Polaroid | Suna Rintarou

13: Threads of Fate

The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, their delicate petals fluttering down like soft, pink snowflakes. Graduation was just around the corner, and I couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness about the future. Suna had decided to play volleyball professionally, and I had my heart set on studying photography in college. We both planned to move to Shizuoka City, in Shizuoka Prefecture, to be close to each other.

As I walked back from a photography exhibit, I felt a sense of warmth and contentment wash over me. The exhibit had been inspiring, and I could see my future unfolding with each step I took. I pulled out my phone to check the time and saw a text from Suna.

"What time will you be back? Let's have dinner together."

I smiled at his message, my heart fluttering. Everything was set for our move after graduation, and the thought of starting this new chapter together filled me with a giddy anticipation. My mind began to wander, imagining our future together in Shizuoka City.

I thought about our new apartment, decorated with photographs from my latest shoots and medals from his volleyball games. I pictured us cooking dinner together, laughing at our attempts to recreate recipes we found online. My thoughts drifted even further, imagining Suna proposing to me. I could see it so clearly: him kneeling down, a ring in his hand, his eyes filled with love and determination.

I blushed, feeling a rush of warmth spread across my cheeks. And then, my mind took an even bolder turn. I started thinking about us getting married, sharing a life together, and... doing that. I scolded myself for thinking so far ahead, for letting my mind wander to such intimate places. But deep down, I hoped that someday, all those dreams would come true.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "Focus, [Reader]," I muttered to myself, though I couldn't help but smile. The idea of being with Suna in every sense of the word was thrilling, and I couldn't wait to see what our future held.

As I continued to walk, I found myself thinking back to my first memory of falling in love. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet every moment with him was as vivid as if it happened yesterday. It all started in elementary school, back in Aichi Prefecture.

I was in the schoolyard, playing with our class pet rabbit. It was a fluffy, mischievous little thing, and it managed to escape from its pen. I chased after it, my heart pounding with worry that it might get lost or hurt. The rabbit led me on a wild chase, and I stumbled into a small shrine nearby. I called out to the bunny, my voice tinged with desperation. "Bunny! Where are you?" I cried, tears welling up in my eyes. The rabbit had gotten itself stuck in some bushes, struggling to free itself.

I didn't see him at first. He was waiting for his mom, sitting on the steps of the shrine, looking bored but patient. He must have heard my cries and seen the struggling rabbit because, without hesitation, he walked over and gently freed the rabbit from the bushes.

"Oi," he called out to me, his voice breaking the stillness of the forest. Startled, I turned to face him, a small squeak escaping my lips as I stumbled backward.

"That scared me," I confessed, my hand pressed against my chest as I wiped away my tears. Despite my earlier distress, a nervous giggle bubbled from my lips, my cheeks still damp with the remnants of my tears.

Moved by my distress, he offered a reassuring smile, the corners of his lips lifting. With a gentle pat, he coaxed the bunny into his arms, presenting it to me. My relief at finding my bunny was palpable, my eyes lighting up as I thanked him with a warm smile.

"Thank you," I said, my voice still a bit shaky. He handed the rabbit to me with a small smile. "You should be more careful," he said, his voice calm and steady.

I stared at him, my young heart skipping a beat. There was something about him, a quiet confidence that drew me in. His mom called out to him just then, and I only managed to catch his first name as he turned to leave. "Rintarou!" she called.

From that moment, I was smitten. He was my first love, though he never knew it. Years later, my family moved to Hyogo Prefecture, and I thought I'd never see him again. But fate had other plans.

On the first day of high school, I spotted him during the opening ceremony. He hadn't changed much-taller, more mature, but still the same Rintarou. I recognized him instantly, my heart racing with excitement and nerves. But I didn't approach him. How could I? I was just a girl with pigtails, missing a tooth, and big, thick glasses back then. He probably wouldn't remember me.

Our first encounter in high school was less than ideal. I was goofing around with my classmates in the classroom, and in my clumsiness, I accidentally spilled my drink. It splashed out of the window and landed squarely on a sleeping Suna, who was lying on a bench outside the building. He woke up with a start, drenched and annoyed, while I watched in horror from above.

He didn't recognize me, of course. How could he? I looked so different now. But I recognized him, and I made a silent vow to myself. I wouldn't tell him I was the girl with the bunny. Instead, I would make my way into his life anew.

And I did. Slowly but surely, I found ways to be near him, to talk to him, to become a part of his world. I never stopped loving him, and seeing him again after all those years felt like destiny. It was as if the universe was on my side, bringing us back together.

The memories brought a smile to my face as I continued walking. I glanced at my phone again, Suna's message still on the screen. I couldn't wait to see him, to tell him about the exhibit, to share another moment together. My heart swelled with love and gratitude.

We were about to embark on a new journey together, and I was more certain than ever that it was meant to be.

A child's wail pierced through my thoughts, pulling me abruptly from my reverie. I blinked, disoriented, and looked around to find the source of the cry. Across the street, a small child stood frozen in the middle of the road, tears streaming down his face. Panic surged through me as I realized the danger he was in.

An incoming truck hurtled towards him, the driver frantically honking the horn. It was clear that the truck had lost its brakes, unable to stop in time. My heart dropped to my stomach, and a sense of dread washed over me.

"This is ridiculous," I thought, my mind racing. "Playing the hero in real life? What am I thinking? I can't possibly make it in time."

Despite the logical part of my brain screaming at me to stay put, my body had other plans. I found myself sprinting towards the child, adrenaline coursing through my veins. The distance between us seemed insurmountable, and yet I pushed myself harder, every second stretching out into an eternity.

"Move, please move," I begged silently, my feet pounding against the pavement. But the child remained rooted to the spot, too scared to react.

I reached him just in time, my arms wrapping around his small frame as I shoved him out of the truck's path. There was no time to think, no time to worry about the consequences. My only thought was to save him, to prevent the unthinkable.

Then, everything went black.

- Here comes Truck-kun to ruin it all! 

3 more chapters to go!

Thank you so much for reading ⋆⑅˚✿📸