Chapter 1
Beginning of Spring

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s dark…”

“too dark..”
“More over… there is no sound what so ever… quiet..”

“Too quite… I can even hear my own heartbeat… in this lonely silence…”

 

“I’m sorry…”, as I mumbling to myself. I know, as I’ve been sitting inside this metal box thing, no one could hear me, even if I am screaming. Its happen before the day end. Pretty sure everyone has going home already. Outside… it must have been so dark already. I don’t even know how long have I been in here. It’s probably hours have pass since I’ve been throwing inside this dark place.

 

“I’m scared…”, as the air I breath suddenly start to suffocating me. My breathing slowly became heavy, and tear of sweat start to dripping down on my face. Its start to get hot in here. I guess probably no one will fine me here. I clenched my hands, and bowing down to my knees as I hope the night will end and someone will notice me, as the day will start tomorrow.

 

Clank! Clank!!

 

The sudden huge metal sound coming from outside startled me. “Someone outside?”, as my thoughts start to play by itself. Then, the sound stops. I look at the door for a while, before the cracking open sound of the door revealed a silhouette of a short hair boy, standing outside of the box. I stared at him for a few seconds.

 

“There you are! I knew I’ll find you here!” the boy suddenly speaks it startle me for a bit. He sounds so cherish and at the same a relief expression is showing in his face.

 

Then, under the slightly light from the moon, slowly revealing the silhouette. His red hair is short, with a touch of purple. A smile, a smile so bright and welcoming, easy enough to ease all trouble from mind to those who see it. It’s so reassuring and feeling safe. That smile makes me thinking, what makes him smile so bright that night.

 

4 years has past, and that smile still leave me something in my heart. A healing memory that I will never ever erased it from my memories.

 

I stand near the brick that separated the ocean and the roadway. I don’t know if the wind or the sound of waves hitting the shore, or even the birds who flying away from their nest want to start a day. With my heart clenching as I remembering that night, somehow it feels so peaceful and relaxing. I really miss him!

 

“Yuki!”, a sudden voice echoed from not so far behind, makes me stop dipping the past. Two teenage boys are standing not far from me, waving me with a wide smile, a good way to start my day. Except for another who as usual in his stern face which I don’t really mind at all.

 

Immediately I ran towards time with a wide smile as a rewards for them to always picking me up in the same place every day, so we can walk to school together. But today is a special day. It’s our first day of high school life together.

 

“We are sorry Yuki to make you wait a little longer today. Haru-Chan really take his time getting ready today”, says the green hair boy. His softness, kindness smile, there is no way someone will get angry at that such softy. Though he is a big and tall guy. His kindness, no one could ever stand.

 

“It’s okay Makoto. I already expecting this. I bet Haru-Chan really love his water tub that much. It must be hard for you to bring him out…” I said as I chuckled myself while looking at the stern teenage boy who stand beside the big green hair boy with his frown face.

 

“You two, did I told to stop calling my name with chan already” his face stays frown. Looks like it won’t go away immediately, buts its inviting to keep teasing him a little bit more.

 

“Haru-chan…”

 

“Stop it Yuki”

 

“Looks like someone is shy”, said Makoto while he is also chuckled at Haru’s cute reaction.

“Makoto, I am not shy”, Haru said as he looks at Makoto’s face smiling teasing at him.

“But your face is red Haru… You should look in the mirror…”I said as i thinking what would he react next.

 

Haru’s knocked out face, that he didn’t mentally ready for the words that coming out from Yuki, his red face quicken more as he looks away. Which spontaneously makes me laughing out loud. Makoto as soft as he can be, he only chuckles seeing Haru’s shy expression. The only reaction that Haru will never show it to anyone else except his best friends.

 

Haru-chan so cute!

 

Nanase Haruka, an innocent looking face, same age as me, and a little bit of stoic. His dark blue hair is short, with a little bit hair bang in his head. His eyes, dark blue eyes like a sky in the night with a little glittering like a stars. A little bit high from me, but a little bit lower from Makoto. His body built are like an average teenage boy, except he has a slender hands and a little bit muscle in his chest and arm. Though he is quite for most of the time, most people seeing him as a man with little words. But to us, he is like a cinnamon bun who are crispy and a little bit thick outside but softie inside. 

 

Tachibana Makoto, a softie heart I may call, he is very kind, gentle and soft-spoken. Between the two of us, Makoto is the taller. If Haruka height are below his jaw line, my height is in below his chest line, a normal average high school girl height. His has a bigger body built and a little bit muscly in his chest and arms. His hair and eyes and green grass colour, and has a sleepy eye. Makoto is like a big brother figure to us as he always taken care of our wellbeing.

