Short Story (Cerpen)

If I Can Say I Love You

Category: Love Story In A Heart Submerged

Title: If I Can Say “I Love You”

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Keiko looked at the star-studded summer sky. But slowly her tears flowed, as if the beautiful sky was showing her something unpleasant. Yeah, sweet memories that ended in bitterness for Keiko. Memories he will never forget.

Japan, August 15, 2000

'Keiko!' the voice jerked Keiko from her daydream. He turned his head towards the source of the voice, then sighed in relief seeing the young man he was waiting for was running small towards him.

'Kazehaya-san.' Greet Keiko as the young man was before her with a slight breath of gasping.

'Did I make you wait?' ask the young man called Kazehaya.

Keiko smiled again, then shook her head. 'No, I've only been here a few minutes.'

A moment Kazehaya stared at Keiko from the tip of her head, making Keiko a little misbehaved at the look like. 'Do you know? It's the Summer Festival! Why not use yukata anyway?' kazehaya's speech made Keiko even more misbehaved. He looked at his clothes which were only a sea-blue canal dress with his flat shoes.

'Ah, Sorry. I thought I would trouble Kazehaya-san if I used yukata.'

'Tell me what you are. I won't feel any hassles. Because I'm your lover.'

'Ah 'Ah. Ma. I'm sorry.'

'Ah, come on, don't apologize anymore. Next year I want to see you use yukata. Now that you're so sweet, I'm sorry.' Kazehaya clasped Keiko's fingers tightly, making Keiko's face red.

'Ahh, there's a confectionery vendor! Let's go buy it. Don't you like confectionery?' kazehaya asked a little to Keiko's surprise. Samar, Keiko smiled, then tried to follow Kazehaya's steps towards the candy vendor Kazehaya had appointed earlier.

Keiko and Kazehaya, a young couple who have only been together for a few months. The pair were very different, and shocked the entire contents of the Tatsuno High School. Keiko Minagawa is one of the exemplary students who always achieve 1st rank in her school. While Kazehaya Shinji is the one who was left behind in his school, always reprimanded by teachers for arriving late, bad grades, and other delinquencies. Their introduction happened because the homeroom teacher Kazehaya asked Keiko to help teach Kazehaya to improve his grades. At first Keiko objected, because she was a shy girl and less able to interact with the opposite sex, especially young men like Kazehaya who was famous for being outspoken, no matter girls or guys. But it turns out that after he passed his days by teaching Kazehaya, the young man was not what Keiko had expected. Kazehaya is very supple, jovial, and optimistic, although sometimes Keiko feels a little annoyed by Kazehaya's blunt but always on target words. For example, when Keiko was asked by a teacher to compile a list of students when such a thing was the duty of the teachers, and Keiko did not refuse at all. Not because you want to, but because you can't refuse. Keiko was very afraid that the teachers would regard her as an arrogant student, unwilling to help the teacher because she was an exemplary student. But just then Kazehaya happened to see the incident and immediately pulled Keiko's hand. It certainly surprised Keiko and the teacher. But Kazehaya paid no heed to the teacher who called out to her and yelled angrily at her. He takes Keiko to a class where they used to study together. At that moment Keiko wanted to get angry, because Kazehaya was willing to pull her hand. But the sentence that came out of Kazehaya's mouth made Keiko seem to be pierced. 'Is it because you're an exemplary disciple so you have to do all those things even though you don't want to?' the remark made Keiko stunned and speechless. He could not say anything, and at that moment his body moved on its own. He ran away from Kazehaya.

The next day, Kazehaya apologizes to Keiko and makes a statement that surprises Keiko. Kazehaya declares her love. At first Keiko just thought Kazehaya wasn't serious and just wanted to play tricks on her. But, Kazehaya was an unyielding youth. Every day he declares his love for Keiko, making Keiko unknowingly fall in love with Kazehaya, and eventually accepts Kazehaya to be her lover.

Today, exactly 3 months Kazehaya and Keiko became lovers. For 3 months, Keiko had never expressed her affection and affection for Kazehaya. Every time she wanted to express her feelings, Keiko's heart would beat very fast, her face as red as a boiled crab, and her tongue as if she were a mute. But Kazehaya is waiting, so Keiko can express her feelings.

'This is the sugar flower.' Kazehaya said, handing Keiko the pink confectionery.

'Thank You.' Said Keiko with a faint smile, and instantly devoured the confectionery that was already in her hands. Kazehaya frowned, looked at her lover who was smudged with confectionery, then gave a small smile. Suddenly, the young man lowered his head and plucked out a little bit of the confectionery that was in Keiko's hands. Their faces were only a few cents apart, making Keiko reflexively move her face away and look down hiding her face that was as red as a boiled crab.

