Chapter 6 Old and New Pains
Saito was still descending from the air when the ball passed through the net. The shot was so perfect that it looked like the net didn't even move. The score was 21 to 20. He won but the intense play was still playing out in the heads of the audience.
Sayori saw Saito fall with his closed eye. She ran up in front of him and caught his large body with her back. She adjusted him into a piggyback and start walking. No matter how tired she, herself was, she would never let him hit the floor.
Kuro saw the dishearted expression on his daughter’s face and couldn’t help but sigh. He then also looks at the bitter smile on the youth and thought, “So he can be sad too.”
He then turned around and left. He wanted to go home. When children feel pain, parents usually feel even more pain.
Sayori carrying Saito were making their way to the nurse’s office.
In the empty hallway, she couldn't help but ask.
Sayori - “Why, why didn't you just let me win? This one time. Why? Do you even know why I wanted to win so badly? Do you know how hard I worked for today? Do you know what was I going to do if I won!!! WHY!!!”
Even if Kuro saw his daughter he would be shocked. She was a quiet and aloof person. She never let her emotions show on her face. And only when she can't stand something she would get upset.
In the middle of her questions, she couldn't help but release all of the frustration that was welling up inside her. She opened up for the first time in her life to him about this certain topic. And this made her scream and cry. She demanded answers with a face full of unending tears. Like a world-ending waterfall, her tears had unimaginable power crushing Saito under their weight.
Saito sighed. His eyes were still closed but his smile was gone. They both knew he heard every word she said and he was hurting. He was hurting just as much as she was.
Saito - “Yes, I even know why you wanted to win. I also wanted you to win. Just as much as you wanted to win… No. I wanted you to win more than you want to win.”
Sayori - “ I don't believe you, idiot. Tell me why I wanted to win so badly?”
Sayori said unconvinced and with tears coming out of her eyes.
Saito signed again and said, “You wanted to win so you can purpose to marry me right?”
Sayori stopped walking. Her legs lost all their strength. She fell to the floor. She still held Saito on her back not letting him feel any impact of the fall.
Saito was about to get up and support her when he heard.
Sayori - “STOP. DO NOT MOVE.”
She said in a voice that would not allow any discussion.
Saito feared only two people on earth. The monster at home and the lioness who was holding him.
Saito instantly stopped any action he was doing. Even his lungs and heart stop for a second.
Sayori slowly stood back up and continue to the nurse's office.
Sayori - “If you know, then why did you try so hard to stop me”.
She said in her monotone. The tone of her voice, which was identical to how she usually speaks, was not able to convince Saito that her mood was normal. If anything it made him even more convinced that she was absolutely livid right now. But no matter how scared he was he needed to respond.
Saito - “Because I love you and respect you. If I Iet you win that would mean, I love you more than I respect you. So I couldn't let you win. I love you more than anything, and I want to spend every moment of my life with you. But I can never disrespect you.”
Saito knew she was upset, but he did not know what else to do. He never lied. He didn't know how to, and would never learn how to. Resolved to his fate, he waited for her response and his punishment.
Sayori kept walking in that empty hallway.
Sayori was quiet. She knew his answer before she even asked him. She was just frustrated. If she won there would be nothing left in her way. She would confidently say “Marry me loser”. But she couldn't do that now. She was the loser now. She lost … again….
She still remembers how much pain she felt when she refused his proposal the first time.
A magnificent stadium that held the national tournament for basketball. The stadium was filled to the brim with people. These people were men, women, children, and the elderly. No one would believe that this stadium and these people were here to watch a middle school basketball game. A tall youth was playing on the court and his whole team revolved around him. He had a goofy smile on his face. Like he was playing around with his friends rather than the most important game of his middle school life. But after seeing the score anyone cheering for him would feel just as lighthearted as he did. The scoreboard read 112 to 70. Megumi Middle School had the 112. The youth’s jersey read the same name. The clock read 9 seconds. The youth started to laugh and slowly dribbled the ball. And then he let the time run out. He did not shoot a buzzer-beater he just let time run out.
Saito walked off the field. He grabbed a towel his uncle gave him. He drank the water that Sayori passed him. She quickly becomes impatient with the boy in front of her, who would rather drink water than wipe his sweaty face. So as if it was only natural, snatched the towel and started wiping off the sweat on his face.
Finally done drinking water the youth, said “Thank Sayori was super thirsty”
As Saito was with his family. The award ceremony was ready to begin.
Sayori saw him walk onto the stage. Next to him was a girl from another school who lined up with him. She was the MVP of the winning girl’s basketball team. These two were the MVPs of the middle school basketball tournament this year.
In contrast to these winners, Sayori was not present.
Sayori’s team did not even make it to nationals. Why did they not make it when someone just as good as Saito was on their team? It was simple, they never passed the ball to her. Like Saito, Sayori did not practice with her team. She practiced in the early morning before school and would ask her father to guide her. The difference was their attitude.
