hijacked brain.

(Four things Natsuki would never forget -- his big dreams, the end of summer, his secret base, and his childhood friend whom he shared the secret base with.)


==

You and the end of summer and the dreams of the future
And our big hope, I won't forget them.

==

"Haru, wait for me!"

The 7-years-old Takahashi Natsuki stopped and took a deep breath after spent a full of fifteen minutes chasing for a boy in front of him--the smaller, yet more energetic than him--who now stood five meters in front of him, pointing at the small hill at the west. The later said boy also stopped and turned backward, a huge pout appeared in his face when he saw his best friend stood static, sweating and exhausted.

"Geez, Natsu-cchi is so slow~ come on! We're almost there!'

Natsuki sighed, he wanted to take a break for a while but his friend--Miyazawa Haru--didn't have that word in his dictionary.

"I guess it's no help, uh...."

He started to run again, chasing for Haru who smiled widely seeing Natsuki started to run.

"Wait for me, Haru!"

And those two finally running together to the hill.

That was the end of August. Summer was almost ended, but there's no end for their adventure. This morning Haru heard that a meteor shower will happen tonight, so he sneaked from his home and invited Natsuki to see the meteor shower together in a certain place.

"That's secret! You will know once you see the place!"

That was what Haru said when Natsuki asked what kind of place.

And now, they were standing in that place. After a hard time climbing the slippery soil of the hill, finally they reached the top of the hill. Natsuki froze in his place, mesmerized by the beauty of scenery he could see there. He could see the clear night sky decorated by twinkling stars and the village below the hill clearly. He could see the flower field near the hill and that was beautiful. Haru grinned as he succeed to fascinate Natsuki with his discovery.

"Beautiful, isn't it?' 

"...indeed" a second of pause before Natsuki could reply. "How could you--"

"Because I'm awesome!"  Haru said with high pride, and Natsuki could tell the meaning of "awesome" he said was "like to wander around the village". Usually Natsuki would scold Haru because his hobby--or we could say that as a habit--to wander around the village without permission from his parents, but maybe he could forgive Haru just for today, as a payment for finding such a beautiful place like this one.

"From now on, this is our secret base! Don't tell everybody about this place, okay?" Haru gave his pleading expression to Natsuki.

Natsuki nodded. "I won't. Ah--hey, Haru! A shooting star!"

"What? Where--where--ah, there it is! Can I make a wish now?"

"Go on! Hurry up before it disappears."

"I wish this place will forever be our secret base, me and Natsu-cchi's!"

==

SECRET BASE
~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~

==

Our meeting was made in a moment at the intersection walking home.
You called out to me, didn't you? "Let's go home together."

==

That was a fun first day in elementary school. So fun that Miyazawa Haru once wished he could stay in school all day. He compiled his memories about his fun day today to tell his mother. A wide smile decorated his face as he walked home. His parents would be so happy to hear his story.

His tiny steps stopped when he saw a young boy about his age stood at the side of the road. That boy had a backpack at his back, and Haru concluded that he must be a student in his way home. But that boy was shivering. His clothes were covered in mud and some parts of it were ripped.  His hair was messed up and Haru could hear a low sound of sobbing come from him. He couldn't stand still--he moved closer to that boy and finally noticed that the boy was his classmate. A quiet one, Haru barely talked to him--he didn't even remember his name.

Maybe he was bullied?

"Hey, what's wrong?"

That boy gasped. He raised his head to see Haru's face, and Haru surprised to see the pale face of that boy.

"N-nothing."

The boy started walking to leave Haru. Haru could see his trembled body and he seems to had difficulty to walk, maybe his legs were wounded or something.

"He-hey, wait! Let's go home together!"

He didn't stop.

"Hey, don't ignore me! Your legs are hurting, right? So let's go home together, I'll help you if you're hurt. I'll piggyback you or anything! I don't care if our houses are in different way, but I want to help you!"

He stopped, and turn backward to face Haru. Haru's eyes were filled with sincerity, so he couldn't refuse. Haru was right after all--his legs were hurt...

