@Kakeru15: you're right! minami's starting to realize her system is slowly changing the way it used to be
@lezperv: yes i can't believe too! i think minami's only making yuko as an excuse to herself, unconsciously what she's trying to avoid are those things she doesn't want to see again hehe
@iLeo221: hi too! ah kojiharu ofcourse! it will take a little more time before her appearance though.. but she's on her way don't worry!
@cisda83: i believe in this chapter you will find out the first details hehe
@Feat, chiqinna: well mariko might just be the reason why atsuko cried, so I wonder too..
@liabont: haha! so you want things in a quicker way.. i bet you will enjoy what will happen at the end of this chapter
@dearacchan: yes, better things. and i'll explain it to you soon
again to everyone else, thanks for reading my atsumina fic!
When the Time StopsChapter 3Since I entered highschool, I've always been the top student of our class. I belong to Class 1-A, the highest section in first year. And being at the top of this section also means being the overall top student of all first year sections as well. That's quite a heavy responsibility for me, I need to be a role model to my co-students. So what kind of a role model am I if I can't even focus on class today! I kept worrying about her. Atsuko. How is she? I hope she's feeling okay now. And what's worse? She's on Class 1-B, which means there's only one wall separating us this moment. Knowing this kills me more. I spent the whole morning class only thinking about her and now we're about to take our lunch break.
"Takamina, try these! This is also one of Tomochin's recipes. I made it myself!" Yuko's offering me her bento.
Oh, not again... Since Yuko got a copy of Itano-san's recipe, she always try to make them herself. But as what I have said before, she's just a very hardworking person. Which means...
"Yuko, don't you think it's time to give up? You've been doing this for days already. How can you even tell this is edible!"
Honestly speaking, the food really looks awful and so is the taste.
"But I already tried to practice my cooking like a hundred times! I thought practice makes perfect? Then maybe it's Tomochin's recipe's fault!"
I rolled my eyes. Now she's blaming the recipe.
"Yuko, I bet it's not. I read her recipe and I can tell that her measurements, ingredients and procedures is well perfectly written."
"Are you really my friend, Takamina? Because I know friends encourage each other!" Yuko pouted.
"I'm your friend that's why I'm telling these things to you! Maybe cooking is not really your forte. I believe there's still something out there that suits perfectly for you."
We're still in the middle of our slightly friendly conversation when the class vice-president called my name.
"Takahashi-san!"
"Ah, vice-president. What is it?" I asked.
"I just came to inform you that the student council will be having an emergency meeting after class today." She said.
"Is that really urgent?"
"I don't know the details. They just asked me to pass this message to you."
Our meetings in the student council are usually scheduled beforehand. I wonder why it's so sudden this time.
-
The meeting has not started yet when I arrived at the student council room. And I was surprised to see Shinoda-san inside. I took my seat and waited for the meeting to start. When all the student council members are finally completed, Shinoda-san then stood up and speak to us.
"I am Shinoda Mariko, third year and the president of the Drama club. In behalf of our club and our senior members, we are requesting to have another school play this year."
After she said that, all the members of the student council started chatting and giving their own opinions. Me? I remained silent. The first thing came to my mind is Atsuko. I have a feeling that this is somewhat related with what happened between the two of them this morning. Shinoda-san continued to speak, so then we listened to her.
"Everyone knows that for us seniors, this will be our last year in highschool. I believe for the past three years our school became more popular to the other schools because of our theater plays. This is why we're humbly requesting you to let us have our last performance this year. And to make this happen, we need your help to coordinate with the school's general management to promote and sponsor our play."
The student council room is suddenly filled with noise coming from the members discussing the request of the drama club. Some agree and some don't, mostly of the pro's came from the senior members. Ofcourse they also understand the feeling of graduating soon.
"We wanted the performance be early this year because after this, our graduating members will be focusing more on the preparation for the college entrance exams. I do hope you understand our situation." She sincerely said, then she bowed before us.
The meeting was then adjourned, the members decided to discuss more about the request thoroughly before the agreement. As everyone leaves the student council room, I saw Shinoda-san took a glance of me. Does she actually know me? I wanted to ask her what happened to her and Atsuko this morning, but I don't have enough courage to approach her.
