Destined to be - Chapter 2 Two persons jogged down the deserted sidewalk side by side; Hontokoi and her father, Coach Yatsunaga, was talking and joking about as they went for their morning jog. It was only six thirty in the morning and the sky was still dark for it was still spring. “So I heard Sports day is coming,” Yatsunaga coach said. “I’m counting on you to do excellently.” “I’ll try, Papa,” Hontokoi grinned. “So why are using this route for your workout today, Papa? We never come to this part of the neighbourhood before.” “Well, I have something to show you,” Yatsunaga said with a twinkle in his eyes as he looked down at his daughter’s flushed curious face. “I’ll tell you when you get there. So race you to the destination.” “Sure.” “Okay, count down to three,” Yatsunaga coach said. “One...GO!” Yatsunaga couch dashed ahead with foul start leaving Hontokoi behind unprepared. “Hey!” Hontokoi shouted picking up speed but her father was way ahead. Hontokoi was a fast runner; she was strong and athletic, but her only weak point was that she gets cold easily and when she does she will fall sick terribly. She was the fastest runner in her school but Coach Yatsunaga was a fast runner too and Hontokoi knew she would never catch up. Instead, she slowed down into the jogging pace. 'Let him wait there,' She thought, 'cheating on me like that.' She took her own sweet time jogging down the sidewalk alone crossing a well fenced basketball court. She heard the familiar ‘thud thud thud’ of the basketball when it bounced on the ground. Who could be playing in there so early in the morning? Curious, she went closer to the park and stood next to the fence to look inside. A boy about her age was playing inside unaware that he was being watched. Kaede Rukawa with his excellent skills played smoothly; never missing a single shot and always improving his every move on the court. Hontokoi, of course, did not know who he was but was very surprised to see someone so good and stood there on the spot stunned a little watching him. After Rukawa sank another shot, he bent over his knees to rest. The ball, however, rolled over to Hontokoi’s feet slowly she bent over to pick it up. When she looked up again, Rukawa had already noticed her. He stared at her without a smile nor any reaction on his face, thinking perhaps that Hontokoi was about to flirt with him like all girls would. But when Rukawa looked into the girl’s eyes, they intrigued him. Suddenly, the girl just smiled and Rukawa found himself liking the way she smiled. She threw the ball back to him. “Great playing,” Hontokoi said. “Keep it up.” With that, she turned to leave. She ran out of the court for she had already made her father wait long enough. Rukawa watched her run off holding the ball in both hands. He watched her until she disappeared around the corner and he looked down the ball. Then he started playing again. When Hontokoi reached the destination Coach Yatsunaga was giving her a stern look his hands folded around his chest. All Hontokoi did was gave him a grin apologetically. “It is not like you to run so slowly,” he said. “You took such a long time to reach here.” “Well, I got held up Papa,” Hontokoi cried enthusiastically. “Guess what I saw on my way here, Papa. Quick, guess!” “Couldn’t guess,” Yatsunaga said finally after a minute of thinking. “So what is it?” “It is not an it, Papa,” Hontokoi said. “I saw someone, a boy very good at basketball. If you'd seen him play just now you would say the same. His playing skills are great, though there is still room for improvement definitely but he never missed a shot! Isn’t he great?” “Who is this boy, then?” Yatsunaga coach asked, surprised to see Hontokoi so enthusiastic over this boy. “Oh,” Hontokoi smiled vanished, replaced by a thoughtful look. “I don’t know. He isn’t in my school, that is for sure. Anyway, who cares,” she shrugged smiling again. “So, you said you want to show me something?” “All right,” Yatsunaga turned Hontokoi around to face a huge bungalow house still under renovation. “See that?” “Yeah, it’s great, Papa,” Hontokoi said staring at the house without reaction. “So what is the big deal about it?” “Well, we all will moving here by the time you finish primary school,” He exclaimed. “So you don’t have to share a room with nanny anymore for you'll have a huge room all to yourself. I had designed this house myself so I’m sure you will love it. Nanny would be thrilled too for her old friend lives next-door. Can’t remember her name but I heard she is a divorcée.” “Really, Papa? That’s great! Nanny could visit her often for she lives so nearby.” “Yes, one more thing. Did I mention to you that you will go to Tomigaoka Secondary School after you finishes primary school?” “No,” Hotokoi stared at her father in dismayed. She was thinking of going to Shiratuo with Haruko. “Why Tomigaoka?” “You will simply love the school,” He said. “I told the basketball coach you would be going there to help him out. They have the best team there, you know. Hey, what’s wrong? You look a little dazed suddenly.” “Huh?” She stared at her father for a moment and then quickly smiled. “Nothing, I’m fine. Race you back!” Without even a countdown she raced down the sidewalk leaving her father behind this time. She was laughing, but in her heart she was upset that she would not be in the same school with Haruko. She did not know how to break the news to her for they had planned