Chizu's POV

„I'm not staying. I'm thinking of attending a university," he said. It's been a while since then and nothing much has changed except for…yeah, that thing. Now that we're going out (God, it still sounds so weird!) it's even harder to accept the fact that we're going to have to part. Not that it was any easier back when we were best friends/brothers (umm, delete as appropriate) I've always told him I'd be here for him and I'll support him in whatever he chooses to do in the future, so why is it so hard to go pursue him dream? Because, let me tell you, that guy's going to kick some serious university butts in baseball.

"Yoshida!" Someone yelled all of sudden, and Chizu, deep in thoughts literally jumped from shock. She turned around to see her schoolmate Shota Kazehaya just standing there and grinning.

"Ah, did I scare you? Sorry! Anyway, Ryu asked me to tell you to wait for him after the baseball practice.

The tall hazel-haired girl gave him a quick glance, but then she looked down on her sneakers.

"Sorry, could you tell him I have to head home earlier today? Thanks!"

"Okay…sure, bye then," Kazehaya said with a puzzled expression and ran away.

Chizu squatted down and facepalmed. What's the use of doing this? Why is she avoiding him? Anyway, didn't she just tell Kazehaya she had some work to do? So the best thing to do right now is probably get lost as unobtrusively and quickly as possible.

"So, where shall I meet her?" Ryu asked.

"Actually, she said she needed to go home earlier today, so she already left, sorry."

"Okay, no problem, I'll text her later, thanks," he said calmly, even though it was bugging him since that incident from last night. He hoped she got something to say to him and he also wanted to apologize.

"Don't mention that, at least I got to see Kuronuma."

"Oh, how could I forget," Ryu said mockingly.

"Hey, would you stop that? I assume now you know what it feels like, so stop making fun of me."

"Yes, I know!"

"You see? So shut up!" Kazehaya laughed.

"Alright, let's do some warm-ups now. Where's the rest of the team?"

If you met Chizuru that afternoon, she'd probably bumped into you and leave without even noticing there was someone standing in her way. And you probably wouldn't even know it's her, because it was as if she left her bubbly personality and wide grin at home. This time she was deep in thoughts and paid no attention whatsoever on what was going on around her. It was really unusual to walk home alone like this. She's always walked with Ayane, Sawako or Ryu, but let's face this; there are times when you need a general clean-up of your mind. And on the other hand she should start to get used to situation like this, shouldn't she? This was a bootcamp of learning, but it wasn't as the classes she was used to take at school. Maybe it's time to learn to be lonely.

The graduation was approaching rapidly and everyone was planning their future at this point. Ayane is planning to go overseas, while Kazehaya and Sawako are considering attending a university together, and then there is Ryu…is going to leave as well. Just a few weeks and she's gonna end up here all alone. A couple days ago it seemed like something distant. "We still have time," Chizu thought, but it wasn't until she found out about that envelope.

(A couple days ago)

Chizu was sitting on Ryu's bed. She was reading some manga to kill time while Ryu went away to get some snacks. Suddenly his cell phone blew up. It was Kazehaya, so she picked up to tell him to call later. Putting the phone back on the table she noticed something. There was an envelope with a stamp from Tokyo, which was quite unusual. Being a very curious person Chizu couldn't help, but looked closer. It was an acceptance letter from the University of Tokyo, department of sport science.

"Chizu, sorry, dad asked me to…" Ryu started, but he was cut off in the middle of the sentence. "Oh…so you found it."

"When were you planning to tell me about this?" She asked. He could feel the disappointment in her voice.

"Actually, I didn't." He said and sat next to her.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm not going anywhere," he said simply as if he was greeting her good morning.

"But Ryu, this is one of the best schools in Japan! Opportunities like this rarely repeat, it's not like you can just throw it into the litter and forget about it! Does your dad know about it?"

"I already said there's nothing to talk about, didn't I?" Ryu said coldly, but then he took her hands into his and continued. "Chizuru, listen, do you remember when you told me not to go? Back then I was convinced that the best thing to do was leaving, because when I asked you whether you liked me that evening…well, frankly, I expected another refusal and I though "If I don't see her every day, maybe I'll manage to forget about what I feel for her," but then when you said you loved me back I wasn't so sure anymore., I mean, you've been taking care of me since we were kids, you cheered me up when I though I 'd never be able to smile again and this is how I thank you now? By leaving for Tokyo when all of your friends are going to study in another town as well? I wouldn't be a good boyfriend which you deserve if I did that."

"Stop that, I didn't do all of those things to get something in return, I mean if Ryu decides to stay here I'd be really happy, but to be the one who stands in your way to pursue your dreams? I don't want to be something that forces you to change a life of a successful sportsman for an elbow-grease in the ramen restaurant…I'm sorry, I have to go now," Chizu said and before Ryu managed to say anything to stop her she smashed the door shut and disappeared. At times like this he'd usually run after her to comfort her, but he know it would be pointless this time, because she needed to calm down on her own. On her own…those words themselves sound just wrong, so how does it must feel? Luckily there's still some time until the graduation comes.