This chapter was one of the most interesting for me to write. I wanted to give Emi her naturally optimistic personality but decided I wanted to play her inner emotions more than what she expresses outwardly. That’s the point of the series anyways; looking at their inner thoughts. Also, Emi is the only one who has a direct idea of what Hisao’s disability is so that was an important aspect to talk about.
I also wanted to write this with the feelings of the forums by playing on her being the least poplar, along with the sprite change. Devs=gods: You’ll understand that later.
Anyways, enjoy the chapter 4. ADITLO Emi [Warning: Sequel planned for the future
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A Day in the Life of Emi
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(Deep breathing) It’s cold out this morning. I take another left turn. My breathing is starting to pick up as my heart’s timing matches my step. Another left turn. I continue this process until I see someone approaching from the distance. He’s finally arrived. The pace of my run starts to slow to a jog and finally hits a stop. My body forces itself to make up for the oxygen it had failed to gather while running. (Deep breathing) By the time the figure reaches me, my breathing has slowed to a crawl.
(Yawning) “Morning Emi.”
“Hisao, don’t tell me you stayed up late last night.”
“Well I did have some work to finish.”
“You had all weekend.Why didn’t you do it then?”
“Kenji was using my room as a blockade for most of yesterday; so I spent the time trying to kick him out.”
“Hehe, I could see that as being a problem. Anyways, you look really tired. Maybe we should pass on you running today.”
“Really?”
“No.” I chuckle as Hisao looks like he just had the chair pulled from underneath him. I’m already to go but I watch as Hisao stretches his leg and other muscles. Those soccer shorts really look good on him. We soon step onto the track and start with a light jog. Slowly, our pace starts to quicken to a light run.
“Come on Hisao, you can do better than that.” He still looks tired but I’m not going to let that stop him from at least getting some exercise. I break out into a full run and leave him far behind eventually lapping him. I decide to continue running alongside him instead of passing.
“Here, I guess I can run next to you and keep company. You can be done when you do as many laps as me.”
(panting) “Isn’t that a little unlikely seeing as you just completely lapped me?”
“Fast in the mind but not in the legs.” I laugh and he laughs alongside me with a more sarcastic tone.
After about 2 times around the track, I see Hisao starting to have a hard time. I ease up a bit and allow him to get ahead of me eventually to the point where he was right behind me. His breathing is so heavy I feel his exhalations reaching my back. I stop dead on the spot and turn around but Hisao isn’t paying any attention to where he was going. “His…” *crash*
My eyes had closed from the sudden impact. I felt something heavy lying on my chest that was all sweaty. A heavy breathing noise was all I could hear followed shortly by a slight moan. The weight suddenly leaves my chest but is replaced by another warm feeling on my right…breast. My eyes slowly open at the same time as another pair across from me. I see myself reflected in the blue ocean that is before me; then I feel something squeezing a particular spot on my body.
“Hmmmm” I feel a sensation I haven’t felt before. It’s so warm. The blue pools I had been looking into before, make their way towards my chest.
“Ahhhhhh” He retracts himself from my body faster than if he had touched a hot stove. “E-emi…I-I’m sorry…I didn’t mean…I…I…” He suddenly grabs his chest and clenches his teeth.
“Hisao!” moved over to him as quickly as I could. This is just like last time; it was my fault all my fault. “Hisao, speak to me! Oh, I have to get someone.” He grabs my arm before I could call for help.
(Panting) “I…I’ll be alright Emi. Just a moment of shock that all.” He begins to regain his composure.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I can’t help feeling responsible for his predicament. “I feel like this is my fault, I…I shouldn’t have pushed you so much in the running and then stop without any notice.”
“It’s alright Emi.” My own pulse starts to increase. “You were only trying to push me because you want me to become stronger. Besides, it is I who should have been watching where I was running.” He gives me a light smile as he picks himself off the ground. “It’s getting close to class time. Why don’t we head back and get ready. I would hate to not have taken a shower before class; considering how sweaty I am.” He extends his hand to help me which I accept without delay. I’m surprised he has the strength to lift me up after what just happened.
On the way back towards the dorm I continually ask Hisao if he is alright. He just smiles and gives me the same response as before. I really got to learn to not push him so hard; especially after his first episode on the track. I know that was my fault. Stupid Emi! Why do you always have to be in such a rush?
“You know, Emi. Sometimes the best things in life are those that we have to slow down in order to acknowledge. Otherwise, you’ll just pass them by without even knowing they exist.”
I look at him wondering if he had just read my thoughts. That was exactly what I needed to hear. I had always been in a rush my entire life, yet never took much time to appreciate the little things. Moments such as this walk with Hisao, the times at the track in the morning, or maybe even what happened just a moment ago. My face starts to slightly fill with blood giving my cheeks a light red color. I attempt to hide it from Hisao but I know he saw.
“Don’t worry about it. I won’t tell anyone about our accident today.” I can tell that he was blushing as well. “This will just be a secret between you and me. No one else will ever know, agreed?” I slightly hesitate at the thought of a secret that only Hisao and I would share.
“Agreed.”
We soon reach the division between our respective dorms and part ways. My mind is still thinking of the incident that occurred no less than ten minutes ago. Should I have responded differently? I’m getting a little thirsty. I reach into bag to find my water bottle when a small box makes its way into my hand.
“Oh no.” I dash back to where I had just come from, into the boy’s dorm, then head towards Hisao’s room. I knock on the door.
