Episode 11: Tsunagari

[Hayate]

Power of Love

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~ Episode 11: Tsunagari (Bond) ~[/u]

Act 1: Piece of Home

Sunday morning. The morning immediately following Sapporo South High School’s field trip to Miyako-jima. The dark cloud that had loomed over the Nanbara household was all but gone. Kyosuke Nanbara sits at the kitchen table, happily helping himself to a plate of pancakes his cousin Satsuki had made out of an act of goodwill. “A hot breakfast with the works? It’s been a while since you did something like this, Satsuki.”, comments the boy with a flippant chuckle. “What’s the occasion?”

Wearing an apron and a motherly smile, Satsuki replies, “What? I can’t do something nice for my dearest cousin?”

“‘Dearest cousin’? Who are you and what’ve you done with Satsuki?”, Kyosuke jokes, raising an eyebrow.

Placing a hand on her hip, the blue-haired girl snaps back, “Oh, shut up! I’m just glad you had a good time on the field trip yesterday, that’s all. …Are you sure nothing special happened?”

“…”

“Emiri?”

“…Gomen… Can I stay like this…just for a bit?”

“…Sure.”

Kyosuke downs a small mouthful of orange juice to cool his warm, pink cheeks. “I told you, nothing happened. Everyone was…normal.”

“…Sou ka?” Satsuki wasn’t convinced. She knew he was hiding something, but decided not to delve. Momentarily turning away from the stove, Satsuki pulls a chair out from under the table and seats herself across from Kyosuke. “Hey, Kyo?”

“Nan da?”

“I got a phone call late last night, and another earlier this morning. You remember that girl you used to always hang out with back home? That Inoue girl?”

Upon hearing the name Inoue, Kyosuke sets his fork and knife down. “Miyako? Yeah, of course I remember her. What about her?”

“Well…” Just then, before Satsuki could continue, the door bell rings. “Oh! She’s here already!”

“‘She’?”

As the two rise from their seats and approach the front door, the bell would ring a second time. “Hai, hai! Be right there!”, Satsuki calls out.

“Satsuki, what’s going on?”, asks Kyosuke, standing just a few feet to his cousin’s rear. “Who’d you talk to on the phone? Do you know who’s at the door?”

“Hahaha. Jeez, is it that much of a mystery?” Unlatching the locks, Satsuki proceeds to open the door and greet whoever was on the other side. “Hey! You’re early!”

“Yeah, well, you know me! Heh!”, an unfamiliar voice says rather merrily. “Is he here?”

“Mm-hmm! Oh, Kyo~suke!”

As Satsuki steps to the side, the visitor is revealed to be a beautiful girl with long brown hair. With widened eyes and an excited expression, she cries, “Kyosuke! Sashiburi!”

At the sight of the girl, Kyosuke’s eyes go wide as well, but rather out of shock than excitement. “M-Miyako?!?”

…Meanwhile, somewhere in Nishi-ku, a certain starry-eyed redhead merrily makes her way up the walk towards a street corner residence. Once positioned in front of the door, she rings the doorbell and awaits a reply.

“Just a sec!”, a voice calls out from inside. As the door swings open, the redhead is greeted by a bundle of green hair. “Hey, Emiri!”, Chiaki greets with a wide grin. “Thanks for comin’! Real nice o’ ya to come shoppin’ wit’ me today!”

“You kidding? I love shopping! Hehehe! So, you ready to go?”

“Yup! Just let me grab my-- Aah!” At the moment, the jade-haired Osakan would feel a soft nuzzling at her ankle, causing her to twitch in ticklishness. Looking down, Chiaki sees the ever-hungry-for-attention Maneki nudging her skin gently. She giggles at this sight and picks up her pet cat. “Aw, Maneki… You gonna miss me?”

“Nyaa…”

“Don’t worry your cute li’l head; I’ll be back soon, ‘kay? Now you behave yourself while I’m gone. Ne?”

“Nya-nya!”

Setting her kitten back down onto its feet, Chiaki quickly grabs her purse and joins Emiri outside the house. “Alright then! Let’s get goin’!”

“Yeah!”

Shortly after leaving the vicinity of Chiaki’s house, the two friends walk alongside the sidewalk towards Hassamu Station. “I saw th’ cutest dress over at th’ Sapporo Factory the other day! You’ll just DIE when you see it!”

“Hahaha! Can’t wait!”

“…Soooooooo…Emi-chan…”

“Yeah?”

