Chapter 68: A Pile of MEMOries
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
Walking past the four classrooms and the Director’s office into the Commons after greeting the receptionist, I can’t help but once again take a glance across the accountant table.
Shizune has officially resigned from Tanpopo Education Center, so the Director hired another girl to take her place. Due to the car accident, Shizune was unable to finish her assigned work before resignation, so the replacement girl had to help with that.
Now that Shizune, who introduced me into this place, has gone, I wonder whether I should continue teaching here or not.
“Good morning, Hisao.”
“Good morning!”
Well, at least I still have Alvin and Iwanako with me.
It all started two weeks ago, when I received a phone call from Hideaki. He told me about Shizune’s car accident. I immediately rushed to the hospital (fortunately school hasn’t started yet), and found my ex-girlfriend in a coma. My first response was to spread the news to all of Shizune’s friends and affiliates, including Misha (through e-mail), Emi, Lilly, Hanako, Miki, Akemi, the Kasshoku Student Council, and the current Yamaku Student Council. In the afternoon, I was asked to leave Shizune’s ward along with Hideaki and his father because the doctor had to perform a detailed diagnosis. We were unable to see her since, but decided to remain in the area to wait for an update from the doctor.
Our wait continued into the evening, when Mutou and the Nurse arrived; they had special authority due to the Nurse’s identity. When they finished their visit, we were informed that despite breaking her arms, several fingers, and her right leg, she has no serious damage on other parts of her body. Unfortunately, visiting time was over, so we were not allowed to see her until tomorrow. We had to leave.
We were finally allowed to enter Shizune’s ward the next day, but she was still in a coma in the morning. She eventually woke up in the afternoon and met her family members. Through Hideaki’s words, she made it clear that I was unwelcome in her ward. Despite this, I still chose to stay by her side, because she is my only lover. Later in the afternoon, she was transferred to a private hospital nearby.
For the next few days, I essentially took the role as Shizune’s secretary, communicating with her friends and scheduling their visits. On Wednesday, first Sakura and the Kasshoku Student Council came in the morning and took her room key. Then Aoi and Keiko took the time to come here all the way from Yamaku, their effort lit Shizune up considerably. Akemi came in the afternoon along with a few Sign Language club members. In the evening, Alvin and Iwanako visited; they were holding hands, which implies they are now a couple after the Hong Kong trip.
Misha came back on Thursday, and she went to see her best friend alone after Emi and Rin visited. She confided to me that her ex-hallmate kept staring at her without any emotions. Sakura and her friends came afterwards to set up Shizune’s laptop so that she can now communicate with words and study her notes. A disappointed Misha returned to America later that day.
On Friday, Lilly came to see her cousin. She was accompanied by her parents and Hanako, who took the time to visit despite studying for her Entrance Exams. Akira already flew back to Scotland after the New Year party, and hence was unavailable. Then, on Saturday night, Miki and Suzu came; Miki just came back from a trip to her father in the countryside, so she was unable to come earlier.
On Sunday, the Hakamichis visited in the morning. Afterwards, Rin took the time to draw a portrait for Shizune while I helped with mixing the colors. To be honest, Rin’s drawing was fantastic. Shizune also approved of her work, and promised to provide her a certificate once she is released from the hospital.
With so many of her affiliates visiting her during their busy periods, Shizune has been visibly moved by their efforts. The sheer amount of “get well soon” cards displayed on top of the patient’s cabinet, and all the signatures on her plasters, are strong displays of the preciousness of her friendships. With her laptop available, she has been showing her gratitude to every visitor. With the notable exception of me and Misha.
The number of visitors dropped by quite a bit the following week, due to school resuming and everybody being busy with their own missions. Despite my lover’s resent towards me, I still visit her every day in the evening, help her with whatever she needs, and keep talking encouraging words to her when the Hakamichis are not around. I’m determined to regain her heart through my persistent efforts.
I retrieve my notes from the locker, and prepare to face today’s classes and my naughty students.
“Good morning, Nakai.”
“Hi there, Ohara.”
Eiko Ohara, the economics teacher. I’ll have lunch with her today along with Alvin and Iwanako. After the latter two become a couple, it’s now getting awkward for me to have lunch with them without Shizune’s presence. So Ohara becomes the lunch partner substitute.
Alvin and Iwanako, who started dating officially since the New Year, had breakfast together nearby before coming to work, so they now always come early. Alvin sent me a message two weeks ago, wishing me a happy New Year (although I was far from being happy), and offered me assistance with whatever task I was occupied with. During their visit to the hospital, I confided to them that Shizune and I are currently in an argument that is yet to resolve. They initially planned to meet us in Kasshoku (which would be Iwanako’s first visit to my university), but after the argument and the accident, their plan was spoiled.
I enter Room 210 for my first class of the weekend. There are still ten minutes left. Perfect timing for a last-minute preparation.
Last Saturday, after visiting Shizune, Miki and Suzu had dinner with me in a nearby restaurant; the last time I saw Miki was a month ago, when we acted as a couple in order to rob money from Haru. Right after sitting down, Miki immediately displayed her sharp observation skills by hitting me right at the weak spot: She knew something wasn’t right between me and my ex-girlfriend. Realizing that it’s pointless to hide the truth, I confided to the duo about Misha spoiling our top secret and Shizune’s subsequent reactions. “What a tough break” was how Miki responded. She encouraged me to try my best, but will have to move on if it’s apparent that no progress could be made. She also gave me a piece of suggestion that…
“Knock knock knock”
The heavy knocks on the door is definitely not from that prankster. Definitely not.
It looks like my preparation time has been cut short. It’s Makoto trio time!
***********************
“So, Steamed Fish again, Iwa-chan?”
“Yup! You know me well!”
“How about you, Hisao?”
“Er… Fried Vermicelli in Singaporean Style, please.”
“And you, Eiko?”
“Let me see… Steamed diced pork with preserved vegetables.”
“Good. I’ll get the waiter.”
As Alvin calls for the waiter, Iwanako and I proceed to wash our utensils with the boiled water given. This is a common practice in Hong Kong, and, after the trip last month, we’ve gotten used to the habit already. Ohara, who is going on her own trip to Hong Kong with her family later, follows our practice.
“So, are you all visiting Hakamichi in the evening?”
“Yes, but we’ll only stay briefly. Iwa-chan has events with her family tonight.”
“I see. Is she getting better?”
Alvin and his girlfriend look at me in unison. Of course. Despite being in an argument, I’m still the one who visit her every day. And Ohara doesn’t know our story.
“Yeah. Her arms seem to be healing faster that her leg. With a bit of luck, the plasters covering her arms could be removed in a couple of weeks.”
“That’s awesome! Are you visiting her every day?”
“Pretty much yes. On weekdays, I come to Tokyo after school.”
“So, how about your private tutorials and librarian duties?”
“Yeah, about that, I’ve suspended all my after-school activities in favor of Shizune and Student Council activities. I also quit the JUSC team, though I might re-join if Shizune is released.”
“Wow. That’s a huge sacrifice.”
Whether my actions should be called “sacrifice” or “stupidity” remains disputable until the revelation of the final result.
“It’s alright. I’m determined to fight together with her.”
“Hey Hisao, I’ve an idea. Do you think you can introduce me to the Student Council, so that I can be a volunteer? I’ve always wanted to join the Student Council, but I don’t want to be an official executive member. I hate the elections, meetings, and the like.”
“Hey! That’s the first time I’ve heard you showing interest in the Student Council!”
“C’mon, Iwa-chan! Can’t I have a dream of my own?”
“That would be great, dear. Shizune must be thrilled to get help from new members!”
“Sure, Alvin. I’ll ask her about it tonight.”
Although I’ll probably ask Sakura instead.
“So, Eiko, when are you leaving for Hong Kong?”
“Next week. I’m skipping next week’s tutorials. Tanaka will be substituting.”
“Ah! For the Chinese New Year, huh.”
“That’s right! A distant relative of mine lives there. Maybe I can pick up a few red packets from them!”
“Red packets? What are you talking about?”
“You don’t know, Hisao? You put money into them and give them to others. Just like the otoshi-dama in Japan. The tradition comes from China.”
“Ah! I see!”
“The practice is a bit different between Hong Kong and mainland China. In mainland China, parents only give red packets to their children, but the amount is usually quite large, usually several hundreds of Chinese dollars. In Hong Kong, married couples give red packets to every unmarried members of the family, even if they are grown-ups. In the working environment, people also distribute red packets to unmarried colleagues and subordinates. In some residential buildings, you’re supposed to give red packets to the reception guards; if you don’t do that, they’ll probably treat you poorly for the rest of the year.”
“Wow! So if you’re married, you’ll need to spend a lot of money?”
“Sort of, but usually for non-family members the nominal amount is just 20 dollars. And if you have a couple of kids, they’re going to earn you back quite a bit from your relatives. Take my family as an example. My dad is a big family of twelve siblings. Some of my uncles and aunts are quite “spendy” (I created that word); they spend money like water. When I was a child, every year my cousins and I received 100-dollar red packets from each of my uncles and aunts. We were able to acquire large amounts of cash, usually several thousands of Hong Kong dollars. It soon became apparent that giving us so much money wasn’t such a smart idea, as my cousins would simply waste all of them on food and toys instead of saving them.”
“Wow! That was quite a sum of money for kids!”
“True. There was another big problem: The uncles and aunts might put in different amounts of money into their red packets based on their financial situation over the year. Usually red packets aren’t named, so unless you can remember the decorations on the packet, you’ll unavoidably mix them up after the gathering is over. Now, in Chinese culture, it’s a customary practice to ‘return the favor’. Whatever amount of money your child has received, you should return the same amount to the other party. However, in order to do exactly that, you need to somehow perceive the value inside each packet. But you’re also not expected to open red packets in front of others. So, usually my mom would ask me to hand her my red packets ‘to keep it for me’, but then she would excuse herself in the restroom to secretly look at the content in order to return the packets with the right amount of money. Very complicated.”
“Isn’t that just trading money then?”
“Yup, that’s Chinese culture for you, Eiko. After all, red packets are just a gesture of good fortune. Anyway, eventually all the family members agreed to standardize all the red packets to 20 dollars each. That finally solved all the problems, but at the expense of the kids, because their income is now much lower.”
“That’s funny. So, what do people do besides distributing red packets?”
“In Hong Kong? There are different ways to spend your Chinese New Year, but typically the whole family gathers together for a dinner on New Year eve. On the next day, we visit the homes of our relatives one by one. The adults usually chat and eat, maybe play some mahjong or poker, while the children play whatever games they have. Some people may elect to visit the shopping mall to watch the New Year decorations. In my case, several cousins of mine are Japanese, and they only came back during the Chinese New Year holiday. They would bring back some video games or trading cards from Japan to play with me. We usually stayed in our grandmother’s home for the night, playing video games until deep into the midnight while the adults played mahjong in the living room.”
“That sounds fun!”
“But several years ago, my grandmother passed away. As my grandfather passed away much earlier, there was no longer an elderly in the family. You know, once the grandparents are not around, the hinging factor of the family is gone. And soon after, we don’t go to gatherings as frequently.”
“Why? I don’t understand.”
“One of the main points of a family gathering is for all the uncles and aunts to visit their parents after they have established a new family. With their parents gone, there’s no longer a strong incentive to attend family gatherings.”
“I see. But still, isn’t it great to be able to see your relatives once in a while?”
“Ideally it is. But nowadays there are so many more ways to spend your Chinese New Year holiday. You can go on a family trip, like what Eiko’s doing. Or a trip with friends. Some people elect to stay at home playing video games in order to take a break from busy work. On the other hand, gatherings without an elderly might turn into ugly accidents.”
“What do you mean?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Brothers and sisters arguing over heritage money. Or borrowing and returning money.”
“It’s all about money, huh. The adult world is scary indeed!”
“That’s why maybe it’s best to avoid these meetings, unless you have a deep friendship with your relatives.”
“By the way, Alvin, aren’t you an adult already?”
“You mean I’m 20? Yes. But in Hong Kong I was already an adult when I turned 18. I did join the adult ceremony last year though.”
“And how about you, Nakai?”
“I’ll turn 20 this April. I think Iwanako is turning adult too, right?”
“That’s right! I’m so excited to become an adult!”
“Steamed Fish. Fried Vermicelli in Singaporean Style. Steamed diced pork with preserved vegetables. Fried rice in Fujian style. Please enjoy.”
“Thank you.”
“They smell so nice! No wonder you three always have lunch here.”
“I hope Chinese cuisine suits you.”
“Uh huh. Definitely hope so, or else I’m gonna suffer throughout my trip. Let me try… Mmm!! Nice diced pork!”
“Well, even if you’re not used to Chinese food, you can still go to a Japanese restaurant in Hong Kong. You can go to Yoshinoya at the very least.”
“Nah, I’m fine.”
“Alvin, don’t do that again, okay?”
“Do what… Oh!! Nah, I’m good, I’m good. I won’t mishandle my chopsticks again.”
“Great! Hey, you look a bit down, Hisao. Do you not like your food?”
Iwanako is such a caring girl. Congratulate Alvin for getting this girlfriend.
Since Shizune’s accident, Iwanako has been trying to cheer me up as much as possible. Unfortunately, given the situation, it’s not easy to wipe all the negative feelings away. I’ve been spending every bit of my positive energy on Shizune, and I always get negative energy back. There’s obviously not much happiness left for me. My parents also notice my swinging mood. I haven’t told them about everything, but they must have gotten somewhat suspicious. Perhaps Miki was right: It’s time to move on.
But I’ll hold on at least until the end of the month.
“The food is fine. I’m just tired after Mitsugu and everything.”
“Aren’t you thinking about Hakamichi?”
“If I say I’m not, I would be lying. But you guys are right. I shouldn’t be too worried about her. I’ve got to take care of myself first.”
“That’s the spirit, Hisao. How’s the food?”
“Great, as always.”
While my three colleagues continue talking about Hong Kong, I elect to consume my food in relative silence, putting my thought on the evening trip.
Several times I’ve thought about giving up, but I feel like this is the responsibility I need to take. At least until my conscience feels better.
Is there anything I can do to make progress?
***********************
“Twelfth floor. Please mind the doors.”
The strong smell of sterilized equipment in the hospital always reminds me of my own experience. Having stayed in a hospital for several months due to my disability, I naturally hate repeatedly entering and exiting this life-changing building of mine. But, for Shizune’s sake, I need to put down my own feelings.
Love is sacrifice. I experience this statement first-hand in these couple of weeks.
When the three of us step into Shizune’s ward, her mother comes over to greet us; it looks like she just fed her daughter dinner. The energetic girl in our group reveals her goods from behind her back, presenting a basket with her lone hand.
“Shizune! Bought you fruit!”
Still unable to move around, my ex-girlfriend smiles to greet our Tokyo-based ex-classmates while continuing to neglect my existence.
How can she be this stubborn!
“Lemme see your computer. Y’know, even if you could use your fingers, we can’t interpret sign language anyway.”
The host of the ward slowly moves the computer table to the side with her head, then prepares to type in something. The two friends of mine reach over to Shizune’s bed so that they can communicate.
It’s of my best interest not to join their party.
After work was over, my lovebird colleagues briefly visited Shizune while I had dinner with Miki and Suzu. It’s a great way for me to relax and chat relatively freely, now that they already know my story with Shizune. I remember my first meeting with Miki on the Yamaku trackfield: Didn’t know what to do after my first fallout with Shizune, a helpless me sought the one-handed girl for help. Miki gave off a different vibe from the other girls; talking to her felt more like talking to a guy than a woman. Since then, we’ve been through so many events. She still gives off a different vibe from other girls, and talking to her is still enjoyable. Yet there’s a noticeable difference from a couple of years ago: She is now a maturing woman. All the events that occurred, her sales experience in the boutique, and living in the big city all contributed to her personality change. I find myself appreciating her more than ever.
I can’t help but wonder, when she told me to move on if it’s clear that my effort is going to be futile, is she implying something else.
From my bag I carefully take out a piece of memo. I approach Shizune’s patient desk. On top of it are all sorts of cards sent by her friends, and among them, there’s a bookstand with a pile of memos clipped onto it. I meticulously remove the clip, add my piece of memo onto the pile, then clip the whole pile back onto the bookstand.
This is Miki’s suggestion. She told me to write Shizune a memory of the two of us every day, and clip all the memos on the bookstand so that she can read. Maybe she will change her mind after reading all these.
And that’s why we have a pile of MEMOries on the desk.
I really hope Shizune will read these memos. But if she doesn’t, then… maybe we can start thinking about Miki.
“Mr. Nakai, may I have a word with you?”
I forgot there’s another person in the room.
“Definitely, Mrs. Hakamichi.”
“I believe it is more appropriate to have the discussion outside of the ward.”
“Yes, please.”
Mrs. Hakamichi leads me out of Shizune’s sight and invites me to sit down next to her in the waiting area for our first ever private discussion. The woman accompanying me could become my mother-in-law or little more than a stranger, depending on how the proceedings go.
“First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to you on behalf of my daughter. I happen to know a little bit between you and my daughter, and I would like to thank you for taking care of my girl, whether in school or in the hospital. She is most fortunate to have such an amiable friend.”
Formal greeting, formal reply.
“Thank you. I am most grateful for having this friend of mine who always encourages me to work hard to achieve my dreams. She is a precious friend.”
“I do not know how to say about my daughter, but I feel the need to apologize to you on her behalf. I understand that you two are probably in an argument that is yet to be resolved, but her neglecting behavior is downright unacceptable. I briefly talked to her about this, but she has been avoiding the topic so far.”
“I am deeply sorry for all the trouble. I am fully responsible for what occurred between the two of us.”
“Since the two of you are going to become adults in a few months, it is probably of everybody’s best interest for me to step aside and leave the resolution to the two of you. That said, the reason I am having this discussion with you is that I would like to tell you something that you may find useful.”
“Yes, madam.”
“When I was with her this afternoon, she asked me to flip the pages of the memos for her.”
Really? That changes things a lot.
“Is that true? I never expected that.”
“This daughter of mine… She is certainly stubborn, like her father. There is very little room for argument against that. But she definitely is not heartless. She still remembers you, and I am certain she has taken all you have done to her into account. If you find her response towards you particularly dejecting, perhaps the news I just informed you could be a sign of encouragement.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Hakamichi. This is certainly an encouraging news.”
My potential mother-in-law looks into distance towards her daughter’s ward.
“Time is the best healer. Perhaps we should let time do the job. This probably applies to me as well.”
I once heard Shizune talk about her parents’ situation. Despite being curious about Mrs. Hakamichi and her husband (or ex-husband), I dare not ask anything. If I indeed become her son-in-law, I’ll eventually get to know everything; if Shizune and I decide to part ways, her family matters are no business of mine. Unless I marry Lilly, which is not too probable as things stand.
“Yes, madam.”
With nothing else to add, the two of us sit outside the ward in silence, waiting for the three girls inside to finish their chat. As visitors leave one by one, the hospital soon gets quiet. All we can hear are the nurses talking to each other. When technical terms like ECG come into my ears, I can’t help but once again recall my own stay in the hospital, the several months of hell that re-defined my life.
I hate hospitals. I’m only here because I sacrifice for love.
It’s already been two years since my condition activated during that fateful accident in the snowfield, yet the topic of arrhythmia is still sensitive to me. I never told my schoolmates about my disability except my ex-Yamaku schoolmates and Alvin. If Mrs. Hakamichi asks me about my condition, I don’t know how I should respond.
“Mr. Nakai, there is something else I would like to discuss with you, but I am not exactly sure how to deliver it.”
There it is! Is she bringing up my condition?
When Shizune and I renewed our friendship after our first argument, she told me she would reconsider our status due to the revelation of my heart condition. I won’t be surprised if her mother follows the same mindset.
“From what I have seen so far, you have come to visit my daughter every day since her accident. You are indeed a responsible friend of hers.”
She pauses. I can see where this is going. She’s going to ask me to part ways with Shizune so that she can introduce a proper marriage for her daughter.
“You have paid extraordinary amount of effort for this. Based on what I have heard from my two children, you were engaged in various after-school activities before the accident in order to assist your family’s finance. In order to come to the hospital every evening, you must have forfeited these opportunities just to meet my quick-tempered daughter.”
Never expected her to deliver a speech like this, although from this point she could still head towards the direction I anticipated.
So it turns out that the silence just now wasn’t because she had nothing else to say, but because she wasn’t sure how to phrase it.
“In view of this, I believe it is appropriate for me, on behalf of the Hakamichi family, to offer a certain amount of compensation…”
What? Now this comes from absolutely nowhere!
I immediately stand up and hurry to reject.
“Huh! No, no…”
She gets up along with me, trying to insist her offer.
“It is alright. You thoroughly deserve it. But since we never really talked to each other, I am unsure about the form of compensation…”
“Mrs. Hakamichi, I… Well, I do not come for money. It is true that the financial status of my family does leave a lot to be desired, but we are not in dire straits… I like Shizune, this is the reason I come. Sorry, Mrs. Hakamichi, I do not know what I am saying, but I cannot afford to accept your offer…”
“Mr. Nakai, there is no need to be courteous. Just as you willfully visit my daughter, I am also giving you this offer of my own free will. Please do accept.”
It seems like she is insisting to the end, and it’s probably impolite for me to reject again. But when I get myself ready to accept the gift she’s offering, I think twice.
This gift could mean something else.
The more I think of it, the more skeptical I become.
There is something I need to make sure before I can accept. This is going to be a bold challenge, maybe even rude, but I cannot be a coward in this situation.
“Mrs. Hakamichi, uhm… First of all, I am deeply grateful for your kind offer. However, there is something I would like to ask about this offer.”
My lover’s mother raises an eyebrow. Is she anticipating my challenge, or is she not expecting my question?
“And that is?”
“I would like to ask if there are any strings attached to this offer.”
Or, are you going to bribe me some money in exchange for leaving her daughter alone?
“Uh…”
The woman with short dark blue hair, dark blue eyes, and a pointed face pauses, ponders briefly, then claps her hands together in enlightenment.
“Ah! Strings attached! I get it! That makes so much sense, Mr. Nakai. It looks like my daughter has her mindset rubbed onto you! Of course! How can I expect less from my daughter’s close friend?”
I await as she regains her composure.
“Alright, Mr. Nakai. Let us make things clear. Both my h-, ahem, daughter’s father and I know how much your presence has positively affected my daughter. Even though Mr. Hakamichi has been verbally regarding you as a delinquent, I am confident that he appreciates your effort. Therefore, you are always welcome in the Hakamichi family, if my daughter allows. Does that answer your question, Mr. Nakai?”
Wow, that is a perfect demonstration of seeing right through my loaded question. Shizune’s mother is certainly no slouch.
Welcome to the adult world, Hisao. You will be joining the party in a few months.
“Yes, madam. Thank you for your… acceptance. That said, I am unsure whether to take your offer now, because I just received another precious offer from you.”
My potential family member giggles, which does well to soften the atmosphere.
“Haha… Nicely said, Mr. Nakai. Alright then. I know what offer I am providing. I will help you. As much as possible.”
“You mean…”
The middle-aged woman gives me a playful wink.
“No offer is better than my precious beautiful daughter, am I right?”
“You surely are proud of your daughter.”
“Why not? I am not selling her low.”
Come to think of it, if I don’t get myself a decent job after graduation, how am I supposed to blend myself into the famous Hakamichi family, even if I get accepted?
“Well… is a JUSC champion going to be enough?”
The woman who looks so much alike her daughter giggles again.
“Haha… Well said, Mr. Nakai. No worries. That topic will be for another day anyway. Now the priority goes to my daughter.”
Let’s grab the chance to please her even more.
“And her recovery.”
“Wow! Really well said! Don’t you really care for my daughter? How can I not help you out? Tell you what? I am asking her brother for help too.”
That’s even better. Maybe there’s hope after all.
When you’re in trouble, it’s not a shame to ask your friends for help. This is one of the major lessons I’ve learned in the two years after the hospital stay. Now I discover that the term “friends” is not necessarily limited by age.
“I am most grateful for the offer.”
“There is no guarantee of success, but I am doing what I think is the best for all of us. Please do not disappoint, Mr. Nakai.”
It appears to me that if I do get married with Shizune, I’ll be able to maintain a decent relationship with at least one of her parents. As for the other… well, I’ll think about it when I do get there.
“Yes, madam. I will try my best.”
“Sup? Oh, did I interfere? S’ry.”
“No, Miki. You’re done?”
“Almost. I’m bringing Suzu out ‘cause I need some private time with the President.”
This explosive statement is so shocking even Mrs. Hakamichi flinches.
“What? You… private time with… Shizune?”
“Yup. Girl talk. Take care of Suzu, will ya?”
“Uh… uh… okay…”
“See ya!”
My potential mother-in-law, Suzu, and I all share a puzzled look, none of us having the slightest idea what’s going on.
“Suzu, what happened?”
The sleepy girl responds with a shrug.
“No clue.”
There’s nothing we can do but wait outside the ward.
I have a feeling things are getting even more complicated from now on. But at least I think I’ll continue what I’m doing until Shizune is released from the hospital: A memo a day, and hope that my friends can turn the tide for me.
Chapter 69: Over the Hurdles
Precious Friendships (Shizune Bad End, Sisterhood plot) [Ch84 @ 14/11/24: It's your turn!]
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ShizuneFan2019
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch67@13/1/23: Stonewoman]
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:20 pm
Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch68@3/2/23: Mother? Smart move!]
Chapter 69: Over the Hurdles
“Sigh…”
As I enter my familiar homeroom (I’m so used to it already that the walk almost becomes mechanical, so I no longer need my cane), my mind keeps returning to the bombshell dropped by Mother last week. It’s been almost a week since I received the shocking news, but I’m yet to entirely sink it in. Throughout this week, I’ve been halfhearted in classes, and I didn’t try my best in my assignments. My mind has been occupied by other matters. Like the ordeals Father and Mother have faced. The issues with my elder sister. The arrangements involving my new uncle. My grandparents’ resentment towards Mother. All the family ties, burdens, and relationships. The aftermath effect of that bombshell is way stronger than I thought.
And I keep wondering whether I can help improve the current situation in any possible way. Especially for Akira and my parents.
“Good morning, Lilly!”
“Good morning.”
The greetings of my classmates drag me back into the classroom, although I’m already physically here.
One thing is for sure: If I don’t listen to class today, my grades are going to drop, and that won’t do anything constructive to my family.
Unfortunately, another matter is going to distract me further away from classes: Both Hanako and wine are coming tomorrow!
Don’t smile! Otherwise my classmates will discover! I never confided to any of them about my birthday!
I carefully control my emotions and take my usual seat. From afar, I can hear the boys discussing something in the corner of the classroom. Even with my ultra sharp hearing, they manage to speak so softly that I am unable to hear clearly, making me think they might have deliberately hidden their talk from me. Or maybe I’m just overthinking: They’re probably talking about dirty boy stuff, but don’t want to speak out loud in front of the numerous girls in the classroom. Key words such as “long enough” and “sturdy” flow into my ears, further strengthening my speculations.
I can’t believe I’m becoming an adult tomorrow! Wow! This means I will be able to lawfully consume alcohol now, which is fantastic! Of course, being an adult also means I will need to pay full responsibility to my own actions. I don’t mind that, as I’ve been independent over the last few years. I already attended the adult ceremony earlier, which took place on the second Monday of January; my cousin Shizune being in the hospital unfortunately cut the joy by quite a bit. But tomorrow I’ll officially be an adult.
I can hear the teacher approaching, and the boys cease their presumed dirty talks while returning to their seats.
Okay, I must focus on class now!
***********************
The bell rings, and the week’s classes are finally over! I tried my very best to focus, but I still missed around half of the content by daydreaming. Oh no, I’ll have to study exceptionally hard after my birthday party!
I’ve already packed everything up. Let’s put the typewriter into the box in the corner, and leave as early as possible. I need to prepare for tomorrow!
“Excuse me, Lilly.”
“Yes, Misaku?”
“I need your help. Would you please stay around for a little bit? Sorry.”
It looks like my preparations will have to delay.
“Yes, how can I help you?”
“Thank you so much. My family is going on a holiday trip after term is over, and we’re planning to go to Scotland. You’re from Scotland, aren’t you? Would you please recommend a few tourist spots for us? We’ve read several guides, but we figured that since we’ve never been to Europe before, it’s better to hear from somebody who’s native there.”
Inverness, that’s where Mother was born. Although I haven’t been to Scotland too many times, I still vividly remember several of my past visits to Mother’s birthplace.
“Sure. My parents used to live in Inverness until they moved back to Japan last year. I myself have been to Inverness several times, so I’ll share with you my experience there. For starters, you may take a walk along river Ness and visit St. Andrews Cathedral. I presume these places must be described in detail in your tourist guides. You may also enter the Scottish Kiltmaker Visitor Center to see how traditional Scottish garments are made. I think I once tried out a few Scottish dresses in the nearby Highland dress shop, and my sister said they looked very natural to me.”
I hear Misaku jotting down notes as I continue.
“Along river Ness, you will find the famous lake of Loch Ness, along with the nearby Urquhart Castle. Spending the evening on top of the tower watching the sunset is amazing, according to Mother.”
Mother once told me that she has some special memories with Father in the castle. I wonder if their first date was over there.
“You may also, from the center of Inverness, take about an hour of bus ride to the hamlet of Tomich far to the south-west of Inverness. The village was built in a very charming style called the Victorian style, named after one of the queens who ruled in that era. I was heard that the first golden retriever was bred in this village. Slightly south of the village is an attraction called Plodda Falls. There I once had a nice picnic with my elder sister.”
“Wow! That sounds interesting!”
“Hmm… You may also visit the Cawdor Castle, which is around 15 kilometers away from Inverness. If you’ve read Shakespeare’s Macbeth, you should remember this castle, although the real King-Macbeth never lived there because it wasn’t built yet when he was alive. According to Mother, the castle feels like a place right out of a storybook. You can also walk along the nature trail nearby and visit the various beautiful gardens around the castle. When I went there with my family, we gave a lot of sandwiches to the ducklings swimming in the nearby pond, and managed to lure a few of them close enough for a group photo with us.”
“You may also take a bus to the village of Avoch on the other side of Beauly Firth. You can take a boat trip from there to see… hmm… I’ll leave it to you to find out. I think that’s all I can think of right now.”
“Okay, thanks for the info. I’ve jot those down. Thank you so much, Lilly!”
“It’s my pleasure to be of help. I’ll be on my way then. See you next week.”
I attempt to bring my typewriter to the corner of the classroom, only to find it gone.
“Lilly, wait!”
“Huh?”
As I start to feel the surroundings through my hearing and the nearby temperature, I realize that the classroom has gone exceptionally quiet, and there’s a lot of heat radiating from one side of the room. Could this mean…
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILLY!!!”
“Ah!!!!”
“WOO HOO~~~!!!!!”
The thunderous clap and whistles that follow catches me completely off guard!
“B-But h-how?”
It’s Tatsuya who speaks first.
“Sorry, Lilly. We know that your birthday is tomorrow, but since tomorrow is a Saturday, and some of us are going back home, we decided to celebrate with you today right here. We’ve got permission from the teachers, so it will be fine.”
Needless to say I’m overjoyed, but I quickly regain my composure and, even though I know this may ruin the fun a bit, I need to ask.
“How did you know about my birthday? I do not recall telling anyone of you about it.”
“No, you actually spoiled your birthday to one of us.”
“Oh my! Did I?”
“Do you remember that before the start of the term, you asked Yumi to fill in a form for you?”
“Oh!!! Now I get it!”
A few days before term started, a school staff informed me that I was nominated to apply for a scholarship, and asked if I was interested. I gladly accepted the offer. Unfortunately, the application form could only be submitted by written means. Therefore, I asked Yumi, who had to stay in campus due to her house being under renovation, to fill in the form for me. And my birthday was among the information to be filled in that form. That was how Yumi got to know my birthday.
“I’m… sorry… Lilly… for spoiling it to everyone.”
How can I blame her for celebrating my birthday with my classmates?
“No worries. I accept your apology.”
“We’ve got a birthday gift for you. Hey, Kentarou, Kozuki, onto the table.”
My birthday gift requires two boys to carry?
“Here it is, Lilly. Please start by touching this area. Misaku, please help Lilly.”
My head is loaded with question marks as Misaku guides my fingers towards my presumably heavy birthday gift.
Wait. Did Misaku just distract me with her upcoming Scotland trip so that my classmates could set the party up?
And where’s my typewriter? They probably put it away already.
As my fingers get in contact with the gift for my twentieth birthday, I realize that it is a wooden board with words etched in Braille. It reads:
I obey and push the round button…
“The Daffodils, by William Wordsworth”
It’s my voice!
“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”
They recorded my voice during the performance and put it into the board as well!
I can’t help but put my hands on my face and gasp in shock as I realize how fantastic my birthday gift is!
“T-Thank you… so… much…!!”
“Yes, we’ve done it for all three of your recital pieces. So, three boards in total.”
I proceed to examine all three boards which contain both the words and the voice of my recital: The Daffodils, On His Blindness, and Invictus. As I reach the final two verses of the last recital…
“These boards are made of taek wood with a layer of coating, so they are sturdy and waterproof. The batteries are good stuff and newly placed, so they should stand long enough for at least a month, unless you keep pressing the buttons like crazy.”
Have I heard the words “sturdy” and “long enough” a little while ago? They’re not talking about dirty boy stuff after all! I’ve mistaken them!
“I can’t thank you all enough for everything! I will treasure my presents!”
“It’s party time! Kozuki, please help put the boards away.”
“I’m on it!”
“Lilly, we’ve put all the food and drinks at the back. Would you please walk over there to enjoy the feast with us?”
“It is my pleasure.”
I thought going back home to prepare for tomorrow’s party is exciting enough. It turns out I have a much better alternative today.
***********************
“Is it okay if I fix them here? I hold the board. You can feel the position.”
“Hmm… Would you mind shifting it a little bit to the left?”
“Yeah.”
“And maybe a little bit up?”
“Sure… There we go. Please feel it again.”
“Hmm… Yes. This is perfect.”
“Okay. Let me mark the position down with a pencil. Good. Let’s do the other two.”
After the surprise birthday party, my classmates left the classroom to spend their weekend until only Tatsuya was left with me. He had promised to carry the boards for me and fix them onto the wall of my apartment, after gaining my permission (they joked that if I were to reject, they would fix them in the classroom instead, and they were confident that the teachers would allow). Of course I cannot say no to have such an awesome and luxurious birthday gift in my room.
“I’m holding the second board. Would you please feel the position for me?”
He’s such a kind gentleman.
Hmm… Tatsuya. He is going to be another distraction to my studies, which is not good.
“This position is fine.”
“Alright. On to the third board.”
Mother and I paid a visit to Hanako and her newpaper club members in Yamaku library last week. After the girls called it a day, Hanako invited the two of us into her room. It was in Hanako’s room that Mother released the bombshell that has been bothering me throughout the week: She revealed to me everything about her marriage with Father and the issues with my sister Akira. But before that, the three of us had another conversation about Valentine’s Day. My journalist Mother correctly deduced that I am secretly preparing a box of love chocolates for a potential partner, whose identity I confided to Hanako before the Open Day.
“Is this position fine?”
“Yes. Perfect.”
“Alright. I have everything marked with a pencil. Now I need to use the drill. Would you please either cover your ears or step out of the room?”
“Thank you. I will leave my room for a while.”
As I take my steps towards the corridor, I hear from my potential soulmate again.
“I’ll help you clean the floor.”
“Thank you very much!”
Hisao and I found Hanako unconscious in her Yamaku dorm room a few days before the Open Day. We sent her to the head Nurse, and she recovered after eating chocolate bars bought by Hisao. The three of us then had an extensive conversation about the Open Day as Hanako’s assignment, which resulted in a plan of Akira accompanying her throughout the day. That plan did not go towards the direction we intended, but turned out to work wonderfully.
I can hear Tatsuya drilling. I trust him to not destroy my room.
After Hisao left the room for Shizune, I confided to Hanako that I invited Tatsuya to dinner as a gratitude for helping me out throughout the school discrimination event: The atmosphere during the dinner was fantastic, and we almost talked non-stop. I also told Hanako that someone in my class, specifically Kozuki who plays online chess with her, has been secretly admiring her. Hanako couldn’t believe it at all! I ended the day by joking that maybe we will each get a boyfriend next year, while Hanako kept denying a possibility of somebody going after her.
Tatsuya is done with the drilling. He’s probably cleaning the floor for me.
So, when Mother figured out that I was secretly considering a relationship, Hanako immediately knew it was him. Mother also correctly deduced that the main reason I’m hesitating to give him the love chocolate is because…
“All done! Please come in and have a feel.”
I re-enter my room towards the wall and feel out the three boards, now firmly installed. The position seems fine.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you that the batteries are at the back. If they run out, just take the boards out to access the battery slot. You take a board off by pushing it up and then out. Maybe you can give it a try.
I get hold of a board and try to push it up. Indeed it moves by a little. Then I take it out successfully.
“Good. The battery slot is at the bottom, in the back.”
I turn the board around and feel out the battery slot as instructed.
“Great! Now you may put the board back onto the wall.”
Feeling out the peg that Tatsuya has installed onto the wall for me, I successfully hang the board back onto the wall.
With my birthday present in front of me, I’m a happy girl today.
“I don’t know about you, Lilly, but I think they’re beautifully installed.”
“I agree. Thank you so much for everything, Tatsuya.”
“It’s nothing. The whole class is honored to have such a great classmate as you.”
“And I am honored to have received such a nice complement.”
Now, with the boards already fixed, there’s nothing more to do. I wonder if he will leave, or if he already has another plan in mind. To prevent the awkwardness of the situation, I should speak up first.
“Do you have any plans for the evening?”
“No, Lilly.”
Based on how our last meeting went, I think it’s safe for me to treat him a cup of tea.
“Tatsuya, may I join you with a cup of tea?”
“Er… Is it fine for me to accept?”
What a polite boy. Even after almost a year of university life, his introversive nature still hasn’t changed much. At least in front of me.
“Of course, Tatsuya. Let’s take a seat in the living room.”
I invite him to sit on the sofa, then head towards the kitchen to prepare the hot water.
“Lilly, I have to say, your navigating skill is amazing.”
Even though I’ve received this comment multiple times, it’s always satisfying to hear these words apparently told from the bottom of their hearts.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Even though preparing tea is my daily routine, I’m actually feeling a bit nervous in front of the one I’m considering to give love chocolate to. Fortunately, the process has already become so mechanical to me that my hands practically move by themselves. Within minutes, I have two cups of tea on a platter.
“This is Orange Jaipur, my favorite tea.”
“Thanks. You told me about it last time already though.”
I’m starting to get nervous!
“Did I? *Giggle* I totally forgot about it!”
We both take a sip from our respective cups. Contrary to the last time he visited, today I find the atmosphere pretty awkward. Probably because of the context: Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.
“So, are you celebrating with your family tomorrow?”
The birthday party topic surely will relieve some of the pressure.
“Yes. My parents, Akira, and Hanako will be coming.”
“That would be wonderful! And I suppose you’ll be drinking a lot of wine.”
He clearly knows my big interest.
“*Giggle* That’s what I’m planning to do.”
“Sorry about not being able to drink with you in the classroom. I’m not legal yet.”
“*Giggle* No worries. It is actually for the better. I do not want to damage my liver for two consecutive days.”
“Indeed. I wonder what birthday presents they will give you.”
“I’m also looking forward to their gifts. Akira’s will certainly be alcohol related. For the others… I have no idea.”
“I’m pretty sure they will give you fabulous gifts.”
“But the three Braille boards… They are simply amazing. Thank you so much, Tatsuya. Did you plan all these?”
“Well… I was among the first students who came up with this plan. It took us a lot of time to realize it, though.”
“I cannot even imagine how much time and money it has cost you all.”
“Lilly, as long as you are happy, it is always worth the effort.”
Hmm… Interesting answer. I wonder…
Let’s try a slightly tricky question.
“Now I have to question myself, do I really worth so much?”
A moment of silence follows, as we finish up the remainder of our cups of tea. Is he pondering his response? It probably takes him more than one minute to figure out his reply.
“Lilly, may I… be honest with you?”
Is he going to…
“Please go ahead.”
He takes a deep breath as I anticipate his potentially emotional reply.
“Lilly, you are the most beautiful person I’ve met in the world. I have come to know you for almost a year, and we went through several events together, including the discrimination incident, the picnic, the Open Day, and the like. I feel the most comfortable around you, as you’re always radiating a soothing aura that calms everybody around down. Uhm…”
Yes! He took the bait!
How sweet is it to hear such genuine words from my potential soulmate!
“…If things were a little different, maybe I’ll consider asking you to be my girlfriend. *laugh bitterly* But I’m just joking. Forget it. Don’t treat my words seriously.”
WHAT?
What are you doing? You’re supposed to confess to me!
Well, technically he has already confessed, but… what the…
“I must go now. Sorry about that…”
I can sense that he is standing up and is about to leave. I must stop him!
“WAIT!”
…Uh… What should I say right now? I must hurry!
“What is the problem of me being your girlfriend?”
Right after the words came out of my mouth, I immediately realize what I just blurted out. I just accepted his confession!
…
…
He doesn’t move a muscle or make a reply. He is probably also shocked at my response. The two of us just continue to stand in my living room, considering how to continue the conversation.
“Um… Well… Let’s talk about it, shall we?”
I think it is probably correct to hear about his point of view.
“Yes. I apologize for my manners just now.”
“No problem. My concern is…”
“Please allow me to refill our teacups.”
“Thank you so much, Lilly.”
He proceeds to sit down as I serve him another cup of Orange Jaipur.
“Well… How should I start…? Lilly, actually I know a little bit about your family. Satou Medical Technology, right? It is a famous company in Japan, the manufacturer of numerous medical related products such as AEDs and ECGs.”
