Seasons of Chances and Love 3: Promised Love In Autumn

A Selfish Promise

CHAPTER 3

"Kana, do you have any plans today? Particularly after class?"

The said girl raised her head from her writing and faced the person who asked her that question. She frowned a bit when she saw Oishi in front of her seat with a bashful expression that wasn't exactly new to her. But what was new to her was the fact that Oishi had that kind of expression in front of her. She could understand if it was another girl that he wasn't particularly close to.

But to think he would act bashful (no matter how slight it was) towards her... Just what the heck is going on?

"No, I don't have anything else to do in mind besides tennis practice. But why are you asking me this? Shouldn't you have already memorized my schedule?"

"I'm a tennis player, Kana. Not your personal planner," Oishi retorted with a smile which sort of surprised her a little bit.

Then again, she chose to ignore it. All she knew, something was definitely wrong with her childhood friend right now.

"Seriously, Shuichiro, what do you have in mind right now? You usually drag me off somewhere when you're like this asking me about my plan for today. Is there something bothering you?" Kana inquired in a slightly worried tone.

Bothering? I would say that word is an understatement to describe what I'm going through right now. But Oishi wasn't exactly dumb enough and brave enough to blurt that out in front of Kana right now, of all times. And yet, in the end, he decided to at least tell her the truth.

He owed her at least that much for now.

"To be honest, I... uh... want us to spend some time together after a long while. I know that we've been too busy with our respective club activities in the past weeks that we forget to have some time together. Is that enough for a reason for me to at least spend time with you somewhere?"

Oishi's eyes landed on her in a sort of pleading and hopeful manner. Of course, no surprise there that it did take her aback since she rarely saw that kind of look from Oishi. There has to be something wrong with this guy right now.

But upon pondering of his words, Kana soon realized that Oishi had a point. They've been extremely busy with their club activities and dealing with their friends' love life problems that they had somewhat forgotten each other. But she couldn't tell that she was also busy with other things. But one of those 'other things' was something she couldn't exactly tell to Oishi yet.

She couldn't risk doing something like that, in which she fully knew would put his life in an even more danger.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself and at the same time, stop her mind from lingering too much on negative, Kana faced Oishi with an answer to his question in mind.

"Why do I have a feeling that you already have plans for us on where to spend time together?"

The first reply she got was a smile from Oishi followed by a sheepish laugh that still warmed her heart. Seriously, why does this guy's simple actions could effortlessly let her guard down? Then again, there were exceptions to the rules, right?

And that included rules she imposed onto herself.

Only a heart that truly loves someone has the insane ability that can effortlessly let your guard down even without you knowing it... Those were Tezuka's words—famous for his catchphrase "don't let your guard down"—that he said to Kana the day he personally thanked her for helping him reunite with his first love who also happened to be her best friend. At that point, she truly knew Tezuka allowed his heart to control his emotions towards his girlfriend Kazumi.

"Well... I actually had a place that I'd like us to go. Of course, if that's okay with you," Oishi said that took Kana's mind out of its reverie.

"Really? And where is that, may I ask?"

-x-x-

"You have got to be kidding me..." Kana muttered in slight disbelief as she looked at the place that Oishi took her. He did not just take her to that place, right?

Oishi could only laugh as he looked at Kana amusingly. Well, he should've expected that the moment he learned that the place where he brought his best friend was something that was special to her. Not just to Kana but to the other Columns, as well. And what was surprising, it was Tezuka who told him about the place courtesy of Kazumi.

It was an unbelievable sight but it was a proof of what Tezuka was actually going through since that fated reunion. It was a proof of an undisputed happiness after all the pain and guilt that Tezuka had hidden to the world all this time. It was the happiness that the stoic tennis player had been wanting to have despite the sadness that he had sealed in his heart and was only released the moment about Tezuka and Kazumi's relationship were revealed.

"Do you like it?" Oishi ventured when he couldn't get a response from Kana after a few more minutes had already passed. He couldn't help feeling worried for that. "Kana?"

The red head faced Oishi with a confused look. "How did you know about this place, Shuichiro? As far as I know, you rarely go this way and this isn't part of your route going to your house."

