Rekindling The Old Love

4

Flashback, many moons ago.

Sakuragi and the 4 guys entered Jr. High with a new drive and vigor na baguhin ang kanilang sarili from middle school. They were all like gangsters and love fighting, the four, Noma, Mito, Takamiya, at Okhuso? They love making fun of all the weaker. But Sakuragi? He's ever been the most reasonable out of all of them. He maybe the strongest, he maybe the bravest, but he never pick on to someone, he never bullied someone. Ipinagtatanggol pa nga niya. A guy named Miyamoto Takuya, siya lang naman ang mortal niyang kalaban. Takuya never beat Sakuragi no matter what he did, kahit madami pa sila. Sakuragi has always prevailed.

One day, Takuya was tormenting one lady because he was rejected when he confessed. Sakuragi was always having this day but he can't be bothered. He always looked but he did not do nothing. At first.

Days past and that girl always been being bullied by Takuya, and Sakuragi had enough. When he see this asshole tormenting the lady again, he went up to him and he just kicked him in the face like it was nothing.

The girl was so shooked and he just looked at her saviour in his face.

Sakuragi: Are you okey, Miss? Sorry di kita kagad pinagtanggol. Boys, take that jackass and bring him to the principals office.

Mito: Aye aye bro.

Sakuragi: Thanks, bro. Ahm, Ms. Your uniform is tarnished, would you like me to walk you home?

Tumango nalang ang babae, at tila ba ay mukhang kinikilig pa. Lingid sa kaalaman ni Sakuragi, this girl is starting to fall in love with him.

Maya maya'y nakarating na sila sa tinitirhan ng babae. At naghintay ito sa labas ng kanilang bahay at hindi na nagabalang pumasok dahil hindi din siya kumportableng pumasok sa loob ng bahay ng isang babaeng kakikilala lang niya. Maya maya ay lumabas na din ang babae at naglakad na papasok sa eskwela.

It is safe to say na parehas silang nalate ng araw na yun. Parehas pinagalitan at naparusahan ng kanilang adviser.

Let me just remind you guys, this is the Sakuragi in his first year in Jr. High, he was a smart kid, quiet and.. and a bit of a shy boy. But nevertheless he is still a ruthless boy to the ones who torment and to the ones who bully.

Girl: What's your name?

Sakuragi: Hanamichi Sakuragi, kinagagalak kitang makilala.

Yup, Sakuragi was never interested in her. No, really. He wasn't. At first, of course.

Girl: My name is Shimamura Yoko, it's a pleasure to meet you. And salamat sa pagsasave sakin kanina kay Takuya.

Sakuragi: It's all good. See you around.

At that umalis na si Sakuragi.

Weeks have passed and Yoko was continuously approaching him and wanted to be friends with him. Slowly but surely, Sakuragi was opening up to her and they became close enough to address each other in their first names.

One day, nasa Hideout nila Sakuragi ang 5 friends, Sakuragi and Yohei, they were always been known as the matured ones among the group. The two of them are alone on the roof talking.

Sakuragi: Bro, I've been been feeling something in my chest whenever I'm with the girl. It feels like it's warm and it makes me comfortable. Normal ba yun?

Yohei: You figure it out yourself, man. It's not a hand me over knowledge, mate. Hahaha.

Sakuragi looked at him coldly to say that he ain't joking. Kaya napalunok nalang si Yohei ng laway at kinabahan. Well, Sakuragi is a crazy bastard, he won't hesitate to hit him if pissed.

Sakuragi: Aight, I'm out. We got an assignments to pass tomorrow. *Pak!

At napahawak na nga si Yohei sa tuktok niya habang napapaluha ng umabagan siya ni Sakuragi.

Months have passed and Sakuragi and Yoko became closer. And now, Sakuragi is now certain that he feels love towards the girl. Ganun din si Yoko, she might ask the boy to be her boyfriend first. But she did have the courage. She's always been staring at him when he's not looking her way.

Then came the day that asshole Takuya came to torment her again when Sakuragi wasn't around her. He dragged her to the library to see Sakuragi hanging around one young lady. They seemed close enough. They look happy, and the girl seemed to be enjoying it.

Takuya: You see? That guy is a womanizer. Babaero at paasa. Yan ba ang pipiliin mo kesa sakin? Huuuuu. Tangina naman. Hahahaha.

Hindi naman makapagsalita si Yoko at tumakbo nalang. After the afternoon class, she saw Sakuragi waiting for her outside her classroom.

Well, Sakuragi decided that this is the time to confess her love to her. So he waited for her outside to ask her to hangout with him. Well, she went with him. Well, he is her friend.

They went to a beach, an empty beach. Sakuragi cooked food for them. It's just a simple meal. Fruit juice, Hamburger and cheese sandwiches.

Sakuragi is now building his courage to tell her. And he did.

Sakuragi: It's been quite sometime when we got acquanted, don't you agree, Yoko-san?

Yoko: Yeah, we have. Why?

Sakuragi: I'll say this straight then. I'm falling for you. Ever since the day I saved you, my feelings grew deeper each days that we are together. Won't you be my girlfriend, Yoko?

Yoko: Sorry, I can't.

Sakuragi: Oh, I thought we felt the same way.. haha. I guess wrong then.

From then on, the two of them drifted apart. Sakuragi never knew the reason why he got rejected by her first love. So from then on, binago niya ang ugali niya, naging balasubas na siya dahil feeling niya ay ang ugali niyang uptight ang dahilan kung bakit siya nareject.

Then a year later, Yoko got a boyfriend in the person of Oda. And from that day, Sakuragi tormented the poor boy. Up until they turned up to high school. Sakuragi carried on his facade and she saw Haruko whom he thought he fell in love with. 2 years after, naging silang dalawa na. They lasted up until 2nd year of college but they both fell out of love from each other as they became very busy.

But even then, Sakuragi found some success in life. The basketball became a way for him to cope. He joined the army for a year. And now he's back to where he started his life. In Kanagawa and now friends with the first girl who broke his heart.

He just hoped that the four friends he only got is doing great among their lives.