Hi~
"No, not again..." Don't say this. I know I'm bothering you with my stories, but
please bear with me ^^;
I thought of writing something different from the ones I wrote recently.
A new fresh story right from the oven =9
I hope you'll enjoy reading it
and as usual, any comment are welcomed, even if they were harsh
I can only develop with your comments and opinions
yoroshiku onegaishemasu
Education at Corners
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To become someone, to be able to do many things…we may not have done many, but at least we have done something.To study hard, to achieve our goals…we may have fell down, but we never called ourselves failures, because we stood up and continued…To listen rather than to hear, to observe and reach a conclusion…we have fought, but who would’ve thought that at the corners of our classroom, education stepped out of the shadow…
“Uh, yes, I forgot about time. Oh, it’s getting dark outside. I’m supposed to go home right now. My parents must be worried about me…uh, I already told them I’ll be late for my last lecture at 8pm. Ah, right, we’re having extra lecture today. What day is it today?”“Are you sure you haven’t sipped a little whine yesterday?”“I might have….”“We better go see a doctor on our way home!”“What a splendid idea!”“Hey, Some? Here.”25 years old young lady! Weighted neither as heavy as the white board, nor as light as the chalk, round face, eyes which reflected the pure color of the blue sky, long wavy blue hair that stretches a little passed the shoulder, and being called as Some, which didn’t last for long…was the me back then.On that day, which I forgot what day it was, I attended university although I never wished to, but due to mother circumstances, about losing future and such, I was forced to. Even though I had the habit to wake up early and gaze at the blue sky and birds chirping on the branches of old big trees that shaded my roof alongside part of my bedroom and half of the window. I enjoyed most of the time just by remaining there, my secret and favorite place, where most of my memories lied.Ah, yes, I forgot that university had absorbed half of my life. There, I could barely understand the worth of wasting my precious time for something called education. Yeah, it was for a short period and then I began a new journey…a long journey to find an epiphany…In class, my classmates were fond of passing piece of papers to each other. Mostly they were lovely lyrics, new information, rumors spreading around, a small chit chat, criticism, and such wonderful matters. A poke came from behind. I turned to face the criminal…“Heh, for me? From who?”“You like to ask a lot. Read it and you’ll figure out.”She reached her hand with a piece of paper she held with two fingers. I took it, turned front, looked at my friend sitting beside me, picked up a pen in preparation to reply and finally opened it. It was flipped neatly and made with effort.‘Don’t talk too much with her! Concentrate on the lecture!’“Ah, an advise, huh?”“Hmm?” the girl beside me meekly questioned.“Oh, it’s nothing. Concentrate on the lecture, please!”I could guess the person who wrote it from the clear and beautiful handwriting. Mon chou, a determined 21 years old student, specialized in medicine, with dazzling greenish eyes and brown curly hair. She was always the cheerful one, one who would smile and comfort others with her smile which had no lies, but only warmth and comfort…In specific classes, we tend to gather in one large classroom. All the students of various specializations attend the lecture. Either there, or at each and every lunch break, I could meet her and have a nice chat with her. Other than that, we exchange messages through our mobiles.
After the class has ended, we prepared to bide a farewell. It was almost sundown.“Now shall we get going now?” she asked me putting a gentle suspicious grin on her face.“Hopefully I’ll get home safely…” I replied.My life with daisuke tome was filled with happiness. She was a loyal and sincere friend with a good heart that welcomed the wounded ones which needed healing despite their age or class differences not even strong bond could get in her way of aiding. She often uses some sort of a pin keeping her hair together which emitted nostalgic feelings that eased all my troubles. Whenever she talked, she throws me off. She was like a big sister for me, whom I vowed to treasure for eternity.
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‘I have to work hard and carve out a future for myself. I have to study…’ was all what I blabbered about during the day trying to study while sighing and revising some lines. I didn’t get a wink of sleep till it was late at night. Suddenly, with one blink, I heard sweet chirping of the birds. When I opened my eyes, it was early morning, ‘I haven’t finished my revising.’ I said to myself…
Daisuke tome: “You haven’t slept last night?”I went to university while studying all the way till I reached my classroom. Having slept at midnight and woke up early at morning, enough fatigue was overwhelming me. I placed my right cheek on the desk when suddenly I saw daisuke tome’s face pitying my pathetic state asking…I agreed with a nod and said: “Yeah, I was trying to study for the exam. Talk about programming…it didn’t work.”“You’ve tried it?”“I wrote on each and every paper my eyes locked on, ‘Imma gonna study hard and get high marks!’, but seems like there’s no magic in the lines, ah the effort I used and the energy it sucked…” I said while putting my face on the desk sighing.“I’m worried about you. You’ve been wobbling. Will you be ok? Should I go buy for you something to eat?”“The services had opened! You’re doing all these for me?- uh I mean for nothing?”“I’ll take it back!”
