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Christmas is finally coming soon. Michimiya takes six days of a home trip back to Miyagi for the holiday season. She misses her mother, her cooking, her home... she misses everything she left behind after she studied and moved to Tokyo. She does not have any sepak takraw practices, although her next tournament is coming soon. Her coach told her team that they had practised for months and their performance satisfied him, thus, he allowed them to have the holiday break.
1 kilometre to Miyagi. The excitement she could not bear longer. She takes out her phone and records a 15 seconds video before posting it to her social media. Since she joined the sepak takraw team during her university year, she gained a small popularity and recognizable as a player who was once to be a volleyball player in high school. In one of her interviews, she told them her desire of challenging herself with different kinds of sport after retiring in volleyball. She believed that sepak takraw is one of the hardest sports to master, so she trained every day, inspiring others to be like her.
When she arrives at the bus terminal, she gets out of her seat and grabs her bag and purse. As she steps down from the bus, stretching her body, the wind hits her face. The cold reminds her of home, well, at least she is now at her hometown. She leaves the terminal and walks to the town, looking for food, as she is starving after a long journey. She does not expect anything but food. Maybe some ramen could help her warm herself up.
Walking at the side road, searching high and low, Michimiya (almost) forgets the ramen restaurant her friends used to hang out together. The wind breeze almost makes her catch a cold. She needs to find a place to warm up before she gets sick. She takes out her phone from her pocket and looks up her map.
"The restaurant should be around the corner somewhere here."
The map navigates her to the closest restaurant. Got it, 130 metres away from her current location. She walks straight to where she was left. Nothing changes a lot since she moved out, she is not sure about how she forgets her hometown. Maybe because she barely goes back for holiday season since usually, she has to work at the hotel due to low work power, or her schedule before tournaments.
At the opposite side of the road, she sees a familiar face. His hair has a fresh cut on it. He wears a police uniform, probably he is on duty or finished his duty. Could not be... She stops her way and looks at the man from afar. It is her friend (and high school crush), Sawamura Daichi.
"Sawamura!" She waves her hand up. He notices someone is calling him, turning his head at the other side of the road. Michimiya Yui, his close friend during high school. She does not change a lot, her hair is shorter than the hair she had during high school. She walks across the road, "It's been a long time, how have you been?"
Daichi smiles with a wink in his eyes, "Ah, Michimiya, I'm doing well. How are you? Feeling good?"
Before she replies to him, she sneezes with the cover of her palms. "Yes, I'm goooood. Thanks for asking." She takes out her handkerchief from her coat pocket, blowing her nose. "Reallly good."
Daichi is worried about her, she must be outside for a while. Well, sort of. She easily gets caught cold on a winter day. He thinks he should do something for her before her condition gets worse. "Ah, Michimiya, how about we go to the restaurant?"
Her eyes are in shock, her heart beats faster, and she thinks her cheeks are getting hotter. "Eh, really? I mean, I'm about to go there as well." She laughs nervously, this is how she felt when she met Daichi once and they both got into a grocery shop together. Ah, those feelings are old, but it brings her back to high school. Her feelings on Daichi went down lately, she did go on some dates with people in Tokyo, and none of them were appealing like Daichi. Her coworkers once asks her if she has a man and she will say she does not remember them.
He grabs her hand, "Alright, let's go then."
She could not speak any words. She goes flustered when he holds her hand tightly. What is inside Daichi's head? Why is he holding her hand? Is this a dream? Another dream?
Daichi is aware that Michimiya could have lost her way to his favourite restaurant. He used to bring the boys' volleyball team, even after they graduated from high school. He remembers the day when the first years finally went to the finals and they finished the nationals at 3rd place. That day, he knows that he trusts them and brings back Karasuno's glory. Speaking of Karasuno, he sees Michimiya's face becoming redder. Is it possible for someone to get a fever in winter?
They both arrive at the ramen restaurant, it does not change a lot than she expected. Still with the old-fashioned way from years ago. They are greeted by the workers inside the restaurant. The host brings them to their table and gives them the menu. Michimiya cannot comprehend what just happened to Daichi.
