YOU’RE MINE (Arranged Marriage of the Two Genius)

10. GRADUATION

Kyoto got inside of the car and Natsumi followed.

“Is it done already?" Mngr. Kawashi wondered.

“Not yet but we want to go home now. Let's go?" Natsumi spoke moderately. "I know Kyoko should go home now even I want to enjoy more,” she sadly poked herself in the back of her mind.

Mngr. Kawashi started the engine and drive off. The car was quiet along the ride.

“Put me down in the National Library," Kyoko said and the car stopped in front of the National Library. She went out of the car. “You go ahead and tell Dad that I'm on the National Library but after an hour I will go home. Bye,” she informed Natsumi and closed the door.

On the day of graduation, all graduating students arrived at the gym wearing their white gowns while at the car, Yuta went out that Rina followed and she's happy to attend their daughter’s graduation. However, Kyoko is the last one to walked out and she has a poker face. Together also with Nathan and his father, Lei. In the meantime, Yuki is sitting tranquility while Momoko is sneaking out to look at him when he slightly moved his head in her direction making her abruptly shunned and, to the other side of the Graduated students were their parents including Mr. and Mrs. Francisco, and Veni with Kevin and his fiancée, Akari. All people around were giggling seeing them both. (Known as the Royal couple) From the entrance, Natsumi gave the Yamashita family a cheerful greeting.

“Hi, hello. Hi, hi, hi, hello, hello,” Natsumi sang along. "Good morning, Uncle and Auntie!" She greeted.

“Good morning too, Natsumi. It's nice to see you,” Rina responded happily.

“Hello, Natsumi. Let's go inside,” Yuta said peacefully and they walked inside.

Yuta and Rina took a seat at the back and also Natsumi and Kyoko in front where all the graduates at the side of each other.

“When we feel like being poisoned by stress, pressure, and pain, and anger, the best antidote is to pray. Nothing more and nothing less,” Natsumi recited when she stood for a while to arranged her gown then, she sat again.

“Your parents are there?" Kyoko asked not even a glance at her or around and only facing forward.

“Yeah, they're here,” Natsumi lazily said then, she faced in front. "Our both parents are present." Her face changed into serious. "May I change the topic? Do you know that Yusuke will be going to Canada next month?"

She slid her head to look at Yusuke and she became melancholy just gazing at him who is just quietly sitting at the opposite side.

“I will miss him."

She fake a sniff that she's crying but no then, she turned her head to Kyoko, and as she expected, Kyoko doesn’t have any reaction.

“Hey." She woke up Kyoko by elbowing her and Kyoko twisted her head at her. “You ought to be happy even this is the day when the ac—” She halted herself. "Forget it. Never mind." Kyoko went back to her position. "And for the record, your Mom came,” she mentioned.

“She shouldn't come anymore. I'm better without her,” Kyoko replied poker-ly.

“I can't blame you on that." Natsumi took a quick look at Kyoko and relaxed herself to the seat.

The principal began to speak on the stage regarding the Early Graduation they're proceeding with because of the competition that will happen in the following days. Thereafter, he called the attention of the valedictorian to give his speech in front so, Yuki stood from his seat and sauntered going to the stage while Jen is taking a picture of him for remembrance.

“Good morning, everyone,” Yuki introduced. "After six years sustaining in High school life and we're in the end now or Graduation we used to call, we will be able to encounter scrapes in our next journey whereas we will have a lot of problems to overcome but despite that, we must not discourage by those. All of us have a purpose and all of us have our direction to pass through, and wherever we go through we must not forget the past we've been through because that is the proof of why we are in our position right now. To my fellow students, I am proud that all of us have come to this. Thank you everyone and good morning again,” he ended his speech normally and went down from the stage.

Everyone applauded for they found him amusing while Jen put down her camera and she's staring at her son worriedly as she is not satisfied with what she saw and heard because she predicted that something is bothering her son. After the ceremony, all were at the quadrangle for picture taking and there's a lot of girls surrounding Yuki who has received a lot of medals and certifications but, all of them were being terminated without him saying anything. Yuki then walks near to his parents who are now talking about Akari's cousin that is now celebrating her graduation too.

