A Thousand Cranes
One of the thousand ways to represent my feelings for you
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It’s a silent night where the sky were filled by little stars, those little stars were surrounding the very round and bright moon. There’s this brown haired girl sitting on her balcony, enjoying the night wind and bathing herself under the moonlight. She sat on the laying chair facing the moon. B4 sized paper in her left hand and pen in right hand. She smiled as she finished the last word written on the paper. She put down the pen and started folding the paper. She folded into rectangle, folded it half, and folded here folded there, and it turned out to be a simple paper crane.
She got up and walked into the room and put the paper crane on her study table. Beside of her notebook on the table, there’s a colorful box laid there. She opened the box and put the crane inside of it. Inside the box was already filled by many cranes. At the corner of the table, there’s a box of small cut papers inside, yellow, blue, purple, orange, and green. All were small cut into 2cm x 2cm size. She took one of it and wrote something on the small paper. She sat on her chair and folded the paper into small sized paper crane. She put this small crane into a pink transparent bottle. The girl picked up a marker and drew the number 998 on the sticky note beside it.
“Time sure flies so fast. In a blink of eye, I’ve made 998 paper cranes” She took the pink transparent bottle and looks at it for a while before she put it back on the table.
She stretched her arms lazily in the air and jumped on her lovely bed. Searching in the dark, she finally found her mobile phone under the pillow. She checked on her phone to see if there’s any message from her beloved. To her disappointment, there’s nothing in the inbox. She put down the phone and closed her eyes. Not even a minute, she picked up the phone again. Still… nothing there… She stared at the screen for a while. She typed something on it and deleted it, typed something again and sighed and deleted it. Another some minutes passed, she opened her incoming message to re-read all the messages from her beloved. Smile appeared more and more widely when she read the lovely part. She put down the phone and closed her eyes to let some scenes flow inside her mind.
[phone ringing]She hurriedly picked up the phone and looked at the incoming message. There’s one new message in the inbox. She opened it happily and found out it was just a message from her network provider. Disappointed, the girl growled and hid her phone under the pillow. She pouted and put on her warm blanket, covered her face.
“No message today?” she whispered sadly. Her eyes were a bit warmer and redder from before. She closed her eyes again and sighed.
[phone ringing]The phone ringed once more and the girl grabbed her phone excitedly hoping it was from her beloved. The name which appeared on the screen made her heartbeat raised a bit.
[ “Oyasumiiii~~~” ]That is all what written in the message. Just a very simple goodnight and this made the girl happy. She replied the message immediately and put on some cute emoticon in the end of the message.
“Goodnight, Acchan” the girl gave a peck on her phone, “May I have a good dream tonight” she said to herself and fell asleep.
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The next morning…
The sunlight went through the curtain and fell on the brown haired girl’s face. The girl cuddled her face on the pillow and rolling, rolling, and fell down from the bed.
“Ouchh” She rubbed her butt and messing with her hair. She opened one eye to look at the clock which showed, “10 A.M. ?!!!!!”
The girl shouted and panicked, “Mom! Why don’t you wake me up?
Ughh... I’ll be late for the rehearsal today!!”
She hurriedly grabbed random clothes and went into bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, she came out from the bathroom and grabbed her bag, running out from her room to downstairs. She ran to the kitchen and grabbed some sandwich on the table, “Itekimasu!”
“Be careful, Minami!” her mother replied.
“I’m late! I’m late!” Minami kept replaying those words inside her mind and ran with full power to the bus station. Luckily, she got there right at the moment the bus arrived. Minami went into the bus and sat on the last seat.
“Tired…” Minami relaxed herself for a while, then continue eating her sandwich. She took out her phone to check if there’s any message in her inbox. “Nothing…” she put it back into her pocket and looking outside of the window, “Is it abnormal if I said I am missing you every single minute after you left?”
“I dreamt about you yesterday” Minami said to herself, “In my dream, I was searching for you”
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AKB48 Theater
“Gomenasai!!!” Minami barged into the room and bowed. She paused at that position for a while but no one respond her. She lifted up her head and saw nothing inside the room. No people, no music, no bags, nothing.
She panicked and walked around the room, walked to the changing room to make sure if it’s really no one here, “Anybody here?” she shouted. Even the staffs weren’t here. This is so weird. She sighed and sat down on the floor thinking that is it Mariko trolling on her again?
Minami looked straight in front of her. She saw the reflection of herself in the mirror, only her, alone… The feeling of loneliness suddenly filled inside the room. Memories flashed inside her head, she closed her eyes to recall it and enjoy it.