“No, please.”“What shall I get you?”“Anything eatable!”“Go wash your face. All the sleepy impressions are stamped on it.”“Whatever my lady wishes~ I’ll take a little shower if possible to kick off this sluggishness before it begins taking over me.”We left the classroom since it suffocated us and sat near a big window which viewed the nice garden crowded with many trees, richly green grass and blossomed flowers. She helped me with the revision and stressed on very important information.It took us a whole hour before the Doctor finished her printing and came with the exam papers that terrified us with its thickness and small writing. Any ounce of hope of surviving was wiped off.The session has started. Everyone stood up for the arrival of the judge and papers were passed over. The moment our eyes met the paper, the judgment will be fallen. I was sentenced to death…
The session was over, we dismissed. I ran to the back garden where the tomato tree was planting and took my time gazing at the great ambience. I held my breath for I knew that any moment a call will come, and it did…Daisuke tome called me just after a short time when the exam ended. I was physically and mentally prepared for the possibility that I’ll hear a severe scold from her.“Some, where are you?”“You need not to know.”“I already knew!” a voice came from behind…I looked to my left to see her standing just 3 steps away from my back, holding both of her hands on her thighs.“H-hello~” I said hesitantly.“Don’t ‘Hello’ me. Why are you sitting here? What happened to the exam?Wait, let me guess, you haven’t done well?”“Wow, it’s too good for a guess!”“Ehhh? Why? Haven’t we revised well?”I looked back at a tiny flower that grew in front of me, which sounded like I was trying to skip the eye contact with her and exclaimed: “Look here, my memory technique is neither new nor the newest. You heard of ‘The Worst Memories in the World!’ well what do you know, I have it!I don’t intend to program myself negatively, and I hate to admit, but I suffer from this memory of mine…”She didn’t reply. Only dead silent filled the place. My eyes were darting from left to right and I kept blinking in hope to get an answer from her.A couple of minutes had passed, yet nothing changed in the scene. I suspected that she could’ve left after hearing the silly complaints, but I was astonished to see her standing right behind me and offered me a hand. I hesitated a little by her sudden reaction then took her by hand as she said, “Nothing remains the same. I’ll change you!”“Heh, I wonder how…”She reassured me that I’ll pass this year without failing! Relief swept over me knowing that she acknowledges me as an excellent student. I intensely wished to form my feelings of gratitude into words and utter them, but I couldn’t for I the matter of conveying was so difficult even if they were written words. I held her hand tightly and prayed not to lose it ever…till death.Days passed and together we both studied and tried out best for the exam. Along with it, we strengthened our bond.
“How was the exam?”It was on Tuesday, in the second lecture, when we finished the exam, she was starving to ask, but couldn’t due to the teacher speaking. We were sitting on the second row, on the right side of the classroom. She sat beside me on the right and I was listening attentively to the teacher as she stood on the left corner teaching where most of the excellent students resided. I recognized her gentle care for me with her high curiosity to talk and ask, and so from time to time, I took a quick glance at her and let a small smile loose.With no chances to talk to me, she decided to change her plans. Her hand holding a pencil came near my desk, opened my notebook and wrote, “How was the exam?”I took a pen so that the memories inside the notebook have no chance of erasing themselves and replied, “まま…”Since we were specialized in languages, I thought of changing my tongue into a new one.“ままて…おまい-“she replied.“御免なさい”She sighed a bit and then wrote, “How many wrong answers?”“Seven…”in hope to change the topic I jotted down, “You know something, let’s change our names. I’ll start calling you as Hikari, ひかり, if you don’t mind.”She said softly, “Fine. As for you…let’s see…How about Tome, とめ?”“Eh, you just changed only one letter-…” I said with a little loud tone.“Shh. Stop talking you two!” the teacher interrupted.Both of us gave her a smile from ear to ear.
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Chapter IIII heard the noise rang of my sister’s mobile while I was cooking with my mom. She came to me holding it with her right hand and murmuring softly, “It’s for you.”If it was one of my friends then she should’ve dialed my number instead of dialing my sister’s, I thought. Was my mobile still functioning or did I turned it off, that was missing in my memories and no matter how desperately I try to remember, I could not…
I answered the call, “Hey!”“Tome, the results are out!” this familiar kind voice I longed to hear…the voice of my dearest friend, Hikari.“Really? Wh-“She interrupted me saying, “Congrats!”The sentence surprised me a little and I went tongue-tied. Passing the year with no falling never crossed my mind.“W-what do you mean?” I asked with a low voice.“Hmmmmm?” she laughed a bit and continued, “don’t play dumb!”My hands began to tremble and I started stammering words even I couldn’t understand.“Get a hold of yourself. Are you that surprised from your own accomplishment?” she wondered while I was still in that state unable to utter a word.“Listen, don’t hear! You passed all the subjects!!”A small amount of strength had returned and I said, “Am I dreaming? If I am then please don’t wake me up.”“Haha, you’re not dreaming. If I were there beside you, I would’ve pinched your cheeks as hard as I could to assure you it’s not a dream..”“Can I scream?”“Go ahead, but do get your mobile away from you a little. My friends are all around me and I don’t want to panic them by your weird screams.”“Weird? What does this mean?”“Oops a slip of tongue…”“Eiya, I changed my mind. You’ll never be able hear my angelic scream.”“Angelic? who deceived you?”“Ooohh, such a dramatic increase in such short time.”I exclaimed so cheerfully and continued on, “ A-awesome!!! Who could’ve thought I was a sleeping lion that just awoke. I can’t believe this. No one will believe this. My family will be overjoyed to hear this. They will, they must be!”She was listening to me silently as I spoke of my so called greatness.“Say, how about yours? Your grades must be better than mine, ne?”“I didn’t pass…”“Eh?”I haven’t expected this answer. I always believed in the result of her hard working, success! The seed she planted will grow one day. She will gather her harvest of success. However, I forgot to keep in mind the uncontrollable natural phenomenon. Everything crumbled. The smile that was drawn on my face disappeared slowly.The partner that helped me all the way, lightened my life, softened my suffering and eased my heavy heart, couldn’t reach her goal, but instead kept laughing and shared with me my happiness. On the contrary, I was only selfish who couldn’t lift her pain…couldn’t do anything at all…nothing. My grief was so great that it lasted for days…