'This is, really sweet.' Kazehaya frowned in dislike, a second later she revealed a row of white and brilliant teeth to Keiko.

'Are you sick?' kazehaya asked again as she pressed her forehead against Keiko's forehead. Of course it makes Keiko more wrong.

'Ah, ti.no. i.it..' Keiko nodded while shaking her legs. Making Kazehaya unable to hold back her laughter.

'Haha.. You're so funny. I like you Keiko.' Kazehaya smiled gently as she rubbed the red-coloured cheeks of Keiko.

'A..akuu.. also su.su..' Keiko bit her lips trying to return Kazehaya's feelings.

'What do you want to say? I can't hear it.'

'Aeah.ku..Su.su..'

'Ah, stop. Ayuk street.' Kazehaya turned her body. Keiko looked down disappointed, again she could not express her feelings.

Tomorrow I should be able to say it. Keiko promised herself. That night, it becomes an unforgettable memory by Keiko. Kazehaya repeatedly does things that Keiko can't guess on her own and often makes Keiko wrong. But Kazehaya also gave her a smile, a laugh and a feeling of pleasure that Keiko rarely felt.

Japan, August 18, 2001

Keiko looked at the star-studded summer sky. So beautiful and charming. But it can't cover up Keiko's feelings being so gray. Slowly, he stepped up with a shunt, passing several booths selling a wide variety of objects and games, typical of summer festivals. But none of them attracted Keiko. Suddenly, Keiko's move stops at one of the shooting game stands. He remembered, the stand he had visited with Kazehaya. At the stand, Kazehaya almost shoots all the dolls, and makes the owner of the stand panic because Kazehaya continues and continues to force to take all the dolls he shoots. It caused a stir between Kazehaya and the owner of the stand. In the end, Kazehaya was given only 2 dolls. Inevitably Keiko laughed at Kazehaya's frowning expression. Keiko smiled slightly remembering that.

'Is the lady alone?' ask the old face standing next to the stand. Keiko nodded at the old man whom he knew as the owner of the stand.

'Ah, that old lady? Where was the young man you used to be with?' asked the owner of the stand again, making Keiko speechless.

'He. he. he. he was in an accident and. and died, after returning home from the festival last year.' Keiko replied in a choked voice. Tears began to pool in her eyes. A flash of that memory approached him again.

That night, after the summer festival, Kazehaya escorts Keiko home. At that time Keiko did not know what was going to happen. Shortly after driving Keiko right in front of the alley of Keiko's house, a car drove fast. Kazehaya, who was unaware, could not escape. And collisions happen. Keiko, who had just taken a few steps, turned her head and found Kazehaya lying on the asphalt covered in blood. Kazehaya was immediately taken to the hospital, but Kazehaya's life was not helped anymore. Upon hearing that, Keiko's world turned dark, she cried and continued to cry. To this day he still cannot forget.

'I already used yukata, Kazehaya-san. Why didn't you come?' keiko said in a corner of the park where the festival takes place. Keiko remembered that the park was where Keiko and Kazehaya ate a large portion of takoyaki together, so Kazehaya was not strong enough to walk anymore and had to sit for a while looking at the stars.

The atmosphere of last year's summer, like the atmosphere of this year's summer, but without Kazehaya next to Keiko. And with the regret that Keiko always felt, she did not have time to express her feelings.

'If only I knew.. If I had known, you would have left so soon Kazehaya-san. I'll reveal it. Kazehaya-san, I like you, I love you.' Keiko said sincerely between her tears, her tears flowing profusely. Suddenly the wind blew fiercely, forcing Keiko to protect her eyes from the flying dust. After the wind subsided, Keiko opened her eyes slowly. For a moment he was stunned to see a young man before him.

'Kazehaya-san.' he mumbled. The young man looked at Keiko gently and his warm smile. Then approached and lowered his head, kissing Keiko's forehead gently.

Like the wind, the young man whispered with his distinctive voice 'I know that you love me very much. Live happily. I love you.' Then the wind blew again, making Keiko close her eyes once again. When he opened his eyes, his tears flowed again, more profusely. He knows, he wasn't dreaming. The young man's words were still ringing in his ears, he could still feel it warm the kiss the young man gave. Slowly, Keiko rubbed her puffy eyes, then looked at the sky and smiled gently.

'Thank you Kazehaya-san.'