Chapter 11: Cherry Blossoms And You
(Jurina’s POV)Why did I say that?
And why does my heart beat like this?
This is surely crazy!
I kept thinking about Rena until I get back to my room. I’m going to get Maeda-san’s letter to talk to the headmaster and tell her Maeda-san’s message…
I let out a sigh as I sat down on my bed.
I—I don’t know why but I really want to get closer to Rena…
Stop… Stop! Jurina! You still need to talk to Takahashi-san!
I composed myself and gathered my thoughts back. After getting the letter, I headed off to the headmaster’s office…
(Minami’s POV)After checking out on Yuihan (who still has an aching stomach, good thing Shimazaki-chan was looking after her), I went back to the headmaster’s office.
I let out a sigh as my eyes roamed around the familiar room… Arika-sama surely got a good eye for elegant and dazzling things. Somehow, it felt like I don’t really belong here…
Time flies by so fast…
I hope I can bring back time. I wanted to bring back time.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard soft knocks on the door.
I stood up to see who it was. Once I opened the door, a young girl stood in front of me.
“Takahashi-sama, may I have a word with you?” Jurina said.
My lips managed to curve into a smile. “Yes, come in and we’ll talk inside.”
I sat back on my chair and the girl sat in front of my table.
“Takahashi-sama, did you also live here at the Rosehouse before?”
“Why? Yes, I did…”
“Do you know… Maeda Atsuko-san?”
“…”
Maeda Atsuko.
That name… It was a long time since I last heard that name.
It left me speechless. I stared at her with my mouth gaped open.
H—How did she… knew about Atsuko?
Jurina must have noticed my surprise.
“Takahashi-sama?”
“How did you know about Atsuko?”
She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
She handed me that paper and I stared at it for a long time before wanting to open it. The paper was already yellowish, and just looking at it gave off a nostalgic vibe.
“W—What is this?”
“I found it inside the closet in my room… and Maeda Atsuko-san happens to be the former occupant of that room…” Jurina answered.
“I—I know…” That was all I can say.
I can feel my heart pounding heavily inside my chest.
Atsuko…
“It’s my fault Arika-sama had that breakdown…” Jurina said as she turned her head down.
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
“I asked her about Maeda-san…”
Wait, what is she talking about? This isn’t what Itsuki-sama and the others told me…
“I—I’m sorry…”
“I see… You know, Jurina-chan, Itsuki-sama and I have not talked about it…”
“Really? But she perfectly knew about this.”
I can’t think of proper words to say. My hand trembled as it held the paper…
“I think… I’ll leave that to you now, Takahashi-sama… I’ve done my part already.” Jurina’s lips curled into a smile. I tried to smile back but I know that it didn’t really look like a real smile after all.
The young girl left me all alone inside the office…
Again, my eyes stared at the folded paper…
I’m curious about what’s written inside – but somehow afraid of bringing back the past, bringing our memories back…
In the end, I slowly unfolded it and started reading.
This is genuine. I know Atsuko’s handwriting by heart…
When I was done reading the letter, my cheeks were already soaked and my heartbeat was really fast…
I never knew about this before – not until now…
Maybe this was the reason why Arika-sama had that depression after Atsuko died. She blamed herself…
But the real thing that surprised me was Atsuko’s confession about her plan to kill Arika-sama. It never even crossed my mind that Atsuko has thoughts like that inside her head…
On the times we’ve been together, I would just always see a smile feigning with innocence…
FLASHBACKTwo and a half years ago, to be exact… It was my arrival at the Rosehouse when I met Atsuko. Both Yui and I were sent here by the police when we had a gang fight. Good thing Sayanee and the others had escaped to somewhere before the police came and took us.
We were first sent to jail, but they’ve found out that we are still underage so they sent us here…
The moment I first came here, I met Atsuko…
I can still remember her smile as well as her shoulder-length hair.
She’s sitting down under a cherry blossom tree, watching the petals drifting in the wind. It felt like the color of the petals was reflected on my cheeks when I saw her. I was too shy to approach her.
And I didn’t expect her to approach me either… but she did.
“Do you like… cherry blossoms, too?”
Hers was the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard, I nodded curtly and slowly traced my steps towards her…
“Would you like to… sit here… beside me?” She asked again. Who was I to turn her down and so, I accepted the invitation…
Slowly – yes, very slowly – I sat down beside her. And without saying a word, both of us gazed at the drifting cherry blossom petals in the wind…
END OF FLASHBACK
Everything started from there… Day-by-day, we watched the blooming sakura until the end of spring. In that span of time, we have known our personal details. Little-by-little, we became closer with each other… until we became best of friends.
Everything felt comfortable when I’m with her. Slowly, my rough attitude changed…
I can still remember that day before she was found dead in her room…
FLASHBACKWe were under that cherry blossom tree where we first met. That certain tree became our favorite hang-out place.
“Oi, Atsuko…” I poked her cheek.
“Hm?” She replied bluntly.
“You’re spacing out… Tell me what’s on your mind…”
“This is of no importance… Don’t mind me.”