 

Tachibana Makoto, Nanase Haruka. We have been friends since kindergarten, and the best friends I have ever had. For I am sure, no one could ever replace them. As I smiled looking at both of my precious friends in front of me, feeling all the love I have for all these years, I say,

 

“Good morning, Makoto, Haru. I am so happy that we will be together again this year”

 

“Good morning, Yuki. And so are we, Right Haru?” Makoto smile as he look at Haru who are still shying away. He only responds with a little hum agreeing with us and it’s okay. Because its Haru.

 

The three of us, walking together to school side by side. Sakura trees, and petals falling everywhere, giving a pink panorama all over the place, welcoming us to our chapters in our life. As we keep chatting about what we will expected in this coming of year, the sound of the sea slowly disappearing and more students are seeing walking on the road, is a sign that we are nearly reaching our high school makes us anxious and excited at the same time.

 

As we approach the main gate, I definitely can see our school sign “Iwatobi High School”, it’s a school we will spend 3 years here. 1 year has gone by; we still have 2 years more to create memories. A great memory, I hope.

 

“There are many new students this year,” I said as I saw a large group of students standing in front of a large memo board. The large memo board are showing all the new students and their class assign base on their result from the entrance exam. Its bringing back memories.

 

Last year were the same. The three of us decide to go to the same school, and went to take the entrance exam together. I still remember how happy I am when we finally get a results that we will be going to the same high school together.

 

“Well, that’s remind of us last year, isn’t it?”, Makoto said with a smile as he watches other new junior students jump happily looking at their class assigned.

“Em, and I remember how Yuki jump around being loud after we get a results…”

“Its call happiness, Haru…” I smile widely at Haru as I said. He just looks at my face without an expression. Just like his usual self as always.

 

“Well, at least this year we are in the same class again, right Yuki, Haru is just being himself we all know he is happy like us,” said Makoto backing up my words. I smile widely at Makoto as Haru shy away.

 

He knows that. He knows that he is also happy that he will start his new life as a high school student with his best friend. But his ego and shyness restrain him from agreeing. That’s also a side of Haru that Makoto and I know too well. Though to the extent of our closeness, Makoto are the only one who able to read what in Haru’s mind, and I am always impressed with that.

 

As the school bell rings, the sakura’s petal falling down mark the start of our new journey, I am praying, may our journey will be full of bliss and happiness. And deep inside, I also pray that he will find the bliss and happiness no matter where he was.

 

           Not too far from Iwatobi High school, about 15 minutes far, and the fastest to go there without needing to go through traffic jam are by train, there is Samezuka High School. The only all boy boarding high school that specialize in sports education for future athletes. Since it’s the only boarding sports school in the small town, it’s a well recognize school for talented teenagers.

 

As the other students are getting ready for their first day of school, a young red hair teenage boy are dozing on his bed bunk with his full school uniform. He is looking at a piece of picture that he holds dearly in his right hand, while his left is holding his head as a pillow from behind. His eyes never revert to anywhere else instead he keeps starring at the pictures for such a long time.

 

A picture of 4 boys in their swimsuit looking so happily and one of them are holding a trophy. And the red boy hair wasn’t in the picture, for a short while, he seems so lonely, but he pushes it away and keep it to himself, before he woke up and getting ready for class, leaving the picture behind his study table board.

 

Back to the Iwatobi high school, its already noon and students already help themselves for their lunch break. As I keeping all my books under my table and cleaning up my desk, a familiar voice calling for me. As I look up, it seems Haruka and Makoto are already standing beside my table, a smile on their face getting ready for our first lunch break of our 2nd school year.

 

We walk side by side heading to our usual lunch break spot while chitchatting about our bento ingredients. It seems, this time, Makoto’s lunch box is bigger than usual. Which makes me a little bit curious. Seeing my confuse face, Makoto understand that he probably needs to explain it to me.

 

“Mom prepared today lunch box. She said since it’s the first day of school year and she on break, so she accidently overdid the food and she gave me half of the potion and the other half for the twins” Makoto said with a smile in his face. As a look at his face, I know he happy, because he usually makes the lunch box himself.

 

“That’s great. I can’t wait to see what’s inside. It must be pretty.”

“You can have some later”

“Really? Th-ank-yo-u ~~”

 

We exchange smiles before Haru decide to join our conversation after being quite for a while.

 

“Does it have mackerel?”

“Haru, you really love Mackerel so much aren’t you?” Makoto said softly with a smile on his face.

“Because mackerel is delicious and healthy”

“Only Haru would say that” I said as I walk past them, taking a stairs step to the rooftop.

 

While we still chitchatting and climbing the stairs, a suddenly familiar voice loudly calling us from behind giving us a little bit startle before we turning around seeing a young boy with a yellow short hair, and cute feminine face widely smiling at us.

