Destined to be - Chapter 8 School started for Hontokoi normally following the vacation. In her second year in secondary school with Rukawa, they happened to be put into the same class again; sat at the same places, too. She became very busy with her work in school and also the team. That year Ayako had already left school and had entered Shohoku High as a first year student, so when she needed help, there was not anyone to help her and she had to try to do it herself. Hontokoi’s second year in Tomigaoka was not very smooth for Yuko, her only friend, was leaving as well. She got accepted into a swimming school in Iwata and would be leaving at the end of the semester. Hontokoi was extremely upset when she heard the news but she took it well into her hands and told Yuko that she would always support her, no matter what. One evening when everyone had left after basketball practice, Rukawa and Hontokoi stayed behind. Hontokoi always accompanied him nowadays after the practice and they would cycle home together later. Hontokoi usually played basketball along with him but that evening Hontokoi wanted to do her homework so she sat in the gym at one side while Rukawa played on the court. Not long later, Hontokoi saw her father walking into the gym as well. She stood up to greet him. “Papa?” Hontokoi was surprise to see him. “What are you doing here?” “Came home earlier today and found the house empty so I thought I would find you here, and true enough, you and Rukawa are here.” “I usually wait around for Rukawa and we go home together,” Hontokoi explained. “He often comes to our place to have dinner.” “But I thought nanny won’t be home until later in the night after she finished all her work in the cafe so how... “I cook, Papa,” Hontokoi smiled. “I might not be a good cook like nanny but my cooking is not that bad, either, and besides Rukawa is so hungry by the time he finishes his extra practice that he would just eat anything.” “That boy is improving,” Yatsunaga turned to him. “I going to join him. Care to come along?” “No, Papa,” Hontokoi looked down at her pile of homework and sighed. How she wished she was able to join them. “You go ahead; I have some things to finish.” Yatsunaga then went on to the court to join Rukawa. Hontokoi watched them for a moment before she sat down on the floor again and continued with the rest of her homework. After Hontokoi finished her homework she found herself so tired she dozed off sleeping on her side, her head resting onto her text book. They had played on for a long time; Yatsunaga teaching Rukawa new tactics and strategies and Rukawa trying his best to remember all of them. When they finally finished their practice, it was late at night and Hontokoi had fallen asleep soundly. Yatsunaga went over to her to shake her up. She opened her eyes slowly. Yatsunaga brushed her long wavy hair that now reached over her shoulders away from her face. 'The older she became, the more she looked like her mother,' Yatsunaga thought sadly. 'How she reminds me of her.' “Hontokoi,” Yatsunaga called softly. “It is time to go home. Rukawa and I are starving to death. Wake up.” “Hmm...” Hontokoi sat up scratching. “Papa...” “Get up,” Yatsunaga pulled her up to her feet. “Come on, you don’t want us to starve, do you. Let’s go.” Hontokoi still a little dazed, walked with them. Rukawa looked at her and saw how pale she looked and suddenly he remembered she caught colds easily. It was winter night so it would be freezing outside. He produced a jacket and put it around her shoulder. Hontokoi looked up at him with a smile. “Thanks,” she whispered, her eyes still half close and put her arms into the sleeves. “I need this now.” When they got home, Hontokoi was too tired to even eat and went straight upstairs when Rukawa and Yatsunaga had their dinner at eleven. After dinner, Rukawa went home quietly, unaware that Hontokoi was watching him from her room sitting on the window sill. She was still wearing his jacket. She looked down at his jacket and touched the collar lightly. Then she looked back at Rukawa entering his house. She never thought Rukawa ever cared about her until that night. "NANNY!" Hontokoi shouted. "Come, quick!" Like every morning Hontokoi got ready to go out jogging with her father only to find her father unconscious on the floor in his room. He laid face down on the floor and Hontokoi turned him over and saw that his face was very pale. "What is it, dear?" Nanny asked running into the room. "Oh my! Mr. Yatsunaga! I'll call the ambulance; don't move him." Nanny quickly ran out of the house to wait for the ambulance and