I’m a 17-year-old high school student attending Dai’ai High School with my childhood friend Ryomi Aya. Oh, almost forgot, my name’s Shoichi Takumi! I’m walking to school with her as usual and as always, she doesn’t talk much so our walks are pretty much dull… Well, she's been like this since she was small, always shy, never talking much, and because of those traits, I had to protect her from bullies. Well, whatever, that just makes her all the more cute! Up until a year ago, I’ve always looked at Aya as a sister, but, I suddenly realized that it was more than that; I fell in love with her. I looked up to the sky and started thinking of how I’ll confess to her, and hoping that she feels the same way…
We continued walking the same usual path to get to school. We’re still far from the main roads that the students take to walk there, so there’s no one else but us. Maybe… I should confess to her? Nah… It’s not the right time and it’s too sudden…
“Ta-kun.”
Hm? Did I hear something? It must be my imagination.
“Ta-kun!”
Oh, it’s Aya calling out for me. I turned and saw her a few feet away.
“Hey Aya! What are you doing? Hurry up!”
Wow… Why can’t I be gentler with the way I talk to her…?
“Ta-kun…”
She calls out for me again.
“Hm? What is it?”
She just stands there and doesn’t respond to my question, no reaction whatsoever… She starts shaking her head and runs towards me:
“Mm mm… nothing!”
I wonder what she wanted to say. Oh well. We continued to walk to school, silently like always…
We got to school and to our class, Aya’s in the same class as me. Only a week left until summer vacation, I can’t wait! Maybe I should try and invite Aya to the beach? That would be fun! Class starts and as usual, I don’t listen to the teacher and just stare out the window, thinking of summer vacation. The bell rings, it’s lunch time and as usual, Aya comes and gets me so we can go eat lunch together on the rooftop. As always, my friends are teasing us, but I ignore them. Aya always stays silent, looks down and blushes.
We walked to the rooftop and started eating at our usual place. Aya seems to be a lot quieter than she normally is.
“Hey… Aya. Are you ok? You’re not sick or anything aren’t you? Are you stressed about the exams?”
Aya doesn’t immediately respond and slowly turns towards me
“Ta-kun… … It’s nothing.”
She seems to be depressed…
“Are you sure? You don’t look so well.”
Aya forces a smile, even I can tell that.
“Yes, it’s nothing really, don’t worry too much. Here Ta-kun!”
She quickly hands me one her fried eggs. I don’t want to push my questioning any further so I stay silent and thank her. We finish eating without saying a word to each other and head back to class.
As usual, I don’t listen to the teacher and I wonder what was going on with Aya until the class ends. Aya walks over to me and tells me that she has something to do with her club members.
“Uh, sure”, I say. “I’ll wait for you at the school gates then.”
She apologizes and quickly leaves the classroom.
After everyone leaves, I start putting my notebooks in my bag. Yuki, one of my friends, comes over to me.
“Hey Takumi, did you hear? Aya-chan is moving away.”
I suddenly froze. I dropped my notebook and stayed frozen. I start repeating to myself:
“No… That's a lie. If she was really moving away, she would have told me first…”
I keep repeating those same lines to myself over and over until Yuki brings me back to reality.
“Hey, Takumi! Are you OK? Guessing by your---“
I suddenly grab Yuki by his vest.
“You’re lying aren’t you?! You’re paying me back for that prank that I pulled on you last summer right? Come on Yuki, this is mean”, I said, forcing a laugh.
Yuki stays silent, and looks at me with sadness in his eyes.
“Takumi… You know that I would never lie about something like this…”
He was telling the truth… Yuki has always been a serious guy, he would never tell a lie. I slowly let him go.
“I’m… sorry Yuki… I…”
Yuki picks up my notebook that I dropped from the shock and gives it to me.
“No worries. Here, your notebook. “
I took my notebook and put it slowly in my backpack and stared silently at it… I wonder from whom he heard that Aya was moving.