When Sayori’s coach and teammates asked her why did she not practice with them. Her response was cold, even colder than normal because she felt they were insulting her father by asking this question.
Sayori - “Practicing with you is a waste of time, and will only make me worse.”
She said with a frown, displaying her disgust.
And since then she was isolated. She was not bullied because they were scared of her. But they did not interact with her. Even when they were in a match, they just ignored her. They treated the best player in their grade like air. When she realized what was happening she told Kuro. And he advised her to apologize. But her pride did not allow it. She couldn't apologize to someone worse than her in every way. Respect was earned this is what her Aunty taught her. She couldn't just apologize to them and pretend to get along just because she wanted to win.
This is why, instead of standing next to the man she loves. And receiving the award that she deserves she was watching from the floor. She was watching her beloved be praised for his performance. She watched how his teammates talked about his humble personality. She watched how her Aunty scolded him about studying more now that he won. She watched it all, like a bystander. She felt she had no part in his world because of her failure. If her ego didn't get in her way she would be standing there on the stage next to him. Not from the ground like an ant crawling on the floor looking up at a bird soaring in the clouds.
The awards were presented and the coaches presented their speeches. Now it was time for the MVPs to give their thanks.
Saito asked the girl next to him to go first. She had a lot of red on her face. He didn't understand why. It's been more than an hour since she played her game. He used his British detective skills and thought that she must have given 110% in the game and did recover yet.
Saito said, “ Good work in your game. Since you worked so hard, go ahead and give your speech first.”
The girl’s face for some reason became more red after he said that. He could almost see the redness spreading to her neck as well. Saito hoped her speech is quick so the poor girl can sit down and rest.
She thanked her family, friends, coach, and teammates. And then passed the microphone back to him.
Jessie helped Saito make an acceptance speech. But more important than the acceptance speech was what came after.
Saito - “Thank you so much for this award. It means so much to me knowing the fruits of my labor were rewarded so sweetly.”
Saito thought “I don't like fruits though.”
Saito - “It was an honor playing with my amazing teammates and my reliable coach. I would also give thanks to my family. My uncle for teaching me. My mother for supporting me. And my best friend for encouraging me.”
Saito thought, “Ok here it goes”
Saito - “But there is one person in particular why I am here today. She showed me my love for basketball. In a way my love for her made me love basketball. This is why to me, she is my first love and basketball is my second love. I wish to use this stage and use all the effort I made this year to tell her I would like to spend the rest of eternity with her. Sayori I love you would you please be with me forever.”
The audience was shocked. My team was shocked. Besides the speech writer, Kuro, and Mayumi everyone was shocked.
But the most shocked person in the stadium was Sayori.
Sayori thought why. I am a failure why does he want to waste his time with me? Yes, I should be the one that introduced basketball to him but who cares about that? He just proved today he is better than me. Why does he want to be with a loser? I can't accept seeing him putting himself down.”
Sayori - “No.”
Saito was about to frown but he sees the tears in her eyes and the look of pain on her face, he knew she was lying.
Saito - “Ok, I’ll ask later then.”
Tears well up in Sayori’s eyes. She run away, not knowing someone just jumped off the stage running after her. She starts to sob loudly while running. And stop being the stadium.
Sayori screams“I can’t let you be with a loser!!! You need to keep improving!!! I need to be the reason why you improve!!! I need to win!!! I need to win you over!!! I will win!!! I will even best you and make you marry me!!!
Saito stood right behind her until she stops screaming.
Waiting a few minutes he goes to her and says, “Sayori will you marry me now”
Sayori frowns and says “no”
Saito smiles and says, “Ok let's go eat, I am so hungry”
He grabs her hand as if it was only natural.
And it did indeed feel natural for her. And they walked back.
Sayori put Saito in one of the beds in the nurse's office. And stood there watching over him as he lay in the bed
.
The nurse said he is just dehydrated and tired. He should be fine with a little rest.
Sayori asked, “So you were listening to me back then?”
Saito made a confused face. And said, “I thought you already knew, I was there”
Sayori realized she subconsciously knew but she didn't want to admit it to herself. She knew that he was always there within reach.
Saito - “Sayori why don't you lay down too? I am sure you're tired. You also carried me here.”
Sayori looked at him and saw his pleading expression. His expression looked like he was asking a very selfish request of her.
Sayori grabbed his hand and placed it on the empty part of the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed. Took off her shoes and then placed her head on top of his arm.
And lied very naturally. “Just this once.”
She then closed her eyes. Saito placed the thin sheet on top of her. The moved as close to her as possible and placed his opposite hand on top of the sheet where her stomach would be. He then closed his eyes. A small slender hand was placed on his. And they both smiled while their eyes were closed and soon fell asleep.
A/N
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