Featured song: Chippoke Na Ai No Uta (A Tiny Love Song) [OST. Kanojou wa Uso Aishisugiteru]
“Sotsugyou omedetou!”
The school hall of Seiseki was filled with third-year students who were just having a graduation ceremony. Laughter and bright smiles dominated the room as well as bittersweet tears shed by female students who were just hit with realisation that they wouldn’t be together anymore. They congratulated each other in this beautiful day.
At the corner, stood the Seiseki soccer players. Mizuki, Usui, Inohara, Haibara, Hayase, and Kokubo. The six of them looked so damn stunning with suit and stripped tie. Red and white ribbon was clipped on each of their left chest.
“Thank God, you graduated with flying colours. At least a member of Seiseki is worth to abandon the football career,” Haibara complimented with a light laughter. Inohara tapped Usui’s back which almost made him choke.
“It’s not him who’s clever. You’re just ridiculously stupid,” Mizuki stated idly.
“Speak for yourself, Mizuki. Your result is the lowest among us!” Haibara scolded him.
“You guys just exaggerating. I’m not as bright as you think,” Usui said cheekily.
“Says the one who is positioned in 2nd best place of the whole Seiseki High.” Hayase rolled his eyes. Usui laughed with a slight blush emblazoning his cheeks. Their chatter continued discussing about their own graduation party, inviting the rest of their teammates. It might be a farewell party as well.
A group of girls were having a chit-chat not far from where those lads stood. One of them with solid long black hair kept peering through the small space to steal a glance from that grey-haired guy. She tried so hard that she didn’t even realise her friends noticed her behaviour.
“What’s wrong, Izumi? You want to talk to Usui, don’t you?” teased Akane poking Izumi’s waist.
“I might also have a talk with Mizuki after this,” said Riko, Ooshiba Kiichi’s sister who finally became his girlfriend right after final term (read Mizuki’s chapter Wordless).
Akane nodded in agreement. “Just go with Riko. C’mon.”
Izumi felt the hesitation inside her chest but she had to speak with her lifetime crush. She knew Usui wouldn’t mind having a small chat with her. He was too kind to reject that. But the thing was, it wasn’t a small matter to be discussed, at least for Izumi. A slight frown appeared on her rosy cheeks and she let out a big sigh.
“Come with me.” Riko pulled Izumi’s arm recklessly.
“What…chotto mate!”
“Usui-kun, omedetou gozaimasu! You’re absolutely outstanding!” Riko complimented him whilst pushing (rather throwing) Izumi at the vice captain’s side. She herself set her feet beside Mizuki with her hand slowly intertwined with his.
“Oopsie!” Usui stopped Izumi who almost collided with him which left her chest thumping loudly inside. “Aa. Riko, arigatou.” He replied politely.
“Anyway, guys, we’re gonna go. You lovebirds might want to enjoy yourselves. Ikuso, minna,” ordered Inohara while walking away followed by the others.
Mizuki who was gestured by Riko immediately understood. He soon gave a quick nod to Usui, which was about something, and left with her.
“Su…sumimasen.” Izumi stuttered with her hands clutching on the hem of her coat. She didn’t dare to look up at him.
“Izumi, meet me at the gate after this.”
…
The former centre-back waited patiently at the gate with his hands full of flowers and presents from his kohais and fellow graduates. The warmth from afternoon sun completed the contentment in Usui’s heart but somehow it ain’t clear the cloud that wouldn’t just drift away. Usui stared at the girl walking towards him with slight admiration in his eyes. She was slightly frowning and bowing her head.
“Don’t hide your beautiful smile, Izumi,” Usui complimented which caused her blush creep from ear to ear. “Can you lend me a hand?” He asked showing the boxes of presents.
“Quite number of fans you got there, Usui-kun,” Izumi chuckled and gladly received those from him.
“Want something to eat?”
“Hai.”
Both of them walked to the nearest udon shop. Usui casually talked about how hectic his days during high school were. Izumi was glad he wasn’t acting strange in front of her just because he already acknowledged her feeling. Boys sometimes behaved like assholes learning that they got someone who liked them. Izumi understood that Usui hadn’t been willing to have a girlfriend yet because he was too concerned with his soccer career.
Two cups of hot ocha were served in front of them who were sitting facing each other. Izumi hadn’t lifted her head to look at Usui’s deep brown orbs. Somehow she could sense that he was keeping something big he wanted to deliver. Her shoulder felt heavier than before and Usui’s breath seemed so tensed-up. Neither of them dared to start uttering the words.
“Usui-kun, omedetou gozaimasu!“
“Thank you, Izumi. And congrats for being accepted at university.”
Izumi nodded gently at him without having her nerve abandoned.
