Chitose, Etc [Chapter 19]

Originally posted @ tatsukida.pitas.com on October 15, 2010

Tadashi looks surprised upon watching Chitose eating her toast listlessly. Tadashi tells her that it seems that she has no energy at all when she was very excited when she got home last night so did something good happen. Somewhat tired-flustered Chitose says that he can say that but if she thought of it in detail, she feels that it isn’t something she can simply be happy about. Her brother looks puzzled. Back in her room, Chitose looks at the snow globe and wonders what to do. She had thought about it numerous times yet she couldn’t find the answer. She is glad that it is [winter] vacation. Her cellphone rings. It is a message from Yuki asking her if she can go out for a while. Chitose hurriedly puts on a coat and heads out of her apartment. Yuki is waiting for her outside at the hallway. He smiles upon seeing her. This made Chitose blush that she felt so embarrassed that she couldn’t dare face him. She is looking down while standing in front of Yuki. Yuki tells Chitose that he called Saaya. Chitose looks up to him and asks what happened then..what Saaya said. Yuki tells her that Saaya won’t agree and even said that she won’t break up with him. “It seems that it won’t do just on the phone and I should have talk to her face to face. I was so anxious that I wanted to quickly break it off, *Chitose looks sad* but in the middle of the conversation, she hung up on me...after that, I couldn’t contact her anymore. She also won’t answer any emails. *looking positive* It’s alright, perhaps it just takes some time, but I will absolutely make her agree to break up, wait for me.” Blushing Chitose unconsciously says yes. Yuki is delighted to hear this. Chitose is surprised that she covers her mouth. Yuki happily says that’s great because yesterday, she didn’t answer him. Chitose blushes really red. She then notices that he’s looking at her. He asks if he can touch her. Chitose freaks out over this. Yuki then takes it back and says that he’ll endure it until he totally breaks it off with Saaya. Chitose didn’t answer since her heart is still beating fast. Yuki then smiles and bids her goodbye. Chitose watches him go. She goes back to her room and lies down on the bed. She sweatdrops and thinks that her heart is beating so fast. She closes her eyes and thinks, “Sorry, Saaya, I’ve answered ‘yes’..but no matter what, in the end, I still like Yuki-kun. That expression in his eyes. That voice. For me to say that, [it’s like] whatever rationality that I have had already gone out and went to cloud nine...”


She snaps out of it when her cellphone starts ringing. She gets her cellphone and wonders if it is Yuki who’s calling. She goes into shock upon seeing that it is Saaya. She frantically looks left and right while wondering what to do. She decided to answer it for the time being. She answers hello. Saaya apologizes for calling her all of a sudden and is it a convenient time to talk. Chitose says that it is. Saaya tells her that she already heard about it from Yuki yesterday. “I also have some things to say to you, are you free tomorrow?” A bit aghast Chitose says yes. Saaya says that’s great and could Chitose go to her house since it isn’t convenient to talk outside. Chitose apologizes and says that she doesn’t have the confidence to take the train alone. Saaya says that right for it might be hard for her since there is a need to change trains. Saaya tells her that she’ll get a car to fetch her and they’ll meet around 2pm. Saaya then says see you tomorrow before hanging up the phone. Chitose sighs and felt a bit scared. “I’m afraid but I shouldn’t run away. I should first listen to what Saaya has to say then afterwards, I’ll honestly tell her of my own feelings. And it is only this way that we can directly confront each other..!” The next day, Chitose is standing at the corner. [From her look, it seems as if it is for a long time already.] She then hears a car door opening. She looks at the side and it is Saaya who apologizes for making her wait. Chitose goes to her and says that it is okay. Saaya says that there are a lot of one way streets that she got a bit lost. Noticing that Saaya is smiling at her, Chitose timidly asks if she isn’t angry. Saaya says why would she when Chitose didn’t do anything wrong. “Although I’m a bit angry at Yuki but it isn’t because he fell in love with you. *looking away* Rather, it’s because he’s breaking a promise..a promise of being together forever..” Chitose looks a bit flustered. Saaya turns and smiles again at her to say that they should go and Chitose should sit at the back. Chitose looks somewhat surprised at the young driver who is looking at her. In the car, Saaya asks the driver if they should use the expressway because of the traffic. The driver says that is true and they’ll just go below [underground?]. Chitose looks at the driver and wonders who he is. “Is he Saaya’s brother? It shouldn’t be because it seems that Saaya is an only child. Relative..? Neighbor..? She didn’t introduce us and is it okay for me to just sit in the car without a greeting..? .., forget it, I’ll just let it be..”


Then, the car stops in front of a house. Saaya tells Chitose that they are there. Saaya tells the driver that she’ll be troubling him again on driving Chitose back. “After I’m sure of the time, I’ll just send you an email.” The driver says, understood. Chitose blushes in shock upon seeing Saaya thanking the guy then kissing him on the lips. After the car drives away and Saaya waves goodbye, flustered Chitose asks her who that man is. Saaya tells her that he’s a college student who used to be her private tutor during junior high. “If I need to use a car, I usually call him.” Chitose asks her why she kissed him. Saaya asks why she is asking that when it is obviously her way of saying thank you. “Until now, you’re still shock by that? I also play around with others aside from Yuki. Perhaps, you already know about that.” Chitose says, “Bu..but, I thought it’s only Yuki.” Saaya answers, “How can that be, if it is so, then it’s so unfair.” Chitose tells her that it would even go to the level of kissing. Saaya says that a kiss is no big deal and didn’t she tell her about this on the day they first met. Chitose says that it’s very serious. Saaya tells her, “It is very serious if it is with the person one likes but if it is with other people, then it’s no big deal.” Chitose looks somewhat surprised over this. Saaya smiles and invites her inside. Inside the house, Chitose asks about Saaya’s family. Saaya says that they aren’t home for her parents are off at work. Chitose says that she brought a gift, sweets recommended by her brother. Saaya thanks her and says that she’ll eat them. Leaving Chitose in her room, Saaya tells her that she’ll go make some tea and Chitose can go sit wherever she likes. Chitose looks around at the room and thinks that Saaya’s room is like an adult’s since it is plain and simple. She thinks that the just now Saaya is really beautiful that she is moved by her and in the end, Saaya is really a bishoujo [beautiful girl]. She then spots a picture by the shelf. It is a picture of three kids in pajamas. Chitose happily thinks that it’s Saaya and Yuki..they’re so cute. She wonders if it when they were hospitalized since they are in pajamas. She thinks that the boy at the right side ought to be the one whom Yuka [Yuki’s sis] told her about. Saaya comes in with some sweets and tea. She exclaims if it’s very cute, five years ago of Yuki and herself. Chitose apologizes for looking at it without persmission. Saaya tells her not to mind it since she did plan on telling Chitose all about it. “Five years ago, I got a troublesome illness that needs a major [difficult and dangerous] operation and soon, I got confined in the hospital. That hospital has been testing the efficiency of a new drug and has been collecting data from the whole country’s patients regarding this illness. I, and two other grade 5 boys who were Yuki and Misaki are the ones in the picture.” Chitose happily says so that person is Misaki. She innocently asks if they still frequently see each other. Saaya suddenly looks sad and says that they cannot see each other anymore because Misaki’s surgery failed and he passed away. Chitose looks surprised over this. With a tear in her eye, Saaya says, “The success rate of the surgery is 70%. Even if I and Yuki were saved, it wasn’t a success with Misaki’s. In regards of betraying him, [I] also, until the end, wasn’t able to apologize to him..”