It all started when the doctors warned us of our low level in studying and decreasing in grades.We were informed about this matter during the mid-term exam. With only short time allowed for us to grasp our future and with all our might to fight the remaining obstacles, we couldn’t maintain our current positions and so we fell down beneath our own imaginary assumptions…that we weren’t fit to graduate…Our path got steep, long and painful, but the bliss of accompanying such friends, we chased after our dreams that we drew in this little university and which we once thought they were impossible to be granted.Associated with these problems, I encountered more obstacles, on one hand with my memory, and on the other hand with my family whose slight problems seemed intense to me.On a special night, I was awakened from my small slumber that was perhaps less than half an hour as the loudly shouting of my mom to my careless little brother disturbed me. Knowing that I won’t be able to answer correctly most of the questions of the quiz we’d be having tomorrow, made my mood even worse. I remained awoke analyzing the situation and the worst was portraying a story where I could solve this case…Mom woke me up early at morning and left to the kitchen. After I finished my daily activity I dashed to the kitchen. “Preparing breakfast for me?” I asked so cheerfully clapping my hands together.“Make it yourself!” she replied fiercely.“Thank you…”Although mom acts somehow cruel, but at heart she’s a kind mother. A serious, analytical kind of person she was.And as usual, I went to university half asleep. I had to walk all the way from the first floor to the second one, crossing many corridors and passing the cafeteria, the big garden, the library and the Coffee Shop, only to reach my destination. The moment I reached the classroom, my feet were numb. My friends has gathered there studying.“Good morning. You’re early today, aren’t you?!” they said in a dazed manner. I threw my bag on the floor facing the entrance door of my classroom and lied down along the wall assigning my hard bag to play the role of a pillow. “Wake me up when the doctor shows up!” I requested as I closed my eyes and took a little nap. I stayed like that until I was awakened from several pokes at my right cheek.“Not enough sleep, huh?”“Let Some sleep for some time…” I said moaning.“But Some must wake up for the doctor has shown up!” she said with a soft voice.I opened my eyes, stood up from the floor, rubbed both my eyes and yawned looking left and right for a search of the doctor, but she couldn’t be found. The corridor was half empty from students who were either walking or sitting studying before I fell asleep. My friends couldn’t be found even. The one who woke me up was Jasmine, a short hyper, bubbly, cute and kind person, one whom I failed at words to describe. She wore a red ribbon and a red bracelet on her left wrist.“Where is she?” I asked her.“Inside the classroom!” she answered putting a smile on her small face.I said yawning, “I..don’t think I’ll attend the lecture-”“It’s a four hours lecture. Miss it and you’ll be sorry.” she immediately replied.“I’m in such a dire pain… Hey, four hours lecture? No way!!”“Way!!” she exclaimed as she grabbed my bag and entered the class.I followed her and demanded that we sit back so I could return my face to normal after the little slumber.
We sat on the right side of the classroom, near the right end corner. And she sat on my left side. In spite of the fact that we listened to the lecture attentively, yet we didn’t last long. After spending only one and a half hour, boredom sneaked into most of us. I began falling asleep with a pen in my mouth while she was sighing.“Oi, still sleepy?” she whispered.“What do you see?”“Don’t…just don’t! why don’t you behave well when I sit beside you?”“I always tend to sit with my Hi- I mean daisuke tome whenever I felt sleepy. Ooh you haven’t seen what she has. Her presence omits a light that can get rid of anything! Sleep, boredom, hung-““Stop talking, Some, Jasmine.” the doctor said with a kind voice.“Ah ok!”After some moments, I began feeling sleepy again.“She definitely will catch you sleepy. What are you going to say to her? Or are you thinking of smiling and letting it pass by like you do every day? You better not scandal me!” she whispered and kept saying things I couldn’t get most of it. However to please her, I was forced to fire this sleepiness off me.I tried to open my eyes as wide as I could, but she complained that I’m too scary to look at. The second try was to write down things that could manage to keep me awake, but I was caught by the doctor as she suspected I was chit chatting with the girl beside me. The third try was to ask her a favor…“Hey, Jasmine, slap me!” I whispered.‘HUH??” she spoke in a little loud voice.“Shhhh!” but it was too late. We got arrested for the second time of the same crime, having a little nice chit chat…“Again you two are talking?” the doctor gave a face full of anger.“No, no. No, we’re…uh.. I mean I…was asking for a tissue…she-“ I couldn’t bring any excuses so I lowered my head and waited for my punishment. She surprisingly continued her lecture.All of my tries failed. I had never been more anxious in my life. I spent the last two and a half endless hours trying to get sleep out of me, but it seemed glued on me. I scratched the back of my head trying so desperately to figure out a way to fully wake up. There wasn’t much to do to pass time. Whenever I looked at her, her pout face made the mission difficult to accomplish. “What a day…”
The lecture, which lasted more than 4 hours and seemed like eternity, has ended. Finally, we were free for the time being, able to go and walk beyond the limits of the classroom. Jasmine stood up and left without uttering a word or even looking at me. I kept glaring at her till she went out from the back door and disappeared from my sight.“Aah she seems angry…”I turned front and saw Hikari.I gave a small sigh.“What? You’re not following her? Don’t you want to resolve your quarrel?”“I want to, but I don’t know what to say…If only we could transmit our feelings without the need to form words and utter them…”“It’s not impossible.”“Oh really? Ah I remembered! Y-yeah, it’s not impossible. I must try it once.” I agreed with her when the ‘positive programming’ popped into my head.“Wait here.”“Where are you going?”Without answering my question, she ran toward the back door.
