Cherry Blossom - A L/H FF

[DragoonHP]

Hey.
My first fic for Katawa Shoujo. Hope you like it.
Nothing much to say, anyway.*shudders*
Ah yes, just that it st, sta--rts ju-st afte, after the end-ing 'Promise of Time'.

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CHERRY BLOSSOM
CHAPTER — 1

Her smile is so innocent and lovely that I actually feel a little disappointed when she looks back at the sky, her eyes close and a wistful expression on her face.

I follow the gesture and look at the sky. The last of fireworks have ended. Now, puffs and small clouds of black, grey and purple smoke are lingering in the sky and there is even a faint almost unnoticeable smell of gun powder in the air.

As I look in the sky, I think about today’s event. Today has been one of the happiest days of my life, in which I didn’t create a scene and ended in a hospital.

Looking in the night sky somehow makes me sad, sad that the day is over. I really enjoyed spending time with Hanako and Lilly. Thinking about Lilly, I just can’t resist the urge to look at her. So, I chance a furtive glance at Lily.

She is still looking up in the sky. Her blonde hairs are swaying lazily in the night breeze. She really seems to enjoy this, because there was a little smile on her face. Not the one she almost always have on her face, but a very natural and contented smile. Like she is happy here, truly happy and don’t have a worry in the world.

Lilly stirs a little and I snap my head up, noticing for the first time that I was staring at her with so much intensity that I don’t even notice Hanako moving to Lilly’s side.

My face is flushed red with embarrassment. My mind is filled with a ton of questions and all seem to be along the same line.

Did Hanako see me staring at Lilly?

Every passing reel of the thought flushes my cheeks redder. I feel like a child caught stealing his favourite candy. I sigh, fidgeting on my feet.

Trying to give my mind to think about something other than Lilly and my obvious embarrassment, I look around. And for the first time I notice that the school ground are mostly empty now. Peoples are milling out of the gate, exchanging hugs and pleasantries with the staff and students. Some of them are even crying, obviously over leaving their children again.

And at this moment, I feel a pang of disappointment in my heart. My parents haven’t come. It’s not like I told them in the first place, but I have an excuse ready.

I was busy, extremely busy trying to fit in the new atmosphere of Yamaku.

The excuse is lame, and I know it. Everyone here seems to be a little too accepting, seeing the fact that I rarely tried to initiate a conversation for talking, not for asking help or directions. And this thing about
Yamaku is the best…

Before I could continue my line of thought, I feel like someone is shaking me. Snapping out of my reverie, I look at the general direction from which I’m feeling the gentle shaking.

My eyes meet with Lilly blue eyes, which are fixed in my direction. I blush at the eye contact and for a nasty moment I feel relieved that she is blind.

Feeling guilty on even the thought, I ask her, as gently as possible, “What?”

Lilly smiles, pulls her hand away from my shoulder and says, “We should head in. Festival had ended and we all have classes tomorrow.”

I sheepishly rub the back of my neck, letting out a long yawn.

“You are probably right. We should head in.”

I look at the smoke clouded night sky for a moment, pleading for the time to stop. But it doesn’t and soon I hear the tap of a cane.

Smiling to myself, for reasons unknown even to me, I head to the dorms with Lilly and Hanako. We soon reach the point where the three of is have to part ways, or precisely I have to part ways with Lilly and Hanako.

I stop and look at both of them almost pleadingly. I don’t want to say good night, fearing that if I say that, I will wake up in the morning and will found myself in confides of the hospital. This thought makes shiver run down my spine. Not wanting the silence to be too awkward, I say in a whisper,

“Good night Lilly, Hanako.”

“Good night,”; “Night,” are their responses.

I turn around with a jerk, noting that my legs have suddenly become twenty times heavier than before. It takes all my willpower to take the first couple of steps. I don’t even stop when I hear a thump. I just glance over my shoulder to confirm that the source of the noise isn’t one of them.

I slouch off to my room, stopping in my tracks when I saw the closed door of Kenji room. I feel a little sorry for him. After all he has missed quite an eventful day.

So deciding to check on him, I rap my knuckles on his door.

Knock, knock.

No answer. Not even a shuffling sound comes from behind the doorway. If I haven’t known I would have said that no one lived here. But sadly a person lives here and even though he is a bit crazy he is a good person.

So I knock again, a little loudly this time.

Knock, KNOCK.

I wait for a response. Minutes passed but no sound comes from inside. Maybe he is asleep. Even standing here is making my eyelid feel like someone has attached a kilo of weight on them.

It was taking all of my remaining strength to stand up straight. Deciding that he is asleep, I start taking tentative steps towards my room, not trusting my sense of orientation.

And then I heard the slowly creaking of many locks. Cursing my luck, I turn around; all the while trying a best approach to quickly brush-off Kenji.

I stop dead in my tracks when I hear the rhythmic tap of a cane on the floor.

Laughing at my own foolishness, I look at Kenji’s door. The lock opening process is taking longer than usual, like he has added a dozen of locks. Knowing Kenji I won’t put it past him.

But the tap, tap of the cane in the background is making my sleep and boredom flutter into inexistence. I smile at my own foolishness again. There are many other blind students here, not just Lily.

I shake my head and for a second thought about kicking the door open. Stamping on this thought, I decide to count to five in my head.

One…

Two…

Three…

Four…

F—

“Hisao.”

The sweet voice breaks through my thoughts and I’m most happy about it. It turns out that my mind wasn’t wrong when it anticipated it was Lilly. I turn to look at Lilly and feel a gust of air whip my face and a slam that soon follows. It was like someone has closed a door in a hurry and with a snap I remember about Kenji. Somewhere in my mind I’m happy about it. I don’t want Kenji to scare both of them away or worse let them think that I am like him.

Seeing her with my own eyes make it sort of more real. My breath hitches a bit, but I manage to calm it.

“What brings you here Lilly — Hanako?” I add seeing Hanako behind Lilly.

