#28 Story: 笑顔 PART 3

The Reunion

Himawari and Ryota went to their middle school reunion together but enter the hall separately. Ryota meet up with his group of friends while Himawari still walked around. Looking around while walking, Himawari accidentally knocked somebody.

“Oh, my goodness. I am so sorry!” she apologized quickly.

 “No worries. It’s okay,” a familiar voice replied. She looked up to the guy and it was Takuma. Himawari smiled.

“Wow, you are one fine lady. I shall offer you a drink. Let’s go to the banquet table,” Takuma offered. Then both of them walked to the banquet table together. From afar, Ryota silently watched the couple, feeling slightly bitter.

“So, what was your name again? I don’t remember you being in our middle school. I mean, not someone as attractive as you are,” Takuma said to Himawari. His remark on how attractive she is, made her blush.

“My…”

Before she managed to answer, few other guys and girls joined them. Himawari remembered them all, but it seems like they did not remember her at all.

“Hey, Takuma. Have you meet with the girl you rejected on the graduation day?” one of the guys asked. Takuma smirked. “Heh, I wish I had,” Takuma replied. “I wonder if she’s still in love with me – that silly fat girl,” he laughed, followed by the rest except Himawari.

‘He’s talking about me,’ she thought. She kept herself composed and calm.

“Did you guys remembered how she came and asked for Takuma’s second button on that day?” another guy asked, and more laughter in the group.

“Maybe she didn’t come today because she was so ashamed,” said a girl. “Yeah. Besides, she moved from Tokyo after the graduation day,” added another girl.

“Shizz..” Takuma hissed, his thumb moving along his lower lips. Everyone in the group turned to him. “That Kohama guy. Damn him. After I rejected that fat ugly girl, he just came and punched me after school,” Takuma murmured.

Curious, Himawari asked, “Why did he do that?”

Takuma rolled his eyes. He still feel the anger towards Ryota since that day. “Because of that fat ugly girl! Because I called her stupid, fat and ugly,” Takuma said. “They are both stupid and better off dying somewhere,” he added, in a lower voice.

Himawari heard it. Though it was said in a low voice, she heard it crystal clear. She couldn’t keep her calm any longer. She hated that guy; for judging people based on appearance, for saying such mean words to her and Ryota. She raised her handbag and swing it to Takuma’s face.

“What the…” Takuma and everyone in the group was shocked. Himawari is filled with anger that her face turned red. “Damn you all. You can call me whatever but don’t you ever! Ever! Say something like that about Ryota!” she yelled. Now, everyone in the hall turned to them.

She was about to swing her handbag to hit Takuma again, but a hand stopped her.

“Himawari, don’t. It’s not worth it,” Ryota said softly. Himawari felt like the strength she gained from her anger has gone. So, she lowered her hand.

Opposite to her, Takuma was surprised upon hearing Himawari’s name. The girl in front of him is Himawari, the one he called ‘stupid, fat and ugly’ and yet, he was praising her as if she’s a goddess a while ago.

Ryota put his arm around Himawari’s shoulder and brought her out from the hall, from the attention. Both of them walked out from the hall. While heading home in the bus, both of them were silent. But their hands were holding each other; both of Himawari’s hands were holding Ryota left hand while he put his right arm around her. 

The bus stopped at their station and the two youngsters walked down from the bus. Still holding hands, they walked together to Ryota’s house. Just as they arrived in front of the house, Himawari stopped walking. Ryota stopped and turned to Himawari. She was keeping her head down, unable to contain her tears any longer. Ryota hugged her, and let her cry all the way she wanted to.

“Please don’t cry, Hi-chan,” he said, comforting. She shook her head. “No, all those time in school. You keep telling me not to confess my feeling to him. But I stupidly insisted that he was a nice guy,” Himawari cried. 

“Please…don’t cry…”

“Be…because of me… Ryo-kun was…mocked and laughed at…” she sobbed.

“There…there… shhh,” still comforting her, Ryota gently caressed her hair. “I want to do that. I want to protect Hi-chan. Because for me… Hi-chan is a special person,” he added. Himawari stopped her sobbing and looked up at Ryota.

“What did you say…?”

Ryota blushed and scratched his head. He couldn’t look at Himawari in the eyes at first and then, took his breath and exhaled. He turned and looked at the girl in front of him. “I like you. I like you very much that I… I love you, Himawari. I don’t care if you’re fat or slim, I love you for who you are. And I love your smile the most. Because when Himawari smile, it’s like the sun shining its light to my world,” Ryota confessed.

Himawari couldn’t believe her ears. Was it real or just Ryota’s way of comforting her? Since kindergarten, the two of them were always teased as couple. Most of their friends said that Ryota is Himawari’s boyfriend because he always protected her. But she never believed it, she thought it were all just rumors. Only on this very moment she realized, Ryota always protected her – without her noticing. She smiled at him, making him blushed more. Without warning, she jumped and hugged him.

“I like Ryo-kun too! I love Ryo-kun’s smile the best as well! I love you, Kohama Ryota,” she replied finally. Her last words made Ryota smiled.

END

Check out the Part 1 | Part 2