It lasted 5 minutes since the time Hikari left and the girls began their crazy party or so as they called it.They turned off the lights while the windows were all covered in blinds. The classroom was dark. It looked more like a haunted classroom. They didn’t stop at this point, but rather they acted like ghosts, putting powder on their faces and wore black rug that they brought for the presentation and made the atmosphere more likeable for one’s tension which was down to hit high. I enjoyed the commotions they started to the extent that I participated. I crouched down behind a desk positioning myself for a chance to attack. I watched as a figure slowly appeared from outside the classroom and she walked inside to the left side corner in the same row where I sat on. She gave a tug and the binding opened. The sunlight shone so brightly beside her. The light revealed her to be a young girl with brown eyes and long brown hair that extended to the waist wearing a pink cute girlishness dress. I stocked my head up a little to peek. I remembered an old saying, ‘You never get a second chance to make a good first impression!’. My first impression on her was made mostly on her physical appearances. She looked familiar somehow, but as far as my mind could search nothing could be brought into similarities, but the calmness of her actions. I swore I saw someone who has that part of personality.Beside of that, I roamed around scaring some students and lightening the atmosphere. Without realizing from amusement, I found myself standing in front of Jasmine and Hikari. The state I was in when they arrested me wasn’t of a good one. I’ve been caught with my face filled with powder, posing like a ghost with hands raised up and mouth opened like a lion roaring…“Ah…”“What have you done to yourself, Tome?” she asked putting the expression of a confused, bewildered person on her face.“Playing Ghost Hunt? Haha-“ I couldn’t laugh more, for Jasmine’s pout face has linked the past again to complete the line where we stopped.“Uh…” I went tongue-tied…again.“Oh, she has been worried, huh?” she asked facing Hikari while her eyes were fixed on me.I turned my gaze at Hikari who lowered her head to the ground wringing her hands.“Embrace me!” I exclaimed as Jasmine was about to walk away.“Huh?” both of them shouted.“I-if you did so, you definitely will understand.”“Understand what?”“Th-that I’ve never wished to see you angry. That I’m…sorry…”“Can’t you say you’re sorry-““-My words…I…can’t speak…” I interrupted.“So, what are you doing right now?”“Speaking with you two.” I said giving a big smile.“Oh yeah?”“Listen, everyone has his own way of apologizing and I find words undependable to transmit my regret and my eagerness to resolve this quarrel. However, I’m one hundred percent sure that my heart can get this job done in no time. I’m not telling you to forgive me, but I’m doing the best I can to show you how desperate I was back then trying to smoothen your heavy heart-““Desperate?...”“That’s why I told you, words are untrustworthy!”“Oh I see now.” She nodded while Hikari let a small smile loose.“Now that you understood, come! Embrace me!!”“That should be delayed for another time.”“There’s no time left. Come, do not be afraid. I’m not hiding anything!”“What are you hiding?” questioned Hikari bending over searching for hidden things somewhere inside the black rug.“How did you know I’m hiding something? I don’t remember telling you. Who? Who’s the betrayal who told you? Just point her out! Where? Where?”As I was searching left and right for the criminal, I heard Jasmine’s laughter.“Hmmm? Glad to see your smile again. Welcome back!”“Your way of resolving things is amazing!”“Now has a heavy stone fallen from my heart!” I said smiling.
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In the beginning, it was like living in a place on which the sun was brightly shining and thousands of flowers grew, flowers we loved so much.After we stayed for a long time, we began feeling sad and couldn’t explain to ourselves why, till at last we discovered that we were on a desert and that land was only a mirage that deceived us and threw us midway paralyzed.