“Hey… Yuki… Did Aya tell you that she’ll be moving away? “
Yuki looks a bit surprised.
“No… I heard some of her friends talking about it. I asked them and they told me everything. Well, I still don’t know why she’s moving though…”
I… can’t respond to that… I stayed silent and keep on staring at my backpack… Yuki put his hand on my right shoulder.
“I guess… I’ll leave you alone, don’t overdo it.”
He leaves the room quietly. I’m still shocked by the news… I finish packing up my schoolbag silently and walk out of the classroom.
I wait at the school gates’ entrance for Aya. I don’t know how to face her since I've heard the news…
“Ta-kun!”
It’s Aya…
“Did you wait long?”
I… can’t say anything to her… Words just won’t come out…
“Ta-kun?”
I start walking, without even a glance in her direction.
“What’s wrong?”
She runs past me and stands in my way. I ignore her and keep walking. She runs past me again.
“Ta-kun? …”
I keep on walking. She doesn’t even try to catch up to me anymore.
“Ta-kun! What’s wrong? Have I done something?”
Yeah… you didn’t tell me that you were moving away…
“Did something happen while you were waiting for me?”
Yeah… Someone else told me that you were moving away…
“Ta-kun!!”
I snap.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you were moving away!?!?”
I scream at her. Aya looks back at me, shocked… The expression on her face brings me so much pain so I decide to look away…
“Why?! Why didn’t you tell me? ”
I don’t know anymore, I don’t know what to say… Aya looks down and murmurs something… I can’t hear her well.
“Would you have left without even telling me?!”
Why did I even ask her that? Aya…
“It’s because I couldn’t bring myself to tell you!!”
That surprised me. Aya yelled at me…
“It hurt whenever I thought about it, it hurt when I wanted to tell you…”
Tears start rolling down her cheeks. I…
“Ta-kun… I… I’m sorry!”
She runs pasts me, crying… I stood there… Staring at the ground… Frustrated… My mind keeps screaming:
“Run after her! Go!”
… But… I can’t move…
I went back home, alone. I immediately head straight to my room, throw myself onto my bed and stare at ceiling. I keep thinking about what she said… Aya… I feel tired…
When I wake up, it's morning. I eat breakfast and prepare to leave. Before leaving, my mom asks me where Aya was. I freeze for a second, and leave without saying anything. She doesn't come to get me like she always does. I walk to school alone, but it's so lonely and quiet without her. It was already quiet when Aya was with me, but to just hear her footsteps, to know that she was walking next to me, was enough to make me happy. But now, she’s not around… I stop for a moment and start to think about her. Then I slap my face gently to wake myself up and head to school.
As I walk into the classroom, my friends greet me, as always. I look around the class and I can’t find Aya. Is she not coming to class because of what happened yesterday? The teacher comes in and tells us he has an announcement.
“Indeed, Miss Ryomi Aya won’t be coming to classes from now on, she’ll be packing up. As you all know, she’ll be moving away.”
I drop my pencil. What do you mean she won’t be coming to class anymore? I can’t get to talk to her anymore? Wait… I can still go to her place right? Questions like that keep flooding in my head until the lunch bell rang. Aya doesn’t come and get me… What am I thinking? She’s not even at school! Instead, Yuki comes to my desk and asks if I want to eat at the cafeteria. I follow him, what else can I do?
We both order miso ramen. Yuki stares at me.
“What?”
Yuki sighs.
“Something happened between you and Aya right?”
Yuki has always been sharp. I don’t respond to him, I just keep eating my ramen.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Takumi, you should go and talk to her, you can’t let her leave like that can’t you? You like her don’t you.”
As Yuki tries to talk some sense into me, two of Aya’s friends pass by, talking about her leaving.
“I heard she’s leaving in a few days… I’ll really miss her…”
“Yeah… If I recall, she said that she’ll be moving four days from now…”
I immediately stop eating. Yuki sees my reaction and starts talking to me again.
“You don’t have much time, just go and talk to her.”