“Indeed, you are correct. My parents are active members of the company.”
“You obviously come from an affluent family. However, my parents are only typical salarymen. I’m afraid that even if we are to develop a relationship…”
“My parents would not agree, is that what you’re saying.”
“You’re right, pretty much.”
“Hmm…”
To be honest, I’ve never thought about my relationships from this angle. I never factored in my family members in my marriage choice. This is a huge mistake from my end.
Mother’s words last week are ringing over my head once again. Will my marriage choice be affected by my family members, just like what Father and Mother experienced? Will history repeat itself?
I need some time alone to sort everything out.
“Tatsuya, sorry for being rude, but may I be excused for a small while? I need a few minutes to consider everything. Please wait here, will you?”
“Of course, Lilly. Sorry about… everything.”
“Never mind.”
Trying my hardest to regain my composure, I get up and head straight to my room, locking the door behind me.
I never thought such a nice evening is now turning into this embarrassing moment. However, I do believe it’s for the best if we talk this one out.
***********************
After like fifteen minutes of deep thought in front of my birthday present, I am now prepared to face Tatsuya again. Reaching the room’s door, I unlock it and head towards the sofa opposite to the one Tatsuya is supposedly sitting on.
“Tatsuya, are you still here?”
“Yes, I am.”
I take a seat, offer him another cup of tea, and start dishing out my thoughts.
“First of all, I am grateful and honored to be able to hear your confession a while ago. You are a nice gentleman, and I have to admit, I do possess feelings for you.”
I take a sip of my cup and continue.
“You did raise a legitimate concern just now. After consideration, I arrive at the conclusion that in order for us to properly commence a relationship that can bring forth any kind of future, there are several obstacles we must clear first.”
Taking another sip, I proceed to tackle the first obstacle along the path.
“About the family issues, you’re correct about the status of my family. Yes, it would certainly be a problem for us a few months ago. However, the revelation of several recent events has changed the tide significantly. In the current state of affairs, I believe that as long as my Father permits, there will not be a problem.”
Originally, Father was supposed to be the heir of the company. His offsprings, me and Akira, would be responsible for bearing the name of Satou, especially in terms of marriage. This would mean my marriage would most likely be an arranged one. Now that my uncle is chosen as the heir instead, my status in the eyes of the other Satous has dropped significantly. I don’t need to carry the heavy burden any more. In other words, I should be able to freely choose my own marriage.
“Are you sure?”
“I am. I cannot confide too much to you about the exact situation of my family, but I am almost certain that as long as my parents allow, nobody can stop us. Fortunately, my parents are the type of people who respect my own relationship choices as long as the other party truly cares for me. In fact, I am moderately certain they have already taken a liking to you, given how much you have helped me out in the discrimination incident. They will probably like you even more if they see the three boards in my room.”
“So, we don’t need to worry about the social status mismatch?”
I still clearly remember what Mother said last week about how she and Father met.
“At least among the four of us: Me, my sister Akira, and my parents, none of us seem to care too much about social status in terms of marriage and love.”
“Okay, I trust you.”
“Now, let us get to the other side of the problem. While my parents most likely will accept you, the reverse may not be true on your side.”
“Do you mean the fact that you’re blind?”
“Exactly. I believe that not all parents would be willing to have their sons marry a disabled person, let alone a blind one.”
“There’s no need to worry about it, Lilly.”
So the second obstacle is a push-over?
“Would you please elaborate?”
“Um… It’s kind of embarrassing. Actually, my parents were the ones who encouraged me to try getting close to you. They attended the Open Day and witnessed your performance. They were absolutely stunned. We talked about you on our way home, and I told them about your condition. They frankly told me they do not mind, and will support me all the way if I pursue you. But… you know how shy I am…”
Oh my! How lucky am I!
“I am grateful for your parents’ appreciation. It appears that our family worries are no longer an issue.”
“True. Uhm.. well… Am I supposed to confess to you? But I already did that…”
He’s so funny. I could have saved some of his embarrassment, but sorry, I need to ruin the fun.
“Unfortunately, there is one more obstacle in our way.”
“Uh… Please elaborate?”
This is it. I’m going to tell him the reason, the one corrected deducted by Mother, I’m hesitating to give him my homemade chocolate.
“As you already know, I am never ashamed of my disability. That said, in order to compromise the apparent issues associated with my blindness, I will need assistance in tasks that require eyesight.”
“I am glad to help.”
I raise my hand to signal I’m not done yet.
“My best friend, Hanako, is now studying for her Entrance Exams. If she successfully enters Kasshoku University, we are going to become roommates.”
I point a finger towards the end of the hallway.
“In fact, the room over there is reserved for Hanako.”
“Uh huh.”
“Now, Tatsuya, I need to be honest with you. Since I’m blind, naturally I was unable to attend a normal high school.”
“Make sense. So your high school must be a disabled one.”
“Correct. And Hanako was my schoolmate…”
“Which means she must have a disability too. Oh yeah! Of course! I never considered that! I should’ve known. You and Hakamichi came from the same high school, didn’t you? So all of you! You, Hakamichi, Hanako, and your friend Nakai…”
“Indeed.”
“But… So, you mean… Hanako’s disability?”
“Correct. I mentioned before that Hanako is an extremely shy girl. She… Tatsuya, if you do see her in the future, please try not to flinch or run away scared.”
“What… do you mean?”
“I… uhm… I’m not sure if I should tell you about her...”
In fact, I haven’t figured out how to handle this situation. That’s why I’m hesitating to make a move.
“Never mind. Let us have things sorted out. I suppose you’re worried that if I can’t get along with Hanako and her disability, we’re going to face a problem when she does move in with you. Am I right?”
“Pretty much yes, except that it’s the other way round. I’m not sure if Hanako can get along with a person she has never met.”
“Well, that’s obviously out of our control, right, Lilly?”
“You’ve got a point, but…”
“If I were Hanako, I would be thrilled if my best friend makes a boyfriend, even if I cannot get along with him. But I suppose your worries are legitimate, given you two’s special conditions. If you want the whole matter to be safer, you can bring Hanako to meet me. Or maybe not me alone, but with a couple more classmates.”
“That’s a bold plan. Is it going to work?”
“Well, we will have to deal with it one way or another. Isn’t it better to get it out of the way as soon as possible?”
“I guess you’ve got a point…”
“Isn’t she coming tomorrow? This could be a chance.”
“Not tomorrow. My family members are all here.”
“No worries. How about we do it this way? Before your party begins, a couple of us can come and sponsor you a birthday cake. We can talk for, say, ten minutes, and we’ll meet Hanako in the process. We’ll then leave and you’ll have your party. Oh, I’ll get to greet your parents too. How does that sound?”
He certainly is eager to get the job done.
“Hmm… interesting! It could be feasible.”
“I can bring Kozuki too. He wants to meet Hanako so dearly.”
“No! She would be scared!”
“We won’t tell Hanako his identity as her chess playmate, and I’ll ask Kozuki not to be aggressive. You can tell her later after the party if you want to.”
“But is it that necessary?”
“You know, he’s been complaining not being able to meet his crush for so long. It’s about time for him to face the reality. At least he’ll finally know about her disability.”
“That’s true… But is it going to be okay?”
“Trust me. I’ll manage everything. Just tell Hanako you’ll have a few classmates visiting for a few minutes.”
Given how well he managed my birthday party today, I should trust him. At least if he fails and makes a mess, I’ll have an excuse to find somebody else.
“Alright then.”
“Sure. I hope Hanako can get along with me.”
If we can climb over all the three hurdles, I’ll have a boyfriend for my twentieth birthday! How sweet it is! I’m looking forward to tomorrow! Hanako, wine, boyfriend, wooden board birthday gift. I’m such a lucky girl!
Chapter 70: A Chess Rematch
“Sigh…”
As I enter my familiar homeroom (I’m so used to it already that the walk almost becomes mechanical, so I no longer need my cane), my mind keeps returning to the bombshell dropped by Mother last week. It’s been almost a week since I received the shocking news, but I’m yet to entirely sink it in. Throughout this week, I’ve been halfhearted in classes, and I didn’t try my best in my assignments. My mind has been occupied by other matters. Like the ordeals Father and Mother have faced. The issues with my elder sister. The arrangements involving my new uncle. My grandparents’ resentment towards Mother. All the family ties, burdens, and relationships. The aftermath effect of that bombshell is way stronger than I thought.
And I keep wondering whether I can help improve the current situation in any possible way. Especially for Akira and my parents.
“Good morning, Lilly!”
“Good morning.”
The greetings of my classmates drag me back into the classroom, although I’m already physically here.
One thing is for sure: If I don’t listen to class today, my grades are going to drop, and that won’t do anything constructive to my family.
Unfortunately, another matter is going to distract me further away from classes: Both Hanako and wine are coming tomorrow!
Don’t smile! Otherwise my classmates will discover! I never confided to any of them about my birthday!
I carefully control my emotions and take my usual seat. From afar, I can hear the boys discussing something in the corner of the classroom. Even with my ultra sharp hearing, they manage to speak so softly that I am unable to hear clearly, making me think they might have deliberately hidden their talk from me. Or maybe I’m just overthinking: They’re probably talking about dirty boy stuff, but don’t want to speak out loud in front of the numerous girls in the classroom. Key words such as “long enough” and “sturdy” flow into my ears, further strengthening my speculations.
I can’t believe I’m becoming an adult tomorrow! Wow! This means I will be able to lawfully consume alcohol now, which is fantastic! Of course, being an adult also means I will need to pay full responsibility to my own actions. I don’t mind that, as I’ve been independent over the last few years. I already attended the adult ceremony earlier, which took place on the second Monday of January; my cousin Shizune being in the hospital unfortunately cut the joy by quite a bit. But tomorrow I’ll officially be an adult.
I can hear the teacher approaching, and the boys cease their presumed dirty talks while returning to their seats.
Okay, I must focus on class now!
***********************
The bell rings, and the week’s classes are finally over! I tried my very best to focus, but I still missed around half of the content by daydreaming. Oh no, I’ll have to study exceptionally hard after my birthday party!
I’ve already packed everything up. Let’s put the typewriter into the box in the corner, and leave as early as possible. I need to prepare for tomorrow!
“Excuse me, Lilly.”
“Yes, Misaku?”
“I need your help. Would you please stay around for a little bit? Sorry.”
It looks like my preparations will have to delay.
“Yes, how can I help you?”
“Thank you so much. My family is going on a holiday trip after term is over, and we’re planning to go to Scotland. You’re from Scotland, aren’t you? Would you please recommend a few tourist spots for us? We’ve read several guides, but we figured that since we’ve never been to Europe before, it’s better to hear from somebody who’s native there.”
Inverness, that’s where Mother was born. Although I haven’t been to Scotland too many times, I still vividly remember several of my past visits to Mother’s birthplace.
“Sure. My parents used to live in Inverness until they moved back to Japan last year. I myself have been to Inverness several times, so I’ll share with you my experience there. For starters, you may take a walk along river Ness and visit St. Andrews Cathedral. I presume these places must be described in detail in your tourist guides. You may also enter the Scottish Kiltmaker Visitor Center to see how traditional Scottish garments are made. I think I once tried out a few Scottish dresses in the nearby Highland dress shop, and my sister said they looked very natural to me.”
I hear Misaku jotting down notes as I continue.
“Along river Ness, you will find the famous lake of Loch Ness, along with the nearby Urquhart Castle. Spending the evening on top of the tower watching the sunset is amazing, according to Mother.”
Mother once told me that she has some special memories with Father in the castle. I wonder if their first date was over there.
“You may also, from the center of Inverness, take about an hour of bus ride to the hamlet of Tomich far to the south-west of Inverness. The village was built in a very charming style called the Victorian style, named after one of the queens who ruled in that era. I was heard that the first golden retriever was bred in this village. Slightly south of the village is an attraction called Plodda Falls. There I once had a nice picnic with my elder sister.”
“Wow! That sounds interesting!”
“Hmm… You may also visit the Cawdor Castle, which is around 15 kilometers away from Inverness. If you’ve read Shakespeare’s Macbeth, you should remember this castle, although the real King-Macbeth never lived there because it wasn’t built yet when he was alive. According to Mother, the castle feels like a place right out of a storybook. You can also walk along the nature trail nearby and visit the various beautiful gardens around the castle. When I went there with my family, we gave a lot of sandwiches to the ducklings swimming in the nearby pond, and managed to lure a few of them close enough for a group photo with us.”
“You may also take a bus to the village of Avoch on the other side of Beauly Firth. You can take a boat trip from there to see… hmm… I’ll leave it to you to find out. I think that’s all I can think of right now.”
“Okay, thanks for the info. I’ve jot those down. Thank you so much, Lilly!”
“It’s my pleasure to be of help. I’ll be on my way then. See you next week.”
I attempt to bring my typewriter to the corner of the classroom, only to find it gone.
“Lilly, wait!”
“Huh?”
As I start to feel the surroundings through my hearing and the nearby temperature, I realize that the classroom has gone exceptionally quiet, and there’s a lot of heat radiating from one side of the room. Could this mean…
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILLY!!!”
“Ah!!!!”
“WOO HOO~~~!!!!!”
The thunderous clap and whistles that follow catches me completely off guard!
“B-But h-how?”
It’s Tatsuya who speaks first.
“Sorry, Lilly. We know that your birthday is tomorrow, but since tomorrow is a Saturday, and some of us are going back home, we decided to celebrate with you today right here. We’ve got permission from the teachers, so it will be fine.”
Needless to say I’m overjoyed, but I quickly regain my composure and, even though I know this may ruin the fun a bit, I need to ask.
“How did you know about my birthday? I do not recall telling anyone of you about it.”
“No, you actually spoiled your birthday to one of us.”
“Oh my! Did I?”
“Do you remember that before the start of the term, you asked Yumi to fill in a form for you?”
“Oh!!! Now I get it!”
A few days before term started, a school staff informed me that I was nominated to apply for a scholarship, and asked if I was interested. I gladly accepted the offer. Unfortunately, the application form could only be submitted by written means. Therefore, I asked Yumi, who had to stay in campus due to her house being under renovation, to fill in the form for me. And my birthday was among the information to be filled in that form. That was how Yumi got to know my birthday.
“I’m… sorry… Lilly… for spoiling it to everyone.”
How can I blame her for celebrating my birthday with my classmates?
“No worries. I accept your apology.”
“We’ve got a birthday gift for you. Hey, Kentarou, Kozuki, onto the table.”
My birthday gift requires two boys to carry?
“Here it is, Lilly. Please start by touching this area. Misaku, please help Lilly.”
My head is loaded with question marks as Misaku guides my fingers towards my presumably heavy birthday gift.
Wait. Did Misaku just distract me with her upcoming Scotland trip so that my classmates could set the party up?
And where’s my typewriter? They probably put it away already.
As my fingers get in contact with the gift for my twentieth birthday, I realize that it is a wooden board with words etched in Braille. It reads:
“Wait! Isn’t this…”I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
“It’s The Daffodils, by William Wordsworth!”When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
“It was the first piece of recital I performed during the Open Day!”Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
“Did you all put all three of my recitals onto the board?”The wave beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed – and gazed – but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
“Lilly, please press the button here below the words.”For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
I obey and push the round button…
“The Daffodils, by William Wordsworth”
It’s my voice!
“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”
They recorded my voice during the performance and put it into the board as well!
I can’t help but put my hands on my face and gasp in shock as I realize how fantastic my birthday gift is!
“T-Thank you… so… much…!!”
“Yes, we’ve done it for all three of your recital pieces. So, three boards in total.”
I proceed to examine all three boards which contain both the words and the voice of my recital: The Daffodils, On His Blindness, and Invictus. As I reach the final two verses of the last recital…
…I recall how I ended my speech in brilliant style, so much to the point that Hanako took the inspiration to become the master of her fate and the captain of her soul later in the afternoon.I am the master of my fate.
I am the captain of my soul.
“These boards are made of taek wood with a layer of coating, so they are sturdy and waterproof. The batteries are good stuff and newly placed, so they should stand long enough for at least a month, unless you keep pressing the buttons like crazy.”
Have I heard the words “sturdy” and “long enough” a little while ago? They’re not talking about dirty boy stuff after all! I’ve mistaken them!
“I can’t thank you all enough for everything! I will treasure my presents!”
“It’s party time! Kozuki, please help put the boards away.”
“I’m on it!”
“Lilly, we’ve put all the food and drinks at the back. Would you please walk over there to enjoy the feast with us?”
“It is my pleasure.”
I thought going back home to prepare for tomorrow’s party is exciting enough. It turns out I have a much better alternative today.
***********************
“Is it okay if I fix them here? I hold the board. You can feel the position.”
“Hmm… Would you mind shifting it a little bit to the left?”
“Yeah.”
“And maybe a little bit up?”
“Sure… There we go. Please feel it again.”
“Hmm… Yes. This is perfect.”
“Okay. Let me mark the position down with a pencil. Good. Let’s do the other two.”
After the surprise birthday party, my classmates left the classroom to spend their weekend until only Tatsuya was left with me. He had promised to carry the boards for me and fix them onto the wall of my apartment, after gaining my permission (they joked that if I were to reject, they would fix them in the classroom instead, and they were confident that the teachers would allow). Of course I cannot say no to have such an awesome and luxurious birthday gift in my room.
“I’m holding the second board. Would you please feel the position for me?”
He’s such a kind gentleman.
Hmm… Tatsuya. He is going to be another distraction to my studies, which is not good.
“This position is fine.”
“Alright. On to the third board.”
Mother and I paid a visit to Hanako and her newpaper club members in Yamaku library last week. After the girls called it a day, Hanako invited the two of us into her room. It was in Hanako’s room that Mother released the bombshell that has been bothering me throughout the week: She revealed to me everything about her marriage with Father and the issues with my sister Akira. But before that, the three of us had another conversation about Valentine’s Day. My journalist Mother correctly deduced that I am secretly preparing a box of love chocolates for a potential partner, whose identity I confided to Hanako before the Open Day.
“Is this position fine?”
“Yes. Perfect.”
“Alright. I have everything marked with a pencil. Now I need to use the drill. Would you please either cover your ears or step out of the room?”
“Thank you. I will leave my room for a while.”
As I take my steps towards the corridor, I hear from my potential soulmate again.
“I’ll help you clean the floor.”
“Thank you very much!”
Hisao and I found Hanako unconscious in her Yamaku dorm room a few days before the Open Day. We sent her to the head Nurse, and she recovered after eating chocolate bars bought by Hisao. The three of us then had an extensive conversation about the Open Day as Hanako’s assignment, which resulted in a plan of Akira accompanying her throughout the day. That plan did not go towards the direction we intended, but turned out to work wonderfully.
I can hear Tatsuya drilling. I trust him to not destroy my room.
After Hisao left the room for Shizune, I confided to Hanako that I invited Tatsuya to dinner as a gratitude for helping me out throughout the school discrimination event: The atmosphere during the dinner was fantastic, and we almost talked non-stop. I also told Hanako that someone in my class, specifically Kozuki who plays online chess with her, has been secretly admiring her. Hanako couldn’t believe it at all! I ended the day by joking that maybe we will each get a boyfriend next year, while Hanako kept denying a possibility of somebody going after her.
Tatsuya is done with the drilling. He’s probably cleaning the floor for me.
So, when Mother figured out that I was secretly considering a relationship, Hanako immediately knew it was him. Mother also correctly deduced that the main reason I’m hesitating to give him the love chocolate is because…
“All done! Please come in and have a feel.”
I re-enter my room towards the wall and feel out the three boards, now firmly installed. The position seems fine.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you that the batteries are at the back. If they run out, just take the boards out to access the battery slot. You take a board off by pushing it up and then out. Maybe you can give it a try.
I get hold of a board and try to push it up. Indeed it moves by a little. Then I take it out successfully.
“Good. The battery slot is at the bottom, in the back.”
I turn the board around and feel out the battery slot as instructed.
“Great! Now you may put the board back onto the wall.”
Feeling out the peg that Tatsuya has installed onto the wall for me, I successfully hang the board back onto the wall.
With my birthday present in front of me, I’m a happy girl today.
“I don’t know about you, Lilly, but I think they’re beautifully installed.”
“I agree. Thank you so much for everything, Tatsuya.”
“It’s nothing. The whole class is honored to have such a great classmate as you.”
“And I am honored to have received such a nice complement.”
Now, with the boards already fixed, there’s nothing more to do. I wonder if he will leave, or if he already has another plan in mind. To prevent the awkwardness of the situation, I should speak up first.
“Do you have any plans for the evening?”
“No, Lilly.”
Based on how our last meeting went, I think it’s safe for me to treat him a cup of tea.
“Tatsuya, may I join you with a cup of tea?”
“Er… Is it fine for me to accept?”
What a polite boy. Even after almost a year of university life, his introversive nature still hasn’t changed much. At least in front of me.
“Of course, Tatsuya. Let’s take a seat in the living room.”
I invite him to sit on the sofa, then head towards the kitchen to prepare the hot water.
“Lilly, I have to say, your navigating skill is amazing.”
Even though I’ve received this comment multiple times, it’s always satisfying to hear these words apparently told from the bottom of their hearts.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Even though preparing tea is my daily routine, I’m actually feeling a bit nervous in front of the one I’m considering to give love chocolate to. Fortunately, the process has already become so mechanical to me that my hands practically move by themselves. Within minutes, I have two cups of tea on a platter.
“This is Orange Jaipur, my favorite tea.”
“Thanks. You told me about it last time already though.”
I’m starting to get nervous!
“Did I? *Giggle* I totally forgot about it!”
We both take a sip from our respective cups. Contrary to the last time he visited, today I find the atmosphere pretty awkward. Probably because of the context: Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.
“So, are you celebrating with your family tomorrow?”
The birthday party topic surely will relieve some of the pressure.
“Yes. My parents, Akira, and Hanako will be coming.”
“That would be wonderful! And I suppose you’ll be drinking a lot of wine.”
He clearly knows my big interest.
“*Giggle* That’s what I’m planning to do.”
“Sorry about not being able to drink with you in the classroom. I’m not legal yet.”
“*Giggle* No worries. It is actually for the better. I do not want to damage my liver for two consecutive days.”
“Indeed. I wonder what birthday presents they will give you.”
“I’m also looking forward to their gifts. Akira’s will certainly be alcohol related. For the others… I have no idea.”
“I’m pretty sure they will give you fabulous gifts.”
“But the three Braille boards… They are simply amazing. Thank you so much, Tatsuya. Did you plan all these?”
“Well… I was among the first students who came up with this plan. It took us a lot of time to realize it, though.”
“I cannot even imagine how much time and money it has cost you all.”
“Lilly, as long as you are happy, it is always worth the effort.”
Hmm… Interesting answer. I wonder…
Let’s try a slightly tricky question.
“Now I have to question myself, do I really worth so much?”
A moment of silence follows, as we finish up the remainder of our cups of tea. Is he pondering his response? It probably takes him more than one minute to figure out his reply.
“Lilly, may I… be honest with you?”
Is he going to…
“Please go ahead.”
He takes a deep breath as I anticipate his potentially emotional reply.
“Lilly, you are the most beautiful person I’ve met in the world. I have come to know you for almost a year, and we went through several events together, including the discrimination incident, the picnic, the Open Day, and the like. I feel the most comfortable around you, as you’re always radiating a soothing aura that calms everybody around down. Uhm…”
Yes! He took the bait!
How sweet is it to hear such genuine words from my potential soulmate!
“…If things were a little different, maybe I’ll consider asking you to be my girlfriend. *laugh bitterly* But I’m just joking. Forget it. Don’t treat my words seriously.”
WHAT?
What are you doing? You’re supposed to confess to me!
Well, technically he has already confessed, but… what the…
“I must go now. Sorry about that…”
I can sense that he is standing up and is about to leave. I must stop him!
“WAIT!”
…Uh… What should I say right now? I must hurry!
“What is the problem of me being your girlfriend?”
Right after the words came out of my mouth, I immediately realize what I just blurted out. I just accepted his confession!
…
…
He doesn’t move a muscle or make a reply. He is probably also shocked at my response. The two of us just continue to stand in my living room, considering how to continue the conversation.
“Um… Well… Let’s talk about it, shall we?”
I think it is probably correct to hear about his point of view.
“Yes. I apologize for my manners just now.”
“No problem. My concern is…”
“Please allow me to refill our teacups.”
“Thank you so much, Lilly.”
He proceeds to sit down as I serve him another cup of Orange Jaipur.
“Well… How should I start…? Lilly, actually I know a little bit about your family. Satou Medical Technology, right? It is a famous company in Japan, the manufacturer of numerous medical related products such as AEDs and ECGs.”
“Indeed, you are correct. My parents are active members of the company.”
“You obviously come from an affluent family. However, my parents are only typical salarymen. I’m afraid that even if we are to develop a relationship…”
“My parents would not agree, is that what you’re saying.”
“You’re right, pretty much.”
“Hmm…”
To be honest, I’ve never thought about my relationships from this angle. I never factored in my family members in my marriage choice. This is a huge mistake from my end.
Mother’s words last week are ringing over my head once again. Will my marriage choice be affected by my family members, just like what Father and Mother experienced? Will history repeat itself?
I need some time alone to sort everything out.
“Tatsuya, sorry for being rude, but may I be excused for a small while? I need a few minutes to consider everything. Please wait here, will you?”
“Of course, Lilly. Sorry about… everything.”
“Never mind.”
Trying my hardest to regain my composure, I get up and head straight to my room, locking the door behind me.
I never thought such a nice evening is now turning into this embarrassing moment. However, I do believe it’s for the best if we talk this one out.
***********************
After like fifteen minutes of deep thought in front of my birthday present, I am now prepared to face Tatsuya again. Reaching the room’s door, I unlock it and head towards the sofa opposite to the one Tatsuya is supposedly sitting on.
“Tatsuya, are you still here?”
“Yes, I am.”
I take a seat, offer him another cup of tea, and start dishing out my thoughts.
“First of all, I am grateful and honored to be able to hear your confession a while ago. You are a nice gentleman, and I have to admit, I do possess feelings for you.”
I take a sip of my cup and continue.
“You did raise a legitimate concern just now. After consideration, I arrive at the conclusion that in order for us to properly commence a relationship that can bring forth any kind of future, there are several obstacles we must clear first.”
Taking another sip, I proceed to tackle the first obstacle along the path.
“About the family issues, you’re correct about the status of my family. Yes, it would certainly be a problem for us a few months ago. However, the revelation of several recent events has changed the tide significantly. In the current state of affairs, I believe that as long as my Father permits, there will not be a problem.”
Originally, Father was supposed to be the heir of the company. His offsprings, me and Akira, would be responsible for bearing the name of Satou, especially in terms of marriage. This would mean my marriage would most likely be an arranged one. Now that my uncle is chosen as the heir instead, my status in the eyes of the other Satous has dropped significantly. I don’t need to carry the heavy burden any more. In other words, I should be able to freely choose my own marriage.
“Are you sure?”
“I am. I cannot confide too much to you about the exact situation of my family, but I am almost certain that as long as my parents allow, nobody can stop us. Fortunately, my parents are the type of people who respect my own relationship choices as long as the other party truly cares for me. In fact, I am moderately certain they have already taken a liking to you, given how much you have helped me out in the discrimination incident. They will probably like you even more if they see the three boards in my room.”
“So, we don’t need to worry about the social status mismatch?”
I still clearly remember what Mother said last week about how she and Father met.
“At least among the four of us: Me, my sister Akira, and my parents, none of us seem to care too much about social status in terms of marriage and love.”
“Okay, I trust you.”
“Now, let us get to the other side of the problem. While my parents most likely will accept you, the reverse may not be true on your side.”
“Do you mean the fact that you’re blind?”
“Exactly. I believe that not all parents would be willing to have their sons marry a disabled person, let alone a blind one.”
“There’s no need to worry about it, Lilly.”
So the second obstacle is a push-over?
“Would you please elaborate?”
“Um… It’s kind of embarrassing. Actually, my parents were the ones who encouraged me to try getting close to you. They attended the Open Day and witnessed your performance. They were absolutely stunned. We talked about you on our way home, and I told them about your condition. They frankly told me they do not mind, and will support me all the way if I pursue you. But… you know how shy I am…”
Oh my! How lucky am I!
“I am grateful for your parents’ appreciation. It appears that our family worries are no longer an issue.”
“True. Uhm.. well… Am I supposed to confess to you? But I already did that…”
He’s so funny. I could have saved some of his embarrassment, but sorry, I need to ruin the fun.
“Unfortunately, there is one more obstacle in our way.”
“Uh… Please elaborate?”
This is it. I’m going to tell him the reason, the one corrected deducted by Mother, I’m hesitating to give him my homemade chocolate.
“As you already know, I am never ashamed of my disability. That said, in order to compromise the apparent issues associated with my blindness, I will need assistance in tasks that require eyesight.”
“I am glad to help.”
I raise my hand to signal I’m not done yet.
“My best friend, Hanako, is now studying for her Entrance Exams. If she successfully enters Kasshoku University, we are going to become roommates.”
I point a finger towards the end of the hallway.
“In fact, the room over there is reserved for Hanako.”
“Uh huh.”
“Now, Tatsuya, I need to be honest with you. Since I’m blind, naturally I was unable to attend a normal high school.”
“Make sense. So your high school must be a disabled one.”
“Correct. And Hanako was my schoolmate…”
“Which means she must have a disability too. Oh yeah! Of course! I never considered that! I should’ve known. You and Hakamichi came from the same high school, didn’t you? So all of you! You, Hakamichi, Hanako, and your friend Nakai…”
“Indeed.”
“But… So, you mean… Hanako’s disability?”
“Correct. I mentioned before that Hanako is an extremely shy girl. She… Tatsuya, if you do see her in the future, please try not to flinch or run away scared.”
“What… do you mean?”
“I… uhm… I’m not sure if I should tell you about her...”
In fact, I haven’t figured out how to handle this situation. That’s why I’m hesitating to make a move.
“Never mind. Let us have things sorted out. I suppose you’re worried that if I can’t get along with Hanako and her disability, we’re going to face a problem when she does move in with you. Am I right?”
“Pretty much yes, except that it’s the other way round. I’m not sure if Hanako can get along with a person she has never met.”
“Well, that’s obviously out of our control, right, Lilly?”
“You’ve got a point, but…”
“If I were Hanako, I would be thrilled if my best friend makes a boyfriend, even if I cannot get along with him. But I suppose your worries are legitimate, given you two’s special conditions. If you want the whole matter to be safer, you can bring Hanako to meet me. Or maybe not me alone, but with a couple more classmates.”
“That’s a bold plan. Is it going to work?”
“Well, we will have to deal with it one way or another. Isn’t it better to get it out of the way as soon as possible?”
“I guess you’ve got a point…”
“Isn’t she coming tomorrow? This could be a chance.”
“Not tomorrow. My family members are all here.”
“No worries. How about we do it this way? Before your party begins, a couple of us can come and sponsor you a birthday cake. We can talk for, say, ten minutes, and we’ll meet Hanako in the process. We’ll then leave and you’ll have your party. Oh, I’ll get to greet your parents too. How does that sound?”
He certainly is eager to get the job done.
“Hmm… interesting! It could be feasible.”
“I can bring Kozuki too. He wants to meet Hanako so dearly.”
“No! She would be scared!”
“We won’t tell Hanako his identity as her chess playmate, and I’ll ask Kozuki not to be aggressive. You can tell her later after the party if you want to.”
“But is it that necessary?”
“You know, he’s been complaining not being able to meet his crush for so long. It’s about time for him to face the reality. At least he’ll finally know about her disability.”
“That’s true… But is it going to be okay?”
“Trust me. I’ll manage everything. Just tell Hanako you’ll have a few classmates visiting for a few minutes.”
Given how well he managed my birthday party today, I should trust him. At least if he fails and makes a mess, I’ll have an excuse to find somebody else.
“Alright then.”
“Sure. I hope Hanako can get along with me.”
If we can climb over all the three hurdles, I’ll have a boyfriend for my twentieth birthday! How sweet it is! I’m looking forward to tomorrow! Hanako, wine, boyfriend, wooden board birthday gift. I’m such a lucky girl!
Chapter 70: A Chess Rematch
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch69@7/2/23: Happy Birthday Lilly!]
Chapter 70: A Chess Rematch
Yawn. What a nice sleep!
Great weather! Spring is coming soon, and sakura will be blossoming too!
Today is a big day for me, as I will have my right leg’s plaster removed! After some rehab, I’ll be able to return home in a couple of days! I miss my apartment.
And I’ll be able to watch some nice blooming sakura with my friends.
With my arms now in much better condition, I could have chosen to go back home with a crutch. But then I would have to come back for regular checks, arm rehab, and finally the removal of the plaster. Also, relying on my recently broken arms as support isn’t ideal for my recovery. So, I chose to stay in the hospital instead. We don’t lack money, which is convenient.
Recovery issues aside, more importantly, I need to study hard today! I don’t want to lose to Akemi!
Since I cannot attend school for the entirety of the term, a negotiation between me and the subject teachers took place in early January. I will be assessed with assignments and exams, through the means of e-mail, in the hospital for as long as I stay, while presentations will be graded by written speech drafts. Since I couldn’t type on the computer until recently, the teachers also allowed me to submit my assignments later than usual. But now, since I’m expected to be released soon, I intend to take the final exams together with the class, as an indication of my powerful return. I’m definitely not losing to you, Akemi!
Before all the studying, I should clean myself up. With my arms finally usable, I can now drive my wheelchair around; Emi’s sharing of her own experience on wheelchairs when she had problems with her prosthetic legs turned out to help. An important note for wheelchair beginners is to wear a pair of gloves to prevent my hands from getting hurt. I flip over my blanket, get onto the wheelchair, and drive myself towards the washroom.
Another matter I need to figure out after leaving the hospital is what my brother told me earlier about dad. He and mom suspect that dad is under the psychological condition of grandiose illusion, which causes him to treat himself like god. Hideaki wants to tell our grandparents about it, but isn’t sure how to start. I don’t have a concrete idea yet, but I intend to work things out with the rest of my family. I’ll probably deal with it after my exams.
After all the cleaning, I take a seat next to my bed and start eating breakfast. Mom has told me she is visiting in the evening along with Hideaki, so no homemade breakfast for me today. Oh well, she has to work. In other words, I’ll be alone in the hospital until sunset. Oh, no no no, I almost forgot! Last night mom told me I’ll have a special guest visit today. She refused to elaborate, but a logical guess would be Mutou or the head Nurse. Alright, I should finish my breakfast quickly to anticipate a possible visit by a Yamaku staff. Or Kasshoku staff.
Let’s see what I’ve got from the hospital kitchen. Omelet and toast with hot chocolate, huh. Western style. Not bad. Private hospital is certainly different from public ones. At least I can expect there will be no eggshells in the omelet. I’m certainly not referring to some katana man, certainly not.
While eating, I take a look at the top of the patient’s cabinet. I’m so happy to have received this many “get well soon” cards, but the item that stands out the most is definitely the bookstand and the pile of memos clipped onto it. Look, what a pile! There are like 60 pieces already! This boy is definitely stubborn and determined.
With my hands now free, I no longer need my mom to help me flip the pages. I must admit, I treasure every one of these memories with him recorded on the memos. The latest one was about the afternoon when the boy won the JUSC competition and celebrated with me. Another one will be coming tonight. To be honest, I’m eager to read it.
The boy has visited me daily ever since I entered the hospital. He told me how he hated hospitals after spending several months in one, but will still come each day to put a memo over there. The evening visits imply that he has skipped his tutorials and librarian jobs, and possibly his JUSC practices, just for me. He sacrificed a whole lot of his social life for me. He even instructed bubblegum hair to send similar memories to flood my mailbox. What a determination from him! With this kind of persistence, how can any ordinary girl be not moved by his actions! In fact, my mom has been convinced by his actions to the point as if he’s already her son-in-law. My brother also mentions him occasionally, persuading me to talk to him again.
But I never responded to him. I have wasted every bit of his time. I guess I am no ordinary girl.
Why haven’t I forgiven him yet? Even I myself don’t understand! To be accurate, I feel like there’s still something missing from him that would cause me to accept his apology, and I don’t know what it is. Something just hasn’t clicked. So, while I’d like to tell the boy not to sacrifice himself for me any more, I still allow him to come every day while giving him the silent treatment. You can say I’m a bad girl, but he committed an error first, so I’ve a lot of ways to defend myself.
That said, I can’t help but think back to a few weeks ago, when Miura and Suzuki came to visit me for the second time. After leaving my ward, Miura unexpectedly returned for a short “girl talk”. Perhaps trying not to be heard by others, especially by the boy who could be eavesdropping outside the ward, she used my computer and clumsily typed a hard-to-read, grammatically incorrect, but admittedly enlightening (or potentially threatening) passage with her lone hand.
Let’s check my computer. I still have the original document saved in it.
{let’s be frank ok? i respect u as my former schoolmate, classmate, & student council president. hisao told me a bit what happened. up to u 2 to figure things out, don’t want to interfere. but sth i must admit. i kinda like him. i helped him be4, he helped me be4. i’m grateful to him, he’s grateful to me. so yeah, if u give him up, i’ll try to take him. but i respect u, i also think u r a better match to him, & u r in a hospital, so if i take him now, not fair to u. i’ll wait till u get out of hospital. or u can forfeit now. but if u still want him, u first. ok?}
I never thought I would get myself another rival in the boyfriend department other than my previous best friend. I was quite shocked by her confession. I told her I’d think about it. Miura visited me again two weeks ago. I told her I would not forfeit just yet, and asked her not to spoil our conversation to the boy.
The battle will commence once I step out of the hospital. That is, if I don’t forfeit.
Should I forfeit?
I’ll think about it after getting a few hours of study in.
***********************
Noticing that the visitor’s light is turned on, I press the green button next to my bed in order to allow my special guest in.
Who will the guest be? Mutou or the Nurse? If I have to guess, the Nurse will make a lot of sense; he’ll probably provide me with useful advice on post-release rehab, precautions, and, along with those, several cheap jokes. It could be Mutou too; maybe the boy has contacted him again for relationship help, and he might try to guilt trip me into accepting the boy’s apology once more.
But when the identity of this special guest comes into my vision, I almost made a silent gasp: The dark-haired scarred girl who’s wearing a purple jacket and denim trousers is the last visitor I expected. It’s not that she’s here that shocks me, as she’s been here before; the fact that she comes alone is astounding.
Are you sure, Miss Ikezawa? Are you really coming to see me alone?
Of course my silent question is silly, as why would she travel all the way from Yamaku otherwise? If she wants to meet her blonde hair friend, she should drop off at Chiba station instead.
But why?
Anyway, the fact that she’s come to see me should be for friendly purposes. Just the sheer courage from her end already earns me respect.
Regaining my composure, I give my not-the-friend-of-my-enemy-anymore guest a smile, a nod, and a gesture for her to sit down next to my bed. I’ll use the computer to communicate with her, so we need to share a screen.
After the meek girl sits down, I start by typing a generic friendly greeting.
{Hi Ikezawa, I didn’t expect you to come to see me. Thanks for coming all the way from Yamaku.}
My cousin’s best friend ponders briefly on how to respond. Then, instead of speaking, she gestures to me if she can type on my computer. Well, your hands are sanitized when entering the hospital, so there should be no harm.
{How are you feeling right now? I hope you will be out of the hospital soon.}
Any remaining thoughts on her coming for venomous causes are shattered into pieces.
{Great! My arms are in good shape, and I’ll probably have my right leg free in the afternoon when the doctor is available. I should be able to go back home after some rehab with my leg.}
{Good to hear that. It must have been tough lying in a hospital for two months.}
I know she’s aiming at studying journalism, to become a writer. She’s probably more comfortable with typing words than speaking up. The fact that we’re typing in front of each other like instant chat, despite sitting within arm’s length, must be quite a funny scene for the hospital staff to watch.
{Indeed. Being unable to walk really stinks. But I do have a wheelchair that allows me to move around the hospital and breathe in some fresh air in the garden downstairs. But why are you coming to see me? Aren’t you supposed to be in the school, or at least be in the library?}
{I have somebody substituting me as the librarian today. Since I will be leaving Yamaku soon, the replacement staff needs some experience as a bookkeeper anyway. But I’m actually on a mission today. Coming to visit you is an assignment by my therapist. She wants me to make friends with you in order to anticipate a future entrance into Kasshoku University, in which you are in the Student Council.}
That makes a lot of sense.
{I see! Another one of those little assignments from your therapist, huh. I’ve heard about it from… *avoid mentioning the boy* my affiliates. Like the Open Day visit a few months ago. I heard that you aced that assignment.}
The bashful smile tells me how proud she is for completing that visit.
I can’t believe it’s been more than a year since her unfortunate incident during the previous Kasshoku Open Day. I was visiting the university with my two former best friends when my two Satou relatives suddenly announced the disappearance of this shy girl next to me. I was pretty mean at that time, prioritizing on visiting the boy’s family rather than searching for my schoolmate. My attitude was poor. Anyway, one year later, this girl was assigned to visit the university again. They said that she completed her assignment unharmed, and even gained some self-confidence after apologizing to a speaker. Apparently her mobile phone had sounded during a lecture from that speaker in the previous visit, and she had fled the hall in panic. So she returned for the apology.
{Thank you. I was delighted to have overcome that hurdle.}
Her attitude is now way better than when I first knew her three years ago. Enough to warrant a call by first name.