“You and Kyo seem to be getting along really well lately, aren’t ya?”

“Hmm? Yeah, so what?”

“Hee-hee! Oh, nothin’! …But ya sure couldn’t keep your hands off each other yesterday, huh?”

“!!!”

“…Gomen… Can I stay like this…just for a bit?”

“…Sure.”

“W-What are you getting at, Chiaki!?”

“Hahaha! Nothin’ at all!” As she laughs heartily, Chiaki runs a short distance ahead of her redhead friend.

“H-Hey! Chiaki, get back here!”

Meanwhile, back at the Nanbara household, after the shock created by Miyako’s sudden arrival had subsided, Kyosuke, Satsuki, and Miyako retire to the kitchen. “M-Miyako…”, starts the black-haired boy, still bowled over by his friend’s appearance. “…What are you doing here in Sapporo?”

A short few feet away from Kyosuke, Miyako is seen leaning against the kitchen counter with her arms folded behind her head. “I’m in town visiting some relatives, but I just had to come see you first, Kyosuke. It’s been a whole year since we’ve seen each other. And then I hear from Satsuki here that you were on Miyako-jima just yesterday? You should’ve come and found me so we could hang out!”

“It was a school-funded field trip; it’s not as though I had time to goof off… Hmm?” Opening his eyes, Kyosuke sees Miyako’s face just a few inches away from his. “Aah! W-What!?”

“Wow, Kyosuke. You’ve gotten tall. Hah! You’re finally taller than I am!”

His face warming up, Kyosuke swiftly turns away in embarrassment. “…It’s not that big a deal…”

“Hehehe… Same old Kyo…”

“…”

“…Hey, I got an idea!”, Satsuki says, finally speaking up. “Since Miyako here’s in town for today only, why don’t the two of you hang out together?”

“H-Huh!?” The boy had no idea what would possess his cousin to suggest such a thing.

Of course Miyako was more than thrilled at the notion. “That’s a great idea! You can show me around Sapporo! It’d be just like old times!”

“But…I thought you were visiting relatives.”

“Aw, I can visit them later! We have so much to catch up on!”

“…” If experience served, Kyosuke was all but defeated. Once Miyako had made up her mind on something, it was almost impossible to change it. Besides, just as Miyako had missed him a great deal, he had missed her as well. He did grow up with her after all. With a heavy sigh, Kyosuke picks his head up and shows the girl a half-grin. “…What’re we waiting for…?”

“Awesome! I’ll wait for ya outside, okay?”

After watching the girl with long brown locks leave the room, Kyosuke dons a somber frown and turns to face Satsuki. “…Why would you suggest that?”

“Oh, don’t be that way. So you’re spending the afternoon with an old friend -- what’s the big deal?”

“Yeah, but…what about…?” The boy had cut himself off mid-sentence…

…but even Satsuki herself was aware of what he was about to say. “This is good for you, Kyosuke. I know you better than you know yourself. I know that you’re struggling with your feelings right now. …She is too. So go out and have fun. And by the end of the day, you’ll know for sure where your heart truly lies.”

“…”

…Before long, Kyosuke and Miyako would be aimlessly wandering through the streets of Chuo-ku. Though she didn’t seem to give it away, Miyako still showed miniscule signs of trepidation. “Wow… Sure are a lot of people here, huh? It’s nothing like back home.”

“Hehe. Yeah.” It amused Kyosuke a little that Miyako was acting almost exactly like he was when he himself first came to Sapporo. The city’s vast population would excite anyone from such a small place like Okinawa.

“How do you handle it, Kyo?”

“I admit it was a little scary at first, but hey, I’ve had a whole year to get used to it. You’ve only been here one day.”

“Was that a crack?”

“…Maybe.”

With Kyosuke’s teasing remark, the two friends share a short laugh. “Ahhh… I almost forgot how this feels.”

“How what feels?”

“Laughing with you, Kyosuke. Having fun with you. Just…being with you.”

“…” Kyosuke could feel his face getting warm again. He did enjoy Miyako’s company -- especially after not seeing her for over a year -- and he did indeed care deeply about her. But what of Emiri? He and Miyako had far more history, but it wasn’t as though he could just shove Emiri aside, not after all the months they had spent together. Now that Miyako was here, Kyosuke would eventually have to choose between them. But was it at all possible to choose one without hurting the other?

‘By the end of the day, you’ll know for sure where your heart truly lies.’

