My Modern Kaidan: Meibatsu

Chapter 7

Hideo

The next morning, Auntie was bright and cheerful, as though nothing had happened. I tried to convince myself that my sister thought she was doing me a favor, that her intentions were innocent. Later I would learn about the classmate Auntie was convinced liked Sachi instead of her. I knew how my sister was, how something like that would affect her, but I still chose to think the best of her. That is, until that day on my bike.

I was riding on the edge of town when I saw Sachi walking on the opposite side of the road. I crossed over and rode up to her.

"Izumi-san," I said. "Are you okay?"

For a moment she looked confused, even scared, then her face softened and she said, "Ohayou, Hideo-kun."

As I walked my bike along beside her, I noticed she was limping slightly and the shoulder of her shirt was torn. My eyes trailed down to her legs, at her socks streaked with dirt.

"My sister," I said automatically. I knew I was right from the way she looked at me.

"We had an argument," she said angrily. "I asked to be let out of the car and she pushed me."

I stopped walking. "Sachi-san," I said, mortified by my sister's behavior. "I'm sorry."

She turned to me, wiping her hair out of her face and leaving smudges of dirt on her red cheeks. "It's okay," she said quietly. "You don't have to apologize for her."

"My sister can be very. . ." Intense. Angry. Vindictive. But there was no point in naming any of the things Sachi had just experienced herself.

"I have an older sister too," Sachi confessed, then smiled. "I know what it's like."

We began to walk again, but Sachi's noticeable hobble caused me to begin to fume inside at my sister. I thought of all the things I would say to her, and that I would make sure our parents took away the car.

"Maybe you need a doctor," I offered.

"I'm fine, really. It's just my ankle. Nothing a soak in the bath won't help."

I tried not to look flustered as I sank my head into the collar of my shirt.

"Ano," I murmured. "We could get to town quicker if we took my bike."

"But how?" she said. "It only has one seat."

"Actually," I said, gripping the handlebars and raising them slightly. "It has two."

Sachi laughed.

"We could be there in five minutes," I said, but I could tell she was still skeptical. "Maybe ten."

She nodded finally. "Okay."

I could feel my heartbeat banging in my chest as I gripped the handlebars of my bike and held them steady for her.

She hopped up, wriggling onto the bars and tucking her skirt between her knees. She reached back, gripping my hand with hers for a split second. "Sorry."

"Ready?"

"Mm," she nodded.

The scent hit me as soon as I began to pedal down the road. Sachi's hair blew into my face the whole ride home. I don't think I had ever had a happier bike ride until that day.

When we reached her house, Sachi got off the bike and turned to me. "Arigatou gozaimasu," she said.

"Iie," I said as though it was nothing. "Izumi-san."

I would have done anything for her at the time, but I couldn't tell her that.

I didn't know that would be the last time I would see Sachi alive.