“Your wallet fell off when we parted,” Lily says this casually, extending my wallet. My finger brushes with the skin of her palm and I felt jolt of current running the length of my body. I clearly feel the thumping of my heart against my ribcage. I vividly remember what have happened that time as images from that evening comes rushing in my vision.

Gulping, I say, “And what took you so long?”

It is a desperate measure and I know it. But I just have to do something, something to get my heart back on the line.

“We were just deciding that what to do with it.” Saying this Lilly pause, a smile on her face; leaving me to ponder on her double meaning statement.

Just when I’m going to say something, Lilly continues, “We just couldn’t decide when to give you your wallet back, so we decided to come now and give it to you. Is it fine?” She added, sounding worried.

Honestly, I can think of many worse things, then two girls coming to me to return my wallet. And it doesn’t bother that the aforementioned girls are cute.

I lean against the door, the silence between us becoming more and more awkward by every passing second.

“Is it your r—room?” Hanako asks, pointing at Kenji’s room.

I look at the door taking some steps towards my room. I open the door, make a sweeping gesture in my room and ask, “Will you mind coming in?”

As the words registers with my mind, my face burns red as I drop my gaze to the floor and added, “If you don’t mind, that is.”

I half-heartedly wished for hearing a no. I glance up at them, when no answer comes for moment.

Hanako looks like she may say no and Lilly have unreadable expressions on her face.

Feeling guilty than it is healthy for an individual, I say to both of them, “Forget I even said that. Good night.”

As soon as I say this, I enter my room and idly push the door in the doorjamb. I don’t hear the slam of the door which I probably should have. Feeling a bit groggy, I look at the door my eyes already half-closed and unfocused.

But as soon as they sweep over the door, they freeze and became wide as a jumble mess of emotions rake through my brain. The door was pushed open, and in the doorway stood Lilly, Hanako just behind her.

“We were thinking that you will invite us in,” Lilly says.

I’m amazed. It is one of the rare times she fully unfolds herself in front of me, and right now to be honest, it somehow irritates me. Maybe it is lack of sleep, maybe it is the blunt invasion of my privacy or some other unknown reason, but I become a bit irritated.

Then a rational voice said in my head, ‘You invited them in, after all.’

Lost in my thoughts, I almost missed what Lilly is saying, “… and after all it is courtesy to invite someone in, when they have done something good to you or for you.”

I seriously don’t know about the rule of courtesies but I have got a feeling that this one is made up. Though I don’t voice my thought.

“Okay.”

I say this almost resignedly as traces of sleep catches up with me. My eyes are once again unfocussed and I have to slap my hand in order to find my alarm clock. After all I have to go to the track tomorrow to exercise.

As I think about it, I decide that skipping it won’t hurt. After all what good use will it do, if I just nod-off on the tracks. Feeling quite happy and relived, I eye my bed wistfully. I glance at the clock and my jaws fell open in terror.

Only 10 seconds have passed since I let Lilly and Hanako enter and here I was thinking that 10 hours have passed at the least.

I turn to the girls, to bluntly tell them to clear off. I sway on my feet and have to throw an arm on the nearby table to help me keep upright. My hand smashes against something curvy and send them flying in air. A crash soon followed and with groggy eyes, I realise that I have send the bottle of my medications flying in the room.

Sighing heavily, I bent to pick the closer one of the strewn bottles.

“What was that?” Lily voice makes me stop dead in my track.

My first impulse is to lie, a white lie which could easily pass because Lilly is blind. I feel a little guilty but it is soon encompassed by my pride.

I open my mouth to repeat my well rehearsed lie, when I suddenly remember that I have told her everything about my condition.

Not reaching a firm decision in time, I just look at both of them. Hanako still don’t know anything about my heart problem and I somehow trust that Lilly wouldn’t have told her. And the confused expression on Hanako face is confirming my belief.

“Cardio…”

Hanako hums and I move hastily toward the said bottle, deciding on the spot that everything is better if kept in warps. But Hanako beat me by a second. Before I can even reach the bottle, Hanako has cradled the bottle in her hands, reading the finer printed details.

I look around the room and hastily start to pick the other half dozen bottles. I don’t want them to have more proofs using which they can taunt me to answer.

“You have a heart problem,” Hanako says. I can’t decide if it is a statement or a question. So, I choose to keep quite.

Time continues to trickle and my sleep addled eyes are now fully awake.

After some moments of silence, Hanako says, “You have Arrhythmia, don’t you?”

I look at her in complete horror. How she has known this? Because none of the medication bottles state anything about the name of my disease.

“How do you know that?” I ask her, almost accusingly. The sting in my word is prominent and at the end of sentence I turn toward Lilly, feeling betrayed. Because I haven’t even thought that she will betray my confidence like that.

Hanako visible shudder at my words, and the carefree and slightly less shy behaviour she has been using around me, is now again in wraps of shyness… and maybe fear.

“I — read ab—out i—t — in a, a book,” Hanako splutters out the word, her eyes darting back and forth from the open door to me.

A white lie to cover Lilly’s betrayal. My blood starts to boil at this statement and I can feel the initial stages of anger building in me.

So, I ask again, with more sting in my words, “And why will you read a heart disease related book?”

I look at Lilly again. Her face is a little pale and she is wearing an incredulous expression. No one have until now seen my anger and I have actually hoped that no one will. But when have my wishes been fulfilled?

I look away from Lilly, feeling more and more betrayed by every passing second. Hanako cower a little as my eyes bore into her eyes, demanding an answer.

“Li—lly asked — m—e to.”

Saying that Hanako make a dash towards the door. But unfortunately for her, I have already have this experience before and I am more than ready. I swiftly slam the door shut, as her statements registers in my mind. It is confusing me, a lot. Lilly have asked her?

I again with inhumanly intensity bore my eyes in Hanako eyes, demanding an explanation. A voice answers my queries, but it isn’t of Hanako, it is of Lilly.