"Th-thank you.. Miyazawa-san--."

"Just call me Haru," Haru smiled. "And how can I call you? So sorry, I forgot your name. "

"Uh... just call me Natsuki," he answered.

"Okay, Natsu-cchi then!" Haru shouted, didn't care about a surprised "Eeeh?" from Natsuki. "Let's go! So where's your home?"

So they finally walked home together. As they were walking, they shared a lot of stories. How Natsuki being bullied because he was too quiet and how Haru promised that he would always be Natsuki's friend and protect him from the bullies, was the beginning from their bond of friendship.

==

So happy, having so much fun, we had so many adventures
Inside the secret base that belonged to the two of us.
==

For those two 10 years old boys, having fun was limitless.

They had so many activity and adventures that brought them laughters and smiles. The wound they suffered from falling or bruises they got because insect's bite, felt nothing. The fun they got were bigger than that. Of course they also scolded by their parents, but those children kept on doing adventures. They grew naturally as a children--playing outside, got dirty because of mud or soil, wounded because fell from the tree, and having so much time with friends at school.

Today was exactly three years since Haru's declaration of their secret base.

"Don't you think we must celebrate this occasion?" Natsuki asked when Haru was playing his soccer ball alone. "Like an anniversary or such?"

"You have a point," Haru replied. "So what should we do then?"

"Hm..." Natsuki lower his head, thinking. "How about a camp?"

"Camp?" Haru tilted his head.

"Yeah, we set a tent here and do a campfire and barbeques and stuffs..."

Haru's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Great idea!" he shouted. "I'll prepare the food for the campfire, yams should be okay right? Oh, and I'll bring the tent too!"

"I'll set the fire, my brother has taught me how to do it," Natsuki smiled. "Tonight we'll have a lots of fun, Haru!"

"That's for this base's third year anniversary," Haru put his hands on his hips. "I wonder what we'll do for the tenth year anniversary?"

Natsuki's smile widened.

"Must be something more fun than this year's!"

==

So sad, so lonely, we had so many fights
Inside the secret base that belonged to the two of us.

==

Problem will always existed in every human's life, and of course for those two boys, problems lies ahead as they grow bigger. They matured. They grew older. Their mindsets were changed. Their emotions became unstable as they went through teenager's stage. They quarreled about trivial things, they fought for their own opinion, they debated.

Just like every teenagers with their unstable emotions.

"Can you stop doing this stuff? We're not a child anymore."

That was what Natsuki said when Haru invited him to their secret base after school ended.

"I know it, but it's been a while. I just want to have fun--"

"Give me a break, please," Natsuki shook his head while taking out his shoes from his locker. "For God's sake, Haru. We're in middle school now. Next year we'll graduate and take the high school entrance exam."

Haru pouted. "But in the past you used to be the one who most excited when it comes to playing in the base, Natsu-cchi..."

"And how many times should I tell you to stop calling me that?" Natsuki glared at Haru. "Get lost. Don't disturb me."

"Fine then. Just don't ever come again to the base."

Even Haru said that, Natsuki would still come without Haru noticed. There's no other place could calm him down except their secret base. Usually he went to their secret base when night came or if Haru was home, but today, maybe he was unlucky. Haru was still there even if it was late at night.

"You came here after all."

"Shut up. And you should go home now. Your curfew have ended a hour ago."

"Says someone who had his curfew ended half and a hour ago."

"Just come home, you idiot."

"You don't have right to get me out from here. This place belonged to us after all."

They never apologized to each other everytime they had fight. Maybe they thought it was no need since they knew each other too well. They never regret the fights they had because they matured because of the fights. And they realized (and which they felt grateful to) that even if they changed, their strong bond of friendship still remain unchanged.

==

There's nothing I can do about the sudden change of schools,
So I'll write letters, I'll call you, so please don't forget about me

==

["I wonder what we'll do for the tenth year anniversary?"]