As Daichi carefully reads the menu, he speaks up, "So, Michimiya, how's life in Tokyo recently?"
"Aaa, it's great," the waitress gives them hot green tea in the pot and pours them into a cup. Michimiya takes one of the cups, sipping it carefully. "We have the next tournament in about a few weeks."
"That's great, I'm looking forward to your next game." He blows on his tea, "I might come with Suga and Asahi, maybe I can ask Shimizu, Aihara or Sasaki. It will be a fun trip."
"How's Aihara and Aya, did you meet them recently?"
"Aihara went on a date with Suga, Sasaki is fine, she's busy over the flower arrangements."
Michimiya almost spills her tea, "WHAT?"
He pulls out his phone from his pocket, scrolling through his photo albums. "Here, they both had some fun last week. They look like they're meant to be together."
It is a picture of Aihara Mao and Sugawara Koushi, former vice captains of the volleyball team, they both looked drunk and had fun together. Aihara is slightly changed, she no longer keeps her ponytail instead, she keeps her hair down. Sugawara has not changed since the last time she saw him, back in 2018. Daichi was right, both of them are cute together, at least they finally get along. But what about them? Everything can happen at once like friends break up, friends get married, strangers get born, strangers get buried.
Daichi thinks nothing but the best for the pair. He wonders when it will be his turn to have a partner. Or that is just his mind again. He is happy for Sugawara, marriage can be a long or short term depending on the people in the relationship themselves. Michimiya could have a partner right now, or that is what he thought. His mother had arranged marriage for him, hiring a matchmaker for him, and she even asked any of her friends who wanted to be his spouse. Deep down in Daichi's heart, none of them catch his heart. But, when he sees Michimiya, he is natural to her. Not to say that he has a crush on her, he sees her as someone special. More than a friend, more than a close friend. He feels that she is his soulmate. Or that is what he actually thinks?
In his wallet, it is the lucky charm she gave him. He carried it around him until today. There was one time he lost it, he did not know why his heart was broken that day. It feels special to him, it is like the charm has its invisible string tied on because someone returned it to him. No phone number attached to it. It could be someone coincidentally saw him drop it and when they tried to return it, he did not respond to that person. But he believed that some attraction is on the charm.
As they both are chattering together, with their meals on the table, time goes by from 1:50 pm to 3pm. They both laugh with the stories they are hooked on. From their childhood memories to their recent years, they both memorize their life together. Time sure flies faster than they expected, something that once Michimiya was scared of, being a grown up. She would like to stay in her teen years, fixing everything that can be avoidable, learning from her past mistakes. God knows that there will be no time machine until the next century.
After they finish their meal, there is something that she forgets to give Daichi - her Christmas party invitation. "I almost forgot," Michimiya opens her purse and hands out a piece of paper - SATURDAY, 28TH OF DECEMBER. "Here, I invite you to my Christmas party this upcoming weekend. We will celebrate it later because I heard that the first and second years will join me."
Daichi feels delighted with the invitation, "Thanks, Michimiya." He puts the card inside his pocket. He looks at the watch on his wrist, “Oh, it’s time for me to go back to the police station, my shift will be over soon, and I have to write a report.”
Michimiya nods gratefully, because Daichi helped her find the restaurant, “Thank you, Sawamura, for bringing me here, I did lose my way just now.”
His laugh reminds her of high school, standing up before saying a word, “Anytime, Michimiya, How about we have dinner again soon?”
Michimiya becomes flustered, “EHH?” She slaps her cheeks, feeling that her face becomes redder again. Oh jeez, she does feel like she is eighteen, it has been years since she does not have this feeling. What should she tell him? Yes? No? Yesn’t? Her mind is full of answers that clearly she would like to accept his offer more than anything. She calms herself down, clearing her throat, “Yes, I will, have, DINNER, with you.” She ends her sentence with a nervous laugh. In her mind, she should have been casual, well, that is not the first time he asks her anyway. Why would she be stuttered with her answer?
Daichi is not sure why her face is redder than before. Maybe the ramen is too spicy for her, but that is impossible. She can handle spicy, she can even beat him up at eating a spicy food competition (well, not really, she ended up being sent to the hospital after that). Since that day, she barely eats spicy foods, like once or twice a month.
