Back then I was a crybaby and a shy kid who never used to talk to anyone because everyone made fun of me. I was not a person who have many friends, the only friend I have was Itsuki, he became my friend when I forget my bento at home and he ends up sharing food with me.
One summer day, while walking back home from Itsuki place, I saw a girl the same age as me holding a hand with her grandma staring at me. I got terrified when they started walking towards me, I started crying louder and louder with each step they took towards me. No, maybe I started screaming "Help" with my tears overflowing from my eyes.
"Are you a crybaby?" it was the girl, she smiled at me and asked this with her sweet voice.
[I know it was practically an insult]
"Hello dear, what's your name? My apologies for her manners, she is Mayu Suzuki and I am her grandma"
Her grandma was very kind to me, she used to always smile at me.
"She has come to visit me on her vacation. She doesn't have any friends here; would you like to be friends with her?"
"No... yes......" I was so confused that what am I supposed to do in this situation, I was just about to cry then a pleasant voice approached into my ears.
"Will you please be my friend?" she extended her hand towards me for a handshake.
"I am kai Iswaki, okay L… let's be friends "I didn't want to make grandma worry about her.
"Please take care of Mayu for me"
"Yes, I will obachan"
After that she took us to the candy shop, at first, I thought that I can't even take care of myself how I am going to take care of her.
"Obachan what if I fail to take care of Suzuki San?"
[she smiled at me with the prettiest smile she could]
"I know you can do it"
"Why did you choose me to be her friend? You could have chosen anyone, I cry at little things, I even don't have many friends" I asked her out of curiosity
She held my hand and replied "It was not me who chose you, it was Mayu who have chosen you"
After that day, we used a play a lot in her garden. Obachan used to watch us play, she didn't stop smiling whenever I look at her.
"Cry Kun what are we going to play today?" she used to call me Cry Kun instead of Kai Kun.
"Do you want to play Kendama?" I don't know what type of games do girls like, I always play this with Itsuki so I am pretty good at it.
We played kendama till afternoon and to be honest she was better than me.
"Cry Kun don't you have any friends other than me?"
"Yaa, I have Itsuki, he is my best friend. Wait I will introduce you to him someday" I replied with a smile
"Ohhh so, you have friends"
After listening to her words, I became more curious about why she chose me as her friend.
"Suzuki San, why did you choose me as your friend?"
She turned around and smiles at me and replied "That's a secret" that was the sweetest smile I have ever seen. she had long soft black hair, always open. She had brown eyes, while looking at her sometimes I wonder are girls this pretty?
The day passed we became closer and closer; I even introduce her to Itsuki. We three used to play a lot at that time. Obachan used to cook a meal for us, it was flavorful, I have never forgotten the taste of her meal.
[Itsuki started calling me cry Kun too]
One day I got fed up and told her that will you stop calling me that, I am Kai Iswaki.
"Okay I will call you by your name but only on one condition, I will drop the honorific" replied with a sly smile.
"WHAT! But honorific?"
"Okay if you are not fine then I will call you Cry Kun only"
"NO! it's fine you can call me Kai" Kai is better than Cry Kun right? I questioned myself.
Itsuki went to his dad for vacation he worked overseas so, we were again left alone, that day obachan came to us while we were playing,
"Do you two want to go to the Hanabi festival?"
Suzuki San and I were very happy to hear that, Obachan told me that they will be waiting for me Tomorrow at 7 pm.
The next day I went there I can see obachan waiting for me, I can realize a girl hiding behind her, I noticed that the girl was Suzuki San. She was wearing a yukata, hair tied it made me blush.
"Mayu didn't you wanted to ask something to Kai Kun?"
"Kai How am I look…... Ing" Her face was bright red; I had never seen this side of her before.
"You are looking great" I smiled and replied.
[We both were blushing after that]
Obachan held our hands and began walking towards the Hanabi festival, there was an awkward silence between me and Suzuki San on the complete journey. We were looking at each other and turning away. When we reached the festival, obachan bought us candies, chocolates, yakisoba, and many other kinds of stuff. She was like a grandma to me always smiling whenever I saw her. Obachan's friends saw her with us they called obachan, she didn't want to leave us alone so she told us to sit on the bench near the shop.
