*It is important for readers to know that this prologue holds no importance.
PROLOGUE
Kindergarten.
A time for immaturity, innocence, and most importantly, memories.
Our story is inspired by an incident that happened in a time such as that.
On a bench, two kids were sitting down.
The air was chilly, and a little piercing, reminding people of the change of seasons. With it, a not-so-fatal change in relationship will also happen.
On the right seat, a girl with blonde hair made an annoyed face.
“Yoshi-kun, if you don’t mind, could you tell me why you called me here already? Iron chef is going to start soon”, the girl asked.
“Su-chan, actually, I’m going to move to Tokyo tomorrow”, Kiyoshi made a worried tone.
It has been a whole year since the two started sitting there together, and they have been best friends since. The news that just broke made the atmosphere a little heavier.
“Why?”
“My dad received a new job. Plus, my sister is attending Tokyo U, so we’re moving. So, Su-chan, well…”
“Oh, so when are you leaving?” Su-chan turned towards Kiyoshi now.
“I told you already, I’m going tomorrow. Well, um… as I was saying…”
“Where are you going to go? Is it far?” Su-chan cut Kiyoshi off.
Su-chan is known to be clumsy and forgetful, and Kiyoshi understands that, but humans have limits.
“Um… Like I said, I’m going to Tokyo. And, it’s not that far. But, you see…”
“Why? Kiyoshi, why?”
Kiyoshi lost it.
“Shut up, Su-chan. Hear me out for a while. This may be the last time we can talk to each other. So we need to use this time wisely. If you have anything to say to me, say it now”, Kiyoshi said, getting serious.
“Ooooh… then, are you going to come back?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then let’s make a promise! A promise that makes sure you’ll come back”, Su-chan said, a little enthusiastic. The thing is, Kiyoshi can bet anything in the world that Su-chan won’t remember about these ten minutes later.
With a sigh, Kiyoshi said, “What kind of promise?”
Suddenly, Su-chan grabbed Kiyoshi’s hand and looked into his eyes.
With that single movement, the air became tight. A serious atmosphere formed, and Kiyoshi felt time stopped. As the cold wind blew, a mass of tension accumulated, and it rises by the second.
“Marry me.”
“Huh?”
As sudden, the tension broke. Just like that.
“What are you talking about? We’re not that age yet”, Kiyoshi was embarrassed.
“No, dummy! What I meant was, promise me that you’ll marry me”, Su-chan also turned red. “That way, you’ll have to come back, no matter what happens.”
This was it. There are times when a man just has to make a decision, even if he was only six years old. Kiyoshi thought deeply for a while, and then breathed in slowly, and exhaled. He was determined.
“I promise. One day, I’ll come back here and we’ll be married”, Kiyoshi said, tightening the grip on Su-chan’s hand.
With that, like before, the atmosphere had a sudden serious feeling, a resolve that cannot be broken. The both of them got closer, and their lips came yet closer, and when Kiyoshi closed his eyes, a familiar sound was heard.
BEEP.BEEP.
Su-chan looked at her watch, and with a gasp, said desperately, “Kyaa! Iron Chef’s starting!”
Yet again, the atmosphere broke.
“Bye Kiyoshi, see you tomorrow!” Su-chan leaped to her feet and began running home.
Tomorrow? Kiyoshi thought.
“No, wait! Su-chan, I won’t be here tomorrow!” Kiyoshi shouted, and started to catch up on her, but it was already too late. Su-chan was already out of sight.
Knowing Su-chan’s craze for Iron Chef and her unbeatable running skills, Kiyoshi gave up.
He slapped himself for being so stupid as to talk about serious things with Su-chan.
He sat again with the longest sigh humans ever made.
“It’s okay. If she doesn’t remember, I will.” Then, he stood and started walking home.
The cold wind made him shiver, and as he walked out of the park, the first snow came down. In a matter of minutes, the evening sky was full of white spots, the blessings of winter.
Kiyoshi looked upwards for a while, rubbing his hands together.
