Chapter 88
"Ryosaku-kun! Please, wait!!"
The one who came out, calling his name out loud, was none other than his beloved Mieko... she herself.
Mieko... ran as fast as she could towards her beloved Ryosaku, wearing only socks and no shoes... she tripped on the cobblestone ground and fell forward hard.
"Mieko-chan!!"
Ryosaku threw his bike away and ran towards her.
"Mieko-chan... are you okay!? Are you hurt!?"
"Ryosaku-kun."
Both of Mieko's elbows were scraped on the impact of hitting the ground, and blood was oozing painfully from her arms.
The soles of her socks... were stained black.
And as she looked up at him, her eyes... were filled with tears.
"Ryosaku-kun... please don't go. Please don't leave me behind..."
"Mieko-chan..."
Ryosaku had a premonition that Mieko would disappear before his eyes again, and that they would never see each other again.
Mieko felt the same way.
They both had a sad and lonely premonition that this might be their final farewell.
"Mieko-chan... that must have hurt. Did you hit your head...? Is there anything else you're hurting...?"
Ryosaku said, gently picking Mieko up.
"Ahh... Ryosaku-kun..."
Mieko put her arms around her beloved Ryosaku, whose blood was still not stopping, and they once again embraced each other tightly.
"Ryosaku-kun... we promised, didn't we? That we would get married someday... and that I would be Ryosaku-kun's wife..."
"Yeah... that's right, Mieko-chan. We wrote our promises on a strip of paper on Tanabata day...! I'll never forget... I won't forget!!"
And then the two of them... shared another passionate kiss.
No one knows when they'll see each other again.
This might be the last time...!
Feeling this sad premonition somewhere in their hearts, the two of them embraced each other tightly again... holding tightly to each other's warmth, their love... and the many precious memories they shared that they would never give up to anyone... they were sad to say goodbye for a while.
And on the other side of the two of them embracing each other... was the gentle, warm figure of Mieko's father, watching over them quietly... and crying...man's weeping.