“I ask her to,” Lilly says, her voice a little cold and distant, “That particular book was not available in Braille and I wanted to read it.”

She is so vague about the answer that I feel more confuse than before. I gulp, looking at her and praying that she will feel the intensity of my gaze and explain it.

But no answer comes. Lilly swiftly unfolds her cane, taps it on the ground. Hanako wraps an arm around her shoulders and guide her out of the room, leaving me alone with my misery which I have created for myself.

The door closes silently, only a soft thump emanating when the door crashed in the doorjamb. The clock strikes eleven, but I truthfully can’t care less. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. My actions now felt wrong, completely out of place. None of the students here hide their disabilities, they live with them. And here I am, trying to hide my disability in the hope that if less people know about it, it will be easier to ignore it.

I feel blood pumping in my heart and the pumping is really loud and forceful. It’s like my heart is trying to break free from my ribcage. The night wind raps against my window pane, a pleasant gust slipping in from the crack between the window sill and frame.

I replay the conversation in my head, trying to make sense of all the problems I have created around me. Everything was going fine until I have started to behave like a brat.

“I read about it in a book.”

“Lilly asked me to.”

“I ask her to. That particular book was not available in Braille and I wanted to read it.”

As this three sentence play in my mind, I connect the dots. It was simple, so simple that I feel like I should just throttle myself for not understanding it before.

Lily had asked Hanako to read the book about heart problems because she is worried about me. She couldn’t do it herself because the book was not available in Braille.

And what have I done in return. I feel the pace of my heartbeat slowing as guilt and self-loathing takes over me. I have infuriated the only two people I can call friend here, possibly to never return.

Now no longer sleep taunted me because the taunting of the sleep is now replaced by taunting of guilt and self-loathing, which I clearly deserve.

Feeling a need to make amends as quickly as possible, I stand up hastily and dash towards the girl dorms. But my dash is interrupted by a firm hand over my shoulder. I turn around, irritated and ask the person, “What?”

“I should be asking this,” said the man, who look like he is around forty, “Why are you running around this late? Go in your room.”

“I have to talk to someone,” I reply, gasping for breath.

The man pushes me bodily in the corridor and says, “In morning.”

I want to shout at him, say that it is just too important. But I can’t because the man walks away and secondly, I suddenly feel weak. Not even wanting to move, I lean against the wall, wincing a little when the coldness of the brick stings my back. Somehow I feel I deserve it.


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Hope you liked the chapter because I can only hope.
Tell me what you think about it.

[kosherbacon]

Looking at little bits and pieces, it looks like it would be good and full of cute but to be honest, It's pretty hard to read without any spaces between paragraphs.

Right now, It's a very intimidating wall of text. Easy to fix, though.

[DragoonHP]

Fixed. The problem was because I just copied the material directly from Word.

And do you really like it or are you just pitying me.
Because to be honest I braced myself for something like:

'Don't even dare to write anything again. It's so gross that it would be a ideal torture device.'
OR,
'What a waste of space!'

But if you like it, what can I say then except good.

P.S.: What do you mean by bits and pieces?

[kosherbacon]

The problem was because I just copied the material directly from Word.

When I first started writefagging, I'd copy out of notepad and end up having to redo ALL the paragraphs because every line would end up double spaced.

And do you really like it or are you just pitying me.

P.S.: What do you mean by bits and pieces?

I haven't read the whole thing yet. I just glanced it over and plucked out a few short passages to gauge the cuteness potential.

I'll give it a full read later.

[DragoonHP]

When you give it a full read [and hopefully stay alive], please let me know what you think.
I may post the next chapter in two or three days, if I get time after updating my fics.

[Leotrak]

The problem was because I just copied the material directly from Word.

When I first started writefagging, I'd copy out of notepad and end up having to redo ALL the paragraphs because every line would end up double spaced.

I'm using Wordpad >_>
Mostly because I'm too damn lazy to install MS Office


Anyway, unlike mister Bacon sir, I -have- read through it in one go. I like it ^_^ There's a few minor spelling errors here and there, but nothing that's really annoying. The writing itself is paced pretty well, too


I'm going to give you my personal "seal of approval" with the following sentence:

Please continue

[DragoonHP]

Thanks and here I was thinking that I would have to hide in a dustbin.

Now about the chapter, I have fixed some mistakes I found in re-read.
And now I have gotten some confidence back, so I will tell you about the story a little more.
DON"T EXCEPT IT TO BE A ROMANTIC FIC. I'm more of a angst-y person and all of my fics up to this date are angst-y. So, sorry if anyone was reading it just because the person thought it was romantic fic.

Now, I give you another chapter. [Don't make a habit of it though.]

[DragoonHP]

CHERRY BLOSSOM
CHAPTER — 2

I stand in the corridor, all alone. Most of the lights are off, and there is just the chirping and buzzing of insects to give me company. No one has come here after that man, who has stopped me from going outside. My back has no feeling in it and I have a suspicion that it has gone numb because of the cold.

Still I couldn’t muster the courage to walk ten steps and into my room. The room held some painful memories now and anyway the numbness is keeping my mind off things. I look out of the window and up in the night sky. The wisps of smoke have vanished and the sky now is again studded with shimmering stars. I open the latch, and stick my head out of the window, wincing when the cold night air sting my skin like someone is constantly stabbing me with pointed needles. But I don’t pull my head back in and after some time the stinging feeling subside.

I sigh constantly looking in the night sky. It somehow makes the weight on my heart less, like the stars are easing the weight from my heart little by little.

Lub… Dub… Lub… Dub…

And then suddenly, I feel the painful protests of my heart against my ribcage. My knees buckle and come crashing down on the cold, hard floor.

No pain emanates from my knees or maybe it did, and the pain from my chest encompassed it. I lay on the cold floor, clutching my heart, curled in a ball. The cold was somehow easing the pain. It eased it up to an extent that I was able to form coherent thoughts in my head.

And the first thought that comes to my mind is why I’m feeling so much pain. My heart feels like it will burst out any second. Some part of the pain is not because of my disease, I know that and that part I pointedly ignore.

