Ao no Sumika [Initial D - Keisuke Takahashi | Novella}

Seishun: 3

There were only four reasons for them to see each other again: graduations, weddings, the New Year, and funerals. The last time Keisuke saw Motoko was during his graduation where she was invited by Ryosuke to celebrate with the family since "she's practically family," as the Takahashi brothers' mother said when Ryosuke asked if he could bring along Motoko to the celebration. Since the two were still in university that time, Ryosuke mentioned about driving to Maebashi to pick her up before heading home for the ceremony.

It's been a while since he saw Motoko, the last was exactly when she visited home a few months ago, a lot has changed with her since stepping into university. Gone were her long hair, she had cut it short since it got in the way in her work, her figure became fuller, lean and well built, probably from the labor she has to do with her course.

But that was months ago, and just as they thought things were going so well in the Sasaki and Takahashi family, tragedy struck.

The news came from his brother. Keisuke was hanging out with his gang somewhere in Gunma, and he's been purposely dropping his brothers' calls until he Ryosuke had enough and sent a text. Keisuke was about to ignore it as well but then he read the three words that had him call his brother: it's about Motoko.

"What is it? What's wrong with Motoko?" Keisuke asked.

"Sasaki Hajime has passed."

Motoko's grandfather. It was expected that the old man would be meeting death any time soon with his age – he did serve in the war and gone through the struggles after it. But Sasaki Hajime was one of those old people that Keisuke believed would live over a hundred and fifty. He remembered making a bet with the old man on when he was going to "bite the dust".

I doubt I'll live over eighty, not after what I went through in the war, said Sasaki Hajime. There are nights when I could feel the effects of it in my body and my mind. The mind especially. Once the mind succumbs to it, poof!

Motoko would always chastise her grandfather for talking like that about himself, and he would tell her that death comes to everyone, so he wasn't afraid. And so, she shouldn't also be afraid of it.

Then Keisuke said, I bet you'll live longer. You got more strength than my own grandfather.

Ryosuke would chastise him about talking about their grandfather that way but he would ignore it.

Wanna bet? Hajime pulled out a one-hundred Yen coin. I'll give you this if I do go over... ninety. What about you, kid?

Fine with me, Keisuke said.

Make sure to pay me in my grave when it happens. Hajime laughed and patted him quite hard on the back that it had Keisuke dropping to the floor at the garage.

Back at the parking lot he was at, Keisuke moved away from his friends and sat on the pavement with his back against the wall. His hand pulling his blonde hair as he tried to cope with what he was hearing.

"The service will be held tomorrow. They want to cremate him as soon as possible," Ryosuke said.

"Why?"

"It's in his wishes. He mentioned about his other comrades not getting the privilege of a proper burial, so he wants it to be over as soon as possible."

Keisuke brushed the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe his tears. "How's Motoko? Soshiro?"

"In mourning. Soshiro came back from Tokyo earlier, Motoko was having an exam when it happened and she didn't get the news immediately. She missed the first train back –"