I stare at my bowl; I don’t know what to do.
“Takumi!”
Yuki keeps yelling at me, which is starting to get on my nerves.
“Takumi!!”
I slam the table and walk away without saying anything.
“That guy…”
Yuki sighs and eats his ramen.
As usual, I don’t listen to the teacher, go back home and sleep. It’s been two days already and Aya hasn’t come to school yet. I guess I won’t be seeing her.
Well, only one day left until she leaves… The bell rings, school’s over. Yuki comes over to my desk and asks if I want to walk home with him. I accept.
We walk silently until we reach the park. Sitting at a bench, we look around. No one's around. Yuki sighs and starts talking to me.
“Tomorrow… she’ll be leaving you know? Are you sure that this is ok?”
I knew this was coming.
“Yeah…”
Yuki sighs again.
“Alright… Let’s head back then.”
We got up and head back home.
When I got home, I see Aya’s parents talking with my parents. I go over and greet them. They tell me which train station they were going to be at if I want to see them leave. I ask where Aya is, her parents answer that she's still packing up her remaining stuff and doesn’t want to come over.
“Oh… I… see…”
I don’t know why but… I feel like crying right now. I immediately go to my room and throw myself on my bed. Why Aya? This could have been our last time seeing and talking to each other… but… you chose not to… Why am I thinking about this? I told Yuki that I’m ok with this… but… why are tears flowing out of my eyes… I can’t stop these tears… I cry myself to sleep…
I wake up. I look at the clock, it's 10AM. I’m late for school… Suddenly, I’m thinking about Aya… I recall that her mom told me that their train would leave at 11:45AM… The train station is about an hour away by bike. What am I thinking?! I stare at the ceiling for a while and finally decide to get up. I’m still in my school uniform… Haha… I fell asleep without changing clothes. As I pick up my cell phone, it rings. It’s Yuki, why is he calling me during class hours? I accept the call.
“Takumi!”
Yuki yells my name as soon as I press the button.
“Are you really alright with this! She doesn’t even know how you feel! Are you sure you want to let her leave without even telling her your feelings?”
What he’s saying is true. My chest tightens...
“You love her don’t you!”
Yes I do.
“You want to be with her don’t you! Takumi!”
Yes, I always want to be by her side.
“You can’t let her leave yet! She has to know how you feel! Takumi!!”
My chest is so tight… It hurts…
“Takumi! You might not see her again!”
I suddenly wake up.
“Takumi!!”
I’ve decided!
“Alright! Stop screaming, I get it!! You better explain yourself later why you’re not in class later on!!”
I hang up on Yuki. That guy… Since I’ve met him, he always helped me get closer to Aya. I don’t know why though. I Might as well ask him that too! I quickly run outside and go and get my bike, it’s only 10:20AM, I can make it!
“Thanks Yuki!! I owe you one!!”
I bike like my life depends on it, it 10:50AM, I only have 55 minutes, more than enough to find her! I pedal faster and faster, thinking about her, about how much I care for her. Aya... I love you! Please don’t leave before you get to hear my feelings! I really love you! Suddenly, I lose control of my bike. No! Not now! I try to regain control but fail and fall off my bike. Ouch ouch… I get up and it seems that I don’t have any major injuries, I should be fine! I went to my bike, only to realize that one of the tires is busted. I can’t use my bike this way! I was only 15 minutes away! Why?! No, I mustn’t give up! If I run, it’ll take me around 25 to 30 minutes! I run as fast as I could. I run like my life depends on it. Aya, I’m coming, please, don’t leave yet!
I get to the train station in about 40 minutes. My injuries are worse than I thought; they ended up preventing me from running normally. 15 minutes. I have to find Aya as quickly as possible! I run to the platform and start looking for her.
“Aya!! Aya!!!”
I look left and right, I can’t find her! 10 minutes left…
“Aya!!! Aya!!!!!”
I run right and left, still no sign of her… Where is she… The train hasn’t left yet. She must be inside. If she is, then there’s no way she can hear me… 7 minutes left... I scream louder.
