Project: Karma

43 | Rainy Day

<Sugino>
The rain eventually carried into the next day and it didn't seem like it was leaving anytime soon. The gloomy morning that I woke up to was murkier that ever, even if Nagisa is here.

I checked up on her as she was staying in my bedroom. It would of been bad manners to keep her on the couch. She laid asleep like Sleeping Beauty, but she wasn't waiting for a Prince Charming to come. She didn't want to wake up.

I sat in the kitchen and made myself coffee and breakfast. I made extra just in case if Nagisa did decide to wake up from her slumber.
I stared out the window and gazed at the streams of water slipping down the glass. The windless day and the absent of the sun devoured the day.

<Nagisa>
It took me no longer than a second to notice that this wasn't my place. If anything, I couldn't remember anything that happened when I left the facility. Despite not knowing how I ended up here, I remembered Karma.

This feeling again. Why can't it stop? The throbbing that I tasted bitterly yesterday still hadn't disappeared. I don't think I'll ever forget this heart wrenching sensation.
Ah, it's happening again. I stared down and saw the wet droplets on the bedsheets.
••••••
<Sugino>
My watch buzzed and my alarm for 9:20am went off. What am I going to do? My game starts in 2 hours? Do I just leave her here without saying anything?
What would happen if she woke up suddenly only to notice that she was kidnapped or something?!

KNOCK, KNOCK

"Huh? Who's that?" I got up from the chair and strolled over to the door, only to have whoever was on the other side knock more persistently.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." I said out loud.

When I opened the door, before I could see who it was they leaped into my arms. With a forceful and heavy embrace.

"W-what?"

"I missed you Sugino!"

"Huh?" I patted their back confused and I whiffed the light flowery perfume. Then I realized that it was Kaede. What?! What's she doing back so early?!

She released her arms from around my body and pecked a kiss on my cheeks. The glossiness of her lipstick. Wasn't this a little too much?

"Sugino?" Kaede tilted her head.

"Ah, sorry. W-what brings you back so early?!"

"Surprised? Haha." Kaede giggled. My heart raced unexpectedly. "We finished shooting and all their doing now are adding special affects and all those little details. They let out half of the cast." She explained.

"That's great. Welcome back." I awkwardly scratched my head.

"By the way, I went to see Nagisa but, she wasn't home. She's not answering my text messages either."

"Ah, that." I was wondering if I should tell her. Would she also get the wrong idea?

I first invited her in and she made a weird expression. Did I do something wrong?
We both sat down at the table and Kaede noticed the extra food on the plates.

"Were you eating breakfast?" She asked.

"No, I already ate." I shook my head.

"Then why-" she turned her head around and looked down the hall. Like she knew someone else was here.
I gulped.

"The thing is, Nagisa's here." I revealed.

"Huh? Nagisa's here?" She raised from her seat.

"W-wait, let me explain." I stood up too.

Despite the fact that I was going to tell her, she refused to listen and stomped down the hall and in front of my door. Before she could open it, I grabbed her wrist.

"Why is she here?" Kaede questioned with worry in her voice. Like I had betrayed her.

"It's not what you think." I said, "something happened yesterday and I don't know what happened to her. She was out of sorts and everything." I tried to be as detailed as much as I could.

"Is she injured?"

"I don't think so."
"Please let go of my hand." Kaede earnestly wanted to enter the room and see for herself. I unfastened my grip and she turned the silver knob.

I stood at the door and Kaede peeked in. Instantly she dropped her black and gold purse on the wooden floor, rushed over to Nagisa who was sitting beneath the covers.

<Kaede>
I know this face, I know it too well however, I would never imagine Nagisa ever showing this kind of side of hers. I must of been naive to think that she wasn't a romantic type.

"Hey, Nagisa. It's me Kaede, I'm back." I held her shoulders. "Are you hurt?"
Nagisa nodded her head.

"Where? Should I call the ambulance?"
Nagisa placed her hand slowly on her chest and planted it on where the heart laid. She looked down and closed her eyes. She even bite her lip to restrain herself from bursting.

"Here?" I took my own hand and placed it upon her hand, which was on her chest.

She didn't reply.
"Nagisa, I'm here. I'll listen to you, please tell me what happened."

Nagisa looked up and was about to speak, but she diverted her gaze to Sugino who was at the door. I turned around and motioned my hand, let me be alone with her. Sugino understood and closed the door behind him and his steps distanced as he went.

"Nagisa, did Sugino do something to you?" I didn't want to suspect that he did, I know he's not one to do anything like that. In this case, you really can't ignore an idea like this.

"No, he didn't do anything." She spoke, " I should be more thankful that he brought me back to my senses." Nagisa inspected his bedroom. With baseball trophies, trinkets and photographs of high school on his sky blue walls.

"Is your heart broken?" I questioned holding onto her hands. She didn't deny it and looked away.

"I want to say it is but I don't have the right to." Nagisa sighed and wiped her eyes. "I'm at fault here. I shouldn't be acting this way." She got up from the bed only to trip on her own two feet.

"Nagisa! Be careful!" I helped her up. She must be exhausted from all this conflict.

"It's just that, even if I tell myself everything's going to be okay, I just can't shake off this feeling that happiness is just an illusion." Nagisa embraced me with her trembling arms. "Do I have the right to look forward to a future with him?" She cried out.

My hands started to shake as well and I took both my hands and cupped her cheeks. She and I are suffering. Love isn't an easy thing and we're both experiencing that. She looked at me despondently, and I knew that tears were escaping from my eyes.

"Nagisa, I've always thought about that too."