Hontokoi knelt next to her father while she waited. The ambulance arrived shortly and Nanny quickly ushered the paramedics to Yatsunaga's room. They quickly put Yatsunaga on the stretcher, placed an oxygen mask on him and brought him to the van. The sound of the ambulance woke Rukawa. Angrily, he sat up on his bed and pulled the curtains aside to a most upsetting scene. He saw the ambulance parked outside Hontokoi's gate and saw her jumping into the van with Nanny behind her. Rukawa could not go back to sleep after seeing the most disturbing scene and finally got up wondering what had happened over at Hontokoi's place just now. He got ready to go out for his basketball practice to get his mind away from Hontokoi. He did this so he could forget that upsetting scene he just saw. Hontokoi was late for school that morning and Rukawa kept on wondering what had happened to her and hoped that was nothing serious and that she will appear soon so he could stop worrying. True enough, she appeared shortly later. She burst into the classroom out of breath. She had just got back from the hospital after she had sent her father to the hospital and waited for the doctor's result. Yatsunaga had stroke and was now in a coma. Rukawa watched Hontokoi when she gave the teacher a letter, trying to get her attention but somehow Hontokoi avoided his eyes. When the teacher waved her to her seat, she walked up to her place head down so Rukawa could not get any eye contact with her. During break, Hontokoi disappeared almost immediately when the bell rang and did not give Rukawa any chance to ask her anything. She went straight to the public phone in the lobby to call Nanny. Nanny told her that there weren’t any changes since this morning and Yatsunaga was still in a coma. With a sigh she hung up the phone and leaned her head on the wall. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to act normally and turned around. She found herself face to face with Rukawa. Hontokoi was a little stunned but quickly overcame it and forced a smile. "Rukawa! Why are you here?" Hontokoi asked in her normal everyday voice. "You need to use the phone? I'm done with it so you can use it now." "What happened this morning?" Rukawa asked, knowing that Hontokoi was putting on an act. "I saw the ambulance." Hontokoi's smile evaporated. She knew she could never lie to Rukawa. He seemed able to read her mind ever since he met her. That was something she dreaded for she had never encountered anyone before that could read her mind so easily. She always had a hard time hiding her feelings from Rukawa. She sighed. She knew it was pointless lying to him; after all, he would find out sooner or later for he was so close to her father. "It's Papa," Hontokoi said softly. "He fainted this morning and we brought him to the hospital and the doctor said that he had stroke and is now in a coma." "I'm sure he will be all right soon," Rukawa said with concern. Hontokoi, too upset even to see his concern, just shrugged. Rukawa never showed affection before and now he was actually worried about Yatsunaga? Slowly she turned away and walked away from Rukawa. Rukawa followed her slowly. Hontokoi felt like talking to someone and there was not anyone there she could talk to now. Yuko, her only friend, had already left for her swimming school in Iwata and Haruko wasn't there to talk to her. She felt very uncomfortable talking to Rukawa because to her, Rukawa did not show any interest in anything whatsoever. She did not know that Rukawa actually cared very much about her. When they were reaching the back door of their class, suddenly a group of girls came out from nowhere and surrounded Rukawa. Hontokoi stopped for a second by the door before entering and looked at them for a moment. Then slowly she turned away and disappeared into the class. In class Hontokoi sat down on her seat and placed her head on the table and tried to go sleep so that she could just forget everything that ever happened; wishing that it was just a nightmare and she would wake up soon. She knew that was only a wish that would never come true. Long after Hontokoi had fallen asleep, Rukawa finally came in to the class a little annoyed and was surprised to find Hontokoi already asleep, for she never slept in school before. He stood beside her for a moment watching her sleep. She looked so peaceful now compared to the stressed out Hontokoi he saw just now. He touched her hair softly and pushed them away from her face. Then he caressed her cheek lightly. Then he went to his place and went to sleep himself hoping that Yatsunaga would be fine and