(Rom) Stars Closest Shine the Brightest [T]

Stars Closest Shine the Brightest

I’m such a dick.
I can’t believe I did that to her… But what else was I to do? Four wheels are spinning next to my head as I gaze up at the speckled sky regretting the past few minutes of my life. The grass is itchy and I can feel some blood trickling from my knee from the fall. As I slowly rise I pick up the overturned skateboard. I have to make plans, and quick. The words run through my mind again: “Zutto sobani ite”. They are electrifying!

I guess I should backtrack.

I am sixteen years of age and sixteen minutes late. I ollie over the gutter and make it to my locker in world record time. I stash my well-used skateboard next to a pile of manga and, after a brief footwear change, race up the stairs to my classroom, 7-B.
“Gomen!” I shout as I slide the door open, accidentally forcing it to slam.
“Michael, late again?! That’s the third time this week!” Sensei merely shakes her head in dismay.
I mumble some form of apology, bow and go to my seat. As I do so the girls across the room giggle at me and I feel my cheeks colour. You think I’d be used to being laughed at; after all I’m an Australian living in Japan. It’s not like you can stick out any more.
“You’re so cute when you’re late,” says Yumi. This girl is hot. Before I leave this country I have to try my luck with her.
Hikari, the class representative and Yumi’s best friend, timidly laughs while I wipe the sweat from my forehead. All the teachers think this girl is absolutely adorable; hence she has the power to do virtually whatever she likes throughout the school because of her ‘class rep’ position.
I reach my destination and my body lets out a sigh as I lie back in the chair. Sensei resumes the lesson and at first glance it seems be another uneventful day. Nobuhito is drawing pictures of his favourite anime (Neon Genesis Evangelion), as always. The three stooges are planning their activities for the weekend and Sasuke is whispering to Lee – no doubt about Karate Club practice - while the rest of the class listen to the teacher.

However, something feels different. My eyes flicker downwards and I immediately notice its presence. Inside my desk is a white note fastened shut with an usagi-san sticker.
Inconspicuously I lean forwards… my mind is racing, “A love confession? Who could it be? No one should have access to this classroom before class.”
Before I can stop them my eyes have already crossed the room, searching for Yumi. But she is talking to a friend. Nervously I open the envelope:

Michael-kun…suki desu. Higashiyama Park, 8:00pm ♥

“’Michael… I like you.’ Pfft, yeah right. Higashiyama Park? Where the heck is that?” I think. In all probability this is just a joke from the three stooges: they’d be just the people to pull a stunt like this. Yet, I know I can’t just leave it at this. I decide to check it out.

The lunchtime bell reminds me of what a rush I was in this morning.
“Ano…Michael. Did you forget your lunch again? You, um, can have some of mine if you want.”
Although Hikari is really sweet, she can be a bit weird sometimes. She is staring at her feet almost the entire time she is speaking to me.
“Ah, really? I can have some of your home-made obento? Arigatou ne!”
Nevertheless she’s really good value. She’s a friend I can depend on.
“Say, Hikari. Do you know where Higashiyama Park is? I’m still a bit lost.”
“Yeah… I, um, I live close to Higashiyama Park.”
“Ah, really? That’s awesome. Do you mind if I come over this afternoon?”
“Yes, that would be nice.”

As I go to my locker after school Hikari is already there talking to Gun Bhang; a dark, mysterious Korean exchange student and a quiet, Japanese school girl? I can see what’s happening.
“So, what’s going on with you and Gun-goes-bang?”
“What? Never!” she innocently claims. “Gun-kun is not the one I like…”
“Yeah right Hikari. C’mon, let’s go already.”
I pull out my skateboard, get my shoes from the getabako and she leads the way.
. . .

It’s one of those rare nights when things almost seem calm. Higashiyama is a big park, but it doesn’t escape the noise pollution of the main road just outside. It also doesn’t escape the smog barrier – the sky is forever dimmed because of it. Even so, as I sat there on that park bench with Hikari next to me and my skateboard on my lap civilisation seemed a million miles away. I hadn’t told her why I wanted to sit in a cold park late at night and, in typical humble Japanese fashion, she hadn’t asked.
“I guess it must have been the three stooges who wrote that note after all,” I thought to myself. It was well past eight o’clock.
“Hey, Hikari I think I’d better get going. My host parents won’t be too happy if I’m late. Thanks for putting up with me today.” I was disappointed that it wasn’t Yumi and just wanted to go home.
“Wait, Michael…”
I was already standing, putting my skateboard down. She grabbed my hand and I sat back down.
“Michael-kun… zutto sobani ite,” she whispered in my ear…
I barely heard her; I was so caught up about Yumi. I could try to explain it to her, but with the cultural differences she wouldn’t understand.
“Sorry, I’ll talk to you tomorrow; I really need to get home.” I mumbled as I stood up quickly and started to skate away. I know it was rude, but I just wanted to be alone. The words she said… “Be by my side forever.” What was she talking about anyway?

I skated faster and faster. The darkness and my speed got the better of me and I hit a small rock. As I did so, realisation hit me. It was her! Sprawled on the grass I rolled over with my head throbbing, throbbing in time with my heart.
I’m such a dick…


C&C much appreciated ^__^
I wrote this after reading Merc's fic/auto-bio a few years ago. The basic premise is borrowed from his, however I think this is a lot is also different.

Ah, love and the clueless. This was very nice and I enjoyed it, had a good lead in and tied in very well with the ending.

One nit pick though for the parts you set out as thoughts; a single quote would be less confusing than the double. Doubles should be reserved for spoken dialogue. Thoughts imbedded within the narrative should be set out, but the single is sufficient and in the end it's less confusing for the reader to tell the difference.

example:

I hadn’t told her why I wanted to sit in a cold park late at night and, in typical humble Japanese fashion, she hadn’t asked. 'I guess it must have been the three stooges who wrote that note after all,' I thought to myself. It was well past eight o’clock.

“Hey, Hikari I think I’d better get going. My host parents won’t be too happy if I’m late. Thanks for putting up with me today.” I was disappointed that it wasn’t Yumi and just wanted to go home.

Thanks heaps for reading it, achitka =).

You're right about the setting out for thoughts. I think I may have started off doing it that way, but kidna forgot about it part way through...~_~