The Liar and The Patient

The Liar

Christmas came along, and so did the long awaited Christmas date. The deck was filled with families, as children were running around and jumping with excitement on the broad deck. Their cheerful laughter was accompanied by the calls of seagulls flying alongside the ferry. Unlike the few days prior, the sky was clear, allowing the sunlight to provide its warmth on this freezing day. Takagi was leaning against the metal fence on the deck, looking out to the vast ocean. Her iconic smile was looking even brighter than before.

Suddenly, the ferry was rocked by a strong wave. Out of instinct, Nishikata threw his arm around Takagi's shoulders to stabilize her, which made her heart raise a bit. She cast a glance to him, who was standing right beside her, shoulder to shoulder, without even a shade of red on his face. He had become more honest as time passed. If she wasn't teasing him, he would usually do things he wouldn't have the heart to do before. He really took that whole acting lovey-dovey thing seriously. Takagi definitely enjoyed that, since she found herself wanting to get closer to him as well.

"Are you sure you are fine with my itinerary? You really don't have anywhere specific you want to go?" Nishikata asked as he let go of her.

"I can go anywhere as long as it's with you!" Takagi turned to him and gave him a wide smile.

Nishikata's eyes widened and his face turned all red. He immediately swept his head away as his shoulders tensed up. Funny, he just had his arm around her shoulders a few seconds ago.

"Same here..." He murmured.

Takagi replied with a grin from ear to ear. Few months ago, she would have never imagined Nishikata and her getting this close. Still, she was needlessly reminded by her already slightly tired body that it was a result of her disease. The wide curve on her mouth flattened ever so slightly.

Soon, they arrived at their destination, which was Kurashiki Station. The magnificent clock tower the station was known for had been decorated with lights and ornaments for the festivity, which all merged seamlessly into the design. Takagi remembered the last time they visited the place, which was just last winter when they had gone to see '100% Unrequited Love: The Movie'. Kurashiki, unlike Shodo Island, had changed a lot. The mall they went to see the movie was closed for renovation, with most of the exterior now covered with a layer of scaffolding. The decoration this year was also much different from last year. She turned to Nishikata, who was blanking out at the clock tower.

"Where's our first stop?" She asked, snapping him out of his own world.

"Oh! Um..." Nishikata drilled his forehead with his index finger and squeezed his eyes tight. "Ah, yeah! Let's go and have lunch first. It's almost noon after all." He suggested as he pulled out his phone. "There is a ramen place near here, or if you want to eat sushi it's not far too."

"Ramen is fine." Takagi smiled, "I can't walk too much anyway."

The sadness that flashed through Nishikata's face made her regret reminding him of her condition, even if it was just for a millisecond. Still, he was able to allow a gentle smile and replied with a nod. He then reached his hand out. "Want to hold hands?" He asked.

This sudden move caught Takagi completely off guard. Her eyes were wide open, and for the first time in a long time she didn't know what to do. Though he most likely had no intention of it, she still felt like it was karma catching up to her after her two years of teasing. She took his hand with silence as a reply. "Smooth," she mustered with a crooked grin.

"Thanks," Nishikata said with a proud smile, "let's get going. We will go at your pace."

"Ok..." Takagi responded in a meek voice.

They started their way. In order to not exhaust her, Nishikata was walking really slowly. He had become noticeably taller than Takagi, so such a pace must be quite rough on his legs. Of course Takagi thought about walking faster, yet it would only trouble him more if she ran out of energy and had to be carried again. Though, her fast pumping heart was enough to keep her going for a while.