Now with regards to the battle part of this story, it will happen in the next chapters since they'll be dealing with one formidable enemy, though it still has to do something with Riya and Kurama. Of course, that includes Kurama's trials. I'll try updating in a regular basis as long as my works (most of which has something to do with home) don't bother me that much. I also need to update my other stories so I hope it doesn't matter that much. But I hope I could bring you a good story here. I'm actually a bit (or maybe not just a bit) bothered on how the story actually turned out and how it would appear to the readers. Anyway, back to the topic. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing (and editing) this. Don't forget to review, as well. I really appreciate them.
Let's get on with the story, shall we?
AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER
CHAPTER 14
Hearts' Findings
Two weeks later, Hanasakura Academy…
"Alright, everyone! It's time to pay attention since we'll be talking about our class activity for the Rose Festival," Miss Ryuuzaki announced to the class that one morning after their winter break and in a way, it caught the students' attention.
"Rose festival? What's that?" Riya asked in a soft tone to Kurama who was in front of her.
Though he didn't look at her, she knew he heard her. " It's a traditional occasion here at Hanasakura Academy that usually deals with songs and theatrical plays. More like a Literary Fest but with only one them and that's love."
"So it's like the school's very own way of celebrating Valentine's Day," she commented.
"Sort of," he answered.
And after that, they all focused to the teacher's discussion regarding the activity.
"The reason I asked my class to do a Literary project was for the faculty members to choose the best projects for the other classes who will be involved in doing theatrical plays," the teacher explained before she showed a soft bound book to the students. It was colored red since Miss Ryuuzaki required that to them, as well.
Ayako raised her hand that made the teacher looked at her. "Yes, Kirisawa-san? Is there any problem?"
"No, it's not like that," the brown-haired girl answered. "I just wanted to ask if that soft bound book you're currently holding if the best project among the class."
Miss Ryuuzaki smiled. "In many teachers' perception, it is. And the pair who wrote this play will be getting the highest score. Not just from me but from the other teachers, as well."
All of the class were in awe when they heard that. Riya and Kurama just smiled as a response to that.
Their Literary project was for each pair to make a script that has only one major theme: love. Any kind of love. It could be romantic, platonic or family. Most of the pairs did a story with a romantic type of love as its theme.
"Then whose project are you holding right now, Ryuuzaki-sensei?" one student asked.
"Is that the project that our class will be performing, Ryuuzaki-sensei?" another student followed.
"Before I announce whose project is this, I will only tell a few things you need to remember," the teacher said with a smile before she looked at the students seriously. "First, the project that I'm holding right now will be the one that this class will perform two and a half months from now so you have to cooperate. Second, your grades will depend on how well you perform your roles, besides the fact that half of it will be coming from your written project and the other half will be from your performance. So if you don't want to fail, you better get serious. And last but definitely not the least—" she paused. "—the pair who did this project that the class will be performing would have to take on the lead roles of the play. No if's and no but's so that's the final decision. As for the other roles, we'll do it by drawing papers from the box with specific characters from the play. Understood?"
"Yes, Ryuuzaki-sensei," the class replied almost all at the same time.
And then the moment of truth began that made the students' heart pound. While the others were calm as they simply wait for the announcement.
Miss Ryuuzaki sighed before she faced the class. "The winning piece that will be performed by the class for the Rose Festival is—" she paused and then flipped the cover of the soft bound book which made the class held their breaths as they anticipate for the announcement of the winning piece. "—Minamino Shuichi-kun and Miyuzaki Riya-chan's piece entitled Beneath The Sakura Tree. So it means that Minamino-kun will take the role of Hoshino Kenji and Miyuzaki-chan will be Nagishima Kimiko," she announced and then faced the said pair with a smile.
At first, the thought didn't immediately register to Kurama and Riya's minds. But after a few seconds…
"What?!" both of them exclaimed before they exchange glances, having surprised expression on their faces.
Ayako only smiled at the sight of Kurama and Riya's surprised expressions, especially their reactions regarding the announcement.
As I thought, she thought triumphantly. Just like my prediction last night. This will be a good progress.
And at that moment, she thought that the play would definitely turn out as anyone would expect. Besides, the pair who'd be performing the lead roles would be Riya and Kurama. For sure, a lot of people would anticipate on watching that.
Hanasakura Academy's rooftop…
Kurama decided to head to the rooftop when lunch break started and as soon as he got a copy of the script that they would be using for the play. But he has been reading it for how many minutes now and yet, he couldn't let his mind concentrate on it. His mind was still in mild shock, or so he wanted to say.
I can't believe this. This is a sudden turn of event for the two of us, I must say. And to think Riya and I would be taking on the lead roles for the play… he thought as he looked at the sky.
That was when he heard the door creaked open and made him turn around to see who did that, only to be surprised to see Riya with a serious look on her face.