Silence
“Izumi, gomen.”
She was startled with how he suddenly spoke. The look in his eyes was like an arrow slowly stabbing her. It was quite indescribable and she had no idea what that sudden was all about.
“I’m truly sorry,” he continued.
“Why…why are you apologising?” She enquired with false chuckle.
Usui let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry for everything up until now. I know it was upsetting you this much that I couldn’t with you,” he trailed off.
“What are you talking about? I’m always okay with it. You don’t have to apolo-.”
He abruptly grabbed her hand. “Izumi, I won’t be in Tokyo anymore.”
“Are you going back to Ishikawa?” She asked with a weak tone.
“No.”
“So where?”
A moment of uncomfortable silence filled their existence. They were looking at each other with his thumb stroking her fingers gently.
“I’m going to England.”
His words were like a lightning striking her.
“Na…Nani?”
Usui nodded weakly. “I’m gonna have a trial at Bolton Wanderers FC. Apparently, we were scouted when we played at Nationals final. It was Mizuki who was initially noted but knowing that he’s got a pro contract already, they came to see me.”
“Has anyone known about this?”
“Only Mizuki.”
“So you haven’t told your teammates about your departure?”
Usui shook his head.
“Then why are you telling me this?” Her voice was trembling and a light sniff began to fill her breath. She reluctantly pulled her hand from Usui’s, feeling that she wasn’t fair for her to be told about this.
There was a big lump in his throat which might choke him up. Usui wasn’t aware that it could upset her this much. It was something he didn’t expect before. He should’ve told his teammates as well because they surely would feel betrayed if they learned that their former vice-captain was leaving for Europe without ever telling them.
“I think that…you deserve to know about this,” he replied hesitantly.
“But…why?”
“Imamade arigatou. You’ve brought a new light in my life. Thank you for always sticking up with me even though I knew I couldn’t give you the happiness you wanted.”
A tear was rolling down Izumi’s cheek which she quickly looked away from him.
“I know I’m just a bundle of nuisance to you,” Usui continued. “It would be better if we could laugh and cry more than we did. And uh…even though it’s already late, I came to realise these honest feelings,” he trailed off.
“I always think about you every time and everywhere I go. Like, I always want to hear those gentle of yours. And you know what, Izumi? Even though I’m surrounded by amazing teammates, it was your smile that took me out from darkness everytime we lost.”
Izumi was taken aback with his words. After all this time she only thought that Usui never gave a damn about her affection towards him. Thinking it was just his trying to be polite to her. Now she couldn’t even find her logic anymore.
“England is so far away,” Izumi whispered under her breath. Usui nodded.
The rest of their conversation didn’t go any better. None of them spoke properly. Usui noticed from the beginning that the girl sitting before him was hiding something yet she was too scared to tell him so. He knew that Izumi wanted to share about her contentment of getting accepted at university before graduation and he was blaming himself for destroying the situation.
“Sumimasen. I think I shall go home now,” Izumi said.
“I’ll walk you home.”
Usui left the cash for both on the table and thanked the seller. The dusk began to fall as they were walking to the nearest station. Usui tried to keep the convo flowing even though Izumi didn’t seem to have any energy left to reply. Her mind was too occupied with Usui’s last confession. Usui slowly took her hand and let his fingers intertwined with hers. She shivered along the way home but the warmth transferred from Usui palm somewhat calmed her down.
“This won’t be the last time. I’m still gonna see you before leaving for England,” Usui said to her after they almost got to her house.
“Thank you for always keeping up with me, Usui-kun.” Izumi looked at him deeply this time. “I know you’ll do well. Just…be safe with everything that will happen there.” She put her hand on his cheek and stroke it gently. Usui smiled and nodded contently. He pulled her closer into a hug which surprised her even more.
“Arigatou. Both of us will fight with our best for our dreams.” He tightened his embrace on her.
After a while he finally released her that it’s finally time for her to be home before they got caught by her dad.
“Ja, Usui-kun.”
He waved at her with a beautiful smile emblazoning his fair-skinned face.
“Izumi, yamete.”
She turned around and before she got any chance to ask him, he pulled her again into his embrace and a sudden unexpected kiss seized her soft pink lips. A massive shock shot through her blood circulation system that she hardly felt anything. The handbag filled with a small teddy bear given by him just now was dropped to the ground. He stayed there for quite a long time that he was nearly afraid he might have startled Izumi to death. After a few moments, he finally pulled himself away.
“Ja na, Izumi.”
DAMN YOU, USUI YUUTA!
***
https://soundcloud.com/bagoesramanda/ohara-sakurako-chippoke-na-ai-no-uta
Companion of The Defender 