everything so nicely. Suddenly a change of plan would ruin everything for her father didn’t tell her earlier that he wanted her to go to Tomigaoka. As Hontokoi picked up a string of colourful flags, she then climbed up the ladder to hang it up over the front porch. Tomorrow was sports day and everyone in the school was preparing the field together joking about and talking as they took out the sports equipment. Haruko, who was afraid of heights, stood below to watch Hontokoi. After she got the flags fixed she made her way down again and jumped off the ladder when she reached the last few steps. “Done!” Hontokoi smiled cleaning her hands. “Hey, why don’t we draw the lines of the race tracks? As least we can do it together.” Haruko quickly agreed. They both brought out a huge machine like a lawn mower from the sports storeroom. Before they drew the lines they marked the places up first to make a perfect line and then used the machine to run through the marks leaving white lines on the field. “Everything is so perfectly done!” Haruko said with a jump. “I can’t wait till tomorrow! What about you?” Before Hontokoi could answer they heard someone else speak behind them. “Not so perfect day for you tomorrow, Hontokoi.” By the tone of that mocking voice both girls knew it was Kozue. They turned around to face him. Hontokoi glared at him coldly but Haruko hid behind Hontokoi slightly; her face looked a little scared. “What do you want?” Hontokoi asked. “A fair play,” he said with a sneering smile. “If you win this game I will leave you and the other girls alone.” “What do you want to do?” Hontokoi asked, her deep-set ocean green eyes narrowing into slits as she looked at him suspiciously. “Well...” he looked up the sky as if he was thinking hard then he looked at Hontokoi again with a smirk. “Tomorrow is sports day, right?” “Duh, we know,” Hontokoi mocked him. “So...” “So there is a special match for the both of us.” He pointed at Hontokoi and then back at himself. “You and me, alone. Right after sports day ends.” “Special?” Hontokoi asked with a raise of one eyebrow. “Yes, made it specially for you,” Kozue grinned wickedly. “If you are able to win then we will leave all you girls alone.” “Why not?!” A girl shouted behind Hontokoi and Haruko. "It's time we girls put a stop to all this nonsense crap you always pull on us.” Haruko and Hontokoi turned around to see Kumiko and some other really angry looking girls came up to them. They both smiled and turned back to Kozue, wiping their smile away immediately when they faced him. “So what is this special game you had for me?” Hontokoi asked. “Name the terms.” “It is really easy; all you have to do is make a banner,” Kozue said. “Our banner will be blue in colour, yours red or any colour you want besides blue and white of course. Clear so far?” “Go on,” Hontokoi gave a nod. “Those banners will be put right up at the side porch of the school. We will have to climb up there when the match starts to get it and get down as fast as you can and run over to the pyramid monkey bars over at the other side.” He pointed to the pyramid bars that stood a hundred metres away. “Who reaches the up most box wins.” “That is easy,” Hontokoi shrugged a matter of factly. “If you keep your words.” “I’m Kozue Sachiko,” He said proudly. “I always keep my promises.” He suddenly smiled cruelly. “Oh yeah, there is one more thing. I forgot to tell you that the banners are fifty metres long.” “What?!” Kumiko cried. “You are crazy! That would be heavy for Hontokoi.” “It’s all right, Kumiko,” Hontokoi said calmly. “Fifty metres it shall be.” “Well, we already got the cloth ready for you girls,” Kozue said and a boy brought a bundle of white material for them. “Remember the terms: no white and blue banner.” Kozue and the rest of the guys left them laughing. The girls stared at the fifty metres long banner with dread written all over their faces. How are they going to finish painting this banner today? They started to talk to one another at the same time making a loud noise. Only Hontokoi remained calm as she stared at the banner with her hands on her hips. “Girls, if you all are going to stand around panicking we will never finish the banner,” Hontokoi said. “So shall we get started with the banner now?” “It will never be done!” Someone groaned. “It’s too long,” another said. Then they all start to talk at the same time again. Hontokoi frowned slightly. “Girls!!!!” Hontokoi cried. “Please, let's not panic. If we do this together we will finish it by this evening! So we better get started now.” Some girls nodded, trying to stay calm and unrolled the cloth on the ground. There was only red paint in the sports storeroom so they used that. They went to the art room to get as many brushes as they could find then they changed out of their sports outfit back in to their uniform before they went back to the field to paint the banner. As the day wore on and when only a quarter of the banner was left only Haruko and Hontokoi were left behind. When it was almost done Haruko looked really tired. “Haruko, you can go back first, you know,” Hontokoi said when she saw Haruko about to break into pieces. “I can finish this up. Besides, it is only this small portion left.” “It’s all right, I’ll wait for you,” Haruko shook her head stubbornly. “Besides, you are coming back with me today.” “Oh... Haruko, I think I better get back home myself.” “You are not coming over?” Haruko