he did not have to see Hontokoi so upset again. Yatsunaga had already been in a coma for a week and Hontokoi had become more distant then. She hardly smiled anymore and she always buried herself hard in her books and basketball. Even Haruko and Akagi could not do anything to loosen Hontokoi up. Due to her hard work and lack of rest, Hontokoi's started to fall sick all the time. There were times she fainted during classes. She became really pale and thin and also other times she blacked out suddenly while she was walking down corridors or in a middle of her work. She would have to stop whatever she was doing until it subsided. Hontokoi was not feeling really well that day when she supervised the team on a practice a day before a match with Shiratuo. Things were not going very smoothly for her because she had blurred vision all day in school. She could not see the board properly; there were times she could see but sometimes things just blacked out for a second. In the middle of the practice Hontokoi's vision suddenly blurred again and she shook her head to clear it. When she opened her eyes her vision was back to the way it was again. Then, minutes later, suddenly everything went dark and she felt herself crumple to the floor before she was completely knocked out. "Stop!" The captain shouted. "Everyone rest for a while." The captain ran to Hontokoi and that was when Rukawa saw her and his eyes widened with shock and concern. He walked over to her quickly when the captain carried Hontokoi up in his arms. He turned to Rukawa who was still staring at the fragile body of Hontokoi. "She will be okay. Rukawa why don't you take over for me while I bring her to the school nurse." The captain ran out the gym then. Rukawa watched him until he disappeared down the corridor with Hontokoi. Rukawa clenched his hands into fists. He could not bear to see the strong willed Hontokoi so weak and sick. He turned away from the door and told everyone to continue with their practice. When Hontokoi gained consciousness again the nurse immediately told her to go home and forbade her to go back to the gym again. She agreed anyway for she felt really tired suddenly and she did not want anyone to see her in such condition now. So she got home slowly, pushing her bike. After practice, Rukawa was still worried about Hontokoi so he went back straight away without staying for his extra practice. When he reached home he looked over to Hontokoi's house and it was all in darkness except her room which glowed dimly. He placed his bike in his house and then went over to Hontokoi's house. He had a spare key to her house for Yatsunaga had given it to him, telling him to treat his home as his own. He went inside slowly and switched on the lights in the living room. Then he walked up the stairs slowly. He came to Hontokoi's room with her door slightly ajar. He pushed the door open slowly, making sure he didn't make a sound. Hontokoi was in bed sound asleep, her blanket covering only up to her waist. Slowly Rukawa walked closer to her bed and knelt down then pulled her blanket up her chin. Rukawa knelt there for a moment watching Hontokoi's pale face before he stood up and walked out her room quietly. When he had shut the door quietly Hontokoi opened her eyes slightly and turned to the door and wondered whether whatever happened just was a dream or that it did really happened. So, Rukawa did have a heart. Rukawa made his way down the stairs quietly and left the house and returned to his own house hoping that Hontokoi's nightmare would end soon. He never saw Hontokoi so sick before and really could not bear to see her in that state. After a week later Hontokoi went back to school. Everyone took one look at her and knew that she had changed terribly. She looked like her normal self again but that was one thing about her that changed horribly. She was no longer the old Hontokoi; the lively, mischievous and bubbly person everyone knew was gone. She was so quiet now and she only talked when someone had asked a question or when there was something important to see. Even when Haruko called her now she barely talked and Haruko had to keep the conversation going. There was another thing that everyone missed. Her smile. She smiled not once since she came back to school. Everyone thought that she was really hard-hearted now and dared not go near her except Rukawa, who seemed to stick close to her for he knew she needed someone really badly now, especially a friend. Her father's condition had turned for the worst, said another report coming from the doctor. Hontokoi tried not to show that she