Enlightened Destiny (by: Shizunarui)

(1st Meeting)

“uwah~!” A long-brown-haired girl with a smile on her face exclaimed as she stood in front of the Seijou High School gate. “It’s been a year, isn’t it? And now, I promise… I’ll be graduating! Yosh!” She said to herself as she raised her right hand with a closed fist.

“Ah! Hasukashii Fumiko-san… Welcome back!” A very beautiful short-haired lady greeted her at the gate.

“Hoshinou-sensei!” she ran towards her and bowed before her.

“Ahaha! You’re running lively now, aren’t you??” She smiled at her. She nodded. “Anyways, get to class now, okay? And Do your best!”

She nodded and waved goodbye to her sensei. Hoshinou-sensei smiled back. She ran inside the building and put on her school shoes and went running through the corridor. She bumped into someone whom she did not notice. “Ah!” Fumiko was about to fall down the stairs but someone grabbed her arm and prevented it from happening. She opened her eyes and saw it was a guy. “Eheeh?!” She pulled her arm away and the guy look at her coldly. “Tsk! What a bother. Anyways. Thanks.” He walked pass by her. “Stop!” She shouted. The guy stopped walking as their backs remained turn away from each other. Fumiko looked at him. “Thank you for saving me” she bowed and giggled. The guy looked back at her and saw her smiling. The guy’s eyes widened. “This girl… just smiled at me”

“That Nagataka Hideaki is up to no good again”

“Nagataka-senpai, sure is scary”

“Nagataka-san’s a son of Dr. Nagataka, isn’t he?”

“Nagataka-san, sure is a brave person!” Fumiko told Hideaki while smiling as she sits beside him during lunch break. Hideaki sighed deeply.

“What are you doing here again??” He asked her coldly but the smile on Fumiko’s face did not fade.

“I’ll have lunch with you!”

“Why are you even here?! You’re not my classmate! Yah… you’re giving me a headache kid. Why don’t you run back to your mom’s side?”

“Na.ga.ta.ka.-sa.n!” She placed her face nearer to him. Hideaki blushed. “Ahhh… yah! What are you doing?!” Fumiko sat back on her chair again and laughed.

“My name is Hasukashii Fumiko! We’ve been like this for months now and you keep calling me KID!” She pouted.

“And yeah… After I have saved you from falling down the stairs you’ve been pestering me for months too!”

“It’s because I wanted to become friends with Nagataka-san. You bring trouble to school and many students seem to hate you. But I really do not understand why. Maybe from your past. You’ve been in to a lots of fights that made you stop going to school but I know Nagataka-san is….”

“ENOUGH!?!” Hideaki banged the top of his table. “Why do you always like to say I am brave! Kind and something that is not me that only you could see?! Look Kid… Keep your thoughts to yourself…” He walks out. Leaving Fumiko inside the classroom.

“Nagataka-san…”

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“Huh? Nagataka-san?”

“Ah! Hasukashii-san…”

“You do not have any class today?”

“I do”

“eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh! But why are you here at the rooftop?!” She looks at Hideaki with a serious face and grabbed his hand dragging him down to his class.

“eh!? Yah! Hasukashii-san! Stop holding my hand!”

“Nope! I’ll not let go till we reach your classroom. You have to graduate, okay, Nagataka Hideaki-san!” She smiled at him and Hideaki blushed. They stopped by at Hideaki’s Room and Fumiko opened the door.

“Sen…” then, all of a sudden, Fumiko fell out of balance. And before she could hit the ground, Hideaki caught her. “Yah! Hasukashii-san! Hasukashii-san!” He shook her but nothing happened. Fumiko’s still unconscious. Everyone gathered around her.

“Hideaki! Take her to the infirmary!” shouted the sensei. Hideaki carried her into his arms. He entered the infirmary. And there… he waited for the sleeping Fumiko to wake up.

“ALL YOU CAN DO IS FIGHT IN STREETS AND NOTHING ELSE! YOU BRING NOTHING TO THE FAMILY! YOU ARE A DELINQUENT…NOTHING?! IF YOU ONLY YOU COULD THINK ABOUT BECOMING SOMEONE… A doctor… just like dad…”

“Nagataka-san? Nagataka-san?” Hideaki jerked as Fumiko woke him up while she’s sitting at the bed.

“Ah…! Gomen… I’ve fallen asleep” he told her.

“It’s okay, Nagataka-san…” she smiled at him. “But…”

“Huh?”

“You were saying no over and over. Did you have a bad dream?”

