Taisetsu na tomodachi

By Jerui

Author's note: Hi. This is a random story I made. I can't update Bribe me yet because I still haven't finished my draft. Hope you leave a review. This contains a hint about myself (I see myself the same as Sakuno) but I don't have a Ryoma in my life (I wish I have). I loved my best friend though but it never bloomed. I don't have the courage. DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! look past the grammar i have no beta and i'm a no good english writer.

The age and time of getting into college is based on my country. I was 14 when I was first year. :D

Taisetsu na Tomodachi

I am now nineteen. And I am currently in my fourth year in college. Life has been considerably fast for me. Everything has been changing. Change, the only permanent thing.

But then, some things never change. I still end up late, most of the time but not often. I still stutter. I'm still shy. I still like pink. I still tie my incredibly long red hair in braids. I still cry, agonizing over some trivial things. I'm still not very good in tennis but I can rally with the tennis club senpais.

Getting to college hasn't changed anything. I don't join any gatherings. I haven't drunk alcohol. I don't have many friends. My existence is still little.

And I still love my best friend.

My most important friend.

Taisetsu na tomodachi.

I never stepped past the line I made. I don't want to lose this closeness. He's so near and yet so far. When he left for America, I never showed him grief. I know he will come back.

Six years ago, we were in the airport surrounded by friends and family, all saying their goodbyes to him. I was late so I was panting because of running. You'll get the feeling if you have a friend in a form of an infamous athlete. Every moment seemed so urgent. You just have to hurry or you'll miss him if he has games and if he had to leave. He's far away. Farther away…seas and lands separating us.

I might have to run a thousand miles to be able to reach where he was.

"You're late."

"And you're still here."

"My flight got delayed."

I chuckled. How lucky I was. I got lost and it took me a long time to choose a parting gift.

He was holding his favorite Ponta drink, his trademark white cap on even indoors, his smug smirk present, showing he's amused. I handed him my parting gift.

"Here. Become number one." I stretched my arm towards him, my hand clutching a small neon green ball where the number one was written.

"Echizen! Hug her! Get closer!" Momoshiro called out.

Eiji senpai was whistling, catcalling and the others were laughing. Warmth crept up on my cheeks.

He extended his hand and I thought he was going to touch my cheeks. When I closed my eyes, he ruffled my hair. I looked at him and he was smiling. I held back my tears.

"Ittekimasu…" I'm leaving and coming back.

"Itterasshai." Leave and come back.

And he was gone.

Two years later, he came back. Our final year in high school.

I was saved.

His eyes were smoldering gold, emitting a deadly aura. They shivered in fear.

I was deceived yet again. They left a note on my shoe locker, saying one of the senpai was waiting for me in the classroom. I had my suspicions but thought that I must go. I left the note on the box and wore my indoor shoes again. It must be the reason how he found me.

He stepped inside the room slowly like a predator preparing to kill. I didn't notice until he arrived that I was whimpering. My buttons were torn. I covered my front with my arms.

The lights were off and the only light source was from the door he opened. He let them past him, running. And that I was glad. I didn't want to burden him.

"Stupid."

He crouched down, removing his coat, wrapping it me. The fire hasn't gone in his eyes but now it was soft.

"They'll be punished a hundred times more. Dammit."

"Okaeri." Welcome home.

"Tadaima." I'm back.

How embarrassing.

"Hey. Don't sleep."

He carried me on his back on the way home. I didn't have the strength to stand.

"I'm not."

"Is that so? The first thing I do when I come back is to save you. Where's my 'thanks'?"

Clutching his shirt tight, my other hand around his neck, my forehead touching the back of his head, I said "thank you, I'm very grateful."

"You're welcome. As thanks, bring me lunch."

"You never liked my cooking."

" I never said that."

"You did."

"You must have heard it wrong."

"I didn't."

"Ryuuzaki."

"Okay, fine. Just save me like this."

"Always."

My dreams never gave him justice. He looks nothing like the best friend I know. He was always lean but the childish roundness was gone. His feline features lessened, his jaw became angular, more masculine. His hair was longer and he grew taller. But… that look in his eyes was always the same. And I was glad.

I assumed that he had a line he also never went past on.

Our relationship became ambiguous. He continued saving me until the culprits stopped. Not that he hadn't got his revenge, including switching their drinks with Inui-san's power drink, setting up a huge number of carefully planned traps so that the target always get caught with the help of Fuji-senpai, and breaking the hearts of the girls who were masterminds of the bullying. It must be tough, saving someone like me, a magnet for trouble.

My best friend ate with me during lunch at the rooftop. My best friend helped me in English and I helped him in history. My best friend and I talked about several of things. My best friend and I shared silence. I watched my best friend during his matches, playing his favorite sport. My best friend sends me home every school day. I go to my best friend's house on weekends. This was my everyday with my best friend.

I was a coward.

I never confessed.

But then that time came when he did. And I ran away.

"Ryuuzaki."

"H-hai?"

"Do you like anybody?"

"I-I don't. W-why?"

"Then, why don't we go out? Fall for me."

I looked at him in fear. His eyes showed nothing but sincerity. But what if we did and we broke apart? We won't be able to come back. I won't be able to come back.

"W-w-what's with you, Ryoma?"

Worry flashed on his face, my expression mirrored in his eyes.

And then he smirked, wearing a mask I have never seen him wore, "forget about it."

I know. I missed my chance. If he was near yet far before, he's very far away now. He talked less, often staring off into space. If I feared being together other than being friends, I was more afraid now. We might become strangers.

Or worse.

He'll leave me.

And I'll be alone.

If I won't be able to move, who would? If I don't move sooner, then when? The sunlight wouldn't be able to get past the dark clouds if the clouds won't move. And so do I.

If I was going to get hurt, I want it to be with my best friend.

We were walking home, with him two steps ahead. He was silent the whole time.

If I talked, I might mess up. My heart was pounding very hard he might hear it. Mustering my courage, I closed in the distance. My cheeks were warm, my hands shaking as I reached out his.

When I came in contact, I shut my eyes and I felt his hand hold mine as he stopped walking and he looked at me. I thought he was going to let go.

And he did. My heart squeezed.

But it was only to intertwine his hand with mine.

I opened my eyes and he was smiling, his face showing the kindest expression I have seen and his eyes were so gentle.

His other hand reached for my braid. He kissed the end of my hair.

"Thank you."

That was it and I am now nineteen.

And I am still in love with my best friend.

Watashi no taisetsu na tomodachi.

Fin.