Satsuki seemed so certain of herself. Kyosuke, however, wasn’t so sure. “…Miyako?”

“Yeah?”

“I… I need to tell you something. …You see--”

Unfortunately, the boy’s words are suddenly interrupted when a familiar voice calls out from down the block. “HEY, KYOSUKE!!!”

“…?” Gazing down the street, Kyosuke notices through the crowd of people two ever-familiar faces slowly approaching. “…!!!”

Several yards away, with several shopping bags hanging from their fingers, Emiri and Chiaki walk towards Kyosuke and Miyako. “What’s up, Kyo?”, Chiaki cheerfully greets once within talking distance.

“…Emiri… Chiaki… H-Hey.”, replies Kyosuke halfheartedly.

“…Hmm?” Finally acknowledging Miyako’s presence, Emiri asks, “…Who’s this, Kyosuke…?”

“U-Um…”

Unexpectedly interjecting, Miyako interlocks her arm with Kyosuke’s and introduces herself. “Yoroshiku! I’m Miyako! Miyako Inoue!”

“…M-Miyako…?” The name had struck Emiri like a ton of bricks.

~Tsunagari: End of Act 1~

Act 2: Follow Your Heart

Relocating to a nearby outdoor café, the four friends share in a round of drinks. As she helps herself to dango, Chiaki looks toward Miyako at the other end of the table. “So you and Kyo grew up together on the island?”

“Mm-hmm! Known each other since first grade!”

“Wow… That long, eh? He must’ve been a handful.”

“Well, I’ve learned to live with him! Hahaha! …And what about you two? You’re in the same homeroom as him?”

“Yup!”

“Bet he spends all his time staring out the window, right?”

“Yeah, he does! Hehehe!”

As Chiaki and Miyako talk nonstop about him, Kyosuke simply leans back in his seat, listens to the two converse, and sips his drink. ‘Heh… These two sure hit it off quick…’ “…Hmm?” Just then, the boy couldn’t help but notice Emiri, who was sitting across from him, being eerily quiet. It was out of character, especially for her. “…You okay, Emiri?”

“Huh!? O-Oh! I’m fine! Shinpai na!”

“…” In a situation such as this, Emiri was a failure at hiding her true self. Kyosuke could tell she was uncomfortable. She had every reason to be. She was sitting just a foot away from who may very well have been her competition.

“What’s up, Kyo?”, says Miyako to her staring-into-space friend. “You got something on your mind?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Reaching over and wrapping her arm around Kyosuke, Miyako nudges the boy further. “Aw, c’mon. You can tell me.”

“I-It’s really nothing, Miyako.”

Emiri’s heart had already sunken as far as it could be pushed; seeing Miyako get amorous towards Kyosuke was the straw that had elbowed her over the edge. Quickly rising from her seat, she addresses the two. “I, uh…just remembered something. I wanted to go buy something at this store over on Higashi 5th before it closes. Come on, Chiaki, we should get going.” Then, with a swift 180, she begins to walk away.

“E-Emiri?” Quickly swallowing the rest of her dango, Chiaki follows after the departing redhead. “Emi-chan! Chotto matte!”

As he watches the two walk off, Kyosuke bites his lower lip, feeling responsible for her discomfort and sudden departure.

Meanwhile, back at the Nanbara household, Satsuki was content with lounging on the couch in the living room eating a bag of potato chips and watching her favorite Japanese comedy duo perform on television. The humorous improvised dialogue between the two was enough to drive the blue-haired college girl to laughter-induced tears. “Ahhh… I never get tired of these guys…” She takes another chip into her hand and is about to crunch down upon it, but halts herself halfway. “Hmm… I wonder how Kyo’s doing…”

A short couple of hours later, Emiri and Chiaki are in the dressing room of yet another mall outlet. Emiri emerges from behind the curtain wearing a cute white blouse that exposed her shoulders and midriff. “What do you think of this one, Chiaki?”, queries the redhead to her Osakan pal.

The expression on Chiaki’s face stated that she was quite concerned for her friend’s current mental state. “…It’s alright, but Emi-chan--”

“Ooh! I think I’ll try this on next!”, exclaims Emiri as she once again retreats behind the curtain.

In response to this, Chiaki simply lets another sigh. “…Emi-chan, is somethin’ th’ matter?”

“Huh? Why would anything be the matter? I’m having a great time!”

