Secrets Of Spring | Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso ;; Watari Ryota |

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Maika
Eleven years ago

Snow falls to the ground from the heavens, like powdered sugar being sprinkled onto desserts. Snowflakes rest in my hair as I step outside. In my chocolate-colored hair, they sparkle like diamonds as the sun peaks from behind the clouds and shines on them.

"So how did you like the show Maika?" My dad asks me.

"It was amazing!! I hope I can be like the ballerinas when I grow up!"

"You will be Maika, and you'll be better than them!" He picks me up and spins me around as I gleefully giggle.

He carries me to the car and puts me into the backseat, buckling me in safely. He starts to drive back home as I continue to watch the snowflakes fall from the heavens. On the fogged window, I draw a heart on the glass and smile. I turn to the other window when I spot a car speeding towards us, swerving in all directions. As it comes closer, my heart pangs in my chest, like a drum becoming louder and louder with each beat.

"Daddy!! Watch out!" I scream, but it was too late. The car crashes into the right side of our car where my dad is. My world goes silent, the only noise I can hear is the pounding of my heart and my labored breathing. Glass shatters around me and slices my skin. As we hit other surrounding vehicles, the exterior of our car dents and caves in on me, trapping me under the wreck.

I look up at the front seat and see my dad's eyes closed as the airbag pushes him back into his seat, his motionless body being thrown around. His door is crushed into him and blood drips down from his head.

"Dad--!" I call out until my head crashes into the window where the heart I drew was.

• • •

I wake up in an instant as I clutch onto my heart. I breathe in and out, feeling my heartbeat slowing down. I close my eyes and exhale once more to calm myself.

"Maika!!" A voice calls out.

I turn and see Watari at his window waving at me. His waving isn't a "good-morning-wake-up-the-birds-are-singing!" but more like "something-major-happened." I open my window and rub my eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"It's Kaori!! She's in the hospital again," He informs me.

I shut my window, close my curtains, and immediately jump out of bed. I run out of the house in my pajamas just to get to her. My muscles ache and beg for me to stop but I persist and keep moving forward while stumbling over my own feet. I have to get to her.

"Kaori... Why is it getting worse for us?"

As I arrive at her hospital room, I slide the door open and collapse, out of breath and with limp muscles.

"Maika!" Kaori exclaims. She almost rushes over to me but I put my hand up, signaling her to stop.

"I'm... Fine... Don't worry about me," I reassure her between my panting. I use the handle of the door to stand up and walk over to her bedside.

"What happened?" I ask and sit on the edge of her bed.

"I'm getting worse every day. I'll have to decide soon if I'm getting surgery." She explains.

My eyes widen and I swallow. "Are you going to go through with it?"

"I haven't decided... I'm not sure," Kaori answers.

My head hangs low and I grip the white sterile sheets of her bed. "Why is it like this for us...? What did we do to deserve this?"

Besides her situation, she still displays her joyful disposition and takes my hand. "I guess we're the unlucky ones. But that means we work harder so we're unique!"

I never can understand how she can be so optimistic even while hooked to machines and IVs. How is this girl able to look past all of this and still smile? How is she able to keep living with that radiance while knowing her fate?

• • •

The next day

"Back again so soon?" Kaori asks as I slide open her door.

"Of course, I know it gets lonely in here," I close the door behind me and sit next to her bed. "Have the others visited?"

"Yeah, they came altogether earlier, they were wondering why you did come with them,"

I sigh. "It's hard for me to come with them and act like everything is normal. Lie to their faces when I know what's happening..." I trail off.

"I'm sorry for making you lie, Maika," Kaori apologizes and I shake my head.

"It's not just you, Kaori. It's the secrets I keep from them too. You reassure them that you'll be okay, but I feel like my uncertainty is painted on my face. I can't help it..."

"How was the ballet with Watari?" Kaori asks to change the subject.

"O-oh, it was really fun," I reply. "Sorry if you feel weird about me going with him, you know with everything that's going on between you two," Even though I'm apologizing, my heart stings a little.

She shakes her head and hands. "No no! Don't be sorry, I don't care. Besides, you two have been friends forever, it's probably normal that he does stuff like that for your birthday,"

"Speaking of birthdays," I pick up the gift box wrapped in sky blue paper and tied with a white ribbon that was on my lap and hand it to her. "Happy birthday, Kaori! Sorry it's late, I ordered it but it didn't come till today,"

Kaori unwraps the gift and opens the box, revealing a babydoll blush pink organza dress. "It's beautiful!!" She exclaims with joy as she holds the dress up to her. "Thank you so much,"

"I got us matching ones, mine's green. I thought it'd be nice to dress up together, of course when you're out of here," I comment.

"I love it, Maika! I can't wait to wear it!" Kaori sets the dress on her lap. "You know, I've always imagined you to be a pink person," She suddenly brings up.

I raise an eyebrow and point at myself. "Me? Really?" She nods. "Pink is more you, Kaori. It's playful, fun, romantic, and nostalgic--that's so you,"

Kaori giggles. "I don't know if I'd say it like that, but thanks. I just thought pink for you because of ballet, you know?"

I exhale and look down at my hands. "I guess that makes sense if I was still a ballerina," I mumble the last part.

"I'm way more of a green than pink. I'm colored green with envy if I'm being honest... Envious of her outlook on life, envious of how easily she captivated Watari's heart... But still, I love her. Kaori is my best friend, I could never be truly mad at her, no matter what,"

"But, you know, green does make sense for you as well," I look at her and she sports her thinking face while looking up. "Green is like a breath of fresh air, like the spring breeze. It's new beginnings, hope, and luck that bring tranquility. That really represents you. You're all those things combined, that's why you're such a beautiful person, Maika."

I redden and hide my face. "You say the most embarrassing things sometime!" I exclaim flustered and she laughs.

"I only speak the truth!"

"Can I ask you something?" I say. "How come you didn't tell the others about your birthday? I mean, your birthday is on July fourth and mine is the day after. But we didn't celebrate altogether,"

Kaori looks at the window. "I don't need to celebrate my birthday, not when I'm like this. Besides, I have plenty of more birthdays to come and I'll be better by then, so no need to fret!"