There was no light that morning,No warmth-no comfort came into the hospital room.Even if the sun's rays seemed to be warm and comforting... it just, wasn't.
If this is a dream I would like to wake up now.It should have been raining that day, the day Mina died.I couldn't sleep much last night-it still doesn't seem real.I don't want to accept the truth because the truth isn't fair.It must be because it's hard to admit it to myself- the words Mina is dead makes my throat dry and my heart ache.
I don't know why... but it's hard for me to wake-up- I keep wanting to drift back into a sleep.I reach for my cellphone-It's really early.I put my cellphone back on the table beside me.I can already feel that it's going to be a long day at school.
It always seems that way to me; when something is on my mind at school I really can't concentrate, and school always seems to be longer.I still remember that painful smile on her face, before she died.There's some things that have changed that I've realized I have to let go.
She won't be here to wake me up in the morning, or to tell me what I did wrong, she won't be there to walk together to school today or tomorrow- or the next day.
I walk downstairs.
"Keito-- you're up early"
I sit down as my mother prepares breakfast for me.
"I'll make some tea" She says.
She puts down two cups of tea, one in front of me and one across from where I'm sitting.
"You're father couldn't take time off work"
Her eyes look so tired, full of worry- it was too obvious not to think such things.
"Like usual" I say without thinking.
"I've been thinking of Mina a lot lately" I admit.
I take a sip from my cup of green tea.
"And I know she wouldn't want us to be sad" I continue.
My mother serves breakfast.
"How about we call dad after I get off from school?"
She nods her head.
"I'll have to stop by the shrine first—but I'll be home soon after that"
I ate breakfast and it still was early.I make sure I didn't forget anything.I never realized how lonely it is too walk by myself.With Mina I didn't have to think those thoughts.Still, there wasn't many people who followed the path we always took to school.At this point, we would always part our ways and she would say to me:
"Have a good day big brother!"
I would say back:
"See you after school!"
It's not like that anymore.
And as I walk I picture her walking in front of me, turning around with a smile-
But that image fades into nothing.
I'm usually late.
But the reminder of Mina, my little sister-I knew she wouldn't want me to be late.And so I was early.I would never had thought I would enjoy being early when it comes to school, but I admit now it is something that I can appreciate.
With no people crowding at the gates of the school everything was almost at a slower pace.I guess I liked my usual routine and I didn't care to change it because it worked for me and if I wasn't late then I wouldn't be able to walk with Mina.Yeah, I guess that was it, I just liked to walk to school with her and without her I didn't really have a reason to be late.
"Is that you, Keito?"I heard called behind me.
I looked who was calling my name.
It was Yume.
Judging by how happy she looks she must be a morning person.
"Goodmorning!" She said.
"Goodmorning" I reply.
"How did you get here before me?"
"I used my feet"
She rolls her eyes at the comment.
"There must be a good reason why you're early, right?"
"Yep, if it were up to me I'd still be sleeping in right now"
"Well, why is it then?"
"I can't be late anymore, I found out yesterday that Sensei called my parents about it"
"I'm surprised he didn't call earlier"
Maybe one day I'll tell her the true reason why I was early today—maybe one day... but not today.
Should I feel guilty about that?
"Keito?" Yume cocks her head and I snap out of my thoughts.
"Oh sorry about that, I was just... thinking"
"About.. what?"
[...]
"Are you always this early?"
She smiles.
"I'm the class president after all"
"I'm supposed to set an example-But I'd be early even if I wasn't the class president"
"I can't help it"
"Oh looks like I gotta get going, see ya, Keito"
She calls out the name of one of the two girls that were walking inside the school.
"See you later! "
I watch her catch up to one of her friends.You would think a girl with short hair would look boyish but there's something about Yume's short blonde hair that is feminine and girly.She disappears as she enters school with her friends.
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