But what about the other part of the pain? I have taken my medicine…

And I stop. I haven’t taken my night dosage yet. This thought makes me feel like a cripple. I can’t even survive some hours without taking my medication. Somewhere from my mind a thought comes.

Stay put and test for how much time you can live like this.

I, without a second thought, disregard this thought. Clutching my heart and taking the support of the wall, I slowly but steadily move towards my room. My fingers wrap around the cold metal of the knob, as my palm tries to push the door open. But my fingers resist. They seem to pull at the door, making it impossible for me open the door.

My heart gives a powerful lurch, and my fingers finally comply with my palm. The door shoots open and I almost fall in. But somehow miraculously I manage to stay upright. I stumble to each of the bottle taking out the right amount in my hand.

After I have correct dosage from every bottle in my hand, I clench my fist and poured a glass of water, all the while trying my best to stop my hands from shaking.

After what felt like a span of numerous lives, I finally gulp the medicine down my throat, washing them with water. The sour and bitter aftertaste of the pills and tablets sticks to my tongues, making me nauseous. This is for the first time I have got this feeling.

I somehow manage to crawl to my bed and I dump my body on it with a slam. My heart has come back in its usual stride again and once again I feel the blackness of sleep crawling in my eyes, enveloping my iris. I fought to stay awake but in the end I find that I’m too weak for it, as my mind succumbs in darkness.

I get up with a start. My heart is thumping madly against my ribcage, almost paining my lungs. My body is covered in sheen of sweat. I glance at my clock. Five o’clock. Too early.

But I can’t go back to sleep, not after that dream. In the dream I was back in the hospital, locked in it’s confide. I stumble my way to my closet and pull out my old soccer uniform.

As I pull my night clothes off I notice that I haven’t changed my clothes yesterday before I went to sleep. And then the night comes crashing at me. And now I sincerely hope that I should be back in my dream. It was a little unsettling, but it was after all an epitome of obliviousness.

With these thoughts in my mind, I dress in my soccer clothes. I glance at my clock again. Five fifteen.

Still too early to do anything, even exercise or running in the tracks. Even Emi wouldn’t have been up this early. But I am, so I march out of my room to the track field.

Suddenly I stop as my fingers wrap around the cold knob. I am forgetting something, something I should have surely remembered. I look around the room, trying to figure it out. My eyes fell on the haphazardly placed bottles of my medications and with a bitter thought I remember about taking my medication.

I reluctantly march to my nightstand and take out the correct dosage from the bottles. I shove them in my mouth washing them down with water. I turn around to march out, but the loneliness get to me.

Having nothing better to do, I start arranging my medication with more concentration and deliberation than is necessary. The task momentarily clears my mind, but it was short lived, really short lived.

Even using the slowest technique I know, I ended the task in ten minutes. I look at my clock, and in the process my eyes sweep over my bed. And suddenly I feel very exhausted, exhausted to the last bone of my body. My eyes drop down of their accord and for one second I contemplate the chances of getting a quick nap. It takes only one flash of the dream to kick me into action. I jump on, check the laces of my sneakers and head out of my room.

I silently journey out of the boy dorms and for one second I am tempted to go in the girl dorms to say sorry. But I decide against it, not wanting to disturb anyone’s peaceful sleep.

So, I silently trudge to the tracks. As I excepted, no one is here. Everything today in my life is getting lonelier by the second. Not wanting to run, I sit on the grass. The dew settled on the grass tickles my skin, leaving a tingling sensation on my body. I pull off my sneakers and dip my feet in the cool grass. It tingles my feet, leaving a really pleasant cold sensation behind when the wind sways the grass away.

The wind breezing around the track and possibly around the full stretch of Yamaku, is neither too cool, nor too hot. It’s very pleasant and so I close my eyes to savour its feel on my skin. Somewhere in the background birds are chirping. Their chirpings is occasionally punctuated by the rustle of the branches and leafs.

Now the silence doesn’t bother me anymore. It feels soothing, really soothing. I stretch my legs, dropping my weight on my hands and my hips. I lean my head backwards a little, looking at the sky with closed eyes.

The wind continues to breeze and the time continues to trickle away. But I don’t care. I slowly open my eyes a crack and gaze in the sky, admiring its beauty.

Small, white, shapeless clouds were sprinkled across the large blue canvas, which was illuminated by the golden-yellow and burning-red streaks coming from the direction I assumed was east.

Suddenly, I pull my hands up, letting my body fall on the grass. I land with a soft thud.

As my body lands on the cool grass, the dew which is settled on the grass jumps up. For a fraction of second, the small crystal clear spheres burn in seven colours before shattering in many more almost unnoticeable small spheres. It is the most alluring sight I have ever seen. So, for the sake of it, I start to thump the grass with my hands, feeling a little childish. But the effect is produced, is all I need to put the thought at bay.

But after ten twelve repetitions of it I start getting a little bored and the fact that the grass around me seem to be devoid of more dew isn’t helping at all.

Feeling a little too lazy to get up, I just lay there, looking at the sky, noticing the slowly rise of the sun. A strong gust of wind stormed around the tracks, making the branches and leafs rattle against each other. My soccer shirt flaps madly, slapping my skin on various occasions.

I stand up, and glance at my wristwatch. Six forty-five. Time does seem to run fast when you are not bored. But the thing that intrigued me the most is that Emi isn’t here. Commonly she is the first one to hog the tracks. And by this time even I — the laziest sod living in Yamaku or possibly on earth — have started getting up from the moment the head nurse has asked me to exercise

I look suspiciously around, thinking that she must have come here when I was lost in the sky. I look at the track, my eyes narrowed in concentration. I look at the track for around five minutes, my eyes darting around to find Emi. But when the small figure of Emi doesn’t come in front of my eyes, a nasty smile spreads on my face. Finally, something to brag on about. Even guilt can’t find its way in this situation.

