Chapter 1: Years After
A KNOCK on the door made Sora looked up. It's a good thing it happened and it took his mind away from thinking about the old days. He was thinking about what happened six years ago. It was a mixture of pleasant and sad memories. And it feels like it was just yesterday. The pain of losing someone you love was still there.
{How could anyone forget all those times? How could they forget their first love?}
He didn't know if anyone would believe him if he would say that he fell in love with a flower spirit, a flower fairy, a forest deity. Whatever she was called, he doesn't really care. For him, she was Dandy.
In this day and age, people don't usually believe in those. Gods, goddesses, spirits, and mythical creatures. That they are living alongside humans. Some older generation and believers would believe him. But most of the generation now, to see is to believe. And if people won't see any evidence, any physical evidence for themselves, they won't believe. And to this day and age, they would usually hear this story are from anime and manga.
{But for me, those years with Dandy are real. The feelings that I have for her are real. And it is still painful that she left me six years ago.}
Sora sighed as another knock on his office door came. "Come in."
A mid-twenties man came in thru the door. He looked older for his age. Experience in life may have contributed to it. He has a well-built body and a height that girls cannot ignore. Stoic face in a match with snobbish voice and tone. His eyeglasses added to that touch-me-not aura.
He was Sora's secretary, Eiki Shintarou. He was his kouhai in college. He was taken in by his company when Eiki needed help. He was struggling to finish his studies then. One incident made him fatherless and only left by his mother who was terminally ill. Fortunately, Sora was in need of a personal secretary at that time. He took Eiki in. Gave him time to adjust as he was a secretary in training as he continues his studies. He was against that at first but the kid said that he didn't want to accept charity.
He can only smile now as he remembered that day:
[FLASHBACK]
"Senpai, pride is all I have. Please let me work here instead of just sending me to college. Please." Eiki bowed lower than Sora imagined.
"Eiki, this is not charity," he said as he helped him up. "By the time you finish your studies, you would be tied up to this company until I said so."
Eiki shook his head. "I still can't, senpai."
Sora just sighed when he remembers that. The determination in Eiki's face as he struggled to stop himself from crying. If only he had his camera up, he would have a souvenir to tease this kid.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Now, as Eiki walk towards him, he can't find that boy anymore. Confident, cold, and master of rejection. All of the girls in his company swooned and confessed to this guy but all were rejected.
"I can see that you are already smiling, President. Then I can remind you again of her call without you getting angry," Eiki said in his cold and irritated voice and without any warning proceed to his purpose. "Miss Gumi called again. She wanted to inform you again that she would meet you here for your dinner date and she was on her way."
He can see now Eiki's irritation. Gumi already called a few times early this morning. And lunch just finished, but his girlfriend would be arriving in his office for their dinner date. Even he gets tired from that.
"I would also like to inform you again about the Dandelion flowerbed in Takachiho. Aren't you going there with Maeko-neesan?" Eiki then continued.
Eiki knew what they would do at Takachiho or even Dandy. He spilled all the story why they were going there to him when he was drunk after going to Dandy's Flowerbed. He said he believed him as the evidence can be clearly how deeply he was affected. He knew how painful it was as he had undergone it twice.
Sora smiled at Eiki as he was clearly worried. "Don't worry. I'm okay now. I've finally found her. So, I won't be coming back to Takachiho."
"But, Maeko-neesan is waiting at the lobby."
{Ah. Maeko.}
Maeko was his childhood friend when he was living with his mother at Takachiho. Maeko then was just new to his hometown since the divorce of her parents. Maeko was what they say a fox-like child. You may get deceived by her innocence and sweet looks but when she starts to open her mouth, everything changes. He knew that for he was a victim of her. Protecting her from her bullies, but he didn't know that it was her who really bullied those kids.
{Innocent my, ass.} He groaned at the memory. If Maeko wanted to, she could have kicked his ass, too.
As if Maeko heard what Eiki said, and what he was thinking, his phone rang. It was Maeko. She and Gumi are making him want to stop using his personal phone.
"I think you should answer that, President."
He just nodded at what Eiki said. Does he have a choice?
"Do you want earplugs? I have plenty," Eiki then reached his hand with some earplugs. " It's my secret. I use it to muffle a little her voice. I'm afraid it might ruin my hearing." Eiki's face was a mix of defeat and worry.
"No, thanks, kid. I'd rather hear her or get a handful when I can't hear her." He chuckled before answering his phone. "Maeko."
"Sora, I'm already down here," Maeko's voice was silent but you can still hear the annoyance in it. "Aren't we going to Dandy? Aren't you going to Takachiho?"
{Takachiho. How long has it been since I've gone to that place? A year. Yes. A year. But it still pains me to hear that place.}
It has been one year since Sora went there with Maeko. Dandy's Flowerbed as at mountains at their home town. Since the day that Dandy left them, he would go there with Maeko as if mourning a real person. Well, Dandy is real for him but to others… "No, Maeko. I won't."
"Sora—"
He cut the line even before hearing what his friend would say. He looked back up at Eiki and dismissed him. Eiki looked at him with worry. He looked like he wanted to say something but this was Eiki, he wouldn't say it unless he was asked to. And Sora wouldn't. He already knew what he would say, like what Maeko always says to him.
{That I am mistaken with Gumi.}
{That Gumi wasn't Dandy.}
***END OF CHAPTER***
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