“Yeah… Kinda…” He put his right hand over his head. “Anou… Hasukashii-san…”

“Nagataka-san! You can call me Fumiko-chan if you like. It’s been so many months now. And we still call each other by our surnames.” She giggled. “That’s funny… Ah! Anyway, Nagataka-san… What is it?”

“You did know why I need to stop schooling, right? Isn’t it about time that you tell me why’d you stop?”

“Oh… that… it’s about time, huh?” She smiled at Hideaki faintly. “When I was on my first year on senior high, I was really active at sports or any other curricular activities. I did great in academics too. But slowly, my body started to weaken. I always tripped on flat surfaces. I faint often and then, my body started to lose weight. I was so pale back then, my homeroom adviser, Hoshinou-sensei asked my mom to bring me to the hospital so that they could check me. My mom did not hesitate. She brought me to the hospital without second thoughts. And then… I remember my mom crying. She won’t stop. When we went home, she told me I had to stop studying so that I could rest well. It was the fact that I could not understand. I got angry and told her to tell me what’s wrong. She told me things slowly. It hurts me but I have to accept it. She told me… I have leukemia” Fumiko’s tears started to fall. But her smile never fades. She tried to be brave. She wants to graduate no matter what. She has to. That’s her happiness.

“Fu~Fumiko-chan…gomen! Maji gomen! I did not know?!” He bowed his head. He could not cry. “Maybe… we are really destined to meet, neh? For you to change me into someone I should be and for me to be your strength.” he looked at her again. Now, with a smile on his face.

“Yes! I guess that’s it! Wa~ yokkatta! Fumiko is happy. You manage to smile at me. I haven’t seen you smile since we met. Hahahah!”

“Well, you are the first person who smiled at me too back then. I guess you deserve my first ever smile.”

“Arigatou, Nagataka-san”

“Aisht! Yah! From now on, you can call me, Hideki-kun. From now on, I’ll be Fumi’s strength.”

“Eh! Really?! Ja, Arigatou, Hideaki-kun.

The graduation is getting near. Fumiko and Hideaki became closer than the past months and Fumiko’s disease starting to swallow her slowly.

(2 Months before Graduation)

“Look at this Fumi-chan! An A+ for my exam!” Hideaki stood before her as she remains seated on the bench infront of the tennis court. “I’ll definitely be graduating!”

“Wa~ me too, Hideaki-kun! You know what! This time, I am pretty sure!” They laughed together and Hideaki sat beside Fumiko. And he faced her. “And it is all thanks to you, Fumiko-chan!” Fumiko looked at him, surprised. He looked away and stare d at the students practicing. He sighed deeply and stood up before Fumiko. Fumiko looked at him, eyes widened. “Fumiko-chan… please go out with me!” He bowed.

“Eeeeeeeeeh!? Hi~hi~Hideaki-kun!” She blushed. She covered her mouth and nearly crying.

“Onegai! I want to take care of Fumiko-chan until she gets better. Onegai!” Fumiko suddenly hugged Hideaki. Hideaki was also surprised. “Hideaki-kun… please do take care of me. I want you… my strength to be by my side forever” She hugged him tightly and Hideaki smiled.

“Horaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Fumiko-chan! I brought you an apple.” Hideaki greeted her as he enters Fumiko-chan’s room at the Hospital. Fumiko’s sitting on her bed with a pillow on her back to support to her. She’s wearing a bonnet to cover her head. Fumiko’s starting to lose lots of hair due to chemotherapy. Hideaki, on the other hand is doing a great job on supporting his girlfriend. He was hurting though he needs to be strong.

“Hideaki-kun….” She said faintly. “Fu~Fumiko wants to… take the… final exams…” Hideaki turned to her and stopped peeling the apples. He was standing at the infront of the table beside Fumiko’s bed.

“Fumiko-chan… You know they won’t let you.” He smiled.

“Please…Hid..Hideaki-kun…”

Hideaki looked at her girlfriend and sighed deeply. “All right. I’ll see what I can do. But… Look!” He showed her the Career Assessment Sheet of the school. Fumiko read it. “You’re… going to pursue… Medicine?” She looked at his boyfriend as Hideaki gave her the apples and sat beside her. Hideaki nods. “I’m not doing this for my Dad. I want to know more about your disease. So that I could come up with a medicine you’re your sickness.” He smiled. “Ja, will you wait for it?” Fumiko smiled faintly and nodded.

(1 week before Graduation)

“You’re going to be a nurse, huh?” Hideaki asked her while sitting beside Fumiko’s bed.