Though we enjoyed our time and took things easily, yet deep within our hearts we knew, the so called ‘Teachers’ were going to punish us in an educationally inappropriate way.There stood on the stage a woman, around 48 years old, standing tall and straight, very professional looking, just what you would expect from a doctor who holds in her possession a P.H.D degree.“She looks really young!” said Jasmine fixing her gaze on the doctor.“From her looks, umm, maybe 40 or above.” I stated.“Whoa!”“I wasn’t too surprised.” said Hikari in a calm manner.“You should’ve expected such things happening since we are in the age of sophisticated technology.” I addressed Jasmine.“What does this has to do with what we’re talking about?” she questioned looking at me with a confused expression."Have you ever thought about the mission of your life? About the aims for profession and career? About your strategies for now and the future? Do you know your biggest strength and awareness? Your hidden gifts and talents? Where awareness of these would lead?"Her speech was amazing. Everyone starred and listened to her. They looked highly of her. She hanged a poster on the wall behind her which says, "Knowledge Is Power!""Why is it that with the same academic qualification, some people succeed and others fail? Most of the people do what circumstances make them do. They remain slaves to the situation. But some people know what they want. They struggle for it, they don't compromise with adversities, and they don't give up. These people know that through strong determination they can attain all goals of life…."“She speaks well! What an amazing lines!” Jasmine said with glittering eyes.“I need to take notes. Someone, anyone, give me a paper and a pen!” I said, slipping my hands in their bags, since we’ve been driven to the hall, where new teachers are introduced and I had the habit of leaving my own bag in the classroom, searching for a pen and paper.“Memorize them!” Hikari firmly said.“I can’t!” I firmly informed.“You can!”“I c-can’t…” I began wavering.“You definitely can!” she said with a nod.“…” speechless I was thrown."Failure isn't considered as the worst thing in this world…Failure is that we don't try. If they told you they can't, tell them to try. If they told you they don't know, tell them to learn. If they told you it’s impossible, tell them to give it a shot! The end will never come if you keep trying. You can do anything if you keep trying.""The end will never come if you keep trying. You can do anything if you keep trying. It certainly isn't logical, but it seems strangely convincing when she say it."“Yeah, your right.” agreed Jasmine.“Isn’t it, Tome?” asked Hikari, fixing her gaze on me while I gave no answer.“Tome?…Maybe I should give you a new nickname.” she said as she put her right hand on her chin thinking.“Have you done the assignment?” she asked kindly.“You sound like my stand-in mama…” I answered with a pout face.“Hoo, is that so? Isn’t it nice to be your mama?” putting a big devil-like grin on her face.“N-no thanks…” I replied trying to get away from the sparkling light she emitted.“Why?” said wondered blinking.“Hey! How bout Toma!!” shouted Jasmine.“T-t-t-TOMA?” I stuttered.“What a wonderful one.” praised Hikari clapping her hands together.“Although I’ve only changed the last letter…” she said softly laughing and scratching the back of her head embarrassed.“Toma?” still shocked.“As long as it’s from you, it doesn’t matter.” she said smiling.“You think so?”“Toma…” Although at first I strongly objected, but the name does have a ring to it.“I’m sure that Tome will be so happy to have such a nice name given from you.”“She must be!”They laughed together enjoying the birth of a new name for me while I grieved for the death and burial of my old cute name, Some…
Moments have passed, and out of nowhere, it was black-out. We heard some girls screaming, and the hall has filled with sounds of whispers and after not too long, the whispering became loud chatting. The feeling of fear and insecurity sat on most of us. I sat comfortably leaning my back on the chair and glaring at the teachers and doctors as they tried to investigate the matter calling and running here and there. When it seemed hopeless, they commanded us, “Ladies, do not panic. It seems to be a slight incident, but for safety we must evacuate quickly!”.“Slight incident, they say.”I said mocking. “I wonder when are we going to face a disast-“I let my words hanged as I looked around, and saw neither Hikari, nor Jasmine around me. “Now where did they go? Well, it seems that I’ll enjoy this slight incident all alone…too bad for them.”. I followed the crowd to where the evacuation place was, and ended up driven with them to the so called, wonder land…As soon as the crowd began to move, struggling to reach the distant place, I saw Hikari. I tried to approach her; however I couldn’t shove my way out. I was pushed around and found myself in the corridor which leads to the coffee shop. I had lost sight of her. I turned around and saw Jasmine together with one of her friends. They were whispering to each other of things I have no authority to know. In an instance, they disappeared with the crowd. When the movement stopped, Mon chou appeared.“Some!!”“Ah, finally the revival of my old cute name. Oh how could I live without thee?” I continued my speech as her voice drifted into the distant. The crowd shuffled and she disappeared out of my sight.“Whoa! That was quick. I haven’t even said anything. I’ll send her a message.” I said as I checked my left pocket and found it empty. “Oh, I forgot my bag in the classroom. Deserves me well, I guess. Surely, I’ll never learn unless I go through the situation. How cruel I am, to shut my one and only possessive thing I treasure the most, in an isolated room with fire approaching outside and-“ before I could continue my grief, a poke came from behind.“What?” I questioned furiously.“Um, are you talking to yourself?” a young girl had short brunette hair with red hair band asked me.“And?” I replied with a question frustrated and annoyed.“No. I just wanted to get you back to your senses.” she said starring at me with a worried face. Her eyes refused to move away.“Oh my, thanks for bringing me back!” with a tone filled with anger I thanked her.“No problem. I’m always here for help!” she replied with a sense of pride in her voice.“Name’s Some!” I introduced myself reaching my hand for a shake.“Lino! Pleasure to meet you!” she said as we shake hands.I gripped her hand with force, causing her to cringe and immediately I let go of her. Her face was bright red from anger, but she gave me a big smile. I could see the tiny sparks emitted from her eyes. We laughed a little and with a blink of eye, she disappeared. “Good riddance!” I uttered with relieve.