“I’m going to miss this place”, he said, and continued on walking.
A time for immaturity, innocence, and most importantly, memories.
Our story is inspired by an incident that happened in a time such as that.
On a bench, two kids were sitting down.
The air was chilly, and a little piercing, reminding people of the change of seasons. With it, a not-so-fatal change in relationship will also happen.
On the right seat, a girl with blonde hair made an annoyed face.
“Yoshi-kun, if you don’t mind, could you tell me why you called me here already? Iron chef is going to start soon”, the girl asked.
“Su-chan, actually, I’m going to move to Tokyo tomorrow”, Kiyoshi made a worried tone.
It has been a whole year since the two started sitting there together, and they have been best friends since. The news that just broke made the atmosphere a little heavier.
“Why?”
“My dad received a new job. Plus, my sister is attending Tokyo U, so we’re moving. So, Su-chan, well…”
“Oh, so when are you leaving?” Su-chan turned towards Kiyoshi now.
“I told you already, I’m going tomorrow. Well, um… as I was saying…”
“Where are you going to go? Is it far?” Su-chan cut Kiyoshi off.
Su-chan is known to be clumsy and forgetful, and Kiyoshi understands that, but humans have limits.
“Um… Like I said, I’m going to Tokyo. And, it’s not that far. But, you see…”
“Why? Kiyoshi, why?”
Kiyoshi lost it.
“Shut up, Su-chan. Hear me out for a while. This may be the last time we can talk to each other. So we need to use this time wisely. If you have anything to say to me, say it now”, Kiyoshi said, getting serious.
“Ooooh… then, are you going to come back?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then let’s make a promise! A promise that makes sure you’ll come back”, Su-chan said, a little enthusiastic. The thing is, Kiyoshi can bet anything in the world that Su-chan won’t remember about these ten minutes later.
With a sigh, Kiyoshi said, “What kind of promise?”
Suddenly, Su-chan grabbed Kiyoshi’s hand and looked into his eyes.
With that single movement, the air became tight. A serious atmosphere formed, and Kiyoshi felt time stopped. As the cold wind blew, a mass of tension accumulated, and it rises by the second.
“Marry me.”
“Huh?”
As sudden, the tension broke. Just like that.
“What are you talking about? We’re not that age yet”, Kiyoshi was embarrassed.
“No, dummy! What I meant was, promise me that you’ll marry me”, Su-chan also turned red. “That way, you’ll have to come back, no matter what happens.”
This was it. There are times when a man just has to make a decision, even if he was only six years old. Kiyoshi thought deeply for a while, and then breathed in slowly, and exhaled. He was determined.
“I promise. One day, I’ll come back here and we’ll be married”, Kiyoshi said, tightening the grip on Su-chan’s hand.
With that, like before, the atmosphere had a sudden serious feeling, a resolve that cannot be broken. The both of them got closer, and their lips came yet closer, and when Kiyoshi closed his eyes, a familiar sound was heard.
BEEP.BEEP.
Su-chan looked at her watch, and with a gasp, said desperately, “Kyaa! Iron Chef’s starting!”
Yet again, the atmosphere broke.
“Bye Kiyoshi, see you tomorrow!” Su-chan leaped to her feet and began running home.
Tomorrow? Kiyoshi thought.
“No, wait! Su-chan, I won’t be here tomorrow!” Kiyoshi shouted, and started to catch up on her, but it was already too late. Su-chan was already out of sight.
Knowing Su-chan’s craze for Iron Chef and her unbeatable running skills, Kiyoshi gave up.
He slapped himself for being so stupid as to talk about serious things with Su-chan.
He sat again with the longest sigh humans ever made.
“It’s okay. If she doesn’t remember, I will.” Then, he stood and started walking home.
The cold wind made him shiver, and as he walked out of the park, the first snow came down. In a matter of minutes, the evening sky was full of white spots, the blessings of winter.
Kiyoshi looked upwards for a while, rubbing his hands together.
“I’m going to miss this place”, he said, and continued on walking.
