When you meet someone over and over again, it’s suppose to mean that you’re fated to be together… Right?
Meant To Be
“Damn it! If only I was there earlier… If I didn’t insist on going out when she said I shouldn’t this wouldn’t have happened!!” sobbed the ebony-haired boy as he sat alone on the open roof of the hospital.
Kirihara Akaya’s grandmother had suffered and died from a heart attack while he was out. She had asked him not to go, but he had left anyway. Now he was regretting every second of it…
“Here…” a timid voice said from behind. He opened his eyes to see a hand and a tissue in besides his face.
“………”
“Some things are meant to be… I know it hurts but it’s their time to go”
“How would you know?” he hissed back at the girl. How would that stranger know how he felt?
“My grandmother passed away in this hospital just now…”
“…………..”
“She suffered from a stroke while I was in the garden. I thought she was sleeping when I went to check on her an hour later… But it turns out she had died” the girl said with large tearful eyes.
Turning her gaze from the ground to the boy, she smiled weakly and continued.
“Do not blame yourself over things that have already happened. It was not your fault that she died. It was God’s will”
“Cheh… You talk too much. Now leave me alone!” growled Kirihara.
Even though the words the girl had said calmed him down, he was just too proud to admit it and show his gratefulness to her.
“Alright… I’m sorry if I did bother you” said the girl, slightly taken aback.
“…….” He continued to stare at her with his green orbs
“Here… You might need this” she said and handed him a packet of tissues before turning to leave.
That night, Kirihara Akaya had a hard time sleeping. It wasn’t the death of his grandmother bothering him but something else. He felt bad for venting out his frustration on the girl. He wanted to apologies but he didn’t have to courage to. And worse, he didn’t know who she was.
“I didn’t even know her name.” He sighed softly as he looked at the packet of tissues she had handed him earlier.
***
got out from the bus. She walked to the nearby florist a bought a bouquet of flowers. Glancing at her watch, she sighed as she walked down the street underneath the hot sun.
She wished she brought and umbrella and the clothes she was wearing make the heat worse.
“Black absorbs heat” she mumbled to herself as she straightened her dress.
Reaching her destination, walked up the long flight of steps that lead to a grave yard. She came to visit her grandmother every week, and today was a special occasion, it was her grandmother’s birthday.
Walking down the grassy pavement, she took a right turn and was greeted by someone familiar.
“Yo!” the person called out
“Hi… Erm, you’re the boy at the hospital right?” she tried to recall.
Kirihara blushed at the thought of their first meeting. He was sort of embarrassed as a girl had seen him cry.
“Kirihara Akaya” he said smugly, lifting his hand out
“ ” smiled the girl as she shook his hand
“Etto, Kirihara-san is just leaving?”
“Yea. It’s my grandmother’s birthday today and I came for a visit” he said
“Sou ka? My grandmother’s birthday is today as well” she smiled and knelt down next to a large tombstone.
The ebony-haired boy stared at the girl with curiosity.
“Etto, is that you’re grandmother’s grave?” he asked
“Hai… Doushite?”
“My grandmother’s is next to hers…” he replied sheepishly
“Hontou? What a coincidence!” smiled the girl
“Erm… Yea… Well… I’ll see you around then” said Kirihara as he walked off
“Ja!”
A few minutes after he left, Kirihara stopped his journey home and decided to turn back. He felt an urge to see the girl again. He forgot to apologies to her again!
So with all his might, Kirihara ran back to the graveyard.
***
He panted heavily as he approached the site. In his heart, he was hoping that she was still there.
Kirihara took a few deep breaths and stepped forward.
“-san?” he called out
Sadly there was no answer.
“Damn it!” he cursed, “She had already left!”
Feeling pissed at his careless, he took a long walk home grumbling and cursing at anything or anyone that got in his way.
He got home around 9PM at night.
“Akaya! Where in the world have you been?” his mother exclaimed as soon as he stepped in the house
“Grandma’s grave” he replied bluntly, kicking off his shoes
“At this hour?”
“Ya… So?” he glared at his mother. He wasn’t in the mood for conversation.
Ignoring his mother, Kirihara went up the stairs to his room, only to be stopped by his father.
“Akaya. I have something to tell you” he announced
“What?”
“Come to the living room and we’ll sit down to talk” smiled his father
“Cheh. You’re just wasting my time” he snarled and followed his parents to the living room.
“Okay, so I’m here. What do you guys want to tell me?”
“We’re going out of country for a week…” said his father slowly
“Ya… I know” replied Kirihara, rolling his eyes
“So, we got a maid to take care of the house and cook for you” smiled his mother
“WHAT?!?”
“Be sure to be nice to her. She’s coming in tomorrow”
“I’M OLD ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! I DON’T NEED ANYONE TO BABYSIT ME!” he snarled
“AKAYA! Don’t you dare raise your voice in this house!” said his father, sternly
“Cheh…” he hissed, turned away and headed to his bedroom.
“A maid… Cheh! How old do they think I am?! 7?!?” he grumbled as he kicked open his bedroom door. He tore off his clothing and flopped onto his bed, grabbing onto his pillow.
Sure, his room looked like a hurricane has hit it but that doesn’t mean he isn’t able to take care of himself… Right? He was a teenage boy, not a neat freak.
***
The next day as he got home from school. Kirihara remembered that the maid was suppose to arrive today, since his parents had left that morning. He flung his bag aside and headed to the kitchen. There he saw the back of a girl. A young girl. One look at her and he was furious. She looks so young! Did his parents think he’s still a kid?!?
Kirihara clenched his fists. He planned to give the new maid hell and hope that she’d quit her job and let him finally be alone in his own home. As he approached the girl, she turned around and to face him.
“Kirihara-san!” she exclaimed in surprised.
“-san?!? Y..you’re my maid?!?” his eyes widened. He too was in shock. Of all the people in the world, this girl that he had met a few days ago had to be his maid.
“What the hell are you doing here anyway?” he asked deciding to break the silence.
“Um… To work?” she replied timidly, her face getting red.
“Okay but what for?” Kirihara asked as he leaned onto the kitchen table
left out a soft sigh as she leaned back on the cabinet. Kirihara stood there and waited her response. After a moment of silence, finally spoke up.
“I lived with my grandmother… But now that she’s gone, I can’t afford to pay the house rent all by myself. We used to split the cost but now…”
“I-I’m sorry to hear that…” said Kirihara softly, feeling like a total jerk bringing it up.
He walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
“Ne, about the other day at hospital…” he said softly.
looked up at the boy. He never really noticed how beautiful her eyes were. But hre they were, staring at him, so soft and warm.
“H-hai?” she whispered.
“I… I… Er… I’m sorry” he said and turned away to hide his blushing face.
smiled and patted his back, “I-jyan yo, Kirihara-san”
Turning back to face her again he smirked and encircled his arm around her waist. She turned bright red and let out a small gasp.
“Why don’t you quit this job?” he said, giving her that cocky grin of his.
“Nani?”
“My uncle owns a café. He’s currently looking for a waitress and you seem to fit the requirement” he continued to smirk at the surprised girl.
“Etto… I’m not really sure about this…” she said softly. She frowned and then leaned forward, resting her hands on his chest.
“Oh come on! The pay is good and besides…” he paused and stared in her brown eyes.
“I wouldn’t want to date my maid” he said smugly
-Owari-
Marishka [10/02/2005]
Edited by Kashii