{I appreciate your effort. Sure. We can be friends, Hanako.}
{Thank you, Shizune.}
Wait, she just said her therapist made this assignment. Does it mean…
{So, your therapist already knows you’re entering Kasshoku?}
{No, but she was trying to make me prepare better in case I do get in.}
As a former Student Council President, I have some insights on how schools operate. I’m pretty sure her therapist already knows in advance that she’s getting in. If I have to make a prediction, the therapist most likely had her Entrance Exam papers copied in secret and gave the copy to one of the Yamaku teachers (most likely Mr. Hoshino) to read. However, I cannot tell Hanako about my deductions, as it would be unethical to spoil both school secret and exam results.
{Makes sense. I’m looking forward to seeing you in the university.}
{Thank you. I will try my best.}
Now that we’ve become friends, what should we do next?
{You traveled all the way here, so I must entertain you in some way. I just studied a couple of hours for my upcoming exam, so it’s good timing for a break. Hmm… Ah! I know! You like chess, don’t you? Did you remember? We had a couple of matches before, in the Student Council room. Let’s have a rematch, shall we?}
Upon seeing the word “chess”, my newly befriended ex-schoolmate widens her eyes in excitement.
{Yes! Let’s do it!}
Typing in words is definitely a more comfortable way for her to communicate.
From the cabinet, I take out the chess set Hideaki brought me when I first woke up in the hospital. We put the computer aside to make room for the chessboard; I don’t think we need much verbal communication when playing chess. As the host, I give her the white pieces.
She’s a worthy opponent. That was my impression when we last played.
I wonder what her ELO rating is.
1. e4 c5
My 1. …c5 move is called the Sicilian Defence, one of the most common chess openings. I love this move because of its combative nature. I’m playing not just for equality, but for the advantage. The drawback is that White often obtains an early initiative.
2. Nf3 d6
It’s now her move. I take a glimpse at my opponent. Hanako has her eyes completely focused on the chessboard, possibly calculating several moves ahead and evaluating every resulting position. Her facial expression reminds me of Emi Ibarazaki the track star, how ultra focused she was during her track meet races.
3. d4 cxd4
I get a majority of pawns in the center and a half-open c-file, so I’m satisfied with the pawn exchange.
4. Nxd4 Nf6
Chess is her favorite game. This is where she can maximize her potential. I like that. I always want to bring everyone to their A-game, and try to beat them. This offers me a whole lot of satisfaction.
5. Nc3 g6
I choose the Dragon Variation, one of the most controversial open systems. The idea is that I want to develop my bishop on the long diagonal.
6. Be3 Bg7
There it is, the bishop is now on the long diagonal, eyeing up on White’s two knights.
7. f3 Nc6
8. Qd2 0-0
I didn’t expect Hanako to play for queenside castling. Since our kings will be on the opposite sides, this game is going to be very sharp. She’s going on the offense!
9. Bc4 Bd7
The last time we played in the Yamaku Student Council room, she primarily chose defensive moves in both of her games. But today she is on aggressive mode, so different from the Hanako I’ve dealt with in three whole years.
10. 0-0-0 Qa5
There it is, queenside castling. I’m not intimidated!
11. h4 Ne5
A pawn push. You’re going on the attack, huh? I’ll make you pay for it!
12. Bb3 Rfc8
It’s been two years. She’s still a worthy opponent. Even better than last time.
13. g4 b5
Another pawn push. I like the fact that you can observe a person through their moves on the chessboard. Even though we don’t type on the computer, we’re still communicating with each other through the medium of chess pieces.
This is so much fun!
14. h5 Nc4
Yet another pawn push. You’re really persistent with the attack, aren’t you?
15. Bxc4 bxc4
16. Bh6 Bh8
I need to retreat my bishop. Man! This girl is someone else on the chessboard!
17. Nf5 Re8
She threatens mate in one, so I have to defend.
18. Bg7 gxf5
I can’t believe this timid girl can pose such a huge threat in this game! If she keeps up with this competitive spirit, we’re going to be friends for a long time.
***********************
{That was fun, thanks!}
{Thank you for the games.}
We ended up playing two games and drew both. In the first game, she had an extra pawn in the end, but I gained the opposition# (note: marked with # are chess terms, same below) to secure a draw. In the second game, I had the white pieces. She sacrificed her knight to snipe off my last pawn. Even though I had an extra bishop, I had to settle for a draw due to insufficient material#.
{To be honest, you’ve changed so much since the graduation day last year. You’re worthy of being a friend of mine.}
{I must give credit to Lilly and Hisao. Lilly was there for me during some of my worst years; if not for her, I wouldn’t have opened up to the rest of the world. Hisao helped me out in some of my critical moments; without him, I would have never gotten a fourth year to start with.}
I feel the need to apologize gracefully while carefully avoiding the boy.
{You know, I treated you pretty poorly in the school. I had a bitter rivalry with my cousin Lilly, and you happen to be her best friend. I probably contributed to some of your nightmares. I promise, if you get into Kasshoku, I and my Student Council members will treat you better.}
{It’s okay. I know you wanted all of us in the class to stay competitive, and you were right. I realized your point after hearing about the discrimination incidents in the university. We already started with a disadvantage, so we need to work extra hard in order to strive in the society. I had a very long talk with my therapist after the recent Open Day visit. I was extremely angry with myself wasting so much time and money in Yamaku hiding inside my dorm room without making any real progress to my recovery. I was determined to redeem myself through doing well in the Entrance Exams and getting out to explore the world. Miss Yumi, my therapist, thus gave me this assignment of meeting you in the hospital. Originally she would not dare allocating me with such a daunting task, but when she jokingly spoke of this idea, I knew I had to prove myself. Thus I accepted the challenge.}
{I guess the fact that I’m stuck in a hospital did help your cause, didn’t it?}
{Hmm… I suppose so. I also would like to thank you for suggesting me to wear a mask whenever I go to crowded places. That helped during my journey here.}
{Remember, having a disability is not the end of the world. The lack of desire to make a workaround is.}
{Yes, thank you for all your advice.}
{Well, I’d say you’ve passed your assignment with distinction. You’re welcome to stay around, but I doubt you like these white walls and potentially terrifying equipment. I also need to resume my studies. I guess I’ll see you in Kasshoku then.}
{Wait, Shizune!}
{Yes?}
{My mission is not done yet. This is not part of Miss Yumi’s assignment, but I do it of my own free will. I want to confide to you something secret. It’s been in my mind for a couple of months already. I was thinking about it even when I was studying for my exams.}
{What is it that’s so important?}
Hanako fidgets, hesitates for a while before deciding to go ahead.
{Are you ready?}
I’m curious. Hanako’s big secret? Is she going to tell me why she has these scars? Even though, as the former Student Council President, I got my hands on some of the inside documents of the school, I was never able to obtain confidential information about my classmates. She never received any letters that I could peep into before delivering mails, so my inside knowledge about her is essentially blank.
{Yes, I am.}
{Okay then. This is probably a sensitive topic to you, but I happen to know what occurred between you and your…}
Wait! You’re supposed to tell me about your past, not mine!
Her sucker punch freezes me right on the spot. I temporarily flinch.
{He confided it to me. Because… I actually saved his life.}
This quickly turns very interesting.
{What? How?}
{Just between you and me, I’ll tell you everything, okay? After you two got into an argument, he was so depressed that he attempted suicide in Yamaku, on the rooftop.}
…
{I was going to the rooftop too because I was waiting for sunrise. It was the sunrise of the New Year of 2009.}
*Loads of question marks and exclamation points in my head*
New Year… suicide?
{When he was falling, I was barely in time to reach him and grab his foot. His upper body was already outside the building.}
…
{I used all of my strength to pull him back to safety.}
…
{Turned out he was partially drunk, and, unable to think clearly, he tried to end his life right there.}
…
{Since I saved his life, he felt obliged to tell me what happened. That was why I got to know everything. I promise, I will not spoil it to anyone else. Not even Lilly.}
…
{As I said before, he helped me out during some of my darkest moments. So I would like to speak for him. I am not good at persuading, but from what I have seen, Shizune, you mean the world to him. Without you, he is like… he… lost a part of himself. He comes to see you every day, not only because he still loves you, but also because he already treats you as a part of himself. He told me this much.}
…
{It’s sad to see that you two are still… in a stalemate#… even after both of you surviving potentially life-threatening events. He has already sacrificed# so much for you. Would you please consider… maybe… returning some of the material#?}
I’m not going to lie, her use of chess terms during such a heavy conversation is quite effective in conveying her intentions in a subtle manner.
{Do you… need some time to absorb everything?}
…
…
{Probably. Can you give me a moment, please?}
{Yes, sure. Please do not get angry with me.}
{I won’t. I promise.}
Needing a break from her barrage of checks#, I get on my wheelchair and drive myself through the open file# of the hallway towards the washroom.
Not exactly a bombshell, but wow, just wow.
Where on earth should I even start with?
After getting into the washroom, I wash my face in front of the mirror, and consider my next step of action.
Perhaps I should assess the current situation first. Does the new information pose any changes to the current state of the game?
The answer is yes, and the effect is two-fold like a fork#. First, something has just clicked in my head. That was exactly what I was looking for. He has been treating me as an integral part of himself, or his life, already. If I’m gone, he’s gone too. That’s why he’s been so persistent in his visits. Several times last year I asked him to not wait for me, but he kept declining the offer, claiming that he has not yet found a mate. The true reason he hasn’t found a mate, despite so many queens# being around him, is that he already has me, and thus doesn’t have space for anyone else.
And this brings me to the second change. Miura has already given me a warning by threatening to checkmate# him after I get out of hospital. What Hanako just told me sounded extremely similar to what Miura said: They helped each other out, and they are grateful to each other. Hanako didn’t say it out loud, but she’s implying she’ll try to make a move# on him too! So I’ll have TWO competitors instead of one. The warning from bubblegum hair has finally materialized as a real threat: While I’m staying in the hospital giving my ex-boyfriend silent treatment, the world of romance is constantly moving, promoting# two of my ex-classmates into potent rivals. And no, with the bubblegum that makes THREE. And heck, who knows, maybe Ibarazaki is right around the corner too.
I have been a perfectionist ever since I was born, and the fact that I’m deaf hasn’t altered my belief one bit. Naturally, I also would like everybody around me to be perfect. However, as I once realized: everyone makes mistakes, and to demand others to be flawless is unreasonable. If I keep requiring others to be perfect, I’ll soon run out of friends. The reality is, as time goes on, everybody will be tired with my rules, and I’ll be sitting alone at the top of the peak with nobody around.
I think I also just realized the true reason why my Satou cousin gets so many friends. I originally thought she was always the center of attention because of her model-like figure. While this is undoubtedly a partial factor, the true reason behind her popularity is that she’s not strict to her affiliates, offering help to others while not hesitating to ask for her friends’ help. My original belief was that asking others to do work for you is a clear sign of laziness. Now on second thought, maybe she did that on purpose just to befriend her classmates. When you ask for help, you’re communicating with your helpers while exposing your weakness. This opens up a bond between you and others.
Thinking back towards all the cards I’ve received throughout my hospital stay, I have to admit that I owe the boy a lot. He was the one who informed all my affiliates, including bubblegum hair, of the news. Without him, I wouldn’t have had so many visits. Heck, today’s Hanako visit wouldn’t even be possible. The boy, through his translation of my sign language, has created so many of my links to the outside world. Multiple times he acted as a buffer between my temper and my frustrated affiliates. Without him, I would be alone on my own peak of standards while the rest of the world continues to operate just as well.
Hanako has grown so much. Miura has grown so much. Ibarazaki, Tezuka (in her own way), Alvin and Iwanako, everyone has grown so much. I need to revolutionize myself too.
The error he made with bubblegum hair is enraging. But, objectively speaking, they have done almost enough to repay their debts. Almost. I still remember my cousin’s quote: Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Okay, I’ll have a talk with the boy.
Thank you so much, Hanako. I owe you one.
It’s time for me to go back to Hanako. She needs to return to her therapist, maybe with a written report too. I also need to study.
I don’t feel like sitting on the bed again. I’ll be on my wheelchair. Man! I probably gained quite a few kilograms by sitting here. I need to work super hard to get back into shape.
{Are you alright?}
{Yes. Thanks for your message. It helped. I’ll consider it.}
{Sure. I’m happy to be able to help. And thank you for making friends with me.}
{I owe you one. I’ll do something for you when you arrive at Kasshoku. By the way, if you receive your results, text me. I’m going to attend your graduation ceremony.}
{Huh? But I already graduated…}
{If you want to get onto the stage, I can always arrange it for you. I was the President after all. But if you don’t, I can always celebrate with you. I don’t mind my cousin’s presence.}
{Thank you so much! I’m actually quite nervous. I hope I can get in.}
I still cannot violate my ethics by spoiling school secrets.
{Good luck. But you deserve a place.}
{Thank you.}
{I think it’s time. I’ve got to study. Exams are approaching.}
{Okay. See you… hopefully soon.}
{See you.}
We shake hands *trying not to touch her scars* and wave each other goodbye.
***********************
The visitor’s light is on again, so I go over the other side of my bed to press the green button.
Should be mom and Hideaki. Probably with the boy as well.
I’m excited to tell mom my leg is finally free! And I’ll be out of the hospital in a few days! Freedom at last!
And I’ll have a talk with that self-killer.
A moment later, the visitors arrive. Unlike this morning, my prediction on their identities is spot on.
[“Shizune! Finally!”]
In response to mom’s sign, I elect to give her a hug as my reply. My brother greets me, and the three of us sit on the chairs next to my bed. The boy I choose to neglect for now stands afar on the other side of the ward.
[“How’s your leg?”]
I show them my right leg, now free of the plaster. The stitches on the right side will be a permanent proof of this accident. From the corner of my eye, I notice my ex-boyfriend taking out a piece of memo from his bag.
[Pretty good! I’ll have to exercise it, but it should be fine after a few days.]
During the two months of hospital stay, my brother has picked up a little bit of sign language, but he’s not yet able to understand sentences. My mom still needs to translate for him.
[“When are you leaving the hospital?”]
[The doctor said I could leave any time, but I’d like to stay for a couple more days for the leg to stabilize.]
For the car accident, we received a hefty amount of compensation from the driver, which was enough to pay for the entirety of the hospital cost. We would be able to afford the cost without the compensation money anyway, but it’s always great to let the driver pay.
[“Sure. So, what’s your plan after getting out of the hospital?”]
[I’ll probably go back to my apartment first. I need to study for my finals. I’ll pay you a visit afterwards, and then we’ll sort out the issue with dad later.]
[“Sounds good. If you need anything, just tell me.”]
[Thank you for everything, mom. You too, Hideaki.]
[“We’re a family, dear. As long as you’re happy, we are. Now let’s have dinner together.”]
[You two haven’t had dinner yet?]
[“We figured we should eat together on the first evening your leg is free. Dad is coming in a second.”]
[Dad’s coming too?]
[“Of course. We should celebrate for this occasion.”]
“It’s been years since the last time all four of us had dinner together.”
Mom shakes her head in embarrassment, but I don’t think it’s her fault. Meanwhile, the memo boy has added one piece to the pile and is still standing near the hallway.
[“Sigh… Hopefully we can figure it out.”]
Since my car accident, the tense relationship between my parents has relieved by quite a bit. They’re not friends yet, but there’s at least some degree of communication between the two, and most of their talks did not result in an argument. Several factors contributed to the change. They care about my recovery more than their own methods. The fact that I can lip-read makes them harder to get into an argument. My brother tries to act as a buffer between my parents. I’d say my accident certainly has become a blessing of my family in disguise.
“I talked to dad yesterday. He promised not to make a fuss tonight.”
[“That’s encouraging. I hope he lives up to his words.”]
Now a problem arises. I thought mom would hand me dinner and then leave after exchanging a few words. Now the whole family is going to have dinner together, which is out of my plan. The boy has to leave, which means I can’t talk to him.
I need to do something real quick.
[Mom, can you and Hideaki go down and grab dad for me?]
[“Huh? Why? He can come on his own.”]
[Don’t ask. Please, try to be away for like five to ten minutes.]
Mom hesitates, then seems to realize my intentions. Come on! What else?
[“Alright. We’ll see you in a few minutes.”]
She then drags a dumbfounded Hideaki away towards the exit, leaving me alone with the sweater vest guy who’s equally confused.
Alright, this is it.
I stare at the stray hair boy once again without emotion. He notices, and stares back at me. Unsure of my intentions, he doesn’t move a muscle.
[Suicide is no good.]
He looks surprised, probably because this is the first time in year 2009 that I attempt to make any kind of communication with him. He hesitates to speak up, but then decides he has nothing to argue my point.
[If you had died, you would have tarnished the school’s image. Several Yamaku students are getting into Kasshoku this year. You never considered those students before your action. You failed as an alumni.]
I’m mostly referring to my new friend Hanako, along with her Newspaper Club friend. After my cousin’s performance on the Open Day, I won’t be surprised if a handful of Yamaku graduates elect to become my schoolmates.
The terrible Yamaku alumni lowers his head in embarrassment, like a student being scolded by a teacher.
[You definitely owe Hanako one.]
Without any room for argument, he finds his best reply of simply nodding. In the process, I also implied that I got the info from Hanako.
My family is coming soon. It’s now time to settle everything. I adjust my glasses and fold my arms, then free my hands to sign.
[As you can see, I should be out of the hospital in a few days. No need to come again. I’ll be back in school very soon.]
[…]
[Now, let’s make everything clear. We are going to become adults soon. Everything in the past occurred before we become adults. In view of this, here is my proposal. We’ll wipe everything out after you become an adult. Yes, you, because you were at fault. We start from zero the day you become an adult. Everything before, I forget. Is this fine with you?]
He nods meekly. This is probably the best he can ask for.
[Notice that starting from zero means you and I are little more than strangers. But I’m going to give you a special offer. The memos on the table. We can become friends if you write a few more of those. Have you watched the anime Tonde Burin? The main character Karin needs to collect 108 pearls in order to transform into a magical heroine. So, you need 108 memos. There are already around 60 right there, so you need 48 more. Daily, by the way. 108 memos, we are friends. Else, strangers.]
For the first time in two months, he makes a reply to my signs.
[Alright. I’ll do.]
[After I get out of the hospital, you may put the memos in my Student Council room locker. Or anywhere else feasible. Don’t try to talk to me meanwhile. We’re not yet friends until then.]
[Okay, I accept.]
[Now leave. We are not friends.]
[Alright.]
As he gets kicked out of my ward, I sit down and tidy up the table for the dinner gathering. I probably treated him too harshly, but this is the best I can offer. I’m not lowering my standards any further.
I never complimented his efforts because I don’t think this is anything to be proud of. He was merely trying to make up for his mistakes.
I’ll treat bubblegum the same way; I’ll e-mail her later tonight.
Let’s forget about them. I must focus immediately on the finals next week. Then I’ll pick up the slack on Student Council work, and probably find another accountant job. Then we’ll try to fix dad. Afterwards,we have a new school year. Very busy March and April. No time to think about my relationship problems.
The visitor’s light is on, which means dad’s coming.
[“We’re back, Shizune!”]
Katana man is here with the rest of my family. For the first time in I don’t know how many years, he’s actually smiling. A genuine smile. I can see the sincerity coming from the bottom of his heart.
“Finally, huh! Freedom! Congratulations!”
I adjust my glasses and nod. The way he restricts his speaking to almost single words tells me he’s trying hard not to produce an argument tonight.
“We’ve got a present for you.”
Hideaki comes over and shows me his camera. He’s not giving me his camera, is he?
“Look, a brand new bicycle. You can train your leg with it. And you’ll find it useful for your Student Council activities.”
What a nice golden cyclone! A great fit with my golden wristwatch, which dad fixed for me after I broke it in my car accident. While I’m appreciating my new means of transportation, my mom takes out dinner for the night.
[Thanks!]
Hideaki, who wears his usual girly outfit even in this occasion, smiles with me. He’s now potent enough to understand simple signs such as “thank you”.
Mom hands each of us a bottle of orange juice: I’m not legal for drinking just yet, and Hideaki likewise. It looks like tonight’s dinner will be sushi, rice with beef, and assorted vegetables. Some fried food would’ve been nice, but I need to control my diet, and mom knows that.
[“Cheers!”]
I face dad for a second; he’s smiling at me. I really hope he’s not acting.
Maybe this family can be salvaged after all.
But, first of all, we need to find a way to send dad to a therapist.
While I try to get my hands on the salmon sushi in front of Hideaki’s seat, mom signs to me.
[How did it go?]
Hideaki notices and kindly yields the sushi to me. Mom is anxious. Is she this eager to grab another member into our family?
[I’ll tell you later.]
Forget about the boy. Let’s cherish this rare family gathering and worry about the boy later.
Chapter 71: Change of Surname
Yawn. What a nice sleep!
Great weather! Spring is coming soon, and sakura will be blossoming too!
Today is a big day for me, as I will have my right leg’s plaster removed! After some rehab, I’ll be able to return home in a couple of days! I miss my apartment.
And I’ll be able to watch some nice blooming sakura with my friends.
With my arms now in much better condition, I could have chosen to go back home with a crutch. But then I would have to come back for regular checks, arm rehab, and finally the removal of the plaster. Also, relying on my recently broken arms as support isn’t ideal for my recovery. So, I chose to stay in the hospital instead. We don’t lack money, which is convenient.
Recovery issues aside, more importantly, I need to study hard today! I don’t want to lose to Akemi!
Since I cannot attend school for the entirety of the term, a negotiation between me and the subject teachers took place in early January. I will be assessed with assignments and exams, through the means of e-mail, in the hospital for as long as I stay, while presentations will be graded by written speech drafts. Since I couldn’t type on the computer until recently, the teachers also allowed me to submit my assignments later than usual. But now, since I’m expected to be released soon, I intend to take the final exams together with the class, as an indication of my powerful return. I’m definitely not losing to you, Akemi!
Before all the studying, I should clean myself up. With my arms finally usable, I can now drive my wheelchair around; Emi’s sharing of her own experience on wheelchairs when she had problems with her prosthetic legs turned out to help. An important note for wheelchair beginners is to wear a pair of gloves to prevent my hands from getting hurt. I flip over my blanket, get onto the wheelchair, and drive myself towards the washroom.
Another matter I need to figure out after leaving the hospital is what my brother told me earlier about dad. He and mom suspect that dad is under the psychological condition of grandiose illusion, which causes him to treat himself like god. Hideaki wants to tell our grandparents about it, but isn’t sure how to start. I don’t have a concrete idea yet, but I intend to work things out with the rest of my family. I’ll probably deal with it after my exams.
After all the cleaning, I take a seat next to my bed and start eating breakfast. Mom has told me she is visiting in the evening along with Hideaki, so no homemade breakfast for me today. Oh well, she has to work. In other words, I’ll be alone in the hospital until sunset. Oh, no no no, I almost forgot! Last night mom told me I’ll have a special guest visit today. She refused to elaborate, but a logical guess would be Mutou or the head Nurse. Alright, I should finish my breakfast quickly to anticipate a possible visit by a Yamaku staff. Or Kasshoku staff.
Let’s see what I’ve got from the hospital kitchen. Omelet and toast with hot chocolate, huh. Western style. Not bad. Private hospital is certainly different from public ones. At least I can expect there will be no eggshells in the omelet. I’m certainly not referring to some katana man, certainly not.
While eating, I take a look at the top of the patient’s cabinet. I’m so happy to have received this many “get well soon” cards, but the item that stands out the most is definitely the bookstand and the pile of memos clipped onto it. Look, what a pile! There are like 60 pieces already! This boy is definitely stubborn and determined.
With my hands now free, I no longer need my mom to help me flip the pages. I must admit, I treasure every one of these memories with him recorded on the memos. The latest one was about the afternoon when the boy won the JUSC competition and celebrated with me. Another one will be coming tonight. To be honest, I’m eager to read it.
The boy has visited me daily ever since I entered the hospital. He told me how he hated hospitals after spending several months in one, but will still come each day to put a memo over there. The evening visits imply that he has skipped his tutorials and librarian jobs, and possibly his JUSC practices, just for me. He sacrificed a whole lot of his social life for me. He even instructed bubblegum hair to send similar memories to flood my mailbox. What a determination from him! With this kind of persistence, how can any ordinary girl be not moved by his actions! In fact, my mom has been convinced by his actions to the point as if he’s already her son-in-law. My brother also mentions him occasionally, persuading me to talk to him again.
But I never responded to him. I have wasted every bit of his time. I guess I am no ordinary girl.
Why haven’t I forgiven him yet? Even I myself don’t understand! To be accurate, I feel like there’s still something missing from him that would cause me to accept his apology, and I don’t know what it is. Something just hasn’t clicked. So, while I’d like to tell the boy not to sacrifice himself for me any more, I still allow him to come every day while giving him the silent treatment. You can say I’m a bad girl, but he committed an error first, so I’ve a lot of ways to defend myself.
That said, I can’t help but think back to a few weeks ago, when Miura and Suzuki came to visit me for the second time. After leaving my ward, Miura unexpectedly returned for a short “girl talk”. Perhaps trying not to be heard by others, especially by the boy who could be eavesdropping outside the ward, she used my computer and clumsily typed a hard-to-read, grammatically incorrect, but admittedly enlightening (or potentially threatening) passage with her lone hand.
Let’s check my computer. I still have the original document saved in it.
{let’s be frank ok? i respect u as my former schoolmate, classmate, & student council president. hisao told me a bit what happened. up to u 2 to figure things out, don’t want to interfere. but sth i must admit. i kinda like him. i helped him be4, he helped me be4. i’m grateful to him, he’s grateful to me. so yeah, if u give him up, i’ll try to take him. but i respect u, i also think u r a better match to him, & u r in a hospital, so if i take him now, not fair to u. i’ll wait till u get out of hospital. or u can forfeit now. but if u still want him, u first. ok?}
I never thought I would get myself another rival in the boyfriend department other than my previous best friend. I was quite shocked by her confession. I told her I’d think about it. Miura visited me again two weeks ago. I told her I would not forfeit just yet, and asked her not to spoil our conversation to the boy.
The battle will commence once I step out of the hospital. That is, if I don’t forfeit.
Should I forfeit?
I’ll think about it after getting a few hours of study in.
***********************
Noticing that the visitor’s light is turned on, I press the green button next to my bed in order to allow my special guest in.
Who will the guest be? Mutou or the Nurse? If I have to guess, the Nurse will make a lot of sense; he’ll probably provide me with useful advice on post-release rehab, precautions, and, along with those, several cheap jokes. It could be Mutou too; maybe the boy has contacted him again for relationship help, and he might try to guilt trip me into accepting the boy’s apology once more.
But when the identity of this special guest comes into my vision, I almost made a silent gasp: The dark-haired scarred girl who’s wearing a purple jacket and denim trousers is the last visitor I expected. It’s not that she’s here that shocks me, as she’s been here before; the fact that she comes alone is astounding.
Are you sure, Miss Ikezawa? Are you really coming to see me alone?
Of course my silent question is silly, as why would she travel all the way from Yamaku otherwise? If she wants to meet her blonde hair friend, she should drop off at Chiba station instead.
But why?
Anyway, the fact that she’s come to see me should be for friendly purposes. Just the sheer courage from her end already earns me respect.
Regaining my composure, I give my not-the-friend-of-my-enemy-anymore guest a smile, a nod, and a gesture for her to sit down next to my bed. I’ll use the computer to communicate with her, so we need to share a screen.
After the meek girl sits down, I start by typing a generic friendly greeting.
{Hi Ikezawa, I didn’t expect you to come to see me. Thanks for coming all the way from Yamaku.}
My cousin’s best friend ponders briefly on how to respond. Then, instead of speaking, she gestures to me if she can type on my computer. Well, your hands are sanitized when entering the hospital, so there should be no harm.
{How are you feeling right now? I hope you will be out of the hospital soon.}
Any remaining thoughts on her coming for venomous causes are shattered into pieces.
{Great! My arms are in good shape, and I’ll probably have my right leg free in the afternoon when the doctor is available. I should be able to go back home after some rehab with my leg.}
{Good to hear that. It must have been tough lying in a hospital for two months.}
I know she’s aiming at studying journalism, to become a writer. She’s probably more comfortable with typing words than speaking up. The fact that we’re typing in front of each other like instant chat, despite sitting within arm’s length, must be quite a funny scene for the hospital staff to watch.
{Indeed. Being unable to walk really stinks. But I do have a wheelchair that allows me to move around the hospital and breathe in some fresh air in the garden downstairs. But why are you coming to see me? Aren’t you supposed to be in the school, or at least be in the library?}
{I have somebody substituting me as the librarian today. Since I will be leaving Yamaku soon, the replacement staff needs some experience as a bookkeeper anyway. But I’m actually on a mission today. Coming to visit you is an assignment by my therapist. She wants me to make friends with you in order to anticipate a future entrance into Kasshoku University, in which you are in the Student Council.}
That makes a lot of sense.
{I see! Another one of those little assignments from your therapist, huh. I’ve heard about it from… *avoid mentioning the boy* my affiliates. Like the Open Day visit a few months ago. I heard that you aced that assignment.}
The bashful smile tells me how proud she is for completing that visit.
I can’t believe it’s been more than a year since her unfortunate incident during the previous Kasshoku Open Day. I was visiting the university with my two former best friends when my two Satou relatives suddenly announced the disappearance of this shy girl next to me. I was pretty mean at that time, prioritizing on visiting the boy’s family rather than searching for my schoolmate. My attitude was poor. Anyway, one year later, this girl was assigned to visit the university again. They said that she completed her assignment unharmed, and even gained some self-confidence after apologizing to a speaker. Apparently her mobile phone had sounded during a lecture from that speaker in the previous visit, and she had fled the hall in panic. So she returned for the apology.
{Thank you. I was delighted to have overcome that hurdle.}
Her attitude is now way better than when I first knew her three years ago. Enough to warrant a call by first name.
{I appreciate your effort. Sure. We can be friends, Hanako.}
{Thank you, Shizune.}
Wait, she just said her therapist made this assignment. Does it mean…
{So, your therapist already knows you’re entering Kasshoku?}
{No, but she was trying to make me prepare better in case I do get in.}
As a former Student Council President, I have some insights on how schools operate. I’m pretty sure her therapist already knows in advance that she’s getting in. If I have to make a prediction, the therapist most likely had her Entrance Exam papers copied in secret and gave the copy to one of the Yamaku teachers (most likely Mr. Hoshino) to read. However, I cannot tell Hanako about my deductions, as it would be unethical to spoil both school secret and exam results.
{Makes sense. I’m looking forward to seeing you in the university.}
{Thank you. I will try my best.}
Now that we’ve become friends, what should we do next?
{You traveled all the way here, so I must entertain you in some way. I just studied a couple of hours for my upcoming exam, so it’s good timing for a break. Hmm… Ah! I know! You like chess, don’t you? Did you remember? We had a couple of matches before, in the Student Council room. Let’s have a rematch, shall we?}
Upon seeing the word “chess”, my newly befriended ex-schoolmate widens her eyes in excitement.
{Yes! Let’s do it!}
Typing in words is definitely a more comfortable way for her to communicate.
From the cabinet, I take out the chess set Hideaki brought me when I first woke up in the hospital. We put the computer aside to make room for the chessboard; I don’t think we need much verbal communication when playing chess. As the host, I give her the white pieces.
She’s a worthy opponent. That was my impression when we last played.
I wonder what her ELO rating is.
1. e4 c5
My 1. …c5 move is called the Sicilian Defence, one of the most common chess openings. I love this move because of its combative nature. I’m playing not just for equality, but for the advantage. The drawback is that White often obtains an early initiative.
2. Nf3 d6
It’s now her move. I take a glimpse at my opponent. Hanako has her eyes completely focused on the chessboard, possibly calculating several moves ahead and evaluating every resulting position. Her facial expression reminds me of Emi Ibarazaki the track star, how ultra focused she was during her track meet races.
3. d4 cxd4
I get a majority of pawns in the center and a half-open c-file, so I’m satisfied with the pawn exchange.
4. Nxd4 Nf6
Chess is her favorite game. This is where she can maximize her potential. I like that. I always want to bring everyone to their A-game, and try to beat them. This offers me a whole lot of satisfaction.
5. Nc3 g6
I choose the Dragon Variation, one of the most controversial open systems. The idea is that I want to develop my bishop on the long diagonal.
6. Be3 Bg7
There it is, the bishop is now on the long diagonal, eyeing up on White’s two knights.
7. f3 Nc6
8. Qd2 0-0
I didn’t expect Hanako to play for queenside castling. Since our kings will be on the opposite sides, this game is going to be very sharp. She’s going on the offense!
9. Bc4 Bd7
The last time we played in the Yamaku Student Council room, she primarily chose defensive moves in both of her games. But today she is on aggressive mode, so different from the Hanako I’ve dealt with in three whole years.
10. 0-0-0 Qa5
There it is, queenside castling. I’m not intimidated!
11. h4 Ne5
A pawn push. You’re going on the attack, huh? I’ll make you pay for it!
12. Bb3 Rfc8
It’s been two years. She’s still a worthy opponent. Even better than last time.
13. g4 b5
Another pawn push. I like the fact that you can observe a person through their moves on the chessboard. Even though we don’t type on the computer, we’re still communicating with each other through the medium of chess pieces.
This is so much fun!
14. h5 Nc4
Yet another pawn push. You’re really persistent with the attack, aren’t you?
15. Bxc4 bxc4
16. Bh6 Bh8
I need to retreat my bishop. Man! This girl is someone else on the chessboard!
17. Nf5 Re8
She threatens mate in one, so I have to defend.
18. Bg7 gxf5
I can’t believe this timid girl can pose such a huge threat in this game! If she keeps up with this competitive spirit, we’re going to be friends for a long time.
***********************
{That was fun, thanks!}
{Thank you for the games.}
We ended up playing two games and drew both. In the first game, she had an extra pawn in the end, but I gained the opposition# (note: marked with # are chess terms, same below) to secure a draw. In the second game, I had the white pieces. She sacrificed her knight to snipe off my last pawn. Even though I had an extra bishop, I had to settle for a draw due to insufficient material#.
{To be honest, you’ve changed so much since the graduation day last year. You’re worthy of being a friend of mine.}
{I must give credit to Lilly and Hisao. Lilly was there for me during some of my worst years; if not for her, I wouldn’t have opened up to the rest of the world. Hisao helped me out in some of my critical moments; without him, I would have never gotten a fourth year to start with.}
I feel the need to apologize gracefully while carefully avoiding the boy.
{You know, I treated you pretty poorly in the school. I had a bitter rivalry with my cousin Lilly, and you happen to be her best friend. I probably contributed to some of your nightmares. I promise, if you get into Kasshoku, I and my Student Council members will treat you better.}
{It’s okay. I know you wanted all of us in the class to stay competitive, and you were right. I realized your point after hearing about the discrimination incidents in the university. We already started with a disadvantage, so we need to work extra hard in order to strive in the society. I had a very long talk with my therapist after the recent Open Day visit. I was extremely angry with myself wasting so much time and money in Yamaku hiding inside my dorm room without making any real progress to my recovery. I was determined to redeem myself through doing well in the Entrance Exams and getting out to explore the world. Miss Yumi, my therapist, thus gave me this assignment of meeting you in the hospital. Originally she would not dare allocating me with such a daunting task, but when she jokingly spoke of this idea, I knew I had to prove myself. Thus I accepted the challenge.}
{I guess the fact that I’m stuck in a hospital did help your cause, didn’t it?}
{Hmm… I suppose so. I also would like to thank you for suggesting me to wear a mask whenever I go to crowded places. That helped during my journey here.}
{Remember, having a disability is not the end of the world. The lack of desire to make a workaround is.}
{Yes, thank you for all your advice.}
{Well, I’d say you’ve passed your assignment with distinction. You’re welcome to stay around, but I doubt you like these white walls and potentially terrifying equipment. I also need to resume my studies. I guess I’ll see you in Kasshoku then.}
{Wait, Shizune!}
{Yes?}
{My mission is not done yet. This is not part of Miss Yumi’s assignment, but I do it of my own free will. I want to confide to you something secret. It’s been in my mind for a couple of months already. I was thinking about it even when I was studying for my exams.}
{What is it that’s so important?}
Hanako fidgets, hesitates for a while before deciding to go ahead.
{Are you ready?}
I’m curious. Hanako’s big secret? Is she going to tell me why she has these scars? Even though, as the former Student Council President, I got my hands on some of the inside documents of the school, I was never able to obtain confidential information about my classmates. She never received any letters that I could peep into before delivering mails, so my inside knowledge about her is essentially blank.
{Yes, I am.}
{Okay then. This is probably a sensitive topic to you, but I happen to know what occurred between you and your…}
Wait! You’re supposed to tell me about your past, not mine!
Her sucker punch freezes me right on the spot. I temporarily flinch.
{He confided it to me. Because… I actually saved his life.}
This quickly turns very interesting.
{What? How?}
{Just between you and me, I’ll tell you everything, okay? After you two got into an argument, he was so depressed that he attempted suicide in Yamaku, on the rooftop.}
…
{I was going to the rooftop too because I was waiting for sunrise. It was the sunrise of the New Year of 2009.}
*Loads of question marks and exclamation points in my head*
New Year… suicide?
{When he was falling, I was barely in time to reach him and grab his foot. His upper body was already outside the building.}
…
{I used all of my strength to pull him back to safety.}
…
{Turned out he was partially drunk, and, unable to think clearly, he tried to end his life right there.}
…
{Since I saved his life, he felt obliged to tell me what happened. That was why I got to know everything. I promise, I will not spoil it to anyone else. Not even Lilly.}
…
{As I said before, he helped me out during some of my darkest moments. So I would like to speak for him. I am not good at persuading, but from what I have seen, Shizune, you mean the world to him. Without you, he is like… he… lost a part of himself. He comes to see you every day, not only because he still loves you, but also because he already treats you as a part of himself. He told me this much.}
…
{It’s sad to see that you two are still… in a stalemate#… even after both of you surviving potentially life-threatening events. He has already sacrificed# so much for you. Would you please consider… maybe… returning some of the material#?}
I’m not going to lie, her use of chess terms during such a heavy conversation is quite effective in conveying her intentions in a subtle manner.
{Do you… need some time to absorb everything?}
…
…
{Probably. Can you give me a moment, please?}
{Yes, sure. Please do not get angry with me.}
{I won’t. I promise.}
Needing a break from her barrage of checks#, I get on my wheelchair and drive myself through the open file# of the hallway towards the washroom.
Not exactly a bombshell, but wow, just wow.
Where on earth should I even start with?
After getting into the washroom, I wash my face in front of the mirror, and consider my next step of action.
Perhaps I should assess the current situation first. Does the new information pose any changes to the current state of the game?
The answer is yes, and the effect is two-fold like a fork#. First, something has just clicked in my head. That was exactly what I was looking for. He has been treating me as an integral part of himself, or his life, already. If I’m gone, he’s gone too. That’s why he’s been so persistent in his visits. Several times last year I asked him to not wait for me, but he kept declining the offer, claiming that he has not yet found a mate. The true reason he hasn’t found a mate, despite so many queens# being around him, is that he already has me, and thus doesn’t have space for anyone else.
And this brings me to the second change. Miura has already given me a warning by threatening to checkmate# him after I get out of hospital. What Hanako just told me sounded extremely similar to what Miura said: They helped each other out, and they are grateful to each other. Hanako didn’t say it out loud, but she’s implying she’ll try to make a move# on him too! So I’ll have TWO competitors instead of one. The warning from bubblegum hair has finally materialized as a real threat: While I’m staying in the hospital giving my ex-boyfriend silent treatment, the world of romance is constantly moving, promoting# two of my ex-classmates into potent rivals. And no, with the bubblegum that makes THREE. And heck, who knows, maybe Ibarazaki is right around the corner too.
I have been a perfectionist ever since I was born, and the fact that I’m deaf hasn’t altered my belief one bit. Naturally, I also would like everybody around me to be perfect. However, as I once realized: everyone makes mistakes, and to demand others to be flawless is unreasonable. If I keep requiring others to be perfect, I’ll soon run out of friends. The reality is, as time goes on, everybody will be tired with my rules, and I’ll be sitting alone at the top of the peak with nobody around.
I think I also just realized the true reason why my Satou cousin gets so many friends. I originally thought she was always the center of attention because of her model-like figure. While this is undoubtedly a partial factor, the true reason behind her popularity is that she’s not strict to her affiliates, offering help to others while not hesitating to ask for her friends’ help. My original belief was that asking others to do work for you is a clear sign of laziness. Now on second thought, maybe she did that on purpose just to befriend her classmates. When you ask for help, you’re communicating with your helpers while exposing your weakness. This opens up a bond between you and others.
Thinking back towards all the cards I’ve received throughout my hospital stay, I have to admit that I owe the boy a lot. He was the one who informed all my affiliates, including bubblegum hair, of the news. Without him, I wouldn’t have had so many visits. Heck, today’s Hanako visit wouldn’t even be possible. The boy, through his translation of my sign language, has created so many of my links to the outside world. Multiple times he acted as a buffer between my temper and my frustrated affiliates. Without him, I would be alone on my own peak of standards while the rest of the world continues to operate just as well.
Hanako has grown so much. Miura has grown so much. Ibarazaki, Tezuka (in her own way), Alvin and Iwanako, everyone has grown so much. I need to revolutionize myself too.
The error he made with bubblegum hair is enraging. But, objectively speaking, they have done almost enough to repay their debts. Almost. I still remember my cousin’s quote: Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Okay, I’ll have a talk with the boy.
Thank you so much, Hanako. I owe you one.
It’s time for me to go back to Hanako. She needs to return to her therapist, maybe with a written report too. I also need to study.
I don’t feel like sitting on the bed again. I’ll be on my wheelchair. Man! I probably gained quite a few kilograms by sitting here. I need to work super hard to get back into shape.
