Beyond The Haze : A Lilly pseudo-route - II-14 added 13-10-2024

[Razoredge]

Steel Strings

Last night, I slept a few hours longer than I used to; it happens sometimes, especially if I’m tired. God, I needed it.

On Sundays, I swim way longer than usual; I have more time, and I can talk longer with my swimming mates. Today, I learned something interesting; one of my swimming mates warned me about a little tournament hosted by the school. I have an entire month to train myself.

In this school, swimming tournaments are less important than athletic tournaments, but not for me. I still like watching the races, especially because, during the athletics tournaments, there’s always a struggle between two girls. A little girl with prosthetic legs, and a taller one who’s missing a hand. I always cheer the taller one on.

On the diving board, I take a deep breath, and I dive. Luckily for me, the water is lukewarm today, it’s enjoyable. As a warm-up, I swim a few laps, every two-quarters of a lap I swim underwater even if I don’t really like it. It’s an excellent exercise though, especially while holding your breath.

A few minutes later, I can begin the real training. Today will be a wonderful day since I’ve decided to do an endurance training. Not my favorite thing to do, but that has to be done. I won’t swim too fast, but for a long time. Some students are swimming in groups. Sometimes, I swim in groups, but most of the time, I do it alone; it depends on my state of mind.

For this tournament’s preparation, I’ll diversify my training; I must be at my best. Victory is out of reach, but for my satisfaction, I must work a lot. I swim slowly, trying to swim a lot of laps to increase my stamina.

However, sometimes, I’m afraid to lose my breath. I need to be very careful with my heart; having another heart attack is my worst fear, and the first one I had was the worst pain I’ve ever felt. Now, I’m terrified when I’m losing breath or when my heart beats too fast.

Half an hour later, I’m getting tired, but I can do a few laps more. I just have to swim slower. For me, I did a decent training today. I deserve a warm shower. Occasionally, I surprise myself by dozing in the shower, because it relaxes me so much.

The afternoon is free, I finally have time to hang out with Saki. I never get bored with her. But for now, I need to eat something, and I already know what I want to eat. Some pork with rice, with side greens and an egg. I rush towards the refectory, and when I reach my destination, I don’t have to wait too much.

When it’s my turn, I grab my lunch and head for an empty table, and I take place. Today, I eat way faster than usual; I should take my time, but I really want to spend time with Saki. Most of the time, I take twenty minutes to eat, but sometimes, like today, I eat much faster. I know it’s not good for me, but I can’t help it.

In a few minutes, there’s no rice left in my bowl. The pork is well-cooked; I love it. I think I’m not a picky eater, but there are some things I can’t eat at all, like spinach or even octopus.

After a good meal, I go back to my room. On the way, I wonder what outfit I could wear today. I finally put a grey checkered shirt on with black jeans. Nothing fancy, but I love these clothes. I could put on one of my black dresses, but I don’t feel like it today. I take my white sneakers, and I’m ready.

The weather is lovely; the sun is shining, a little breeze blows, a perfect weather for a stroll. Like me, some students leave school with friends, maybe for a walk too. For some people, Sunday is a day off, but we do a lot of things on Sunday. I proceed in the hall to reach Saki’s room.

Knocking at the door, I hope she’s in her room. I hit once, no answer. I try a second time, harder this time, and finally, she opens the door. It must be Saki. Who else could it be? I’ll always recognize her smell. The way she hugs me is a good hint, too.

Like me, she seems to be excited to see me. She’s always like that when I’m around. She brightens up my life since the day I met her.

“Hi, sweetie. The weather is nice today, so I wondered if you’d like to go for a stroll with me.”

“Sure. I’m always ready to go somewhere with you. Come on in; I just need to change my clothes.”

Saki’s room has plain decoration. Plain but beautiful. She placed a few objects in a line on a shelf, especially figures. I see one of the figures I bought her before the holidays, a figure from our favorite anime. She always keeps religiously everything I give her. When she changes her clothes, I wonder where we can go. I don’t know, I just want to spend time with my best friend; the destination doesn’t matter.

“You know what you want to do?” She asks me while putting a cute red dress on.

“Not really. We could go to the city, or whatever you want.” I answer her. Sometimes, it’s better to let her decides for us.

“Fine, let’s go to the city.”

She’s adorable in her dress. Saki has a fine taste for clothing; occasionally, she gives me tips to choose my clothes. And she has never made a wrong move.

A few minutes later, we leave the dorm and then the school. The birds are singing like on a summer day; the weather is really nice today. On the way, she tells me some things about her class, how things are going, the amount of work to do. Typical students stuff.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I’ve learned we have a little swimming tournament in a month.” It seems to interest her; she likes to cheer me on while I’m swimming in a tournament.

“I’m sure you’ll be great.” She says, with a kind smile.

“I don’t expect to win, but if it happens, I’ll be thrilled.” I never expected to win a tournament, it never happened, but who knows?

When we reach the city, we randomly roam in the streets. But I notice, out the corner of my eye, a little music shop. I take her by the hand, and we go inside. There are a lot of musical instruments, from violins to guitars via winds instruments. For a music nerd like me, it’s a little heaven.

The shopkeeper notices that I’m really interested in his articles. A dark blue electric guitar with a V-shape draws my attention, and I ask if I can to try it. He accepts. Then, I connect this little beauty to an amp, and I make some fine-tuning. I already know what I want to play. One Rode To Asa Bay from Bathory, one of my favorite bands.

As I play, Saki takes a seat in front of me. Instantly, she seems to be fascinated. I never played the guitar for her, which is a shame. It’s a long song, about nine to ten minutes, with the introduction. I can sing while playing; it’s hard for some songs, but I can do it. Not for every song, sadly.

My English accent is awful, but I do my best for her. This guitar, with this amp, has a really pleasant sound; I love it. As I carry on, she looks at the position of my fingers on the neck carefully. I don’t know if she likes this song, but it seems she loves the fact I play it for her.

When I reach the solo part, I don’t religiously follow the original song. This is an easy solo to play, but I spice it up a bit with some shred parts and a bit of tapping. Nothing too fancy, but it works well with the atmosphere of the song. When the song is finished, she applauds happily.

