After a long shower and a good night's sleep Aki felt refreshed in the morning.
He got out of the bed enthusiastically as if something good had happened. After getting out of the bed,he went to have a cup of coffee. He grabbed the bottle of milk from the fridge,warmed it up and poured it in a bowl.
Surprisingly he couldn't find the cat in his room,nowhere. He then went to the dark room,as soon he opened the door the cat meowed. The cat was looking at him while sitting on the top of the chest deep freezer.
Aki's expression changed into blankness as he stared towards the cat for a long time.The cat was staring as if the cat was guilty. Then Aki suddenly came to pet the cat.
'You shouldn't come here ok? It's always kept close. If you enter here by mistake you will stay locked down in this room for at least for days as I don't come here often. So be careful.' Aki explained the cat while brushing through its fur.
The cat jumps down and walks away. Aki observed the cat till it got out. Aki closes the door while staring at the freezer. The cat drinks the whole milk without stopping. Aki feels a bit bad thinking why he scolded this cutie. Aki has always been fond of animals. He loves them so much. But for Tanya and other reasons he couldn't adopt one. Majorly was for Tania's well being as she has a medical condition. But now Aki has decided,he will do what he feels. And for various reasons he has a feeling that he won't be able to get back with Tanya. Aki takes the cat to the vet. Checked the health but due to some complications he had to leave him there for treatment. Paying the bill, he got out bidding goodbye to Blackie.
Aki reached the office building but he remembered that he had to go somewhere because of the work. He messed up. He looked at the wrist watch and sighs,'and here I was thinking to have a good day!'
By the time everything was finished it was evening. He got out of the teachers' office. He has taken a project on a photoshoot of a school magazine. And it was his school. His friend Noah is now a teacher there. So he was there with him. Noah insisted on having dinner with him as he rarely gets the chance to spend time with Aki. Aki felt a bit guilty,so he stayed with him.
The teachers' quarter was just next to the school field. This field was the biggest school field around his time in school. Now he doesn't know which one is the biggest. He stayed on the balcony as Noah was cooking dinner. He saw Mei playing there in the field. Alone. There is no doubt it was him.
Aki smiled watching Mei play and asked Noah to call him when Noah was done cooking.
'Ok. It will rain soon I guess,so take the umbrella with you.' Noah told him from the kitchen without looking at Aki. Aki agreed but went down without an umbrella thinking that he would be back soon.
Mei saw him when Aki was almost there.
'You are here today as well.Do you come here everyday?'Aki asked Mei.
'Yeah,why are you here today?'Mei answered.
'Do you know Noah? Your teacher from the math department? I'm his friend.' Aki tried to be friendly.
'oh! I don't know.' Mei didn't seem to know.
'Then who takes your math class? As far as I know, he takes the classes for grade 8 too.'Aki was trying to understand.
'No! Jacob does.' Mei said while playing.
'Jacob sensei? He hasn't retired yet?!' Aki was astonished.
Mei couldn't understand why Jacob would retire. He was Aki's math teacher as well. He was supposed to retire by this time.
'I guess he didn't. Which section are you in?' Aki asked.
'class B.'Mei was answering everything so Aki smiled,'What happened? You are not hesitating today to answer me?'
'Well! you are a friend of one of the teachers here so…' Mei keeps playing as Aki keeps watching him. How much one can resemble Mei like that ,Aki keeps thinking.
Aki was curious as Mei always seems to keep playing alone.
'Where do you live? In the dorm or out?' Aki just wanted to know as Mei seems to be here a lot.
'I live on 00 street.' Mei answered without hesitation.
Mei suddenly stopped the ball in front of the goal post line. He keeps standing staring there. It's not a very clear sight as there is not much light. Only the lamppost's lights in school are there.
Out of nowhere a thunder lightning shows up without any sound. Mei had stopped playing. Aki clearly sees that Mei is not moving anymore. He is standing in front of the goal post like a statue. After a while another lightening shows up with rain. As Aki doesn't have an umbrella he goes to the garage to take shelter but sees Mei still standing there,not moving.
'Aki ! Aki !' Noah called out from upstairs.
'yes! yes! I'm here ! Why are you shouting? You could have called!'Aki was worried others would complain.
Aki screamed from downstairs to the 2nd floor of the building.
'You dummy didn't even take the umbrella and to my surprise you didn't even take your phone.'Noah yelled at him.
Aki checked his pockets,the phone was not there. He looked at Mei. Mei wasn't moving from there either. Why he was standing there even in the rain somehow began to feel irritating to Aki.
'Noah! Drop down the umbrella.'Aki asked Noah.
'Just come on up. Why need it?'Noah didn't know the reason for Aki's concern.
Aki explained to Noah that there was a kid on the playground.
'Really! But students are not allowed to enter around this time.'Noah told Aki.
Noah watched carefully but no one was there. Only football was there.
'There is no one though.' he told Aki after carefully observing .
'What are you talking about? He is right…'Aki stopped.
Mei wasn't there. He looked towards the main entrance of the school and there was no sight of Mei as well.
'Maybe they left. Who will be stupid enough to stand there in the rain! Come on up.' Noah sighs.
Aki was distracted for a bit.He couldn't listen.
'Aki!' Noah called out again
'yeah! I'm...getting there!' As he steps up, many things seem weird to him.
Why did he look like Mei,Why is that kid playing alone,why those eyes..
Aki asked Noah who was standing on the doorstep,'Aren't you supposed to be in charge of math for class 8 this year?'
'I am and I am doing so.'
'Then how come Professor Jacob is taking them?' Aki was confused.
'Professore Jacob? What are you talking about?' Noah became serious to hear that
'That kid told me that Jacob was..' Aki was interrupted by Noah.
'Professore Jacob isn't even here,how can he take class? Don't you know that he retired ?' Noah asked to confirm that Aki is aware. Aki explains, ' guessed so but has he come back for….?'
*No! Not even once.He is… well I guess you didn't hear. Last year he had an accident so he lost one leg due to that.' Noah's voice shakes a bit while saying
Aki was feeling restless all the time. He had a feeling that he couldn't deny but still he ignored. Aki instead of getting inside runs downstairs. Noah was shocked.
'Ooy! Where do you think you are going?'Noah was left baffled at Aki's actions.
Aki didn't listen.He kept going down.
Noah takes the umbrella and runs behind him.But couldn't catch up with him as he was far ahead.
Tears and raindrops…
Aki was standing in front of the goal post. He kept his eye set at the ball. Noah is just a step behind him. Stood there silently. THAT ball belonged to Mei. No way they can forget. They used to play with it as Mei bought it for them to play. The group's initials were written there along with the name Mei. Over time that initial faded quite a bit that you can't see if you don't look closely enough. Noah was left speechless as he saw Aki silently crying as if Aki was used to it. Noah without consoling Aki stays standing holding the umbrella silently. Even in her funeral, or on her death anniversary, Aki never cried but now, here he is,crying his heart out.
Thunder and lightning feels uncomfortable for Noah. So he grabbed Aki's arm and somehow made him walk out of there