2022年度・九州大学文藝部・学祭号

Rose Under The Sunshade

Autumn, Present.

“Even though Autumn has come, the weather still seems to be hot, isn’t it?”

Akio exclaimed , wiping the sweat off from his forehead

(Akio Miyazaki. Tall. Handsome. Loved Blue Bracelets. )

The playground seemed to be deserted. The students preferred to stay inside the comfort of the air conditioner in the classrooms rather than under the scorching heat of the sun.

“Yeah, it really feels hot. We should get some ice cream after the class!”, Kiyoko said, ecstatically.

(Kiyoko Nakamura. Cheerful。Caring。Had a crush on Akio)

Unfortunately, Akio was rather oblivious towards her feelings.

As the classes got over, Akio and Kiyoko went out towards E-Café, but Akio suddenly stopped and proclaimed that he had some errands to run, so he requested Kiyoko to go alone instead.

Kiyoko gawked on as Akio went towards the West III building. She was too bemused to even say anything as he went off.

“He still doesn’t get it, does he?”, a timid voice came from behind Kiyoko.

Kiyoko sighed.

“No, he doesn’t.”, Kiyoko replied and looked towards her back towards Miyu.

(Miyu Takahashi. Short. Silent. Preferred her face hidden behind her long hair.)

Kiyoko turned around and hugged Miyu.

“Why doesn’t he understand me, Mimi!”, Kiyoko said , rather dramatically.

Miyu kept silent but didn’t resist the hug from her friend either.

In April, Miyu graduated from Kawasaki High School in Niigata. Naturally, it was far from home, here in Kyushu. She got enrolled at Kyushu University with high scores and perseverance. It might have been a little easier for her as she had no distractions whatsoever.

Back here in present, the Westminster bell chimed through the corridor. Therefore, both of them, along with others, headed out towards their homes for the day.

ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ

Miyu woke up, feeling nothing as usual. She had already lost the capability to feel anything since she was just a little girl. Her solitude in the past had made her realize that being alone was the best thing she could do to keep growing up.

Her father had left her family when she was still in elementary school. She and her mom along with her younger brother, who was just a baby then, had to go through a lot of hardships after that. Her mom was a top medical practitioner 10 years ago. However, she had to leave her job to take care of the family as Miyu’s father mostly stayed outside due to work. After her father left, her family struggled for months as her mom, with no income at all, slowly started getting more and more depressed. During that time, it was her uncle and aunt, who helped them go through the hardships and made Miyu’s mom regain her strengths and motivated her to start working again. It took her mom almost 3 years to get back to the normalcy, but she was once again able to sustain herself and her young children.

Miyu had lost her trust in people as she loved her father a lot and she felt betrayed. As she grew up watching her mother go through the hardships, she became more and more silent. She did not respond to people; therefore, she was constantly bullied by her other classmates.

Without friends, she found comfort in her studies and did not socialize much as well. Hence, she spent her middle school and high school life in pretty much the same way.

Kiyoko was her first friend whom she trusted for the first time about her feelings. Although it took a whole semester for her to trust Kiyoko, it wasn’t very difficult as Kiyoko was very patient with her.

ｘ－ｘ－ｘ－ｘ－ｘ

Spring, 6 months ago.

There was a lot of commotion in the campus as it was the commemoration of the newly enrolled students. The congratulatory banners, the decoration and lots of colorful confetti could be seen throughout the corridors, all the way to the bridge above Main Dining Area, with the traditional maroon colors of Kyushu University. When everyone was celebrating, Miyu was sitting at a desk in SALC , reading a novel, during the orientation session.

That was the first time, she had met Kiyoko. She had a short stature, elegance and wore a distinct white colored bunny hairpin with “I Love Tokyo” badge on her jacket.

She came by and sat on the seat, just beside Miyu.

“Hi, I am Kiyoko! Nice to meet you!” , Kiyoko said, with sparkle in her eyes.

Miyu smiled but felt too shy to say anything. Kiyoko tried again for few times to talk to her but to no avail. Kiyoko soon realized her introverted nature, so she took out a notebook and started scribbling something. After few minutes, she gave it to Miyu and went outside.

Miyu was surprised as she saw Kiyoko leave SALC but after a while, she finally read the notebook.