I shake my head, cherishing the only good thing that has come out from this very dry and lonely morning. I pull on my sneakers and turn to leave the tracks. I hear the distinctive noise of sneakers pounding heavily on the grounds.

Smiling to myself, I turn in the direction from where the sound seems to be coming. And as I thought the person was Emi. I smile wickedly and wave my hand in her direction. The amazed and incredulous expression on her face is priceless, absolutely priceless.

“Oh, oh…” I say dramatically, waving a disapproving finger, “Late. It’s already seven. Even I am always running around the tracks by now.”

“I overslept. You know because of the festival I lost track of time, and I went to bed a little late,” Emi said in a hurried tone, her eyes glancing over the tracks.

Suddenly her composure calmed, as she look at me suspiciously.

“When did you get here?” she asks me, her eyes holding a calculating look.

“Around um… five forty five.” I answer her query in a nonchalantly manner as I took fast and long steps towards the dorms.

She calls to me but I ignore her. Then I hear pounding of steps and for one moment I stiffen up, ready to turn around and tackle her. But the sounds instead of becoming loud, faints little by little. I stop, look over my shoulder and see her running on the tracks. Maybe when she have called me she have said goodbye. I can only presume.

I walk to the dorms and stop to admire the mural. I haven’t looked at it yesterday. It is some kind of jumbled mess of human limbs and heads painted in vibrant colours. Somehow it looks kind of good, though I’m the last person whose thoughts should be taken in account about art.

Not wanting to go back in my room so early, I wander off to the school courtyard. The courtyard looks normal at first glance because stalls and other things have been cleared from here. The efficiency of this school staff amazes me. Though stains and scorching marks are on some places but it is almost unnoticeable if you are not a student or staff of Yamaku.

I walk to the school grounds, feeling a strange attachment with the grass. I keep a wary eye on it, trying to find a dumped Styrofoam cup or plate. But none are there, making me almost envious of Yamaku staff.

As I look around the grass, I am almost overcome by the urge to lay on the grass and sleep, skipping every class today.

I started removing my shoes, when a familiar voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

“Hisao.”

I pull back on my half-pushed sneaker and look at the new arrival. The head nurse is marching his way toward me his face a mask of suspicious and a little anger.

“What are you doing here?” he almost lashes on me, “You are supposed to be in the tracks, exercising.”

“I just come from here,” I defend myself, intentionally not mentioning that I didn’t do any exercising when I was there.

“Lies,” the head nurse says, “As much as the morning dew is good for your eyes, you don’t have an eye problem and they seem to be perfectly fine to me.”

“I am not lying,” I say, feeling indignant, “Ask your spy. I was earlier than her, much earlier if I may add.”

He still looked suspicious. Before I can say anything, he adds, “But she told me you always came around six forty five. Why the sudden change of behaviour?”

I have a hot retort rolling on my tongue, itching to get out. I bit it back and say this instead, “What? Is it a crime to come before Emi?”

“No, I never said that,” the head nurse says, switching to defense, “And it is a good thing that you are taking steps toward improving your health, yourself. Not many people do it…”

Either he has seen through my faux pas and is trying to guilt trip me into accepting the truth or is genuinely lecturing me. Either way, guilt is weighing my head and heart.

“I need to go to toilet,” I say in an attempt to get him of my back. He surely looks frustrated that I have interrupted his lecture, but in a span of second, regains his grin and says,

“Of course. But remember don’t skip your exercising routine.”

I pointedly ignore him and march to the dorms, having no choice at all. I again stop in front of the girl dorm building. I feel like a pervert, so I quickly head inside the boy dorm. Trudging up the stairs, I weave a plan to ask forgiveness from Lilly and Hanako.

Before I even know I’m walking in the corridor which leads to my room. I was about to enter my room, when someone assaults me from behind. I whip my head, my fist shooting at my assailant.

My assailant was Kenji.

It takes all my self control and power to stop my fist from smashing Kenji nose or worse his glasses.

“Don’t scare me like that man,” I tell him, flexing my arm to ease the pain that have emanated when I have to stop suddenly.

Kenji seem to ignore it, as he lean forward a little, beckoning me to do the same. I feel reluctant, but lean a little, wanting to get him off my back as soon as possible.

“What?” I whisper to him in a hurried tone.

“What were you doing with those two yesterday?” Kenji ask me in return, in a conspiratorial whisper.

“Who?” I ask back, knowing where the flow of the conversation is going.

“Lilly, and the second girl with the burned face.”

I feel a little angry when Kenji called Hanako that, but quickly swallow it back.

”She has a name. Hanako,” I tell him, inching toward my room.

“What were you doing with them when?” he repeats, much to my displeasure, “They will suck the life out of you.”

“I thought that was the job of succubus,” I reply, jokingly.

“It’s no laughing matter,” Kenji presses his point with a stab of his finger, “Succubus too, are females. And I saw you yesterday after those two left you. You were all weak and swaying on your feet. We are brother’s man, and you are a living example of what girls do to us males. You are the nearest sane man I have seen, except me and if we both combine our forces we can take them down. We can defeat the feministic powers that are slowly but surely enveloping us in a vice grip. Think man, think.”

I think. So he just stood in his room, while I danced on the thin line of life and death. He had no way of knowing it, but I can use it against him. And as a bonus, I have nothing to feel guilty about too.

“You call me your brother” — I spit for extra effect — “A succubus, I mean, girl drains your brother life power and you stand still enjoying the scene, not even helping. Really good brotherhood.”

“These things are better done alone,” he replies, but the sudden change of his tone and the change in his posture give him away.

“Yes, slick, very slick,” I reply sarcastically, “What if I have died after life was sucked out of me?”

Somewhere in my mind I know I am supporting his weird beliefs, but I can’t just think of a better way to skive-off from the current position.

“I was pre-occupied,” he answers my question as his cheeks flushes red.

“With a girl,” I say almost jokingly, but the way his cheeks flush red, it arose my suspicion.