"Dear I will be back soon you two please wait here for a bit, Take care of her Kai Kun"
We were waiting for her to come back when Suzuki San said something to me, I was not able to understand what she was saying because of the noise around us, then she whispered to me
"Kai come with me, grandma told me that near the festival there is an old mountain shrine, grandma used to play there a lot when she was young. I wanted to visit the shrine lets go"
"We can't, obachan will be worried if she sees we are not here, she told me to take care of you"
"Yes, but we will be back soon" she held my hand started dragging me towards the mountain steps, while we were running towards the mountain. I could see her face; she was very excited to visit the shrine. It took us 15 minutes to reach the shrine.
"Kai we are here, we are at the old mountain shrine look" she was smiling at me with the same smile I saw the first day, I realize she is having a great time here, I didn't say a word. The shrine was old and by looking at it I could say that it's closed for years. I could see the moonlight from the shrine it was so beautiful.
"Suzuki – San lets go back obachan will be mad" I shouted to her
"Okay but just promise me you will not be a cry baby anymore after I go back to Tokyo tomorrow"
"Hmm I promise"
I didn't Understand why did she ask me to make a weird promise here.
"Kai that day you asked me why I chose you to be my friend right?"
"Yes, but that's not important now let's go back"
"No, it's important because after I arrived here, I didn't have any friends I spend all my day watching tv. I was lonely, grandma saw that right through me and told me that she will find me a friend to play with. On that day I chose you because you looked lonelier than me"
She chose me because for my sake if I thought about it now Yaa I was lonely, without Itsuki I am lonely. She is the only friend I have other than him. After hearing that it made me cry.
[Suzuki San held my hand once again]
"Didn't you promise something to me kai?"
"I am sorry, I will not cry I will become strong I promise," I told her that with all my heart.
"There is one more reason that I always want you to be my friend"
"And what is it?"
[BOOM! Fireworks begun]
"Kai looks it's the firework, it has begun"
We enjoyed the firework from the mountain that day it was so beautiful, I looked at her, eyes shining bright and the happiest smile, she was beautiful.
"Thank you for coming with me here, I will never forget this day"
"Let's head back"
We went to the bench again after the fireworks were over, obachan is not yet here we were safe for now. When I turned my face to look at Suzuki San, she was already looking at me (smiling).
She told me something but I can't understand her again because of the noise.
"Did you say something?" I asked with a confused look.
[she laughed and turned away]
"It's nothing"
After few minutes grandma came to us "I am sorry my dear, I missed the firework together. Have you both enjoyed it?"
[I was nervous to answer her]
"Yes, we enjoyed it a lot, right Kai?" Suzuki San replied with a chuckle looking towards me.
We came back home with lots of memories that day.
The next day, when I reached her home to play, I saw a taxi parked outside her home, Suzuki San and grandma were standing outside the house with bags.
[I rushed towards them]
"Suzuki San, obachan are you going somewhere?"
[Obachan hugged me]
"Yes, Kai we have to leave to Tokyo its urgent Suzuki San mom is calling us to live with her for some time as her dad is moving overseas for some work"
She wiped my tears and said "You have been like my grandchild, thank you for always taking care of my Mayu"
Now I think about it she is was like my grandma.
"I am going to miss you Obachan"
"Oh, dear! I am going to come back soon okay" She smiles at me.
"Kai"
I turned around to look at Suzuki San, she moved forward and hugged me, "You are bad at keeping the promise you know"
"Are you ever going to come again?"
"I promise you I will come again to see you if you promise to be strong next time we meet. Thank you for always being my friend Kai. I am never going to forget you", the smile she gave me at that moment I can't understand that she was happy or sad.
As they went inside the taxi, obachan and Suzuki San waving from the back seat going far away, I was waving back saying them my last goodbyes. From the day I decided that I will be strong and keep my promise to her so that she comes to visit me again someday.
I joined cram school, learn many sports, and tried to work hard to be the guy anyone can rely on.
"Hey kai why are you going that far for her?" Itsuki asked me casually but at that moment I realize that I was in love with her.
I told Itsuki about that day and he said he will always be by my side, to see the result of that day when she will come again to see me.
I went to check Obachan's house with Itsuki in the evening every day but a year had passed neither did Suzuki San came back nor obachan, after few months I gave up.