“You’re great; I wish I’ll be able to play like you someday.” Her smile is a precious thing, and I deeply thank her for her compliment.

“I can teach you if you want. It’ll take a long time, but with some hard training, I’m sure you’ll be good too.” I really want to teach her how to play.

I gently put this guitar away on a rack. However, I want to try an acoustic guitar too, and I choose a sunburst one and begin to play Sliver by Nirvana while singing. The sound is bright, clean, lovely, and the best part is that this guitar isn’t expensive at all. For me, it’s a good choice. I will buy it in a few weeks.

I thank the shopkeeper for letting me try these instruments, and we leave. Saki is happy; she seems to like my playing, so I will definitely do it again.

“Wanna drink something?” I ask her.

“Yeah. Some tea would be fine.” Sometimes, I think she can read my mind.

Therefore, I try to find a nice café; it takes a few minutes, and we see a lovely place. Saki takes green tea, and I choose a black one. I never went to this place, but they serve us quickly, so I won’t complain.

I like my tea strong, and this one is perfect. Drinking tea with a friend is a simple thing, but I cherish this kind of moment.

“Oh, by the way, a few days ago, I met this blonde girl again.”

I try to remember her name, but I can’t. This bothers me so much, I can’t stand not remembering someone’s name. Saki opens her mouth; maybe to help me. But she understands, by my attitude, that I want to find it by myself. I rack my brain, trying to remember this name. She stays quiet, a bit worried, I think. However, I finally find what I was looking for.

“Lilly, that’s her name. Finally, I can remember it.”

“I’m proud of you.” She says kindly. “What happened?”

“Well, nothing in particular. I only helped her at the mini-market. She wanted some noodles, so I gave her what she needed while doing my groceries. Frankly, I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes.”

“She will do something for you in the future, I’m sure of it. If you help her, she will help you later. At the very least, that’s what well-raised people do.”

We talk about unimportant things too, such as the weather, our clothes, or even music. Even with ordinary stuff, Saki says interesting things, as if everything was important to her. I pay for our tea, and we leave. On the way back to school, something comes to my mind. I must ask her a question.

“Would you stay a few days at home during the next holidays? Mom and dad would like to see you.” I ask her, but I already know what she could answer.

“Of course, with great pleasure. How could I say no to you?” She really likes the idea.

We reach the school slowly; I try to match my pace to hers, since she walks way slower than me. We still have some time, and Saki has a great idea; a little nap under a tree.

She lays down next to me, cuddling up to me. When I see her, I can’t think of anything else than she’s one of the cutest girls I’ve ever seen. She’s always kind to me, she’s supportive, she’s always there for me. I’d never give her up. Ever.

I close my eyes and fall asleep. Sometimes, in the middle of the afternoon, I fall asleep almost instantly, especially if I had a hard training in the morning. I never worried about that.

[Razoredge]

Kind invitation

In the dead of night, a nightmare wakes me with a start. This is the same nightmare every time. I'm swimming underwater, and suddenly, I lose my breath, and I have a heart attack.

Obviously, I'm always panicked. I'm scared to death of having another heart attack. You can't forget a pain like this, it's unbearable. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

Shivering, I open my window and take a deep breath. It's cold outside, but it helps me to realize I'm alive. It's just a nightmare.

If I follow the nurse's advice and take my medicine, I will be fine. Nevertheless, every time I have this nightmare, I'm crying. I can't help crying. I try to calm down, but there's nothing I can do. I close my window, and I leave my room. Still shivering, I head for Saki's room.

I know I will not bother her. She always told me I can reach her room if I have this nightmare. Knocking on her door, I don't have to wait too long. She's a sleepyhead, but she understands instantly. I have nothing to say. She let me in and hugs me frankly.

I blame myself a bit. Saki was sleeping, and I woke her up. But it seems she's not angry at me. She lays down on her bed, and I do the same thing, lying next to her.

She kindly strokes my hair. It appeases me. Saki is able to calm me down without saying anything.

" Saki? Thanks..."

"Thanks for what, dear?" She answers me, in a whisper.

"Thanks for always being there for me." I'm not shivering anymore.

"That's what best friends do. I love you, that's why I'm there for you." Her voice tone is lovely.

She keeps her hand in my hair, and I fall asleep. Her breath is soothing. Snuggled up against Saki, I know I will sleep well.

...............................................................

A weird alarm clock sound wakes me up abruptly. I realize I'm in Saki's room. When I wake up, I don't turn things over in my head. She shuts the alarm down and smiles when she sees me.

"Did you slept well?" She asks me, stretching out.

"Pretty well, thank you for that," I answer her, stretching out too.

"Anytime, dear."

"I'll go get dressed, and we take the breakfast together?" I ask her while smiling.

"Seems a good idea to me."

I leave her room lightheaded. My uniforms are clean, but I can't stand the smell of the detergent used in this school. I put a clean uniform on, and I wait for her outside the dorm. A few minutes later, we head towards the cafeteria.

My stomach rumbles, and she laughs when she hears it. It's early in the morning. Saki always wakes up before me, but that's okay.

"You snored last night." She laughs while nudging me.

"Seriously? Sorry... You're the first one who tells me something like that."

"It doesn't matter, I won't wake you up just for that. Luckily, you're discreet." I feign that I'm outraged, and she roars with laughter.

Being with Saki is a good thing for my heart. Because of her disability, she usually walks slowly, sometimes with a cane. Thus, we're never in a hurry. However, I try to do everything I can to help her. She does the same thing with me anyway. We promised to always be there for each other.

There are very few people in the cafeteria. So, we can quickly take our food and a seat. Rice, greens, and an egg. The same things every morning, and I won't change my habits. Saki took the same stuff.

I take a sip of hot tea. I only drink cold tea on sweltering summer days. She gives me her egg because she doesn't want to eat it. It doesn't disturb me, more food is always good.

I like when this place is quiet, like now. You can speak without raising your voice. Suddenly, a thought comes in my mind.

"I was wondering, how it goes with the boy you told me about before the holidays?"

Saki sniggers. She told me her feelings about a boy just before the end of the previous school year. I was happy and thought that she would become his girlfriend.

