Youthful Days (Book 1)

55. Forfeit

On a rare afternoon without tennis practice, Ayuna took the bus with Ryoma to Tokyo Station before going separate ways. Instead of hopping on a train, she decided to walk the rest of the way. It would take thirty minutes more than usual, but it was better than sitting down and ruminating on the past week.

She picked the busiest route possible, weaving through herds of business people and the after-school crowd. Countless faces blurred around her. Still, she couldn't help but think of Atobe, then of Fuji, each thought feeding into the next.

By the time she reached the quiet, narrow street leading towards home, the sun was half-submerged beneath the horizon. Splashes of gold and orange layered over the sky and danced over each other in clean strokes. It was a perfectly windless evening and everything seemed to be locked in a dreamlike stillness. From a distance came the rattling of a commuter train running across its tracks and the sound of a car cruising by. Besides that, every life on Earth seemed to be in tranquil sleep.

"Ayuna."

It occurred to her that she'd already reached the gates to home. When she looked up, she met Fuji's waiting eyes. The blue-and-white jersey was hanging from the crook of his arm and his right shoulder carried his tennis bag. Standing there in the dusk, an iridescent hue infused his indecipherable expressions.

She stopped short and blinked several times. After an entire week of silence, it was difficult to take in the sight of him.

"Are you in a rush to be home?" he asked.

She shook her head by an increment.

"Do you have time to take a walk," he paused, "with me?"

"Okay." Even with this answer, she stayed where she was, completely frozen. All the familiar motions had become alien with Fuji's appearance.

He moved forward, then retracted a step before turning around and walking ahead. Ayuna trailed after him, keeping a few paces' distance. She focused on the motions of his feet and the movement of her own to calm her erratic heartbeat.

When he stopped, Ayuna realized that they were in a small neighborhood park. Facing them was the Tama River rushing to the scarlet west. Light beams from the setting sun rippled through the water before dispersing into unshapely silhouettes.

Fuji picked a bench that looked over the river and sat. He set his tennis jersey down on his lap and motioned to the spot next to him. "Would you like to sit?"

Ayuna nodded. Cautious to maintain a reasonable distance, she sat close to the edge.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

She nodded again.

"I always liked coming here to see the sunset, especially after long tennis games."

"You do?" she asked incredulously.

He pointed to a bridge down the road. It arched over the river towards the Tama ward. "See that bridge? My house is just across there."

"Really?" Fuji had never mentioned where he lived, and strangely, she never thought to ask.

"I guess I haven't had the chance to take you there yet," said Fuji softly.

Ayuna opened her mouth, but she couldn't find the right words. She had no idea where this conversation was heading. In the end, she whispered, "You don't have to."

When Fuji turned to face her, she noticed his face grew serious. "Why did you think I showed up here today?"

"To put an end to all that's happened, right?"