Yuuko finished with a smile.
«Momma too!» Yui cheerfully said as she leaned into her mother's embrace. She wanted her mother to be healthy too.
Yuuko smiled at her daughter lovingly. «Of course. And Yui too should keep eating well and grow up healthily.» It was a mother's heartfelt wish to see her daughter grow up happy and healthy.
At the mention of food both of their stomachs started to grumble. Yui watched the mother and daughter duo reenter the house hand in hand.
Suddenly the vivid and colorful scenery shifted. The picture grew further, and further away. Colors and light faded into the distant, until only a white, blank, and empty space remained.
'It was only just a dream…' Yui mumbled to herself as she looked around the white space she was in now. A strange sickening feeling overwhelmed her. The white, blank, empty interior with nothing in it, reminded her of those white hospital walls that caged them in. She wanted nothing more but to escape from them.
Yui closed her eyes and tried to wake up from the dream. She tried to think back of that beautiful garden with all its beautiful colors, shining vibrantly and brightly, full of love, life and light.
She felt a sense of relief, when she heard a high-pitched ringing from afar.
The white space gradually faded as the ringing got louder and soon it completely disappeared, and a new light and color entered her blurry vision.
Yui woke up. The first thing she saw was the starry sky on her rainbow-watercolor ceiling that she had colored herself. The stars reflected on it, came from a small light projector that everyone had gifted her a year ago.
The colorful display of light and colors immediately lifted the girl's mood and she stood up with a smile.
Her hand went to the remote control on reflex, and she turned it off with a simple click.
Yui lazily brushed a hand through her hair in an attempt to straighten it out. It was tied into a casual low ponytail and now that she looked at it… It was the same hairstyle that her mother wore in her dream just now.
She chuckled at that thought. She moved to open the curtains and windows for some fresh air.
While doing so she temporarily stopped in front of the mirror.
Yui had grown up into a beautiful adolescent. Her baby fat had gone, revealing a small and delicate face. Her eyes seemed bigger, and the bright crystal blue shone a big contrast to her long, ashen-colored hair. Her hair had lost its soft fluffiness and instead fell smoothly, like silk unto her belly button.
Ever since Sae left, she barely cut her hair for some reason. It was probably her own way of supporting and remembering Sae, who now had been gone for years.
She smiled fondly as her hand lingered on her hair.
Yui moved towards the windows, moving away the curtains and opening it, the light and refreshing morning air immediately entered her room and it promised to be a wonderful new day. 'Hm… Mr. Adam, Ms. Maja. Mrs. Natasha , and Mr. Emil…' Yui thought with a fond smile as she remembered the caterpillar, slug, butterfly and ladybug she used to call her friends. New animals always visited their garden and now that she thought about it, there wasn't any way to discern them from each other. But she still hoped that they grew up happy and healthy the same way her mother had wished.
'And Yui too should keep eating well and grow up healthily.'
Yui smiled as she remembered her mother's words. With her head in the clouds her mind drifted off.
'Maybe I should go and visit Kaa-san today.' Yui thought as she stared at the bright world that shone underneath the sun. While she looked at the sky, a trail of white left behind by an airplane caught her attention and she couldn't help but wonder about a certain redhead.
'I wonder what Sae is doing, right now?'
A Day Prior
Dear Passengers of Flight XXXXXJP,
From Spain to Japan, the scheduled time is 12pm.
The plane has arrived at Lane 9. Please carefully follow the staff's instructions as you border the plane.
We wish you all a safe trip and pleasant flight.
The announcement rang through the intercom as people started to get up from their seats, ready to board the train.
I repeat: Dear Passengers of Flight XXXXXJP,
From Spain to Japan, the scheduled time is 12pm.
The plane has arrived at Lane 9. Please carefully follow the staff's instructions as you border the plane.
We wish you all a safe trip and pleasant flight.
No one seemed to notice the red-headed teen clad in a black cap and glasses, striped brand sports pants, and a matching sweatshirt to go with it. He was listening to music with his earbuds in, staring blankly at the scenery outside the window.
His whole posture radiated confidence and charisma as he sat there laid back, if not bored.
He didn't pay attention to his surroundings, until an older man, dressed in a stylish brown coat, and shaggy wavy hair approached him.
His manager. Sae saw him move his mouth avidly, and the teenager blinked. He removed his earbuds in one swift motion.
«-nd so, we'll have to hurry.»
His manager finished his explanation, and looked at Sae with a hopeful gaze.
Sae blankly stared back. His expression is the same bored one as ever.
His manager deflated with a sigh. «Sae… Did you even catch a single word of what I just said?»
Sae got up without wasting a single motion, and walked towards the boarding gate.
«We gotta board the plane. It's simple.»
Sae led the way forwards and his manager sighed at his cold attitude.
He would just have to explain it again later.
Checking Sae's schedule once again, he followed behind the egocentric genius midfielder.
Sae remained as cold as ever. As his manager looked at him he wondered: 'Did he not feel any joy or excitement?'
He had caught the teen smiling at his phone before on multiple occasions but now he just looked cold and slightly annoyed.
Sae's low opinion of the Japanese Football Players was no secret. But he wondered whether Sae disliked the idea of returning to Japan that much.
«Sae, it's been four years since you returned to Japan. Don't you want to see your friends?» He said with an excited smile.
«What?» Sae returned that question with mild irritation. He turned around partly to look at his manager. The glasses hiding the look of incredulity he was giving him. He could see Sae click his tongue.
Used to it, his manager continued.
«Have you told them yet, Sae?» Sae turned around with no reply.
Did he tell them? Sae smiled behind his glasses. Well, of course he did but he didn't tell them that he was returning a day earlier to watch Rin's football match.
Sae looked at the ceiling and breathed out a long sigh. Four years ago, he left in the heat of summer. Now, four years later, he would return in the whites of winter. Their first winter together.
Sae fiddled with the small gift wrapping he kept in his pockets as he remembered a small ashen-haired girl. That used to shine lit up his life with her mere existence.
Feeling a bit of excitement, Sae boarded the plane.
'I'm coming.'