"I had Tezuka to blame for giving me such information. But that's because Hondou-san told him about this tree and how it was important to her and her friends. I know it wouldn't take a lot of guessing to know who could people be, right?" Oishi smiled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "I was hoping that going to this place would give your mind a little rest from all the stress you're going through this past weeks."

"H-how did you know I'm already stressed out? As far as I know—"

"You can't lie to me when your eyes showed what's really going on with you, Kana. We are best friends, right?"

Kana had the urge to shut her eyes tight to prevent the oncoming tears from falling in front of Oishi. No way she'd show that to him. She couldn't help scoffing inwardly. Why was it that she was beginning to hate the words 'best friend' especially when Oishi said it?

Not only that, Oishi even said that her eyes showed what was really going on with her? If that was true, then all this time, he should've already known the truth that lies in her heart. How was it that he couldn't look pass through her eyes to reveal what was really in her heart?

The red-haired Valkyrian Column looked away and faced the Promise Tree with a wistful expression. A long time ago, that tree became a witness of what she had promised to herself.

That promise doesn't only concern about her inevitable duty as a member of the Miyuzaki family but also her resolve she made the moment her heart had already decided for her. But until now, she had not done one step to put that resolve into action.

"Are you alright, Kana? You're spacing out again."

Oishi's voice had once again brought her out of her reverie that made her face him with a smile. "It's nothing. I was just... busy thinking about something else."

"But do you really have to keep it from me?"

Kana slightly rolled her eyes. "Shuichiro, it's natural for girls to think a lot and it's also natural for us to keep some of it a secret especially if we deemed it as something that other people must not know. Okay?"

"Well, I can't help it. You're making me even more worried when you space out like. You're treating me as if I'm not someone to be trusted." Oishi continued to mutter words of complaints that Kana couldn't help finding it too cute.

For her to see Oishi pout in complaints of her not trusting him with her secrets and thoughts was something that perhaps, only she had ever seen. After all, they hang out together as close friends since they were kids.

Kana couldn't help shaking her head in disbelief. "You're seriously impossible, Shuichiro. Do you really have to complain about that?"

"Your fault. You're the one who's making me complain too much about your actions," Oishi reasoned with a slight blush on his cheeks.

But then Kana thought that it must have been the sunset's trick. The light of the sunset caused their surroundings to turn into colors of red, orange, and pink with the help of the autumn leaves.

It's autumn again, huh?

"You know, I love autumn season the most..." Oishi mumbled in a softest and nostalgic tone he could muster.

Apparently, his words caught Kana's attention and made her frown as she faced the boy. "What made you say that?"

Oishi faced her with a nostalgic smile that made her even more curious as to what the boy was actually talking about.

Why do I have a feeling that he knew something that I don't?

"This is actually the season that... made me realize something important..." was all he said as he closed his eyes, as if reminiscing. And it's a realization that I've kept in my heart all this time... The one that I was and still hoping to tell you with my own mouth soon enough...

But even if he had that kind of wish in his heart, why was it that he couldn't do anything for that to happen? When would he be able to gather up the courage to tell Kana the truth he had long hidden in the corner of his heart?

Apparently, the answer to that didn't come as soon as Oishi hoped.

-x-x-

Another beautiful day to remember.

At least, that was what Kana thought after spending time with Oishi on one of her special places—the Promise Tree. Not only did they had a small picnic together as if they were on a date (now that idea made her blush), but also Oishi made her witness the promise he uttered underneath that legendary tree.

"One way or another, I'll do whatever it takes for you not to leave my side. I know it's a selfish promise but I don't exactly want us to separate, Kana. Even if you will love someone else in the future, have your husband and kids, I still want us to be close to each other so that I could take care of you even as a friend and beat him up if ever he hurt you and made you cry..."

"What a jerk... Can't he even realize that I might not be able to love someone else at this point or maybe even in the future? I can't love someone else... if it wasn't him who I'm going to love..." However, that thought she subconsciously voiced out made her sigh with regards to her currently hopeless situation of her love life. "Looks like I'll be loveless this coming Christmas again..."

With another dejected sigh, Kana proceeded to head home alone. Oishi was supposed to escort her since he kept on insisting but she just said that she had other business to take care of and it would take her a long time before she finished them. Though there was a bit of a truth in her reason why she wanted to go home without an escort, it had been a wise decision on her part that she must not elaborate it to Oishi. She didn't want him to go into mother hen mode again if he found out the true reason.