{Are you alright?}
{Yes. Thanks for your message. It helped. I’ll consider it.}
{Sure. I’m happy to be able to help. And thank you for making friends with me.}
{I owe you one. I’ll do something for you when you arrive at Kasshoku. By the way, if you receive your results, text me. I’m going to attend your graduation ceremony.}
{Huh? But I already graduated…}
{If you want to get onto the stage, I can always arrange it for you. I was the President after all. But if you don’t, I can always celebrate with you. I don’t mind my cousin’s presence.}
{Thank you so much! I’m actually quite nervous. I hope I can get in.}
I still cannot violate my ethics by spoiling school secrets.
{Good luck. But you deserve a place.}
{Thank you.}
{I think it’s time. I’ve got to study. Exams are approaching.}
{Okay. See you… hopefully soon.}
{See you.}
We shake hands *trying not to touch her scars* and wave each other goodbye.
***********************
The visitor’s light is on again, so I go over the other side of my bed to press the green button.
Should be mom and Hideaki. Probably with the boy as well.
I’m excited to tell mom my leg is finally free! And I’ll be out of the hospital in a few days! Freedom at last!
And I’ll have a talk with that self-killer.
A moment later, the visitors arrive. Unlike this morning, my prediction on their identities is spot on.
[“Shizune! Finally!”]
In response to mom’s sign, I elect to give her a hug as my reply. My brother greets me, and the three of us sit on the chairs next to my bed. The boy I choose to neglect for now stands afar on the other side of the ward.
[“How’s your leg?”]
I show them my right leg, now free of the plaster. The stitches on the right side will be a permanent proof of this accident. From the corner of my eye, I notice my ex-boyfriend taking out a piece of memo from his bag.
[Pretty good! I’ll have to exercise it, but it should be fine after a few days.]
During the two months of hospital stay, my brother has picked up a little bit of sign language, but he’s not yet able to understand sentences. My mom still needs to translate for him.
[“When are you leaving the hospital?”]
[The doctor said I could leave any time, but I’d like to stay for a couple more days for the leg to stabilize.]
For the car accident, we received a hefty amount of compensation from the driver, which was enough to pay for the entirety of the hospital cost. We would be able to afford the cost without the compensation money anyway, but it’s always great to let the driver pay.
[“Sure. So, what’s your plan after getting out of the hospital?”]
[I’ll probably go back to my apartment first. I need to study for my finals. I’ll pay you a visit afterwards, and then we’ll sort out the issue with dad later.]
[“Sounds good. If you need anything, just tell me.”]
[Thank you for everything, mom. You too, Hideaki.]
[“We’re a family, dear. As long as you’re happy, we are. Now let’s have dinner together.”]
[You two haven’t had dinner yet?]
[“We figured we should eat together on the first evening your leg is free. Dad is coming in a second.”]
[Dad’s coming too?]
[“Of course. We should celebrate for this occasion.”]
“It’s been years since the last time all four of us had dinner together.”
Mom shakes her head in embarrassment, but I don’t think it’s her fault. Meanwhile, the memo boy has added one piece to the pile and is still standing near the hallway.
[“Sigh… Hopefully we can figure it out.”]
Since my car accident, the tense relationship between my parents has relieved by quite a bit. They’re not friends yet, but there’s at least some degree of communication between the two, and most of their talks did not result in an argument. Several factors contributed to the change. They care about my recovery more than their own methods. The fact that I can lip-read makes them harder to get into an argument. My brother tries to act as a buffer between my parents. I’d say my accident certainly has become a blessing of my family in disguise.
“I talked to dad yesterday. He promised not to make a fuss tonight.”
[“That’s encouraging. I hope he lives up to his words.”]
Now a problem arises. I thought mom would hand me dinner and then leave after exchanging a few words. Now the whole family is going to have dinner together, which is out of my plan. The boy has to leave, which means I can’t talk to him.
I need to do something real quick.
[Mom, can you and Hideaki go down and grab dad for me?]
[“Huh? Why? He can come on his own.”]
[Don’t ask. Please, try to be away for like five to ten minutes.]
Mom hesitates, then seems to realize my intentions. Come on! What else?
[“Alright. We’ll see you in a few minutes.”]
She then drags a dumbfounded Hideaki away towards the exit, leaving me alone with the sweater vest guy who’s equally confused.
Alright, this is it.
I stare at the stray hair boy once again without emotion. He notices, and stares back at me. Unsure of my intentions, he doesn’t move a muscle.
[Suicide is no good.]
He looks surprised, probably because this is the first time in year 2009 that I attempt to make any kind of communication with him. He hesitates to speak up, but then decides he has nothing to argue my point.
[If you had died, you would have tarnished the school’s image. Several Yamaku students are getting into Kasshoku this year. You never considered those students before your action. You failed as an alumni.]
I’m mostly referring to my new friend Hanako, along with her Newspaper Club friend. After my cousin’s performance on the Open Day, I won’t be surprised if a handful of Yamaku graduates elect to become my schoolmates.
The terrible Yamaku alumni lowers his head in embarrassment, like a student being scolded by a teacher.
[You definitely owe Hanako one.]
Without any room for argument, he finds his best reply of simply nodding. In the process, I also implied that I got the info from Hanako.
My family is coming soon. It’s now time to settle everything. I adjust my glasses and fold my arms, then free my hands to sign.
[As you can see, I should be out of the hospital in a few days. No need to come again. I’ll be back in school very soon.]
[…]
[Now, let’s make everything clear. We are going to become adults soon. Everything in the past occurred before we become adults. In view of this, here is my proposal. We’ll wipe everything out after you become an adult. Yes, you, because you were at fault. We start from zero the day you become an adult. Everything before, I forget. Is this fine with you?]
He nods meekly. This is probably the best he can ask for.
[Notice that starting from zero means you and I are little more than strangers. But I’m going to give you a special offer. The memos on the table. We can become friends if you write a few more of those. Have you watched the anime Tonde Burin? The main character Karin needs to collect 108 pearls in order to transform into a magical heroine. So, you need 108 memos. There are already around 60 right there, so you need 48 more. Daily, by the way. 108 memos, we are friends. Else, strangers.]
For the first time in two months, he makes a reply to my signs.
[Alright. I’ll do.]
[After I get out of the hospital, you may put the memos in my Student Council room locker. Or anywhere else feasible. Don’t try to talk to me meanwhile. We’re not yet friends until then.]
[Okay, I accept.]
[Now leave. We are not friends.]
[Alright.]
As he gets kicked out of my ward, I sit down and tidy up the table for the dinner gathering. I probably treated him too harshly, but this is the best I can offer. I’m not lowering my standards any further.
I never complimented his efforts because I don’t think this is anything to be proud of. He was merely trying to make up for his mistakes.
I’ll treat bubblegum the same way; I’ll e-mail her later tonight.
Let’s forget about them. I must focus immediately on the finals next week. Then I’ll pick up the slack on Student Council work, and probably find another accountant job. Then we’ll try to fix dad. Afterwards,we have a new school year. Very busy March and April. No time to think about my relationship problems.
The visitor’s light is on, which means dad’s coming.
[“We’re back, Shizune!”]
Katana man is here with the rest of my family. For the first time in I don’t know how many years, he’s actually smiling. A genuine smile. I can see the sincerity coming from the bottom of his heart.
“Finally, huh! Freedom! Congratulations!”
I adjust my glasses and nod. The way he restricts his speaking to almost single words tells me he’s trying hard not to produce an argument tonight.
“We’ve got a present for you.”
Hideaki comes over and shows me his camera. He’s not giving me his camera, is he?
“Look, a brand new bicycle. You can train your leg with it. And you’ll find it useful for your Student Council activities.”
What a nice golden cyclone! A great fit with my golden wristwatch, which dad fixed for me after I broke it in my car accident. While I’m appreciating my new means of transportation, my mom takes out dinner for the night.
[Thanks!]
Hideaki, who wears his usual girly outfit even in this occasion, smiles with me. He’s now potent enough to understand simple signs such as “thank you”.
Mom hands each of us a bottle of orange juice: I’m not legal for drinking just yet, and Hideaki likewise. It looks like tonight’s dinner will be sushi, rice with beef, and assorted vegetables. Some fried food would’ve been nice, but I need to control my diet, and mom knows that.
[“Cheers!”]
I face dad for a second; he’s smiling at me. I really hope he’s not acting.
Maybe this family can be salvaged after all.
But, first of all, we need to find a way to send dad to a therapist.
While I try to get my hands on the salmon sushi in front of Hideaki’s seat, mom signs to me.
[How did it go?]
Hideaki notices and kindly yields the sushi to me. Mom is anxious. Is she this eager to grab another member into our family?
[I’ll tell you later.]
Forget about the boy. Let’s cherish this rare family gathering and worry about the boy later.
Chapter 71: Change of Surname
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch70@24/2/23: Surprise visit!]
Chapter 71: Change of Surname
Cluck
Glug glug
Ah~~~~
Man, this hits the spot!
Yup. A beer a day keeps the troubles away. This is always going to be my personal motto. With just one dose of beer, you temporary forget about all the pressure from work and from facing the folks. Beer, hands-down the best drink in the world.
Yeah, I know, there’s no work for me, and the folks won’t be the center of attention today, but I can still drink beer, can’t I? Beer has already become an integral part of my life. I can’t live without it any more.
But where’s Lils anyway?
If you don’t appear now, you’re going to be late. You’ll regret it.
Sigh. It looks like I’ll have to demonstrate my speed driving again.
But the world is surely spinning fast! During the two months I was stuck with boring routine work in Scotland, so many events have taken place in Japan. Shizune, Hanako, and Lils. Each has a story to tell. Life is surely like a spinning wheel.
I have left Lils’ apartment in advance to drive the car out from the parking lot, while she took her time to comb her hair and clean herself up. I expected her to be waiting for me when I arrive in front of the building. Instead, it looks like she’s been caught up with whatever makeup she’s decided to put on, if any.
C’mon! You look beautiful enough even without makeup!
“I’m sorry. Did I take too long?”
Finally!
“If the time on the screen is correct, expect a hell of a ride.”
“Oh my! Is it too late already?”
“Let’s get on the car first.”
I help my sister climb onto the car, hop onto the driver seat, and prepare myself for a game of dodging cops and their sneaky cameras.
Unfortunately, after a few miles, we have to stop due to some pesky traffic lights. Well, maybe it’s for the better, as we can finally have our breakfast. Lils seems to read my mind, as she grabs two sandwiches from her bag and hands me one.
While I munch down my breakfast as quickly as possible, eager to get my hands on the steering wheel once the countdown reaches zero, Lils doesn’t look like she’s in much of a mood to eat.
“Nervous, huh.”
A deep sigh confirms my observation.
“I don’t think I’m eating much until I receive a positive result.”
“Maybe she has it already. Why not give her a call?”
“No. Even though she’s an early riser, I’m fairly sure she’ll need a lot time to get herself prepared. She also promised to check the results only when I’m present.”
“Man. It’s probably not too exaggerating to say that you two live symbiotically.”
“Symbiosis is a bit over the top, but I treasure the bond we’ve developed.”
“But now that you’ve got another bond to work with, I’m curious how this new adult of yours are going to manage your colorful life.”
The mischievous smile from the tall blonde tells me she gets what I’m referring to.
“I’m fine. Today’s just a special occasion.”
“Eat your sandwich, or else you’ll faint before your best friend can deliver you the good news.”
“I will, I will.”
The traffic light changes, and I put down my sandwich for the moment to steer the car onto the highway.
“But man! I still can’t sink it in completely! Talkin’ about a sudden status change!”
“Which status are you referring to?”
“Both.”
“I owe Hanako one. I can’t believe how bold she was on that day.”
“She was spot on with her predictions, wasn’t she?”
“Indeed.”
A week ago, I received an early call from Lils on Saturday morning, which was evening on her side. She was excited to bring me the shocking news of her getting a boyfriend three weeks after turning into an adult. She even got her new boyfriend, a classmate of hers, to formally introduce himself to me on the phone.
I met Lils’ boyfriend once before, on her birthday party: While Hanako and I were busy decorating Lils’ apartment, he and a few of his schoolmates visited briefly to give Lils a birthday cake and deliver their best wishes. Hanako, who knew in advance that she was the major hurdle between Lils and her potential soulmate, took the initiative to introduce herself to Lils’ crush. She even invited him to play online chess with her. She made a heck of an impression in front of him, as if she was never under a condition. Regardless of whether it was a one-off bold play or a clear demonstration of the effect of her therapy, her actions helped clear the path along Lils’ relationship with her crush.
“Do you think it’s her therapy paying off?”
After the birthday party, Hanako called Lils several times on phone, telling her how she finds this new chess friend of hers easy to get along with. Her intention of playing match-making was so obvious but also effective. She even encouraged Lils to “go for it”. Lils was hesitant at first, but Hanako kept pressing on with the issue, and Lils finally succumbed after her soulmate confessed to her again.
“It could be. If she can finally get herself back together before entering the university, I’ll be proud of her.”
Now that we’re on a highway, I can continue with my breakfast while holding the steering wheel with one hand and stepping on the gas a bit more.
“But, just wow. What a turn of events we’re talking about.”
“It’s a fantastic way to start my adulthood, is it not?”
“It is. But poor Hisao.”
Neither of us are informed of the details, but it seems like my dear cousin, who was released from the hospital a week ago, is not on good terms with Hisao. Due to time constraints, I never had a chance to visit Shizune in the hospital, but I did write her a card and ask Lils to deliver it for me.
“That is unfortunate. Our cousin is truly a tough nut to crack.”
“Did Hisao talk to you about this?”
“Yes. We were on the phone the other day. I told him about Tatsuya and asked him for advice in relationship management. He revealed to me that everything went back to normal for him after Shizune was out of the hospital. By normal he means he has resumed all his after-school activities and re-joined the JUSC team. As for Shizune, he said… she promised to make friends with him again in the future. He refused to elaborate what it means. He just said he’s happy to be her friend, but he’s seriously thinking about moving on.”
“Moving on, huh.”
“Correct. He said he’ll become an adult soon, and he’s going to wipe away everything that happened before. I think he’s specifically referring to his relationship with Shizune though. Make a fresh start, to quote his words.”
Reminds me of my relationship with Yuichi. When I decided to take the job offer in Scotland, I simultaneously made my mind to move on from him. The difference is: Hisao’s parting ways with Shizune wasn’t as smooth as ours. When I said goodbye to Yuichi, we were on fairly good terms, so when he asked for a transfer to Scotland later, we were able to rekindle our romance. But in Shizune’s case, if Hisao does decide to move on, it won’t be easy for her to recover the relationship.
Hisao’s a good boy. I feel somewhat sorry for Shizune, wasting such a golden opportunity. But this is my cousin we’re talking about. She has her own ways. If she doesn’t regret, then she doesn’t. You won’t change her mind.
“Given how much of a ladies’ man he is, I’m pretty sure he’s getting a new girlfriend before you know it.”
Sis chuckles.
“I agree. He actually joked that I could be a candidate if I didn’t tell him about my news.”
Actually they would’ve been a great match, perhaps if the circumstances were a bit different. It’s funny that Hisao makes a nice partner with both Shizune and Lilly, even though they’re so different in nature.
“I feel sorry for Hisao. One less choice for him.”
Lils, of course, doesn’t mind it.
“He has several other candidates to choose from.”
“Did he confide to you about his next target?”
“No, but we can speculate.”
“I haven’t met him since the Open Day. Do you have a guess in mind?”
“Hanako could be. She confided me that she once helped Hisao. She didn’t specify, but regardless, they’re now good friends. However, Kozuki is after her, so he’s got a competition to fight against if he chooses that route.”
“Your classmate, huh.”
“Yup. He said he didn’t mind Hanako’s scars.”
Kozuki was among the classmates of Lils’ boyfriend who appeared in Lils’ birthday party. Hanako regularly plays online chess with him, but she doesn’t know his true identity. He never revealed himself to her on that day.
“Then Hanako’s result will be vital for him.”
“Indeed. He even invited himself to come along with me, but I rejected him. I’ll tell him the news afterwards.”
“I can’t believe both of you are blossoming in the romance department during the couple of months I was in Scotland.”
Lils shrugs nonchalantly.
“That’s the way things are, Akira.”
“Oh, where are we? Right, Hisao. So, any other candidate?”
“Maybe Misha? Or the Kasshoku Student Council President? Or even Ibarazaki? You may ask him when you see him today. Maybe you can provide him with some advice.”
We offered Hisao to come along with us, but he politely declined, claiming that the two of us must have a lot to catch up, and his presence would be an obstacle.
“Am I a suitable person to extract confidential information from him?”
“You’re curious. You should take the initiative.”
“I’m not that curious, but I’ll talk to him. At least offer him some consolation.”
“He’ll probably use it.”
“Yeah. He must be heart-broken after all the work and sacrifices have gone to waste. I would’ve been pissed off if I were him.”
“True. We tried talking to Shizune. It didn’t work.”
“Well, that’s life.”
So, besides congratulating Hanako, I have one more task on hand today. Which is great, as I’ll be able to spend less time with the folks. Even though I’m not resenting my parents as much compared to before, I still want to avoid them as much as possible.
“Hello Hanako. How are you doing? I’m not interrupting you, am I?”
…
“Akira says it’s only a few kilometers to Yamaku. I just received a call from Father that he and Mother are already there. They’re waiting for us at the parking lot.”
…
“We thought it would be more convenient if Father and Mother could drive straight to Yamaku without having to make a large detour to pick me up, so Akira spent the night at my place and the two of us had some breakfast and hit the road early this morning. Besides, since we’ll be leaving here with you and your luggage, possibly Hisao too, we might need two cars.”
I chuckle. By “had some breakfast” she means a sandwich on the road. Of course she doesn’t want to tell Hanako the truth.
“Hanako, I assume you haven’t checked the results yet?”
…
“I appreciate that, Hanako. I’m sure your results will be just fine. We can celebrate this evening at Mother and Father’s place. Akira will be staying over too. It’ll be great fun.”
Staying at that place is never great fun, but I elect to suppress that comment.
I still clearly remember the other night when mom and I were on a pub crawl, and things started getting tense between us. After a few drinks, she decided to go all-in and tell me everything between the adults. Needless to say, I was shell-shocked to hear all the dark history of the Satou family. My response said it all: “We really are one royally screwed-up family, aren’t we?” I made mom promise to tell Lils about all these, and she did. Afterwards, I admit that I feel more at ease than before. Like part of me was finally at peace. I’ll move on, but the wounds are going to take a long time to heal. Two weeks ago, mom offered me to go hiking in the Scottish Highlands together with her this summer. Initially I wanted to reject, but when she said Lils is coming, I reluctantly accepted. I’d really like to bring Hanako with me if possible though.
Hanako, arguably my best friend other than Lils and Yuichi. On last year’s graduation day, we had lunch together after confirming that Lils got accepted into Kasshoku University. Lils and I encouraged her to study hard and try again this year. Sis also decided to postpone celebrations until Hanako gets in along with her. Today everything is on the line: Are we going to celebrate together, or are all the efforts going to waste? I’m sure Hanako has already done her best; now we can only wait for the fate to reveal itself.
After that graduation day, Lils and I still contacted Hanako from time to time. We attended Hanako’s birthday party, and we spent the night together in a hotel. Afterwards, Hanako and I regularly exchanged text messages online (Hanako using the funny nickname of “Flowergirl_89”, while I used the nickname “Sapporo4ever”) until after the Open Day, when we talked less due to her approaching exams. Even though we’ve been miles apart, I’ve already been treating Hanako like a little sister. Given the symbiotic nature of the friendship between Lils and Hanako, it’s not exaggerating to say that we three are already sisters.
Two years ago on Christmas Day, Lils invited Hanako to visit our folks. During the party, dad unexpectedly gave Hanako an offer. It was an adoption letter. I was shell-shocked at that time: Why in the world would he want to adopt Hanako as a Satou? Hanako was probably as shocked as me, as she never responded to the offer, even as of today. I don’t think she’ll ever sign the letter, but if she does, it will be a dream come true for me and probably Lils.
“You won’t, Hanako. I’m sure of it.”
Yamaku high school, there it is. I’ve been here several times before, and I love this quiet and calm environment. People are scarce. The air is fresh. You can hear birds singing. A great place to spend your vacation or retirement in. So different from the busy workplace back in Scotland. But this place will be unusually noisy today.
“Sis, we’re approaching the parking lot. Let’s go see where the folks are, okay?”
“Hanako, I’ll have to hang up now, but we’ll meet you in front of the school building, okay?”
After finishing up the call, Lils and I find an empty spot to park my car in (man, there are so many cars in the area, took us quite a while to find a space; I guess if you can afford Yamaku High School, you should afford a car too). Then we successfully locate our folks, walking into Hisao on the way, and get ourselves ready for either celebration or consolation.
When we reach the area in front of the main building, I can see there’s already quite a crowd in front of the notice board that presumably displays the results. Most of them are students in uniform, though I can see some others among them as well. Probably family. I doubt all of those people are looking up their own results. There are probably several of them who are merely taking a look at the results of their friends. I can see several people celebrating and patting each other on the back. But I can also see two people walking off with a dejected look on their face.
I recall the morning I checked my bar exam result many years ago. Instead of a notice board, the result was delivered to me by mail. My hands were shaking terribly when I opened the package: Both my and Lils’ future depended on that single Pass/Fail word. Fortunately that word went in my favor in the end.
Sis hasn’t uttered a non-greeting word since entering Yamaku property. She’s probably as nervous as Hanako right now.
Mom points a finger towards the perimeter of the crowd. Yup. There’s Hanako, along with two of her friends. The five of us walk towards them, me acting as Lils’ crutch. I can feel her hands slightly quivering.
This is it. Hanako’s future is going to be decided today. Everybody has to face it some time. I did many years ago. Sis did last year. Now it’s her turn.
“Ah, Hanako, there you are.”
Hanako and her friends turn around and find a cheerful mom smiling broadly at them. I can’t believe she still has the mood to smile.
“Hello girls. Are you ready for your big moment?”
“We… umm… We…”
“We’re… still kind of preparing ourselves mentally.”
I snicker.
“Well, go ahead and finish your mental preparations. Don’t mind us.”
Hanako and her blonde-hair friend, whom I remember as Naomi in the Open Day two years ago, share an uncertain look. Well, you can’t just stand here without going ahead to check your results. They shoot an uncertain glance at the message board and then at each other.
“I guess we can’t put it off any longer, can we?”
“I… guess not.”
“Okay, this is the plan. We walk into that crowd and keep our heads down. We just keep looking at our feet.”
“Uh… Okay.”
It looks like Hanako’s other friend already knew her result. Of course, it doesn’t matter to me. Today I pretty much care about Hanako only. Oh, and maybe Hisao. Almost forgot about my second task.
“We’ll just keep walking until we’re right in front of the board. Then we both count to three and look at the same time.”
“…O-okay.”
Man, watching how Hanako and Naomi “mentally prepare themselves” makes me nervous as well.
Naomi takes a deep breath, and then they both head towards the notification board. The five of us watch on, Hisao looking quite uneasy, and Lils visibly dropping sweat. Mom, however, looks pretty confident. She’s been through many battles after all.
I try my very best to comfort Lils emotionally by putting a hand on her shoulder. Since the temperature is still moderately cold, Lils isn’t wearing sleeveless as she usually does. Instead, she’s wearing the same outfit as her Open Day performance.
“Relax, Lils. She’s going to be fine.”
Sis nods meekly. She’s feeling as nervous as, if not more nervous than, waiting for her own exam results.
A moment later, we see Naomi dragging Hanako back through the crowd to the other side of the masses.
“YAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! WE DID IT! WE DID IT!”
The blonde-haired friend of Hanako lets out an ear-piercing yell that even we can hear clearly from the other side, while throwing both her arms up into the air, forcing Hanako to raise her right arm as well.
“HAHAHAHAHA! WATCH OUT, KASSHOKU UNIVERSITY! HERE WE COME!”
Lils apparently didn’t miss the implications of Naomi’s proclamation with her ultra-sharp hearing, as my hand on her shoulder feels her body relaxing. Now that the result is confirmed, the only sensible action to take is to rush over to congratulate our friend. Hanako’s other friend is the first one to reach her though, looking at both of them with an elated expression.
“Did you…? Both of you?”
“FINAL SCORE FOR THE BROKEN QUILLS: THREE OUT OF THREE!”
Not sure what that “Broken Quills” means, but that implies Hanko’s other friend was also accepted earlier.
“Hahaha, wow!”
“PERFECT!”
This blonde-hair friend of Hanako reminds me of Misha, Shizune’s best friend. Both of them probably have their Caps Lock key stuck. Or if not, the Shift key.
“Hahaha, flawless victory!”
“YEAH! OH YEAH!”
“Hanako!”
Hisao is the second to reach Hanako, and her friend graciously steps aside to make room for him. He initially offers a handshake, but after returning it, Hanako unexpectedly gives Hisao a light hug. It fits the context: Without him, Hanako would never be in this position in the first place.
“Congratulations!”
Next is Lils, led by me. A proud smile adorns her face when she hugs Hanako. She’s looking even happier than she was at her own graduation.
“Hanako.”
“Lilly, I… I made it in… this time.”
“Yes, you did, Hanako. I’m so happy for you. Happy and proud. Congratulations.”
After one year of wait, Lils can finally celebrate her own admission.
“Yup, congratulations. You totally deserved this.”
“T-Thank you, Lilly and Akira.”
Then it’s the folks turn, although Hanako, visibly still in a bit of a daze, merely nods at their words of praise. Naomi is talking into her phone while wildly gesticulating, while Hanako’s other friend walks up to presumably her parents.
“Hanako?”
“Ah, s-sorry. What did you say?”
My mom snickers.
“It looks like she’s still a little bit in shock.”
Her husband nods.
“I cannot blame her. I still remember the day I found out I made it into my university of choice. It was quite a special moment. Anyway, Hanako, I was saying that I hope you are also proud of yourself right now. You deserve to be.”
“I’m… n-not really sure.”
Suddenly the small cat-like relative of mine jumps into the picture from seemingly nowhere. I never knew she’s here too.
[…]
I don’t think Hanako understands sign language, but the message is obvious enough for her to nod in delight. My cousin offers a hug with her recovered arms to Sis’ best friend, who returns the hug emphatically.
One of the most astounding events during the past two months was that my cousin managed to make friends with Hanako. What a shocker!
“Miss Hanako?”
She turns around and meets a short old lady who looks like she’s in her late fifties or even her early sixties. She’s dressed in a violet shawl and a long black skirt, and her graying hair is held back in a bun. She makes a deep bow towards Hanako. Most likely her therapist.
“Miss Yumi.”
“I think Mister Satou is correct. You deserve to be proud of yourself today. Try to allow yourself at least this much.”
“I’ll try.”
“That’s good. I think it’s appropriate to congratulate you now, dear. You’ve done very well. So what will you do now?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve found a university that is willing to accept you. Are you also willing to accept that university?”
“I ah…”
“You’ll come along, right? It wouldn’t be the same without you.”
Naomi plants her hand on Hanako’s shoulder.
“Well…”
“I get that you’re a little squeamish about it, but I think it’ll work out. You already have friends there, and we can both watch each other’s back. Teamwork!”
Even after that stellar performance a few months ago in the Open Day, Hanako apparently still feels somewhat awkward getting into the university that once embarrassed her to the uttermost. But it’s time to bravely face the challenge.
“I… I…”
She briefly makes eye contact with Hisao, then Shizune, and finally the two of us. I’ll help her out a bit.
“Hanako, be the master of your fate and the captain of your soul.”
My words apparently reassures her, as she produces the natural response.
“I… I’m going, too.”
“Alright! That’s the spirit.”
Her therapist smiles.
“It is indeed. I think you’ve made the right decision, dear.”
“Miss Takawa, it is good to see you too. It appears that your decision to place Hanako in Yamaku’s ronin program has paid off. Congratulations on your good judgment.”
The folks met Hanako’s therapist before? I never knew!
“Hmmm. In truth, sir, I did very little. I may have shown Miss Ikezawa the road that was the most likely one to lead to success, but she has been the one who has taken the time and effort to traverse it all the way to the end.”
I want to say that getting into a university isn’t that much of a success, but in Hanako’s case… Well, forget it, no need to ruin the moment.
“I agree. She can now participate in the upcoming ceremony with her head held high.”
“Uh… Actually I… ah… will not b-be t-taking part in it.”
Dad raises an eyebrow as if Hanako just told him that the sky was green.
“You will not be taking part? But why not? It is a very unique experience and you might come to regret it later.”
“Ummm… I…”
“The reason Miss Ikezawa will not be taking part is because the ceremony that will be taking place in about an hour is intended for third year students who graduate from Yamaku Academy this year. Miss Ikezawa may have passed her university entrance exams, but she already graduated this school a year ago.”
“Yes, but she did not walk that ceremony. I apologize for being so insistent, Miss Takawa, but certainly it would be little trouble for the school to arrange for one extra seat in front? Just picking up Hanako’s diploma at the school administration office seems… extremely anticlimactic.”
Dad’s got a point. Everybody traveled such a long way just to be here with Hanako (maybe except for Shizune, who’ll probably celebrate with her Student Council friends). Hanako not being part of the graduation ceremony must be a disappointment to us. On the other hand, I don’t think Hanako’s looking forward to standing in front there despite the happy occasion.
“I understand where you’re coming from, but I have already discussed this matter with Miss Ikezawa a few days ago, and I came to the conclusion that she wouldn’t enjoy standing in front of a gymnasium filled with people. I considered asking her to go through with it anyway, as a final therapy-related challenge of sorts, but I ultimately decided against it. There will be plenty of challenges for her in the weeks and months to come. I think today should be a day for celebration, not challenge. A day she should be allowed to enjoy as much as possible – on her own terms.”
“Very well then.”
Hanako smiles gratefully at her therapist. I think the decision is for the best.
“So, Hanako… What would you like to do now? Pick up your diploma?”
“I…”
“There are… a few places I’d like to s-see one more time. I’d like t-to be in the audience when Jun gets her diploma. And uh… I still need to pack my things.”
Lils turns to me with a “I have a good idea”-smile on her face.
“Akira? Do you think we could…?”
Of course we could! But I don’t think Lils can help out too much anyway, so it’s basically my work.
“Heh, I was thinking the same thing, Lils. Hey Hanako, the two of us will take care of packing your stuff for you while you attend the ceremony if that’s okay with you.”
“I couldn’t possibly…”
I’ll preempt her.
“I guess it’s settled then. Just leave it to us.”
“T-Thanks.”
Lils shakes her head in that “think nothing of it”-fashion of hers and turns back to Hanako.
“Hanako, what places would you still like to see?”
“Just the tea room and the library.”
“Can I come along? I wouldn’t mind paying them a visit myself.”
“Okay.”
With Hisao joining us, everybody now has their own program before the ceremony. Shizune is already gone, probably heading towards the Student Council room. Hanako’s two friends went back to their families. Hanako’s therapist also leaves for presumably other work. Only mom and dad are left.
“Hiro, I guess it’s the two of us then.”
“Sure. Let’s take a walk in the garden over there.”
Yeah, you should treat mom better. She has endured so much for you; it’s time to repay the debts.
As they walk off towards the garden, I gesture in the direction of the school building’s entrance.
“Well, let’s have our little tour then. Lead the way, Hanako.”
According to my watch, Hanako still has 20 minutes to get to the gymnasium which should be ample time. After visiting the notice board in front of the school building and confirming that Hanako passed her exams, Hisao, Lils, Hanako and I took a little trip through the building and spent some time in the tea room, where Lils made some tea for all of us for old time’s sake. The three Yamaku alumni spent some time reminiscing about last year, noting that this was the room where Hisao first made Lils’ acquaintance, and where Lils and Hanako spent so many lunch breaks eating and getting to know each other. Now the two girls are becoming roommates.
Symbiosis, man. Symbiosis.
Then we visited the library. Hanako immediately turned a sad face upon entering. She told us that this would be the last time she’d in a place that she treated as almost a second home, to the point she started considering it “her library”. It was the place where she spent most of her time studying, first alone and later with her two friends. The substitute librarian thanked Hanako for all her effort and allowed her to pick a few books with her. The fact that she’ll be taking a little bit of that place with her probably makes the loss a little easier on her.
Afterwards, we arrive at Hanako’s dorm room. She spends a few minutes alone inside, treasuring her last moments in her home for four whole years, then comes out with a smile and a key on hand.
“I’m… r-ready to go. Here’s the k-key. C-Can you… l-leave it with the d-dormkeeper when you’re… done?”
“We will, Hanako. Are you alright?”
“I… I am. Thank you for doing this. There’s… um… something under the bed that’s g-going to be a present for someone. C-Could you be extra careful with it?”
“We will be, Hanako. You’d better hurry up and get to the gymnasium.”
“Okay.”
“Hey, Hanako!”
“N-Naomi and K-Karla!”
It’s Hanako’s friend Naomi. Along with the folks. Oh yeah, Hanako told me that she and Naomi will both join the Faculty of Journalism. Mom should have a lot to talk about with them. By the way, since when did Hanako start addressing mom with first name? Wow, the world is surely spinning fast!
So, it’s the three of us. Which is great, as it’s the best opportunity to launch my second task.
“Let’s go.”
I open the door to the room I visited last year. The view in the room is similar to what we saw last year, except that there are a few eye-catching items on the desk: Several birthday cards, some photos, and several workbooks.
“Do you still remember last year, Lils?”
“Definitely. We visited this place exactly one year ago. Back then she revealed to us here that she would be here for a fourth year.”
“Time flies, doesn't, Akira?”
“Yup. And today she’s graduating.”
“Amazing. I can’t believe this is true.”
“You can now finally celebrate with her. With alcohol too.”
“Yes, Akira. I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’ll bring you some high-quality stuff, I promise.”
“Thanks, Akira.”
Without further ado, we start packing up for Hanako. There isn’t much in the room, so it will be quick work, especially with Hisao’s help. He’ll manage the books and papers, while the two of us will take care of her clothes and daily necessities.
“So, yeah, Hisao. How’re you doing?”
“I’m fine. It’s a relief to finally confirm that Hanako’s studying with us again. I’m not going to lie, I worried about it for a few days.”
Worry, huh. Is that a hint?
“Lils was even worse. She didn’t really eat much this morning.”
“Understandable. Hey Lilly, how about I treat you lunch in the cafeteria after packing up? Akira can come along too.”
“Thank you for the offer, Hisao.”
“By the way, Hisao. I heard from Lils. About you and… Man, I feel for you.”
I half expected him to be riled up upon the vague mentioning of my cousin, but he just shrugs it off without even pausing on packing. He’s truly ready to move on.
“Thanks, but I was just doing what I was supposed to do. I made a mistake that indirectly caused her an accident, so I had to make up for it. It’s about the matter of my own conscience. As for what will happen next? I’ll just let things be.”
“I’m seriously proud of you, Hisao. She’s not an easy person to get along with, but you’ve already changed her a lot. You did your best. So, moving on, huh.”
“I don’t know. I think I’ll focus on schoolwork and other activities for the moment. I haven’t been doing too well this term, with all the hospital visits and what-nots. So I need to catch up with my grades. I want to resume my JUSC training too, as I’d like to defend my title. Then I’ll start a new term, obviously.”
“So, no time to get into a new relationship?”
“Well, technically, I haven’t been in an official relationship since Shizune broke up with me nearly two years ago. I could’ve started another relationship since then, but I’ve been pre-occupied with the Center Test and university life.”
That’s hardly an excuse for abstaining yourself from dating. Clearly he still had his mind on my cousin until recent events. I don’t think I need to comfort him any more, and it doesn’t look like he’s starting a relationship any time soon.
“I also endured my own share of hardships in the romance department. I’m sure you’ll tough it out. I wish you all the best.”
“Yes, Hisao. I almost forgot. Now that Hanako’s results are released, we should be looking forward to some fun celebrations during her entrance ceremony. Hanako and I will be taking pictures together. Do you want to join us too?”
“You mean in the university, Lilly? Sure. I’d love to.”
“That’ll be fantastic!”
“Akira, are you going to join Hanako’s entrance ceremony?”
“Yeah, entrance ceremony. How can I not come? Looks like I’ll have to apply for leave again. I hope my supervisor doesn’t get angry with me.”
“I’m sure Mother’s going to help you out.”
“You’re right. I’ll probably be fine.”
So I’ll see Lils and Hanako again in two weeks’ time. Which is great.
After completion of my second task (well, I don’t think I really did anything at all), we made quick work of returning Hanako’s home into an empty room, taking extra care of the present under the bed that Hanako mentioned. Then Hisao treated us lunch in the cafeteria. The two university students talked about their school life, while I kept rambling about work and Uncle Koji’s deteriorating health. In the end, I didn’t get to extract any further information from Hisao about his potential next candidate of love interest.
We stayed in the cafeteria until mom called us, informing us that the ceremony was about to end, and that we should get ready to leave. When we met up with the folks and the three graduating girls, Hanako’s therapist unexpectedly showed up and offered her one last therapy session before she leaves Yamaku for good. The therapist then whispered something to Hisao before leading Hanako towards her office. Hisao, after making sure Hanako has left his sight, then revealed to us that the therapist is going to hold a secret graduation ceremony for Hanako, and we’re invited. Awesome thinking by her therapist.
And we’re now standing outside of her therapist’s room, waiting for further instructions. Along with me are my family, Hisao, Shizune (who said that she promised to celebrate with Hanako), and Hanako’s two friends.
After waiting for some ten minutes, a woman holding a paper scroll arrives the scene. She produces a short but loud knock on the therapist’s room door. A quick “please come in”, and she walks into the room. A few seconds later, the door is opened again, and the aforementioned woman invites all of us into the room.
This is the first time, and probably the only time in my life, I’m entering a therapist’s office.
Hanako is apparently shocked to see all of us here.
“W-What is this?”
Her therapist playfully smiles at her client and then makes a quick gesture with her head in the direction of the woman. My sister’s best friend lets out a gasp.
“I-is that…?”
“It is. Ahem! May I have everybody’s attention! Could you please line up over there please? Yes, that’ll do. Thank you. Miss Hanako, please come and stand over here.”
All of us proceed to line up according to the therapist’s instruction, Shizune taking extra care not to stand next to Hisao. A dumbfounded Hanako allows her therapist to guide her to the center of the room. With all the attention aimed at her, she fidgets a bit.
“M-Miss Yumi, what’s going on?”
The violet shawl chuckles mischievously.
“Why, this is your graduation ceremony, of course? What does it look like?”
“M-My…?”
The therapist proceeds to walk towards the position next to the woman with paper scroll. Is she the Principal?
“Mister Satou had a good point this morning when he noted that just retrieving your diploma from the administration office would be anticlimactic. You’ve spent four years of your life studying here and deserve your moment in the spotlight just like any other student. Since I didn’t want to risk ruining your day by forcing you to stand in front of an entire crowd at the gymnasium, I thought that maybe we could hold a small private ceremony here afterwards. The Principal was so kind as to humor me, retrieve your diploma and attend here too. chuckle I can only hope that she also has a speech for the occasion.”
The Principal frowns upon hearing the therapist’s words.
“That may be a problem. I take it the people here have already heard the speech I gave earlier today.”
“Maybe you could improvise.”
“Maybe. Or perhaps you could do the honors instead of me.”
The old woman seems genuinely taken back by her superior’s suggestion.
“Me?”
“You know this girl much better than I do. You have probably also known her for longer than many of the people here. It seems fitting. Maybe you can improvise.”
“Well, I…”
The therapist closes her eyes and seems deep in thought for a second. Then she nods.
“I suppose I could.”
The therapist takes the diploma off the Principal’s hands, turns to Hanako, takes a deep breath, and stands a little taller.
“Miss Hanako Ikezawa. Please step forward.”
The graduate nervously obeys as her therapist smiles at her.
“Well… Here you are. About to receive your diploma and about to embark on a new journey into the world beyond the school gates. The prospect of this journey may be exciting, but no doubt it is also a little frightening. Yamaku has been more than a school to you, after all. It has also been your home, your shelter and, most importantly, a place to grow.”
“A place to grow… That is what Yamaku as an institution strives to be above all else. Good grades are important, but equally, if not more, important is our pupils growing the determination to create a future for themselves using the means available to them, taking advantage of their qualities while working around their limitations. You have shown yourself to be one of those pupils, Miss Hanako.”
“As your therapist and confidante, I have very good memories of our sessions. I’ve enjoyed our games together and the process of getting to know you. But more than anything else, I have enjoyed the process of watching you blossom into the person who stands before us today.”
From the corner of my eyes, I can see Lils already welling up with emotions.
“I can tell from the look in your eyes that you question my words, even now. Of course there have been relapses in the past, and there will probably be a few more at some point in the future. Yet every time you were forced to take a step back, you’ve taken two steps forward afterwards. I believe you will continue to do that, and I believe it will get easier for you in time. The reason is simple and in plain sight. Look around, Miss Hanako. Look around and think about what you see.”
She doesn’t immediately continue; she really meant what she just said. Hanako turns around and sweeps the room with her eyes, briefly stopping on each of us: Her two schoolmates, Shizune, my parents, Hisao, me, and finally, Lils.
“I wasn’t around to see it back then, Miss Hanako, but one of my predecessors told me about the day you first came here. His first impression: a frightened-looking girl, hiding behind the matron, dragging a suitcase along that was clearly too heavy for her. It feels good to look upon that same girl now. That girl who reached out and became a caring friend, and a cherished clubmate. A girl who has found new people in her life to help her carry both her suitcases and her burdens, while at the same time lending others her support in return. A girl who, when forced to rely on those around her during her more trying times, no longer sends them a guilty look, but a grateful smile instead. That in itself is growth, Miss Hanako, and a big reassurance as well.”
I’m not fond of therapists in general, but I have to agree with what she just said. The Open Day revisit is one of the strongest proofs of her words.