Few moments passed being within the crown and that girl, with the girlishness pink clothes, appeared. Her calmness hasn’t changed. She didn’t notice me and walked away from my sight. “Next, please!” I stated as I turned around, and So-chan, my childhood friend, appeared right behind me. She’s an average height young girl, with brown eyes, blue short hair and with whom I promised to live to her expectations. “Oh, if it isn’t my dearSo-chan?” I questioned softly smiling.“They stepped on my feet and pulled my hair. Grr, no, I mustn’t run away. It’s time for pay back. Where are they? Where?” she furiously said with eyes filled with anger searching for her targets.She pushed the girls and shoved to get out. I was standing there all alone, again, as the crowd pushed me and took me to several places. Although I was hoping to get out, yet they amused me all the way showing off different types of girls and their unique style. Everything got blurry in my eyes. Their voices were muffled in my ears.“Finally, I’m free! Thanks for the lift!” I said waving my hand to the crowd after being pushed with them for about one hour until I got my freedom. I was thrown in the garden near the entrance door. The fresh air relieved me. Everything came back to normal. My eyes were stable and I got rid of the noisy voices that dammed my ears, but their screams still rang and refused to disappear giving me a severe headache.“This isn’t the adventure I asked for today…I’ve had enough, Gotta go home… mama…” I muttered half conscious.“Where do you think you’re going?”Behind me stood Hikari, with her arms folded together.“To mommy at home. Aren’t we finished yet?”“There’s still one lecture left.”“And the fire?” I asked curiously.“The training, you mean!”“Training?…ah training. It was a training?…training. All of these were only training. I had to go through all of these for training. If we were caught in real fire, I’d be an ash for now. What a good idea to train us and what training it was!”“Whoa. What a complain! What happened?” a smile crawled up to her face as she questioned.“You need not to know…” I uttered with a lower tone.“Come. I’ll calm you down.”
It was the last lecture of the day and our first steps into the tunnel in which we were ordered to dig knowing not where it will lead us.We eyed the doctor who entered the classroom for the first time. Each footstep was light and slow. The doctor who introduced herself earlier was called Dr.Yvon, a weird name, indeed. She taught us linguistic and other three subjects. Short in time, she scanned quickly the book and stressed on the very important information. At first, we had high expectations of her teaching; unfortunately all the great expectations vanished in the thin air…“She sounds nice.”“Hopefully she is.”A feeling of worry griped me as I watched her strange smiles, but I thought I was worrying needlessly over such a slight matter. In the mean time, I enjoyed my time with my friends, leaving aside the matter that enlarged by devouring the days that passed.
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“These stairs take you to the one hundred level. Go upstairs and gain it.”She informed me, a stranger, pointing to the stairs which leads up. I stood there watching it as mix feelings of worry and fear flowed in through my eyes into my heart. My attention was diverted to the view around the stairs covered with darkness. I dashed to a nearby corner, laid along the wall and slept. I brought my knees up to my chest and hugged them. The feeling of helplessness crept within me. “Please, don’t wake me up…” I pleaded wishing to sleep for eternity…“Tome?” I heard a distant voice calling me… With the dim light I couldn’t recognize the person calling. Nevertheless, the voice seemed familiar. I rubbed my eyes and looked again. In front of my heels stood Hikari looking at me with a worried expression. She stretched her hand and tapped my legs which seemed frozen with hesitation….hesitation from advancing…“Tome, let’s go upstairs!” she exclaimed putting a warm smile as she offered me her hand.“I don’t want. I’m sleepy. Let me sleep!” I begged.“Don’t worry. Come!” she said so softly as she took a hold of my hand and pulled me from the floor. We went up the stairs. Her hand was warm and comforting. I felt safe, somehow, from the anonymous. As soon as we reached up, and into a large room with lots of lights shining, her existence ceased.She disappeared along with her voice. No sound came from the room, only dead silence. There was nothing I could do, but keep looking around. Out of nowhere, the door flung opened and my classmates came in toward me. They shook my hand and talked with me a little. A warmth wind blew with them giving my heart, which beat so fast, a calm sensation. They talked, smiled and laughed. I looked hopefully out the room’s window. The sky was dark and clouds were gathering. Moreover, thunders were ripping through the sky. Droplets fell down from the sky and more came raining.I opened my eyes to the sound of the water drops on the window. It was dawn, still early to untangle myself from the blanket. However, my fetish for the rain made the chance irresistible to be missed.I rushed to the roof, sat leaning my back on the door resting and gazed at the dazzling view. That day, which I never had any interest to know which day it was, I had to study for the exam and prepare my speech for the presentation. Not to mention the dozen of homework I had and club activities. Nevertheless, my eyes only admired what was happening in front of me. I developed quite a liking to this place…I heard a voice not so far off calling me, “Some…Some…Some! Come down here! You’ll be late for university!”. It was my mom ordering me to get ready for university.“I’m coming.” I replied.I made my way to my bedroom. “Take a shower and get ready!” mom ordered from the kitchen, setting up the table. The moment I finished, breakfast was prepared on the table. I sat down to a table full of food. She sat opposite of me and we started our conversation of mom’s childhood.
