Blooming Love

It's incomplete. This was a dream. I always have these dreams but they never finish before I wake so when they end is when I awoke. I don't know if I'll ever finish these, maybe. My first time.

Chapter 1

    Summer, it can to lead to great memories but it can also lead to things some may wish to forget. As a race of beings we always try to seek the positive side to those memories but sometimes life isn't that sweet. Here we follow young children having to learn the hard way of how sweet and bitter those memories can be.

On a warm summer afternoon, a warmth that indicated summer was fast approaching, school was lively with students full of energy and excitement, parents whom were stressed and worried of whether or not they'd get time off to spend it with their families and nature blooming as beautiful as ever, we're taken to a classroom during a lunch break where lives begin to change for better or worse.

"Man, I can't wait for summer break, it's so close! What are you guys planning to do?" asks Yuzuru.

"My old man was thinking of going to visit Tokyo but if we can't, we might just rent a beach house until the festival starts!" replies Tsunemi excitedly.

"Wooow!" a bunch of boys replied in unison as they were all huddled together.

Nagisa giggled as she watched the boys try to up one another on what they'll be doing during the summer. She herself was also huddled up with most of the girls from their class but she wasn't participating in the conversation they were having, no in fact, she couldn't help but glance over at a boy who was always by himself.

"Mikazuki.."

she mumbles to herself. He never spoke a word to anyone, he wasn't alone because no one liked him or because he was the "weird one" of the class but because he was always so lost deep in his thoughts that it made him hard to approach. You also couldn't say he was a follower but more of a leader although, he wouldn't let anyone follow him because he seemed to enjoy being alone. He also tends to get in trouble from time to time, not because he's a trouble maker but mainly because he sleeps during class or never pays attention. The teachers tend to scold him but they really can't do much more than that, as he always scores next to near perfect every time on tests. He was a smart and mysterious boy and this caught Nagisa's attention.

As Nagisa continued to glance over at him, Tsunemi notices and as he fills with jealousy over the girl he likes looking at another boy other than him, he  has this idea, a twisted one at that. So, he decides to tease her a little. Without the other boys noticing he sneaks his way over to Mikazuki and grabs him by the arm and drags him towards Nagisa's group of girls. As he was being pulled, Mikazuki kept nudging for Tsunemi to let go without saying a word only to fail and before he could do much else they were suddenly in front of Nagisa's group.

Tsunemi smiles, turns to him, finally letting go and asks

"Hey, Mikazuki, right? If you're not doing anything over summer break and don't have plans for the festival coming up, why not take Nagisa as a date?"

As people we're filling the room with noise of conversation, it is suddenly died down to a quietness as many other students turned to see what was happening but also to their surprise, the boy who never said a word, let alone show any sort of emotion, was now staring at the ground blushing harder than anyone thought possible. The whole class filled with excitement as they couldn't believe what was going on and Nagisa, who was caught off guard, ended up hiding behind her best friend Ibara, due to being embarrassed and happy about Mikazuki's reaction. As the excitement died down you could hear classmates whispering questions

"Do you think Mikazuki likes Nagisa?" Kouji asks Rokurou

"No way, they have nothing in common and are the complete opposite of each other!" Rokurou replied.

"But Mom always said opposites attract so it could definitely work out!" explained Kouji.

Another boy jumps in

"Dude, look how red he is and how happy Nagisa looks!"

they giggled and continued on. Tsunemi was probably the one in most disbelief, what he meant to be a distasteful joke, might've just swung open a door of romance for these two.

Out of jealousy and anger he turns to Nagisa to see her reaction with his own eyes but before he could, Nagisa grabbed Ibara's arm and ran out of the classroom with her in tow. Little did she know this simple act of embarrassment would change everything for the last days of their middle school lives.

Tsunemi began to laugh hysterically "You were rejected! She didn't even bother to stay and reject you either!"

This, the only thing Mikazuki seemed to care about began to eat away at him in a way he didn't think possible. His chest ached and his stomach twisted, it was a feeling of wanting to throw up but also being unable to move. A million thoughts began to race through Mikazuki's mind

"Why did she run? Does she not like me? Was she embarrassed? Maybe she doesn't like me.. Tsunemi is right, I was rejected and she didn't even stay to do it."

He wanted to throw up even more at the thought of being so disliked but before he could rush to the bathroom the bell rang and class was about to begin.

Nagisa came back and sat in her desk but never looked Mikazuki's way. Saddened by this he sat down as well and back to his usual self, starred off into to space as the teacher entered the room. Tsunemi was the last to sit down

"That was way too close.." he mumbled to himself.