"I told him my feelings during the holidays, but it didn't go anywhere. So, I gave up." She answers me.

Saki seems to be a little sad. But she quickly forgets about that. The rest of the meal takes place in a quiet atmosphere. When we have to leave each other, she hugs me vigorously and heads towards her classroom.

......................................................

In the middle of the sciences lesson, the teacher asks me a question.

"Yamamoto, which precaution do you need to take when you want to dissolve some acid with water?"

It takes me a few seconds to think about that. I know what to do, but I need to remember it. The teacher waits, and finally, I remember what to do.

"It's imperative to pour the acid slowly onto water, and not the other way around." As I answer his question, he agrees with a nod of his head.

"And can you tell me why?"

"When you pour water onto acid, this reaction is exothermic, and we want to reduce as far as possible the projection hazard," I reply, talking slowly.

"Exactly." He's smiling. When we answer correctly to his questions, this teacher is always proud of us.

During the rest of the lesson, he warns us about the many dangers of science experiments. I have to admit, science is not my favorite subject, but he achieves to make it interesting.

The next class is a Japanese one. I love Japanese literature, so I'm always paying close attention, even when I'm tired. During these lessons, I always lose track of time. Especially when the teacher talks about new books. My neighbor doze, which makes me smile.

We have to answer some questions. It's not that hard, so it takes me a few minutes to do this work. I help my neighbor to answer these questions. The rest of this morning's lessons follow the same path. Peaceful and interesting.

.......................................................

After lunch, we have a Japanese history lesson. I love these classes. I'm very interested in this stuff, and my best grades are in this subject.

It may sound strange, but World War II is my favorite period of history. I love to understand how the world turned into war in a few years. It's a case study. You learn to avoid things that can lead a nation to war.

But today, we talk about the Meiji Era and how Japan became open to the West. We learn historical facts, but I know that some people hate this period of Japan's history. Some things will never change.

During the lesson, I take a lot of notes. We'll have an assessment in two weeks. This one will be the easiest one for me.

The last class is a maths one. I have to admit, I'm not fond of mathematics. Sometimes, during maths lessons, I doze. But today, thankfully, it's not the case. No exercises today, just notes.

When the bell rings, some students rush outside. I could reach my room, but I need to take a book. I go towards the library. I really love the library. It's a quiet place, where you can work at your own pace. Also, Yuuko is very kind to us.

When I reach my destination, I search for my book. Finding my way between the shelves, I see it in the literature section. I take this book, and I try to find a free table. But I can't see any. I don't mind sharing a desk. I take a seat, and I begin to take notes from this book.

It's an interesting one, dealing with modern Japanese literature. A few minutes later, as I'm daydreaming, I notice that a tall blonde girl is right in front of me.

I'm sure I have seen her before. I struggle with my own memory, to remember her name. For a few long minutes, I'm trying to put a name on this face.

"Li...Lilly?" I speak very quietly.

"Hmm?" I'm happy, I finally remembered her name. "Oh. Hello Kaori. How are you doing?" Her smile is frank.

"Fine, thank you. To be honest, I didn't expect to see you there."

"You can see me in the library very often. I like this place, it's quiet and peaceful." She told me, thinking the same things. "What are you reading?"

"A book about modern Japanese literature. I can't explain why, but I love this subject." I answer, speaking in a low voice.

"If you like modern literature in general, I can recommend some books to you." She says, with a kind tone.

"I would like to see your recommendations."

She pauses a bit. I try to decipher the title of one of her books, but I can't read Braille. The little dots on the front cover must be Braille.

"How's your relation with Saki?" She asks me.

I'm a bit surprised. Lilly's question takes me by surprise, and I stay quiet for seconds. It seems she's aware of a lot of things.

"It's fine, thanks, but how do you know..."

"Some things are pretty obvious. Like my relation with Hanako. It's the same with yours with Saki. I can see these things." She's smiling as she answers me.

"Saki is my best friend, and she means a lot to me. " I answer her. "But I thought I was relatively discreet about that."

"Even when you try to be discreet, some things are obvious. But it's nice to see that someone here is important to you." She says with a kind smile.

"Aside from Hanako, are you close to someone else?" I ask her.

"I have some friends in this school, but she's the girl I am the closest to." Her voice is low but sweet.

Then, I start retaking notes. Sometimes, we break the silence, talking about ordinary stuff. I really like to speak with Lilly.

We stay until closing time. I could spend all day in the library. She gives me some book recommendations, but just before we split, she asks me a question.

"Sometimes, in the late afternoon, I drink tea with Hanako. Would you like to join us? I'm sure she would like your company."

It's a nice offer. How could I refuse?

"Sure. I can't refuse to join a tea party. Especially with nice people", I say frankly.

She smiles and gives me the place and hours. I write these pieces of information down in my mind, and then, we split. I wish I could spend more time with her. She's really kind to me. I don't want to delude myself and get ideas. If I do well, I wish we could be friends.

I just have to wait and see.

[Scroff]

I don't know what it is about this story that I like so much, if I were to read it with my head then there'd be many nits to pick. So I read it with my heart instead, and look forward to each update.

[Razoredge]

Thanks for your words. I try to do everything I can to improve my writings and deleting all the gaps, it's pretty hard, because English is not my mother tongue.

[Razoredge]

Checkmate

The water is like a mirror. On the diving board, I look at my body's reflection. Curves are waving, it's pretty funny. But I'm here to swim. I take a huge breath, and I dive. It seems that water is pretty cold today, but it's okay.

I start swimming. I'm nearly alone, I woke up earlier this morning to train myself before classes. I'm focused on my objective. I must be at my best for the tournament. Swimming slowly, I do a few lengths as a warmup.

I'm trying to swim most of the time underwater. I need to improve my breathing, so this training is excellent. My warmup finished, the real training begins. Today, I'll swim faster than usual. I need to improve my swimming speed. Doing the crawl, I start to swim fast.

On the third length, I find my cruising speed. It's a bit faster than usual, but it's bearable. My heart rate increases a tiny bit. If I control my speed, everything will be okay.