“With a girl!!!?” He nearly shouted the words.

“I’m not such degraded insane man who will waste my time doing these petty things,” he replies, puffing out his chest. It looks strangely out of place, though I don’t say that.

“Many, no, no, no… Most of the men would consider it a very damn good opportunity,” I reply, enjoying the conversation a little.

“That’s why I’m the only sane man on earth,” he replies, looking back and forth between the windows and the corridor, “And with a little help you too, can be a sane man. My work will become load easier if you join me. What do you think about it?”

For a fleeting moment my vision is swarmed with the memories of Misha and Shizune trying to rope me in the Student council. And surely I will prefer them anytime over Kenji.

So, trying to skid my way out of the conversation, I say to him, “I will think about it.” And in my mind I add, ‘100 years later.’

“Okay man.”

Saying that Kenji turns to enter his room, when I suddenly remember something.

“Kenji!” I call to his retreating back.

“Yes man,” Kenji turns back to me, looking excited, “Have you decide?”

“No man,” I reply, “I just remember about the money you borrowed from me. When you are going to return it?”

“Oh the 40 yen,” Kenji says, looking ready to escape.

“You mean 400 yen,” I say, literally boring the amount in his brain with the forcefulness of my voice.

“You gave me a week time,” Kenji reply evasively.

“Yeah I remember,” I reply, enjoying every second.

“The week isn’t over,” he says and enters his room before I can say anything else. I smile a genuine smile, before I too enter my room.

[DragoonHP]

NOTICE:

I have corrected Kenji's name spelling, previously it was written Kenjy. All thanks goes to Wren for pointing it out.
If you find anymore mistakes, please point them out.

P.S.: And I have played the game four times already. Shame on me.

[kosherbacon]

It's all good. I've been spelling Mutou as "Muto" this whole time. I'm surprised nobody's called me out on it yet.

[DragoonHP]

Finally you read it and survived it. Maybe I'm not that bad after all.
The next chapter will be uploaded tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

Enjoy.

[Leotrak]

I have played the game four times already. Shame on me.

I've played it through to 100% twice - that's 12 times

Well, 11 times... I purposely avoided the Kenji end on the second 100% getting, so it's actually at 98% completion...

Anyway! Write moar

[DragoonHP]

Thanks and about Kenji ending I always seem to get one, no matter how much I try to avoid it.
Today I will download V 3 and play it.

And now the next chapter. This chapter starting was pain in the ****, took me three hours to just write 1,500 words. Then it came out smoothly. I accidentally wrote half chapter in my usual third person narrative stylr and have to change it again.

But now everything is fine. If you find mistakes, don't hesitate to shove them in my brain.

The next chap will not come for quite a few hours, 48 in case you are wondering.

Thanks.

[DragoonHP]

CHERRY BLOSSOM
CHAPTER — 3

A smile is fixed on my face as I enter the bathroom to take a long bath. The bathroom, as I suspected is completely empty. Getting up early has its own perks.

I turn on the shower and wince a little when the cold water stings my skin. After the initial discomfort, the water too, turns out to be soothing. So, I take a long bath than I usually do, savouring the feel of cold burn on my warm skin.

After many minutes of continous showering, I look at my hand. They have started to turn waterlogged. The loose and wrinkled skin of my now waterlogged palms is prominent, giving them a feel that they are filled with water.

I quickly dry off and change into my school uniform. As I walk back towards my room, I try to think a way to spend the more than one hour I have before the class starts.

Nothing even half decent comes to my mind. So, I quickly eat breakfast in cafeteria, noticing that no one was here. I sigh, feeling somehow empty from inside.

As soon as I eat my breakfast, I scurry up toward my classroom, 3-2 and push the door open. It is as I suspected. No one is here and who will be here anyway, this early. Others will have started to get up now and some of them will still be in bed, contemplating about getting a quick nap.

I sigh again and dump myself in my usual spot. Having nothing better to do I rest my head against the top of my desk, looking in the opposite direction of the door.

“Hisao!”

Someone is calling my name or maybe not; I can’t tell for certain. My vision is lost in darkness and my senses seem to be a little confused right now. My body is feeling limp and tired, and even in the state of confusion I can feel the soreness in some parts of my body namely my back, my neck and my right shoulder.

Someone shakes me again, a little roughly and my vision seems to come out of the darkness, just like the way when your eye refocuses after sleep. And then with a jolt I snap my body in a sitting position, as the understanding of what is happening around me or precisely with me, dawns in my mind. I feel embarrassed to the last root of my hair, having slept in the class and being caught, and all of this happening even before the class has started.

I look around; trying to access the damage I have done to my reputation. The classroom was almost full and it was my unfortunate luck that even Hanako is right on time today and is sitting behind on her usual spot. I turn to see the person who has taken it upon himself/herself to wake me up.

I skid backwards when I see Mutou looking at me, with an expression on his face which tells me that I’m in big trouble. I quickly stand up on my legs, looking miserable. My embarrassment further increases when I sway on my feet a little, clearly noticing the side effects of my hasty actions.

Before anyone could say anything, or Mutou could get a chance to start his never ending lectures, I mumble, “Sorry.”

Mutou continue to glare dagger at me and I am force to stare intently on my feet. I can literally feel waves of anger generating from Mutou and it make shiver run down my spine. So, I just stand there silently, cursing my luck and waiting for my punishment.

What a damn good way to start off the week!

“Why were you sleeping in the class, Hisao?” Mutou ask me, his voice stoic.

I tell him half truth.

“Couldn’t sleep yesterday, sir. So, maybe when I came a little early in the classroom, I may have fell asleep, giving in the silence around me.”

Mutou pose seem to relax a little, but not completely. I take it as a good sign, but I still don’t relax my pose and look up. Mutou can be a little intimidating when he wants, and today he looks completely into his ‘intimidating’ character.

Now the intensity of his gaze is lowered, giving my mind to think about other things too. The first thing I do, is take a deep breath and clear my mind off the little sleep that was lingering in the back of my mind and also the excuses that have been forming in my head from the moment I have noticed him.