“I love your style. Please tell me about yourself by this diary. Leave it behind in the shelf behind the red book. I will take it tomorrow. Looking forward to it! ”

After two weeks of writing to each other, Miyu told Kiyoko about her father while Kiyoko told Miyu about her mother, who she lost in a car accident few years ago. Their deep talks helped them to become closer.

One day, they suddenly met each other again , face to face , by mere coincidence.

Miyu smiled at her and uttered , “Thank you” in a very whisper like voice.

Suddenly her face turned red as she slowly raised her head to look at Kiyoko’s face. Kiyoko’s eyes were sparkling!

“YOUR VOICE IS SO CUTE!”, Kiyoko screamed.

After that, even though she still preferred to use fewer words, Miyu started getting confident in talking with Kiyoko.

Two weeks later, Kiyoko suddenly started having a crush on Akio. He was a member of the “Ballena” Lacrosse team.

Akio started talking to her occasionally but didn’t seem to have any interest in Kiyoko.

Kiyoko, on the other hand, was too smitten to realize that.

During the club recruitments, Kiyoko had to practically beg Miyu to join the literature club alongside her. As they went inside the room 2205 in Center Zone, they were greeted by other members. Miyu turned around and ran back outside.

“She will get used to it. Don’t worry about her.”, Kiyoko explained the surprised members.

ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ

Autumn, Present again.

As Miyu and Kiyoko headed crossed the intersection, Kiyoko asked.

“Have you never had a crush on someone?”

Miyu didn’t respond for a while as they kept on walking beside central library, heading towards family mart.

“I did.”, Miyu replied, “But I never told anyone about it. Not even that guy.”

“What happened?”, the students from Lacrosse team passed them by, as Kiyoko asked, her eyes searching for Akio.

“Nothing. I just didn’t have the confidence.”, Miyu said, looking distressed.

Her eyes started tearing up a little.

“You wanna talk?”, Kiyoko asked.

“No.”, Miyu replied wiping her tears.

“That wasn’t a request.” Kiyoko also replied.

ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ

Fall, 4 years ago.

Miyu was sitting and crying on the floor, hiding her head behind her knees.

The bullies had locked her up from outside, inside the gymnasium.

The sun had already set, and it was turning dark around her.

Having no friends to help her, even her shadows slowly started to leave her side,

After almost two hours of suffering alone, she finally heard someone putting the keys inside the door.

As the door opened, Miyu was too scared to move her head and watch as to who it was.

She just heard the steps coming towards her on the basketball court.

“Are you okay?”, a voice came by.

As soon as she heard the voice, she bolted outside without even looking at the person towards the door。Her eyes were still filled with tears.

The next day, during the third period, while she was reading a novel, she was approached by a guy in class. As she pretended not to notice, he stopped and kept a little black diary in front of her.

As he headed back to his seat without saying anything, Miyu lifted her head to see a boy with blonde hair, his chequered pants and wearing a brown sweater settling down in third row in front.

She didn’t know his name. She had only seen him in the past sometimes when he entered the classroom but that was just about it.

As she saw the diary kept by him in the front, her eyes suddenly widened.

It was the same diary she had yesterday in the gymnasium. I must have forgotten it when I ran outside, she thought to herself. Now she knew. He was the same guy who helped her yesterday.

ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ

The day when they talked first came in the disguise of a coincidence. During the science week, she was put in the same group with him for the presentation.

As he approached her in the chemistry lab, she distracted herself by pretending to work on the burette and flask.

He sat himself beside her but did not say any word. After a brief pause, Miyu asked.

“Did you read my diary?”, her voice shaking, her face red.

“No, I did not.”, he said, his voice shaking as well.

As she looked at his face with side eyes, she realized his face was red as a beetroot too.

Just like hers.

Next day, the class was after lunch, so when he came, he gifted her a mango jelly in the lab.

She could see his hand shaking which somehow amused her a little bit but just like yesterday, both of their faces had turned red as the sunset.

He brought various stuffs, like chocolates, chips, juice for next few days as well.

On the fourth day, she finally confronted him, again.

“Please don’t bring these. I am not hungry.”,

She requested, speaking like a whisper.

The boy’s hand abruptly stopped, as he turned around and ran outside the lab.

After few minutes, when he did not come back, Miyu went outside to check up on him.

He was sitting outside the lab on the bench, holding the chocolate in his hand.

As soon as he saw her, his face turned red again and he got up to run but Miyu stopped him.

“Do not run. It is okay.”, she shouted even though she was still feeling shy.