“Minami~”Minami smiled as she recalled the voice of Atsuko running from afar to hug her tightly. Atsuko would give her a big generous hug and rubbed her cheek on Minami’s. And that wrinkled nose smile, that smile she missed so much. Other than that, the voice of other members also filled in her memories where they enjoyed each other companion.
Minami opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She smiled and wiped those little tears that formed on the edge of her eyes. She took out her phone and dialed Mariko’s number, “Mariko, where are you? Why no one here in studio?”
“You are in studio?” asked Mariko.
“Yes, where are you? Where are the others?”
“I cancelled the rehearsal today” answered Mariko.
“What?! Why didn’t you inform me first? Why you cancelled the rehearsal?!” Minami was a bit in rage.
“Isn’t that you approved me to cancel today’s rehearsal?” Mariko asked back.
“When did I?” Minami confused.
“You said it this morning” Mariko explained, “You’re late and I called you. When I asked if today’s rehearsal is cancelled, you did say yes!”
“I… I… did I…?!” Minami was shocked to hear that. But then she heard some sounds in the background, “Who’s with you, Mariko?”
“Ah… not there! Not now! Stop it, let me concentrate talking with Takamina”
“Mariko?” asked Minami, confused, “What happen there?”
“Ah.. ya.. later Minami! I’m kinda busy right now!” Mariko immediately hanged up the call.
[ Tut tut tut tut tut tut tut tut ]----------------------
At the other side
“You’re so naughty, huh!” Mariko raised her voice at the person before her, “Acchan”
“Hehe~” Atsuko giggled, “Who told you to ignore me~”
“I’m on the phone with Takamina, what if she knows you’re with me? You’re supposed to be in New York filming your new single right now”
“You’re lying bout that rehearsal cancelled thing, aren’t you?” asked Atsuko.
“Yup~ Actually I cancelled rehearsal today without her permission” Mariko laughed.
“Put down the phone, let’s finish our business first~” Atsuko said playfully.
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Back to Minami
“Should I go home now?” Minami kicked a tiny stone on the street. She lifted up her head and saw the advertisement by Atsuko on the building. “Acchan…”
Minami stopped on her position and looked at the advertisement. Acchan’s smile was so attractive and perfect. Minami smiled wider until someone else appeared beside her Acchan. Another ikemen holding a pocky biscuit and put it into Atsuko’s mouth. Atsuko happily eat that pocky but then the ikemen move closer and took a bite on the other side of pocky.
“Too close!! Too close!! I can’t accept that!!” Minami shouted out of her consciousness, gaining people attention. She hurriedly put on her mouth-mask walked in high speed toward next bus station.
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Minami’s home
Right after Minami got home, she immediately locked herself in her room. Threw away her bag on the floor and jumped on her bed. She laid there, staring at the ceiling. The image of that advertisement appeared in her mind again. She sat up and messing her hair, growling and laid down again, burying her face on her pillow. Minami got up from her bed and walked to her study table. She took out a B4 sized paper and started writing again.
Dear Acchan, How are you today? I bet you’re doing well in New York. If I don’t forget, you’ll finish your work there tomorrow, right? Can’t wait for the day you come back here. Today I saw your Pocky advertisement, and I don’t really like it. That guy is too close to you. Even though I admit he is ikemen, and this is part of your job, but still, I can’t say I like it.
I know you have your own new social circle after you graduated from AKB family, but… I am… you know… Seeing you work with those co-star and your smile with them… I’m a bit jealous… I’m sorry, sometimes I get jealous thinking someone could make you happier than I could. My heart feels so tight, thinking bout the distance between you and me. I wish I could fly to where you are.
Minami sighed and starred out the window, recalled the guys she has seen to be with Atsuko., “Sato Takeru, Hoshino Gen, Narimiya Hiroki, Yamashita Tomohisa, Nakamura Aoi… Arghhh” She knocked her forehead on the table three times.
People said curiosity can kill, and I say jealousy can kill too. I am officially missing you now. You’ve become famous and very busy with your works. I am busy with my single release too. We hardly have time to talk nowadays. Sometimes, you don’t even send a goodnight for me and I can’t sleep (Laugh).
Some people said paper crane represents friendship, some said love, some said good fortune, but I say, this is one of the thousand ways to represent my feelings for you. Everytime I am missing you, I’ll write it on this paper and fold it into paper crane. Hope it will fly to deliver my misses for you. This is my diary cranes~ (laugh). Just for me… And I made another one, you know. The smaller crane that I made from 2cm x 2cm paper. It took me quite time to fold it and of course, something written in it but I guess you won’t know.Minami noticed there’s no more line to write. She scratched her head and wrote down the last words in the end of the sheet, “I think I write too much today”
Miss you, Acchan!Minami put down the pen and folded the paper into crane, and put it into the big color box next to her. Then she took a small cut paper and wrote “I Love You” on it before folding it into crane. “My 999th crane done!” she said as she put that small crane into the pink transparent bottle and wrote 999 on the sticky note beside it.