asked. “I thought you said you can come for dinner today at my house.” “I will want to if I hadn’t have to do this,” Hontokoi said. “I’m also tired Haruko, but you look a lot worst than I do, so I think it’s better you get home.” “Oh, all right then,” Haruko said and stood up. “Did you know there are students from other schools are combining sports day with us?" “Yes I heard, but can’t remember which school already. So I’ll see you tomorrow, Haruko. Be careful when you walk back!” “You too! Bye!” Haruko ran off then and Hontokoi just watched the departing Haruko until she disappeared. She then sighed and went back to finish the last inch or so of the banner. She sat on the ground in the middle of the empty field as she waited for the banner to dry and looked down at the red banner they all had made. What is this all about? She thought to herself. It is already the last year of primary school. Why can’t everyone be friends for the last time before everyone goes their separate ways to secondary school? Rukawa cycled into the huge red building and stopped at the main gate. Then he wondered whether he got the right school. He read the school name again and cycled inside. He found a place to park his bicycle and then walked on to the school grounds. It was already empty for it was late in the evening. He came here to make sure he knew which school he had to come for sports day tomorrow. He walked out to the side building where the huge soccer field was. It was all well fence up with low bushes around the fence. Suddenly a movement of a figure caught his eyes. He stared closely at that lonely figure in the middle of the field as he walked past slowly without stopping. Hontokoi pulled her legs up to herself and rested her chin on her knees. Then her eyes shifted to the side where Rukawa walked by. Her head jolted up from her knees then. He looked familiar. Looking closely at him, she remembered. He was the boy she saw the other morning when she went out for her morning jog with her father. The boy looked as if he did not see her. With a shrug she got up to her knees to touch the banner to make sure it had dried up and when it had she got up to her feet then she rolled it up quickly. She carried it under one arm and brought it to the side porch. Rukawa watched the girl walk slowly to the porch and then climbed up the ladder with only one hand for the other hand she held a red bundle. When she had reached the top, Rukawa turned away and walked away from the soccer field. He knew that was the girl her saw when he was practicing basketball the other morning. He could never forget those ocean green eyes of hers and her smile. He wondered why she was still in school alone but didn’t wonder for long as he walked back to his bike and cycled out the school. He knew how to get here tomorrow and was sure he would see her tomorrow again. Hontokoi jumped off the ladder after she had fixed the banner and turned back to the direction where she'd seen Rukawa. He wasn’t there anymore. With another shrug she walked into the school and to get her bag and her briefcase then she was on her way out. She walked down the sidewalk slowly without noticing Rukawa at the other side of the road on his bike watching her. When he saw that she left, Rukawa then cycled away the opposite direction. The next day Rukawa saw Hontokoi again but she was too busy to even notice him. But not long later she saw him too for Rukawa was the tallest boy in the whole school which made them in common. She realized many girls around liked to fuss around him, something which made Hontokoi nearly laugh out loud, for Rukawa really looked like he was going to punch someone or throw something. In all games Hontokoi group won everything and so did Rukawa’s. They were all separated into ten groups in both schools. The groups are named after numbers and the group with the same number challenged one another. Hontokoi was in the fifth group and Rukawa was in the seventh. So they had no chance in competing although Hontokoi had the urge to do so, as did Rukawa for he noticed that Hotokoi was the girl that brought her group every victory. After sports day was finished and when all the teachers had left, Kozue went up to Hontokoi. Rukawa watched them without reaction on his face but inside he was left curious about what was going on with those bunch of people. His schoolfellow interrupted his thought. “I heard there is this competition between a boy and a girl,” The first girl mentioned. “That good looking boy and that girl with brownish red hair?” “I heard that boy is a jerk, always domineering over the girls,” The second said. “He should be taught a lesson, but that pretty girl shouldn't be the one to challenge him. I heard she is brave, though.” “Too tall for a girl,” The third said. “Anyway I think she will come out fine for I notice she won every game.” “Can't you girls stop yapping?” One boy said, suddenly exasperated by the long gossip the girls were having. “We better go closer to watch the match is about to begin. Rukawa, are you coming?” Rukawa kept quiet but followed them to a bunch of audience. The boys looked at the girls with mocking smiles on their faces and the girls just stared back coldly. Hontokoi stood quietly by the ladder waiting for Kozue. “You ready?” Kozue asked. “Never this ready before.” Hontokoi turned to Haruko and gave the worried looking Haruko a wink to assure her everything will be all