"Hey," she said. "I knew I'd find you here."
"You're looking for me?" he asked as she was coming towards him.
"Sort of. I just need someone to talk to. I had difficulty patching up my thoughts so I guess that talking to someone would help me do so," she answered softly before she leaned her back on the fence. "It's okay if you're not going to say anything. It's better if you could at least listen to what I'm going to say."
He looked at her face for some seconds and somehow, he could see that she was somewhat troubled. And so he leaned his back on the fence and looked at the sky.
"I've been thinking a lot of things these past few days, especially those that had happened after we made that promise. A lot of things had changed for the best. And somehow… I owe them all to you," she told him that definitely caught his attention. But still, he chose to remain silent and let her continue. "Weird, I know. You kept on saying that you didn't do anything for me to change from a loner to a happy person. But I'll keep on saying that you did a lot for me to be who I am right now. Mama, my sister-in-law Haruna-neesan and Yusuke were somehow surprised to see me this way. To tell you the truth, I've always wished for our paths to cross once again since the day you gave me that Snow Rose. I promised that I'll treasure that rose until the day I could see you again so that I could give it back to you. But that rose was destroyed shortly before I realized that it was you all along."
Kurama then decided to speak. "Why are you saying this to me?"
"Honestly… I wasn't sure about that myself. Probably because I wanted you to know what's in my mind whenever you're near. Or maybe to sum it all up, I'm glad… that you became a part of my life. I'm glad that I was able to meet someone like you," she said as she faced him with a smile. Even though I know that one of these days, I wouldn't be able to hold on to my life much longer… she added in her thoughts that made her serious again. "I don't know what will happen in the future for the two of us. But at least, I wanted you to know what I want to say. And I really wanted to thank you for everything that you did for me."
After a short while of silence between them, Kurama couldn't help but to smile and then he faced her. "You're not the only one who's glad."
"What?"
"I don't know what you will think about this but… I'm also glad that I was able to meet you. And I'm glad that I helped you become someone that many people will like. I don't really know what I did for you to be like that. But still, thank you… for trusting me," he said to her sincerely as looked intently in her eyes.
A lot of things had happened to them but because of that, they were able to meet each other again. And it was one thing that Kurama really felt glad about, even though he only knew a few things about Riya.
As for Riya, she wanted to say almost everything that was in her heart as of the moment. But some things were actually preventing her from saying it. She didn't want to get hurt again but she was bound to be when the truth would be revealed.
"I'll always trust you, Shuichi-kun," she responded to what he said. "Forever, if you want to."
Kurama was left speechless when he heard that. And after a few seconds, her smile startled him.
"Come on! We still need to practice for the play. I don't want to mess up with my first theatrical performance, you know," she said and she turned around to leave that place.
But he couldn't do the same thing. Riya's words were still ringing in his mind even after she left.
I'll always trust you, Shuichi-kun. Forever, if you want to…
Could she really trust him like that, even though he still has secrets that he hasn't revealed to her yet? What would happen when she found out the truth about him and his Yoko form?
He couldn't afford to be known in his demon form by Riya. But with the demon shinobi and the Legendary Weapon Wielders on the move, could he still hide the truth from her? He has to know the answer soon before Riya got completely caught up with the danger. And he didn't want that to happen.
Probably someday… I'll let her know the truth about me and my demon alter-ego…
"It seems to me you're having a hard time deciding whether you would tell him the truth or not."
Riya was startled when she heard that voice as soon as she left the rooftop and reached the bottom of the stairs. When she raised her head, she saw a serious-looking Ayako standing just a few feet away from her.
She showed a faint smile. "You can tell that, huh?"
"It shows in your eyes," Ayako plainly answered. "Your eyes weren't like this before… Before you discovered the truth about the boy who gave you that rose. And you're right. Minamino-kun—or should I say Kurama—has something to do with it."
"Every time I'm near him, it forces me to forget the real reason why I left Hokkaido after the weapons chose their masters. I couldn't think clearly and focus my mind to my true mission," she admitted without looking at Ayako. "I don't want to put him up through this. How could I forget something so important just because he's near me and makes me feel someone special?"
Silence fell between them after that since Ayako couldn't actually utter her answer, though it was quite obvious already. But then, she chose to say it.
"Probably because you're starting to fall in love with him."
Riya faced Ayako as soon as those words were said, her eyes slightly widened. And as she thought about it over and over, both her mind and her heart flashed out the answer she never thought was lying in front of her for the longest time possible.
You got it wrong, Ayako-chan, she said to herself. For some reason, she couldn't actually voice it out. I wasn't starting to fall in love with him. I have been in love with him for more than five years now… since the day I met him. And it's what making it harder for me to tell him the truth.
Riya just sighed and then she started walking away from that place. "Yeah… Probably…"
No comments:
Post a Comment