was upset about the news and kept her face straight because Rukawa was there with her. The doctor told them the bad news and asked Nanny and Hontokoi to be prepared. Nanny sniffed and hugged the stone-faced Hontokoi who stood there like a statue and just stared straight ahead like nothing mattered to her at all. Rukawa watched her closely and there again he saw that hatred look in her eyes. He frowned when he saw that. Where did that come from? He wondered quietly. Hontokoi went to school like any other day, but Rukawa kept close watch of her for he was afraid that Hontokoi would hurt herself or do something irrational. Although he knew that Hontokoi was not that type of girl, he was really worried. Examinations were coming closer then and Hontokoi as usual made sure she was the top most student in the whole form. She still did help Rukawa with his work and Rukawa found that Hontokoi barely smiled or joked like she always did to make the tutoring session really interesting. Now she just taught him and did nothing else. Their exams came and went and a week before her holidays someone came to her class to look for her. It was the secretary from the office and she wondered why. She followed her to the office and found her nanny crying there in the principal's office. "What's wrong, Nanny?" Hontokoi asked. "Why are you crying?" "It's your father." Nanny sobbed and Hontokoi frowned. "He might not make it and I'm here to bring you to see him." Hontokoi shook her head slowly. She went back to her class to collect her briefcase and saw Rukawa giving her a questioning look. She just stared back at him with stone eyes. She left the class quickly and Rukawa stood up and left as well. When he stepped out through the back door, Hontokoi had already run out of sight. Nanny quickly drove her to the hospital and they both ran to Yatsunaga's ward. Yatsunaga had awakened from the coma and turned to Hontokoi slowly. Hontokoi ran to his side quickly and knelt down his bed. Yatsunaga held her hands in his tightly. "Hontokoi," He whispered. "I was so afraid you wouldn't make it on time." "Papa... don't talk like that," Hontokoi said haltingly. "You will be all right." “Hontokoi, promised me something," Yatsunaga smiled softly and she nodded quickly. "The ice hockey minors match. You have to join that and win that for your mother. I'm sure you realise that in your Grandma's house there was an empty space on that shelf. Promise me that you will play in that match that will be held next year." "I promise, Papa," Hontokoi quickly said and wondered why was there behind this story that her mother did not win the minors and she was such a good ice hockey player herself. "You don't have to worry; I will get that trophy." After she had promised her father Yatsunaga closed his eyes and his hands slipped off Hontokoi's. Hontokoi stared down at her father wide eyed as the jagged lines on the screen that interpreted his heart beat went totally flat. Hontokoi shook her head shaking her father. "Papa!" she cried. "Wake up! You still haven't even seen me win that trophy! Papa!" "Hontokoi," Nanny pulled her back from the bed when the doctor and nurses rushed to his side. The doctor checked his eyes and his pulse and then shook his head and covered him with the white sheet. Hontokoi struggle in Nanny's grip and shook her head slowly denying the fact. There weren’t any tears in her eyes and she stared at her father's body covered in white sheet. "PAPA!" Hontokoi shouted and then everything went black and her legs gave her slowly she slipped to the floor. Yatsunaga had already passed away. Rukawa stayed in school impatiently wishing he could just leave now. After Hontokoi left school he was so restless and he was so full of questions. When finally school was over and he rushed home to see Hontokoi's house that was preparing for the funeral for Yatsunaga he frowned at the sight and wondered how Hontokoi was at that moment. He thought that she was crying her heart out but when he attended the funeral Hontokoi did not shed a single tear, much to his surprise. Then he wondered whether Hontokoi was truly a girl. He had never seen a girl who never cried during the saddest moment. He watched the expression-less Hontokoi even as she watched the coffin lowered into the ground. After the funeral Hontokoi went back to her school life for another two more days before the holidays. Though Rukawa watched her as if she was going on with her life like nothing had happened, he knew there was one thing that Hontokoi would never do again; and that was to smile. To be Continued... **Previous ** Next**