"Oh my, what beautiful flowers!" Kanako's mother said as her daughter walked in through the door. "Where did you get those? Did someone give them to you? Was it a boy?" "G-Geez, mom, can you please calm down?" Kanako said. "I-I'm not really sure who they're from. All that was with them was a card with my name on it." "I see. Maybe you have a secret admirer," Kanako's mother commented. "That's what Naomi-senpai said..." Kanako sighed.
The flowers were certainly nice, but they gave Kanako a sense of unease. Not knowing who was planning on giving them to her made her worry. "I just hope it's no one that'll give me trouble," she thought. But, just as she started to wonder, Mayu's remark came back to her mind. "Mayu-chan mentioned Haruna," Kanako remembered. "Could these be...?"
Flowers? A bouquet no less? From Haruna? There was a time when such an action would've been deemed completely impossible. However, as Kanako scanned through her memories over the past six months, she couldn't help but take notice of the times when Haruna had been especially intimate. "But would she really get me flowers?" Kanako thought. "I think it might be nice if she did, but it's hard to believe these would be from her. I mean, there's even a little heart drawn on the card."
"Should we put them in a vase?" Kanako's mother asked. "O-Oh, uh, sure," Kanako said, being brought back to reality. Grabbing a wide glass container, her mother filled it with some water before taking the flowers and spreading them apart gently as she set them down inside. "There," she said with a smile. "These really are pretty, but they are a bit unusual too. You don't see many purple roses." "You don't?" Kanako asked. "No, at least I don't think so... But maybe they are more common... hmm," Kanako's mother proceeded to get lost in thought over her own doubts, leaving the daughter to simply sigh again.
As the night became later, Kanako continued to think about the flowers. It felt weird to think that maybe some had a crush on her and she didn't know them, but it wasn't as if there was something wrong with that or that they weren't allowed to feel that way. Although, even if it was a secret someone, Kanako did still wonder about the card. The handwriting on it had clearly been a girl's. Added with the heart, and it wasn't hard to guess that they had come from anyone except a girl. "If I had to guess a girl in the school, my first guess would be Chiyo," Kanako thought. Considering the things Chiyo had done in the past, it didn't seem out of the realm of possibility. "Then again, it feels a little too random, even for her," Kanako concluded. Going through a list in her head, she crossed each one off as she went. Saki and Rina were both just fellow club members and nothing more, so they were easy to eliminate. Naomi might get her flowers as a form of congratulations, but nothing congratulatory had come up. Michi was... not really an option at the moment, and while Kanako consider Mayu and Itsuki to be good friends of hers, a whole bouquet from either of them seemed unlikely. In the end, the only person Kanako couldn't eliminate was Haruna.
If she were to consider all possibilities, she could include Akio. However, that seemed painfully doubtful. It was true that Kanako had been making progress with the boy in her pursuit to date him, but that progress had only come about recently. Not only that, but Akio had never seemed like the type to give flowers to a girl anyways.
With no other boys close to her and all other girls crossed off, that left only Haruna. "Would she...?" Kanako wondered. Flowers from Haruna. The thought sent a brief flutter through Kanako's chest. A part of her hoped that it was true. Despite the odds in her mind, her heart wished that Haruna really did make the effort to do something that most would call romantic. Why that was, Kanako didn't know. She tried to think of it was nothing more than being close friends, but something about that reasoning didn't feel right. There once was a time when it had, but that time had passed. Now, left with nothing except questions, Kanako could only guess at the meaning of all of the feelings swirling inside her.
*****
When going to school the next day, Kanako walked alone. Haruna had club activities to attend to, and Akio nor Chiyo had been anywhere to be found. The walk felt longer than usual, but she arrived nonetheless. Once she got inside, Kanako got to her locker and opened it. "Huh?" she let out. Reaching inside, she grabbed the envelope that was sitting atop her shoes. "What is this?" she thought. In her hand was a plain white envelope. There was no fancy border decoration or well-written script. The only information was her name, written somewhat roughly and placed in the front center of the envelope. "This is just like the flowers," Kanako thought. "It'd be nice if people would actually write their names too so I knew who it was from..."