Now, when my mind is a little clear, I feel a self conscious feeling run down my back. It’s like someone is watching me intently and unwaveringly. I lift my head a fraction of inch and turn it slowly around, noticing the unmoving gaze of my classmates fixed on me. It doesn’t help me; on the other hand it makes me more self conscious about myself. Now I want nothing better than to run off from here. And even feigning pain in my heart does not sound like a bad idea either, though I disregard the thought some moments after it formed in my head. I do not want to use my disability as a shield and secondly, the head nurse will probably see right through my faux pas.

So, I just stand there like a statue, hoping with all my might that my classmates would stop looking at me and attend to their own goddamn work. But they don’t and I have to resist an urge to shout at them.

Why the hell the clock tower bell haven’t ringed up to now? I question myself.

I have been standing here like a fool for hours and still the bell haven’t ring. I just feel as the time has stopped and it’s pretty unfair. So, I furtively glance a look at my watch and my jaws open in horror. The period has barely started and even so, I feel like I have lived through a gruesome day.

This day was going to be long, really long and tiresome. Now feigning pain and sleeping in a warm bed does not sound like a bad idea at all, instead it sounds like a good one, a really good one, mind you.

“Okay,” Mutou says and I can’t understand why he said that. Is it a motion for me sit down or to wait for further punishment.

“You can sit down,” Mutou adds, maybe after seeing my obvious confusion.

I sit down gingerly and pinch my wrist tightly almost drawing out blood from it. Damn, no dream. I shake my head ruefully and dip my hand in my bag to fish out my Math’s book.

I pinch myself again, knowing that if I don’t I would probably fall asleep between the class and it would be no surprise, not to me anyway, because Math is the subject I despise the most.

And my assumptions are right. As soon as Mutou starts drooling on about formulas, my eyelids feel heavy and they start to fall off. But the throbbing in my hand resists their closing. I am caught between a state of drowsiness and pain, and seriously I want nothing better than to sleep. But I know, I can’t, not after the fiasco anyway. Mutou would have my head, no not my head, my heart if I dare to even drop an eyelid in his class.

I chance a glance at him and surely his eyes are darting at me, occasionally, surveying me over and over again. I groan barely audibly and start to make a futile attempt at the problems he has noted on the blackboard for us to solve before the period ends. It’s kind of an assignment meaning that we would have to work in groups and I can’t find words to express how happy I am about that. Because to be honest, I couldn’t even solve the easiest one of the problems by myself.

So, jumping with delight I make my way toward Misha and Shizune. Both of them have started working on the problems and god knows how, but they have even solved two of the problems. I stealthily copy them down in my notebook, feeling a sense of pride in it.

As Misha and Shizune busy themselves in solving the next problem I look around the room. Every single one of my classmate is busy scribbling furiously on notebooks, their faces scrunching in a frown regularly. Mutou is sitting on his chair, his eyes surveying everyone like a hungry tiger.

I continue to look around the room and my eyes rest on the back when I see Hanako. She seems to be having a hard time solving the problems. For a moment I think of going there to help her. But I stop myself for two reasons: I don’t know how to solve any of the problems and two, if I do anything that breaks the school rules again, I’m pretty much sure I don’t want to know what Mutou will do to me.

So, I just sit there copying Misha and Shizune work silently, feeling a little guilty about copying someone work. But the guilt vanishes as soon as I glance at Mutou face. Better safe than sorry, that’s my motto from now on, especially in the conditions where Mutou is concern.

After a couple of hours of gruesome work, or it seem as to me, Misha, Shizune and I or better, Misha and Shizune finishes the assignment, Like always they are the first one to do so. Shizune slams her assignment on her desk and do some weird hand motions to Misha.

I wait for Misha to decipher her thoughts.

“You were copying our work, huh Hicchan,” Misha says cheerfully. I glance at Shizune and cringe a little. It is nowhere near the look Shizune is giving me, actually its completely opposite look.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I reply, keeping my answer as short as possible. In my mind, I am shouting long prayers to the heavenly power, to put a lid on Misha mouth. But when have my wishes been fulfilled. Misha signs my really short message to Shizune, who reply with dramatic angry swishes and flicks of her arms, much to my displeasure.

Misha turns to me and say, “This is very bad Hicchan, really bad~! We ought to tell the teacher about it~! One should be sincere~!”

I instantly paled and Misha laughed out loud, her laughter reverberating in the quite classroom. Everyone attention turns to us and I curse silently under my breath, having had more attention today than is healthy. So, I quickly get up, give my assignment to Muto. I walk to one of desk in the secluded corner and sit on it. Mutou raises no objection for which I’m thankful to him. I think he too knows how much Misha can irritate you sometime.

The bell finally rings signaling the end of this period and the start of the lunch break. I somehow don’t feel too energetic about it, so I just continue to sit there on the bench as my classmates mill out of the room, not even glancing at me, except Hanako.

When she is about to leave the class, she gives me a look, which could only be placed in a cold scathing look, though it don’t have the venom in it. Maybe Hanako shyness got in the way.

I sit there until I see Mutou eyes darting toward me. If the calculating look in his eyes is any indication, it will be better for me to just clear off. And so I do so.

As soon as Mutou eyes left me, I dash to the door and in the span of two seconds I’m out of the class. The mad lunch rush has subsided and now there are just staggers around looking lost or searching for someone or something.

I walk forward and without knowing how I get there, I find myself on the second floor. My stomach grumbles and I instantly remembered that I’ve left my lunchbox in the class. But not having the guts to go and possible face Mutou alone, I continue to walk around aimlessly, not having something better to do with my time.

I round a corner and my feet stops in front of the familiar, unmarked room. The door like always I have seen, is ajar. From inside, the sound of hissing of a teapot is coming. I surely remember that I had asked Lilly if I could accompany her and Hanako on lunch and if I’m not wrong she had said yes.