“Aya!!!!! AYA!!!!!”
No use, she won’t hear me… Only 5 minutes left… I’m starting to lose hope…
“Ta-kun!!”
That voice! Aya!! I turn around and there she was, hanging out of the train’s window! I’m so happy… So happy that I could cry… I run to her.
“Aya! I’m so sorry for yelling at you! I… I just don’t know what came over me! I couldn’t handle being the last one to know that you were leaving!!”
Tears roll down my cheeks.
“Aya, please forgive me…”
What am I saying? Tell her that you love her!
“Ta-kun… It’s ok… It’s also my fault; I should have told you sooner, we could have spent more time together…”
Aya also starts crying, it pains me to see her cry. … … … Aya… I…
“I love you!!”
Aya is surprised… She cries even more but… She’s also smiling, that smile… Just took all the pain and sadness away from me…
“Aya! I love you!!”
I say it again. Aya. I love you!
“Ta-kun!! I love you too!”
Those words, the words that I wanted to hear so badly…
“Ta-kun!!”
The train’s departure is announced, no! This is too quick, God, please, give me more time, I’ve just told her how I feel, I’ve just got to know how she feels… Please, don’t take it away from me yet, please… Tears flow out of my eyes even more… Please! Aya holds out her hand and her pinky finger.
“Ta-kun! Let’s make a promise!!”
A promise? What kind? I know… I hold out my pinky finger and cross it with hers. Before I can even say a word, she tells me her wish.
“Promise me you’ll wait here! Promise me you’ll wait for me in this town that we grew up together!!”
Aya… I will forever wait for you here. No matter how long, I’ll be waiting for you.
“Yes! I promise!! Aya!”
Is that it? No, my wish…
“Aya!! When you’ll come back… Marry me!!”
Aya looks surprised by my proposal, yet she smiled the most beautiful smile I have seen in my life… More tears roll down her cheeks.
“Yes! Ta-kun! I promise!”
The train starts to move slowly, our pinky fingers are tied together, we can’t let go of each other… I run in the same direction that the train was moving. I don’t want this moment to end now!
“I promise I’ll wait for you Aya! I promise so please come back!!”
“I will Ta-kun!! Ta-kun!! I love you!!”
“I really love you Aya!!”
The train starts to speed up, I can’t keep up with the train, our fingers are starting to let go…
“Ta-kun! Please don’t forget about me!!”
“I’ll always remember you!! Aya!!”
The trains speeds up even more, or fingers are too far now… I can’t reach her anymore…
“Ta-kun!!”
Aya waves at me as the train was leaving.
“Aya!!”
I stay there, looking at the faraway train… Aya is gone now. I look at my pinky finger… It’s still bent, not wanting to forget the moment that we shared our feelings, not wanting to forget our promise, not wanting to forget that we are now tied together by this one finger… As the feelings race through my heart and the thoughts through my head, I keep on crying…
Ten years have passed. We never contacted each other since the departure… Right now, I work at a café that Aya and I used to come to spend time and study together at. I guess you can say that I’ve gotten attached to this place because of her… I always go to the café early to have a sip of our marvelous tea. When I arrive, there are already three people there. They’re regulars; they get in before hours, since we know them. The three regulars and my boss respectfully greet me and I greet them back.
I sit at my usual place and the boss brings me my usual tea. The maids aren’t here yet since it’s not working hours. I take a newspaper and started reading. The bells ring, someone walks into the store. Probably a regular, I keep reading my newspaper without paying any attention. The person stops next to me and says:
“You really waited for me. In this town where we grew up in together and fell in love.”
I immediately freeze up at those words. I put down my newspaper and look at the person. There stands a beautiful woman with long brown hair… No doubt… I suddenly get up and pick her up.
“Welcome back Aya!”
She hugs me and sweetly tells me.
“I’m back Ta-kun!”
I look at her with a smile, and kiss her.