Opening the envelope, she found a piece of paper inside that fit perfectly, no folding necessary. On it, whoever wrote the letter was asking Kanako to meet them behind the school after the final bell. "This seems like an invitation to a confession," Kanako thought. "N-Now I'm nervous." What if it was some guy she'd never spoken to? Turning down a total stranger would be an awkward experience. However, as Kanako stared at the paper in her hand, she took notice of something. "Isn't this... Akio-kun's handwriting?"
She had certainly seen enough of it to know. But, the thoughts of what Kanako had about what she held being a confession invitation and it being from Akio were hard to reconcile with one another. Kanako had felt like she and Akio had been taking steps toward a relationship, but going from what they were doing to a confession seemed like too big of a leap. "Then again, it could be someone other than Akio-kun," Kanako thought. Akio was still a boy, and a lot of boys wrote roughly. There was always the chance that it could be from another boy with similar handwriting.
For a moment, Kanako considered Haruna. She didn't have the best penmanship either, but Kanako didn't remember it being that bad. Besides... "There's no way," Kanako thought. "Haruna wouldn't be confessing to me..." It seemed like a near-impossibility that something like that would happen. But, thinking that made Kanako feel a little sad for some reason.
Deciding to move on from that line of thought, Kanako returned to her prime suspect. "What if it really is Akio-kun?" she wondered. The obvious answer was that she'd say yes if he really confessed, but a part of her had her doubts. Would she hesitate? Would it be too overwhelming and she'd just run away? "That would be so lame..." Kanako thought. "I should at least make sure I stick around."
However, for as much as Kanako wanted to spend her time thinking about various scenarios, it was time for her to go to class. "It's going to be impossible for me to concentrate..." she sighed internally. Stuffing the letter into her bag, she went to her classroom.
Of course, her prediction was right. Whatever the teacher was talking about, it went straight through Kanako's ears. Her notebook remained blank and her head stayed up in the clouds, finding herself daydreaming more and more about if Akio really did confess. It was something she hadn't done in a while. Growing up, it had been a nearly every day habit, but after a while, it became clear to Kanako that she'd have to be the one to confess her feelings. But, with this new possibility open to her, Kanako allowed herself to get lost in her imagination. Ordinarily, Michi would notice and snap her out of it, but with their friendship so rocky at the moment, the end result of Kanako not paying attention was the teacher scolding her without warning.
Although, even with the scolding of a teacher, Kanako's mood kept rising. She found herself looking forward to the end of the day more and more. There was still no way to know for sure if the letter had actually been from Akio, but Kanako chose to believe it was, whether it was through fate or just sheer coincidence.
*****
By the time the last bell rang, Kanako was practically dashing out the door. She wanted to know. She had to know if it really was Akio who had told her to meet up behind the school. Going as fast as she could without running, Kanako made her way to the doors that would lead her out to her destination.
When she opened them, she was greeted by a familiar sight. Out behind the school stood a singular, large tree. At this point in the year, most of the leaves had switched into their fall colors, creating a large mass of yellow, red and orange. Beneath all the leaves sat a picnic table. It was old and made entirely of wood, but it remained sturdy throughout the years. This spot, with all its simplicity, was a common spot for confessions to be made at Iwanai Municipal High School.
It was here in this spot that Kanako had tried once before to confess her feelings to Akio. She had finally worked up the courage after years of hanging onto her feelings, and she had left a note telling Akio to meet her where she was standing now. It was supposed to be perfect, until Haruna had appeared. That had certainly been a shock to Kanako, not necessarily because she didn't think Haruna had feelings for Akio, but that they had picked the same day. In the end, all that had come out of the whole ordeal was a deal that had Haruna and Kanako had to pretend to date each other instead.
The next time the three of them met behind the school, Akio basically did the reverse, telling the two girls the deal was off. That was just as confusing. If he was going to end it before the length of the deal was up, then what had been the point? Pretending to date for a year might've been difficult, but had Akio decided Kanako and Haruna couldn't do it? Although, perhaps it didn't matter. After all, that deal did result in the two girls finally working out their differences and becoming friends again.
Now, however, Kanako was sure it was the real thing. Someone, whether it be Akio or some other boy, was going to walk through those doors she had just come through and proclaim their love for her. Taking a seat at the picnic table, Kanako shivered as a gust of wind blew. "It sure is cold out here," she said to herself. "I agree," a voice said suddenly. Looking up, Kanako's eyes went wide. There was no reason to be surprised, and yet, she still was. Walking up to her just as the door behind him closed, was Akio.