Water is waving on my body as I carry on. Sometimes, my mouth and my nose are underwater but not for long. I don't have to be afraid, I can control the situation.

I do some bursts of speed. If I'm on a battle against an opponent, speed will be the key to victory. Also, I must be unpredictable. During a full half-hour, I work on my speed. I don't know how many lengths I did, it's not important. When I leave the pool, some people dive in.

I deserve a hot shower. It takes me ten minutes to take a shower. I hate this chlorine smell, so, I do everything I can to eliminate it. I leave the shower, and I bump into one of my swimming partners.

"Oh, Hi Kaori. You were training for the tournament?" He asks me. I can't remember his name, as usual.

"Yes. I needed to work on my speed. What will you do?"

"I'll work on my stamina today. I worked too much on my speed last week, I need to change that." He sniggers.

I wish him good luck, and I reach my classroom. I can't wait to swim against my opponents.

................................................

It seems this morning will be boring. Taking notes, and that's all. Not a fancy program, I just have to make do. Daydreaming, I doodle something on the margin of my notebook. I'm barely focused, but I know what this lesson is about. My neighbor dozes on the table. An ordinary morning after all.

A nice change occurs at the end of the morning. We have a classical literature lesson. Every time we talk about literature in class, I'm really focused. Today, we talk about classical Japanese literature with some haikus.

I'm fascinated by people who can write a masterpiece with only a few words. I know I'm not able to do something like that, but I love reading these poems. The teacher explains to us how to write a haiku. I'm taking notes because I find this fascinating.

My writing skills are awful, and when I try to write a poem, the result is embarrassing. But never mind, I want to improve my writing. Hopefully, I won't need to write a poem during my assessment. I would like to, but I'm not able to write a good poem.

Today, I will eat alone, but that's fine. Sometimes, it's nice to be alone to cogitate about new things. Occasionally, when I eat alone, I find some new riffs. Then, I write them down.

......................................................................

Fortunately, the afternoon's lessons are a bit better. Science and English. When science's teacher comes, he tells us we'll talk about some scientific theories. I love when we do something like that.

We talk about black holes. I don't even know how such a thing can work. I know it vacuums light up, but I don't know how. Some students give some theories, and the teacher guides us towards the truth.

Like that, I lose track of time. This kind of lesson is exciting, and thanks to that, I can appreciate science. They give some theories about one or two other things, and then, the class is over.

But my joy was short-lived. We'll have to talk in English. I don't mind speaking in public, but my English accent is awful. Obviously, I'm not the only one with a dreadful accent.

Today, we have to read aloud. The teacher gives the sheets out. I begin to read it quietly. It seems this text is not difficult to understand. However, she asks me to read first.

The first words are pretty easy to read. But I have trouble reading some phonemes. My pronunciation is terrible, and for some words, I have to read it three or four times.

That's why I hate to speak English in front of people. I love this language, but I try to avoid speaking. The teacher helps me with some words' pronunciation, then someone else reads.

Two and a half minutes for three lines. I feel a bit ashamed, but I did my job. However, I'm doing everything I can to overcome my shortcomings. When the lesson is over, I sigh. I wonder if I'll be able to speak English correctly someday. Nevertheless, I'll clear my mind.

I remember about this sweet tea party invitation. I think that the girl who gave me this invite was Lilly. This is the only name which comes up in my mind, after a minute of reflection.

I head for the room she told me about. The door is ajar, and I hear two voices. I only recognize the first one. When I walk into the room, the blonde girl, who must be Lilly, asks a question to her friend.

"Hanako, dear, who's there?"

"A girl... who's in my class." answers the girl with dark purple hair.

The blonde girl cogitates a few seconds, then she smiles frankly.

"So, you're here Kaori. Welcome. Please, have a seat." she says to me with a sweet tone.

"Thanks, Lilly" I answer.

She smiles happily when I say her name. I finally managed to remember her name, and I'm proud of myself. I will never recognize her face, and I must find a stratagem to remember it, but I have time.

She serves me a cup of tea, and I thank her frankly. I really like hot tea, so I'm pleased. Outside, the sun slowly goes down. We talk about trivial things, but I notice something's wrong.

The girl with dark purple hair seems to be embarrassed. I don't know why, but I remember what Lilly told me about her. She's very shy, so that explains everything.

Suddenly, an idea pops up in my mind.

"Lilly, you're half Scottish, right?" I ask, all of a sudden.

"Yes, that's what I told you" she smiles. "But can I know why this question suddenly came in your mind?"

"I have trouble reading English so... I wonder you speak English very well." I answer, honestly.

"Oh." She pauses a bit. "You need some help about that?"

"Yes... If you don't mind." I lower my eyes.

"You can ask me everything you want about that. I'd be glad to help you." She answers with a sweet but motherly tone.

I thank her with all my honesty. Generally, I don't ask for help. Yet I need it sometimes. My pride prevents me from asking for help. I sip my tea. This place is quiet, I love that. Then, Lilly takes a board game. I recognize this one. This board is used in chess and draughts games.

"Kaori, do you know how to play chess?" She asks me.

"Not really. My father wanted to teach me when I was younger, but he never had the time."

"I think we can teach you if you want," Lilly answers me.

I accept her offer. They put the pieces in place, and the game starts. I understand absolutely nothing, from the rules to the movements. Nevertheless, I find this game captivating, even if it's incomprehensible for me. I try to understand something, but it's too blurry for me.

It seems it's a close game. But after a few long minutes, Lilly wins the game. In fact, that's what she said. It will take a long time to learn to play chess. I know nothing about it so it will take time to learn the rules, the movements, and everything else.

I take another cup of tea and ask some questions about this game. Even with Lilly's explanations, I understand nothing. When my cup is finished, we split, and I reach my bedroom. I have a whole hour to read before dinner.

.........................................

In the queue, I wonder what can I eat today. I should take the same thing as usual, but for once, I want to change.

Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't notice that someone poked my arm. Then, I feel that someone hugs me like a koala. It must be Saki, she's the only one who does this with me.

"You won't eat alone, I'm here for you," Saki says to me, with her sweet voice.

