Chapter 182 - I Won’t Stop Running

Sumire eventually found herself at the park and stopped for a few moments to catch her breath. Quite some time has passed since she ran like that. However, she knew Tachibana Masaru very well; he has a bad habit of -- her thoughts broke off when a petal fell.

She took it into her hands.

"Spring…" she murmured. Suddenly, the wind blew harder. Cherry blossom petals swirling around her. She closed her eyes and covered them briefly just in case dust got onto her eyes.

After a few minutes, she noticed that the wind had died down a little, so she gradually opened her eyes. Right now, she saw somebody, a man with golden blonde hair landing gracefully from the cherry blossom tree.

Sumire blinked started, she suddenly dropped the notebook in her hand.

The large thud led to him noticing her. He did not say something immediately and walked over. He picked up the notebook, and his lips curve to a smile.

"I see you are fashionably late."

She sighs. "I'm sorry."

Her golden hair senpai had a flower in his hand, and he placed it beside him.

A small chuckle passed his lips. "It is fine little lamb. I was a bit dazed out myself for a while and only arrived a few minutes ago."

Sumire shook her head. "You're only saying that to be polite, Masaru-senpai."

He extends his hand out, and she gratefully took it. He helped her climb the tree.

"I've always wondered about this. But how come this branch is so thick? Most tree branches aren't."

She passed by this park several times and found herself stopping here often. There was something different about it.

Masaru chuckled. "You start with strange questions as per usual."

"It can't be helped. It has bugged me for a while."

He doesn't say anything for a few moments before he brings out his saxophone. A quiet and yet gorgeous melody escapes the moment he began to play.

As she closed her eyes and let the melody flow through her ears, she couldn't help but smile.

There was always something about this person playing before that seemed to make her feel at ease somehow. The person who showed her that there is no longer any need to hesitate when it comes to music.

"This is my family tree. It has been around for generations now. Probably since the Edo period. If it were around for so long now, they would have chopped it down and all that. However, it seems like for generations; my families petitioned to keep it. It's been somewhat of a tradition that the third son spends his time here too." Masaru said with a light chuckle.

She raised her eyebrows. "I doubt that last part Masaru-senpai, you're just lazy, aren't you?"

He winks. "But if a beautiful lady like yourself tells me to work, I'll be more motivated."

"Yes, yes."

Her thoughts broke off when he suddenly grabbed hold of a strand of her blonde locks, as he brought it to his lips—a soft smile on his face. "I bet for me though there's only one beautiful girl that can truly motivate me. Who do you think that is?"

Sumire deeply sighed. "If you stayed here to mess with me, then I will get Yuhi to do something."

Masaru chuckled. "I figured you would be lonely here all alone. The others are very worried about you."

"So they sent you here to spy on me?"

"To watch over you. Lady, you can't stay in Tokyo forever. Eventually, you will have to return to Star Town. Before then.."

Sumire quickly interjected. "In Lewis Carols looking through glass, there is a quote from the Red Queen. It takes all the running you can do to keep the same pace." She trailed off. "I won't stop running until I grab the future I want with my own hands. However, that future is subjected to change through my encounters and experiences."

At that comment, Masaru sighed. "Honestly, when you talk like that, not even I know what to do, lady."

Sumire chuckled. "So even you get tongue-tied, huh?"

"Now now don't say it like that. It's not as if we aren't going to see each other again. Besides, we went through longer separations before."

Longer separations, huh?

"This entire time I've burdened you to sacrifice a lot for me. But now that I'll be leaving. I want you to at least advance into the third year now. Its a waste for you Masaru-senpai, learning the second year content and waiting another year before you graduate. You should be in University. I am sure you can still—" Her sentence fell short when he suddenly leaned forward. He rested his head on her chest.

"...Masaru-senpai..."

"I always thought that as long as I stood by your side, then it would be enough. I'm sure all of us were thinking naive thoughts like that, about not having to confess, about just remaining this way forever. But it seems like each of our desires is too strong. It's not possible," he lifts his head up and smiles."It really isn't. Holding back, we won't be able to anymore. That's why...when you come back, you best have grown up".

Eh? Before she could even react, though, he bit her neck, leaving a visible pink mark.

For once in her life, she found herself blushing in front of the golden hair playboy.

Masaru smiles, "Now this is a sight I haven't seen before. Since you've always been so Tsun-tsun towards me."

"Shut up!!"

"How amusin—" He trailed off. "Right here is your escort back."

Once again, she didn't get a chance to react since he suddenly pushed her out the tree. Sumire braced for the impact of the fall and closed her eyes. But after a few moments passed, she didn't hear the thud. Huh?

She slowly opened her eyes and realized that somebody caught her. Her amethyst colored eyes met a pair of chocolate brown ones.

"Yuhi!"

"Safe."

Now that she thought about it, something like this happened in the past.

He whipped his head angrily at the golden-haired senpai, who was still on the tree. "Masaru you jerk. What would you do if I did not catch her."

Her sweatdropped, well she probably could have managed either way. Her body tends to be durable during unexpected moments like that after all.

A chuckle escaped her senpai's lips. "But I knew you would catch her."

"Your unbelievable," Yuhi said as he shook his head. He grabbed hold of her hand. "Come on, Sumire let's leave him be."

He held her hand so easily.

"Little lamb." Masaru calls out. She turned her head slightly to see him. "I won't do as you say. For some reason, there's something,ng else I've become rather attached and fond of."