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| On their 18th birthday, they will get a hair streak of the colour of their soulmate’s hair. |
“Mao, your birthday is tomorrow, right?” Michimiya put her hands at the back, “Ah, I wonder who will be your soulmate.”
Speechless. Aihara never thought of the soulmate thing. She never believed with most story that related with soulmate. Not anymore. Who wants a lover in their lives? She read from other sources that soulmates can be friends. But what if she falls in love with them?
“I think it’s just those kids’ fairy tale,” Aihara turned her head, “Besides, I don’t mind to have a partner. I need to get a job and life.”
Michimiya held her friend’s shoulder, “I’m actually proud of you. You do what you do.”
Aihara realized Michimiya had a small streak on her hair. She also noticed that she made a mini braid on the streak. She guessed Michimiya’s soulmate could be someone with a black hair. She tended to not involve with this. Not after what happened to her family.
~
| When the soulmates break their connection, the hair streak will become to their natural hair. |
She used to read many fairy tales and legends from her parents. She got the books every year, either it was a Christmas gift or a birthday gift. Once, she told them that she will get ‘a prince charming from the heaven’. However, things changed into an unexpected nightmare. Her parents were divorced when she was seven. Her mother lost her hair streak after their divorce. Her father got a new hair streak colour and remarried with another woman. While his father had a new life, her mother became more workaholic. The more works she had, the less time she spent time with her child. Meanwhile, the siblings of the family had their own family so Aihara always stays at home alone.
The morning has come. Her body refused to get up from the bed. She cannot close her eyes because she was fully woken up. There is no point to skip school. She does not care what people will tell her if she has no streak on her hair.
“It’s just a legend.”
She took her towel and went to the bathroom. When she was about to wash her face, she saw a greyish streak on her bangs. She lowered her head to the sink, taking a deep breath.
“Damn it…”
She grabbed the scissors from the shelf. She held the streak, thinking about her parents’ divorce. She did not want to end up like her mother, heart breaking for years and have no life except work and drinking. The only way she could escape was volleyball. Even she might disappoint her team and did not work harder, she will get the scholarship and become an athlete.
~
| If one of them purposely cut the streak, they will harm the other. |
She put the scissors back on the bathroom sink. She did not want this happened to her soulmate. Whoever they are, they should not be hurt by her. She had no choice but embrace it. No cutting the streak is the best decision she can take.
After using the bathroom, she went back to her bedroom and groomed herself up. Rechecking her school bag, she put her supplies into the bag.
Nobody is in the kitchen except herself. Her mother must be working late night again. Unexpectedly, she saw her favourite food on the table. Under the plate, it has a note:
Mao,
Happy birthday, sweetie. I have to go work again. Sorry, I can’t see you this morning. I’ll buy you a present after work.
Love, Ma
She threw the note into the dustbin, the feeling disappointed grew inside her heart. She lost her appetite to eat for breakfast. She found her lunch box and put the food inside. She checked her house to make sure that every electricity had shut off before she went to school. After locking the door, she wore her school shoes and walked off.
~
| The near the soulmate, the glower the streak.|
Aihara’s streak started to glow. She pretended to not see her hair. Michimiya was reading her novel that she bought last week. She was not a bookworm, but she was attracted by the book. Besides, the novel in the bookstore was cheaper than the other bookstores.
“Yui, how’s the book? Isn’t it good?”
She nodded quickly, “This is the best book I ever read. I feel bad with Mr. Takeda for not pay attention in class, but this is great.”
“Why is it related to him?”
“Maybe because the words in this book. It’s too… wordy.”
Her glowing hair faded slowly, means her ‘soulmate’ was not nearby her anymore. It was not hard to ignore it. If she was not in the same place as her soulmate, she can do whatever she wants. When she graduated high school, she will tell everyone it was just part of a fashion style.
“It’s not that bad.”
In class, her hair glowed again. She unbothered with the glow and started to pay attention to the teacher. She tried to focus but she failed. She distracted herself by writing her note. But, she still cannot write anything.
“Could it be my soulmate is nearby? No, why do I care about this?”
She gave up.
“Who could it that be?”
After class, she was the first one who went out from the class. When she was about to rush, she saw Sugawara outside his class room. His streak was glowing in blonde. They were stunned on the hallway. They felt they can hear their heart beat skipped faster due to the shock. Less than a minute, she found out her soulmate was Sugawara Koshi, the vice-captain of Boys' Volleyball Team.
“You’re going to be kidding me…”
~
| When it glows, only two soulmates can see their glowing steaks. |
Sugawara and Aihara were sitting in the store room. Nobody saw them went to the room together, hopefully. They sat on the big cushion, but none of them started the conversation. They can feel the awkwardness in the room full with gymnasium equipment.
Sugawara stared at her, “Happy birthday, soulmate.” He punched her arms softly with a grin on his face. “I hope you’re not feeling down for today.”
“What do you mean?” She rested her hands on her hip, “I don’t believe in this thing.”
His face turned into calm, “You aren’t, but your heart did.”
Aihara’s eyes were widened. She did everything to forget about her childhood, including her beliefs in myth. She was not her younger self in years. She quitted ballet and joined volleyball during junior high. Her passion on sport grew inside her naturally.
“You know, childhood memories stay in two places, our heart and our mind. Sure, your memories in your brain will fade forever. In your heart, everything stays there. No matter how do you want to forget about it, it will not.”
“Do you believe in the myth?”
He laughed and gave a sigh, shaking his head, “I do, but it’s like an unexpected twist.”
She tilted her head, pressing her hands to her cheeks and smiling, “What is this? A confession?”
“When Michimiya had her streak, I was surprised. Sometimes, I wish it was not Daichi, but my streak is blonde.” Sugawara chuckled, “I shouldn’t hope too much about it.”
Suddenly, Aihara frowned, does not expect that confession from him coming to her, “Do you ever wish to cut your streak?”
“If you said that,” he paused, “I was confused when I first got it on my birthday. I wish I can cut it, but I’ll harm whoever is my soulmate.”
Everything was cleared for now on. She felt relieved after their talk together. They were in the same roof, protecting their feelings so they do not get harm. For the second thought, their hair streak is alike their feelings in their heart. When it gets cut off, their heart will break into pieces, same goes to papers. Hairs can be smooth and rough like the heart of a human.
“Since you tell your story, I’ll tell mine then.”
“Continue…”
“Long short story, my parents got separated when I was young. I stopped to believe everything about myth. My mother always working over shift and leaving me alone at home. My brother and sister had their own family to take care with. Sometimes, my mom was drunk and told nonsense thing.”
Sugawara put his head on her shoulder, putting his arms around her, “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Thank you,” her tears dropped on her cheeks. Sugawara wiped the tears away and ran his hands on her hair.
“You know, what?” He turned his head and looked at her with a smile, “Maybe we can build our relationship together. Platonic or not, I will not hurt you. I can’t promise you too much, but this is the best for us.”
Aihara stroked his hair, “Honestly, blonde is good on you, especially when it glows.”
Sugawara guffawed, “The grey on you is pretty unique.”