“Finally reached the class! Phew…” I said exhausted after walking all the way to reach the class.I heard a message ringtone, one which sounded so familiar, as I walked toward the class’s door.“Oooh how nice it is to have a message in this early morning. You don’t find people messaging this time…Oooh how lucky that person is!” I said enviously.“That’s your mobile!” a voice came from behind. When I looked around, Jasmine was there standing holding her bag on her right shoulder looking at me with a bewildered look on her face.“Huh? Mine?” surprisingly I questioned.“Huh? No, it’s mine!” she replied sarcastically.“Don’t throw a joke like this. For a moment my heart beat really fast.”“Hey! You don’t even know your own ringtone?” she asked, pissed over my slow realization.I took few moments to remember my own ringtone and came back with a memory fully recharged.“Ahhh!... Tha-t was my ringtone…” I said rubbing the back of my head ashamed from the loss of my memory every now and then.I laughed, grabbed my mobile from my bag, walked over to her and gave her a nudge taking her with me inside the classroom, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. “Look! I have one new message!” I informed cheerfully.It was from Mon chou. Her message said, “Ohayou my sweet Some~ how r u? Today’s my 1st day standing on the stage since I didn’t’ go there so I’m a bit nervous. I hope everything will be alright. I also hope that u r all doing fine~ don’t forget to visit me at the break. I’ll be waiting! now take good care of urself, c u~”Her messages always tend to leave a smile on my face. I left Jasmine for a moment to reply on Mon chou’s message. Once I send a reply, it took only few seconds for her and she replied back.“What do I see here? A message?” Behind me stood Hikari, who wore a dazzling blue t-shirt and bobby pin. She went on, ”The person who received it is lucky. You don’t find people messaging this time!”.Jasmine looked surprised to hear her as she uttered, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” while I had sparkling eyes calling out Hikari with a kind soft voice…“What? Did I say something wrong?” she confusingly questioned making her way over to us. The dream I had played over and over in my mind. It was common for me to have dreams like these, of stairs and bridges and people telling me to cross them, but it was the first time I had the chance to see what’s on the other side. Looking at Hikari, I couldn’t get the strange dream off my mind…
When the clock ticked at 8, Dr.Yvon entered the class and commanded us to get ready. We had a small quiz. She passed the papers to us. Many of the chairs were empty while few were occupied. The commotion that was happening scattered my attention. Thus, I placed the paper on the table, and enjoyed watching students enter; others got their set and few complaining. Once the tornado had left, everything returned as it was, calm and comfortable. I glanced quickly at the questions. The question was to complete some sentences. My eyes drifted from left to right reading them. Frankly, all of them were so easy to answer, but due to my super duper amazing memory, I forgot the definition of each and every term…The quiz extended over the whole period, for an estimate of one and a half hour. Disappointment as I was, I left the class expecting to hear a nice scold from Hikari. However, she came next to me and sat uttering no single letter, expect asking, “Howdy?”. I noticed her silence and awkward glances and gazed at her closely. Jasmine also came and sat in front of us gazing at me while I fixed my gaze upon Hikari, who was acting rather suspicious.“What’s wrong?” Jasmineinquired puzzled.She changed her gaze to Hikari and repeated the same question, which in return she gave a dead silence which seemed like eternity. Our gaze fixed on Hikari who seemed like a stranger to us. “Hikari, you’re alright?” Jasmine asked in a carefree tone. She nodded meekly, finally glancing at us, holding her silence. “Hikari, you’re alright??” I asked again worried. She glanced at me once more and nodded. In urging an answer out of her, we had been leaning in closer and it made her feel trapped. She looked at her watch, sighed a bit and made her way to the toilet. We sat there watching every single move she made till she disappeared from our sight. I looked at Jasmine, eyes wide opened and worried. She gave me the same response. We got from the floor and followed her.“Some!!”“Ah I can’t resist who calls me by this nice name…” I claimed as I turned around to see Mon chou reaching out her arms for a hug.“Mon chou!!” I called out going directly to her.“How’s the exam?” she inquired smiling.“Ugh, don’t ask about the exam.”“Why? Haven’t been doing well like always or the questions were difficult?” she asked smirking.“Are we starting this now?”“No, no. I don’t want to start it now. Come!”“Where?”“To see my performance on stage!”“Oh, I totally forgot.” I whispered.“What?”“Ah- nothing. Let’s go!”“And Hikari?” asked Jasmine.“Oh, I totally forgot.” I whispered.“What?”“Never mind. What to do now?...” I remained puzzled. “Listen Mon chou, I’ll follow you right after I finish my work here.” I informed.She grabbed my right arm and whispered, “No, I came to get you. I won’t go without you!” her voice was stern and demanding.“Uh…okay then stay with me till I finish.”She tagged along with us. We searched the toilet, but she could not be found anywhere. She might have left when we were busy talking with each other. Having such short time till Mon chou’s performance starts, we were forced to go without Hikari.