“Yeah. We have the same date,” Yuki murmured.

Eventually, Jero is driving, and to his side is his wife while at the back are Akari, Kevin, and to the other back are Yuki and Veni. Along the ride, Kevin noticed Akari who is quietly staring at the window beside her that's why he asked her what's wrong.

“I remember what happened on this day," Akari answered sadly and laid her head on Kevin's shoulder. “Did you remember the story that I told you?" shr murmured.

Akari then reminisced, Yuta and Rina delivered Granny Haruka to the hospital because of the car accident that happened. Yuta inferred himself to do the operation but Rina ceased him because she knew that he was not in the condition so, she will be the one to operate. Rina brought Granny Haruka to the O.R. and while Yuta, Akari, and Kyoko were waiting outside. They waited for long. Thereafter eight hours, Rina went out of the room and she divulged that Granny Haruka was dead. And, when they heard the news they cried especially Kyoko that she blamed her mother who killed her Granny while Yuta was crying quietly, stopping Kyoko from hurting her mother.

Kevin brought the hands of Akari to his. "Let's forget about that,” he encouraged.

“I hope that's easy to forget," Akari murmured in return. In her subconscious, "For sure she's more affected than I used to do so. She was hurt. She loves Granny so much." And a tear dropped in her eyes.

While Yuki is resting at the seat comfortably.

The principal is giving the awards to Kyoko as best in all while Yuta is videoing it and before the speech of Kyoko, the phone of Rina ring aloud that makes the attention of everyone turned to her. Rina then excused herself and left the gym to answer her phone while Kyoko glance after her sullenly and because of that she remembered something and her mood suddenly changed.

“Good morning, everyone,” Kyoko greeted and everyone turned their attention to her. “Don't turn your attention to someone but rather, only to me. However, because of the early graduation, most of us have plans already but for the knowledge of all, I don't have a plan yet and that is because I still need to compete with my mortal enemy and I know you know who I am referring to. Do you know that there is one person who said to me that all people here in this school have a low standard?"

All people were sharing mixed emotions whereas they are mad, guilty, etc. On the other side, Akari is watching the video that her uncle Yuta sent on the phone while they are eating at the restaurant.

“Who is that person who said that crap? What an arrogant guy,” Jen said with irritation when she heard that.

Yuki turned his eyes to his mother because of what she told then, he looks at Kyoko with his dagger eyes on the phone.

“I wonder who that is," Veni stated with a chuckle.

“Don't worry, everyone, I am here to prove to anyone that our school is competent and not just any other that just full of their ego and unqualified. I have nothing to say to anyone because there is just one person I used to compete with. We shall not step down to their level because we have bred and not like them,” she encouraged and gave spirit to everyone.

All agreed to what she said then.

“Let us disregard them because they are weak." She smirked envisaging the face of Yuki.

Looking at her, Yusuke wondered because of the reaction she is showing. Meanwhile, Akari, Natsumi, and Yuta were wondering too about Kyoko's blurted reaction.

Kyoko put a po-faced. "In this forthcoming competition, we will show to them and everyone that we are not LOW STANDARDS but rather a HIGH STANDARD, and they should be the ones to call 'MORON'. We may have a generous life and let us unveil what we are capable of doing. Thank you, everyone,” she finished her speech with her gorgeous smile and went down from the stage.

Everyone applauded. Afterward, all were at the quadrangle, and there are a lot of guys around Kyoko to get a photo with her but she just snubbed them all while, Natsumi shooed them away. Kyoko runs away from all the guys when suddenly Yusuke appeared in front of her.

“Can we talk?" Yusuke asked.

“We leave you two. Follow me, boys!" Natsumi announced and left with the boys in a flirty tone.

Leaving behind Kyoko and Yusuke, he stood in front of her with sadness in his eyes but she just gave him a cold stare and walked away without saying anything that makes him feel unwanted.

The sunset, Kyoko and Natsumi were inside of the Ferris wheel, and Natsumi is quietly staring at Kyoko who's staring outside of the window.