“Let this diploma be an acknowledgement. An acknowledgement of how much you’ve achieved already and how far you’ve come. An acknowledgement of the person standing before me: a strong young woman with clear plans for the future, surrounded by friends who came here specifically to share and celebrate this joyous moment with her. An acknowledgement that you have graduated from this academy with flying colors. Please accept your diploma, Miss Hanako Ikezawa. You have truly, truly earned it.”
She holds the diploma out to Hanako, and she takes it, holding it close to her chest. A moment later, the room bursts into thunderous applause. She turns around to face all of us. She attempts in vain to stop her tears from flowing. Lils is, of course, already in tears as well.
“Everyone… sniff T-T-Thank you. T-Thank you s-so much.”
The applause lasts a lot longer than we expected; even Shizune, who obviously can’t hear the applause, clapped in joy. When the clapping finally dies down, the old woman clears her throat to get everybody’s attention.
“I’m afraid that’s all I could think of. Perhaps that’s all there really to say. I’m afraid we didn’t really put together a program for this occasion, but before this little ceremony Miss Hanako and I prepared some tea for everybody. If there are no objections, I’d like to propose we have a little drink in her honor before we leave. One for the road, as it were.”
The Principal turns to her subordinate.
“I hope I don’t cause offense, but I still have a lot of things to do today.”
“Not at all, madam. I’m grateful you were able to spare some time for us.”
“Alright then. Ikezawa… Congratulations yet again and good luck at university.”
“T-Thank you, m-madam.”
After the Principal walks out of the room, we are served tea by Hanako and her therapist.
“Lils, what do you think about the therapist’s speech?”
“It was fantastic! I’m so happy to witness Hanako’s growth.”
We’d like to personally congratulate Hanako again, but it seems like her therapist wants to have a few words with her. So, we simply chill out here enjoying the happy moment while waiting for her conversation to end. However, that conversation turns out to last a bit longer than we expect, so we decide to congratulate her later after we go outside.
After finishing our tea, we’re ready to go. We don’t want to loiter around the therapist’s office, and I still have a long way to drive back to Chiba.
The therapist loudly claps her hands to get everybody’s attention. Some closing words before Hanako leaves for good, maybe?
“Go ahead, Miss Hanako.”
Well, it looks like Hanako is the one who would like to deliver the parting speech. Taking a deep breath, she prepares for the final words of her graduating ceremony.
“I…”
Take you time, Hanako. Yeah, I might have to repeat my speed driving, but it’s alright. I hope you won’t vomit when we arrive at Lils’ apartment this evening.
“…”
It seems like Hanako can’t get it out after all, as instead of trying to speak out, she walks over to the therapist’s table and retrieves her handbag. She opens the bag and takes a piece of paper out.
Holy cow! Is that the adoption letter I thought about this morning?
“(Whisper) Hey Lils, I think she’s holding that document.”
Lils gasps and immediately tenses up.
“(Whisper) Really? Akira?”
Before I can peep into and confirm the nature of that mysterious piece of paper, dad steps forward in anticipation.
“(Whisper) Yes, it is the document!”
Hanako takes an unsteady step forward. Seriously? I solemnly swear, I wasn’t predicting it this morning! Not even speculating! Holy crap, am I going to have a new sister today?
Dad looks at Hanako with a completely neutral expression, neither eagerness nor impatience on his face. He just stands there, in a slightly formal posture, waiting for Hanako to make the next move.
The graduate takes another step forward and, apparently still trembling, holds out the adoption paper in front of her. Dad reaches out with both hands, as if preparing to accept an important business card.
My soon-to-be new sister closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, then lets go of the paper. Dad takes it and briefly scans the bottom, which presumably contains Hanako’s signature. He then makes a graceful bow which Hanako follows. Dad turns around and faces us.
“It appears that today is cause for two celebrations. Not only has Hanako taken another step towards adulthood in her decision to start attending Kasshoku University the upcoming month, but with the passing of this document, she has also accepted the adoption offer my wife and I extended to her earlier. When she leaves here today, she will not merely be leaving here with a diploma in her hands, but also with a family by her side. Lilly… Akira… I will leave the next part up to you. You can be the first to do the honors of welcoming your new sister in our midst.”
Wow. What’s going on? Why are good things happening in a roll?
Obeying dad’s request (which I admit I seldom do), Lils and I walk up to our new sister, and wrap our arms around her in a loving embrace. Lils fails to control her tears for the second time in the afternoon, and my eyes are a little moist as well.
“Thank you, Hanako. Thank you so much… for t-this… for this great gift.”
I don’t know what I should say. I briefly consider calling her Hanako Satou, but decide to drop it for now.
“Well… heh… You’re stuck with us now. But… I… wouldn’t want things any other way.”
Well, the folks finally did one thing right, that’s for sure, although I still seriously doubt their intention to make that offer.
After our welcoming hug, Hanako gets congratulated by the others as well: A tight hug from mom, an enthusiastic high-five from her two friends, and heartfelt handshakes from Hisao and Shizune.
Talking about a change of surname!
After carrying Hanako’s suitcases to my car, we’re now set to return home. For Hanako, it’s time to say farewell to Yamaku. As a “graduate with flying colors”. And as Hanako Satou.
Hanako’s therapist promised to accompany her to the campus entrance. Dad and mom already put most of Hanako’s luggage in their car and left Yamaku. While the therapist is sharing some last-minute advice with my new sister, the three of us decide to wait for her beyond the school gate. We see Hanako take out the present, which we took care of during the packing, from her bag and give it to her therapist. It’s a beautiful flower arrangement. Quite fitting for a girl whose name is a homophone of “flower girl”, huh.
“Lils, what do you think? Is she going to use her new surname from now on?”
“I honestly have no idea. I don’t think she’ll make it formal in the near future, as it will most certainly mess up with the school administration of Kasshoku.”
“Makes sense. But if she wants to do it, she’d better start the procedures as soon as possible.”
“If she does, I would suggest her to do it on her twentieth birthday, when she formally becomes an adult.”
“Great idea, Lils. Oh, by the way, I’ve been calling you Lils, which obviously means Little Sister. Now I’ve got another little sister, which would make the name Lils ambiguous. What should I do?”
Lils chuckles at my silly question.
“I don’t think Hanako would regard the nickname as an address to her.”
“So I should just stick to calling her Hanako then?”
“You may ask her. I bet she doesn’t mind.”
“Alright then. By the way, I’ve got an idea.”
After whispering to Lils about my plan, I can see my little sister exchanging one more bow with her therapist, who then starts walking down the walkway back towards the school building. After preparing herself mentally, Hanako walks through the school gate with a brisk pace, moving forward from Yamaku with a fresh start.
When she finally reaches us (we obviously don’t mind the waiting), I affectionately ruffle her hair.
“All ready to go?”
“I… think so. How about you?”
“Yup. Totally.”
Lils makes a little gesture towards the parking lot with her cane.
“Father and Mother have already left, along with most of your luggage. All that’s left is to put your last suitcase into the trunk of Akira’s car, and then we’re good to go.
Hisao, who reluctantly agreed to let me drive him back to Chiba after some insisting from me and Lils, nods to his upcoming schoolmate.
“We’re ready anytime you are.”
“I’m… I’m ready too. Let’s…”
“Wait!”
Lils and I share a smile. One last thing to do before we go.
“Hey Hanako, do you have any last words to say before leaving Yamaku?”
“Um… Um… I d-don’t know. Goodbye, and thank you?”
“That’s too weak, Hanako. You should make a stronger proclamation.”
“W-Which… is…?”
“I already mentioned it this morning?”
“This m-morning?”
Lils giggles and decides to help her little sister out a bit.
“Hanako, I believe that in this occasion, you should quote William Ernest Henley.”
A sense of realization appears on the face of the avid reader and future journalist, as all three of us share a smile. Hisao seems to understand as well. I pat the new Satou member on her shoulder.
“Let’s do it together facing the Yamaku school gate. On the count of three.”
“O-okay.”
“One.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
“I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.”
Yeah, that’s way better than what she did in her therapist’s office.
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Fri May 24, 2024 4:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch71@11/3/23: Read this if you like Sisterhood!!]
Chapter 72: The Battle Begins
Ding-dong!
“Yes, comin’!”
After making sure everything’s set up properly, my roommate and I approach the door together to welcome our three guests.
“Hello!!”
“Sup?”
We exchange trademark high-fives with our guests as a gesture of warm welcome. Haru, Yukio, and, last but not least, Hisao.
“We’ve done as you told, you see?”
“Runner shirts, all of you! Nice job!”
“But why?”
“Look over there.”
I point towards the living room, and Yukio immediately recognizes the two-player dance mat along with the new famicon set Suzu and I bought using our savings.
“Wow! A dance mat! What’re we waitin’ for! Let’s go!”
“Hey, we’re supposed to...”
“Who’ll be my opponent? Suzu?”
His enthusiasm towards the dancing game completely threw off our original plan of hanging around in the living room chatting for a while before getting some exercises.
“But shouldn’t I let the guests play first?”
“Uh… How ‘bout you, Hisao?”
“I’d rather wait until the next round, guys.”
“Fair enough, Hisao. Then Haru, it’s decided! You’re my first opponent!”
“No! It’s not fair! I’m so bad at it!”
“Um… Well then, how about Yukio and Suzu go first, and then Haru versus Hisao in the next game?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“No objection.”
“Okay! It’s decided! Let’s go, Suzu.”
Accordingly, Yukio and my roommate step on the dancing mat, then choose the song with the game controller. While they’re busy with the selection, Haru decides to go to the bathroom, and I grab this chance to talk to Hisao who’s sitting on the sofa.
“Sup, boy?”
“Great! I finally get a chance to take a break.”
When I called him a few days ago to invite him to our party, he told me he just joined Hanako’s graduation day last Sunday. Hanako made it through the Entrance Exams, and will once again become Hisao’s schoolmate, this time in the university. Hisao also told me that he’s done with exams and will take a break from his crazy schedule over the past few months.
“Slept more, haven’t ya?”
“Yup. And more exercises. I skipped several days of running in the last two months. I’m pretty sure the Nurse would be mad at me if I told him.”
“Your heart, huh. Any problems?”
“I got a brief flutter a few weeks ago, which was somewhat concerning. Luckily it hasn’t come back since then.”
“I s’pose you’re not reporting it to the Nurse.”
“Definitely not.”
The dancing pair finally got the song chosen and the settings done. The TV screen goes blank, and the pair shake their legs to prepare for the first match.
While watching the game load, I hesitate whether to ask Hisao the question that has been in my mind for quite some time.
The game finishes loading, and the screen splits into two halves, each with four arrows on the top. The background video of the song chosen, called Illuminati, starts playing. Arrows should come out from the bottom soon.
Haru rejoins our group and takes the chair on the other side of the room, watching the first set of arrows appearing from the bottom. Time to start dancing.
I shrug and decide to go ahead with the question anyway.
“Hey Hisao?”
“Yeah?”
“Is your heart a sensitive topic? Wanna ask you ‘bout it.”
As Suzu misses an arrow, the boy ponders for a while before answering.
“Kinda, but you’re my friend. Fire it off.”
Yukio also misses an arrow, so neither player will get a perfect combo.
“How to make sure you don’t get into, like, an episode? Like, any foretelling signs before it happens, and what should we do if an episode does happen?”
Of course there’s a reason for me to ask him the question.
Starting from the beginning of the year, especially after his latest fallout with the former Student Council President, I’ve been seriously thinking about dating Hisao. When I visited the ex-President in the hospital, I told her I want to go after him, but will only do so if either she forfeits or she leaves hospital. She didn’t forfeit. I lived up to my words by waiting until her release to start making a move.
“That’s quite a sudden question. Why ask?”
Now the President is back in business, the battle truly begins. But before I make a move on Hisao, I need to make sure I can handle his disability.
“’Cause I’m your friend. And you’re gonna dance, so yeah.”
What I just said is, of course, not the full story. See if he suspects anything.
“Well, for starters, don’t bump into me on my chest, like what Emi did when I first entered Yamaku.”
“Whoa! She did?”
“Yeah. It was an accident. Anyway, the Nurse told me that I need to be responsible for my own health. I must watch out for any flutters or signs of discomfort. If that happens, I have to take a rest immediately.”
“So, any flutter and you should stop?”
“Yeah, pretty much, and I probably should tell you guys at once if it does happen when I dance in a couple of minutes.”
Despite being good friends with him for almost two years, this is the first time I hear him talking about his condition extensively. And I’m yet to know how he found out his disability in the first place.
“Can you handle the dance, boy?”
“Probably, just don’t set the difficulty too high.”
As the two competitors in front of me finish their last notes, they step away from the mat as the screen transitions to the scoreboard: Suzu has won! Home court advantage has taken effect!
It’s hard to imagine a bookworm like Suzu being so good at this sport.
“Hey Hisao, your turn.”
“Alright, Haru, here we go.”
Grabbing the controller, Hisao chooses a song seemingly at random and modifies the difficulty to Easy. Novice is the easiest level, followed by Easy. Suzu just played in Medium, but I’m confident she can take on some songs in the Hard level.
Hisao exchanges high-fives with Haru as the game loads the song Memory of the Beach. Easily one of my favorites: The soundtrack is amazing, and the story is great. Unfortunately, the lyrics are in Korean, so I cannot sing it.
I wonder if it’s too forward for me to ask about his past. I probably shouldn’t ruin the fun by bringing the sensitive topic up again. If we do hold hands in the future, he’ll tell me everything eventually.
I assume the President already knows most of Hisao’s history. Compared to her, I know almost nothing about his past. Perhaps the President is still the better match for him. But being unfamiliar can also be an advantage. Many couples live together for years but break up in the end because of a lack of excitement. Perhaps I can use this fact.
The two players keep missing notes as Suzu heads to the dining room to bring the drinks over. The song is one of the longest in the set, and, perhaps due to fatigue, they’re missing like every other note. At least they both get the last note correct. Hisao turns to me and shrug.
“Well, this is gonna be embarrassing.”
“No worries, boy. It’s not a competition or anything. We’re just having fun.”
The result is loaded: Hisao 56.1%, Haru 55.8%. Hisao wins by a thin margin.
“Yes! I’ve got a win in my bag!”
“Damn! I’ll revenge you in the next match.”
I’ll take on Yukio next. I’m not as skillful, but I have home court advantage!
Ding-dong!
“Comin’!”
I head towards the door to answer the bell as Suzu works hard in the kitchen. The pizza and snacks we’ve ordered an hour ago just arrived. My lone hand is obviously not enough to grab all the food, so the boys hurry to come over to help.
We stayed on the dancing mat for almost two hours, much longer than I thought. After several warm-up matches, our best dancers of Suzu and Yukio attempted a few songs in the Very Hard setting. The notes were raining so fast that they both literally collapsed after finishing the last arrow, thus forcing them to take long breaks and allowing the rest of us more playing time. Perhaps due to the fatigue factor, I was able to win once against Yukio.
But most importantly, Hisao didn’t get a flutter all afternoon.
“Just put them on the table. Let’s open the boxes and distribute the utensils.”
After we’re done with dancing, we played various games including Risk, A Game of Life, and trading card. We basically spent the whole afternoon on games.
“Did you all have fun, boys?”
“Oh yeah! We wish we could stay overnight playing with you guys!”
“We should come again on a Sunday when the next day is a holiday.”
Our apartment should have enough space for the three boys to sleep in, but Haru and Yukio must return to Osaka for school tomorrow. And while Hisao probably could stay around, sleeping in the same apartment with two girls would be quite scandalous.
Unless he becomes my boyfriend.
“When are you guys leaving?”
“Before 7:30. The train takes two and a half hours.”
“Fair enough. Let’s eat quickly and play a few more games. Suzu, is the soup ready?”
My roommate replies loudly from the kitchen.
“Don’t rush me! I’m about to bring it out!”
“Sure. Take your time.”
“I’ll go help Suzu.”
“Thanks Hisao.”
After getting everything ready on the table, the three of us sit down and relax, waiting for Suzu’s soup.
“So, how’s work in your boutique?”
“Pretty good! I made several designs last month and got approval from Boss. They’ll be on sale soon.”
“Congrats! But I’m curious. How do you know what designs to make? How do you know your designs will be popular?”
I’m about to reply Yukio’s question when Suzu and Hisao bring us the Chinese soup. It’s the same carrots and pork ribs soup from last time, except that we added corns and several pieces of jujube to make it sweeter. While Hisao already had a taste of it when he visited us last year, the Osaka duo haven’t.
“Wow! It smells great!”
“What is it?”
“Chinese soup, boys. Pork ribs, carrots, corns.”
“I had a taste already in the kitchen. Even better than last time! Well done!”
“They cooked you this soup before?”
“Yeah, I visited them once last year. They cooked me the same soup back then. But the addition of corns makes it even better.”
“For your reference, it was Miki’s idea.”
“I searched the web and found the recipe. Suzu did most of the preparations.”
“Man! I promised you two last time I would cook you two some soup, but I haven’t converted my promise yet! I’ll treat you two next time.”
“Lookin’ forward to it, boy.”
With the soup ready in front of everyone, we start working on the food on the table without further ado. We have pizza, spaghetti, rice, vegetables, and the soup. Should be enough for the five of us, probably more than enough.
“So, how do you get your design to work, Miki?”
Oh yeah, Yukio’s question.
“Yeah, ‘bout that, Boss taught me several tips. Go to the web and look for the current fashion trend in famous shops. Visit other boutiques for ideas and trends. Ask your customers what they want. That’s how you gather info. Probably similar to how to run a bakery, right, Haru?”
“Visit other shops and ask your customers? I think that’s exactly what my dad told me! Man! Who would’ve thought this uneducated countrygirl can have such a business mind!”
“You say I’m uneducated?”
Haru makes a face at me.
“You forgot already? The first time we met, you were speaking nothin' but slangs.”
“Yep. And sometimes with profanity.”
“Yes, I can attest to that too. Even in front of Mutou.”
Hisao looks shocked.
“Really? You spoke... in front of Mutou?”
I mock anger towards my best friends.
“Just once only. Man! Shouldn’t have invited you guys here!”
Hisao is the first one to speak for me, despite knowing that I once used foul language in front of our former homeroom teacher.
“Nah, Miki. Haru’s complimenting you. We all know how much you’ve changed over the years. I’m unfortunate to be the last one in the group to witness it.”
“But hey, Hisao. I think your addition was key to her transformation. You helped her in the Center Test after all.”
“I think everybody played a part. I was... merely doing what I thought was right to do. And something I want to add. On behalf of a certain classmate, I want to thank Miki for providing such a wonderful example. Your case proved to be a crucial inspiration towards her success very recently.”
“You mean Ikezawa?”
“Yup. You heard about her already?”
“Yeah, Miki told me actually. Finally a place in the university. One year late, but, well, at least she now gets herself a chance to obtain a degree.”
“It's one year late alright, but I think it's probably for her own benefit. One year to sort out all her psychological burdens and receive some much-needed extra therapy. Imagine what would have happened if she had gotten into university last year, being in that terrible condition of hers.”
I’m relieved to see the focus of the conversation shifting away from me.
“Skipping classes at will and hidin’ inside her room every now and then? Don’t think university’ll allow that.”
“Exactly. But seeing how confident and joyful she was in her small graduation, I think she has transformed as much as, if not more than, you, Miki.”
“Hope that she can get herself settled down in the new environment.”
“You're gonna help her, aren’t you? You two’ll become schoolmates after all.”
“Sure, but not only me though. She has several more affiliates in the school. Lilly is the obvious one, and Naomi will study in the same class as hers. I’ve heard that she’s made good friends with Shizune, the Student Council Vice President of the university.”
“Hakamichi, huh. Can’t believe she could become friends with that mean girl.”
Suzu is the first one to react to Haru’s potentially dangerous comment.
“Hey Haru! Ssh!”
The rich boy immediately realizes his mistake and looks away from Hisao.
“W-what... Oh yeah, oh no, sorry...”
My crush notices.
“If you’re apologizing to me, don’t mind it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m fine with that comment.”
Haru’s remark about the President turns the atmosphere awkward for a few seconds, but it’s Yukio who breaks the silence.
“Yeah, about that, Hisao. We don’t know much about it, but if you wanna talk, we’re here to listen to you. Right, guys?”
“Of course. We’re friends after all.”
Hakamichi’s crush tries his best to shrug nonchalantly, but unable to hide a hint of wistfulness.
“It’s fine, I can share. I’m almost over with it already. Just need a little bit more time.”
“I mean, if you don’t want to talk, we’re not gonna pry.”
Even though Suzu and I already knew what happened, the other guys don’t know, and we never spoiled them his secret or even told them we know something. My roommate and I share a glance to confirm that we’re keeping silent all the way.
“Nah, it’s no big deal anyway. Shizune and I started dating about two months after I entered the school. We broke up a couple of months later, but we managed to maintain our friendship. We agreed to figure things out after we become adults. Since then, we’ve been in a state of somewhere between friends and lovers, fluctuating up and down occasionally. But we went into an argument recently, and that argument actually indirectly caused Shizune’s car accident. So, she’s kind of angry with me now. I’m trying to solve the issue. We’re getting close to reconciliation, but it will take a bit more time.”
“I see. So, assume you two can finally shake hands again. Are you two getting back on track, or things won’t be the same as before?”
“Hard to say, but it’s been leaning towards the latter.”
Suzu and I share another glance and continue to shut up throughout the discussion about Hisao’s sensitive topic.
“What’s your true feeling then?”
“I mean, things are kind of out of my own hands right now. Do I still love her? Maybe, I’m not even sure myself. But if she decides to move on, I’m kind of mentally prepared already. It’s just... you never know. There might still be a chance...”
“I can understand how you feel. She’s... well, I already said it. A mean girl.”
“I can’t imagine. How could... I mean, being in a relationship with that control freak sounds downright awful.”
So even Yukio thinks the President is bad.
“Nah, it’s not as bad as you think. You just need to learn sign language. And understand her mindset. She’s cute.”
“Man, sign language is awful enough by itself. I’ll pass.”
“But can’t deny, Hakamichi is cute. She gets one of the best... figures... in Yamaku.”
“You mean cup size?”
Yukio, the popular boy in the sports team who shockingly doesn’t get to date the best sport star in Yamaku, surely doesn’t hold back in terms of female appreciations. Oh! Now come to think of it, I know why he isn’t fond of Emi now: She doesn’t have much in terms of “figure”!
Well, good to know that I’m never his cup of tea.
“Yeah. Maybe except Misha. Or Lilly Satou.”
Damn you two members of the “Large Cup Size Association”!
“I’ll still pass. I don’t want to get controlled.”
“I don’t think I’m controlled by Shizune. We’ve been treating each other like equals.”
“That's what I’m amazed by the most. You can actually be on equal footing with her. I’m sure nobody in Yamaku would, or could, do that.”
“I don't know. I think the fact that she loves me, or loved me, helped my cause. Sometimes I wonder why she would set her eyes on such a plain-looking boy like me.”
“Nah, don’t sell yourself so low, Hisao. You’ve got a lot of good qualities yourself.”
“Yup. I can attest to that too. Well, with the two of us being in Osaka, I don’t think we’ll be of much help for your case. But we’ve known you long enough to assure you one thing. If you’re going to get a new girlfriend, it won’t be too hard.”
“Yeah. Heh, maybe one of those two could be.”
Haru's dangerous and out-of-line comment prompts Suzu, a member of “those two”, to issue her second yellow card of the evening. That would’ve been converted into a red card and an ejection in a soccer match.
“Haru!”
This time though, Haru doesn’t seem to back off, and instead stares straight at me.
“Didn’t you remember? The other day, somebody acted dating in order to rob money from me! That’s a whopping ten thousand yen!”
He’s trying to gain revenge on us? Oh no!
“That’s not fair! You’re the one who initiated the bet!”
“I never thought you’d go to such great lengths to take my money away!”
“Fine. I’ll treat you a few more times then.”
Haru waves his hand to indicate he doesn’t really mean the revenge.
“Nah, it’s alright. Anyway, Hisao, I think Miki’s someone you should think about, now that she’s been civilized and behaves like an actual girl.”
“Totally agree, Hisao. Maybe it’s time to take another path.”
The Osaka duo’s words are going to make the conversation even more sensitive. And Suzu, with the spotlight now turned away from her, is happy to push things forward for me.
“I believe she’s thinking about it already, Hisao.”
I don’t respond, and instead chooses to focus on my food. My silence probably says it all.
Haru, who either really wants us together or is eager to make up for the lost money, pats Hisao on his shoulder.
“You two held hands after all. Think about it, pal.”
I dare not look towards my crush. I’m sure Hisao's having the same feeling as mine right now.
I just realized that by staying silent, I already indirectly confessed to Hisao.
“Okay guys, that’s enough. The thing is, I’m getting into university in a couple of weeks. There will be a lot of stuff for me to sort out. Let me get settled down, then... if things are destined to happen, then they will happen.”
Putting everything on fate, huh.
Sensing Hisao’s embarrassment, Suzu attempts to cool things down a little bit.
“I think we should give him some space. Sorry, Hisao, we don’t mean to push you or anything.”
Except that she IS 100% intended to pull us together!
“Sorry, Hisao. I shouldn’t have made that comment.”
“Nah, it’s fine. Frankly speaking, I would’ve been pissed if you all were somebody else. But I know you guys mean well. I’ll think about it, okay? Just need... around a month... to take care of my own business.”
“Sure, Hisao. You’ve got our support. If you need anything, we’re always here to help whenever possible. At least we can all lend you an ear.”
“Yeah, thanks for your support.”
The awkward conversation finally dies down, and it looks like all the food is gone too.
“So, everybody’s full?”
“Yeah, great food.”
“I enjoyed it.”
“How ‘bout another bowl of Suzu’s special?”
“There’s more? Should’ve told us earlier!”
Haru extends his bowl towards my roommate, showing his appreciation to her cooking skills.
“Yup. Suzu, yes please?”
“Yawn Sure, but I’m falling asleep within fifteen minutes.”
The first sleep warning has been issued; she’s on a timer now.
“No worries. You’ll hit the sack after we’re done with the soup. We’ll take care of the rest.”
“I’ll go help Suzu.”
“Thanks Hisao.”
The five of us proceeded to consume the remainder of Suzu’s soup, completely emptying the pot. Even all the corns and pork ribs were gone. Suzu then issued her second sleep warning. I didn’t need to carry her this time around, as she was able to walk herself to her bed. Haru and Yukio, who were running low on time, hurried to return to Osaka, leaving the mess to the two of us. Hisao was kind enough to stay around to wash the dishes with me.
Would’ve been a perfect time for some private talk with him, if not for that crazy dinner conversation. Hisao’s apparently still feeling awkward. During the cleaning, we made mostly small talks without touching anything in-depth.
But we need to address the issue sooner or later.
Hisao’s words during dinner actually tells a lot. He didn’t deny feelings towards me, but he’s probably not in the mood of exploring a relationship with me right now. He needs to sort out his ties with Shizune first.
After helping me with all the tidying up, including the games, Hisao prepares to leave. We make sure Suzu’s fast asleep, then head towards the door.
This is it. If I don’t say anything, all the preparations I’ve done for the evening will be for naught. I know I’m not going to make any progress tonight even if I speak up, but it will help me with the battle after he deals with his matter next month.
“Thanks for your help.”
“Nah, thanks for the feast. I promise to treat you two twice.”
I have my lone hand on the doorknob, but then hesitate.
“Yeah. Say bye to Suzu for me, will ya?”
Should I speak up?
“Sure thing.”
Nah, I’ll let him deal with his matters first.
I open the door, give him a goodbye high-five, and see him through the door.
“Goodnight, Miki.”
“Nite.”
Well, that’s it. I might come to regret it in the future.
Damn! Why am I such a coward? My future might be on the line!
My future could be on the line.
My future is possibly on the line.
My future is probably on the line.
My future IS on the line!!
“Wait!”
Hisao, who’s about to take the elevator down, turns around.
“Huh? Did I leave something behind?”
“C-can you c-come back f-f-for a m-moment, p-please?”
While I’m stuttering hopelessly, Hisao returns from the elevator looking completely clueless.
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“Um...”
I close my eyes briefly before making the decision.
“I wanna have a brief word with you.”
“Sure.”
He takes off his shoes again and sits on the sofa. I sit opposite to him, saying nothing. I’m sure my face is bright red right now.
Given the discussion this evening, he probably realizes what I'm trying to convey.
“Well, I guess we have to talk it out, huh.”
I nod meekly, unable to utter another word.
For the next couple of minutes, we just face each other in silence, both of us searching for the right words to say. Staring at his stray hair, all I want to say is that I like him, but I’m unable to force the three words out of my mouth.
I want to say a million things to him, but I can’t even manage three words.
At last, it’s him who breaks the ice.
“Well actually, things are pretty obvious, aren’t they?”
At least he has the courage to speak up.
“Yeah, I suppose.”
My crush sighs heavily and puts his hands on his lap.
“Let’s say it out loud. Look, if things were a bit different, I probably would’ve held your hands right away. But you know I have a burden to take care of. I know you’ve prepared for the gathering today. I really appreciate your effort. But Miki, please let me take care of my business first. We’ll go from there afterwards. There’s no promise I can make to you currently, but I’ll try my best. Like I said in the evening. If things are destined to be, they will be.”
“Let it be, huh.”
“Yeah, let it be.”
Well, his answer is definitive. It’s very clear. There’s nothing else to say or add.
But I’m glad that we finally managed to talk it out. Who knows? Maybe this talk will become crucial a month later.
“Alright then. Wish you good luck.”
“Thanks.”
“And thanks for... giving me a chance, and... uhm... liking me, I guess.”
“You’re a great woman. You deserve a... happy family. Of your own.”
“That’s a great compliment, given how broken my original family is.”
My crush extends a hand, and we shake hands. Although I’d rather have him hold hands with me, just like how he did the other day.
“I owe you two meals. And... something else. I’ll offer either a hug or some help.”
He winks at me, and we share a smile. A somewhat wistful smile.
“Hug or help, huh.”
“Yeah. Sorry, I’m not a fortune-teller.”
“Nobody is.”
“Let it be.”
“Let it be.”
“I should go now.”
We exchange high-fives once again, and I see him off the elevator. Then I go back to check on Suzu, who’s still fast asleep.
“The battle is not in my own hands. But there’s still hope. Anyway, let it be.”
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Fri May 24, 2024 4:08 am, edited 2 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:20 pm
Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch72@14/4/23: Miki in love?]
Chapter 73: My Entrance Ceremony
“You’re looking fine, don’t worry.”
“A-are you s-sure?”
“Affirmative. Now put away your mirror.”
“O-okay.”
Obeying my sister’s request, I open my bag to put the mirror into the top inner pocket, anticipating that I might need it again soon. But before doing that, I take some time to appreciate this mirror that Karla gave me as part of my graduation gift pack.
This travel makeup mirror has a silver frame with a button on the left side of its edge to open it. When opened, the top mirror is magnified for looking into details, while the bottom mirror is the normal one for daily use. There are tiny lights on the inner frames to provide better makeup experience. The mirrors themselves are apparently nicely polished and made of sturdy material, so it is hard to break them or even make a scratch on the surface. And to top it off, this mirror is of a famous brand. I don't know how much it costs, but it's probably not something a typical Japanese would use.
And this is merely one item of the whole gift pack. There are several more items that will take some time for me to learn how to use properly.
With my sister glancing from the driver’s seat through the rear mirror, I hurry to put the mirror back into the bag, so that she won’t get distracted from her driving.
“Attagirl. Don’t worry about it again. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“O-okay.”
I'm still getting used to the fact that I now have a rich family.
Karla, my new mom (I probably should call her “mom” from now on, but I still can’t get myself to call her that way), gave me a makeup set both as a graduation gift and a welcoming gift of joining the Satou family. In his “welcoming speech”, Hiroyuki, my new dad, taught me about the manners of a “proper lady”. He listed a whole bunch of criteria, which I mostly forgot about already, but the one rule which is relevant today and I’ll always remember is that a proper lady takes care of her own appearance in public. Obeying his words, I got up very early this morning along with Akira and Karla, and, with some help from the two, I used the makeup set to diminish my scars for today’s important occasion.
It was the first time I’ve ever used makeup. Never fond of walking a stage or being a presenter, I’ve never thought about the option of using makeup to hide my scars. Now that I’ve made myself fairly presentable, confirmed by what I just saw in the travel mirror, I feel a lot more at ease and confident facing my new family members and the several schoolmates who promised to meet me in the school.
Hmm... While waiting on the car, let’s try to recall some of my new dad’s quotes. I’m his new daughter after all.
“A proper lady respects the will of her elders.”
“A proper lady does not mope in public, and does not raise her voice in the middle of the street.”
“A proper lady does not get herself drunk and pass out.”
I wonder if he was referencing Lilly when he made those claims.
Proper lady. Of a rich family. I’ve never considered this new identity of mine before I handed that adoption letter to Hiroyuki during my small graduation ceremony. Being originated from an orphanage, it’s going to take me a long time to learn to become a proper lady. Fortunately, Hiroyuki says I can take my time to learn.
Reminds me of the story of Daddy Long Legs, originally named “To You”. In the story, orphan Judy Abbott received a scholarship offer to a university by a mysterious man. She was prohibited to meet him personally, but she saw his shadow of a pair of long legs as he left the orphanage, and thus called her sponsor “Daddy Long Legs” throughout the story. With the provided subsidy, she enjoyed several years of university life in relative abundance, making friends with two rich roommates and developing feelings for the brother of one of them. The brother was, in the end, revealed to be the same mysterious man who was providing her with financial support. In the anime version, she married her benefactor.
While I don’t get to marry my sponsors, I still would like to establish a bond with them in the near future. I probably won’t live a university life as luxurious as Judy’s, but I’m almost guaranteed to not be starving for the next four years. *Smile* Unless I do it voluntarily, like what happened before the Open Day.
But marriage with a benefactor, on the other hand, is certainly a possibility for me. And today could be a first step towards that prospect. This is part of the reason why I’m so aware of my appearance today.
But even if I don’t get to marry said benefactor, appearing pretty today could still be relevant. A few months ago, Lilly confided to me that somebody in her university has been secretly going after me. He could be the one who’s playing online chess regularly with me. He has never revealed to me his identity, Lilly’s keeping his identity secret, and we never really chatted on the computer, so I don’t know his name yet. But if he is really interested in me, he might show up today. This is why my first impression is so important.
I almost want to take my mirror out again, but Akira’s words remind me that further self-inspection is probably not going to improve much.
Bzzzt Bzzzt
My phone! Who’s calling?
“HEY HANAKO! ARE YOU HERE YET?”
The voice is so loud that my eardrum almost breaks. She never learns.
“N-Naomi! You’re speaking too l-loudly!”
“Oh really? *Tries to turn down volume but fails* I’m sorry. But where are you?”
“I’m almost there. G-Give me a m-minute or two p-please.”
“Alright. See you at the entrance!”
She cuts the connection before I can reply. Well, at least I don’t have to endure her verbal machine gun for the time being.
“Naomi has arrived already, has she not?”
“Y-Yes. She’s waiting f-for me at the s-school entrance.”
“No worries, Hanako. You’ll be there in no time.”
Stepping up a gear, the occasionally reckless driver blitzes through several traffic lights, turns a few corners, and soon enough I find myself facing down on my soon-to-be classmate from the car’s window.
I hope my sister didn’t get caught by traffic cameras.
Naomi, who’s wearing a yellow kimono for her Entrance Ceremony, welcomes me with a warm embrace, which I’m happy to return.
“Nice pink kimono! You’re looking outstanding, Hanako!”
“T-thanks! Y-your yellow kimono s-suits you p-perfectly too.”
“Good morning, Satou. And… Satou too, I suppose.”
“Yo Inoue! In case you forgot, you’re facing three Satous right now.”
“Oh yeah, congratulations again, Hanako Satou.”
“Akira! Did you forget what we talked about last night?”
My lifelong best friend and sister, who’s wearing the same white dress as the one in her Open Day performance, frowns at her elder sister. She’s not wearing a kimono in order to distinguish herself from newcomers like me. Akira, on the other hand, is wearing a red kimono. She playfully claims that without a university degree herself, she wants to be treated as a freshman for once. But with her engagement ring still attached, I seriously doubt a kimono would be enough to fool everybody around.
Anticipating the Entrance Ceremony, Lilly and I invited Akira to stay over in our shared apartment so that we could arrive at the school early in the morning. We briefly talked about my new identity as a Satou member, and we came to the consensus that it’s better to keep my new surname undisclosed. Lilly will continue to address me as her best friend and roommate. This is to avoid a possibly suspicious explanation, if I were to be addressed as Lilly’s sibling, of why we look so different.
“Yeah, I know. But it’s alright in front of Inoue, right?”
“Well, I suppose so, but not anymore when we enter the school.”
“Sure.”
“Hanako, the school staff and students are welcoming us already. Let’s walk through the school gate together, and officially become students of Kasshoku University!”
I don’t think walking through the school gate makes us official students (rather, the registration does), and I’ve already walked through this gate several times last week. But I do like the formality Naomi just proposed.
“O-okay.”
Naomi holds my hand, just like what we did last month when we checked our results, and we walk towards the gate together, the school members already lined up welcoming us into a four-year university life. The staff members are wearing brown shirts. This make a lot of sense, as “Kasshoku” literally means “brown”.
“On the count of three.”
“O-okay.”
When I walked through the Yamaku school gate to formally complete my four-year high school journey, I quoted William Ernest Henley upon request by my two sisters. Now that I’m walking into my dream university, I wonder what I should say in this special occasion.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
“YAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! KASSHOKU UNIVERSITY! HERE WE GO!”
It turns out I didn’t need to worry about what to say, as Naomi already did it for me, her proclamation mimicking what she said when we got our results.
“Welcome! Please approach the counters in the front, thank you.”
We don’t really have time to look back, as we’re led by the school staff towards presumably the registration counters. Naomi is led towards Counter 5, and a staff directs me towards Counter 6.
“Your (national) ID card and offer letter, please.”
Showing a staff my national ID card has been a nightmare for me since my unfortunate accident, and when Lilly told me that I’ll have my own student ID card later and will need to show it to the school staff whenever I take an exam or participate in school activities, I was seriously wondering whether I should reject my university offer. But my two sisters assure me that it will be okay, and, with a lot of practice with my two siblings, I believe I can now show my ID card to a person with relative ease.
But when it comes to the real deal, I’m still hopelessly nervous when I hand over my ID card to the staff sitting across the counter. I’m half expecting the staff to jump off her seat in shock when she notices the scars on my face on the card.
It turns out my worry is largely pointless, as she gets busy verifying the name and the ID number against the computer system without even caring to check out the photograph. Then she returns me the card, stuffs me with a whole bunch of leaflets, and points towards the building behind me.
“Faculty of Journalism. Please go to the building over there behind you for the welcoming speech which starts at 9am. Ask any staff in brown shirt if you need any assistance.”
“T-thank you.”
“Hey Hanako, let’s go.”
With Naomi also done, we head together towards the Faculty of Journalism for the welcoming speech. But Naomi suddenly stops.
“Oh no!”
“Huh?”
“Uh…”
“W-What’s the matter?”
“Well, um… You know, there’s going to be a problem.”
“D-did you forget something?”
“Yeah. Well, sort of. I mean, you know where we’re heading right now?”
“F-faculty of J-journalism?”
“Yeah, but… more specifically… we’re going to enter the…”
A moment of silence follows before I finally pick up what she means.
“D-do you mean the l-lecture hall?”
“Yeah.”
Despite having studied with the former Editor in Chief for a couple of months before the Center Test, I never told my ex-clubmate about my Open Day heroics. She apparently still believes I’ve been under the effect of the lecture hall incident. But I give her a defiant nod to indicate that I’m ready.
“No worries, Naomi. L-let’s go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Y-yes. Let’s hurry up and f-find the best seats.”
Without further ado, I tug Naomi’s yellow kimono and hurry towards the journalism building. Luckily for us, despite the lecture hall being already half full, the last row is surprisingly empty. We gleefully take advantage of the situation by occupying the corner seats. As a result, I get to sit on the same seat as in the Open Day, but my neighbor is Naomi instead of Akira.
Oh no! I just realized I forgot to say goodbye to my sisters!
Oh well, I suppose we’ll meet in the school soon, after all the welcoming formalities.
“Hanako, your phone.”
Of course. Thanks, Naomi. I reach my bag and take out my phone, make sure that it’s turned off, then put it back.
“Do you want me to hold it for you?”
“N-no, thanks.”
We still have fifteen minutes before the welcoming speech starts, so let’s take a look at the leaflets provided by the school.
***********************************
“Let’s shop around, shall we?”
“O-okay.”
As the arena gets increasingly noisy due to all the students aggregating here, my yellow kimono friend and I find ourselves standing in the middle of the school with all the booths around, unsure which direction to go.
“Wow! Amazing! How did you do that?”
In front of us is the Magic Club booth, where a student’s performance is attracting a bunch of girls into the club. Next to the Magic Club is the Swimming Club, which I think Misha would join if she were here.
It’s getting so crowded! I don’t like this place! I wish I could go somewhere else!
But I’m here for a purpose. Besides accompanying Naomi, who said she’d like to join a couple of clubs, I need to find the booths of two clubs in particular.
Somebody taps my left shoulder. I initially thought my upcoming classmate is playing pranks with me, but when I turn around, I’m glad to come to face with one of my targets today!
The Student Council Vice-President, who’s wearing a blue kimono for this occasion, is smiling all ears towards me. She offers me a handshake before pulling me into an embrace, a warm welcome into the university I should’ve been in last year.
I still can’t believe I’m now a good friend of my former nemesis.
She points towards the booth to the far left, which we can see is the Newspaper Club. Naomi’s eyes glint with excitement as she shouts “Hurray” before dragging me towards the booth, leaving Shizune stranded there waving goodbye at us.