“Tomorrow will be my 1000th crane~” Minami jumped on her bed and rolling on it. She took out her phone and checked on the inbox again. Nothing there…
sighed…[ Phone ringing ]“Mariko?” Minami picked up the call.
“Takamina! Come to my place right now!” Mariko shouted from the other side.
“You don’t need to shout like that!!” Minami angered, “My ear hurts!!” Minami shouted back with louder voice.
“Wow.. wow.. wow.. calm down Takamina” Miichan snatched Mariko’s phone.
“You’re there too, Miichan?” asked Minami.
“Yeah~ we’re having a small gathering. Come here for dinner Takamina!” Miichan explained.
“Come here Takamina!!” Yuko and Haruna shouted in the background.
“Woahh, so many people there?” asked Minami.
“Not really, you coming or not?” Yuko shouted beside Miichan.
“Okay, I’ll be there right away” Minami closed the call and smiled, “Sometimes, it’s good to have crazy friends. Wonder why they suddenly make a gathering”
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Mariko’s apartment
“Excuse me” Minami opened the door of Mariko’s apartment. Once she got into the apartment she got tackled from behind. That person didn’t hold back to jump on Minami and caused both of them fell to the ground.
“I miss you!” said that person, still hugging Minami on the ground.
“Acchan!!!” Minami surprised, “When did you come back? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I miss you~ I finished my works earlier to come here and hug you~” Atsuko pressed her lips on Minami’s cheek, “Do you like this surprise?”
“Uhn..” Minami nodded and blushed a bit realized what they are in their current position, with Atsuko laid on top of her. “Ano… should we get up first?”
“No~?” Atsuko said playfully.
“You can save that moment later, Acchan” said Mariko while she bringing out the dinner. Yuko and Miichan were helping her. Haruna was sitting on the couch, playing her game.
“Let’s have dinner first” Atsuko helped Minami to stand up and walked to the dining table.
Minami smiled, having her hand in Atsuko’s.
“Even though you’re here with me… I still miss you…”They were all sat on their seat, Mariko came out from the kitchen to bring the last dishes. It was a huge bowl chicken soup, black colored chicken soup. She put it in front of Minami, “This is all yours”
“This huge bowl of soup all mine?” Minami said to make sure.
“I made this for you since morning, Minami” Atsuko answered.
“You made this for me?” Minami sounds so happy and grabbed a spoon to taste the soup. When she was about to put the soup into her mouth, everyone was staring at her while Atsuko just smiling next to her. Minami slowly put the soup inside her mouth and the next thing she could do is stay silent.
“How is it?” asked Atsuko happily beside her.
“G-g-good! Hehehe…” Minami laughed sheepishly. She lied about the taste, actually the soup is umm…
“Really? I’m so glad” Atsuko hugged Minami and gave her a peck on cheek, “Finish it all, Minami!”
“F-f-finish it all?!” Minami chocked and coughed hard. She landed her hand on Mariko’s shoulder and whispered, “Help me, Mariko… the soup is too salty and spicy and.. I don’t know how to finish this”
“Actually I was with Atsuko this morning when you called, she accidentally dropped the whole sauce bottle and that’s why the soup looked so black. She almost blew up my kitchen” Mariko whispered back, “Good luck Minami!”
Minami took a quick peek on Atsuko. Her face is shimmering with happiness to hear Minami said her cooking was good. Minami can’t bear to see Atsuko disappointed, she nodded and held up the bowl, paused for a moment to take a breath before gulped it all once. Before her lips touched the bowl, Haruna held her hand and took away the soup.
“They’re just trolling on you, Takamina” Haruna spilled out.
“What?!” Minami raised her voice a bit louder and looked at Atsuko.
“Mou, you’re ruining the mood, Haruna. I want to see her finish that whole soup” Yuko pouted at Haruna.
Atsuko smiled and pinched Minami’s nose, “You’re so cute!” Minami pouted and looked away.
“Let’s take a pic of Atsumina~” Mariko took out her phone and standby in her camera mode. Atsuko wrapped her arm around Minami’s shoulder and pressed her cheek on her while Minami is looking elsewhere, acting that she’s still mad, “Put a peace sign, Minami”
Minami sighed and do as what Mariko asked. Mariko took the pic and edited it a bit then she posted to her tweet, “I bet many Atsumina fans longing to see this pic of you together~”
Miichan went to the kitchen and back with a new bowl of soup in her hands, “This is the real cooking from Maeda Atsuko” she put it in front of Minami.