I laugh, and when it's our turn, she jumps off. I take some fish with greens and an egg. Saki takes pork with rice, and we take a seat.

We begin to eat, as she tells me her day. Saki knows how to make things interesting. I listen to everything she tells me with great interest. I take a big bite of fish, and something pops out in my mind.

"Oh, I forgot to mention. I asked Lilly if she could help me with my oral skills in English."

"And what did she say?" She asks me with interest.

"She said she'll help me every time I need it. Lilly is very kind, I thanked her so much for that."

"Nice. But try to not fall in love with her during the process." She says, sticking her tongue out at me.

Saki knows that I prefer girls to boys, and she jokes about that sometimes. I know she's just kidding, I never took it badly. The rest of the meal is quiet. The silence is occasionally broken by frivolities. When I spend time with my best friend, nothing else matters.

When our meal is finished, we reach our own rooms. I hug her in front of my room, and I jump into my bed. I won't sleep now, I need to read before. As usual.

[Mirage_GSM]

Nice chapter again.
One thing you should pay a bit more attention to is to avoid repetitions. Just a few examples from this chapter:

Today, I'll swim faster than usual.
...
It's a bit faster than usual, but it's bearable.

We have a classical literature lesson.
...
Today, we talk about classical Japanese literature with some haikus.

We'll have to talk in English.
...
Today, we have to read aloud.

Two small grammar mistakes:

This is the only name who which comes up in my mind

"And what did she said say?"

Finally I know English is not your first language, but try to avoid so many sentences with only three or four words. Personally I think it's much better to take the risk of trying to make a longer sentence. Even if you do make a mistake in the process the result will probably have better readability and you can improve by making mistakes. You won't improve (as much) by always avoiding them.

[Razoredge]

Thanks for the advice buddy.

I know I must try to make longer sentences, and this is what I try to do. Nevertheless, sometimes, I feel like my long sentences are weird, but I work on that.

I'll make longer sentences for the next chapter. And thanks again for the advice.

[Razoredge]

Whisper

The last week was pretty dull, I did the same training every day. It doesn't bother me to do the same thing day after day, but sometimes, I feel the need to change something.

That's just what I did yesterday, I've changed my training sessions. Today, I will swim a lot faster than usual. And I don't care if I swim half an hour instead of a whole hour. I need to increase my speed if I want to beat my rivals.

Also, the nurse told me to swim faster than usual sometimes. For him, it wouldn't hurt, and I trust him. After all, he never lied to me. I take a huge breath before diving. Every time I'm underwater, I try to keep my eyes closed. Chlorine is a sneaky thing, and once it reaches your eyes, it's too late.

I could've taken diving goggles, but I forget it every time, and I need to keep my eyes closed underwater. I don't know why, but I always thought I swam oddly. Mom told me it was only an impression.

After my traditional warmup, I begin to swim faster than usual. I check my heart rate every minute, and when it's too high even if I do a physical effort, I take a little break.

My heart is the only thing which can stop me while I'm doing something. Sometimes, I found a way to prevent pain or fear, but occasionally, my heart wins, and I need to stop.

Over half an hour, I took two breaks. I took the second break because I felt a pain in my chest. Every time I feel a pain like that, I'm afraid, I just can't help it.

A half an hour training at high speed is enough for me, I'm short of breath. But in fact, it was an excellent training, I'm proud of myself. I deserve a warm shower, and I must avoid dozing. I don't know if I'm ready for the tournament, but in a few days, my level won't rise anymore. I don't expect to win, but I'll do my best.

While the hot water is running on my skin, I wonder what I could do after school. Lilly offered to help me with my English oral skills, so I would ask her to help me after school.

The steam from the hot water is lovely, I love that. Even in the summer, I can't bear cold showers. In my mind, cold water is like rain, and I hate rain from years now. After a long shower, I go back to my room to get dressed for school. I think it will be a perfect day. There is not a cloud in sight.

............................

The first lesson of the day is Japanese. We have to work on a few kanji. These are handy, especially if you want reading some newspapers. When I write down a kanji, I do every time the same thing. I write down the kanji correctly, then the reading in kana, and some examples to know when and how to use it.

I'm not a very fast learner, so I have to do it multiple times. It's the only way, for me, to learn some kanji. I'm not able to learn something if I'm only reading it, except for history, I don't even know why.

Then, the science teacher comes. It seems we're about to speak about stars. This is something I find fascinating, I like every little thing about space. I write down every important thing. We could have a test about it, so I have to foresee every eventuality. I have to work hard if I want to succeed.

This is something I try to do every day, but sometimes, I don't give that impression, and I know that. However, I try my best, but from time to time, this is not enough. At the end of the lesson, the teacher seems to be more tired than before. Nevertheless, he seems to be always tired, he must work a lot for us.

The two other lessons of the morning are English and literature. We have a little test during the English class. Fortunately, it's only reading comprehension.

My writing skills are not too shabby, so I can manage to do something. There are two parts on this test. Some questions about a text and an essay. We have to talk about our favorite film genre. I have chosen the science-fiction genre. I love this kind of movies, so I have a lot of things to write about that.

I stop to write a few seconds before the end of the test. I have to admit, I'm proud of myself. It may seem a bit paradoxical, but my writing skills are better than my oral skills.

The final lesson of the morning is more peaceful. I love to hear my teacher speaking about literature when I'm daydreaming. I still take some notes, though.

...........................

After a good lunch break, I'm ready for the afternoon. Japanese literature and Japanese history. A nice schedule for me. The weather is lovely, but I must focus on these lessons.

When I love a subject, time seems to slow down, but I can't explain why. It doesn't bother me, so for me, this is quite normal. Several students are dozing, but after lunch, it's pretty standard.

Today's subject is not one of my favorites, but it's still interesting, as Japanese literature should be. Not for everybody, that being said.

Suddenly, an idea pops into my head. I should go to the library this week, I need to borrow a book. It sometimes happens, right in the middle of a lesson, I think that I need to borrow a book. I don't even know why it happens.

However, during the last lesson of the day, Japanese history, I have a lot of questions. Questions about battles. I ask the teacher about the reasons why some battles happened during the war. He seems to be happy to see interested students. History is a passion of mine, I have to admit. Sometimes, I think that I would be teaching it in the future.