Anyway, that’s one mission down (one of my original goals was to find Shizune, as I promised to meet her today). One more to go. But first, I need to accompany my future fellow journalist to the club she loves the most.
The welcoming speech was, as expected, boring. After a round of applause from the audience, possibly out of courtesy, we’re instructed to line up for several admission tasks: A formal registration into the Faculty of Journalism, taking a picture for our student ID cards (which I went through after quite a bit of struggle), registration of upcoming courses, and the creation of our e-mail accounts. Afterwards, we were told to take the building’s exit into the middle plaza where all the club booths are inviting us to join. The Faculty staff asked me to stop by the library within today as I’ve already been assigned as a librarian thanks to Miss Yumi’s pulling of strings, but I decided to accompany Naomi and complete my two tasks before heading towards possibly my new second home.
“Are you joining? If you wanna join, just fill in this form.”
It looks like Naomi has already filled in her application form. I think I’ll hold up for now. I want to get myself settled down before making a decision. I can always join later. Lilly told me that just like in Yamaku, you can join a club any time as long as it’s not full and you can afford the small amount of registration fee.
“I’d l-like to give it a l-little more thought.”
“Alright then. I’m not pushing you.”
“T-tell me how it goes in a c-couple of months.”
“Sure.”
While the yellow kimono is completing the procedures, I take a look around the very crowded plaza, trying to find what I need.
Somebody taps me on my left shoulder. It’s Shizune smiling at me again! She points towards the middle of the right side booths, and I can see a big chessboard along with some poker cards.
“The C-Chess C-Club!”
The Vice President nods, then leaves for presumably other duties.
“Chess Club, huh. I think I’m gonna pass, but I’ll escort you.”
“T-thanks, Naomi.”
Accordingly, after Naomi officially joins the Newspaper Club, we go straight ahead towards the middle of the right side booths, passing by the Reading Club. Come to think of it, maybe I can join the Reading Club too. You can join as many clubs as you want to; just put down the registration fee and you’re a member.
“You’re staying here for some time, aren’t you? Can I shop around the nearby booths?”
“Y-yes, thanks.”
So I approach the Chess Club alone. It’s actually called Chess and Bridge Club. A few students are hanging out playing bridge in front of the booth; I suppose the best way to advertise this club is to play the games yourself. When I take a closer look, the background wallpaper features not only bridge, chess, Chinese chess, Go, and Shogi, but also all kinds of board games you can probably see in the Yamaku Student Council room.
I wonder if Shizune has joined this club as well.
“Good morning, Miss. Welcome to the Chess and Bridge Club. Which game do you like to play the most?”
I’ve played Go and Shogi, but my favorite is always…
“Chess.”
“I see. Please wait a second. *Shouts towards the back* Hey, Kozuki! A chess fan!”
“Coming!”
Kozuki? Have I heard this name before?
Soon after, a short-haired boy wearing glasses comes into my sight, and I instantly recognizes him as one of Lilly’s classmates during her birthday party. He stops walking briefly, probably also noticing that we’ve met before, then continues to approach me from the other side of the booth, taking out a chessboard from the stash on his way. Now that I can see him more clearly, my first impression is that he’s probably a computer expert. I don’t know why, maybe all the “nerds” have some “computer aura” in common? I guess if you play chess, your brain must be pretty good, so it makes sense that you should also be good at computers.
“Good morning. Do you want to join the Chess and Bridge Club? Or do you want to play a chess game with me?”
Playing chess on the first day of school is always nice.
“B-both.”
“Alright then. Fill in the form, and I’ll arrange the pieces.”
As I take the provided pen to fill in the application form, I wonder whether he’ll mention our encounter the other day. The Kozuki guy puts the 32 chess pieces on the board and arranges them such that I get the white pieces. He then pulls out a chess clock from the stash. It looks like we’re playing a timed game.
After completing the form, Kozuki hands it over to the staff behind him, and sets the chess clock to five minutes for each player. I wonder if my presence will block other students from joining the club. I think the staff will manage.
We shake hands as a common chess etiquette, and I start the game with 1. d4. He responds with 1. … Nf6. After c4 e6 Nc3 d5 cxd5 exd5, the game transposes to Queen’s Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation. This is the first time I play against, in person, someone who is not a Yamaku student.
5. Bg5 c6
6. e3 h6
7. Bh4 Be7
8. Bd3 0-0
9. Qc2 Re8
10. Nge2 Nbd7
11. 0-0
We continue to blitz out book moves and reach the middlegame, after we both castled kingside. Kozuki ponders for a while before replying 12. …a5. We exchange a few more moves, both of us taking more time to think, before he captures one of my bishops with his knight.
As I stare at the board mulling over my three recapture options, I notice that Kozuki is glancing at me every like a few seconds. But unlike some other people who curiously try to peek at my scars, I have the strange feeling that he’s appreciating me. I don’t know where this rare self-confidence of mine comes from. Maybe it’s because I’ve put on makeup, and I’m wearing a pink kimono. Regardless, I’m fairly sure he’s attracted by me.
Wait. He attended Lilly’s birthday party. He could be Lilly’s classmate who has been playing online chess with me. Lilly once told me that a classmate of hers is secretly admiring me. Is he the one?
My heartbeat almost instantly doubles as I realize that my opponent could well be my crush.
A few days ago, Lilly asked me if I would like to join any club in the university. When I hesitated, she mentioned that there is a Chess Club, and her classmate is in it. She encouraged me to join the Chess Club as my extra-curricular activity (in the university, it’s highly recommended that you participate in at least one kind of activity after school), so that I won’t spend all my evenings in the library or in our shared apartment. She said it was her “therapy plan” for me. I figured that joining this club won’t do any harm, so I promised her. At that time I didn’t link her suggestion to the fact that I’m playing online chess with one of her classmates. Now everything makes sense. I don’t think Kozuki showing up here is a coincidence. Is Lilly setting me up?
And did Shizune, who directed me towards this club, take part in the scheme too? She does have a motivation to do so: She wants to remove me from her way to get Hisao, and pushing me towards a potential boyfriend is the best way to avoid the rivalry. Given how shrewd the Vice President is, I’m not surprised if she has calculated all these.
“Miss, your time is up.”
Oh no! I forgot about the fact that we’re playing with a timer!
“I’m s-s-sorry!”
“It’s alright. Do you want to play another game, or do you want to continue playing in this position?”
“N-no thanks. I’m d-done for today.”
Kozuki shrugs as casually as he can, and hands me a welcoming gift pack for joining the Chess and Bridge Club.
“T-thank you.”
“Our club’s first event is in two weeks. Several chess masters are coming to share their experience and maybe play a few games with us. Mark those dates on your calendar so that you won’t forget those events. See you around.”
Eager to get away from my potential crush as soon as possible, I say my farewell to my chess opponent and hurry to find Naomi among the booths. It doesn’t take long, as my eyes catch her yellow kimono in front of the Photography Club. With my second mission of the morning accomplished, I turn on my phone to call my two sisters for lunch, planning to invite Naomi along.
So I never get to ask the true identity of Kozuki: Is he my secret admirer? I guess I’ll find out the answer in the future.
***********************************
“May I have the honor of getting you some tea, Miss Hanako?”
“I-I humbly accept, Miss Hanako.”
The little ritual we practice at the start of every session is a bit old-fashioned, apparently as instructed by Miss Yumi. But it serves its purpose well. Since it’s exactly the same every time, I can simply repeat the phrases I always use without having to think too hard about how to respond.
A small bowl of tea is gently placed in my hands, and after a small bow, we both take a careful drink. Everything is similar to my Yamaku therapy sessions, just the room is different, and the person is different.
“Well then, shall we start?”
Oh, the board is different too.
“Y-yes, please.”
Holding the Black pieces, I move my 7g Pawn one square forward.
“So, how does it feel to become a university freshman?”
My opponent replies by pushing her 3c Pawn one square forward.
“P-pretty good. I’m l-looking forward to p-performing well in the school.”
Since I’m not an expert on this game, I continue with what my opponent taught me last week by moving my Pawn another step forward.
“Great! So, have you completed all the registration tasks already?”
Pawn 8c to 8d.
“Y-yes. I think I have everything settled.”
I play Rook to 7h.
“Fantastic. So, have you joined any clubs yet?”
Pawn to 8e.
“I j-joined the Chess and Bridge Club.”
I play the book move of King to 4h and see how White responds. Instead of playing a move, she claps her hands in excitement.
“Excellent! Did I tell you that I was the Vice President of that club for three straight years?”
“N-no.”
“So yeah. I really enjoyed playing Shogi with my club members after class. Sometimes I played Bridge too.”
“D-did you not have to c-complete your assignments?”
“Of course I had to! That’s why I only played on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Which is fine, because if you play every day, you’ll eventually get bored.”
In Miss Yumi’s room, we usually had the agreement that only the person whose turn it was was allowed to speak. But here we don’t always enforce this rule. Right now the school counselor is getting so excited talking about her past school days that she has forgotten to make her move, and it seems impolite for me not to respond to her enthusiasm until my turn comes.
“I s-see.”
She finally makes the move Pawn to 8e, and then breaks the rule again.
“So, let’s go over your day, shall we?”
I’ll move my Pawn to 7d to attack my opponent’s Pawn.
“O-okay. Hmm… Akira d-drove me to the entrance, where N-Naomi greeted me. We attended the w-welcoming speech together.”
Obeying Miss Yumi’s instructions, I started my therapy sessions in Kasshoku with Miss Ibuki, the school counselor, across the Shogi board last week. Miss Ibuki is in her third year on the job. Miss Yumi has written a treatment plan for her, and the Shogi lover has been following the instructions so closely to the point that even the greetings and formalities are the same! Possibly because we’re namesakes – her first name is also Hanako – I feel fairly comfortable around her. Within days, we’re already addressing each other with “Hanako”, which makes our conversations quite funny. In the five sessions I’ve had with her last week, I’ve already told her about Lilly and Akira (but carefully hiding the key information of me now being a sibling), and my schoolmates Hisao and Shizune. She also already knew about my classmate Naomi from Miss Yumi. So I feel quite at ease talking to Miss Ibuki about them.
But, of course, I never mentioned the lecture hall incident. And since nothing bad happened today, I don’t feel the need to talk about it.
“I bet you found it boring.”
“Y-yes. Then Naomi and I c-completed all the registration tasks, and v-visited a few b-booths. She j-joined the Newspaper Club.”
“And you’re in the Chess and Bridge Club.”
“Y-yes.”
“So, what did you do afterwards?”
“Akira and Lilly d-drove the two of us f-for lunch outside the c-campus. Then Naomi walked around the s-school as I v-visited the library, meeting Hisao along the w-way. I had my l-librarian duty schedule worked out, and then c-came to visit you.”
My encounter with Hisao turned out to be much less romantic than I thought. Perhaps because he’s still suffering from the aftermath of Shizune’s accident (as far as I know, Shizune still hasn’t fully reconciled with him), he wasn’t as enthusiastic as I’d like him to be. He still congratulated me for the university offer and praised my pink kimono. Unfortunately, since the timeslots of the evenings when he’s on duty are already full, we’re unable to accommodate a schedule that allows us to work together unless somebody can swap with either of us.
So, following Judy’s footsteps of marrying a benefactor is temporarily out of the question.
“Good! So, nothing special happened?”
I cannot afford to tell her about my “chess date” with a potential crush!
“N-no.”
I expect her to finish the “go over your day” agenda and move on with our Shogi game, but she unexpectedly puts her elbow on the table and hangs her head on her hand, completing neglecting the fact that it’s now her move.
“Really? What a bummer!”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Well, no offense, but, I mean, you’re wearing very cute today, and I notice that you’ve put on makeup.”
What’s wrong with it?
“T-today is my Entrance Ceremony, and Lilly’s father t-told me to take care of my appearance in public.”
“I was expecting a much more exciting story from you today, you know.”
Am I expected to do something crazy in my Entrance Ceremony?
“I d-don’t understand…”
“When I attended my own Entrance Ceremony, I dressed up like you do today and also put on makeup. But I had a clear goal. I wanted to get myself a boyfriend as soon as I entered university.”
That’s part of the reason I’m dressing like this too!
“That day, when I visited the Chess and Bridge Club booth, I met my future boyfriend, who was the President. He later admitted that he was attracted by me when I registered for the club.”
Wow. What a coincidence!
“And then y-you two s-started dating?”
“Yes. Initially we played Shogi every Tuesday and Thursday after class. Then, after half a year, he confessed to me. And we started dating. We then participated in the elections every year, with him being the President and me being the Vice President. Until he graduated.”
“You t-two are one year apart?”
“Yes. But since then, our relationship fell apart. It was tough to maintain a long-distance relationship.”
Akira’s story immediately comes to mind.
“I f-feel sorry for you.”
“Nah, it’s alright. I’m over with it already, and I did treasure the good times we went through in the three years. When you arrived at my office, I was thinking, are you also trying to get a boyfriend of yours? It would be fun if you are.”
Yes, I am. Well, sort of. But I have to lie.
“N-no, I’m not.”
She gives me a second look with a pair of analyzing eyes.
“Are you sure?”
My bluff probably won’t go through a lie detector, but she’s only a counselor.
“Y-yes.”
“How boring. Oh well, at least you’re having a nice day. So, any more celebrations in the evening?”
“Lilly’s p-parents are treating us d-dinner.”
“Great! Alright then, I don’t think I should bore you further with the Shogi board today. You should go for your celebrations. We can continue our game tomorrow if you’d like to.”
I don’t feel bored with the game, but Miss Ibuki is ready to dismiss me, perhaps disappointed by a lack of an exciting story from my end.
“O-okay.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
We greet each other, and I leave Miss Ibuki’s office. The visit only took around 15 minutes, which was much shorter than I thought. Of course, it was all because I didn’t tell her about my special encounter this morning.
But the counselor visit does leave me with a question. If I had asked about Kozuki’s identity this morning, would I have made myself a boyfriend, just like what Miss Ibuki did? Did I already make a mistake by leaving the scene too quickly? On the other hand, if I do get into a relationship with supposedly my crush, will we end up separating after three years?
Anyway, now that I’ve joined the Chess and Bridge Club, there are ample opportunities for me to talk to this Kozuki boy. That is if I’m bold enough to do so.
Reaching my bag, I turn on my phone once again (I turned it off before entering Miss Ibuki’s room) to call my siblings. They promised to take photos with me all around the campus. Naomi and Hisao will join too. With makeup on, I’m looking forward to show off my pink kimono in front of my close friends. And maybe I can give myself a second attempt at attracting a certain benefactor.
University is going to be fun. And the reason I can enjoy it is because I have my friends with me.
Now, before I meet my friends, let’s take out my mirror and make sure I’m at my 100%.
Chapter 74: Driving me Crazy
“You’re looking fine, don’t worry.”
“A-are you s-sure?”
“Affirmative. Now put away your mirror.”
“O-okay.”
Obeying my sister’s request, I open my bag to put the mirror into the top inner pocket, anticipating that I might need it again soon. But before doing that, I take some time to appreciate this mirror that Karla gave me as part of my graduation gift pack.
This travel makeup mirror has a silver frame with a button on the left side of its edge to open it. When opened, the top mirror is magnified for looking into details, while the bottom mirror is the normal one for daily use. There are tiny lights on the inner frames to provide better makeup experience. The mirrors themselves are apparently nicely polished and made of sturdy material, so it is hard to break them or even make a scratch on the surface. And to top it off, this mirror is of a famous brand. I don't know how much it costs, but it's probably not something a typical Japanese would use.
And this is merely one item of the whole gift pack. There are several more items that will take some time for me to learn how to use properly.
With my sister glancing from the driver’s seat through the rear mirror, I hurry to put the mirror back into the bag, so that she won’t get distracted from her driving.
“Attagirl. Don’t worry about it again. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“O-okay.”
I'm still getting used to the fact that I now have a rich family.
Karla, my new mom (I probably should call her “mom” from now on, but I still can’t get myself to call her that way), gave me a makeup set both as a graduation gift and a welcoming gift of joining the Satou family. In his “welcoming speech”, Hiroyuki, my new dad, taught me about the manners of a “proper lady”. He listed a whole bunch of criteria, which I mostly forgot about already, but the one rule which is relevant today and I’ll always remember is that a proper lady takes care of her own appearance in public. Obeying his words, I got up very early this morning along with Akira and Karla, and, with some help from the two, I used the makeup set to diminish my scars for today’s important occasion.
It was the first time I’ve ever used makeup. Never fond of walking a stage or being a presenter, I’ve never thought about the option of using makeup to hide my scars. Now that I’ve made myself fairly presentable, confirmed by what I just saw in the travel mirror, I feel a lot more at ease and confident facing my new family members and the several schoolmates who promised to meet me in the school.
Hmm... While waiting on the car, let’s try to recall some of my new dad’s quotes. I’m his new daughter after all.
“A proper lady respects the will of her elders.”
“A proper lady does not mope in public, and does not raise her voice in the middle of the street.”
“A proper lady does not get herself drunk and pass out.”
I wonder if he was referencing Lilly when he made those claims.
Proper lady. Of a rich family. I’ve never considered this new identity of mine before I handed that adoption letter to Hiroyuki during my small graduation ceremony. Being originated from an orphanage, it’s going to take me a long time to learn to become a proper lady. Fortunately, Hiroyuki says I can take my time to learn.
Reminds me of the story of Daddy Long Legs, originally named “To You”. In the story, orphan Judy Abbott received a scholarship offer to a university by a mysterious man. She was prohibited to meet him personally, but she saw his shadow of a pair of long legs as he left the orphanage, and thus called her sponsor “Daddy Long Legs” throughout the story. With the provided subsidy, she enjoyed several years of university life in relative abundance, making friends with two rich roommates and developing feelings for the brother of one of them. The brother was, in the end, revealed to be the same mysterious man who was providing her with financial support. In the anime version, she married her benefactor.
While I don’t get to marry my sponsors, I still would like to establish a bond with them in the near future. I probably won’t live a university life as luxurious as Judy’s, but I’m almost guaranteed to not be starving for the next four years. *Smile* Unless I do it voluntarily, like what happened before the Open Day.
But marriage with a benefactor, on the other hand, is certainly a possibility for me. And today could be a first step towards that prospect. This is part of the reason why I’m so aware of my appearance today.
But even if I don’t get to marry said benefactor, appearing pretty today could still be relevant. A few months ago, Lilly confided to me that somebody in her university has been secretly going after me. He could be the one who’s playing online chess regularly with me. He has never revealed to me his identity, Lilly’s keeping his identity secret, and we never really chatted on the computer, so I don’t know his name yet. But if he is really interested in me, he might show up today. This is why my first impression is so important.
I almost want to take my mirror out again, but Akira’s words remind me that further self-inspection is probably not going to improve much.
Bzzzt Bzzzt
My phone! Who’s calling?
“HEY HANAKO! ARE YOU HERE YET?”
The voice is so loud that my eardrum almost breaks. She never learns.
“N-Naomi! You’re speaking too l-loudly!”
“Oh really? *Tries to turn down volume but fails* I’m sorry. But where are you?”
“I’m almost there. G-Give me a m-minute or two p-please.”
“Alright. See you at the entrance!”
She cuts the connection before I can reply. Well, at least I don’t have to endure her verbal machine gun for the time being.
“Naomi has arrived already, has she not?”
“Y-Yes. She’s waiting f-for me at the s-school entrance.”
“No worries, Hanako. You’ll be there in no time.”
Stepping up a gear, the occasionally reckless driver blitzes through several traffic lights, turns a few corners, and soon enough I find myself facing down on my soon-to-be classmate from the car’s window.
I hope my sister didn’t get caught by traffic cameras.
Naomi, who’s wearing a yellow kimono for her Entrance Ceremony, welcomes me with a warm embrace, which I’m happy to return.
“Nice pink kimono! You’re looking outstanding, Hanako!”
“T-thanks! Y-your yellow kimono s-suits you p-perfectly too.”
“Good morning, Satou. And… Satou too, I suppose.”
“Yo Inoue! In case you forgot, you’re facing three Satous right now.”
“Oh yeah, congratulations again, Hanako Satou.”
“Akira! Did you forget what we talked about last night?”
My lifelong best friend and sister, who’s wearing the same white dress as the one in her Open Day performance, frowns at her elder sister. She’s not wearing a kimono in order to distinguish herself from newcomers like me. Akira, on the other hand, is wearing a red kimono. She playfully claims that without a university degree herself, she wants to be treated as a freshman for once. But with her engagement ring still attached, I seriously doubt a kimono would be enough to fool everybody around.
Anticipating the Entrance Ceremony, Lilly and I invited Akira to stay over in our shared apartment so that we could arrive at the school early in the morning. We briefly talked about my new identity as a Satou member, and we came to the consensus that it’s better to keep my new surname undisclosed. Lilly will continue to address me as her best friend and roommate. This is to avoid a possibly suspicious explanation, if I were to be addressed as Lilly’s sibling, of why we look so different.
“Yeah, I know. But it’s alright in front of Inoue, right?”
“Well, I suppose so, but not anymore when we enter the school.”
“Sure.”
“Hanako, the school staff and students are welcoming us already. Let’s walk through the school gate together, and officially become students of Kasshoku University!”
I don’t think walking through the school gate makes us official students (rather, the registration does), and I’ve already walked through this gate several times last week. But I do like the formality Naomi just proposed.
“O-okay.”
Naomi holds my hand, just like what we did last month when we checked our results, and we walk towards the gate together, the school members already lined up welcoming us into a four-year university life. The staff members are wearing brown shirts. This make a lot of sense, as “Kasshoku” literally means “brown”.
“On the count of three.”
“O-okay.”
When I walked through the Yamaku school gate to formally complete my four-year high school journey, I quoted William Ernest Henley upon request by my two sisters. Now that I’m walking into my dream university, I wonder what I should say in this special occasion.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
“YAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! KASSHOKU UNIVERSITY! HERE WE GO!”
It turns out I didn’t need to worry about what to say, as Naomi already did it for me, her proclamation mimicking what she said when we got our results.
“Welcome! Please approach the counters in the front, thank you.”
We don’t really have time to look back, as we’re led by the school staff towards presumably the registration counters. Naomi is led towards Counter 5, and a staff directs me towards Counter 6.
“Your (national) ID card and offer letter, please.”
Showing a staff my national ID card has been a nightmare for me since my unfortunate accident, and when Lilly told me that I’ll have my own student ID card later and will need to show it to the school staff whenever I take an exam or participate in school activities, I was seriously wondering whether I should reject my university offer. But my two sisters assure me that it will be okay, and, with a lot of practice with my two siblings, I believe I can now show my ID card to a person with relative ease.
But when it comes to the real deal, I’m still hopelessly nervous when I hand over my ID card to the staff sitting across the counter. I’m half expecting the staff to jump off her seat in shock when she notices the scars on my face on the card.
It turns out my worry is largely pointless, as she gets busy verifying the name and the ID number against the computer system without even caring to check out the photograph. Then she returns me the card, stuffs me with a whole bunch of leaflets, and points towards the building behind me.
“Faculty of Journalism. Please go to the building over there behind you for the welcoming speech which starts at 9am. Ask any staff in brown shirt if you need any assistance.”
“T-thank you.”
“Hey Hanako, let’s go.”
With Naomi also done, we head together towards the Faculty of Journalism for the welcoming speech. But Naomi suddenly stops.
“Oh no!”
“Huh?”
“Uh…”
“W-What’s the matter?”
“Well, um… You know, there’s going to be a problem.”
“D-did you forget something?”
“Yeah. Well, sort of. I mean, you know where we’re heading right now?”
“F-faculty of J-journalism?”
“Yeah, but… more specifically… we’re going to enter the…”
A moment of silence follows before I finally pick up what she means.
“D-do you mean the l-lecture hall?”
“Yeah.”
Despite having studied with the former Editor in Chief for a couple of months before the Center Test, I never told my ex-clubmate about my Open Day heroics. She apparently still believes I’ve been under the effect of the lecture hall incident. But I give her a defiant nod to indicate that I’m ready.
“No worries, Naomi. L-let’s go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Y-yes. Let’s hurry up and f-find the best seats.”
Without further ado, I tug Naomi’s yellow kimono and hurry towards the journalism building. Luckily for us, despite the lecture hall being already half full, the last row is surprisingly empty. We gleefully take advantage of the situation by occupying the corner seats. As a result, I get to sit on the same seat as in the Open Day, but my neighbor is Naomi instead of Akira.
Oh no! I just realized I forgot to say goodbye to my sisters!
Oh well, I suppose we’ll meet in the school soon, after all the welcoming formalities.
“Hanako, your phone.”
Of course. Thanks, Naomi. I reach my bag and take out my phone, make sure that it’s turned off, then put it back.
“Do you want me to hold it for you?”
“N-no, thanks.”
We still have fifteen minutes before the welcoming speech starts, so let’s take a look at the leaflets provided by the school.
***********************************
“Let’s shop around, shall we?”
“O-okay.”
As the arena gets increasingly noisy due to all the students aggregating here, my yellow kimono friend and I find ourselves standing in the middle of the school with all the booths around, unsure which direction to go.
“Wow! Amazing! How did you do that?”
In front of us is the Magic Club booth, where a student’s performance is attracting a bunch of girls into the club. Next to the Magic Club is the Swimming Club, which I think Misha would join if she were here.
It’s getting so crowded! I don’t like this place! I wish I could go somewhere else!
But I’m here for a purpose. Besides accompanying Naomi, who said she’d like to join a couple of clubs, I need to find the booths of two clubs in particular.
Somebody taps my left shoulder. I initially thought my upcoming classmate is playing pranks with me, but when I turn around, I’m glad to come to face with one of my targets today!
The Student Council Vice-President, who’s wearing a blue kimono for this occasion, is smiling all ears towards me. She offers me a handshake before pulling me into an embrace, a warm welcome into the university I should’ve been in last year.
I still can’t believe I’m now a good friend of my former nemesis.
She points towards the booth to the far left, which we can see is the Newspaper Club. Naomi’s eyes glint with excitement as she shouts “Hurray” before dragging me towards the booth, leaving Shizune stranded there waving goodbye at us.
Anyway, that’s one mission down (one of my original goals was to find Shizune, as I promised to meet her today). One more to go. But first, I need to accompany my future fellow journalist to the club she loves the most.
The welcoming speech was, as expected, boring. After a round of applause from the audience, possibly out of courtesy, we’re instructed to line up for several admission tasks: A formal registration into the Faculty of Journalism, taking a picture for our student ID cards (which I went through after quite a bit of struggle), registration of upcoming courses, and the creation of our e-mail accounts. Afterwards, we were told to take the building’s exit into the middle plaza where all the club booths are inviting us to join. The Faculty staff asked me to stop by the library within today as I’ve already been assigned as a librarian thanks to Miss Yumi’s pulling of strings, but I decided to accompany Naomi and complete my two tasks before heading towards possibly my new second home.
“Are you joining? If you wanna join, just fill in this form.”
It looks like Naomi has already filled in her application form. I think I’ll hold up for now. I want to get myself settled down before making a decision. I can always join later. Lilly told me that just like in Yamaku, you can join a club any time as long as it’s not full and you can afford the small amount of registration fee.
“I’d l-like to give it a l-little more thought.”
“Alright then. I’m not pushing you.”
“T-tell me how it goes in a c-couple of months.”
“Sure.”
While the yellow kimono is completing the procedures, I take a look around the very crowded plaza, trying to find what I need.
Somebody taps me on my left shoulder. It’s Shizune smiling at me again! She points towards the middle of the right side booths, and I can see a big chessboard along with some poker cards.
“The C-Chess C-Club!”
The Vice President nods, then leaves for presumably other duties.
“Chess Club, huh. I think I’m gonna pass, but I’ll escort you.”
“T-thanks, Naomi.”
Accordingly, after Naomi officially joins the Newspaper Club, we go straight ahead towards the middle of the right side booths, passing by the Reading Club. Come to think of it, maybe I can join the Reading Club too. You can join as many clubs as you want to; just put down the registration fee and you’re a member.
“You’re staying here for some time, aren’t you? Can I shop around the nearby booths?”
“Y-yes, thanks.”
So I approach the Chess Club alone. It’s actually called Chess and Bridge Club. A few students are hanging out playing bridge in front of the booth; I suppose the best way to advertise this club is to play the games yourself. When I take a closer look, the background wallpaper features not only bridge, chess, Chinese chess, Go, and Shogi, but also all kinds of board games you can probably see in the Yamaku Student Council room.
I wonder if Shizune has joined this club as well.
“Good morning, Miss. Welcome to the Chess and Bridge Club. Which game do you like to play the most?”
I’ve played Go and Shogi, but my favorite is always…
“Chess.”
“I see. Please wait a second. *Shouts towards the back* Hey, Kozuki! A chess fan!”
“Coming!”
Kozuki? Have I heard this name before?
Soon after, a short-haired boy wearing glasses comes into my sight, and I instantly recognizes him as one of Lilly’s classmates during her birthday party. He stops walking briefly, probably also noticing that we’ve met before, then continues to approach me from the other side of the booth, taking out a chessboard from the stash on his way. Now that I can see him more clearly, my first impression is that he’s probably a computer expert. I don’t know why, maybe all the “nerds” have some “computer aura” in common? I guess if you play chess, your brain must be pretty good, so it makes sense that you should also be good at computers.
“Good morning. Do you want to join the Chess and Bridge Club? Or do you want to play a chess game with me?”
Playing chess on the first day of school is always nice.
“B-both.”
“Alright then. Fill in the form, and I’ll arrange the pieces.”
As I take the provided pen to fill in the application form, I wonder whether he’ll mention our encounter the other day. The Kozuki guy puts the 32 chess pieces on the board and arranges them such that I get the white pieces. He then pulls out a chess clock from the stash. It looks like we’re playing a timed game.
After completing the form, Kozuki hands it over to the staff behind him, and sets the chess clock to five minutes for each player. I wonder if my presence will block other students from joining the club. I think the staff will manage.
We shake hands as a common chess etiquette, and I start the game with 1. d4. He responds with 1. … Nf6. After c4 e6 Nc3 d5 cxd5 exd5, the game transposes to Queen’s Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation. This is the first time I play against, in person, someone who is not a Yamaku student.
5. Bg5 c6
6. e3 h6
7. Bh4 Be7
8. Bd3 0-0
9. Qc2 Re8
10. Nge2 Nbd7
11. 0-0
We continue to blitz out book moves and reach the middlegame, after we both castled kingside. Kozuki ponders for a while before replying 12. …a5. We exchange a few more moves, both of us taking more time to think, before he captures one of my bishops with his knight.
As I stare at the board mulling over my three recapture options, I notice that Kozuki is glancing at me every like a few seconds. But unlike some other people who curiously try to peek at my scars, I have the strange feeling that he’s appreciating me. I don’t know where this rare self-confidence of mine comes from. Maybe it’s because I’ve put on makeup, and I’m wearing a pink kimono. Regardless, I’m fairly sure he’s attracted by me.
Wait. He attended Lilly’s birthday party. He could be Lilly’s classmate who has been playing online chess with me. Lilly once told me that a classmate of hers is secretly admiring me. Is he the one?
My heartbeat almost instantly doubles as I realize that my opponent could well be my crush.
A few days ago, Lilly asked me if I would like to join any club in the university. When I hesitated, she mentioned that there is a Chess Club, and her classmate is in it. She encouraged me to join the Chess Club as my extra-curricular activity (in the university, it’s highly recommended that you participate in at least one kind of activity after school), so that I won’t spend all my evenings in the library or in our shared apartment. She said it was her “therapy plan” for me. I figured that joining this club won’t do any harm, so I promised her. At that time I didn’t link her suggestion to the fact that I’m playing online chess with one of her classmates. Now everything makes sense. I don’t think Kozuki showing up here is a coincidence. Is Lilly setting me up?
And did Shizune, who directed me towards this club, take part in the scheme too? She does have a motivation to do so: She wants to remove me from her way to get Hisao, and pushing me towards a potential boyfriend is the best way to avoid the rivalry. Given how shrewd the Vice President is, I’m not surprised if she has calculated all these.
“Miss, your time is up.”
Oh no! I forgot about the fact that we’re playing with a timer!
“I’m s-s-sorry!”
“It’s alright. Do you want to play another game, or do you want to continue playing in this position?”
“N-no thanks. I’m d-done for today.”
Kozuki shrugs as casually as he can, and hands me a welcoming gift pack for joining the Chess and Bridge Club.
“T-thank you.”
“Our club’s first event is in two weeks. Several chess masters are coming to share their experience and maybe play a few games with us. Mark those dates on your calendar so that you won’t forget those events. See you around.”
Eager to get away from my potential crush as soon as possible, I say my farewell to my chess opponent and hurry to find Naomi among the booths. It doesn’t take long, as my eyes catch her yellow kimono in front of the Photography Club. With my second mission of the morning accomplished, I turn on my phone to call my two sisters for lunch, planning to invite Naomi along.
So I never get to ask the true identity of Kozuki: Is he my secret admirer? I guess I’ll find out the answer in the future.
***********************************
“May I have the honor of getting you some tea, Miss Hanako?”
“I-I humbly accept, Miss Hanako.”
The little ritual we practice at the start of every session is a bit old-fashioned, apparently as instructed by Miss Yumi. But it serves its purpose well. Since it’s exactly the same every time, I can simply repeat the phrases I always use without having to think too hard about how to respond.
A small bowl of tea is gently placed in my hands, and after a small bow, we both take a careful drink. Everything is similar to my Yamaku therapy sessions, just the room is different, and the person is different.
“Well then, shall we start?”
Oh, the board is different too.
“Y-yes, please.”
Holding the Black pieces, I move my 7g Pawn one square forward.
“So, how does it feel to become a university freshman?”
My opponent replies by pushing her 3c Pawn one square forward.
“P-pretty good. I’m l-looking forward to p-performing well in the school.”
Since I’m not an expert on this game, I continue with what my opponent taught me last week by moving my Pawn another step forward.
“Great! So, have you completed all the registration tasks already?”
Pawn 8c to 8d.
“Y-yes. I think I have everything settled.”
I play Rook to 7h.
“Fantastic. So, have you joined any clubs yet?”
Pawn to 8e.
“I j-joined the Chess and Bridge Club.”
I play the book move of King to 4h and see how White responds. Instead of playing a move, she claps her hands in excitement.
“Excellent! Did I tell you that I was the Vice President of that club for three straight years?”
“N-no.”
“So yeah. I really enjoyed playing Shogi with my club members after class. Sometimes I played Bridge too.”
“D-did you not have to c-complete your assignments?”
“Of course I had to! That’s why I only played on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Which is fine, because if you play every day, you’ll eventually get bored.”
In Miss Yumi’s room, we usually had the agreement that only the person whose turn it was was allowed to speak. But here we don’t always enforce this rule. Right now the school counselor is getting so excited talking about her past school days that she has forgotten to make her move, and it seems impolite for me not to respond to her enthusiasm until my turn comes.
“I s-see.”
She finally makes the move Pawn to 8e, and then breaks the rule again.
“So, let’s go over your day, shall we?”
I’ll move my Pawn to 7d to attack my opponent’s Pawn.
“O-okay. Hmm… Akira d-drove me to the entrance, where N-Naomi greeted me. We attended the w-welcoming speech together.”
Obeying Miss Yumi’s instructions, I started my therapy sessions in Kasshoku with Miss Ibuki, the school counselor, across the Shogi board last week. Miss Ibuki is in her third year on the job. Miss Yumi has written a treatment plan for her, and the Shogi lover has been following the instructions so closely to the point that even the greetings and formalities are the same! Possibly because we’re namesakes – her first name is also Hanako – I feel fairly comfortable around her. Within days, we’re already addressing each other with “Hanako”, which makes our conversations quite funny. In the five sessions I’ve had with her last week, I’ve already told her about Lilly and Akira (but carefully hiding the key information of me now being a sibling), and my schoolmates Hisao and Shizune. She also already knew about my classmate Naomi from Miss Yumi. So I feel quite at ease talking to Miss Ibuki about them.
But, of course, I never mentioned the lecture hall incident. And since nothing bad happened today, I don’t feel the need to talk about it.
“I bet you found it boring.”
“Y-yes. Then Naomi and I c-completed all the registration tasks, and v-visited a few b-booths. She j-joined the Newspaper Club.”
“And you’re in the Chess and Bridge Club.”
“Y-yes.”
“So, what did you do afterwards?”
“Akira and Lilly d-drove the two of us f-for lunch outside the c-campus. Then Naomi walked around the s-school as I v-visited the library, meeting Hisao along the w-way. I had my l-librarian duty schedule worked out, and then c-came to visit you.”
My encounter with Hisao turned out to be much less romantic than I thought. Perhaps because he’s still suffering from the aftermath of Shizune’s accident (as far as I know, Shizune still hasn’t fully reconciled with him), he wasn’t as enthusiastic as I’d like him to be. He still congratulated me for the university offer and praised my pink kimono. Unfortunately, since the timeslots of the evenings when he’s on duty are already full, we’re unable to accommodate a schedule that allows us to work together unless somebody can swap with either of us.
So, following Judy’s footsteps of marrying a benefactor is temporarily out of the question.
“Good! So, nothing special happened?”
I cannot afford to tell her about my “chess date” with a potential crush!
“N-no.”
I expect her to finish the “go over your day” agenda and move on with our Shogi game, but she unexpectedly puts her elbow on the table and hangs her head on her hand, completing neglecting the fact that it’s now her move.
“Really? What a bummer!”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Well, no offense, but, I mean, you’re wearing very cute today, and I notice that you’ve put on makeup.”
What’s wrong with it?
“T-today is my Entrance Ceremony, and Lilly’s father t-told me to take care of my appearance in public.”
“I was expecting a much more exciting story from you today, you know.”
Am I expected to do something crazy in my Entrance Ceremony?
“I d-don’t understand…”
“When I attended my own Entrance Ceremony, I dressed up like you do today and also put on makeup. But I had a clear goal. I wanted to get myself a boyfriend as soon as I entered university.”
That’s part of the reason I’m dressing like this too!
“That day, when I visited the Chess and Bridge Club booth, I met my future boyfriend, who was the President. He later admitted that he was attracted by me when I registered for the club.”
Wow. What a coincidence!
“And then y-you two s-started dating?”
“Yes. Initially we played Shogi every Tuesday and Thursday after class. Then, after half a year, he confessed to me. And we started dating. We then participated in the elections every year, with him being the President and me being the Vice President. Until he graduated.”
“You t-two are one year apart?”
“Yes. But since then, our relationship fell apart. It was tough to maintain a long-distance relationship.”
Akira’s story immediately comes to mind.
“I f-feel sorry for you.”
“Nah, it’s alright. I’m over with it already, and I did treasure the good times we went through in the three years. When you arrived at my office, I was thinking, are you also trying to get a boyfriend of yours? It would be fun if you are.”
Yes, I am. Well, sort of. But I have to lie.
“N-no, I’m not.”
She gives me a second look with a pair of analyzing eyes.
“Are you sure?”
My bluff probably won’t go through a lie detector, but she’s only a counselor.
“Y-yes.”
“How boring. Oh well, at least you’re having a nice day. So, any more celebrations in the evening?”
“Lilly’s p-parents are treating us d-dinner.”
“Great! Alright then, I don’t think I should bore you further with the Shogi board today. You should go for your celebrations. We can continue our game tomorrow if you’d like to.”
I don’t feel bored with the game, but Miss Ibuki is ready to dismiss me, perhaps disappointed by a lack of an exciting story from my end.
“O-okay.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
We greet each other, and I leave Miss Ibuki’s office. The visit only took around 15 minutes, which was much shorter than I thought. Of course, it was all because I didn’t tell her about my special encounter this morning.
But the counselor visit does leave me with a question. If I had asked about Kozuki’s identity this morning, would I have made myself a boyfriend, just like what Miss Ibuki did? Did I already make a mistake by leaving the scene too quickly? On the other hand, if I do get into a relationship with supposedly my crush, will we end up separating after three years?
Anyway, now that I’ve joined the Chess and Bridge Club, there are ample opportunities for me to talk to this Kozuki boy. That is if I’m bold enough to do so.
Reaching my bag, I turn on my phone once again (I turned it off before entering Miss Ibuki’s room) to call my siblings. They promised to take photos with me all around the campus. Naomi and Hisao will join too. With makeup on, I’m looking forward to show off my pink kimono in front of my close friends. And maybe I can give myself a second attempt at attracting a certain benefactor.
University is going to be fun. And the reason I can enjoy it is because I have my friends with me.
Now, before I meet my friends, let’s take out my mirror and make sure I’m at my 100%.
Chapter 74: Driving me Crazy
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch73@29/4/23: Sisterhood extension!!]
Chapter 74: Driving me Crazy!
Year 2009 Month 04 Day 19
Running out of pink ink, I let out a sigh, put on the cap of my pen, and close my journal. I’ll have to visit the supermarket if I want to continue writing~~
I don’t usually write diaries, but I think it is worthwhile to write down everything that happened~!!
So, I guess this is all I want to write for that Ocean Park day. It was great fun!! And it was a pleasant surprise to come across with Natalie there~~
I still can’t forget about my quick, maybe even impulsive, decision of joining Shicchan’s party. Never did I know, and I’m sure Shicchan didn’t know either, that this SINGLE decision, which looked completely harmless, triggered a series of events leading to… well, very unexpected results.
Anyway…
Wahahahaha!!! Lunchtime! Supermarket time!!!
Sigh... Once I’m done writing, the nerves have returned. The pressure is mounting on me. A lot is at stake. It might seem odd that I’m writing a diary entry that is more than four months old, but I’m trying to block my mind out of my upcoming exam this afternoon…
“Hey, Misha!”
Natalie’s voice beyond the room’s door catches me by surprise. I haven’t seen her since this morning. I thought she was out for a date or some event.