“You have proved to me how much you love me by drinking that awful soup. You’ll have my reward tonight~” Atsuko gave a wink to Minami, “I’ll sleepover at your house tonight”
“Hohoho~~ reward~~” Yuko teased.
“Let’s eat, minna. The food is getting cold” Mariko suggested.
“Sit beside me, Mii-chan” Atsuko called, “I want to play with your shaved head after this~”
“No, only me can touched her shaved head” Mariko put her arm around Miichan and rubbing her shaved head with a proud smile. Miichan blushed a bit and stayed silent in Mariko’s protective arm.
“I want my Haruna!!” Yuko wrapped her arms around Haruna’s neck and smiling like a fool.
“Mou~ no fun~” Atsuko said playfully.
“You already have me, Acchan…” Minami murmured to herself. But Atsuko has sharp ears and she heard it.
Atsuko moved closer and whispered to Minami, “Want to skip dinner and move to your house now?”
Minami cleared her throat and grabbed a bowl of rice in front of her, “Let’s have dinner first” Atsuko just giggled beside her.
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Minami’s house
“Nothing changed much in your room” Atsuko said as she walked into Minami’s room.
"I don't like changes" Minami replied.
“What’s that?” Atsuko spotted the big box on Minami’s study table.
“Ah! Nothing” Minami quickly replied.
“Let me see” Atsuko demanded.
“It’s nothing.. nothing special to be seen”
“Are you hiding something on me?” asked Atsuko. Minami wanted to answer no but she is definitely hiding those crane diaries. She doesn’t want Atsuko to know, don’t want her to read, don’t want her to know the vulnerable side of her.
“It’s just some paper crane”
“Let me see it~” Atsuko pushed Minami out of her way harshly and opened the box.
Minami fell on the ground when Atsuko pushed her. Her heart stopped beating for a while when she saw Atsuko opened the box. Atsuko just laughed and closed the box, “Why don’t you fold it with better paper?”
Minami relaxed that Atsuko didn’t find it weird. Before Minami could get up from the floor, Atsuko walked to her direction and pinned her down, “Are those paper cranes you made for someone? You cheat behind me?!”
“Yes” Minami answered, “No!” Minami confused how to answer Atsuko’s question, “I mean Yes, I do made those cranes for someone but No, I will never cheated behind you!”
Minami could see the suspicious and doubtful eyes from her beloved, “Do you see the pink transparent bottle there?”
Atsuko turned her head to look at it and back to Minami, “Yeah.. So?”
“Would you like to take a look?” Minami smiled gently but no movement from Atsuko. Minami frowned and pouted, “You grabbed my wrist too hard, Acchan”
Atsuko snapped out and let go of Minami, “Sorry” she said coldly.
Minami took the bottle and handed it to Acchan. She held Acchan’s hand and brought her out to the balcony. “Hold it up, let the moonlight shine through it”
Atsuko did as what she told. She held the bottle above her head and saw it through the moonlight. Inside of the bottle were all small cranes consisted of five different colors, yellow, blue, green, purple, and orange.
“How many cranes inside?” asked Atsuko.
“999 cranes” Minami answered firmly.
“Did you fold this all by your own?”
“Of course~ do you like it? I made this for you” Minami said with a gentle smile on her face.
Finally, a smile appeared on Atsuko’s face, “Why don’t you make it 1000? I never heard about 999 cranes” she giggled.
“I was going to do, but not now~”
“Mou~ I want it now~” Atsuko pouted.
Minami just smiled, “People said who folded a thousand can be granted a wish” Minami entwined her right hand with Atsuko’s left hand, “Did you know why people send 999 roses for their girlfriend?”
“Hmm…” Atsuko paused for a while, “No?”
“999 roses mean I love you forever” Minami grinned, “Can these 999 cranes replace those 999 roses?”
Atsuko pinched Minami’s nose gently, “Old fashioned… but I like it”
“Can I have a kiss?” asked Minami boldly and leaned forward.
“I still want my 1000th crane” Atsuko avoided the kiss from Minami.
“I’ll give it to you on your birthday~” Minami grinned, “Cause it will grant you a wish~”
Atsuko smiled and leaned forward slowly to Minami, when their lips were about to touched,
“Hachiiuuuu” Minami sneezed. Both of them paused for a while and then burst out laughs. The purposed kissing under the moonlight has becoming, laughing under the moonlight.
“It’s getting cold here, let’s get inside” Minami suggested.
“I’ll be sure make you warm inside~” Atsuko made her wrinkled nose smile and winked at Minami.
“That… sounds nice…” Minami blushed, imagining what Atsuko will do to her.
A thousand cranes, A thousand misses, A thousand I Love You==============================================
END