“You know what, this is the first time I saw you smiling regardless of what happened in this day whereas—“ Natsumi told but she stopped herself to let out a big sighed first before saying, “This is the day whereas your Granny Haruka died and you're happy?" she pointed.

Kyoko slid her head to look at Natsumi. "You were the one who told to me to forget it because that's done already and I have to just let the past be the past and now, you are asking me why am I happy or why did I smile a while ago?" she asked blankly and plainly.

“Did I say that?" Natsumi recalled with her confused face.

And because of that Kyoko sighed deeply and look going back to the window.

“I don't believe this," Natsumi whispered in the back of her mind while staring at Kyoko. "Before even though how many times I encouraged her to forget about it she can't still forget about it and now, she's smiling and said she was enough with it? I really can't read her no matter what I do."

“On the other hand..." Kyoko recited while gazing outside. "The wedding of onee-chan is near all of the sudden and I am the one who last to know. It's kinda awkward,” she stated honestly.

“Kyoko there is no wrong if you are the last person in the world who would know about their wedding. And..." Natsumi defended making Kyoko eyed her. “How would you know if you are not interested or aware of news surround you since the day you know." She shrugged off her shoulders once.

Kyoko understood what Natsumi was saying and because of that, she looks down on her feet.

“There is a quote, always try to be happy whatever life brings. Remember that every 60 seconds of life, you spend is a minute of happenings you can never get back,” Natsumi quoted smiling and Kyoko tilted her head to look at her. "Let's forget about the problem and be happy,” she acknowledged.

After a while, they are both on the ground and walking simultaneously.

“My life can be measured in hours, I serve by being devoured. Thin, I am quick. Fat, I am slow. The wind is my eternal foe,” Natsumi spoke in a riddle.

“Candle," Kyoko answered blankly.

“Wow. Okay, another one." She was amazed. "Remove the outside, cook the inside. Eat the outside, throw away the inside,” Natsumi said in a fast tongue.

“Corn."

“You're good at the riddle, ha. Okay, here's the hard one. There is a green roundhouse. Inside the green roundhouse is a smaller white house. In the white house is a red house. And living in the red house is a lot of little black babies."

“Watermelon," Kyoko answered in less than one second.

“You are really intelligent. Wait. I have a new riddle. It has no top or bottom but it c—“ Natsumi interrupted because her phone is ringing. "Wait a moment." And she took the phone beside her ear. “Hello?" She sounds questioning.

On the phone; Yusuke. "Natsumi, are you with Kyoko now? I want to talk to her. Please, pass the phone to her,” he pleaded in the other line.

“But..."

Natsumi became melancholy and looks at Kyoko to measure her if she will say it or not because Kyoko is just sauntering quietly at her side.

“Please, Natsumi." Yusuke's voice was hoping.

Natsumi looks in front. "Sorry, but she's not available now."

Then, she hanged up. She peeked at Kyoko in the perpendicular of her eyes.

“Um...Kyoko...Yusuke called and he wants to t—“ Her voice is hesitant but Kyoko cut her.

“I don't wanna hear it. I'm not interested,” Kyoko harshed words came out expressionless.

With that, Natsumi became tranquil and just walked silently. Soon, Kyoko got home and directly went upstairs when Yusuke called her name making her stop in the mid of the stairs not turning her body at him. Rina and Akari were also at the base of the stairs at the back of Yusuke.

“Kyoko, listen to me. I already talked to your parents and I told them that I like you since I met you but I don't have the temerity to say it to you because I know y—“ Yusuke explained but he didn't finish his sentence.

Because Kyoko went upstairs without saying anything making him look downward sadly.

“I know you will just ignore me. And I just want to say to you that I will go to Canada but before I left I want to seek your forgiveness,” he dejectedly told.

He then faced Rina and Akari sadly.

“Thank you, Auntie and onii-chan. I should go." And so, he left the house.

Anyway, Akari and Rina look after him, and then, they shared a look.

“I'm so sad for him. Kyoko snubbed him just like that easily. I'm thankful and I and Kevin are not like that,” Akari murmured giving sympathy for Yusuke.

“She doesn't trust anyone," Rina muttered under her breath while looking at the stairs.

To be continued...