“Natalie~? What’s up??”
“D’you want to have lunch with us? Fred’s gonna drive us downtown. We’ll have lunch together.”
Lunch in downtown? Of course!!
“Sure~!!! Wait for me!!”
“¡Vale! ¡Vale! We’ll wait for you downstairs!”
“Okay!!”
Alright!!! It’s been some time since I went for a walk Let’s do it!!
A major difference between America and Japan is that there are not many means of public transport here, especially around the area I’m studying university in. In contrast, Japan has a huge railway network that almost covers every major city and town. Ever since I moved to America, my movement has been substantially crippled because I haven’t gotten myself a driving license. I could’ve asked my parents to drive me around, but I don’t love occupying their time. And they need to work anyway. So I usually rely on the bicycle, which is okay but is tiring and obviously not suitable for long distance journeys.
And this is why I’m taking my driving exam in a few hours. I’ve been taking driving classes for three months, starting from the week I returned to America after visiting Shicchan in the hospital. I was supposed to start taking classes in late December, but due to the Hong Kong trip and Shicchan's car accident, I delayed the training until after those. As a result, I had to jam-pack all the classes in these three months. Today, the result of this crash course will be decided solely on this driving exam. If I fail, I’ll have to spend a lot of cash on a second attempt.
Sitting in a car with Fred will give me some precious last-minute learning experience.
Fortunately, the driving exam in America is not as hard as the one in Japan. This is mostly because the roads in America are all very wide, and you seldom need to face a situation in which roads are narrow and you’re surrounded by a lot of cars. In Japan, especially in Tokyo, the roads are so busy and congested that one slight movement error, or failing to notice the rear mirror at a critical moment, can lead to a traffic accident.
Driving in Hong Kong, a city that is even busier than Tokyo, offers the same stiff challenge. Alvin, the Chinese boy who lived in Hong Kong, told me during my Hong Kong trip that he took the driving exam twice but failed both. In the first exam, he was instructed to enter a narrow road which he was not allowed to enter as a driving student during his exam preparations. When he took a right turn to enter that single-lane, one-way small path, a firetruck out on an emergency mission drove in the opposite direction heading straight at him. He failed to react quickly enough to stay away from the firetruck, causing the examiner to turn the steering wheel for him, ending the exam. He prepared super hard for the re-test, having spent an extra seven thousand Hong Kong dollars (around 100,000 yen) on it. But during the re-test he got confused on a traffic-heavy four-lane road with all four lanes leading to different paths. He took the wrong lane, and the examiner reminded him to switch to the correct lane. He panicked and turned the steering wheel without looking at the side mirror, totally unaware that another car was behind him on that lane. The examiner stepped on the brake, and his attempt was abruptly over. Devastated by the defeat, he is yet to give himself a third try.
I don’t think my driving exam will be as hard as Alvin’s, but I’m not confident in my driving skills. If an unexpected event happens, I might enter panic mode and make irrational decisions. I’m very worried about it.
But for now, let’s change my clothes and learn something from Fred while enjoying my lunch with Natalie and friends!!
“Where’s your rear mirror?”
“Uh… Here~!!!”
“Okay, how about the brakes?”
“Uh… Here~!!!”
“Good. Can you see the number plate of the vehicle in the front?”
“8R FE170!!!”
“Sound the horn.”
Beep Beep
“Left turn signal?”
I push the lever down to activate the left turn signal as instructed.
“Show and tell me all three hand signals.”
“(Arm straight out through the window) Left turn; (Extend arm 90 degrees upward) Right turn; (Extend arm downward with palm facing backward) Slow down or Stop.”
I’ve got this! I’m well prepared!
The examiner continues to ask me about several more items in the car, such as the wipers, emergency flasher, and headlight. And, being adequately prepared for the test, I answer him with brimming confidence. He seems satisfied with my answers.
“Okay. Now, just follow my instructions, and I want you to drive safe, okay? I don’t want to be involved with any accidents. Any questions before we start the test?”
“I’m good!!!”
“Alright then. Now, go straight and turn left once you reach the junction.”
Relax, Misha. Take deep breaths. I’m going to be fine. I’ve prepared for this. As long as I follow the instructions, I’ll have my driving license in no time.
The first step is to disengage the emergency break and move the shifter to Drive Mode. The driving screen in front of me says “D”, which means I’m doing it right! I know this is very basic, but in the exam environment, it’s important to get the first steps right! Don’t worry, Misha, you’ve got this!
I step on the gas pedal and officially start my driving exam by approaching said junction. Even though there’s no car around, I still need to completely stop my car in front of the STOP sign. Before turning, I make sure to do my mirror check and shoulder check. During lunch, Fred reminded me that you need to “exaggerate” your actions. Instead of just glancing the mirror, you need to turn your head to look at it directly; instead of merely turning your head, you need to twist your body to be completely sure you’re clear. We don’t really make those exaggerations in normal driving, but during the exam you want to show the examiner you’re a safe driver.
After turning left and going through some distance, we reach another junction. This time I need to turn right. STOP, and, after waiting for all the cars to pass by, I turn… no, no, no, that could mean disaster… mirror check and shoulder check! Okay!! Nobody’s around! I carefully turn right and enter the correct lane. Fred said that if you happen to enter a wrong lane, don’t panic, as you’re still okay as long as nobody’s nearby. You just change lanes afterwards.
No matter what happens, drive safe, and don’t panic. That’s what Fred told me.
After the turn, the examiner instructs me to change lane anyway. Again, mirror check and shoulder check. I always forgot these checks during my driving classes. But not today!! I’m determined!! Okay~!! No car’s around!! No firetruck on mission or what-not blocking me from passing this test!!
“Remember the signal.”
Oh no! I totally forgot! Okay, the examiner is reminding me. He doesn’t want me to fail this test, and I won’t disappoint him!
So, after making the signal, I do mirror and shoulder check again before finally changing lanes. Safety first!
“Good. Go straight ahead.”
This examiner is so kind to me. Alvin told me that in China, examiners are pranksters. For example, they ask you to park your car where you’re not allowed to park. If you follow the erroneous instruction, you fail the test. So evil.
A vehicle is in front of me, so I slow down and maintain a safe distance so that if it suddenly stops or is broken, I won’t crash into it and can instead go around it easily. The driving teacher told me that “safe distance” means you can see the vehicle’s tires touching the road surface. And I can see the vehicle’s tires now, which means I’m doing it right.
I’m proud of myself. But it’s not the time to relax yet.
We reach an intersection where we should go straight. Even though I don’t need to turn, I still need to do a left/right scan. Unlike turning a corner or changing lanes, I don’t need a shoulder check for this, but I still need to show the examiner that I’m aware of the traffic situation in front of me. So, left/right scan (very few cars today, which is nice), check the mirrors, and I’m good to go.
After driving smoothly for a minute, the road starts to get busy. The real test is coming.
“Turn left, and then go straight ahead.”
Okay!! Again, mirror check and shoulder check. Left turn signal. Nobody’s around. I’m clear to go! Enter the correct lane. No cars in front of me, but there are several pedestrians. I should be fine though.
So fortunate that traffic isn’t heavy today. I’ll get my license in no time! Then maybe I can celebrate with Natalie tomorrow (not tonight, as she has an event this evening). We’re going to a dessert shop. I’m ordering myself a parfait. The mere thought of food makes me so excited!
As I start getting myself distracted by tomorrow’s celebrations, suddenly, one of the pedestrians, a little boy holding hands with his mother, shakes off his mother’s hold and starts straying into the road in front of me!
OH NO!
I reflexively step on the brakes, which stops the car abruptly. Luckily my speed isn’t high, so I’m able to stop my car several meters away from the kid, whose mother hurries to grab him and drag him back onto the sidewalk. What a scary moment! I’m happy I just prevented an accident!
No more thoughts on celebrations. I need to focus. Fortunately, I didn’t need the examiner to brake the car for me.
“Good job, lass. You should’ve looked at the rear mirror, but I understand that you were in an emergency. Just remember, next time you make an emergency brake, look at the rear mirror.”
Relieved that I didn’t fail the test, I give my kind examiner a bitter smile.
“Thanks~ I hope I don’t have to do that again.”
“Well, you never know. But good job. Now continue straight ahead.”
After the boy’s mother apologizes to me with gestures, I take a deep breath and step on the gas pedal again to continue my test. Even though I’d like to take a break, I can’t do that because we’re in the middle of a road. And an exam. Throwing away any remaining parfait thoughts, I’m determined to keep myself concentrated for the remainder of the test. I’m sweating hard though.
Fortunately, the following few minutes pass by quickly without any significant event. Then we stop at a slightly busy junction, waiting for the traffic light. The driving test should end soon.
Suddenly I hear a few knocks on the left door. Looking outside the window, I see a middle-aged guy holding seemingly a wine bottle on his left hand. Is he begging for money? I try to neglect him, but he keeps knocking on the door. With my license on the line, I want to just drive away, but there are still 50 seconds until the traffic light turns green. I can’t switch to the adjacent lane either, as it is occupied by another car. But I can’t just sit here and do nothing! I have my hands on the window button, hesitating whether to open the window. My examiner frowns.
“Who’s that?”
“I think he’s a drunk guy.”
“Neglect him.”
Seeing my lack of response, the supposedly drunk guy puts his head on the window and bangs his fist onto it! I’m scared!
“Waaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!”
“Sound the horn! Quick!”
Frightened and unable to think rationally, I obey my examiner and press the horn button several times. The horn sound seems to startle him a bit, and he backs off.
“Stay here. I’ll talk to him. Turn on the hazard lights.”
Still scared, I press the hazard light button while my examiner carefully opens the door, steps down from the car, and proceeds to courageously expel that drunk guy into the sidewalk.
I’m so happy to have such a fantastic examiner!
Alvin said that in Hong Kong, driving examiners usually wear black-glasses. This is not to look cool; rather, they claim that they want to display as few emotions as possible in order not to distract examinees. My examiner doesn’t wear black-glasses, but he looks cool anyway.
Maybe I can get his phone number?
No, I need to concentrate. He can still fail me if I make a misstep.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. Thank you so much.”
“It’s alright now. He’s gone. Do you need a short break? You can settle yourself down after we go through this set of traffic lights.”
“Really? Can I really take a break?”
“Yes. It was an unexpected event. You did nothing wrong.”
“Alright then.”
The traffic light is already green, so, after toggling the hazard flash, I drive through the junction and find a place to stop the car and switch the hazard flash on once again.
Gladly receiving the examiner’s offer, I allow myself a couple of minutes to steady myself. When I’m finally ready, I tell my examiner to continue the test.
The remainder of the test doesn’t take long, and we’re back to the examination center without another event. The parking test is easy, as I’ve done it so many times already, and there’s no moving car to distract me throughout the test.
After the driving test ends, I was instructed to wait inside the center for the results as the examiner enters the staff room to presumably fill out the evaluation score sheet. After a few nervous waiting minutes, a staff calls my name, and I walk towards the counter with shaking legs to receive my fate.
“Congratulations on passing the test! Here are your results. And here…”
“YAAAAAAHOOOOOOO~!!!!! I PASSED!! I PASSED~~~!!! YAY!! YAY!!!”
The staff giggles at my wild celebrations, but patiently waits for me to finish before handing me the documents.
“Here is your paper license, which proves that you’re a licensed driver and has the same effect as the formal one. You’ll receive your plastic driving license by mail in around two weeks.”
“Thank you~~!!!”
“Have a nice evening.”
I’m so happy right now! First time pass! All the hard work didn’t go to waste! Even though the test was rough, I still managed to pull it off!
Given how eventful the test was, I almost want to cry!
But~~!!!
It’s not the time to cry!! Celebrations with Natalie ahead!! Parfait here we go!!
Knock Knock
“Hi Natalie I’m BACK~!!!!”
“Welcome home! It went well, ¿no?”
After the driving test, I spent the evening with my family celebrating my success before returning to my dormitory for school tomorrow. And it looks like Natalie has already finished her date or whatever event.
I’ll share my happiness with her by proudly showing her the prize I’ve obtained from all the hard work over the three months.
“Ta da~!! A paper license!!! Wahahahaha!!! I’ll get a formal one in two weeks~~~!!”
A broad smile appears on Natalie’s beautiful Venezuelan face.
“Congratulations, Misha! So, did Fred’s advice help?”
“Absolutely!! I need to say thanks to him tomorrow~~!!”
“Now you can think about what car you’re going to buy.”
“You’re right~!!! I’ve never thought about it~~ I’ve been focusing on the test!! Hmm… I think I’m going to go pink. With fluffy seats!!”
“They say that when choosing cars, men usually compare things like horsepower, speed, and capacity, while women usually cares only about appearance and comfort.”
“I don’t even know what those terms mean, Nat.”
“Exactly. Neither do I. Anyway, I’m looking forward to you driving me downtown.”
“Sure~!!! After I buy myself a car!! Hey Natalie, do you want to celebrate with me tomorrow?”
“¡Por supuesto! (Of course!) Where do you want to go?”
“Wahahahaha!!! I wanna have parfait~~!!!”
“Sure. We can go to the dessert shop. Hey Misha, sorry, I need to take a shower now, or I can’t go to bed. We’ll talk about the details before we sleep, okay?”
“Okay~!! Okay okay~~!!”
“See you in a minute. Again, ¡Felicidades, Misha! (Congratulations, Misha)”
“See ya~~!!”
I didn’t get to share with Natalie my crazy story, but nevermind, because I’m actually busy: I need to text Hicchan now. I promised to text him around this hour, which should be early in the morning in Hicchan’s time zone. If I delay any longer, he might not have the time to talk to me since there’s school.
So, after putting my pink pen into the drawer where my journal is, I turn on my laptop and open the instant messenger. Then I click on Hicchan’s message box to initiate a chat. Above Hicchan’s message box is Shicchan’s, which has been inactive since early January. I really hope we can unfreeze this box next week.
{Hi Hicchan~~}
It doesn’t take long before my ex-clubmate replies.
{Hey there. So, how did it go?}
The last time we exchanged messages was two weeks ago, when I told him about my driving exam today. Since then, I’ve been busy taking extra driving classes after school, and thus didn’t have time to chat with him.
{Cannot be any better! I’ve got my driving license!}
{Great job! I knew you can do it!}
{Not without a scare, but at least I made it!}
{Scare? What happened?}
I won’t give up a second chance to share my terrible experience!
{Halfway into my driving test, a kid suddenly jumped into the road in front of me! Luckily I was quick enough to step on the brakes before my examiner had to do it for me. And then, at a junction where I had to wait for the traffic light to turn green, a drunk guy approached me and knocked on the window! I was really scared! But the examiner helped me purge that guy, and was kind enough to let me take a short break to collect myself before finishing the exam.}
{Wow. What an adventure!}
{Surely a crazy exam, huh? But anyway, I’ve got my license!}
{Yes, this is the most important part. After hearing your success, I think I’m going to get my own later. But driving in Japan is going to be much harder.}
{Good luck, Hicchan. Any plans yet?}
{No. I have so many activities after school, so driving is probably not in my schedule until maybe summer break. And right now I still need to sort out, you know…}
Two weeks ago, Hicchan briefly told me about his second year in Kasshoku University. He has resumed all his after-school activities, including his JUSC drills, librarian duties, after-school tutorials, and Saturday’s tutorial center work. But one thing he didn’t mention at all was his progress in the romance department.
{Yeah, about that. You’re still writing her the Memories, aren’t you?}
{Of course. How can I not do that? Today will be Memory #100. How about you?}
{Yup. Me too. So, any plans after you finish all your Memories?}
{What do you mean?}
Even though I know that his task is going to be rough, I still want to encourage him to the best of my ability.
{C’mon! What do I mean? Of course, try to get back Shicchan!}
{Hmm… Honestly, I don’t know. Misha, I need to be frank to you: A few weeks ago I attended Miki’s party. I really like her, and she likes me as well. I’m seriously considering her. I think we can make a great pair.}
It’s been more than one year since I migrated from Japan, but Shicchan’s relationship with Hicchan is still in the same volatile state, maybe even worse after Shicchan’s accident. I’m starting to think, perhaps they are not meant to be together after all. I don’t love the fact that I took a major role in complicating matters between them, but I’m no longer in a position to remedy the situation. How frustrating it is!
Throughout my times with Shicchan and Hicchan, several times I have tried to push things forward for them, but things haven’t turned out as expected. Perhaps letting things go may be the best outcome for all three of us.
Wearing a wistful smile, I can only offer him my best wishes.
{If you say so, then I’ll support you all the way. I’m your friend after all. I should support your decision, right? Right!}
{I know. You want me to be with Shizune. To be honest, part of me still hasn’t given up hope. But I need to be realistic. I’ll probably try dating Miki a few times, after I’m done with all the Memories. Then we’ll see what fate offers me.}
Seems like he’s already made a decision. Well, at least he can still be friends with Shicchan. So our friendship will hopefully maintain, although in a different way.
{I wish you good luck.}
{We’ll see. Nothing is certain for the moment, but I’ll tell you any updates.}
{Okay.}
{Don’t dwell on my relationships any more, Misha. You should be happy today! I promise to treat you a parfait when you come back.}
Yeah, I almost forgot~!!! My driving license!!
{Thanks~~!!}
{It’s time for me to go to school. Let’s chat again after we’re done with all the Memories, okay?}
{Sure. Keep in touch.}
After closing the message box, I open my drawer, take out my journal, and review the diary I wrote this morning.
Unexpected results.
Well, at least Hicchan doesn’t seem too sad about it. If Miura is more suitable, so be it. I hope Shicchan can find herself a mate too.
And for me…
Oh no! I totally forgot to get the examiner’s phone number!
Wahahahaha!!! Whatever.
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Thu Jul 25, 2024 11:27 pm, edited 3 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:20 pm
Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch74@5/5/23: Finale is coming!!]
Chapter 75: The Finale
Memory #108:
Standing on the glass surface of the 58th floor of the 338m Macau Tower with you, watching all the casinos and the slot machines below, I feel like I’m on the top of the world right now. I’m sure you were feeling the same.
Now that the last piece of memory is done, I’m finally at rest. My assignment is over. Time to start a new journey.
About two months ago, on the day Shizune had her right leg plasters removed, she signed to me for the first time since her car accident. She ordered me to write her a total of 108 Memories, the number being a reference of the cartoon Tonde Burin, so that we can become friends again. I’ve obeyed so far, and this is Memory #108.
Of course I’m happy to be her friend rather than a stranger of hers, but I’ve been doing this more for my own sake: By putting this memo into Shizune’s mailbox, I’ve finally repaid all the debts from my betrayal two years ago. My conscience is going to be clean. I’m now totally free.
Free to pursue a new relationship.
It’s still possible for me to date Shizune, but it looks highly unlikely now. We’re not yet friends at the moment, and we’ll be little more than strangers after today. I have better targets to go for. Miki looks much more likely to be my date, especially after the visit to her apartment last month.
Let’s get things settled as soon as possible. I want this burden no more. It’s time to start afresh.
Accordingly, once I step into Kasshoku school ground, I head straight to the Student Council room instead of the classroom. Deliver the memo first, then I can attend classes with full attention. Afterwards, maybe… give Miki a call?
When I get to the Student Council room and the mailbox, I find Shizune and the President standing outside of the room. Taking a look at the inside, the other members seem to be making decorations. Do they have a party this evening?
Shizune stares at the memo on my hand, and Sakura follows her gaze. Well, let’s get this out of the way first.
I meticulously put the memo into the mailbox that belongs to Shizune. I’ve done this for more than a month, so there’s no way I mess this up.
I’m free! Hurray!
Breathing a sigh of relief, I get myself ready to attend today’s classes.
[Thanks! Now we’re friends!]
A satisfied Shizune sticks out a hand towards me. I find no reason not to reciprocate the handshake. Okay, we’re friends again.
And that’s it.
“Good morning, Hisao.”
I almost forgot about the President! Even though I’m no longer in the Student Council volunteer list, Sakura is still my schoolmate and affiliate. After my several months of volunteer work, we’re familiar enough to call each other by first names.
“Good morning, Sakura. Shizune too, of course.”
“We’re going to hold a feast this evening to thank everybody who has helped with the Student Council. You’re invited. Please come.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You were a volunteer for a few months. We need to show our gratitude.”
“Thank you, Sakura. But I have librarian duty tonight.”
“It won’t be a problem. Hanako is already arranging a substitute for you.”
“Hanako?”
“Yes. She’s invited too, along with Lilly.”
“But why?”
“Shizune invited Hanako to help with some writing tasks during some of the busy moments at the start of the semester. Lilly didn’t help us directly, but she fought alongside us during the discrimination incident. Without her, we probably wouldn’t have won the election.”
“I see. So you mean Hanako knows I’ve been invited?”
“Yup. She also noticed that you’re on librarian duty this evening, so she promised to make the arrangement for you. You’ll be free tonight. Check your phone. She’ll message you once she’s done with that.”
“Ah! That’s why I haven’t received a message from her yet.”
“By the way, Alvin will be here tonight too. He volunteered for a couple of months.”
With so many of my friends participating, I have no excuse to reject. And it won’t prevent me from finding a new girlfriend anyway.
“Alright then. I’ll see you all soon.”
[Great! See you!]
[“See you Shizune, bye Sakura.”]
Everything now settled, let’s focus on the classes today.
I haven’t given too much thought on my next girlfriend choice. Miki is the obvious one, but Hanako is also a possibility, given our special relationship. Crazy as it seems, but the kind-hearted Suzu could also be a candidate. Preferably I want to choose a girl with a disability, such that the marriage would be fair to both parties. But I must be able to cope with such disability. Do I want a partner that has only one hand? Or one with permanent scars and social awkwardness? Or one who can fall sleep without warning? Or one with prosthetic legs? Or will I marry someone with no disability? Whoever she will be, I’m glad that after today I’ll have the freedom of choice. I’m excited to see what fate offers me.
Sakura and her team offered us a heck of a feast: There were like twenty students partying in the Student Council room, and there were enough food for almost thirty. I was surprised at the sheer amount of vegetables they provided; Sakura really wanted everybody to stay healthy. There were some fried food as well, but I wisely dodged all of them. Other than the eight Student Council members and my three friends, there were several volunteers whom I never met. The former Student Council President also attended; he and his team were invited because he played a vital part in the anti-discrimination campaign, but not everybody in his team was available tonight. The room was a bit crowded, but everybody had fun.
Half-considering a potential date target, I did approach Hanako during the feast. Despite being selected as a librarian right from the start of her first term here, we never met in the library because there was no intersection between our duty tables. Due to heavy schoolwork and my busy after-school schedule, I never talked to Hanako since the first day of school. This evening we finally had a chance to catch up. She told me that Naomi’s presence made her feel more secure during classes, and she found playing Shogi with her school councelor very interesting. But a few minutes into the feast, Shizune managed to drag her into a corner to play chess with her while eating. I had no intention to deliberately avoid Shizune, but seeing how focused they were on the chessboard, I opted not to interfere.
With Hanako stuck with Shizune, I approached Lilly who was without her best friend’s accompany. Her relationship with her newly acquired boyfriend is fine, although her boyfriend is still getting used to her blindness. Things get awkward at times, but she believes those are not big issues. I didn’t get to spend much time with her, as virtually everybody else in the room wanted to talk to her. In the end, I spent the majority of the feast talking to Alvin, who shared with me his clumsy experience when he met Iwanako’s parents the other day.
After the feast, Lilly and Hanako were the first to leave the room as Hanako had to take the time to escort Lilly back to their shared apartment. Alvin also left the feast to talk to his parents back in Hong Kong. The rest of the guests then departed the scene one by one. I was about to leave too when Sakura asked me to stay behind for cleaning up. She and a few members of her team needed to deliver mails and prepare for their next event. In the end, only Shizune and a boy remained in the room with me.
I don’t mind cleaning up; I did enjoy the feast for free, so I feel obliged to do a bit more volunteer work.
As a volunteer for a few months, I’m familiar with the original layout of this room. After storing all the leftovers, cleaning the dishes, and throwing away the garbage, I help the two remaining members clean the tables and restore the room to normal. Shizune’s deafness, plus the fact that we’re each managing a corner of the room, means we’re performing our work in silence, the movement of the tables and chairs contributing to the only source of noise in the room.
When I’m finally done with my last chair, I turn around and realize that the boy has already gone. Shizune is sitting on a table, seemingly waiting for me to finish.
[Thanks for the effort.]
Talking to my ex-girlfriend feels a bit awkward, but we’re friends after all, so I make the formal reply.
[You’re welcome.]
Looking at the clock, it’s already close to eight in the evening. I should head towards home and prepare myself for a dating call with Miki. I walk towards the entrance to grab my backpack while waving my ex-girlfriend farewell.
[I’ll see you around then. Goodnight.]
But when I walk past her, she suddenly sticks out her right hand to block me.
[Wait!]
[Yes, may I help you?]
Without a warning, she quickly grabs my right arm with her left hand and pulls me close to her. Then, before I can even respond, she retrieves her originally outstretched right arm and folds it around my neck, drawing me further into her arms until our lips touch.
The whole movement was done in a flash, so unbelievably quick from this small cat that perhaps even the best magicians in the world would watch in awe.
I naturally want to resist, but she has me locked tight in a grip that is impossible to escape. On the other hand, as she draws deeper into the kiss with me, I find part of my body starting to melt, my hands involuntarily touching her shoulders. My mind is urging me to push her apart, but my body is enjoying the act. My brain eventually gives up, allowing myself to share a moment of intimacy with the Student Council Vice President.
She releases me after a minute, and I finally regain my consciousness. Is it a dream, or is she trying to write one last memory with me before finally parting ways for good?
I’ll make things clear for us.
[Wait. But aren’t we friends only?]
The girl who just kissed me makes an expression of “I forgot” before signing.
[Oh yeah. We need to go through the formalities. Quick. Say that sentence again, so we can change our status right away.]
[W-W-What? Sentence? What are you talking about?]
[What you asked me two years ago. Quick.]
[Huh? Two years ago?]
[You asked me under the moonlight. In the Yamaku garden. Hurry up!]
[You mean, “Do you want to be my girlfriend?”]
Then I realize that I just blurted it out without any consideration.
[Correct. And I say yes. The procedure has been completed! Now we’re settled!]
Huh? What just happened?
[What’s going on?]
Instead of using sign language, she opts to reply by drawing me into a kiss again. Still at a daze, I allow her to direct our act of intimacy while attempting to sink in the realization that I just become a boyfriend again. Of my dream girl.
<Erotic content below>
My mind is completely blurred, unable to function any more. The dominant girl removes her glasses and embraces my neck with both arms, forcing me deeper into her kiss. She then detaches a few buttons of her shirt, exposing her perfect curvature. She grabs my left hand and places it on her oversized breast. While my head continues to spin in confusion, my hand manages to move on its own to lightly caress her skin. My other hand is out of control as well, as if it’s been enslaved by my new girlfriend. The erratic movement of my two hands must have provided Shizune an element of surprise, as her face turns red in arousal, heat starting to radiate from her body.
I’m not even sure what I’m doing now, but my service apparently pleases my master. I feel like a computer that is completely hung, infinitely looping the messages of “I’m Shizune’s boyfriend” and “we’re kissing in the Student Council room”.
After who knows how many minutes, my dominant cat slightly pushes me away from her, removes her skirt and underwear, lies down onto the table, and signals me to bury my head between her feet. My consciousness partially returning after the push, I take a quick look around the Student Council room. Only now do I realize that the blinds have been secretly closed, and half of the lights have been turned off. Clearly, she has set up for this moment.
I never served a girl before, so I’m a little nervous. Yet the fact that she’s already dripping wet tells me I probably don’t need to work too hard. And I was right: I give her my first lick, and her legs already quiver in excitement; a few more licks, and she starts to make static noise with her lips. She’s loving it.
The area between her legs is unexpectedly clean. This is highly unusual, given that she’s been through a day’s classes and a big feast. She must have used wet wipes to clean herself beforehand. Talking about meticulous preparations!
I once read that the best way to serve a girl is to continue doing what she likes, preferably with a rhythm, and avoid changing too much over the course. Accordingly, I continuously flick my tongue up and down, focusing my attack on the sweet spot. It doesn’t take long before she surrenders. Several more licks, and her whole body tenses up, her legs closing involuntarily as she peaks in excitement, soaking the table she’s lying on as a result.
She’s really sensitive. I didn’t even get to put my finger into her.
I clean the table with a tissue as my newly acquired girlfriend briefly closes her eyes to enjoy the aftermath of her peak. She didn’t rest for long though, and springs to life once I’m done with the cleaning. In the blink of an eye, she kneels down in front of me, unbuckles my belt, removes my trousers and underwear, and grabs hold of the fully erected horse between my legs. From her bag she pulls out a piece of wet tissue to clean me up. Then, without any hesitation, she gently engulfs the head with her mouth while gently stroking the shaft.
For almost two years, Shizune serving me like this has been my distant dream. I can’t believe my dream has finally come true. That this dominant woman is actually willing to serve me is unthinkable.
I have no free time to reflect, as she mirrors the manner I served her by flicking her tongue against the lower part of my head. As if the sensation is not strong enough, she starts a sucking motion that applies friction to the intersection between the head and the shaft. Her skill level is so high that there’s no way I can resist. Closing my eyes to enjoy her service, I allow my extracts to be gradually sucked from its home all the way towards the head.
Given that she doesn’t have a boyfriend before me, I wonder where she’s got her skills from. She probably did a lot of research on this topic.
They say that boys like changing positions, but I have to disagree. Similar to how I served her, she continues the rhythmic assault on my head, while staring up at me with a conquering expression. I would like to extend the enjoyment, but my body says no, and, with Shizune speeding up her motion, my lower head loses control and involuntarily fires off inside her mouth.
She didn’t even go down to the shaft, and I already surrendered.
A triumphant Shizune keeps up with her motion until I’m out of ammunition. She cleans my now deflated head with the other side of the wet tissue, then stands up and kisses me. I feel her throat move. She actually swallowed everything.
<Erotic content ends>
After cleaning ourselves, we re-dress, pick up our belongings, and head towards the exit. I take a shortcut to get myself ahead of Shizune to check the doorknob: As expected, the door was locked when we were alone. My girlfriend holds hands with me, and we walk downstairs to leave the school, with a befuddled me still sinking in what just happened.
Once we step out of the administration building, I’m shocked to come across with my two schoolmates who just attended the feast. The girl with scars whispers to her tall blonde roommate as we wave towards them.
“Hi, Lilly and Hanako. Surprised to see you two here. Didn’t you leave already?”
“W-We discovered that we n-needed to borrow s-several b-books for our upcoming assignments, s-so we spent some time in the l-library.”
Even discounting the stuttering, what she’s claiming sounds overly suspicious. Given that Hanako has swapped my librarian duty this morning, I seriously wonder if she and Lilly took part in setting me and Shizune up. I give Hanako a doubting glance, but decide against firing off the question. Hanako, though, shows me a slightly evil smile that makes me think she is indeed guilty.
“C-Congratulations, Hisao.”
Lilly produces the same smile as Hanako’s without speaking up. Despite feeling tricked, I’m glad that they’re sending their blessings to our relationship.
“Er… Thank you, I suppose.”
Hanako makes a gesture of “don’t mind us, quick, enjoy your date” without saying out loud. I oblige and wave them goodbye.
“I’ll see you around then. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Hisao.”
Turning away from the duo, a completely satisfied Shizune strides with me while breathing in the fresh air of the Kasshoku night. As we head towards the bus station, I finally have the time to recollect myself.
Well, so much for finding a mate. I’m glad I haven’t called Miki yet.
And I owe Hanako another one. Man! This girl! How adorable she is! She deserves a boyfriend of her own. Unfortunately I won’t be, but whoever lucky enough to become her boyfriend is going to be blessed for the rest of his life.
We continue to walk in silence while holding hands; the dim lights preventing us from seeing each other’s signs. Now that I become Shizune’s boyfriend again, maybe I need to start learning deaf-blind sign language.
Ten minutes later, we arrive at the bus station. We go different routes: Shizune returns to Tokyo, while I stay in Chiba. Now that the lights in the bus station are bright enough, we can finally make signs.
[Well, see you tomorrow then.]
My girlfriend hurries to shakes her head.
[No. You’re coming to Tokyo with me tonight.]
[Huh? You mean…]
She nods, not even bothering to explain what it infers.
[But we can’t…]
The Kasshoku lioness produces a trademark snap that manages to flinch me hard. I guess I haven’t been around her, or, to be more accurate, communicating with her, since January.
[No arguing.]
[But I haven’t brought anything. Not even the pills.]
[We’ll stop by your apartment tomorrow morning. Don’t worry about anything else.]
Okay, I’ll take it.
So, onto the Tokyo bus we go. That’s great. We need a long talk about everything.
Once we get on the bus, I waste no time firing off my punches.
[So, why so sudden?]
Shizune frowns, seemingly not knowing what I’m referring to.
[Huh?]
Come on! There’s no way you don’t understand.
[We jumped from one status to another, and then to another within like hours.]
My soulmate shrugs nonchalantly as if I told her the sky was blue.
[Why not? It’s like you pay for a drink, then it’s yours. You can drink it at once, and it goes down to your stomach. Then half an hour later it goes into the bathroom.]
[Are you serious? Do relationships really work the same way?]
The Vice President adjusts her glasses.
[Do you have any complaints?]
Wow, how dominant. I reflexively hurry to decline.
[No, no, no.]
[Then that’s fine.]
Let’s be honest with her. I need to get over with this.
[But man, I’m getting really paranoid now. If relationships do work this way, who knows what will happen tomorrow? Like, you can just kick me out and say we’re not friends any more.]
She adjusts her glasses again.
[Isn’t it exciting? It’s like playing Risk. You can lose half of your territories in one turn, or win the game seemingly out of nowhere after claiming 24 countries.]
I can’t help but feel like dating Shizune is a game of risk. Or a simulation of the actual Risk game.
[To be frank, I don’t like it this way at all. It’s no good to my heart. I’d like my relationship to be steady.]
My girlfriend puts a finger on her chin to indicate she’s considering.
[Oh really? Then I guess you may go now. You can drop off at the next station.]
Man, how straightforward. How on earth should I respond to this?
I’m seriously thinking about quitting. This is not the relationship I want. Even though we did enjoy an evening together, I need to keep my head cool. I don’t want to play against this Queen of Risk any more.
Maybe Miki is better after all. Tonight’s event doesn’t prevent me from calling her tonight. I should salvage the situation before it gets out of my hand.
I’m about to press the bell when she sticks out a hand to stop me, her other hand trying to suppress a giggle. She frets.
[I’m just joking! How could you treat it seriously?]
Joking? Now I’m truly frustrated!
[Of course I’m treating your words seriously!]
[Nah, you’re safe in my hands. I’d like my relationships to be stable too. I can’t believe you fell for that stupid joke!]
Am I really safe? My hands are literally shaking now.
[How can I be sure? You’re so volatile!]
[Nah, just today’s kind of crazy, that’s all.]
I shake my head in disgust. Certainly don’t enjoy being toyed around by her.
[I’m not convinced yet.]
She puts a finger on her chin again.
[Then… maybe we can talk about marriage? Then your status will be fully secure.]
What? I just went from a stranger to a friend, and then boyfriend within a day. And now she’s swinging things towards marriage already?
Am I riding a super bullet train? Or even a rocket?
[But I just became your boyfriend like an hour ago.]
[So what? You already got my mom’s approval. And Hideaki will welcome you.]
[Then how about your dad?]
[We’ll fix that katana man later. He’s not going to be a problem.]
I wonder how she can fix her father without getting sliced by his favorite weapon.
[To be honest, marrying you is my dream. But we just become adults. We should wait until graduation.]
[Of course. We still need to work hard. I want an apartment in the Emperor of the World.]
[You mean in Hong Kong?]
[Yup, that’s the plan.]
I can’t believe I’m allowing myself to be directed by her in this seemingly crazy discussion.
[I’m not sure if I can survive in Hong Kong.]
[We can rent it out. I asked Alvin already. In Hong Kong, apartments are superb investing tools. Property prices are booming.]
[Was that like 200 million? We’ll have to work really hard for that.]
[Isn’t it great to have a common goal? Working towards our little family.]
[Family, huh. You’re really moving on quickly. I like having a common goal though.]
[We’ve got to be efficient. We need to get our first apartment quick and start investing. My dream is to become a philanthropist after all.]
And I’ll most likely be riding the Shizune bullet train after all.
But I’m happy to be her passenger, if the train is steady.
[Okay, I’m with you.]
She nods without further response.
So we’re set. Welcome to the Shizune bullet train.
[By the way, did you plan everything for the evening?]
My bullet train driver adjusts her glasses again.
[Planning isn’t quite the right word to describe. Tell you the truth: my friends helped me out.]
[You mean…]
[Lilly, Hanako, Alvin, and Sakura. I had an idea in mind, but they pushed things forward for me.]
[They set up the party?]
[Sakura did, and the others were eager to help. Especially Hanako.]
My hunch was correct after all.
[I still can’t believe you made friends with her.]
[We’re great friends already. Apparently she played a big part in Lilly’s relationship. And she was among those who persuaded me to make friends with you again.]
[We both owe Hanako one, I guess.]
[I’m going to reciprocate. We’ll play matchmaker for her, what do you think?]
[Sure, but is there a target already?]
My soulmate wags a finger to indicate that I’m too slow in the news department.
[You should talk to Lilly about this. Apparently someone has been after her for months already.]
[Really? Are you serious? Is he a Yamaku student?]
[I’m not the right person to spoil this secret. We can discuss it with Lilly, and she’ll decide whether to reveal you his identity or not.]
A few months ago we played matchmaker for Alvin and Iwanako. In February Lilly found herself a soulmate after heavy encouragement from Hanako. Today Shizune and I finally get back together thanks to our Kasshoku schoolmates. And immediately we’re planning to deny Hanako a life of spinsterhood. What a fast-spinning world!
This is what you call precious friendships. Just like what Naomi said, “Teamwork”! This small but ever expanding core of friends of mine is going to have so much fun together, helping each other out, and growing as new adults. I’m happy to be among this group.
Thanks, dad. Thanks, mom. Yamaku was the right choice for me after all.
[Welcome home!]
We’re now in Shizune’s apartment. I came once before: It was one week before I was crowned JUSC champion. Compared to last time, her room hasn’t changed much: Still clean, still tidy, and organized. Laptop, wardrobe, everything that is essential is here, and no space is wasted on unnecessary stuff.
But the cat doll I gave her two years ago is not on the bed any more. I hope she didn’t destroy it after knowing about my secret with Misha.
Well, I’m not here to appreciate her room. There’s only one reason she invites me here; I mean, what else?
And we better do it as soon as possible. We need to set off early tomorrow to retrieve my pills and clothes. She joked on the bus that she doesn’t mind me wearing her jeans, but I think they’re probably too small for me.
Without further ado, she puts down her bag, approaches her wardrobe, grabs two bathrobes, hands me one of them, and sets off towards the bathroom immediately.
Talking about efficiency!
Well, girls take an eternity to shower. Why not grab the chance to study, which will make the waiting easier?
I’ve been catching up on my grades recently. I scored okay in my previous term, but the result wasn’t amazing. If I want to obtain any scholarship this school year, I need to ace several subjects in this term. Bringing my notes along has become a habit for me, as I can study while traveling to school or returning home.
Shizune eventually comes out of the bathroom when I’m on the third chapter. She’s covered herself with her bathrobe, and her hair with a towel. She gestures me to go in, and I do as she instructs.
She’s left me alone to figure out how to use her bathroom. Luckily it’s pretty easy to use, the configuration being similar to the ones in Yamaku. Having brought nothing with me, I certainly enjoy using the same brands of shampoo and soap as hers. Man, I can’t believe I’m using a girl’s bathroom right now.
With nothing to wear except today’s clothes, I wonder in what manner I should leave the bathroom after the shower. Re-dressing with today’s clothes would be too dirty. Then I realize that Shizune already showed me the way…
Accordingly, I quickly finish my shower, brush my teeth (she already served me a new toothbrush next to the sink before I get in; again, talking about efficiency), cover myself with my bathrobe, and exit the bathroom.
She’s sitting on her bed, still in her bathrobe, and hair dried. I notice that the doll I gave her has secretly returned. And the glass figurine I bought her in the Ocean Park is shining through the reflected dim light of the apartment. I don’t think it was there when I first came in. Through the return of my gifts, Shizune is like saying, Hisao, welcome back.
My host points towards the drier on the desk, and I promptly use it to dry my hair.
Now everything’s done, we’re free to enjoy ourselves.
She took the initiative in the Student Council room, so I should make the first move.
I approach her. She stands up. We lock ourselves together in a kiss, this time in a comfortable and safe environment. The difference in height doesn’t stop us one bit, the desire for love easily conquers the slight inconvenience of me lowering my head and she raising hers.
<Erotic content below>
The plain sight of Shizune covered in only her bathrobe, anticipating her to be completely naked inside, is enough to arouse me. As I go down to her neck, my erection is already hard enough to stretch my bathrobe. Holding her head high, she allows my lips full access to her soft neck. After kissing her neck for a whole round, I go back to her lips, and we share a loving smile. We both understand what it means, as she gently removes my bathrobe while I do likewise to her.
I’m indeed correct: She isn’t wearing anything.
We embrace each other, enjoying the intimate contact of our skin. Down between our legs, I’m already fully erect, our height difference causes it to rub against and tease her private area. To reciprocate, she presses her enviable breast against my chest, catching my hands’ attention. Sure, I’ll serve you. As I gently squeeze her two round balls and lick her gorged cherry, my host rests her hands on my shoulders and closes her eyes in enjoyment.
