My Future: Chihayafuru

Ch20: Stone to Flesh

It was evening. 

The orange sun poured down on my back. 

I could barely keep my head up as I walked. I was just so disappointed in myself for not even talking to Taichi. He probably thought something was wrong. After all, I had ignored him all week and now at his own birthday party. It was all so heavy and weighed on my body. 

I was never good with words, like Kanade. While, I had all these grand ideas of how I was going to tell him of my love, I doubted that I would ever be able to say it in the way that truly reflected my feelings. 

"You're such an idiot," I muttered to myself. 

I was about to cross the train tracks, but the gates closed and a train rushed by, blowing my hair in every direction. In between the carts, I saw flashes of a person on the other side. I sighed. 

After a solid minute, the train had passed and the gates of the train rails opened. 

I froze...Taichi. It was him! He was the one on the other side. 

His sad eyes met mine. Tears immediately fell from my lashes. There he was. My stomach twisted and my heart soared.

His strides towards me were slow, and un-rushed until he stood only a few feet from me - with a frustrated look on his face. 

"Why are you running from me, Chihaya?" He asked. 

His eyes. They were piercing me. I wasn't sure I had the courage to look. Just as I was about to turn my head, his fingers traced my jaw, keeping my gaze focused on him. 

"I...umm...didn't want to spoil your birthday surprise. So, I had to not talk to you all week."

"But at the party. You still wouldn't even look at me."

"Oh...I just...couldn't," my cheeks felt as if they were burning. Was my fever getting higher?

"Why?" 

"It's nothing, really." 

His hands fell to my shoulders and he leaned his head forward as if he were burdened. I froze, instantly paralyzed by his touch.