“But—”
She cut my words off when her eyes met mine.
“Ki ni shinaide…” She smiled and that took all my worries away.
“Fine…”
It was spring time again and the cherry blossoms here grew lovely petals again… adding a pink color to the entire greenery.
“Can I lean my head on your shoulder?” She asked me.
“Isn’t it quite low?” I asked her, but she doesn’t seem to mind.
“Not really…”
“Well… If you want… y—you can sleep on my lap…”
“I think that would be better…”
She lowered herself and lied down on my lap. The scent of sakura was scattered in the air. The stillness of the scenery with her made me breathless.
“It’s better watching sakura petals in this position.” Atsuko said.
I looked up and yes, it was way nicer at that way… Rays of sunlight were filtering through the drifting petals above.
I looked back down at her and agreed about the beautiful scenery. But for me, watching her is lovelier to my eyes.
In a few moments, she was already asleep. Her chest bobbed up and down in a slow and steady pace in contrast to mine which almost cannot contain my racing heartbeat.
That certain moment made me realize how special she is to me. It made me realize that I’ve already fallen in love with her.
I just continued watching her sleeping face until the raindrops started to fall upon us. She instantly woke up and we headed back to the house.
We bumped into Haruna who’s walking out of the house…
“Where are you going Haruna?”
“Oh…” She smiled and showed me an umbrella. “I’ll fetch Yuuchan… I bet she’s still sleeping at the gazeebo…”
Haruna ran outside at the same time we took a shed at the front doorstep of the house.
“The rain was so sudden.” Atsuko commented. “Let’s go and grab a cup of hot chocolate…”
I agreed with the suggestion and we both made our way inside. The house was filled with other girls doing their own businesses…
Atsuko and I sneaked into the kitchen and helped ourselves in providing each a cup of a hot chocolate drink.
After dishing out our incredibly sweet drink, we headed upstairs to her room…
“Nee… Minami…” Atsuko opened up a conversation.
“Hm?”
“Do you… regret being here?”
It was a tough question for me, but there’s one clear answer I know in my heart.
I never regretted being here because this is where I… I… met her…
“At first I was sad… But someone made me not regret my stay here… and it was because of y—”
But my words were put to a stop when we almost bumped into the headmaster.
“O—Ohayo, Arika-sama…” I managed to say.
“Ohayo, Takahashi-san. Ohayo, Maeda-san.” She curtly greeted and went away.
When I looked at Atsuko, she had that gloomy look on her face.
“Where were we? Ah, I was saying—”
“Minami.” I was stopped again. “I’m feeling quite dizzy. I guess I’ll head to my room… alone.” She coldly said.
“Don’t you want me with you?”
“I want to be with you. But… for now, I want to be alone.”
“At least, let me walk you to your door…”
She nodded and we proceeded. When we arrived at her doorstep, she quickly slipped herself inside and shut the door close.
I leaned on her door. Just one wooden door separates me from Atsuko, but it felt like at that moment, she shut me out of her heart.
The next morning, I’ve seen her at breakfast but we didn’t have a moment to talk. I didn’t know that it would be the last time I’ll get to see her… alive.
Few hours passed… Atsuko didn’t join us for lunch. She just locked herself inside her room.
“Yo, TakaMina, what happened to Acchan?” – Yuko
“Did you two have a fight?” – Haruna
“That’s clearly lover’s quarrel.” – Mariko
“I don’t think so… Maybe, she’s just having mood swings.” I answered.
Later that night, I went up to her room to fetch her for dinner…
I knocked on her door but no one answered. I called out her name but again, there’s no response.
I started to worry. My heart raced as I frantically tried to turn the knob.
I ran to Arika-sama and Itsuki-sama and we went back with the keys.
The motion felt like it slowed down when we opened the door.
A—Atsuko.
I felt my heart stop for a moment when we saw her pale body lying down the floor… Itsuki-san and I immediately ran to her body.
It was cold and lifeless. There’s no use neither calling her name out nor shaking her body.
I sat there, hugging her body…
I can’t let her go…
I won’t ever let go.
After six months, they approved my plan of leaving the Rosehouse. I can’t bear being in this place where I can feel Atsuko everywhere…
I went to that cherry blossom tree where we first met. It was mid-autumn now that’s why the tree stood there without the blossoming pink petals. Even if it’s looking lifeless, in my eyes, memories give life to that certain tree.
END OF FLASHBACK
Back to reality…
I folded back the paper and wiped my tears off. Even if knowing the truth hurts, it wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t bring Atsuko back. It wouldn’t perish my love for her.
Thank you, Jurina-chan…
Indeed, a memory is the sole thing that doesn’t change… when everything else does.
TBC...I'll write up the replies tomorrow. I'm quite in a hurry. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed.
Thanks for all comments. I appreciate it, really. Anyways, I passed the board exam. Thanks for all your prayers!
Topic: The Rosehouse Ladies (POLL; I need your opinions, dear readers~) [19.02.2017] (Read 71982 times)