Golden Era (Book 2)

25. Forget Me Not

Overnight, strong gusts from the Japan Sea cleared the sky. Yet even as the sun graced the mainland, a perceptible chill seeped through the morning air. Along the city streets, leaves were starting to yellow and wither at the edges. These were signs that autumn had truly arrived.

Ryoma asked to meet on the top floor of the Kyoto Station. Conjoined with a massive department store, it was converted into a restaurant row and provided access to the main shopping center. Overhead was a latticed glass dome that revealed patches of sky.

As she rode the escalator up, Ayuna thought it laughable that a day like this should really be so painfully glorious.

Ryoma was sitting on the edge of a flower rink when she arrived, his packed bag beside his feet. When he saw her, he immediately stood up.

"You don't look so great," he remarked as she neared.

Giving the bottom of her eyes a good rub, Ayuna admitted, "I couldn't sleep."

He watched her intently. "Why not?"

"I was thinking."

"What about?"

"About how to tell you everything before you go."

Ryoma waited.

"I guess I should start with an apology," she said. "Knowing what I do now, I realize how insensitive I was back then."

He smiled crookedly. "Ah. You mean the part where you tried to set me up with Ryuzaki?"

"Yes. I can't imagine how you must've felt."

"Mad as hell, I can tell you."

She recalled their fight in the Rokkaku park: she'd acted so righteously while being utterly oblivious of her own faults. "I'm sorry. It was unfair to corner you and lecture you about something you clearly didn't want. "

Ryoma considered this for a minute. "You know, that wasn't why I was mad."

She looked at him quizzically.

"I was mad because you were thinking for Ryuzaki's benefit and not for me." Pausing here, he asked in a low voice, "Did you ever think of me?"

Ayuna leafed through her memories. She thought about the first district game, where Momoko had dragged her to watch Ryoma's match against Fudomine. The moment she heard about his injury, she'd dashed down to the front row to see if he was okay. 

"I did," she said.

"What about after, once you were with Fuji-senpai?"

She didn't want to answer that.

"Nevermind," Ryoma sighed. "It's foolish to ask when I already know the answer. I can tell you're with him even when you're not with him."

"Ryoma..."

"I happen to have something to tell you too," he interjected. Shoving a hand into his pocket, Ryoma confessed, "I hardly slept, either. I spent all night making that decision—and I've decided to move to California for good."

Beams of sunlight peeked through the meshed ceiling. They bounced off shuttered display windows, suddenly lighting up the open area. From a distance came crisp chimes of the first morning trains, their arrival sending a soft shudder through the air.

"Thank you for helping me decide," Ryoma went on with a slight smile. "Before visiting Kyoto, I was hesitant because I still clung to some undefined aspects of Japan. Seeing you again made me realize what they were: the unexpectedly warm memories with Seigaku. It just may be the best thing I was forced into."