The Real RPG of Life Series: Memoirs of Friendship [FIN]

Chapter 20: Goodbye (Natasha)

That night, the train ride felt so long. I couldn’t say it properly. I couldn’t say goodbye to him, a guy whom I’m indebted to; a guy who was the first one I love truly. And to think I planned on telling him today, of all times, I’m the worst.

For the past few days, I never logged into Grandiel Online and I was deeply immersed in learning how to knit. Just reading the manual alone made it easy, but difficult to do. My fingers get easily tired, and I barely finished any of the scarf yet.

“Ugh, this is so hard!” I complained to myself as I was resting after two hours of knitting.

Looking over at the ball of yarn I was using, it was still as big as I bought it that Saturday. I can’t figure out what was I doing wrong. I was putting more time into making it, yet why can’t I seem to be making any progress?

For a while now, I never noticed the calls that were coming from my mom downstairs, until she finally knocks on my door and enters my room.

“Nat? I’ve told you many times that—“ looking at what I was doing, she keeps silent and was waiting for a reaction.

“M-mom?”

“Y-yes dear?”

“What were you trying to say?”

“O-oh, dinner’s ready.”

“Okay, I’ll be down in a minute.” Looking at her as she slowly closes the door, it would surely be strange if she acted calm about it.

I barely acted my gender since I was young; it took me a while just to go to the kitchen to actually learn how to cook. But for my mom to see me doing a bit of knitting, I guess I am starting to take an interest to my feminine side, although I still dress like a guy at home.

Even as we were eating dinner, my mom would still look at me every now and then. I guess she must be pleased, seeing that I might be turning in a new leaf. After dinner, as I was about to do the dishes, my mom walks up behind me.

“Nat, you can go upstairs now.”

“But it’s my turn to wash—“

“Like I said, you can go.” Patting me on the head while telling me so, I take up her offer and head off back towards my room and continued knitting.

It was a Monday that following morning, and still, no progress with my scarf knitting. I just can’t seem to escape the loop of always committing mistakes here and there. Even with that hindering my progress, it didn’t falter my determination to continue on. It was for a special person after all, and with this gift, I plan on returning some, if not all, of the things he has given me.

I decide to work on it in between breaks. While I would usually go with Alicia and Kathy during this time, I thought of an excuse to be alone during that time while I make the scarf. I found a neat place to do it while I wandered around the school grounds.

There was a small bench just right in the middle of the main building and the auxiliary building for the clubs. It wasn’t passed as much except after dismissal when club members would go do some club activities. I sat there, eating my lunch as quickly as I can so I could start working on it.

I must have been so engrossed by knitting the scarf that I failed to notice Alicia and Kathy, who came up to me and found out what I was doing.

“What are you doing, Natasha?” I could only turn at them with such suspense that, once again, I pricked myself with a needle.

“Ouch!” the scarf drops from my hand, prompting Alicia to pick it up.

“This is… a scarf right?” she asks as she touches and feels the part I already did.