I note every answer, and I'm satisfied. During a test, personal knowledge can make a huge difference. That's why I try, as much as possible, to improve my historical knowledge. When the lesson is finished, I take my English book, and I head for the room where I took tea with Lilly and Hanako last time.

I think she's Hanako, it's the only name I can put on her. But I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. I remember that I called Saki with incorrect names before.

When I reach the room, I found it empty. They must be at the library. But once there, I can't find them. They could be outside, so I'm leaving the main building.

In fact, they're outside, sitting under the shade of a tree. I greet them, and I sit down next to Lilly. Well, I think this girl is Lilly. The dark purple haired girl is quiet when her friend talks to me. We talk about school stuff for a long time. Lilly manages to be quite interesting while she talks about school, I'm impressed.

" Oh, I forgot something. You offered me your help, right? "

" Yes, I did. Do you need help? " She asks me.

" Yes. I have to read a text and answering questions about it. But I don't know how to read a few words. " I answer her, looking at my feet.

Smiling, she asks me to start reading. The beginning of the text is easy for me, I understand every word. But the third paragraph is tricky, and she instantly notices it.

A particular word bothers me. It's written whisper, but I don't even know how to pronounce it. I think I'm butchering this word, but luckily, Lilly rushes to my rescue.

" You have to pronounce it whisper. " She says to me with a kind smile.

She deconstructs the word, pronouncing each syllable in it, and I'm writing it in my mind. Also, Lilly pronounces this word in a whisper, to give me the meaning.

Then, I continue reading. She helps me to pronounce some words and gives me the meaning of a couple words. Lilly is very kind to me, I really appreciate it. The last paragraph, fortunately, is as easy as the first one.

When I close my English book, the dark purple haired girl begins to talk, with a small voice. She's pretty shy, it's a fact, and I don't know what to do to appease her.

She talks about chess. It seems that she loves this game. That's too complicated for me, but I try to understand some things. This is not the case at all, I don't understand anything.

Nevertheless, that sounds interesting. Even if I understand nothing. I ask some questions, but the answers aren't clear for me. Never mind, I can pretend I understand something.

" You know, Kaori, if you need help someday, just ask me. I will help you with pleasure. " Lilly says to me with a kind voice.

" I appreciate it, really. But I'll must owe you something. "

" You can do whatever you want. I like to help students when they have troubles with this language. " She smiles at me.

" The only thing I can teach to someone is how to play the guitar. " I laugh, shrugging my shoulders.

" If you want to. I never thought to play guitar, but someday, I think I will. I will ask you if I need help. " She says to me with a slight laugh.

I would pay good money to spend more and more time with them. If Saki were here, it would be heaven, for me at least. I think Lilly will be a good friend of mine, she's adorable with me, and I have to admit, I like her for that.

[Scroff]

Thank-you for another lovely update! You've succeeded in getting me to care about Kaori, I'm starting to worry about Lilly breaking her heart...

[Razoredge]

Thanks for the kind feedback. I'm glad you care about her, this is why I try to do with her.
But don't worry, I haven't planed to break her heart, I mean, not yet.

[Razoredge]

Wandering

Mom called me this morning. Firstly, I thought that something was wrong, then I remembered. Every week, she calls to bring me some news. And surprisingly, everything was fine, as usual. Sometimes, I'm worrying too much about insignificant things. Dad was fine, she was fine, everything was alright.

I told her a lot of things about school, from homework to lessons. I'm aware she loves to know what I'm doing at school, that's why I told her everything. I can talk to my mother for hours, but I know this is not possible.

Dad is fine, it's a fact, but he stills bring work back at home. He always worked hard, at least since I was born. But when I had my heart attack, my father decided to work harder, to give me everything I could need. He always neglects his own health to take care of me, as much as possible.

Sometimes, at the end of the week, I love to hang out with Saki, especially in the park or in the woods. Walking with my best friend is one of the things I cherish.

Opening my closet, I take a black tank top with a white jean. That is rare enough to warrant drawing attention to it, I wear white pants barely one time a month. But I love these things, so I should do it more often. I take my black sneakers too, and I'm ready. The weather is lovely outside, perfect for a little stroll in the city. I leave my bedroom and head for Saki's room. She must be studying or daydreaming, as usual, so a walk won't bother her.

In the hallway, some students are chatting, and provide for a walk too. In front of her door, I knock a little bit. I don't have to wait more than four or five seconds. She's happy to see me, as usual, so as for me.

" You're up early today," Saki says to me with a smile.

" Mom called me this morning, like every week. And I thought you might want to take a walk." I answer her.

" I'm always ready to do something with my best friend. Just let me get dressed, and we're done."

I lay down on her bed, as she put a cute white dress on. She has excellent taste concerning clothes. That's why, sometimes, I ask her for help when I buy clothes.

" Do you know where do you want to go?" She asks me.

" What about the city? We could also do some window-shopping."

" Why not, that's a good idea. Checking out the good stuff for future purchases can be great." She seems to be really happy about that.

We're finally ready, and we leave the dorm. We're not in summer, but for me, the end of spring is always enjoyable. She puts her arm underneath mine, and we head for the city.

It takes quite a bit of time to reach the city. There are no students in sight apart from us. A gentle breeze blows, it feels refreshing. I'm not a huge fan of winds, but sometimes, they're pleasant.

On our way, we talk about our families. She doesn't frequently speak about her parents, but when she does it, I'm attentive to every detail. Saki is quite discreet on specific subjects, but not with me. We're honest about everything to each other.

" Kaori, before I forget, Mom asked me if you want to come home someday." She asks me with a little smile.

" How could I refuse a kind invitation? Of course, I will." I answer her, frankly.

She seems to be happy to hear my answer. I never say no to Saki, except when I can't do something. She's aware that my condition doesn't allow me to do some things, and she acts accordingly, like me with her.

I don't have anything planned for summer, so I could spend my time with Saki. Mom and dad would agree with me, they love her.