I’m surprised that she hasn’t gone for an aggressive approach. I was half expecting her to push me onto the bed and straddle me, getting into position to play with my body whichever way she likes. But she hasn’t gone for that option. Maybe she simply wants to be in an equal position with me tonight.
The double attack on her upper body and between her legs is making it hard for her to hold her own, as I feel her legs shaking and her private dripping wet onto me. I know she’s ready, but I still want to serve her a bit more. Accordingly, I switch to hugging her from behind, my hands immediately grabbing the obvious choice, while the teasing below continues. Now with full access to her back, I kiss her from the neck all the way down to her spine, triggering a few quivers from her body. Then I go all the way back up until I reach her right earlobe. I repeat this process a couple more times as she starts squirming in excitement, the dripping already down onto the floormat.
She grabs her bathrope and lays it flat onto the bed, then signals me to move on. I give her a kiss on her neck before letting her lie down on the bathrope. Before heading to the main course, I lie flat above my girlfriend, share a loving look with this potential future wife of mine who smiles back, then cups her face to kiss her. She’s of course yearning for more, so she grabs hold of my erection and rubs it against her entrance, begging me to put it in.
Just like two years ago in Saitama, sex is the best way for her to express love. If she does possess such a strong sex drive, we’re going to spend a significant portion of our dating time on the bed.
When our bodies first joined back in Saitama, our positions were awkward, we didn’t really know each other well, and there was always the risk of being seen by somebody else. Right now our positions are perfect, we’re undisturbed, and, as adults who already spent two years learning about each other, we've finally reached the perfect timing for the best activity ever in the world.
Or have we?
I hesitate. If I put myself into her right now, I’ll essentially be responsible for her, possibly for the rest of my life. The last time we did it, I failed miserably afterwards by betraying her trust; the fact that I was in a passive position during the act was never an excuse. This time, as an adult, I need to make sure I act correctly. No more betrayals. Be fully committed to the relationship, whether we’re in an argument or not. Am I willing to love her, and her alone, thereafter?
Yes, I am. You have been my only one. Things got shaky at times, but the bond is now fully restored, and is rock solid. You are, and will be, my only one.
Shizune must be confused about my spacing out, as I feel my erection falter by a bit. She gestures with her head to ask me what’s wrong.
[Taken your pills?]
She makes an “Ah!” expression before smiling broadly to my responsible question. Nodding her head in response to my query, she reinvigorates my member by stroking it and rubbing it against her entrance, while kissing me on my lips.
I nod to her to indicate that I’m ready again. She grins, releases her hand on me, allowing me full control of the insertion. As the head enters the tunnel, I feel her warm, wet inner walls welcoming me excitingly, urging me to go further inside. Gently grabbing her shoulders as support, I march on to explore her narrow, ragged tunnel as both of us gasp in joy. When I finally insert the entire length into her, I unsurprisingly finds the end of the passage, thanks again to our height difference affecting the lengths of our private parts.
It’s an excellent fit. We’re going to have so much fun in the future.
Instead of thrusting along the tube, I elect to grind my head against the deepest part of the tunnel. She seems to love it, as she cooperates by squeezing her walls while juggling her hip around to generate more friction. The gentle touching of her soft button-like hilt, plus the realization that I’m now having my weapon completely inside her, yields me a great deal of satisfaction. The strong sensation would have caused me to surrender if not for the fact that I just came once a couple of hours ago. The same is apparently not true for her, however, as after merely a minute of grinding, she speeds up her movement for a few seconds before involuntarily contracting her hips for her first peak of the night.
She really has a strong squeeze. When we did it last time, I didn’t remember if she peaked; but I certainly didn’t experience the same powerful squeeze back then.
I stop moving to allow her to enjoy the aftermath, the humidity and the heat inside are enough to keep me in my best condition. She then relaxes herself while panting, her hands spread wide, her face already as red as an apple. A lovely sight to behold.
[You go on.]
Alright then. Pulling the full length out except the head, I proceed to slowly thrust in and out, keeping my penetration shallow for the time being. They say that the most sensitive part of a girl’s tunnel is the first one-third of it, and that’s exactly where I intend to grind on. She responds by nodding to indicate that this is indeed the correct area. I’m glad that I’ve got it first try.
Recalling my experience in the Student Council room, I continue my rhythmic motion without changing the position. A minute into the assault, she returns from her relaxed state, and starts to reciprocate my effort by moving her hips up and down. I slowly speed up, while she amplifies the sensation by rubbing her entrance vigorously. The tensing up of her walls indicates me she’s approaching her second peak of the evening. Fully aware of my heart condition, I resist the urge of further speeding up, instead contemplating on the current motion, fully confident that this will be enough to satisfy her. Several thrusts later, my lover grabs my head to kiss me, and her inner walls uncontrollably squeeze me hard upon reaching her second peak. In response, I try my hardest to thrust as deep as possible to fully enjoy her contractions.
Instead of flopping to relax, this time she grabs my hip and urges me to continue. Is she wanting more, or is she trying to help me finish? Either way, I see no reason to stop, so I keep up my motion and start thrusting deeper. The idea is to strike the end of her hilt every time I thrust. Now that the tunnel is thoroughly wet, the thrust is smooth, and I can clearly feel out the fine texture of her walls. The only sources of sound in the room, other than our panting, is the sound of thrusting and the flowing liquid between our legs. The sound is extremely satisfying to me, but unfortunately for her, she cannot hear it. The inability to perceive sound doesn’t seem to stop her from enjoying the act though, as she keeps pushing my hip to assist my movement. Then, as if the sensation isn’t strong enough, she again rubs her entrance like crazy. She’s ready for a third time.
Her tunnel is now getting super hot and wet, to a point I cannot handle any more. Her powerful squeeze locks me deep inside, the teasing grind on my head gradually pushes me beyond the point of no return. I check my heartbeat: It’s working fine. I wasn’t sure whether I could handle this level of physical activity, but it looks like my everyday exercises have paid off.
“Shizune!”
Making sure I’m not going to keel over, I shout my girlfriend’s name in anticipation of the finale (I’m glad I didn’t mistakenly shout “Misha” or “Miki” instead, which would be detrimental), then attempt to thrust a few more times in vain before finally scalding her hilt with everything I’ve got in the tank. The heat from the jet of scald surprises her, as her eyes grow wide open, her legs twitch involuntarily while the tunnel produces a series of super strong contractions into her third peak of the evening.
It takes a long time for this last peak of hers to subside. Fully immersed into the delightful aftermath, we embrace each other as a celebration of a successful evening. Touching her right leg with my left one, I feel out her scar from the hospital operation. She smiles, then uses her finger to touch the scar on my chest. Scar is now something we have in common. I just realized this fact.
<Erotic content ends>
Neither of us bothering to clean up, she snuggles towards me as I cover the blanket for both of us. When I last visited this place, we slept on the same bed without performing any adult activity. This time we tasted the full course as adults.
Completely relaxed, my girlfriend grins in delight. Her breathing gets heavy. I’ll fall asleep soon as well. Before it happens though, I take the time to review what I realized during the bus ride.
Precious friendships.
The friends I’ve made since entering Yamaku. We’ve gone through many ups and downs, but I managed to established bonds of various strengths with my affiliates.
Rin: I sent her a message to thank her after Misha told me about Rin’s talk with Shizune. She’s hard to communicate with at times. Listening to her philosophical riddles can be frustrating, but it’s good to have her around in Tokyo.
Emi: Her endless energy and infecting smile always provide me with renewed motivation. We still text each other every once in a while. I’m glad that she came to visit Shizune and talked to me after Shizune’s accident, helping me out through my hard times. I feel happy for her passing her first aid exam and finding a career that she loves. Who knows, maybe Shizune will find her a boyfriend in the future.
Lilly: A schoolmate, and a great friend of mine. We attended Hanako’s birthday party together, and helped each other out during the Kasshoku discrimination incident. If I do marry Shizune, we’ll become relatives, which is awesome. Now that she gets herself an excellent boyfriend, I probably don’t get many chances to talk to her. But with a mission about Hanako coming up, we should be able to stay in contact, at least until we graduate from university.
Hanako: She saved my life, what else can I say? And she set me up with Shizune. I have to repay her. Her acts of kindness have finally reaped her rewards: Besides a place in the university, she now has a rich family, a new mother who can guide her throughout her journalism career, and maybe a boyfriend too. She deserves everything. I feel so happy for her.
Akira: Similar to Lilly’s case, she’ll become a relative of mine if I marry Shizune. We didn’t really come across each other too much, but it’s great to have a senior around who can offer advice on, for example, relationship maintenance. She’s getting married soon, and I wish her all the best with Yuichi in Scotland.
Alvin: The clumsy friend of mine who rightfully earned Iwanako’s heart. It was awkward telling him about my condition the other day in Hong Kong, but I treasured the moments when we shared our difficulties in the romance department. He also offered support when I was down, and although I didn’t get to receive his kind offer, I still respect him as a schoolmate, a senior, and a colleague. I wish him the best with my ex-classmate.
Iwanako: Our reunion was surely dramatic, the JUSC event being the link between us. We successfully got through the awkwardness after that nearly mortal confession in the snow, and we’re now colleagues having lunch regularly. I’m glad that she still cares for me so much, to the point that she broke in tears when my heart condition triggered in Hong Kong. We’ll certainly be friends for a long time. And if I get into an argument with Shizune in the future, she can offer assistance.
Suzu: A kind-hearted girl who always offers me help whenever I need. Miki thinks Suzu and I would be an interesting match, given we’re both “nerds” to her standards. She, along with Miki, helped me through some of my difficult times. I enjoyed both of my visits to their home; her cooking is really good. Her condition can be annoying at times, but I’m glad to have another friend in the Tokyo area, where I’ll be visiting often.
Miki: I feel so sorry and guilty. We almost became lovers last month, but it is not to be. I never regret not receiving her offer back then, as I wasn’t mentally prepared. I hope we can still be great friends. I’ll help her find a mate as an apology. But witnessing how she has blossomed from a quitter to almost a boutique owner is so satisfying. You’ll get a boyfriend, I’m sure.
Misha: My best friend, other than Shizune and Miki. I still vividly remember many of the important events we’ve gone through in those two years. Her introduction of herself and Shizune in front of Mutou. Our first meeting in the Student Council room. The Yamaku Festival. Her sign language classes. The Tanabata Festival. The Saitama visit. The rooftop conversation. The list goes on. Now that she’s in America, we don’t meet often, but we still regularly text each other. I’m sure she’s been forgiven by Shizune, provided that her version of Memory #108 is in the mailbox. She’ll be thrilled when she knows about the rekindling of my relationship with Shizune. We’ll make sure she attends our wedding ceremony, if we can walk that far. And I’ll be thrilled if she can find herself a boyfriend, Japanese or American, in the near future. Oh, and congratulations on passing the driving exam!
Shizune: The stoic girl who has been a significant part of my life since I entered Yamaku. To be honest, I did find her attractive the day we first met. And, after so many ups and downs, we’re back together. Part of me still cannot figure out why she drove the Shizune bullet train to be my girlfriend right after we reconciled. I guess she indeed is the definitive “life-compartmentalizing” girl. Anyway, having her right here with me is a lifelong blessing. I can’t wait to tell my parents about us. And I have to thank all my friends for helping us out. Without them, our relationship wouldn’t survive. Now the two of us can look forward to a bright future together for many years to come. I’m confident we can overcome our respective disabilities and live a happy, meaningful, and worthwhile life, perhaps together with our children.
I’m so blessed to have these friends with me. Thank you all, my precious friends.
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Wed Mar 13, 2024 2:01 am, edited 3 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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Silentcook
- Carelessly Cooking You
- Posts: 2572
- Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:22 am
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch74@5/5/23: Finale is coming!!]
Look, I understand that what you're trying to do is being considerate to your readers. You want to provide them with clarification, or in the latest post, with a warning against content they might find objectionable. But...ShizuneFan2019 wrote: <bracketed stuff>
<speedbump!>
Felt that? That's what it feels like when prose contains that stuff inline.
I've already nattered at length about this sort of thing here, specifically at point two, so I won't bore you further with it.
Concerning mature stuff, if someone on these forums actually complained about that, my answer would be "then please go be offended somewhere else where they do have a content-restriction policy in place".
Shattering your dreams since '94. I also fought COVID in '20 and '21, and all I got was this lousy forum sig.
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ShizuneFan2019
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:20 pm
Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch74+75@5/5/23:The Finale!!]
Part 2 Epilogue: Oh My Friends!
The door opens, and the middle-aged man comes in with a pile of papers.
I give him an intense stare. They must be what I think they are.
He sits down behind the computer, puts down his briefcase, sorts out his pile of papers, looks up, and turns on the microphone. I think he’s gone through the exact same procedure last year.
“Since most of you are already present, I am now distributing the test papers.”
I turn my eyes towards the one sitting next to me. In return, she glares at me with a pair of sharp eyes.
This is it, Akemi. I’m not losing to you!
“Hanako Muragami.”
Today is a special day. A day I’ll probably remember for the remainder of my life. I’ve been hyped up for this specific moment. If I can win against Akemi today, I’ll finally take the lead from her in terms of this year’s overall win-loss ratio, which is huge. You always want to be in an advantage. Getting to above the .500 mark is going to be a big milestone for me.
Due to the two months of hospital stay, I couldn’t participate in written tests until the end of the term. Since I was unable to attend classes, I had to resort to self-studying, which is obviously less efficient than listening to lectures. And even though I had a lot of time in the hospital to study, I wasn’t able to outduel Akemi in the end, even though I got a respective score in most subjects.
Only counting this year’s exam scores (midterm test scores in the last term were not counted because I wasn’t physically there), we’re currently tied at 3-3. The first test result of the current term is now being released. I’ve studied so much for it. I’m determined!
“Akemi Watanabe.”
As my rival’s name is called, my best friend in the class nervously collects her paper. She immediately puts it onto the table, covers it with her left arm, and signs to me with her right hand.
[I’m not looking before you get your paper.]
[Fine.]
“Shizune Hakamichi.”
It’s my turn. I’m confident. I’m not losing!
I take my paper and copy what Akemi just did: Put it onto the table, cover it with my left arm, and sign to her with my right hand. We pretty much do it every time when test scores are released.
[Let’s turn it around together. On the count of three.]
[Got it.]
We both do the countdown with our spare hands. I think our fellow students, and perhaps the professor too, have already gotten used to it.
[One!]
[Two!]
[Three!]
We turn our papers together. We both look at each other’s score, and I see a 95 on Akemi’s paper. Then we look at our own papers, and I see another 95 on my test paper. We both shake our heads in disbelief.
[It’s a tie!]
[Oh my gosh! We’re tied? No way! I thought I had it!]
What a disappointment! My winning record! Oh no! Now I’m staying at .500 exactly.
Well, there’s always next time. At least I didn’t lose.
After distributing all the test papers, the middle-aged man returns to his seat and turns on the microphone again.
“The mean score of this test is 72, and the standard deviation is 15. The highest mark is 95, and the lowest is 51.”
[Yes! We’ve got the top marks!]
We fist-pump and high-five each other. We rule Kasshoku University!
“Now let’s start going through the test.”
With the results settled, both of us immediately go back to focus mode to extract as much information from the professor as possible. We first pay extra attention to the test questions that we’ve answered wrong, then when normal lectures resume, we pretty much try to write as many notes as possible.
When the class is finally over, the Sign Language Club President and I head towards our locker rooms. School is over for today.
[Hey Shizune, I forgot to say. Happy Birthday!]
Ha! At least she finally remembers.
[Isn’t it a little too late? But thanks anyway, Akemi.]
Both of us had a busy day of classes, and my lunchtime is shortened because Sakura had a mission for me. So Akemi didn’t get to congratulate me until now.
[Sorry, I focused too much on the test results.]
[Me too. It’s alright.]
My classmate hands me a box wrapped with ribbons from her locker.
[Here’s my birthday present.]
[Thanks a lot! What’s inside?]
[Hehe… secret.]
[Alright then. I’ll remind myself to return the favor when your birthday comes.]
After storing all the books in the locker, we head towards the exit of the building to go our respective ways: I’m going to the Student Council, while Akemi presumably has Sign Language Club work.
[Thanks. So, how you are spending today with your boyfriend? I’m sure he’s going to give you a precious gift.]
Today’s a special day not only because of my duel with Akemi, but also because it’s my twentieth birthday! As Akemi just suggested, this is going to be my first birthday being an adult, and the first one with my boyfriend! I’m excited!
[To be honest, I’m excited too. But he hasn’t told me anything yet. I hope he remembers my birthday.]
I hope. He hasn’t sent me any message yet, which is quite surprising.
[Surely he will. Even if he forgets, his friends are going to remind him, aren’t they?]
Speaking of his friends, one of them I can immediately think of is the one in America. After sending me the 108th piece of memory, I elected to finally let things go and forgive her for real. She was, of course, thrilled when I told her the news that I’m now dating again. And my friendship with her is pretty much back to the state before our fallout.
The sky is so much brighter for the three of us, now that all the debts have been cleared, and everything has been restored.
I wish she could be here to celebrate my birthday with me.
Come to think of it, I haven’t received a message from her yet either. Did she forget? No way!
Trust my boyfriend. The trust is admittedly a bit shaky, but at least I want to show it in front of Akemi.
[Yes, definitely. But I’m sure he’s aware of it even if his friends aren’t.]
Entering the elevator towards the exit, Akemi pats me on my shoulder to reassure my bold claim.
[I agree. You are his number one priority after all. You’re lucky to have him finally.]
This latter statement is also emphasized by my America based friend. Even though there’s some degree of truth in it, I still dislike the claim.
[No. He’s lucky to have me.]
The girl with the same test score as mine shrugs nonchalantly as if to say “whatever you say”. Damn! Are you sharing the same view as Misha?
[Regardless, you’re going to have fun with him tonight, right?]
Yes I am, and I’m fully prepared too. But you don’t need to know about it.
[That’s none of your business.]
[You’re blushing.]
I still vividly remember the adventure with my boyfriend last week. My plan was a complete success. I correctly predicted that he wouldn’t reject the party offer if Sakura was the one to invite him. Then, during the party, I dragged Hanako along so that he didn’t have a chance to build a bond with her. Afterwards, my friends helped me out in clearing the venue for the two of us to be alone. Finally, my superb skills successfully netted me a boyfriend. My reward was a wonderful evening spent with my love.
We haven’t spent another night together since then. Tonight will be a huge opportunity. I really hope that things will turn out right.
I try my best to brush off my blush by adjusting my glasses.
[I’m not.]
As we leave the building, my best deaf friend shrugs again to indicate that she doesn’t buy it.
[Whatever. I’ll see you tomorrow. Have fun!]
[Sure. Thanks for the gift!]
After waving Akemi goodbye, before heading to the Student Council room, I nervously check my phone to see if I get any text message.
None. No message throughout the day.
Disappointed.
Really? Does nobody remember my birthday, except Akemi? Did I not tell my friends about my birthday? Or is my interpersonal relationship so bad?
I’m about to text my boyfriend when I feel a tap on my left shoulder. I turn around to see the Student Council President holding a whole pile of posters.
“Hey there, please help me stick these posters, okay? Nobody else was available.”
That’s a lot of posters! And the two of us are going to do all of them?
Do you not know today is my birthday?
Ridiculous!
Unable to communicate with sign, I give her an expression of anger plus shock. But, to my dismay, the President doesn’t flinch.
“No arguing!”
Man! You stole my line!
Well, I must obey the President’s orders if I want the Student Council to be successful. I reluctantly make her an okay sign and follow her around the campus to complete the hard work.
After a grueling couple of hours, the two of us finally get all the posters done. I anxiously check my phone one more time, and the result is still none.
I want to go back home right now. To spend my birthday alone in sadness.
“Go back to the Student Council room. I’ll give you a treat. And no arguing.”
She pre-empted me before I had a chance to reject. Alright then. Just a few minutes, no longer than that.
Without a good communication medium, we don’t converse during the short walk to our base of operation. I don’t want to talk to her anyway, and it seems like she doesn’t mind the silence either. Soon we arrive at the destination.
“Open the door please.”
Reluctantly, I get my hand on the door knob and turn it open. I’m pissed. I just want to leave right now.
But as I step into the Student Council room, the first thing that comes into my sight is a large head with curly bubblegum hair!
I can’t help but cover my mouth with my hands in disbelief.
[Misha! But why…]
My best friend from America stops my sign by offering me a warm embrace. I naturally return.
I can’t believe it! Misha actually came back!
And during the embrace, I’m even more shocked to see all of my friends waiting for me in the Student Council room!
After releasing me, Misha leads everybody in the room, including Sakura, to make the following sign:
[Happy Birthday, Shicchan!]
Oh my friends!!!
I don’t like that nickname, but I’m amazed by the fact that everybody took their time to learn sign language for me! Even just one sentence!
The most appropriate response is to thank them by hugging each of the girls and giving each of the boys a handshake:
Misha, who actually took the leave to come from America.
Lilly, who decides to support me even though I’ve been mean to her.
Hanako, who’s now a great friend of mine after being an enemy for three years.
Akira, I’m shocked you came all the way from Scotland!
Hideaki, who’ll probably spend the evening celebrating with me and my family.
Naomi, my former classmate and the loud journalist who’s holding a camera.
Sakura, who apparently drove me away from the room earlier for preparations.
All my Student Council members, my best teammates.
Akemi, who probably didn’t know about this party until just now, and decided to join.
Emi, who gave me a surprise visit in the hospital and once again came all the way from Yamaku to celebrate with me.
Rin, whose philosophical words saved my relationship with my boyfriend.
Aoi and Keiko, who are now threatening to become better Student Council members than me.
Alvin, my former colleague who’s the best Hong Kong guide in the world.
Iwanako, you also came all the way from Midori University to see me?
And, last but of course not least, my boyfriend, the one I already forgave after Hanako’s chess match and persisted in writing all the Memories for me. Instead of a handshake, he gives me a loving kiss.
I just can’t believe all my friends came!! And I know that my boyfriend was the one who pulled all the strings for me, especially after I entered hospital.
Thank you, everyone! Thank you, my boyfriend! Quoting from your last Memory, I’m on top of the world right now!
<Part 2 ends>
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Mon May 06, 2024 9:30 pm, edited 3 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch74@5/5/23: Finale is coming!!]
Thanks for your suggestion!Silentcook wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 7:59 amLook, I understand that what you're trying to do is being considerate to your readers. You want to provide them with clarification, or in the latest post, with a warning against content they might find objectionable. But...ShizuneFan2019 wrote: <bracketed stuff>
<speedbump!>
Felt that? That's what it feels like when prose contains that stuff inline.
I've already nattered at length about this sort of thing here, specifically at point two, so I won't bore you further with it.
Concerning mature stuff, if someone on these forums actually complained about that, my answer would be "then please go be offended somewhere else where they do have a content-restriction policy in place".
After some thought, I decided to keep it as it is anyway. Not only because I want to be responsible and considerate, but also because this is the first (and probably the only) time in the whole 75 chapters and 260k+ words that I write about that, so it's kind of an unexpected appearance. And I'm also a rather conservative person (you can see how I carefully avoided explicit words during those paragraphs).
But thank you, and thanks for reading my work!
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
- Posts: 150
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Ch74+75+Epilogue@6/5/23: Part 2 Complete!!]
It has been more than three years since I posted my first chapter, and the story has finally completed! I still can't believe I made it through! Even though I never doubted my ability to complete this project, periods of heavy schedule plus unexpected events in life made progression really hard, and several times I considered abandoning my work. But my persistence came through, and I'm in general satisfied with my work.
Several afterthoughts on Part 2:
1. I really enjoyed writing from different characters' point of view. Throughout the 45 chapters, I've pretty much used the POV of all the main characters in the game (with the notable exception of Rin). plus a few more. I'm happy to successfully follow this feature of Sisterhood .
2. The creation of Alvin the OC is by far the best addition, as there are too few male characters (well, sane ones) in the story to write about.
3. Even though I had the general plot line already drawn out three years ago when I started writing, I did not find the ending until I wrote about it about two months ago. And I love the ending: A reasonable yet dramatic finish to a two-year journey full of ups and downs!
4. I'm glad I did not stray from the title of the story; rather, I emphasized it many times across the chapters.
5. A few highlights that I love the most: (a) Ch37 Miki's home party (b) Ch46 JUSC final (c) Ch49 Number Ball game (d) Ch53 Hanako's apology (e) Ch64 Crazy Rin conversation (f) Ch69 Lilly's birthday present (g) Ch75 The grand turnaround.
6. I originally don't plan on making a Part 3, but now that I've surpassed the timeline in Sisterhood, I really want to extend the story so that I can get more Sisterhood!! I hate the fact that Sisterhood ended so soon! Anyway, I'll need to first figure out a theme, then write a general plot, and write a few chapters to see how things are going. But for the moment, I'll need to first refine some of the earlier chapters in Part 1. But a Part 3 is my long term plan.
7. Last but not least, I've achieved my three major goals of writing this story: (a) Improve my writing (b) Write what I want to write (c) Have more Sisterhood fun!!
Several afterthoughts on Part 2:
1. I really enjoyed writing from different characters' point of view. Throughout the 45 chapters, I've pretty much used the POV of all the main characters in the game (with the notable exception of Rin). plus a few more. I'm happy to successfully follow this feature of Sisterhood .
2. The creation of Alvin the OC is by far the best addition, as there are too few male characters (well, sane ones) in the story to write about.
3. Even though I had the general plot line already drawn out three years ago when I started writing, I did not find the ending until I wrote about it about two months ago. And I love the ending: A reasonable yet dramatic finish to a two-year journey full of ups and downs!
4. I'm glad I did not stray from the title of the story; rather, I emphasized it many times across the chapters.
5. A few highlights that I love the most: (a) Ch37 Miki's home party (b) Ch46 JUSC final (c) Ch49 Number Ball game (d) Ch53 Hanako's apology (e) Ch64 Crazy Rin conversation (f) Ch69 Lilly's birthday present (g) Ch75 The grand turnaround.
6. I originally don't plan on making a Part 3, but now that I've surpassed the timeline in Sisterhood, I really want to extend the story so that I can get more Sisterhood!! I hate the fact that Sisterhood ended so soon! Anyway, I'll need to first figure out a theme, then write a general plot, and write a few chapters to see how things are going. But for the moment, I'll need to first refine some of the earlier chapters in Part 1. But a Part 3 is my long term plan.
7. Last but not least, I've achieved my three major goals of writing this story: (a) Improve my writing (b) Write what I want to write (c) Have more Sisterhood fun!!
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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hdkv
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Part 2 Complete; Rewritten Ch13@12/7/23]
Hisao and Shizune relationship in song format.
For those who doesn't want click the link or in a case YouTube video will not work in the future: Billy Talent — Diamond on Landmine.
To be fair, starting reading this I haven't expected much. Your Maturity for me is questionable at best, but I always give authors benefit of the doubt. And I glad I read this. Your writing and plot construction is heavily improved over course of this thread.
Speaking honestly, towards the end I felt like Hisao needed to dump Shizune already and move on. No doubt, cheating is one of hardest crimes against relationship and trust, but boooooy, threating him this harsh and then pulling out "bullet train" in cruel and unusual punishment. Well, at least all of them are happy (sans Miki I guess), I'll take it.
Thanks for your writing. As Shizune fan I always appreciate more fanfics with her as the main character. And your Shizune is believable.
I still feel uneasy when someone uses another fanfic events in their works, but as Sisterhood author is not offended (?) I have no reason to complain.
I provide tech support for this forum. Ping me by email, Discord or DM.
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My own legacy.
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ShizuneFan2019
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Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Part 2 Complete; Rewritten Ch13@12/7/23]
Thank you so much for the response! While re-writing my earlier episodes, I identify so many dumb mistakes that I can't help but laugh at my older self. I think the improvement is not only on the writing, but you improve as you grow as a person, your experience in real life helps in your writing.
Speaking honestly, towards the end I felt like Hisao needed to dump Shizune already and move on. No doubt, cheating is one of hardest crimes against relationship and trust, but boooooy, threatening him this harsh and then pulling out "bullet train" in cruel and unusual punishment. Well, at least all of them are happy (sans Miki I guess), I'll take it.
Hisao is still at a daze about what just happened! And I hope I produced an adequate illustration on Shizune's "life compartmentalizing" nature (the phrase was from the original story).
And the first chapter in Part 3 will be about Miki (spoiler: she'll be the POV)!
Thanks for your writing. As Shizune fan I always appreciate more fanfics with her as the main character. And your Shizune is believable.
There are not many Shizune fanfics around, let alone completed ones. I do think it's best to write about the character you like the most, and in my case it's Shizune.
I still feel uneasy when someone uses another fanfic events in their works, but as Sisterhood author is not offended (?) I have no reason to complain.
Understandable. I know from the start that I'm not able to write a presentable story from blank, so I need to make a reference on something. And, as I said before, I do want more Sisterhood fun! Personally I would like Sisterhood to have like 300+ episodes! But since there aren't, I might as well create the rest of them!
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.
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ShizuneFan2019
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:20 pm
Re: Precious Friendships (Shizune BE, Sisterhood plot) [Part 3 Upcoming; Rewritten Ch21@5/4/24]
Precious Friendships: Part 3 - When Love Meets Family (Reference: Uncertainty)
Chapter 76: Tough Break
“Here is five thousand yen.”
One, two, three, four, five. Okay. Enter 5000 into the cashier. The screen says 460. From the drawer I collect the six coins that will contribute to the amount on the screen. Tearing off the receipt, I put the coins on it and hand over the change to Miss Yoshida while speaking in a mechanical voice.
“Gozen-yen o-azukari-shimasu. O-tsuri-wa 460-yen desu. (I receive 5000-yen, the change is 460 yen.)”
I’ve gotten so used to the honorifics that, even when spoken reflexively, I’m not putting “kara” (from) after the “5000-yen” any more.
“Hey Miki, you look a bit down today. Are you alright?”
Thanks for speaking it out loud, Miss Yoshida.
Is it so obvious?
“Yup, I’m fine. A bit tired, I think. See ya next time!”
Instead of waving me goodbye, Miss Yoshida reaches her bag for a can of soda.
“Isn’t work draining? Here, have a drink. I’ve bought extra.”
A can of soda isn’t gonna solve my problem, but I’ll take it. I’ll probably buy several more for tonight anyway.
“Thanks a lot!”
Miss Yoshida turns to Boss.
“Don’t push your lad too hard. She’s been working so well. Should give her a treat.”
Our customer’s kind words would normally make me brag in front of Suzu for the whole evening, but today her compliment is merely scant consolation. Boss returns Miss Yoshida’s comment with a deep bow.
“I apologize for my subordinate’s attitude.”
So Boss doesn’t even acknowledge me. But I don’t care. Our regular customer turns back to me.
“Take care, lass. I’ll see you around.”
“See ya.”
Boss and I wave her goodbye without saying anything or exchanging eyesight. It’s not hard to forecast what will happen next: She’s gonna either scold me or soothe me, and I’m gonna completely neglect whatever she says.
As soon as our customer leaves the shop, Boss comes over and gives me a light pat on my shoulder. It’s the latter option.
“So, wanna talk it out? Whate’er bothering you.”
I like how Boss switches to casual language just to accommodate me, but I’m not in a mood of accepting her offer.
“Nah, I’m fine. Gimme couple days. Promise you. Thursday, I’ll be all good.”
“Alright then. That’s a promise.”
I don’t know if I can fulfill my promise, but I’ll try.
“Yeah.”
“You can go now. Take care of your own business.”
Huh? But I still have another thirty minutes of duty.
“Really? You’ll be alone.”
“I’ll be fine. As Miss Yoshida said, you’ve been doing great in your job. You deserve a rest. Also, I’d rather not have an assistant than a sad one.”
“S’ry Boss.”
Boss opens her mouth to say something, but then decides to let me go.
“See ya on Thursday. Remember your promise.”
“I’ll. Thanks, Boss.”
Grabbing my bag from behind the cashier, I give Boss a sincere nod and head towards the entrance. I’ll have dinner, and then… spend some time alone.
The first thing I do after exiting the boutique is to take out my phone and text my roommate Suzu.
{Late 2nite. U slp 1st.}
Leaving a narcolepsy unattended may seem risky, but I believe she can handle it. Worst case, if she falls asleep on the floor, I’ll pick her up when I return home.
Alright, to my favorite dumpling restaurant. I’ve been there so many times that even in a bad mood, I can still make my way there mechanically without problems. So, three streets across, turn left, and third shop. I really want to kick the door open, but resisting the urge to vent my frustration on innocent objects to the best of my abilities, I gently push the door open and take a seat in the middle of the booth. I’d like to hide in a corner instead, but the restaurant is unexpectedly busy at this hour; I guess the dumplings here are so famous that many tourists come to give them a try, and my speculation is confirmed by the abundance of various languages being spoken in the surroundings.
“Fried dumplings, classic style. Soda please.”
The cook in front of me raises his hand to indicate he’s got my order. He then adds water onto the dumplings he’s already been working on, and then goes to the fridge to grab me the soda I requested.
I know boiled dumplings are better for my health, but I want to cheer myself up, just barely, by eating fried food.
Opening the can of soda with a click, I immediately consume half of the drink in one go. I’m going to have to order a few more of these. Maybe beer would be a better choice in this scenario, but I don’t want to be drunk when I go back home and see Suzu lying on the floor.
Sigh… Why did this have to happen to me?
Even until last night, I was still dreaming for a happy future with… him. And the dream gets brutally crushed in just one day.
Damn that girl! Why did she have to win? I don’t wanna lose to her! I don’t see why I would lose to her!
If only I pushed further. Things might have changed.
Or maybe I was just too hopeful. Even if I pushed, he might have rejected, and things would’ve gone even worse. But now I’m left with the “if” question.
I really want to cry. I really do. Trying my best to control my emotional outburst, I bury my head in my arms on the table. Taking out a piece of tissue paper, I cover my eyes with it and soak it with the tears I’m unable to withhold.
Never did I experience the heart-breaking loss of love. I finally do.
Thanks, life. I guess everybody has to go through the same process. At least most people will have to.
I doubt I can fulfill my promise to Boss on Thursday.
And I wonder if I should tell Suzu about it.
Love is a fair game. If you don’t grab it, you lose it. Be active, or you might regret it later. Boys always love active girls, and why not? I should’ve realized. I would too if I were a boy.
Luckily I’m still young enough to find another soulmate. But I live with a disadvantage of being a disabled. My choices are limited.
Someone pats me lightly on my arm. For a moment I choose to neglect them, but then I realize that my dumplings might be ready. They cook them like fifty at a time after all, so my portion might have already been cooking before I came.
After cleaning myself up with my tissue and lifting my head, I see not only my portion of dumplings, but also a boy sitting next to me, looking at me with concern. I recognize this boy; he’s a classmate of mine from my vocational training center, although we never talked to each other. He’s wearing a sleeveless black shirt with black pants, and he has short hair like an explosion. In class he always wears a light brown zip-up jacket, but he’s not wearing it now, probably due to the heat from all the steamers in the restaurant.
“Are you alright?”
How can I say no in this occasion?
“Yes. Sorry.”
“You’re one of my classmates, aren’t you?”
So he recognizes me as well. That’s why he’s sitting next to me. My stump must have been an easy identification for him.
“Yes.”
“Shin Kuzuhara here.”
Even though I’d like to be alone, having someone to talk to might not be a bad idea. At least I get some distraction from my love loss. I need to pull myself together in front of Suzu and Boss anyway.
“Miki Miura, although I’d like to use first names instead. Surnames are too stuffy.”
“That’d be great! I’m also of the casual type. Call me Shin then.”
Being able to pull off my mask of politeness and switch to casual language is a big relief for me. Although I can’t be too casual since I’m in Tokyo.
“Likewise, Miki here.”
“Looks like we ordered the same dumplings, Miki.”
“We do. And we should eat them before they get cold.”
So we both enjoy our meals in relative silence for a while. Ten dumplings probably won’t be enough for me tonight, so I’ll ask for a refill. Usually I eat half of the second portion and carry the remaining home for Suzu.
“So, what brings you here, Miki?”
Yeah, eating the whole meal in complete silence is too awkward. Replying with generic stuff won’t hurt.
“I’m actually working in a boutique in the nearby mall.”
“I see! So you’re in on-the-job training too, huh. Me too.”
“Where are you working at?”
“Uniqlo. In the mall next to the railway station. I only work there on Mondays and Wednesdays though.”
No wonder I never saw him in work; that mall is like twenty minutes’ walk from our school, on the other side of the river and the opposite direction from my shared apartment with Suzu.
“That’s why you’re eating here instead of working.”
“How ‘bout you? You work every day?”
“Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
“Yeah. Earn money for your school fee.”
“Yup. And maybe get enough funds to open my own shop.”
“You wanna manage your own shop?”
“My long term goal.”
“Yeah, I guess if we study fashion design, we’re bound to that industry anyway. Hey, perhaps we can form a partnership in the future, and with a few more classmates.”
“Not out the question. Will have to discuss the design first.”
“That’ll be for another day. Now let’s finish the meal or else it gets cold.”
Grabbing the soda with my lone hand, I disappointingly find it already empty. The dumplings are almost gone, and I still feel hungry.
“I’m actually gonna order another set of dumplings. Wanna share?”
“Definitely. Feelin’ a bit hungry too. I’ll order for you.”
As my classmate orders food for me, I take another look around the restaurant. Still a lot of visitors, many of them speaking what I believe is Chinese. There are some big guys in golden hair too, and on their tables are a whole mountain of food. Tokyo is certainly the central spot for tourists; perhaps in the future I want to dedicate some designs to visitors too.
Shin hands me another can of soda and opens his own.
“Cheers?”
Not quite in the mood to celebrate, but I’ll do it out of etiquette. He hasn’t asked any questions about my previous emotional outburst. He might think he’s not yet in a position to do so.
“Cheers.”
Now that I face more in his general direction, I realize that he’s hanging his bag with a hook under the bench. He must have put his jacket in his bag. The one thing that stands out of the bag is its design.
“That’s an Eevee bag, right?”
Shin immediately raises his eyebrows when I mention the Evolution Pokemon.
“Yeah, cost me quite a bit. Like, a month of Uniqlo work.”
“You like it, huh.”
“A lot. Been a fan of anime and manga for years.”
Can’t believe this classmate of mine has quite a few things in common.
“Y’know what, me too.”
“Really? Been tryin’ to find a friend who likes anime for some time. Well I guess I don’t make many friends to start with.”
“Same here. I’ve been trying to get my roommate Suzu to play a game with me, but she’s a big nerd who only likes reading.”
Well, the fact that I only have one hand making me infinitely harder to play a game doesn’t help either.
“Haha! What a coincidence! I remember tryin’ to rope a former friend of mine into reading manga. Still have a whole stash of stuff in his home. Never returned to me. He got transferred, and we never really contacted afterwards.”
Transferred, huh. Just like… that boy. I don’t wanna think about him any more, so let’s sway the conversation away from him.
“Looks like not everyone likes these kind of stuff.”
“Guess not. In fact, …”
My new friend puts down his chopsticks and runs through his bag to retrieve two sets of cards.
“I’ve brought myself Pokemon Trading Card today. I played with my friend Mai on Sunday, but I left it in my bag for two days. What a stupid move. Wanna play a few games with me after dinner?”
A rare chance to play games? Of course I’ll take it. More distraction from… the boy is always welcome.
“Definitely. Let’s do it in the nearby park. The lamplights there should be bright enough to see.”
“Awesome! Finally have a friend other than Mai to play with!”
“Yup, a nice distraction from all those heavy schoolwork.”
Anticipating the upcoming games, both of us start digging in the new set of fried dumplings that we’re sharing.
“By the way, d’you mind if I ask? Your arm.”
I’ve been asked multiple times about this question ever since I started working in the boutique. In the city, having such a disability is a big stand out. I’ve gotten used to it already, and luckily most who ask the question mean no harm.
“Stump? Lost my hand. My dad’s machine. Cut right through.”
Shin frowns in imaginary pain as I describe my trauma casually as if it was nothing.
“Oh man! What a tough break! Wanna feel for you, even though practically I can’t.”
“Nah, no need to cut your hand off just for me.”
Shin chuckles at my humorous comment, then stares at me with a serious pair of eyes.
“Have you thought about planting one? Y’know, like robots.”
“Once thought about it, but family has no cash for it.”
“How ‘bout earning enough for one? Literally earn your own hand back.”
“Nice idea, boy. Never thought about that possibility. Even more motivation to open my own boutique.”
“Y’know what? I like your style. I know we practically only talked for like thirty minutes, but be my friend, will ya?”
Making another friend is always nice. His explosive hair looks cool.
“Absolutely.”
So we shake hands, and proceed to finish our dinner and share our bills.
“To the park we go. And you know how to play TCG?”
“Uh… TCG?”
“Trading Card Game. You know the rules?”
“Beats me.”
“I’ll explain while we walk. So basically you have a pack of sixty cards called ‘Deck’. After shuffling, each player draws seven cards. There are three kinds of cards: Pokemon, Energy, and Trainers. Pokemon are used to attack and knock your opponent out. Energy is needed to use attacks. Trainers are cards that change the condition of the battlefield. Out of seven cards, each person puts down one Basic Pokemon card face down as the active spot, and at most five Basic as the Bench…”
As my new friend explains the seemingly complicated TCG rules to me, I’m glad that at least I’ve something to do to forget about the boy who texted me to apologize for choosing another girl to be his girlfriend. That’s gonna be a tough pill to swallow no matter what, but with the result already set, I need to move on.
Last edited by ShizuneFan2019 on Thu Jul 25, 2024 11:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
ShizuneFan2019: I write Precious Friendships, a Shizune bad end continuation with a plot similar to Sisterhood, but focusing on the other characters. It has 3 parts, has more than 80 chapters already, has expanded way beyond the timeline of Sisterhood, and is still continuing.