He goes to the cashier counter, Michimiya grabs her belongings and follows him from behind. Since she is ready to go home, she has the thoughts of helping her mother at home. She stands beside him while looking at Daichi pulling out his wallet when, suddenly, something drops from it. She looks at a familiar charm that she used to give him years ago. He still keeps her charm, but why?
Daichi notices it fell out of his wallet and when he is about to pick it up, Michimiya grabs it first. "You keep my charm, huh?" She hands it back to him with the grin on her face, "I thought you kept it at home."
"Well, since you gave me this charm, I couldn't let it go." He puts it in the wallet, again, but he makes sure he secures it. "It does help me sometimes, it's like a drug in a good way."
"Daichi, that's a weird way to say as a police officer."
"Well, lucky charms are supposed to be brought anywhere, so I keep it in my wallet. Besides, I'll always remember that day when we won against Shiratorizawa."
He is proud of it, still proud of it. Although it happened years ago, even after they lost against Kamomedai. He keeps it like a sacred oath, attached to him for years. Michimiya wonders if his feelings towards her are the same as hers. Sometimes, not all hopes and dreams will not be true. It is hopeless tragic romantic.
Daichi has a secret that he keeps for a long time, he does not know how much she is meant to him. Being with her makes him feeling attached to her more. He was once upset when the girls team had to be in a separate gym with the boys team. Plus, they were in the same gym as the boys' basketball team, which it did not make sense since the volleyball team should practice together. He is not that oblivious, but he does not know how should he express to her.
"Excuse me, sorry for interrupting, but please pay the meal, we're about to close."
Both of them snap back to reality, not realizing that they both are standing there for a while. They apologize, pay the cashier and quickly leave the premise. The wind hits their face, there will might be snowy storm tonight. They have to go now before it is dark.
"I have to go now," Michimiya bows, signing she is thanking and giving him her gratitude. "Thank you for the meal."
He bows back to her, signing he accepts her presence after years, "Ah, yes, my pleasure."
They both stand still, not knowing what to express each other's feelings. Michimiya wants to know about the charm in his wallet. Daichi wants to know about his unexpressed feelings. They both look conflicted, speechless, but they can tell from their eyes sparkling.
"Michimiya?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Existing in my life."
She could not tell whether that was a confession or his gratitude. Her heart beats faster, again, she controls her feeling. The feeling of being delighted that brings her back to her youth. But, she could tell that he did mean it, he is genuinely feeling appreciativeness towards her.
He could not tell whether she understands that she does lighten up his life after they met in junior high school. He feels his heart jumps like a trampoline when he is looking through her eyes. She shines like a sunshine after the rain. Rainbow surrounds the world when she is in the room, making the whole place shimmer.
Her life is bejewelled after moving to Tokyo, . Graduated from private university with culinary degree, getting the chance to be part of a sport that defines her insecurity, meeting a lot of people including some of the boys' volleyball team from schools in Tokyo who are also the friends of Daichi. Everything is aligned like stars in the night sky. It is not visible right now, but she could feel the universe instinct that Daichi does have the feelings.
"I'm looking forward with our next date."
Crap, did he just slip the word "date"? What will she answer?
"Yes, I will look forward to it, besides, I'll be here for a week." Well, she forgets that she will be here for six days. She should text her employer for a day extended on leave. The smile on her face indicates that she is cheerier than ever. Her inside mind tries to calm her child self for being euphoria since they are in public area, except the town has a few people around at this time.
He feels a sign of relief, she does not think that he is a creep. He wants her to feel safe around him compared to whatever men these days would do to women. Her safety is his priority. He will protect her no matter what cost.
"How about you come with me to the police station? I can bring you back home after I finish writing my report of the day."
"Alright then."
Her mind is still at the restaurant, at least she did not sit and haunt at the corner this time. She grabs his arm and holds him tightly, he can feel her whole body warm up, not only from her coat. She feels like she was in her teen years again. Not only that, but she hopes that they could keep this way until the end of the world. The older self's feelings that she feels so high school every time she looks at him.