Her voice was shaking when she said feebly.

“You can come inside.”

In next few days, even though they did not talk at all, they slowly started becoming comfortable in each other’s presence.

Instead of bringing her chocolates, he just started waving “Hi” to her every day.

They started sitting beside each other in the classroom as well, but they still couldn’t muster enough courage to talk to each at all.

ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ

Summer Vacations, 5 months later.

On the last day of classes, they waved to each other as usual but this time before sitting, he stopped.

He then took out a note from his pocket and kept it on her desk and sat beside her, as usual.

She opened the note to see that it was handwritten by him.

“Will you go with me to the ice cream shop later?”

Her face suddenly turned red again.

It took her almost five minutes but after writing on it, she passed him the note on the desk.

As he opened the note, a smile came on his face.

She had never seen such a beautiful smile before.

“Yes!”

It was written in red ink.

Excitedly, as they both waited for the class to end as soon as possible, a lecturer came and spoke to Mr. Tanaka, who was taking the biology class at the moment.

Later, the Professor came close to the boy’s desk and whispered to him。

“Your father is here. You need to go home now. Your mother is very sick.”

As he stood up, both Miyu and the boy looked at each other for a brief second, in shock.

…

After the boy ran out of the class, the professor just made an announcement before everyone.

“Make sure to do your homework during vacations! Have a great summer!”

As Miyu was going outside, feeling disappointed, Professor Tanaka stopped her.

“Miyu, Unfortunately, Miura’s mother has passed away. I know he was your friend so you better hurry and say goodbye to him, as his father is here to take him back to Tokyo.”

Her eyes widened. It took her a good minute to realize what had happened.

With tear filled eyes, she finally ran outside to look for him.

As she looked for him in the parking lot, she finally saw Miura, sitting beside his father, his car leaving the school premises.

Running behind his car, “Stop!” was the only word she could utter.

As it was raining, while running she tripped over a small rock and hurt her leg.

Sitting on the pavement, holding her leg, crying, she finally realized.

This was the first time she had heard his name and now,

she might never be able to see him again.

ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ

Autumn, Present.

Kiyoko had tears in her eyes as she hugged Miyu after hearing her story.

“You’re a strong girl, do you know that?”

“I know how much it hurts when you lose someone so close to you. You are a very strong girl who kept this pain to herself for so long.” she replied, with tears in her eyes.

Miyu looked at Kiyoko but couldn’t say anything. She just cried as well.

That was the day both of them became very close.

ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ－－ｘ

Fall, a month later.

There was a loud commotion in the university. It was the time of Kyudai Festival!

Miyu squeezed through a large crowd to find Kiyoko, who was gorging on mentaiko.

With a mouthful, Kiyoko waved towards Miyu.

As she approached her, they hugged each other and then glimpsed around at the other stalls.

They could see that Tonkotsu Ramen and Ichiran Ramen stalls had the most people as they were the most famous dishes from Hakata.

With Yakitori and sushi stalls and small café as well, there were a ton of places to eat and enjoy!

After eating a bowl of Ramen, Miyu took Kiyoko towards the 7-11 in centre zone behind the stalls to introduce Kiyoko to her family.

Kiyoko was rejoiced to meet Miyu’s mother and her younger brother.

As they went around looking for more food, Kiyoko said, pointing towards SALC.

“You should meet my family as well. They are right over there in front of Yakitori stall!”

…

As the crowd dispersed and Kiyoko’s family came into view, Miyu’s smile suddenly faded away.

Kiyoko starting waving as her dad came into view, but Miyu did not notice Kiyoko’s father at all.

She was looking at the person standing beside Kiyoko’s father.

As the time slowed down, small details about Kiyoko flashed right in front of Miyu’s eyes, recalling everything she had said from the past to present.

。。lost my mother in a car accident few years ago.

。。。I know how much it hurts when you lose someone so close to you.”

。。。Her “I Love Tokyo” badge (which she was still wearing) and her full name

Her card flashed in front of her eyes, the name in Chinese characters appearing in front of her eyes, as if out of air, out of her memory.

Kiyoko。。。。。 Miura. Miura. Miura!

As they came closer to Kiyoko’s family, she spoke.

“Miyu, meet my dad! And this...”, she said pointing towards the boy.

“。。。 is my twin brother。。。 Kento.”

As Miyu saw the boy from her past, she lost consciousness.

To be continued…