The breeze blows as we walk slower than usual, to spare Saki's legs. In the town, we roam around, without a purpose. She starts to look at some clothes in a shop window. She seems to be interested in a black dress. I have to admit, it's a cute little dress, it must suit her well. Sadly, the store is closed, so we can't try on clothes. We should come back another day.

" I'm a bit afraid."

" Why are you afraid, sweetheart?" She asks me, with a worried air.

" I don't know why, but before a tournament, I'm always frightened. I can't explain why, but I can't help it. "

" I see. You're afraid to do anything wrong, right? It won't happen, Kaori. You're a good swimmer, I know that. I believe in you, you'll be great." She says to me with a beautiful smile.

Saki knows how to calm me down, and I like her for that. She's always there for me, so as I am for her. Our conversation drifts towards school. I may be her best friend, she meets new people, and I'm happy about that.

" I met a second-year two weeks ago. She's kind, I have to admit. " Saki says, with a laugh.

" Nice. How did you meet her?" I ask her curious to learn more.

" At the refectory. She was alone and wanted to sit down with someone. So I had invited her to take a seat. It seems that she's legally blind. But, are you doing okay with Lilly?"

" Pretty well. I asked her for help with my reading. My English oral skills are a shame, you know that. So she helped me with my pronunciation." I laugh when I say that.

" At least, she managed to survive. " She laughs even louder.

I give her a little nudge while laughing. I'm happy to see that Saki meets new friends, like that we have a lot of things to say.

" I think she's really kind to me, what do you think about it?" I ask her, impatient to hear her answer.

" For what I heard about her, she is. And, I know you, if you ask me this kind of questions, it's because you have something on your mind." Saki says, squitting, nearly taunting me.

" I have to admit, I like her, but that's all. I wanted to know your opinion about her." I answer her, laughing.

" I think she will be a good friend to you. No, I don't think, I'm sure of it." When Saki talks like that, she's honest.

However, I notice that she's looking my shoulders insistently. I know every inch of my best friend, and when Saki acts like that, I know what she desires. Then, I squat down, to allow her to climb on my shoulders. I'm much taller than her, and I don't even know why, but she loves that. She places her legs around my neck, and I stand up straight.

I'll do everything for Saki, even the weirdest things. I just want her to be happy, as much as I can. So, I roam, with my best friend on my shoulders. And she's happy, I can feel it, as she gently laughs. When I was young, I loved to climb on my father's shoulders, I don't even know why. So, I can totally understand why she loves something like that. Furthermore, when her legs are weak, it's an excellent way to help her.

" You know what? Today, I'll try to reach school with you on my shoulders. I think I can do it." Sometimes, I'm confident, maybe too confident.

" If you succeed, I would be really proud of you. I'm trusting you, you can do it."

Saki is not too heavy, consequently, I don't hurt my back. However, I keep an eye on my heart pace. Every time I make an effort, I must watch it carefully to avoid heart pain or even worse.

I can walk at my own pace. It's a fact, I'm tall, and I walk quickly. There's nothing I can do about it, even though I have tried everything. On the way, we talk about what we can do during the holidays. I know I can't spend my entire break with her, but we can schedule things.

Last year we spent a few days by the sea, alone without our parents. It was wonderful, just my best friend and me on a beach. We could do it again this year, maybe.

We reach the school, and the first thing I try to find is a bench, to allow her to get down. It was about time, my heart pace increased a lot. But I'll do anything for her, anything that I'm able to do of course.

" Finally. Well, I guess you enjoyed the ride, you look like a kid on Christmas Eve." I say, with a smile.

" Thanks, sweetheart." Her voice is sweet when she says something like that.

I know that I won't find anyone like her anymore, and I don't expect it. I cherish our relationship as much as I can, without thinking about anything else.

Moreover, our paths will move apart at university. But holidays are made to spend time with your family or your friends, so it doesn't really matter. We just need to seize the day, and everything will be fine.

Without Saki, my life would be mournful, and I thank her every day for what she did for me. I will never leave her behind, and she won't either. We're friends, and that's what friends are for. I regard Lilly as a friend too. My third year at Yamaku finally became my best school year so far.

[Mirage_GSM]

Nice chapter again, but...

Why does she even have a heart condition?
She participates in swimming competitions, she carries her classmate up a hill without more of an ill effect than an increased heart rate (which is perfectly normal after an exertion like that) and doesn't seem affected by it in any way.
Still it seems that every few minutes she thinks about her heart as if she was about to keel over any second. At this point she sounds like a hypochondriac...

[Razoredge]

I totally understand what are you talking about, but you'll see, this condition will be useful in later chapters, trust me. I have planned some things, and I know I have done things that can be considered "bad" on this first act. But I hope you'll find the next chapters better on this point, I'm working on it.

[Razoredge]

Submerged

I wake up with a knot in my stomach. This is the first time for me, I never did such a thing. And I'm clearly not ready, I slept for only four hours. I don't expect anything today, I know it will be huge mess.

I take my pills with a sip of water. A little part of me tells me that I have a chance to do something, but I don't listen to this little voice. Hopefully, my parents aren't there today.

Yesterday, I made some pasta. They're cold but still edible, and I need to eat something nourishing. I wake up, and the first thing I do is to grab my plate. One and half an hour left, and I don't know what to do next.

I devour my pasta, and I reach the bathroom to do some quick dish washing. I hate to do this, but it's necessary, I need to keep my dishes clean. Once my dish washing is done, I head for my bedroom to prepare myself mentally. I feel sick because of stress. In fact, I never managed to calm myself when I was stressed like that.

My bedroom is plunged into darkness, and I lie down on my bed. I inhale deeply and try to clear my head. But it doesn't work, so I don't insist. I just have to relax a bit, and everything will be fine. At least that's what I hope.

When the time has come, I put my swimming suit on under some clothes. My heart is racing, and I don't manage to calm myself. Never mind, I have to face it, no matter what happens.

At the swimming pool, I try, once again, to clear my mind, unsuccessfully. I'm getting undressed, and I take a huge breath. This is too late now, I can't walk away anymore.

When everyone is ready, we take place. On the diving board, my throat starts constricting. Why the fuck did I agree to this? Sometimes, I need to think more with my head.