For the rest of the day, whenever Nagisa made eye contact with Mikazuki, she'd blush and look the other way while trying to hide behind Ibara. This was doing more harm than she could imagine although it was a simple act it began to fill Mikazuki's head with more negativity.

"Why does she keep doing that? Why does she run away if we cross paths? Why is she always running?" Mikazuki kept asking himself

"Why can't she tell me straight up that she doesn't like me that way and stop this awkwardness and pain?".

Being as expressionless as he is, he never showed a single sign of how truly sad and hurt he was. This continued until graduation for their final day of middle school.

As the Goodbye Ceremony ended, everyone was filled with joy and excitement, everyone except Mikazuki. It was normal to see him expressionless so no one knew anything was wrong and no one thought to ask. They said their goodbyes to him and joined their friends and families for photos and the such. Mikazuki looked for Nagisa, he felt that if there was a time to clear things or clarify feelings then now would be the best time.

He finally sees her and suddenly his face feels hot.

"When did I become so nervous over her?" he asks himself.

He shakes it off and proceeds to approach her, nervously looking down here and there. The walk seems like miles and his heart won't stop racing the whole way over. Nagisa finally notices him walking over to her and panics slightly. In her head she thinks to run again but Ibara notices and holds her by the back of her shirt. Nagisa looks at her confused and scared but Ibara smiles and nudges her forward. This happens to calm Nagisa slightly to where she doesn't feel like running anymore.

Mikadzuki finally reaches her looking as red as a tomato. Nagisa stands there with a heart racing so fast she thinks she might die if it sped up any faster. Mikadzuki begins to talk but stumbles over his words as he begins to remember the laughter from the class when everyone realized he might like Nagisa. He's suddenly overcome with sadness and finally clears his throat but what he says isn't something he planned

"What Tsunemi said was a lie.. him implying that I liked you and should take you to the festival was a joke. He thought it'd be a funny prank to play on me for what I did to him the day before so, think nothing of me liking you.. okay?"

Nagisa's racing heart began to slow, her stomach tightens and chest begins to ache.

"W.. What's he saying?" she thinks to herself

"I thought with the way he blushed that day.. I.. I thought he really liked me.. Even now he's blushing so hard it looks like it hurts"

but before Nagisa could ask Mikazuki these questions, he turns and runs off school grounds. Nagisa wanted to reach out for him but she couldn't move, instead, she fell to her knees and could feel a warm stream down her cheeks

"am I crying?" she asks herself

"wh.. why am I crying?" As she struggles to wipe her tears she notices something on the ground where Mikazuki was standing. She crawls over and picks it up

"A button.. was he going to give this to me?" she asks herself.

She begins to sob uncontrollably as Ibara kneels down to comfort her

"He was going to give me his second button.." Nagisa mutters to herself through her tears.

As she continues crying the realization of what just happened hits her and she begins crying harder, so hard other students and families begin to turn around to see what's going on. Nagisa didn't care, she was so hurt, she wanted to die. Ibara, stunned, not by Nagisa's tears but by how in love with Mikazuki she didn't know she was. Ibara asks Nagisa's father to pick her up and carry her to the car pleading no one needed to see anymore of this. He agreed and with her mother in tow, Nagisa's father carried Nagisa back to their vehicle. Ibara says her goodbyes to them and as they leave she turns and heads for the direction Mikazuki ran, hoping she can clear things up between Nagisa and him.

Mikadzuki continues running. He reaches his home but continues on, with his head tilted slightly downward, tears streaming down his face and a heart broken in more ways than one. When he finally stops he realizes he's ended up at the towns shrine. He begins to question himself as he takes a seat at the steps

"Why did I do that? Why did I say something completely different than what I planned? Why am I like this? I always end up saying what I don't mean.."

He then stands up, walks over to the shrine, bows twice, claps twice, then bows once more. Keeping his hands together and struggling to hold back his tears he asks

"Why am I like this? Who am I? What am I?"

He waits hoping for the off-chance a God may reply but to his expectation.. nothing. Saddened even more and feeling hopeless, he asks the Gods for one thing

"I want a home.." he mumbles, then claps once more and heads home.

Ibara, who miraculously managed to catch up to him, had hidden herself behind a tree nearby. As she listens in she couldn't help but begin to tear up at what she hears from the boy who never says a word to anyone. She never could have imagined Mikazuki felt this way about himself. No, actually, she couldn't believe a human could feel that way at all.

As Mikazuki leaves the shrine, she gives herself a moment to gather her thoughts and wipe her tears and just like Mikazuki did, she claps twice, bows twice, then claps again. She then thanks the Gods for the life they have given her, suddenly she's in tears, she begs for a miracle between Mikazuki and Nagisa. She pleas as best she can until she feels she's convinced them then as shes bows she stops before raising her head and cries out

"Please.. I'm not asking for a miracle.. just a chance!"