“But…what about Kyo--”

“!!!” In an attempt to cut her friend off, Emiri quickly emerges and holds out a shirt in front of Chiaki. “H-Hey, Chiaki! Why don’t you try this on? It’ll look cute on you!”

The green-haired girl had enough of the façade. She stands up and stamps her foot on the ground. “Knock it off already, Emiri!!!”

The girl’s shocking outburst startles Emiri to the point where the shirt falls out of her hands and quietly plops onto the floor. “C-Chiaki…!?”

“What’s th’ matter with you, Emiri!? Are ya just gonna give up like this!?”

“I…don’t know what you mean… Give up on what?”

“On Kyosuke, of course! You think that now his ol’ friend is back, it’s okay for you to just roll over and play dead!? …C’mon, Emiri. I’ve seen the way you two act around each other. You like ‘im. And I can tell he likes you too.”

Chiaki was right about one thing: Emiri did indeed like Kyosuke. But she wasn’t so sure he felt the same way. “…But…Miyako…”

“Forget about her. What really matters is you. What you need to do is go out, find ‘im, and tell ‘im how you really feel. Lay it on ‘im! Let ‘im know that ya ain’t gonna give ‘im up without a fight!”

“…” It was an inspiring speech, Emiri admitted. But confessing to Kyosuke how she felt was easier said than done. Confronting him with such emotions out of the blue? It wasn’t something she was used to doing so freely. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? “…Hmph! Sumanai, Chiaki! I’ve gotta go find Kyosuke!” Having said this, Emiri turns and bolts from the store.

Watching Emiri leave, a smile creeps onto Chiaki’s face. “…Go get ‘im, Emi-chan.”

As Emiri dashed through the crowded streets of Chuo-ku, hundreds of things were going through her mind simultaneously. “…Kyosuke…” What was she going to say to Kyosuke once she found him? “…Kyosuke…” Who would he choose? “…Kyosuke…” Would he accept her affections? “…Kyosuke…” But despite all the heart-wrenching thoughts, only one thing mattered to Emiri: she just had to make her feelings known. “…Kyosuke!!!”

Elsewhere, Kyosuke and Miyako are seen on their final approach to Souen Station. “I should probably get going to Asahikawa. Can’t have Eiji-ojiichan wait for me all night. You’re gonna see me off at the airport tomorrow like you promised, right, Kyo? …Kyo?” Turning to face Kyosuke, Miyako sees him with his hands pocketed and his eyes glued to the ground. “…Kyosuke?”

“…”

“…You’re thinking about that Emiri girl, aren’t you?”

“Huh? W-What?”

“…Hehehehe. Now I get it.”

“W-Wait… Miyako, it’s not--”

“You don’t need to say anything, Kyosuke. It’s alright. I mean, you had a whole year to find someone else, right? You and I’ll only ever be friends, and I’m perfectly fine with that. …Although I gotta admit, it’s a little disappointing. Guess I should’ve tried harder, huh? Hehehe.”

“…” At that moment, Kyosuke could hear the faint sound of feet skidding across the ground not too far to his rear. Spinning around, Kyosuke sees Emiri, breathless and jaded. “Emiri…!”

Between short breaths, Emiri starts, “K-Kyosuke… I… I…” It was no good. Now that the girl was looking Kyosuke in the eye, the words refused to come. ‘…Come on… You can do this… You can do this!’

“…What is it, Emiri? You what?”, asks the black-haired lad with concerned eyes.

“!!!” Unfortunately, he was looking her in the eye as well, and with Miyako just standing there waiting, Emiri starts to tremble. “I…I’m sorry!” Just as quickly as she had arrived, the girl had sprinted away again.

“E-Emiri!” Naturally, at this point, the boy was beyond confused. Was he to go after her and leave Miyako behind? Or should he leave her alone for now?

“What are you waiting for, Kyo!? This is the part where you go after her!”

“Huh!?” Looking back towards Miyako, Kyosuke makes fleeting eye contact with her. “But--!”

“No buts! Listen to what your heart’s saying! If you don’t go after her right now, I’m gonna kick you until you do!” Even now the girl had exhibited the same immature playfulness she had shown as a child…

…nonetheless, it had certainly hit home. With a hardened resolve and a confident nod, Kyosuke runs off after Emiri.

“…Heh. Same old Kyo.”