“Yes… If you’re going to be a doctor. Then, I should be right next to you.” She smiled faintly. “Yokkatta…We will be… graduating…”

“You did great on your final exams. It was really good”

“Really? Fumi… Happy…”

“Hideaki’s happy too.”

“Hideaki-kun… let’s take a… picture…”

“Eh? But you do not want it, you said you look misreble..”

“It’s okay now… Fumiko… feels… really… cute today”

“Hahahah! Okay. So which camera are we going to use?” Fumiko shook her head.

“Hideaki’s phone… Let us use yours…” Hideaki pull his cellphone out of his pocket and went beside Fumiko on her bed. He readied his phone and counted 1 to 3. He checked the outcome. Fumiko was smiling like a normal girl while doing the peace sign. While Hideaki’s smiling his arms around Fumiko.

“Cute…” Fumiko looked at Hideaki and Hideaki smiled at her. “Yup! We really make a good couple.” They laughed.

(Graduation Day)

Fumiko went to the school with Hideaki pushing her wheelchair. Her classmates congratulated both of them before they enter the school gym. Everyone gathers around the gym. The students are on their best behavior. Fumiko and Hideaki are on different class so they were seated separately. Fumiko’s name got called. She stood up, leaving her wheelchair, her mom on her side, supporting her. She went up to get her certificate and bowed before the crowd. Hideaki smiled at her on his seat and she smiled back. She went back to her wheelchair. After the graduation, the students gather around the school grounds taking pictures.

“Hideaki-san you can have some fun with your friends. Fumi and I will be okay going back to the hospital.”

“Uh… no auntie. I’ll be going back too. I told my dad that I’ll just come home after.”

“Hideaki…kun… Have fun… today… Fumiko will be… fine…” Hideaki kneel before his girlfriend and smiled. “Okay then…” He turned her back to her, still kneeling. “Get on my back.”

“huh?”

“On my back. Let’s have fun then.” Hideaki puts Fumiko’s arms around him and give her a piggy back ride. Hideaki faced Fumiko’s mom. “Auntie, I’ll bring Fumiko back at the hospital. We’ll just going to have a walk around the school one last time.” He smiled and Fumiko’s mom nodded. “Take care.” The went on and went to the building’s second floor.

“This…”

“uhuh.. The first time we met. You were about to fall on this stair bcause of your clumsiness” Fumiko smiled and Hideaki too. “This is where I saw the first smile someone ever gave to me”. They went next to Hideaki’s classroom. Hideaki brought Fumiko down on the chair behind his seat and he sits beside Fumiko.

“Remember this?” Fumiko nodded. “You always sits beside me during lunchbreak. This is where you told me you wanted to become friends. Am I that stubborn?” He looked at her.

“Hideaki-kun always wants to be alone… I thought it would be sad. At first I was afraid to… approach you but I gathered all my strength. It… made… Fumi-chan…happy… To be able… To be friends… with Hideaki-kun…”

“Fumiko-chan…” Hideaki whispered. “Yoshii~ to our next destination!” He gave Fumiko a piggy back ride again. They went to the bench in front of the tennis court. He put Fumiko down on the bench and sat beside her.

“Please… will you go out with me?” Fumiko said silently. “This is where… you told me… to become your girlfriend… I was so shock… But that was really a very a happy day for me…” Hideaki stared at his girlfriend as Fumiko said those words. Hideaki looked at the court and said. “This place is special, huh?” Fumiko nod.

“Fumiko-chan… give me your hand.” Fumi looked at him and gave him her hand. Hideaki gave her a ring and put it on her right ring finger. Fumiko looked at it.

“Pretty…”

“Will you put this ring on my finger too?”

“Eh?” Hideaki gave her the ring and Fumiko put it on Hideaki’s right ring finger. “Just… like… a wedding…” Fumiko told him faintly.

“Really? Then from now on you will be Nagataka Fumiko?” Fumiko smiled.

“That’s a really good name. Fumiko and Hideaki will always… be together…”

“Right! Let’s go back then. Your mom’s waiting for you” Fumiko nodded.

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Hideaki passed the University entrance exams. Fumiko stayed in the hospital and loses a lot of weight. She needs oxygen often to make her breathing normal. She was weaker than the past months. The doctors told Hideaki and Fumiko’s mom about the possibility of losing her life in a bout a month. Hideaki always makes sure that Fumiko’s always happy. They do not want Fumiko to know about that possibility.

It was a fine Friday morning, when Hideaki entered Fumi’s room.

“Okaeri…” Fumi greeted him with a smile on her face. Hideaki smiled back. Fumi’s sitting on her bed. “Hideaki-kun… let’s go to the rooftop… The nurse says… there are lots of flowers…in there…” She told him.