right. She turned back to the ladder and looked up at the banner. She turned one more time to face Kozue just in time to see him wink with his friends who stood aside snickering and one of them gave him a thumb up sign. Hontokoi narrowed her eyes. She smelled a rat suddenly. She had a feeling that something definitely was going to go wrong. Kozue turned to her and smiled sweetly. Hontokoi turned away quickly. The starter raised the gun, pointing it towards the sky. “One... two....” She pulled the trigger then. BANG!!!! Hontokoi made the first leap up the ladder and got ahead of Kozue. Kozue wasn’t very far behind and so he reached out and tugged Hontokoi’s feet and she slipped two steps down. Quickly regain her footing again she climbed up. The second time he reached for Hontokoi’s feet she kicked him off and he slipped down several steps. This time when Kozue reached for Hontokoi he made sure he got a firm hold of her. They were already half way up when Kozue pulled Hontokoi’s shirt. Knowing his dirty tricks she quickly curled her feet around the step and with a hard tug Kozue gave her hands slipped and she fell backwards. She heard the girls below screamed but her legs got quite a firm hold so she did not fall. Quickly she got up again and climbed up. When she reached the banner Kozue was already on his way down. “You are losing!” Kozue smiled satisfied. “Sucker.” “Not quite,” Hontokoi said and climbed down several times then she stopped. Haruko stepped out the crowd a little looking up at Hontokoi her eyes widened slowly. She knew exactly what Hontokoi had in mind. “NOOO!” She screamed but Hontokoi had already jumped. Hontokoi had learned Kung- fu from her Chinese nanny and she knew how to land nicely without hurting herself when she jumped down from high places. Kozue stared at her as she went passed him. She land on the ground bending her knees slightly and then quickly got up again she ran down to the opposite side where the pyramid bars were. “See you at the top.” Hontokoi shouted back running then. All the girls cheered. Kozue was right behind her and suddenly before she could reached the bars she found her roughely pulled back. She turned back to see the end of the banner was nailed to the top. The boys laughed and so did Kozue. She turned to them angrily. Without wasting anymore time she tugged the banner hard with only one hand. At that time Kozue had passed her. With only one tug she manage to tear the cloth away from the porch. Everyone stared at her their mouth hanging open including Kozue who stopped on his spot staring at her. “You didn’t nail it well!” Kozue screamed at those boys. “We did!” One answered, “There are five nails we had used.” “You won’t reach the top of you don’t run,” Honotokoi said and ran pass him. “Of course I will!” Kozue replied angrily and pushed her from behind. “Hey!” Hontokoi fell right on her left arm. She quickly got up again for she knew she must win this game for all the girls were counting on her. She ran on until she reached the pyramid bars. Kozue was halfway up. Hontokoi ran to the middle and jumped up. She was half way up then with only one leap and another leap she knew she would reach the top. She leaped passed Kozue and her left hand reached the top most bars. Her left hand was bleeding terribly now and also hurting her but she ignored the pain and quickly supported her legs on the second box then she swung herself to the top. She slowly stood up, her right hand holding onto the banner. She looked down on Kozue who had reached the second top box. “I won Kozue,” Hontokoi said. “So now you leave us girls alone.” The girls ran over to Hontokoi then as she slowly climbed down. They were cheering and laughing and patting Hontokoi on her back. After that they jumped about totally having forgotten about her. She smiled just watching them so happy but her smile wilted when she saw Kozue walking away sadly. She suddenly felt bad. She was a girl who never liked to see someone upset even, her worst enemy. She turned to Haruko who was examining her hurt arm. “We better get home now to clean this up,” She said. “It looks awful.” Hontokoi nodded and walked away from the cheering and laughing bunch of girls. She looked around again for Kozue but he was nowhere in sight. Not even in the building. After they had changed and after Hontokoi had washed her injured arm then Haruko wrapped it up with a handkerchief they left the building. When Rukawa saw Hontokoi went into the building he turned away as well on his way out the school. He found himself thinking about Hontokoi. Something he rarely did was to think about girls. He knew he would never forget this particular girl he met only twice. He wondered if they would meet again but doubted it. He walked down the sidewalk alone a few blocks away from the school unaware two girls just walked out the school main gate and went the opposite direction. Hontokoi and Haruko walked together making their way back to Haruko’s house. To be Continued... Notes: Above I wrote Hontokoi was a class veterinarian. I’m not sure I got that word right. What I meant was that she always get top marks in everything until the total marks of all subjects is the highest in her form. If I’m wrong please tell me the right word. Notes: I don’t really know what that pyramid bars is really called. They usually had it in playgrounds it is like boxes right to the top shaped like a pyramid. **Previous ** Next**