Now I am here, all alone
Remembering the time we used to laugh together
in the fall of the cold
I still think of you,
Wondering if you feel the same
- December Love Song, Gackt.
Gardenia
She yawned as she step onto street tennis court. It was already 10 pm and still, she had to search for her red haired neighbor. She knew Kamio would be in the street tennis court practicing his tennis for the upcoming tournament; therefore, she was now in the street tennis court searching for him.
Hearing the sound of the tennis ball bouncing against the ground, she smiled. Walking towards a bench nearby, she sat down, waiting silently for him to finish his practice.
It was only when Kamio finished practice that he noticed the girl. Sighing, he went to the bench she was currently sitting on and sat beside her.
“Kaa-san asked you to look for me again?”
“Obaa-san was worried. It’s already 10 and yet you’re still out here.” She sighed as she stood up from her seat, preparing to go home as it was late, and the weather was a little too cold for her. “Besides, I’m your cousin.”
“Sigh, fine fine, let’s go back, . Before Kaa-san nags again.”
----------
“But really, you need to stop sleeping in class, the teachers are complaining about you.” sighed Kamio Akira, as he was on his way to the cafeteria with his cousin. “You know how scary Yamazaki-sensei is when he gets pissed, which is what you’re doing causing him to be now.”
“But I haven’t slept for 2 nights,” pouted as she continued, “and you know how boring Yamazaki-sensei’s class was.”
“Yeah,” nodded the red head in agreement, “he’s unreasonable,”
“Ignoring students all the time,”
“Just keeps on writing lots of stuff on the board and expects us to understand,”
“Not caring if we pass or fail our test,”
“Not wanting to reply to our question,”
“And worse of all…” both of them sighed as they were about continue their sentences, but got stopped by a deep voice coming from behind them. The voice of the person they were talking of.
“And worse of all? What is it?” Yamazaki, the teacher of the two students asked, trying to control his temper and let no anger show in his voice.
“Er…Yamazaki-sensei, why are you here…?” smiled nervously, trying to change the subject. “I thought you should be in the office marking the test papers…?”
“For your information, I’m on a break right now, -san.” Yamazaki replied while pushing up his glasses, as he continued with his question, “Now, I’ve answered your question, could you answer me what is it that makes my lesson that horrible?”
Before could even reply to her teacher’s question, her cousin had already spoken up. “Sorry Yamazaki-sensei! We have to hand in our English assignment to Kuroda-sensei now!” and with that prefect ‘reason’, Kamio grabbed ’s wrist and ran for their life.
‘Ahh…’ feeling the warmth of Kamio’s hand as he grabbed her wrist, lowered her head, to hide the slight blush on her face along with that sweet smile.
----------
“You ran a bit too fast… Kamio…” this was the first thing she said as Kamio stopped running and sat on a bench in the garden of their school. “And do you know that running in the corridor would get us into deep trouble? Especially in front of that Yamazaki…”
“Geez… that guy is crazy! No one in school really cares about him anyway, except for the teachers of course.”
“True…” replied . As lifted her head slight and looked up, she noticed something.
Gardenia trees.
She smiled. That brought back memories, memories of them when they were younger.
“Ne, Kamio.” She called out, eyes not leaving those trees. “Do you remember that time? When we first met?” she asked, with a small gentle smile on her face that was filled with happiness.
“Hmm… that time? Of course I remember it. It’s under that gardenia tree.”
“Yup, I was playing alone under that tree, and all the sudden, you appeared in front of me, asking if you could join in. It was a only few hours later, that I knew that you were my cousin.” She laughed at all those silly memories between them. “And since then, I’d follow you everywhere.”
“You know, you’re really annoying at that time. I can’t even go out and play with my friends because of you.” Kamio sighed, “but still, it’s great to have you as a cousin, you really helped me a lot.”
“If you’re really thankful, I think you should repay me.” She grinned, “You know, I love gardenias, why don’t you make me a bookmark of gardenias?”
“Huh?” he blinked. Taking a moment to register what had just said, he quickly shakes his head. “No way! I’m not gonna make something like that!”
“I’m just joking~”
“You…! Geez…” sighing, he then asked another question that had been in his mind for a long time. “Hey, why do you like the gardenia so much? It’s pretty normal, and it’s not really that beautiful. I don’t understand why you’d like a flower like that.”
“Hmm… why are you asking this?” questioned back, “and shouldn’t you be off now? Don’t forget that you’ve to meet Ann-chan in two minutes time on the roof.”
“Eh!?” Kamio, upon hearing of what had just reminded him, quickly stood up from his seat. “Ja, I needa go now!” leaving her with that farewell, Kamio starting running into the school building with that infamous speed of his.
Seeing that Kamio had finally left, let out a sigh of relief.
“Why do you like the gardenia so much?”
Kamio’s voice rung through her mind as she closed her eyes.
“Because gardenia means ‘secret love’,” a drop of tears flowing down her cheek as she continued, “like my feelings for you, it shall never be known by others.”
Kamio must not know the feelings she had for him. Because knew it well, once Kamio realised her feelings, he would never treat her the same way as he treated her now. Never.
- fin.
Kei
11.April.2006