“Kenji for the last time, I already said I don’t have any more money.” The door opens mid-sentence with a shirtless Hisao coming out from behind. I see several scars coving the section of his chest where his heart would be located.
“E-emi?” He quickly closes the door. “Give me just a second.”
Those scars. I know Hisoa has a bad heart but it looks as though it is more serious than I thought. It looked as though he had been through drastic surgery at some point. He must have dealt with a lot of pain both physically and mentally. The door opens again with Hisao now wearing a white undershirt.
“Sorry, about that. I ummm…just don’t like to be seen by girls without my shirt on. I guess you could call me shy in some way, haha.” He tried to laugh it off but I knew the real reason he didn’t want to be seen. Hisao has asked me after his first episode to not tell anyone about his heart. I haven’t even told Rin. “Earth to Emi, come in Emi.”
“Huh…”
“You came here for some reason?”
“Oh, I wanted to give this to you earlier but I forgot.” I take out the small box from my bag.
“What is it?” He opens it. “This is a lunchbox?”
“Yeah, I made it for you earlier this morning. I filled it with some good, healthy stuff for you.”
“It looks delicious; I didn’t know you could cook Emi.”
“Well, I dabble.”
“Thanks Emi. I know it will taste exceptional. Would you like me to eat with you and Rin on the roof today?”
“I actually have a meeting with the track team during lunch so I wouldn’t be there and I think Rin is going to be in the art room but I’m not too sure.”
“Alright, thanks again for the lunch though.”
Hisao and I each exchange our goodbyes and I head back to my room. I look at the clock on my way out of the dorm.
“Damn, I’m going to be late.”
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Today’s classes went as normal. The events of this morning still ponder themselves in my brain. I look at my chest. They seem so small; even Rin has a bigger bust then me. I had always used this fact as an advantage in running; since it gave me an advantage over some of the other big, breasted girls. However, what I have learnt from any manga or anime I’ve seen, it always seems to be that the guys favor bigger breasts. Just look at poor Mayumi from Shuffle! in comparison to the other girls. I don’t believe I’m that extremely disliked by men because of their size. I thought some people liked this look though. *huh* If only I could magically make them bigger, you know, for Hisao’s sake.
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The sun continued its onslaught of heat; even while it was getting near its time to set. I completed my 10th lap around the track. Running has always been my best time to think. I take a break to tighten my braces and take a swig of water. I see someone walking in the distance towards me. The person was wearing a boy’s uniform and at first I thought it to be Hisao but when the light around the image came into focus I knew who it was.
“Hi Rin!” I wave to her. She waits until she is almost at my position to respond.
“You’re practicing this late?”
“Actually, I had just wanted to clear my head. By the way, why are you out here?”
“I was heading back to the dorms.”
“But, they’re in the opposite direction.”
“I felt like taking the scenic route.”
“That’s not very efficient, you would have gotten there faster had you just headed straight there.”
“You know, sometimes the best things in life are those that we have to slow down in order to acknowledge. Otherwise, you’ll just pass them by without even knowing they exist.” That’s exactly what Hisao said to me this morning. Is this where he got it from or was it the other way around? “Now that I told you, what is it you’re thinking about?”
I really didn’t want to talk to Rin about what I was truly thinking about. I promised Hisao that I wouldn’t speak a word but I could talk about part of it.
“Well, do I look a little childish to you?”
“As in the pigtails, your height, bust size…”
“I think I get the picture.”
“You’re only the age you feel. The body is always something that can changed, heck they make a business out of the practice. Doctors make millions of dollars forming superficial beauty and age. Those people will die the same time no matter what they look like. How one feels however can transcend that appearance. You’re body can be fifty yet you still maintain the same youth as when you were a teen. Sometimes you are childish and sometimes you’re very mature.” She smiles.
“Thanks Rin, that helps a bit. However, I still feel like I would prefer to look more physically developed in some cases.”
“What prompted that conclusion?”
What should I say? Maybe I could bend my promise a little.
“It has to do with Hisao and umm…his condition.”
“I knew the problem was in his pants.”
“Wait, what, no that’s not what I’m talking about.”
(Mumbling to self) “So there’s still a chance.”
“What did you say Rin?”
“So there were ants in his pants.”
“Rin! Stop getting the wrong idea.” She gives a relieved look like she avoided something. “Never mind, I’ll just be heading straight back to the dorm to shower now.” As I pack up my stuff and have already started heading back, Rin’s voice reaches me once more.
“Don’t let Hisao’s ants get to you as well. I suggest you fall asleep with your head facing the north.”
“What for?”
“I hear that if you do that and make a wish, you’ll be blessed by the gods.” She smiles and continues on her initial path as I head back to my room.
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By the time I returned to my room, after washing, the sky had turned dark. It looked as though it had gotten cold. That seems very unusual after having been such a warm day. I prepare for bed and make sure my gym clothes are laid out for tomorrow’s run. I lie in bed simply thinking and breathing.
“North, huh.” I think about which way is north and shift in bed so my head is facing its direction. This isn’t the most comfortable position as it causes me to scrunch up to fit my whole body on the bed. “If this works please allow me to be more physically appealing in Hisao’s eyes. Even if I can’t be seen physically, please let him see me for the age I feel.” Sleep starts to overcome my tired body. “But most importantly, please take care of Hisao. I…I love hi…” The words drift away into the empty night and so do I.