After Our Universe Collided

UNIVERSE 7

The glimmer in your eyes.
あなたの目の輝き。
Anata no me no kagayaki.

Kyoto, Japan; October 1, 2028

RAN was unable to refrain from staring at his phone, expecting Eliana to reach out to him, but he didn't get anything. He was in his room, with no desire to go, maybe because of what happened during the final games. Nobody dared to question each other. He doesn't make the initial move, which annoys him the most.

"How many times have you been looking at your phone?" his brother asked.

"I'm not," Ran responded as he hid his phone and sat on his bed.

"You were!" Rui said as he approached his brother. He took Ran's phone, which he was carrying, and sat in a vacant seat. "So, what's the matter?"

"I don't make a first move," said Ran. "I am such a coward, I am the one at fault and making myself mad for nothing."

"Because you thought that Eli-chan was mad at you and the truth is she won't," Rui said explaining things to Ran. "She even revealed that she's always been experienced to smack a ball on her face."

Ran laughs hard as he knows the truth about Eliana. "Really? I thought she was mad but I was indeed wrong."

"But she had the biggest love for volleyball even though she's always been experiencing those embarrassing moments. She even revealed that her love for volleyball boosts when she knows you."

That made Ran stunned to his seat and Rui still smiling at him.

"It's okay," Rui said with a laugh. "You were just puzzled. Eli-chan giving you some time to cool your head or she's just letting you rest since three months you were traveling around the world to compete."

Ran looked at Rui and said, "I have something to do. Just a moment."

"Just go back on time, we're going to Yuuri-san's concert in Tokyo!"

"Hai!"

Ran walked away and phoned Eliana's agent, Daffodil. He ran into Daffodil-san in the local coffee shop. The young guy learned some Filipino terms so he could comprehend Eliana's language, but he already knew what Eliana meant. But Eliana's last line remained a mystery to him. He recalls them but has no idea what they mean.

"Are you both talking to each other?"

"W-We're not yet," Ran said to Daffodil's dismay.

"Well, rest well Ran. You're burned out. It's good for you to take some chill."

"Hai, thank you Daffodil-san."

"Make sure that you were saying sorry to her," said Daffodil and smiled causing Ran to be confused.

"I was confused that I was able to say sorry but my pride always hinders me. For making a move to a person that makes my heart flutter," he said in his mind.

After a while, he decided to take a walk wearing some disguise so he not get noticed by the people. And he saw Eliana with his mother walking down the street. Eliana carried a heavy box while his mother was talking to her.

Ran decided to hide and follow Eliana and his mother. Ran noticed Eliana beaming from ear to ear, as did the lassie's eyes. His mother and Eliana stopped at the nearby convenience shop and remained for a while, so he concealed and listened in.

"I used to carry heavy things. Way back then, I was always carrying two pails for our water needs. We were using a water well back then so we have to do it manually."

"That's why . . . I am sorry Eli-chan, my back hurts that's why I need your help."

"I'm glad that we both met each other in the street Mrs. Takahashi for me to help you out. Just call me and I am one call away."

"Thank you very much Eli-chan, my son was so lucky to meet you. Anyways, are you both talking?" Eliana didn't reply instead she smiled. "I see. I hope that you both talk already. My dearest Ran was always locked in his room. I wonder why he is like that, maybe he has a crush on you."

Eliana's face turn into red and said, "No Ma'am! He just thought that I was mad at him. But I let him cool down first. I won't intervene with him until the right time comes."

"You're such a good girl Eli-chan," Ran's mother said. "I hope that one day you both get into a relationship."

"I'm shy Ma'am, but it's impossible. Look at Ran, he is the perfect guy that every girl dreams of. I'm just a nobody and his English language teacher and after all, I am here to support his passion."

That spurred Ran to walk away and leave them. Hearing those things also made him flush. He hadn't expected his mother to bring up his relationship with Eliana. It never occurred to him that he might like someone again, but the way Eliana talks with honesty and certainty draws him into a deep abyss from which he cannot escape.

RAN KNEW that Anrie invited Eliana to join them to watch Yuuri-san's concert. Before they go, they have decided to go to Kyoto Toei Studio Park. It's Rui's idea and Kanta's for Ran to have some fun.

"Let's go to the most thrilling part!" Anrie said and she held Eliana's hand. "Let's go."

"W-Wait," Rui said and he seems like pale like Ran. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," Anrie said.

So they went to the horror house and entered. Eliana didn't seem to be afraid when they entered while her three colleagues were afraid, screaming out loud made Eliana laugh.

"Those creatures were not true, chill!" Eliana said while Anrie's holding her hand and Rui's with Kanta while Ran was behind alone and was also scared. So Eliana held him and said, "Don't go."

Even though they were not talking to each other, Eliana decided to comfort Ran since he was afraid.

Until they reached the end and Eliana decided to let go of Ran.

"You were not afraid of ghosts?" Anrie asked Eliana.

"I'm not, because those were not true," Eliana said and Ran looked at her which made him interested in her.

After that, they go to the concert. Ran still felt uneasy because of what he heard about his mother and Eliana's conversation. Sometimes their eyes meet but Ran immediately avoids that is why Eliana moves away and sits next to Anrie. There are times that Anrie teases Ran.

"Are you jealous of me Ran? Huh? Huh?"

"I-I'm not!" Ran stutters as he replies the reason why Rui, Kanta, and Anrie laugh hard.

"It looks like he is!" Kanta teased which made Ran blush.

In the middle of Yuuri's concert, Yuuri chooses someone to duet with him on stage and it turns out that the lucky woman is Eliana. "Oh my gosh, you're so lucky."

"I think she has no idea about Yuuri-san's songs," Ran said, worried that Eliana might not be able to sing ahead.

"I will try," Eliana said and went on the stage.

Eliana introduced herself to Yuuri and Yuuri asked the girl to choose his song and Eliana said, "Galileo falls in love." And Eliana looked in Ran's direction.

That made Ran shocked, he didn't expect Eliana to know about Yuuri's songs.

Matataku hoshi no you ni
Watashi dake ga kizuiteru to omotteta
Anata ga tooku nattemo
Renzu goshi ni sagasu you ni
Garireo wa koi wo suru

Ran's heart beats faster as Eliana sings, as though Eliana is offering him the music. He noticed the glimmer in Eliana's eyes, those eyes that enchanted everyone, even him. "Damn, Eli... why you made my heart like this?"