The performance Mon chou participated in was called “Trapped by Two” which talked about a girl, “Jenny”, who was born with a weak body. Although her sickness wasn’t life threaten, but due to the programming they fed her all the time, her state changed into worse. The act was so short and excited. The end drew near as a man, one of the students disguised, named “Ciel” saved her by exchanging his life with hers and his last words “Live!” which left us heartbroken and sad. For the first time in my life, I shed tears nonstop. Mon chou performed really well and her acting seemed more realistic. Even though it was her first try, yet she gave it her best and she succeeded. I showered her with lots of praises…totally forgotten the lecture I had to attend.We, me and Jasmine, stormed off to the classroom forgetting one of our Language department’s rules which provided never to allow us to take break more than half an hour. It was more than three hours we spend enjoying the act they performed. Dr.Yvon was there lecturing. She allowed us to attend, but without taking our attendance. We agreed as long as we’re able to hear about the exam. Hikari was sitting on her seat with no empty one nearby. I sighed softly and took a seat at the very back of the class. She glanced at me as I walked by.The professor talked about the final exam and such. She gave no slight care about the quiz we had hours ago. Instead, she held her book and started lecturing. I was so much bored and my mind could only rethink of the play Mon chou acted in. I cut piece of a paper and wrote, “We saw a play just recently. Wow, it was so amazing. Wish you were there with me…” drawing with it a sad face. I asked the girl sitting in front of me to pass it to Hikari who sat in the second raw near the right side of the classroom. My paper reached her and she opened it and read it cautiously. That was all, she has no reply. It was strange, for her neither replaying nor glancing at me. I rested my head on the desk thinking deeply. I gazed at her back and then buried my face in my arms. “The one who’s sleeping! You can get out and continue your sleep.” The professor shouted. I lifted my head up from the desk and immediately straightened looking at the board strictly. I’ve never been caught in this state ever. The professor had sharp eyes, I thought.After the class ended, we, Jasmine and I, ran to Hikari, who sat quietly gazing at the board. We asked her about the quiz. “Fine…” she murmured quietly. We sat there completely bewildered. All of us had different thoughts. Hikari was sure acting strangely because of something and I wanted to know what. I started the investigation and knew of so many reasons behind her suspicious acts. She got engaged, she didn’t do well in the quiz, she had some problems with her family, she had a quarrel with one of her friends and much more. I had to reach one conclusion, but instead of trying hard to reduce the assumptions, I was distracted with problems rising at home. Mom’s sickness and my brothers’ carelessness, made the mission impossible to be accomplished and so I left that aside and focused on the unsolved cases I had. At worse situation, I feared it might turn into a disaster and I hit the spot…
“Eh? She’s absent? Hikari too? They were planning for this? What about me?” Jasmine questioned, really not expecting an answer. She pouted and went to class as her day continued on. At home, after the matter had calmed down a bit, I made all the homework I could do and studied for a short time. Nothing special occurred that day… and that night, ended with no dream…“Huh? Hikari! You were absent yesterday?” I inquired puzzled. The next day, I, Hikari and Jasmine were walking on the hallway which leads to the classroom.“Yeah.” She answered happily, seemingly not caring much about anything.“What? You didn’t know that? You two haven’t planned for it?” Jasmine questioned.“Hikari wouldn’t agree to that plan, ever!”“Yes, your right! I wouldn’t! Never! After all, we missed three lectures.” She reminded smiling.“Like I care…” I mumbled.“Hmm?”“Nothing-”“Iheard her. She said-“ before she could utter another word, I sealed her mouth.“Ahahah, n-n-nothing to be worried about…” I said, taking Jasmine aside to settle things with her.“You’re becoming a bad girl.”“I see you can’t face her, now can you?”“What??” I said confused.“You reply back but not loudly enough so that she could hear” She joyfully ordered.“Uh…does it matter anyhow?”“Yeah it does. With me you reply at everything, but this doesn’t go with Hikari. By the way, nice name you gave her! I started calling her by this name without even realizing.” she informed smiling gently.“You think so?” I wondered.“Yeah.”“No wonder. I always give it my best when it comes to nicknames! I shall give you one soon.” I said nodding.“I can’t wait to have one.” She smiled softly as I grabbed her wrist pulling her along back to our classroom. Hikari was waiting for us leaning against the frame of the doorway to the classroom.It wasn’t too long that Hikari’s smile had revived. The flower we loved so much has blossomed again!
Days dragged on and after defeating the mid-term exam, we confronted the final ones. Stress built up and the deep anxiety of trying to score good grades put us under tremendous pressure. We tried suppressing the anxiety sufficiently. As for me, I became temporarily paralyzed the moment I sat on the chair. The longest paralyzing that ever happened to me was at Sunday, to be more accurate, at 8:32 am, during the linguistic exam. I was able to jot down the answers of few questions only. Collecting all the marks for the answered questions, I knew I wouldn’t pass the subject. Right after it ended, I and Hikari talked about our answers and the right ones for each and every question. She seemed really into the subject. By that time, she had already a knack for it.Finally, at long last, the results came out. I couldn’t check on it due to some circumstances at home. Even though I didn’t ask anyone to check it for me, yet Hikari took the mission by herself. She called me on Wednesday in December, delivering some good news for me…that I passed…and she didn’t…This incident has revealed the unjust that erupted in the university.