"It's a shame it's so cold out today, but you know what they say about this spot. Better to up my odds any way I can, don't you think?" Akio said smoothly. Standing up, Kanako went over to him until the two of them were only a couple feet apart. "H-Hi Akio-kun," Kanako said softly. "Hey Kana-chan," the boy said back. "I guess this means you got my letter." Kanako nodded. "Mhm. There wasn't a whole lot on it though. For a while I wondered if someone else had sent it." Akio let out a little laugh. "Yeah, I guess it wouldn't have hurt to put my name on it. I just couldn't resist adding some suspense though. Sorry." "I-It's okay," Kanako said, giving a small smile. "I'm glad it's you."
An awkward pause took hold for a moment, but it was quickly alleviated when Akio spoke again. "So, listen Kana-chan," he began. "We've known each other for a long time. I'd like to think that we know each other pretty well. Because of that, well... I don't really want to do some big speech about my feelings. Besides, I'm not very good at stuff like that. So, I'm just going to come out a say what I want to say."
Taking a breath, Akio continued. "Kana-chan. I know you've had feelings for me for a long time. You even confessed to me, but instead of giving you an answer, I made you do something a little crazy. Honestly, I still can't believe you agreed so easily. The fact that you did though showed me just how serious you are about me. Knowing that, I feel kind of bad that it's taken so long for me to say this, but..."
"Kana-chan, I love you. Will you go out with me?"
Years. It had been years that Kanako had waited to hear those words. Now, finally, the boy that she loved so much had spoken them. Hearing them sent her heart racing. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes. Love burst throughout her chest as she soaked in the glow of the words Akio had said. "He loves me," she thought. "Akio-kun really loves me!"
She felt like she could melt from the happiness she was experiencing. It ran hot through her veins and filled her with so much glee she thought she might die from it. The explosion of feelings and emotions running wild inside her prevented her from giving an immediate answer, but after what in reality was only a few seconds, Kanako opened her mouth to speak. "Akio-kun, I-"
Suddenly, a hand reached up. It stopped just in front of Kanako's lips. Tracing it back to its source, Kanako saw it was Akio who had prevented her from continuing. "Hang on," he said. "Sorry, I know this is probably pretty weird, but before you give me your answer, can I ask you to do something?" "Huh?" Kanako let out, confused. "Well, it's just, something doesn't feel right about this. I mean, this whole mess this year started with three people, not just us two," Akio explained.
It only took a moment for Kanako to understand. "Haruna..." she said quietly. "Yeah. Haruna-chan was here too. So here's what I'm thinking. She said she liked me, didn't she? Well, it feels like it'd only be fair if you let her know what you're about to do," Akio said. "Why?" Kanako asked. She didn't get it. Haruna had already said that she didn't have feelings for Akio anymore, so why should it matter if Kanako says yes right now? Part of her wanted to scream that reasoning at Akio, but instead she chose to listen.
"You know how Haruna-chan can be," Akio said. "She confessed to me at the beginning of this school year. Now, only a handful of months later, she says she doesn't like me that way anymore? It's kind of odd. I think it's possible that Haruna-chan isn't being honest, and, if that's the case, it'd be best if you told her you and I were about to become a couple. After all, you were about to say yes, right? What if you do, and what if I'm right? Then Haruna-chan will be doubly devastated. Losing her crush and getting betrayed by her best friend so suddenly would hurt a lot. That's why, if you let her know, she'll at least have time to process, and maybe you two can still stay friends. You'd hate to lose that friendship you just got back wouldn't you? Haruna-chan can be sensitive. Even if she doesn't have feelings for me anymore, there's always the chance that she'll think you're abandoning her. That would be awful. That poor Haruna-chan. She acts so tough, but she's really just pretty sensitive on the inside."
Pausing for a breath, Akio went on. "Haruna-chan means a lot to you right? I'm sure I already know your answer to my confession. So it's okay. I can wait a few minutes longer to hear it. Haruna-chan is still here waiting for you right? So go talk to her. Make sure all the air is clear, and when it's finally all settled, come back to me and we'll make it official."
Kanako stood still as she took in Akio's words. "Tell... Haruna?" she thought. "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt. Akio-kun's right too. She was a part of all of this at one point. And it'll only take a few minutes. Then Akio-kun and I can really be a couple." Once she thought it through, Kanako took off. Through the doors she went as she went to look for Haruna.