And now that I mention it, I wonder if Atsuko is still in her classroom. It's been days since the last time I checked on her after class. I thought I won't be doing this again, but there's something in me that wanted to see her now. When I reached her classroom, I took a peek inside again. And yes she is still there, sitting on the same spot beside the window where she used to be. She's holding some papers. I entered the room.
"Hi, Atsuko. You're still here again." I greeted her then she looked at me. Her eyes... I'm wondering if there's magic on those. I feel like I'm melting whenever they met mine.
"Minami, it's been a while. I'm just reading the scripts for our upcoming play." She answered.
"Ah, yes I heard. The drama club is requesting another school play this year for the senior members."
She looked away. I didn't mean to upset her. Is she sad because Shinoda-san is graduating soon? Why does my chest hurts just thinking of that?
"I.. uhm.. saw you crying this morning. I actually came here because I wanted to know if there's anything that I can help." I went closer and sit right next to her.
"It was just a little argument in the drama club." She paused. "Minami, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, anything." I said.
"What will you do if you can't grant a request of a person who's important to you?" She asked.
"That's a tough situation. Maybe I will weigh things first. I need to know which is more important, that person's happiness or mine." I responded.
"You're really smart, Minami." She smiled at me again. "You're asking earlier if there's anything that you can help, right? Then can you help me rehearse today?"
"Me? But I don’t know anything about acting."
"Don't worry, all you have to do is read out the lines from this script." She handed me the paper she's holding.
"O-Okay. So which part is mine here?" I looked at the script.
"You’ll play the character of the leading man. Since it has the most number of dialogues with my character."
Then I helped her rehearse. I never thought it would be this fun, at first we're just exchanging dialogues. It's not a very serious practice actually, we sometimes laugh because of our mistakes. Until we reached the end of the script. I then noticed what kind of scene is on the climax part. Well, it’s only a rehearsal so I must not be bothered by it. I read straight and finished off my character's line.
She paused. Why does she keep staring at me?
"Hmm.. Did I read the wrong lines?" I asked her.
"Well actually.. the ending scene is critical for me.. It’s much better if you help me visualize on it."
Help her visualize? Does she mean...
"Minami.. you have to kiss me exactly the way it was described on this part." And she said it. Did I really hear it, right?!
"A-Are you serious?! I-I thought I will just read out the lines from the script?!" I panicked.
"Oh.. I'm sorry, I understand. It’s okay, if you don’t want to." She apologized, her voice sounded disappointed.
"Atsuko, wait! I-I’ll try my best to help you..."
Oh no.. I just blurted it out. I didn't even know how to kiss! I can do this... if this is the only way I can help her... yes, I'm just helping her... right?
I read out my character's last few lines again, until the kissing part came. Slowly... gently... I put my lips on hers. My God... her lips are so soft. So this is how a kiss feels like. Then she kissed me back. Wait, is that written on the script, too? I don't remember it but I don't care. We stayed in that position for few seconds, I think? Actually, I'm not sure. I feel like the time stopped for me again, and I don't want the clock to start ticking back.
We break off the kiss. We both stayed silent. She’s blushing hard.. but why? I bet she has already kissed many actors before, so this doesn’t mean anything to her.
"A-Ano... you think I did well?" I started to speak again.
"Y-Yes.. uhm.. thank you. Let’s call this a day." She stood up and took her things with her. She started to take a few steps away before she speaks to me again.
"Minami... I have my own reasons."
Reasons? What does she mean by that?
"I'm not sure of what you are thinking right now. But just to let you know.. during our plays, it's either we only fake or cut off the kissing scenes..." She paused.
Then I heard the most surprising words so far in my entire life.
"I just had my first real one a moment ago."
She gave me a smile again before she walked out the door. She left me alone, speechless. So it means... it was also her first kiss... and I'm her first... My heart... why are you racing so fast? Someone help me, for I guess I'm having a heart attack here.
TBCand i'm also having a heart attack because of them lol
i hope i can able to update fast for the next chapters...
shigoto de isogashii kara demo ganbaru yo!
thanks for reading!
Topic: ZENPEN: When the Time Stops [AtsuMina - COMPLETED] (Read 68443 times)