It was extremely late when I went to sleep that night, and just like on the previous day, I was unable to visit my mother at the hospital in the morning. When I had woken up, I only had the time to take a bath, get dressed and rush to school, if I didn't want to be late.
I was waiting in front of the gate for Shunsui and Gōjun to arrive when, I caught sight of Natsui, who was coming in the distance.
'Natsui!' I called out, cheerfully, waving at her, but the ginger-haired girl didn't seem to hear me.
She had her head bowed and was dragging her feet slightly under her as she walked. She went past me without even noticing me.
'Natsui...' I said, grabbing her by one of hers shoulder gently from behind. It was only then, that she showed some reaction.
She turned her head around to look at me over her shoulder, and instantly, my breath caught. The ginger-haired girl seemed to be on the border of tears!
'Natsui... What is it?' I asked, my throat tightening.
I stared at her silent self for a minute, before I grabbed her hand and dragged her to a corner of the school. The moment we were out of everyone's eyes, the ginger-haired girl plumped down on the ground to cry in her arms as she sat in a ball.
'Natsui...' I whispered, and bowing down, I placed a comforting hand on her back, to ask her, softly, 'What's wrong? Did something... happen?'
She nodded, without lifting her head, and I sat myself down beside her on the ground, my heart filled with dread.
'What happened?'
'It's Tatsuhiro...' she said, and I held my breath, stiffening. It took her a whole minute to complete her sentence, informing me in-between sobs, 'He called me last night to tell me that he didn't want to see me again.'
My heart thumped. He broke up with her?! But why?!
Instantly, my mind drifted to a certain dark-haired girl, and I thought I knew exactly what happened.
Hiyori Miyatsu!
I had no doubt that the ginger-haired girl had come to the same conclusion as me.
'Natsui, listen to me...' I said, encouragingly, and she lifted her head up at last to look at me. 'It is clear from this that he doesn't deserve you. He doesn't know your worth. He doesn't know what he's losing. He's the loser in the story.'
Somehow, my words seemed to cheer her up a little, and smiling despite of her tears, she sent her arms around my neck, hugging me.
'Oh, Hime!'
I sent my arm around her too, caressing the back of her head with my other hand, comfortingly.
Oh Natsui... This time, it was not the right person. But someday soon, I'm sure you'll meet with the man of your life, your soul mate!
***
Sometimes after dusk...
'Hime,' said Shunsui, and I looked up at him to see that he had come to stand by my side, where I was still sitting at the dining table.
'Hm?'
He exchanged a look with Gōjun. The latter had just finished eating his dinner too and had been about to get out of the table to go outside to smoke a cigarette with him.
Breaking completely out of my reverie, I closed my eyes and shook my head rapidly, to say, 'Oh yes, I'm going to clear the table immediately and take care of the dishes!'
YOU ARE READING
Tsunagari
Lãng mạnWhen Hime Kirigakure, who recently moved in the City of Kokubunji, is sent on an errand by her grand-father to the Shigeizumi Mansion, little did she know that her life was about to take a fateful turn. She becomes acquainted with the young master o...
