I still believe that the sun will shine one day. At least, for you and me who still believes in the feelings we chose to forsake because of our dreams... --- florence joyce
xxxxxx
"Are we really allowed to attend here? I don't think we even have any reason to do this."
At least, that was what Sela said to Amu when all of a sudden that day, she just dragged her out of her room during what was supposed to be her rest day. Of course, as she had already expected, the rest of her friends, even Yamato, just allowed Amu to get on with it.
She didn't know where they were supposed to go, of course. Amu never mentioned anything to her, after all. But she could tell that something was going on. This tiger woman would do things like this impulsively or when she knew her friend was up to something and would not allow anything or anyone to stop her from doing just that.
With a sigh, Amu faced her as soon as they halted to a stop in front of a public park where Sela's favorite fountain was.
"You've been cooped up in your room for the past months since the school year started. You haven't even gone out that much lately. Consider this as a way to finally get some fresh air, okay?" Amu explained.
"But why here? It looks like this place even has some sort of party going on. We can't just waltz in here like this as if we own this place or something."
"Don't worry about such things, okay? And besides, I got two invitations to go to this place. The others agreed that it should be you and me who has to attend here."
"More like you've forced the others to cooperate with you," she commented and sighed before shaking her head.
"Hey! I asked them properly, okay? And they said that instead of one of them, you need this the most. Besides, the guys already have plans together and they won't be back in a few days, they said."
Sela frowned and faced Amu who was looking around the area with great interest. "Won't be back in a few days? You mean, even Yamato?"
Amu nodded and faced her. "Yes, even him. Or should I say, Leo managed to convince him to join them. I think Yamato also needed some rest and fresh air after all the work he's been doing."
It looked like no matter what reasons she would say just to go back home and in her room, Amu would never accept them. So she allowed herself to get dragged and entered the area where they saw that there were some festivities going on. She didn't know what it was about, but it sure looked amazing and lovely.
What she didn't expect, however, was to see some extremely familiar faces in that area that was enough to make her heartbeat race.
"Amu..." she called out to her friend in a tone that was part anxious and part confusion. "What in the world is going on? Why did you bring me here?"
"We were invited, of course. What else is there?"
"Amu!"
"There's nothing wrong with me bringing you here. I'm serious when I said you need it. Besides, they've been asking for you ever since they came to the area. They said that they want to talk to you, just like before."
Sela couldn't help exhaling in frustration, but did so as inconspicuously as she could. "You know that's not going to be easy anymore, right?"
"Yes, it is, once you've sorted out the things that made the miscommunication immense for both you and him. Besides, I don't think it's right for you to avoid others when they've done nothing wrong to you."
Despite the frustration and anxiety she was feeling, Sela knew Amu had a point. There was only miscommunication, a misunderstanding that made it all hard for her and that guy to even maintain the relationship that they had before.
And yet... why was she feeling scared about the thought of possibly seeing that guy again after all this time? Especially now that his friends were here in the area and obviously having the time of their lives.
"You'll be alright. I really think you need this more than anything. Three years have gone by, anyway."
xxxxxx
It was already sunset and yet the party in the fountain area doesn't seem to die down at all, even with all the things that they've done. Meeting Hammie and the others wasn't that bad, after all. It looked like she was the only one feeling uneasy about the prospect of seeing the others again, especially with all that had happened.
And now, Sela decided to stay away from the party and the chaos a little bit to take a breather. She already had her fair share of fun and she just wanted to walk a little bit. Of course, she knew she shouldn't walk that far or Amu would scold her.
But for some reason, that walk seemed so heavy. Was she disappointed or something? It couldn't be, right?
Yes, that guy wasn't there. But that shouldn't be the reason, right?
"I really don't know what's going on with me..." she couldn't help murmuring as she looked around the area where she was walking.
However, her sight landed on one spot that made her stop walking. He was beside a large tree where a long bench was placed beneath it. He was there, just looking up to the lush green of that tree.
But why wasn't he at the party? Did he just arrive? What was he doing here?
Sela should be walking away from there as soon as she managed to gather her thoughts and even her breathing. But before she could do so---
"Sela?"
Once again, she froze. Her eyes remained looking at Stinger who seemed surprised that he saw her there. From the looks of it, he probably hadn't expected to see her there. And she knew she couldn't run away.
"Stinger..." She could only say his name before looking down. She had no idea how she could face him properly after all this time that they separated.
They just stared at each other from their position, unsure of how to proceed from there. If there was one thing clear for her at the moment, her heart would still beat the same as before at the sight of him.
But that was crazy, right? Does that mean... nothing has changed about her feelings for him, even after they separated because of choosing to fulfill their respective dreams instead? There was nothing wrong with that, right?
Then again, was it even a wrong choice to begin with?
"Were you at the party?" he asked before standing up from the bench he was sitting at, snapping her out of her reverie.
Sela frowned at the question. "Were you?"
Okay. Did she really have to ask that question back instead of answering?
Stinger shook his head and slowly walked towards her. As much as she wanted to walk away, she didn't do anything. She just stood there. There was nothing wrong with that. Maybe at some point since this has all started, she really didn't want to walk away from it all.
Maybe... she needed this. She had to confront this after all those times that she kept denying the truth that stayed in her.
"I just arrived a few minutes ago, but I said to them that I have to walk around for a few minutes before I even go there and greet the others. And you?"
Wow... That was straightforward. When did Stinger become this talkative?
As for her, she looked down once again --- but only for a few moments before raising her head and facing him.
"Amu brought me here since she said I needed some fresh air and to stop me from... being cooped up in my room these past months. I didn't realize at first that it was your friends' reunion after a long while and they specifically told Amu to take me with her."
Stinger smiled and approached her some more, until the distance became smaller by the moment.
"You still stayed even after... all that had happened?"
It was the question that still surprised her even though she already asked that question to herself while she was at the party. But up until that moment, she never had an answer to that.
Until this guy showed up unexpectedly.
"I don't think I have any reason not to. We didn't really part ways because we're enemies or anything, after all," she said after a few more moments of silence between them.
Stinger waited for her answer before nodding. "Maybe... we should just continue where we left off. Slowly and steadily... so it wouldn't be too much." He placed his hand in front of her soon after that.
And for the first time since their paths crossed again, she smiled as she took the hand reaching out to her.
The hand that once held hers tight and made her feel secure even through all that had happened.
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