Her retreat from Kyosuke eventually leading her into an empty park, Emiri finally stops running in order to catch her breath. ‘This was a stupid idea… What was I thinking…?’ Once calmed to an extent, she looks up at the slowly setting sun and basks in her solitude.

The girl wouldn’t be alone for very long however, as Kyosuke catches up with her at last. “Emiri!”

“!!!” Quickly turning around, Emiri begins to back away. “Go away, Kyosuke! Don’t come near me!”

“What the hell’s gotten into you!? Why are you acting like this!?”

“Stay away from me!!!”

At the girl’s words, Kyosuke halts his approach -- anything to keep her from going over the deep end. “…Please, Emiri… What’s bothering you? Are you angry that I spent the day with Miyako?”

“Of course not! Why would I be angry!? She’s your best friend! You’ve been together your whole lives!”

“…”

“Why’d I even try to fool myself? She’s prettier…and funnier… And I’m just…second-rate…”

“Don’t be stupid, Emiri. You’re not--”

“Kyosuke, please! Don’t say anything else! It only makes the pain worse! …Don’t you remember what you said to me on the phone the other day?”

“…Hello…?”

“Um… H-Hi, Kyosuke.”

“…Hey, Emiri.”

“I, uh… I just called to apologize. You were right. It was stupid of me to suggest we go to Miyako-jima. I don’t know what I was thinking. Hehehe. …Gomen.”

“…No, Emiri. You don’t have to apologize. I’m the one who’s sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have--”

“Oh, that? Heh! Daijoubu! I’ve already forgotten about it! Hahaha!”

“…”

“…Kyosuke? You still there?”

“…Yeah.”

“…W-Well…that’s pretty much all I wanted to say. I’ll, uh, see you at school tomorrow, okay?”

“Emiri, wait.”

“Huh? What’s up, Kyo?”

“I…I just want you to know that…I’d never intentionally say or do anything that might hurt you… Alright?”

“…Heh. Since when did you get all melodramatic and sincere?”

“…Since…just now, I guess. Heh.”

“…But…thanks for saying that, Kyosuke. Mata ashita, ne?

“Yeah. Mata ashita.”

“…Even though I didn’t show it, it made me really happy to hear you say those words, Kyosuke. They made me forget about all the tension that had risen between us in the past. So please…don’t say anything else… Right now, just the sound of your voice is tearing me in two…” As the tears fall from Emiri’s eyes, they appear to glow in the light of the sunset, illuminating her face.

Kyosuke simply stood there with his arms rigidly at his sides. The sight of Emiri crying before him was making his heart feel heavy. “…” The boy slowly curls his fingers into tight fists. He does exactly as Emiri said and doesn’t speak. Instead, his feet begin to carry him forward.

“W-What are you doing!? I said don’t come near me!”

These words, however, Kyosuke doesn’t listen to. He persists his approach without wavering until the two were just a couple of feet apart.

“G-Get away!” In an attempt to defend herself, the girl swings her arm…

…but Kyosuke catches the arm just before her hand comes into contact with his face.

“…K-Kyosuke…?”

Still keeping quiet, Kyosuke gently lets Emiri’s arm out of his grip. Then, cupping the girl’s soft tear-streaked cheeks into his hands, he looks intently into her eyes. And finally, in the heat of the moment…

…he kisses her.

…Back at the Nanbara household, Satsuki is seen snoozing soundly on the living room couch. Her grease-covered hands and bare feet hung sloppily over the couch’s edge, the TV screen was clouded by white noise, and the girl’s snoring was enough to wake the dead. Just then, the girl would receive a very rude awakening when the phone -- placed on the stand near her head, as luck would have it -- starts to ring. “Aah!” Jolted awake by the blaring sound of the ring, Satsuki tosses and turns until… “OW!” …she falls off the couch and lands face-down on the floor. “Ugh…” Reaching up and picking up the phone, Satsuki looks up at the Caller ID -- reading ‘Miya-chan’ -- and smiles, almost as though she knew exactly what had happened. “…Looks like you finally found your answer, huh, Kyosuke…?”

~Tsunagari: End of Act 2~

~Power of Love: End of Episode 11~

~ Power of Love: Next Episode ~

Yuzu: What is a kiss?

Chiaki: A mutual understanding between kindred spirits?

Misuzu: The culmination of a bond built over time?

Rudy: Or the end result of what happens when two fates intertwine?

Kyosuke/Emiri: Next time on Power of Love. Episode 12, “Kuchizuke (Kiss)”.[/size][/color][/font]