Sora & Fumiko

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I held her in my arms as I tried to steady my pounding heart, my heart racing solely for her.

I pulled away from her to look at how beautiful her face was and her pretty, glowing eyes that shone adoringly.

She was beautiful and I loved her.

I smiled brightly at her momentarily as the full impact of what had unfolded hit me.

She loved me. She was in love with me.

I had no words as she smiled back at me, her face adorable as she blushed before throwing her arms around my neck.

"Fumiko!" I laughed as I hoisted her up by the waist, my happiness uncontrollable at finding out this big secret.

"Sora, I-"

I pulled her down onto the porch beside me as I took a seat and she did the same.

I brushed away a few strands of hair from her luminescent face before tilting her head towards me.

My chest felt heavy and my breathing was nearly rapid as I felt all the things I wanted to tell her on my lips, all the things I had been dreaming of saying but when I finally was about to, I pulled away as I realized that I couldn't.

It felt like both a blessing and a curse for this secret between us to be over.

She finally knew my heart but what was the use?

She was going to leave for the city in a week.

She was going to leave me so there was no use in spilling my heart to her.

I pulled my hand away from her chin and instead pushed her head back until she was resting against me, sadness and pain found me again as I realized this was all I could achieve between us- warmth and friendship.

"Sora?" She whispered as she caught sight of my downcast eyes. "I um-"

I smiled brightly at her without taking my eyes away from her face, the disbelief between us still evident in the air.

"Fumiko"

"Yeah"

"I don't want you to ever be sad or lonely, OK?"

"Alright"

"Even if we're not together, well still be close OK?"

"I know"

"When you leave-"

"When I leave?" She said pulling away from me, her eyes quickly flitting from my face to her hands. "I almost forgot that I'm going away soon"

She looked almost fragile as I gazed at her, her small hands clasping onto mine tightly. A single silver tear slipped down her face but I quickly caught it by rubbing a thumb over her cheek.

"Don't cry. Don't ever cry for me, I've told you haven't I that we'll always have each other"

"I know but-"

"I don't ever want you to feel upset, disadvantaged or lonely because of me. When you go to college I want you to study very hard and don't you ever stop for a minute to think about me. I can't tell you to wait for me but I want you to hold me in your heart, not your heart to hold you."

I spoke to her strongly as I held her face but I couldn't help my hands from shaking. My heart was surging with pain but I tried to appear calm and composed.

"Sora I don't think anyone can replace you. You're everything to me" I smiled at that and she chuckled, her tears vanishing. "All the memories and experiences I've had with you are forever with me and I'm great full for your kindness to me. I'm going to miss you a lot when I'm away"