Chapter 28




“Good morning class! Yoshizawa, do you feel better now?” Nakazawa asked while putting down her things on the teacher’s table.

“Hai, I’m fine now ma’am. Thank you for your concern.”

“We have a new comer, her name is Ishikawa Rika.”

“Hai, I knew about it. Miki told me yesterday” Yoshizawa looked at the girl in front of her.

“Speaking of your sister, where is she?”

“She just went to the library to get something for her report.”

“Oh, so she’s the first reporter then. Ok, let’s wait for her.”

“Hey, I’m Yoshizawa Hitomi. I hope my sister didn’t give you a glare yesterday.” Hitomi whispered to Rika. Her chair is behind Rika so she just leaned forward for the other to hear clearly.

“Well, she did but I don’t mind it.”

“Miki’s like that. But she’s really a sweet person. If you don’t mind, you can hang around with us. Hope you like your stay here in our school.”

“Thanks.” Rika whispered back

………
Lunch Time

“Do you want to come with me and my sister to eat lunch?” Hitomi asked Rika while getting her bento box. Miki was just listening intently nearby, fixing her things.

“I’m sorry, but I promised my friends that I will eat with them today. Maybe next time we can eat together. Thanks for inviting me.”

“Ahh, it’s alright, you can come with us if you have sometime… Ja!” Hitomi handed out to Miki her bento box “You’re such a lazy person, making me carry your food.”

“Hahaha, well I’m the older sister so you must serve me very well.” Miki snatched the bento box from Hitomi and ran towards the door.

“Hey, that’s not fair!!!!” Hitomi shouted. Before going out of the room, she smiled at Rika and waved goodbye to her. Rika also waved her hand and sighed.


………
At the cafeteria….

“Sayu was really freaking out that time! It was just a small pimple on her face…” Reina was relating a funny incident that happened to Sayumi when they were in the Junior High.

“It’s so nice of you that you all went in the same junior high school... Is that part of your best friend pact?”

“Ehhh? What best friend pact?” Eri was surprised at what Rika said.

“Did we do some pact when we were in elementary? I can’t seem to recall…” Sayu said

“I remember Yasuda sensei told me that she found the three of you inside a room after school hours. She said that she saw the three of you signed something on a paper. It looked somewhat like a list, and then…. If I remember it right, Eri got a soft drink, then you all drank from the same bottle… And at the end, she said you all shouted… ‘For our friendship! Best friends forever!!!”

“NANI?!?! Did we really do that?” The three of them were somewhat shocked from what they have heard.

“Yasuda sensei would never lie to me...” Rika laughed while reminiscing the thought.

“I really can’t remember it.” Reina said. “I guess I have a memory gap now.”

“Is it memory gap or amnesia?” Sayu suddenly asked out of nowhere. They all burst out laughing.

“Well, some things are meant to be forgotten.” Rika suddenly turned serious “But even if you don’t remember it fully, the three of you did what you promised before. You’re always together until this time.”

The three looked at Rika sadly. They knew that she still didn’t move on with her life. Maki was everything to her and losing a loved one was really devastating. Rika changed a lot ever since that accident. As much as possible, she wanted to be alone. She didn’t smile as much as before. They didn’t had any news about her when they entered Junior High but, from what Rika was showing to them right now, they could tell that she was still unhappy during the past three years.

“I still can’t get over you..”