 

“I know it’s you guys. I found you! Haru-chan, Mako-chan, Yuu-chan.” the yellow hair boy looking at us from below the stairs, widely smile at us. He looks pretty excited for strangers who we just meet.

 

But somehow, for a while, Haru-chan, Mako-chan and Yuu-chan, our old nickname rings a bell in our memories. As we feel a little bit confuse seeing a stranger knowing our nickname, we look at each other, confirming that we know who is the little teenage boy in front of us.

 

“Nagisa??” as we spoke together in rhyme while looking at the cheerful yellow hair boy in front of us.

 

“Em! Long time no see everyone” the young boy, widely smile and his face becomes much more cheerful, confirming, he is our Nagisa, Hazuki Nagisa, our childhood friend that we have long lost contact with each other once he moves out from the town few years ago after we graduated from the kindergarten.

 

           Still can’t believe with the unexpected reunion, we decide to have a lunch together. For the first time since middle school, we sit together as a 4 of us. There is so many to talk about. Including our lunch box.

 

“Wahhh, Mako-chan’ lunch box really looks so pretty. Mako-chan’s mom is the best, Can I have it a little? I want to taste Mako-chan’s mom lunch box”, Nagisa’s eye became so wide as he looks at Makoto’s lunch box once he opens the lid. Makoto only chuckles as he agreeing to allowed Nagisa to taste his lunch.

 

“Your mom, really overdid it. Just like Nagisa said, it is really pretty. It is great” My eyes keep staring at the Makoto’s lunch box as I look at my plain looking lunch box.

 

“Yuu-chan’s lunch box also looks yummy. Did you make it yourself?” Nagisa look at me with his wide smile as usual. I only nodded slowly as I put one of the squid inside my mouth.

 

“Yuki always make her lunch box for herself and for her oneesan everyday right?” as Makoto interrupting Nagisa’s overly excitement for lunch box.

 

“Em, since mom and dad going to work early and oneesan waking up late because her college class starts late” I said, as I put another squid inside my mouth.

 

“Eh… so Ami oneesan in college now. Then, can I taste yours too?”

“I’m not good at cooking you know. Don’t blame me if you get sick.” I said smile teasing at Nagisa excitement that make him stop reaching his chopstick into my lunch box with a little scared expression makes me laugh a little. Knowing he been teasing, he pout his mouth with a little cute whining. It really is Nagisa. Our cute Nagisa.

 

Makoto only chuckled happily as he looks our little teasing moment, before he looks at Haru beside him, looking at his own really plain looking lunch box with a serious face. He wonders why Haru been a little bit quite, now he knows why. Haru probably can tell apart between his bento and ours. He only have a white rice with sesame seeds and also a slice of grill mackerel on his plate. But he didn’t mind it.

 

“Haru, mackerel again?” Makoto said with a smile and giving up face.

 

Without any response, Haru keep on eating his lunch box like no one else around him. Makoto just smile. He knowns Haru didn’t need anyone approval for his too much liking on mackerel. Knowing his lunch box are over potion, he put some of it into Haru’s plate causing him confusion.

“Makoto?” Haru look at Makoto with a serious confusion face expression while chopstick is still in his mouth.

 

“I still have more. Don’t worry. If you want more, I can give it to you. Just ask okay” softly Makoto answer Haru’s confusing face.

“Yuki and Nagisa, you can take some too. I’m afraid I wont be able to finish this before lunch break is over”

 

“Then I’ll help myself” Nagisa said happily as he reaches one of the ingredients in Makoto’s lunch box.

 

For a second, we are eating in quite before Nagisa once again spoke to us.

 

“I can’t believe we finally meet together after years. You guys still don’t change.”

“You also Nagisa. Well, the only thing that change is that we finally in the same school. Though we are different level” Makoto said with a smile.

“And Makoto still need to go to Haru’s house to wake him up” as I said teasing.

“I already up when Makoto arrived” Haru said as he continues eating.

“And let me guess, Yuu-chan still crying a lot?” Nagisa teasing with a wide smile as he looks at me.

 

I chocked a little at the teasing, and look at him back with a little bit frown on my face and red face embarrassed on my childhood days make Nagisa’s laugh a little.

 

“Don’t bring that back up!! It’s in the past. Geez Nagisa, I hate you” I said as Nagisa laugh out loud. My face probably really in blood red right now. Damn Nagisa, why did he bringing up the past. I know I am a crybaby a lot when we were little but that’s because I don’t know how to express my feelings in such a manner way. Besides being a little bit sensitive because of my surrounding, crying is the easy way for me to expressed what I’m feeling without the need to tell what I feel inside.

And the first one to recognize it, are him. He knows that I am struggling. He knows, so that’s why, he is the only approach me with an open hand, and that welcoming smile.