As she ran, a voice called out to her. "Whoa! Heya Kana-chan! Where ya goin'?" Chiyo asked. "I'm looking for Haruna!" Kanako said quickly. "What's the rush?" Chiyo asked. "Well, u-um... a lot happened just now, but Akio-kun just confessed to me, and I need to find Haruna!" "Hang on. Akio-kun... confessed?" Chiyo said, her eyes wide. Kanako nodded rapidly. "Isn't it amazing?!" she exclaimed. "...Yeah, you bet! Congrats Kana-chan!" Chiyo said, forcing a smile. "Okay, I-I need to go! I have to find Haruna!" Kanako said. "Good luck!" Chiyo called as Kanako ran off.
*****
As she watched Kanako's back get smaller, Chiyo's fist got tighter and tighter. "That bastard..." she said through gritted teeth. "He actually did it..." Fuming, Chiyo took a sharp turn from her original direction. "I'm sure I know where he is right now. Hell, he's probably waiting for me." The more she marched, the angrier she got. "Akio-kun... you scheming son of a bitch!"
When Chiyo got to the doors she was looking for, she flung them open. Going through them led her right to where Kanako had just been, behind the school. Still standing out in the cold was Akio-kun. At the sudden noise, he turned to see the gal taking strides toward him. "There you are," he said calmly. "So you did know I was coming," Chiyo said angrily, stopping just short of being on top of Akio. "Not really. Honestly Chiyo, you give me too much credit. I just figured that if you were still around and ran into Kana-chan, she'd mention me confessing and you'd come storming out here. Guess I was right."
In response, Chiyo glared at Akio. "...Seriously, like, what the hell is wrong with you?" she asked in a dark tone. "Do you really think this is okay?!" "It'll be fine," Akio said, relaxed. "Kana-chan will understand."
At the boy's nonchalant words, Chiyo lunged forward. Her hand gripped Akio's collar and she pulled him up to her until their noses were nearly touching. In one fluid motion, her free hand flew up in a fist and pulled back, but then she stopped. "...I want to hit you so bad right now," she uttered. "I know," Akio said, a touch of sadness in his voice. "But you can't, can you? Because you know I'm right." Dropping her hand and releasing the boy with a shove, Chiyo kept her face pointed at the ground as she spoke.
"You're the worst, you know that?" she said quietly. "Yeah," Akio agreed as Chiyo went on. "I can't deny that you're right. I mean, the only reason I even agreed to help you in the first place was because I knew that. But..." Chiyo paused, finally looking up. "That doesn't make it okay to toy with people's hearts like this! Why couldn't you just let it happen naturally?! Or just offer a little push here and there?! There was no need to rush! It's not like you're dying or anything!" Chiyo, on the verge of tears, pressed on. "Do you even understand what you've done?! What if Kana-chan can never love again because of this?! What if you destroyed it all?!" "Chiyo, that might be a bit overdra-"
"YOU LIED TO HER AND TOLD HER YOU LOVED HER GOD DAMN IT!!!!!!!"
Silence fell over the two. Akio said nothing. It wasn't as if he could deny it. He had absolutely lied to Kanako. The confession, his honeyed words, all of it. There was love between them. Akio did love Kanako, but it was nowhere near romantic. And yet, he had given a confession of love, when perhaps it should've been one for his sins.
"I don't care what you say," Chiyo said hoarsely. "What you did was wrong Akio-kun. You took Kana-chan's love for you and twisted it for your own gain. Even if I agree that she should be with Haru-chi, that doesn't mean your means are justified." Putting on her fiercest glare, Chiyo stared Akio down. "If this hurts Kanako beyond repair... if she can never find it in her heart to love again... I will never forgive you."
With that said, Chiyo turned and walked away. "Where are you going?" Akio asked. "Home. It's not like I can do anything anyways. All of your meddling made it impossible for me to get involved anymore. If I showed up now and Haru-chi saw me, our friendship would probably be over. It wouldn't matter if I was guilty or not. So I'm going home, and I'll be waiting, just in case she or Kana-chan need me." Then Chiyo went back inside the school, leaving Akio alone once more.
"She'll never forgive me..." he repeated. "If this plan of mine fails, I don't think I can forgive me either."
End of Chapter Twenty.