But now looking in yesterday night event, I’m not sure. I feel guilty when I remember yesterday night. It is a good chance for me to accept my mistakes in front of them and ask for their forgiveness, but should I disturb their peaceful lunch.

After moments of raging war in my head, I decide that it is the best time to try to resolve the issues because the guilt was eating him. If they don’t forgive me, I will at least have the satisfaction that I have tried to correct the errors in my judgment.

I stretch my hand and push the door open, just a little. It makes a slow drawling creak and I instantly pull back, my resolution crumbling to pieces. The state of indecision is better, much better than having no ties with them.

So, I silently pull my right foot back to retrace the path from which I have come, when Lilly voice came from behind the door, “Who’s there?”

I am again taken aback by Lilly hearing. I can very easily slip out now, but somehow I am unable to do so. I don’t why, but I’m rooted to the floor.

Lilly’s voice come again, “Anyone there?”

And this time, I find myself answering, even when my brain is shouting to shut up, “It’s me, H—Hisao.”

The time seems to stop. I stand there completely still, my breath coming out in deep uneven blows. I faintly register the sheen of sweat that is accumulating on my skin. My eyes are fixed on the door, staring so intently that I’m amazed that it hasn’t blown off it’s hinges yet.

And then the world seems to turn in slow-motion. I see the slowest opening of the door, I have ever seen. The slow drawling creak of the opening of door, becomes louder and sharper but at a very painful slow speed.

But the painfulness and irritation the slowness was causing me turns into a delightful experience when I see tresses of Lilly’s blonde hair from the slowly increasing crack in the door. My heart beats in anticipation, trying to anticipate Lilly’s expression. I don’t even dare to think what I will do if Lilly wouldn’t forgive me…

My train of thought is halted when I see Lilly, or to correctly say when I truly see Lilly for the first time. Her wavy blonde hairs are swaying in the air, even without the wind. Her hands are clasped over her laps, and there is a tiny, almost unnoticeable frown on her face. She looks so adorable.

Her blue eyes. For some her blue eyes maybe devoid of any emotions, but for me they are unsaturated pool of emotions. Her big soulful eyes tell me more than any sort of communication can, even in there full stretch. They are filled with disappointment, anger, confusion and a something I can’t put a finger on. My heart up to now is coordinating with me because I can’t feel it trying to smash my ribcage.

I open and close my mouth several times like a fish, but my throat refuses to form any words. Even my eyes start to wander away from Lilly.

Pathetic. I feel pathetic and that word does not even start describing how I am feeling right now. It’s like a bulb in a pitch black night, and is not even lighted. I try to swallow the lump which has been forming in my throat.

Lilly shuffles a little on her feet, and my eyes instantly snap toward her. She is looking irritated. Who won’t after seeing me, a big excuse of human being, standing here like a dummy.

In reality, one part of my brain wants to cry, cry out loud my apologies, but my vocal words are point blankly refusing. The second part wants to run away, but like my vocal cords my legs too, refuses to budge from their position.

And a third smallest or the biggest part, I can’t tell, wants to explain everything to her, politely. But unfortunately it too, requires the help from my vocal cords.

Lilly’s expression changes a little, and now she looks ready to slam the door shut on my face. My body tense up, as I force my vocal cords to speak up. In this process, my supply of oxygen is cut-off.

But I don’t care. I continue to strain them and vaguely register my face turning red.

“L—i—lly.”

I hear a pathetic voice, no a really pathetic voice. The bloke doesn’t even know how to speak properly. And what does he need from Lilly? I feel jealousy creeping from the darkest corner of my heart. An unintelligible sound escapes my throat and I remember that I still haven’t taken a breath.

So, I draw a deep breath and look around to find the boy. No one is here. I hear a slow and drawling creaking sound and I spun around and take all my heart out in one breath.

“LillyImsorryIshouldnthavebehavedlikethatwithyouandHanakoYoubothmeant—”

I pause for a deep breath and without further ado, launch again.

“—meantonlygoodbutIstillhaventcomeincompletecoordinationwithmydiseaseSoIonlywanttosay—”

I draw another deep breath, bracing my vocal cords for the hardest part.

“I’m sorry.” I say it in such a small and whispered voice that I’m amazed that even I hear it. I look at Lilly and for the first time notice Hanako, who is standing just behind Lilly, a confused expression on her face. Of course, it is inevitable seeing that most of it didn’t even make sense to me.

I glance at Lilly, who too have a confused expression, but not as prominent as one on Hanako voice. It looks as she has understood some parts of my apology and is trying to connect them with all that had happened yesterday.

It seems like a tough job to me, really tough job. I look so intently at Lilly that me eyes starts to water a little. But I don’t care. I don’t let my wander off from her, fearing that the moment they wander off something terrible will happen.

Then Lilly open her pink lips, and her tongue darts out. I feel like a pervert, but I can’t help myself. Even if I want to, my eyes refuse to budge and honestly I don’t want them to budge. Her voice sound like a humming of a sweet song in my ears.

“Can you repeat that and this time a little slowly?” she asks me and suddenly they don’t sound that sweet anymore. Her question has increased my heartbeat, and for a second I want to just run away.

But I stand there. I draw a noisy breath, my eyes fixed on the floor as I slowly repeat the words I have said to her, not her, them.

“Lilly I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have behaved like that with you and Hanako. You both meant only good, but I still haven’t come in complete coordination with my disease. So I only want to say—”

I pause, my vocal cords suddenly feeling like they have turned into stone. But the instant force from my heart, makes these words escape from them.

“I’m sorry.”

I don’t know, how sincere my words sounded to them. I can only hope that they sounded sincere enough because I have spoken from my heart.

So, I stand there, feeling like a criminal waiting for the judge’s verdict. In this moment every sound, every noise from the world escape me and the existence of time too, fades away for me. For me there is only one person in the world; Lilly. Because somehow Hanako has become invisible to me.

[Leotrak]

Oh, you're good O.o