Secondhand Memories (Pioneer English Cell Phone Novel)

Beneath It All

Chapter 307

Beneath It All

"Seiji-kun..."

"Ne, Seiji-kun!"

I opened my eyes and found her face barely inches from mine.
"Ohayou.."

I pulled back and sat up.

"Ah, are you feeling alright?"

She nodded but kept her gaze on the floor.
I was suddenly mesmerized by her quiet girlish charms.

"Thanks for staying with me all night."

I shook my tired mind free before turning to look at her.

"I thought you would've left for sure." She continued.

I gave her a polite smile.

"I'll get you some warm water."

Chapter 308

Beneath It All

"Thanks." Was what she said when I came back with the water.

"I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for you."

"Don't mention it. It's the least I could do for a friend right?"

She smiled.

There was silence between us as she sipped from her glass.

Then, "Airu."

"Hmm?"

I hesitated.

"What are your parents like?"

"What?"

Chapter 309

Beneath It All

She looked at me, confused.

"What?" She repeated her question.

"What you said last night...
gave me the impression your parents aren't around much, that's all."

"I did?"

"Ah."

"Oh." She looked sullenly at the floor.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." I added.

"Nah, it's fine." She said after a moment of hesitation.
"You're the only person I would tell."
"I trust you."

I tried to say something but I didn't know what to make of the comment.

Chapter 310

Beneath It All

"It's a long... story..." She said, drawing out the pauses for emphasis.
She fidgeted. "You sure you want to hear about it?"

I grinned. "I've got time."

There was nothing to do now that I decided I was skipping out on school today.

She was sitting cross-legged on her futon in front of me now.
Her finger tips played along the edge of her down comforter every once in a while.

"Well..." She mumbled.

Then she sighed and launched into her tale,
as if she had well rehearsed it for the day when someone asked.

"I had a sister." She said.

"Had?"

"Mm."

"She died from a bus crash when I was twelve."

Chapter 311

Beneath It All

I caught my breath.

"Kaoru.. she was everything I yearned to be."
"She was beautiful. With confidence in every one of her steps. And she was graceful too."

She sighed, as if she could see her in her mind.

"She was only 2 years older than me but so much more mature and cultured."
"She never fought with our parents and always let her little sister have her way with everything."

She paused, trying hard to recall.

"Kaoru was smart; top grades in school. She played sports too and was on the basketball team."

She shook her head, letting her bangs cascade down one side of her face.

"I could never catch up to her. She was our family's pride and trophy. I was just a spectator cheering her on."
"She was my parent's hopes and dream. That's the way it was meant to be."

Tears began to well up but she bit her lip and held them back.

"I wasn't smart enough. I wasn't pretty enough. I wasn't sporty enough."
"All I could do was sing and draw -- things that my parents thought were a waste of time."