Chapter 2

"...zuki! ..kazuki! MIKAZUKI WAKE UP, it's time for breakfast!" Yells Miss Nagai from the kitchen.

As Mikazuki wakes, still half asleep, he crawls out of bed and stumbles down to the kitchen.

"Good morning mother, sorry I didn't hear you calling.." he explains as he goes to drink orange juice straight from the carton.

"Look, I know it's summer.." as she flicks him on the head and hands him a glass

"but you need to try to keep to your sleep schedule or you'll start waking up later and not be on time for school after break." Mikazuki sighs

"Yes, Mom, sorry" as he fills his glass and returns the carton to the fridge.

"Do you have any plans for today?" His mother asks as she sits down

"Maybe going to the arcade?"

Mikazuki still with a half asleep posture

"No, I probably won't do anything today" he replies.

"Well don't sit around and do nothing all day, at least go to the festival tonight. I can even go with you if you wait up!" His mother bargains.

Mikazuki freezes and places his fork back on the plate. He had totally forgotten about the festival, no he didn't forget, he chose to not remember it since it brought HER back to mind.

"Mika? Mika, what's wrong?" his mother asks.

"Nothing mother, I'm no longer hungry but thank you for the meal." He replies as he stands up and sluggishly drags himself to the living room couch.

"I'll be getting off early today but don't wait up, go to the festival and I can meet you there" she says.

"Hey mom, why do we exist? I mean, what's it all for? What's the point and why do we experience this thing called pain as we venture through it?" Mika asks.

Miss Nagai, startled a little by the sudden deep question, stops what's she's doing and thinks for a second.

"Well I believe that we weren't planned" she finally replies

"Some choose to believe in a greater existence, while others carry on and never stop to think about it." She decides to get up and sit next to Mika and continues,

"Me, personally, I don't know what to think about existence. All I know is that I'm alive and happy. I'm glad I found a man I loved who loved me back and gave me a handsome young man, as my son. That's all I need to be happy. The feeling I had when I finally held you in my arms after giving birth, I wouldn't trade anything for it." she gently begins to rub Mika's head and asks

"Care to tell me what's going on?"

A couple of minutes pass and she waits patiently and Mika struggles to think of a proper way to bring up what's on his mind.

"You don't need to force yourself honey, as long as you question it and seek it out, you'll end up finding it one day. It may not be now and it may not be tomorrow but it'll definitely come, I can promise you that much."

Such gentle words, so soothing and comforting, along with the gentle rub to his head, Mikazuki begins to tear up.

"Don't hold it in"

Mikazuki lays his head on his mothers lap facing toward the TV

"I don't know, honestly. I have another question."

Miss Nagisa nods for him to carry on

"Do you think we were made to find happiness in all of this? Some people find it in another being, some find it in pets or animals, some find it in their jobs, some find it in being surrounded by others but do you think anyone has ever found it in loneliness?"

Miss Nagisa, a little confused, asks

"What do you mean? Loneliness can't lead to happiness if you're always by yourself..."

Mika sits up and looks out the window of their sliding glass door

"But that's the thing, what if you always feel by yourself no matter who's around or by your side?"

Miss Nagisa can't figure out how to reply so instead asks

"Is that how you're feeling? Although I'm right here, do you still feel alone?"

Unable to hold back his tears he turns to his mother and replies

"Yes, I know you love me and I know you're here but I still feel alone." before his mother can reply he runs off upstairs to his room and locks himself inside and collapses on the ground crying.

Miss Nagisa confused by what brought this on, rushes to him only to be stopped by his bedroom door.

"Mika, open the door please!"

"NO!" he replies

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but I want to be left alone." Although she wants to talk to him more, she must go to work as a single parent providing for two.

"Okay Mika, I'll be going to work now but I promise to try and get off early so please, if you're wanting to, wait for me and we can sit down and talk about this more." Mika doesn't reply

"Goodbye, I'll see you in a few hours." He hears her footsteps carry away, as he continues crying he hears the front door open, pause, then close.

Author's Note

There might be a lot wrong with this and yes that's where it stops, but do you believe happiness can be found in loneliness? Think about it... people leave when they get what they want or some leave because they die you can try to control this all but in the end you're powerless but what's always there when people leave? What comforts you better than anyone else can? It never leaves you and you never leave it. It waits for you and lets you venture away from it because it knows you'll be back no matter how far you go, you'll always come back. Yes, I'm a loner but over the years I accepted it. I can think when I'm alone I can be at peace when I'm alone because loneliness doesn't talk back, doesn't fight, it listens and that's all we usually need, is something listening... also review it how you will. Be ruthless if you must.