I just don't want him to go bonkers on me if he found out that I could actually wield polearm weapons. He didn't know that fact at all and I have no plans of letting him know that at all.

It was a secret that she must keep for now. Only Miyako and the Rikkai Tennis Club manager Nanasaki Hotaru knew this part of her life since those two girls were actually standing on the same boat as her. Their only differences were their weapon specialization.

And until now, it was a secret that they had kept hidden from everyone, even their friends. It was because there was a corresponding duty that had been handed down to them along with that specialization.

As Kana continued contemplating on that duty, she raised her head and tried her best to keep an eye on the road she was traversing. Only to have a surprising—not to mention confusing—sight to greet her.

She noticed a familiar tall figure wearing a black cap walking towards a certain direction. Kana knew fully well where that direction would end up.

It was towards a cemetery.

"Why in the world would Sanada-kun travel all the way from Kanagawa just to visit a grave here in Tokyo?" she mumbled in confusion.

Of course, that confusion only made her decide to follow the said Rikkaidai tennis player to whatever grave he was planning to visit at that time of the year.

As stealthy as she could, she followed Sanada at the cemetery. Kana noticed that he was holding a bouquet of white lilies. It must have been the dead person's favorite flower. As she followed the boy, she couldn't looking around the area and paid respect to each of the grave she passed by. By doing so, however, only reminded her of her dead father.

"Come to think of it, it's been two years... since I lost you, Otou-san..." She looked wistfully at the orange-colored sky upon uttering those words.

It wasn't her fault why her father died, she kept reminding herself of that fact. But there were times that she couldn't help blaming herself for not being able to fulfill her duty. As a result, not only her father died that night, but also the family of their princess.

It was a night that made them lose too much.

"You remembered your father."

Those softly spoken words from a familiar serene voice made her swivel her head to the direction where she heard it. "Seiichi-kun..."

"I guess it's not only Genichirou who was reminded of a sad memory whenever he looked at the sunset," Yukimura mumbled as he approached her spot.

Kana heard them as they both watch Sanada in front of a grave that she didn't even know whom it belonged to. She and Yukimura did it in silence, until she decided to break it upon contemplating on the fact that perhaps she could extract an answer from the blue-haired boy.

"Is that sad memory... consists of a girl?" she ventured as she continued watching Sanada.

No answer came from Yukimura which made Kana think that it must have been quite a sensitive question to ask. That was what she thought...

...until a few moments later.

"Her name was Kinoshita Kanako, Sanada's... first love."

Of course, it was one of the most surprising facts Kana had ever heard in her life. Yes, she knew what Yukimura said was a fact. It was already obvious in his voice. At the very least, she could tell that.

But upon recalling the name, she couldn't help frowning a bit as it actually rang a bell in her mind.

"Kinoshita Kanako—as in the youngest photo mosaic genius in the country? That Kinoshita Kanako?"

Yukimura turned to face her in surprise. "You know her?"

"Just a little. To be honest—" she paused, unsure if she should tell the truth that she knew. But since it came down to this, she might as well say it. "—Kinoshita Kanako became the princess' mentor in the same field."

"T-the princess? You mean... Kourin-chan?"

Kana nodded solemnly and chose not to speak about the subject anymore. She knew completely well that the topic (any topic) with regards to the princess was considered taboo to be mentioned to Yukimura ever since the devastating incident two years ago.

Both Kana and Yukimura watched Sanada from their position for a few more minutes before they finally saw him take his leave.

"Losing the one you love... without even letting that person know how you truly felt... I guess Sanada and I had been on the same both all this time."

Kana heard those words that Yukimura mumbled in a sorrowful tone that she didn't know had existed in his heart. And those words also made her think about her situation with regards to Oishi and her feelings for him.

Would she want the same thing to happen to her? Would she feel the same pain that Yukimura and Sanada were going through if a time comes that she won't be able to tell Oishi the truth about her feelings? Would she really want that to happen?

Damn it! Seriously, why does it have to wreck her brain like this?

I guess I won't be able to sleep well again tonight...

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