“Really? Ok then… Just eat this first.” Hideaki gave her bread and sat beside her as she eats. She finished eating and Hideaki put her on her wheelchair. They rode the elevator. And went to the rooftop. Hideaki opened the door and the flowers were on sight.

“wah~” Fumi said. Amazed.

“It’s beautiful in here”

“yeah…”Hideaki stopped beside the bench and support Fumiko to sit there too. She sat beside her. Hideaki puts Fumiko’s jacket around her shoulder. “This flowers are just like you, Hideaki-kun. You were alone. Nobody sees your beauty because you were kept in a place where people can’t reach you. Until someone saw you and tried to reach you. That someone understood that beauty. And it always makes her happy. Hideaki-kun… Thank you…” She said as she continue to stare at the flower in front of her. Hideaki stared at her. They were holding each other’s hand. His tears starts to fall. “Fumiko-chan’s been really happy. Can I… close my eyes now?”

“Fumiko-chan! Fumiko-chan! No… please… don’t” Hideaki holds Fumiko’s hand tighter.

“You are cying…” Fumiko said and rest her head on Hideaki’s shoulder. She knows it even though xhe could not see Hideaki’s face. “Hideaki-kun… you promised to make me a medicine, right? I don’t think I need it anymore. Because, I am already healed now. And it’s because of you. Your warm heart had healed me.”

Then, Hideaki hugged Fumiko tight. He do not want to let go. She hugged him too. “Fumiko-chan… I will be a doctor and help lots of people. I promise! That is what you want, right?” He was crying really hard. But Fumiko was smiling faintly. “I know you want that too, Hideaki-kun… Did you know… You have been my strength. You’re my body ever since I got weak and could not move. You have been my feet wherever I want to go… Hideaki-kun… You have been my everything… But now… I want you… to be my life… when I lose it… I am a little tired now… Can I close my eyes?” Hideaki nod and continue to cry. “Hideaki-kun… Daisuki yo…” Fumiko said faintly as her eyes remained close. Still, they were hugging each other. “Aishiteru yo, Fumiko-chan”. Then, after a minute, Hideaki felt Fumiko’s hand let go. Hideaki could feel Fumiko’s weight on his. His eyes widened.

“Fumiko-chan…” he tried to wake her up. “Fumiko-chan! Look! The flowers are beautiful, right? Look at them… Please… they… I want… I want to see your smile again… Fumi… Fumiko-chan…! Open your eyes… Fumi… Fumi…” He was sobbing. “Fumiko-chan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

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“Look, Fumiko-chan! I will be practicing medicine, now. How are you? You have been guiding me all along.” Hideaki kneels before Fumiko’s grave, while holding his certificate. “I could help other people now. Dad and I are okay now. His helping me on my studies. Ah!” He pulled out his cellphone and flipped the top up. “Hora nee. This our picture. You were always smiling at me. Your smile always gives me strength and courage. Ja, Fumiko-chan. I’ll be back tomorrow, okay. Ja ne! Daisuki!” He stood up and looked at the ring on his right ring finger and smiled. When he was about to leave, He saw Fumiko’s mom in front of him. “Hideaki-san?”

“How are you auntie?”

“So you were the ones who have been giving these to Fumiko, huh?”

“Yeah. I’m here often.”

“Hideaki-kun… Thank you… For making Fumi’s life worthwhile.”

“No, auntie. It was Fumiko who made my life that way. Because of her I am living a life a wanted now.

“Oh… isn’t it about time you graduated from the University?”

“Yes Auntie. I just did.”

“Congratulations, Hideaki-san”

“Thanks auntie. By the way, Auntie, I’ll visit you often. I promise. Anyway, auntie. I have to go now. See you!”

“Okay, then! I’ll be waiting. Thank you, Hideaki-kun.” Fumiko’s mom said to him while smiling and Hideaki bowed before her and went on his way.

“Fumi-chan… Many people love you. Mom’s really happy that Hideaki-san loves you the same way I do.” Fumi’s mom said as she stared at Fumiko’s photo on her grave.

On the other hand, Hideaki while driving his car to go to the hospital and visit her father on his office. He stopped in front of the hospital and went to the floor where his father’s office is located. Before he opens the door, he looks at the wallpaper on his cellphone where Fumiko and him are smiling. “I may be destined to meet you, Fumiko-chan. To change my life forever.” He smiled. And entered his dad’s office.

“Otousan?”

“Ah! Hideaki-kun. Come in!” His dad greeted. With a smile on his face.