Then the real fun begins. Once again, I take a huge breath, and I dive. The first trial is a 50-meter freestyle. Not the kind of things I like that much. On the first meters, I'm outdistanced by two guys. I have to admit, they swim pretty fast, I cannot compete with them. Nevertheless, I begin to crawl, and I achieve, at the 25-meter line, to be in the middle of the pack.

My breathing is getting heavier, as I try to swim even faster on the last meters, without any success. The winner is one of these two guys, and he deserves it. We were 10, and I was in fifth place, not bad for a thing I hate to do.

At least we have a break between trials. The second one is a 100-meter freestyle, but I can do something. It's a fact, my stamina is a little bit better than my swimming speed, considering my own condition.

My heart is beating like crazy, but I try to do some breathing exercises. It helped a little bit but not so much. The audience in the pool is seething with excitement, which I can understand, some students here are excellent swimmers.

Deep inside me, I feel that I must have my revenge. And it's probably totally silly, but sometimes, I don't know what I'm thinking. Once again, I'm on the diving board, staring at the water's surface.

The second race starts a few seconds later. On the first meters, I swim at my own pace, but I decide to swim a lot faster. That was one of the dumbest decisions I made.

For a few meters, it works like a charm. But quickly, as I swim a lot faster than usual to restore my pride, I feel a piercing pain in my chest. I shall immediately cease swimming because I'm not able to breathe correctly anymore.

I don't even know how I manage to leave the pool, but in fact, I don't want to know. I lay down, trying to breathe, without any success. I'm starting to shake, fear and anxiety are not a good mix at all.

It's getting worse quickly, and then, my vision blurs, as the only thing I can hear is my heartbeat. Deep inside me, I try to cling to life. I don't want to die because of my foolishness.

The only thing I remember, before a total blackout, is a deep breath.

.....................................

When I wake up, I look around me. I know this dull and boring white place. The nurse's office. It makes sense, given my condition a few hours before. That being said, the last thing I expected was to feel a hand on my shoulder.

I have to admit, I was a bit disturbed. However, this feeling vanished quickly when I feel something I really like. Only two people take my hand like that, and the only one who can be there today is Saki. But, before I can say anything, she gave me a sermon, in her own way, without any anger or raising her voice unnecessarily.

" I know what you want to say, and don't say that you're sorry. Nurse won't tell you the truth like I'll do, but what were you thinking, seriously?" Saki's voice is low. I can detect a bit of sadness too.

" I don't have any excuse, that was...."

" Dumb, yes, extremely foolish. You nearly die for a race, just consider this thing."

She hugs me frankly and cries a little. I can count on one hand the number of times I see her crying because of me. And every time, I hate myself for that.

The only thing I can do, for now, is to hug her as much as I can. I don't mean to make Saki sad, and even though I know, she can't stay mad at me for a long time.

" I love you in ways you can't even begin to imagine, Kaori. And I don't want to lose my best friend for stupid reasons, so don't try to do it once again, even to restore your foolish pride." She speaks to me with a firm but motherly voice.

I didn't say anything, but she's right. I did one of the dumbest things I've ever done just to restore my pride. But life doesn't work like that, and I learned it the hard way.

It is this moment Nurse choose to tell me the truth. He never lied to me, but sometimes, he sugarcoats things to soothe me. He seems to be bothered by something, but I don't know what or why. I expect him to give me a sermon too.

" Let me be frank with you, Kaori. Swimming is a good thing for your heart, but not this kind of swimming. I don't have any kind of news for you. That being said, I would ask you to stop swimming for a few days, and once you'll be fine, to swim slower."

He's right, I can't disagree with that. What happened today happened by my own fault. I have to draw some lessons from that, and I begin to understand why he asked me to never swim fast.

" You know, Saki told me the same thing. And you're right, both of you. It was dumb, I know that, and, in the future, I will listen to you, carefully. I don't have any other choice." I answer him with a little voice.

Saki nestles her head against my neck. I gently stroke her hair, as Nurse let us alone. It may sound paradoxical, but her breathing brings me peace, I don't even know why.

She stays with me a full half-hour before leaving. Then, at the end of the afternoon, Nurse let me go. I had to promise him that I will keep my words. I never lied to him, so I won't start today.

I reach my room, and I collapse on my bed. I sigh, thinking that I was really dumb today. Hopefully, Mom and Dad weren't there today, it would have been worse. My parents, especially my mother, are always worried about me. Should I call her, to tell the truth? I don't think so, I don't want to worry her. She will be undoubtedly aware of it later, but for now, I want to clear my head.

There's a book about Japanese medieval history on my night table. I open it and start reading a chapter about the Kamakura shogunate, a military government that ruled for over two centuries. I really like to learn things about my own country's history.

When I read, I don't know where the time goes. It's evidence that shows that I like what I'm reading. Concerning my training, I will do what Nurse told me to do, skipping swimming for a few days, and then, swimming slowly.

Once again, I take a pill and a sip of water. My life depends on it, and I also have to accept that I have my own limits. I have to deny my own pride if I want to stay alive. It's not that easy, but I can do it.

Tomorrow should be better. It can't get worse, I'm sure of it. If I'm submerged by bad thoughts, I can count on Saki, and maybe Lilly. And someday, I would be in their debts.

[Mirage_GSM]

, and I lay down on my bed.

"I lie down." Lay is past tense.

I don't have any good news for you.

He doesn't seem to have any kind of news...

I have to draw some lessons from that, and I begin to understand why he asked me to never swim fast.

If she's not allowed to, who the heck signed her up for a tournament?

a military government that ruled over two centuries

"ruled FOR over two centuries"

As for the chapter as a whole... It feels as if you read my complaints from the previous chapter and looked for a way to make her heart condition relevant to the plot in some way. Problem is it didn't end up to be relevant to the plot at all.
Besides the episode as a whole was very similar to the scene of Hisao racing Emi - with two key differences:
First, Hisao was new to his condition so one could argue that he didn't know his limits yet. Your character seems to have had the condition for quite some while.
Second, Hisao didn't lose consciousness for several hours. After an attack that severe there's no chance nurse would just send her back to her room after just a few hours of surveillance.