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

Chapter Thirty

Maika

"I-I have to go!" I gather my things and sprint away from Watari.

"W-wait, where are you going?!" He yells after me.

"Don't worry about me, I just have to be somewhere!!" 

I continue on my way to the bus stop we got off at when I scan the bus schedule and see that the bus won't be here for thirty minutes. I stumble as I put on my shoes, then run down the side of the road until I get to the next stop where, luckily, the bus was still there but about to take off. I jump on and plop down in a seat near the front and let out a huff of air. Thankfully, there's only one other person on the bus and they don't pay any mind to me despite me being drenched and covered in sand.

"What happened to Kaori? Is she okay?"

After a long bus ride, I finally arrive at the Miyazono bakery where her parents spot my disheveled appearance through the front window. "Jeez, Maika! You scared us," Kaori's dad says when he opens the door.

Her mom pushes past him and gasps. "What are you doing all wet? Come inside, you'll catch a cold!" She pulls me inside and closes the door behind me.

She runs upstairs and comes back down with a towel in her hand. "Here, dry off."

"Thank you..." I wrap myself in the towel. "What's wrong? Did Kaori..."

"She's fine. But her condition is becoming worse every day. Has she told the others about everything?" Mrs. Miyazono asks.

"She hasn't, and she doesn't plan on it either. I'm the only one who knows, but I don't know how much longer she can hide it,"

"And what about you?" She asks with a serious expression.

"What about me?"

"You haven't told your friends about your illness too, right?" I nod at her question. "I don't mean to pry, Maika, but isn't it weighing down on you and Kaori?"

"I don't want to be a burden... I don't want my disease to define me." I look both of them in the eyes. "I know my friends won't judge me, but if I tell them, then that means it's real. I can't... I can't go through with that. I want to live like nothing's wrong like I'm not dying with every step I take and holding the pain in... I don't want the people I love so much to know that..." I confess between sniffles and tears.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry for bringing up painful emotions..." Mrs. Miyazono consoles me and wraps her arms around me along with her husband who joins us.

"We understand how you feel, Maika, but if you keep it in until you can't do anything about it, imagine the regret you'll feel then," Mr. Miyazono chimes in.

• • •

I exit the bakery and make my way back home. Maybe they're right. Maybe I should tell them before it's too late. But my mind keeps imagining the worst. I'm plagued with the thought of my friends being angry, neglecting me, and leaving me at my worst for what I hid.

"I don't have the courage to say it..."

As I turn the corner, I see Watari sprinting towards me. "Maika!! Where did you run off to?"

"Something happened, it's alright though..."

"I'm not lying.. just not telling the whole story... Who am I kidding, Maika? That's still bad, I'm a terrible friend."

"Maika.." He takes my hand in his and gazes into my eyes, his filled with concern. "If anything is bothering you, please tell me. I don't want you to keep anything from us."

"Why would I assume that Watari and the others would resent me for this? The Miyazono's are right, I have to come clean,"

I breathe in shakily. "When I was younger, I--"

"Excuse me!!" A voice calls out. We both turn to see a girl standing in front of us.

Her scarlet hair is braided into pigtails on each side of her face and tied with white ribbons. Her irises are sapphire blue and her pale skin is fair. Honestly, she looks like a Disney princess and I'm sure Watari can tell. Her uniform differs from our school's and she's a bit shorter than me by a few inches.

"S-sorry to bother you, but my name is Suzuki Ayako." She bows and then straightens her back. "I was hoping I'd find you!"

My eyes widen. "Me? Are you sure you have the right person?"

"Yep! Akiyama Maika, if I'm not wrong." She continues to explain, "A couple of months ago, I attended the Towa Hall dance competition. Out of all the contestants, you were the only one that I remembered. Your dance was so beautiful and memorable, I still get chills thinking about it!! I want to be able to reach that level when I dance. I want people to remember me the way that I remember you. And with that, I ask permission to work with you!" Ayako pleads and I stare at her in shock.

"I'm... flattered, but I sorta, uh, retired..." I mumble the last part.

She looks at me with sadness filling her eyes. "Oh, is that so... Well, I'm sorry for bothering you," Ayako sulks as she walks away and I can feel my heart-shattering.

"Wait." She turns around as I call out for her. "It wouldn't be so bad to coach you. I guess I can teach you a thing or two,"

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you so much!!" Ayako exclaims. "We need to start practicing pronto! My school hosts these gala concerts every year and everyone always plays an instrument of some sort, but I want to dance!"

"Isn't Kousei doing the same for that girl too? Is Nagi her name?" I ask Watari.

"I'm pretty sure he is, I don't know for sure though, he doesn't tell us anything."

"Nagi? Oh yeah, she goes to my school. We're in the same class too," Ayako comments. "She's really good at the piano. She's kinda two-faced though..."

"Two-faced? How so?" I question.

"It doesn't matter, we have more important things to do; like preparing for the gala!!" She starts to drag me away and I grab Watari's hand.

♪ ♪ ♪

Where I live, we got like ten inches of snow and we have a snow day today~~ so maybe a double update? Based on my progress, I most likely won't reach Christmas in the story when Christmas in real life arrives but oh well.

Hope you have a lovely day and stay warm!!