A worth of five minutes spent in an awkward silence between those boys. Haru stood still, almost didn't believe the thing he had just heard. In the other hand, Natsuki who was sitting and hugging his knees, his face fell downcast and a look of guilt reflected on that face. Suddenly he felt an emptiness came to his heart. Yeah, he knew. After this, everything would be so lonely.

"...study abroad?" Haru broke the silence.

"Yeah," Natsuki nodded. "A high school in London has accepted my applications. Maybe I'll continue to college there too."

"I don't believe it."

"Me either," Natsuki chuckled. "At first I don't believe that one of my dreams finally come true. You know, right?"

"To go abroad is your dream since you were little, I always remember it. You said it when we first declare this place as our secret base, right?" Haru smiled sincerely. "I'm so happy that you reached your dream."

Natsuki smiled back, and a flash of memory came to his mind. He remembered, at the first day this place "belonged" to them, he shouted to a shooting star about his dream to go abroad. Haru was so excited when he heard his friend's dream and they end up in a discussion about what country they want to visit. Natsuki giggled, remembering how fun that time was.

"So should I see you off to the airport?" Haru asked.

"Of course, or you'll kill me in loneliness," Natsuki answered. "Ah, I haven't tell you yet. I'll go this August--at the end of August."

["Must be something more fun than this year's!"]

"...I see," Haru chuckled. "That's to mark the tenth year's, huh..."

"Sorry," Natsuki muttered. "Time is really flowing so fast, uh? We've played in this place for ten years... so we guess we should take a break."

"Take a break, huh..." Haru nodded. Maybe he should add that word to his dictionary now. "...I agree. Hey, would you like to make a promise?"

"Promise?" Natsuki lifted his eyebrow.

"Promise to meet here again, ten years from now." Haru answered. "Don't worry, I'll always take care for this place so you still can visit this place after ten years."

"Nice idea," Natsuki smiled. "We've been here for ten years, so we should leave this place for ten years too. Ten years from now, we'll meet again in this place. Show me your pinky!"

"But you have to promise one more thing to me."

"What's that?"

"Don't forget me," Haru muttered. "I'll always contact you until we meet again in this place ten years from now."

Natsuki giggled, and made a pinky promise with his friend.

"How in the world I could forget my very best friend, huh?"

==

I will never forget the teardrops that flowed down your cheeks.
I'm sure I will never forget that you waved your hand with all your strength to the end.

==

You born into this world and encounter so many people in this world. You laughed, cried, fought, and smiled together with people around you. But the day when you will be parted with those people, whether it's the people you hated or you loved, will come. Nothing to do with that fate--all you could do just endure the sorrow and pain from the farewell, and someday, that pain will be your power of living.

"Just cry now if you wanted to, Haru," Natsuki teased.

"You wanted to cry too, Natsu-cchi."

They laughed in unison while tears flew down their cheeks. They felt it, the loneliness of farewell they must endure.

And it was too much...

Natsuki saw from the bus's window as Haru waved his hand with his full strength, smiled, and seems to yelling something.

That was "Thank you."

His tears burst once again.

==

I knew that you screamed "Thank You" from the bottom of your heart till the very end.
A goodbye when you hold back your tears and smile is lonely, isn't it.

==

[Ten years is not a short time, you know. So I'm standing here, to convey just a word to you.

Thank you.

Thank you for being my best friend for this ten years, and thank you for willing to still be my friend for the next ten years]
"That fool..." Natsuki muttered. 'It's me who supposed to say thank you, Haru..."

[Thank you for everything. Thank you for saying 'thank you' to me. Thank you for protecting me until now. Thank you for finding our secret base ten years ago. Thank you for willing to take care of our secret base, the proof of our friendship, for the next ten years. And thank you for keep smiling although I know that you really wanted to cry]

==

So let me be inside this dream like this for eternity...

==

I believe that we will meet in August 10 years later.

==

~ten years later~

Everything was changed. The village was changed, there was no more a flower field near the hill. The scenery was a total change from twenty years ago. But, as a human who have a strong bond with a certain place from nature, Natsukiould easily find the hill--their secret base.

No different from twenty years ago, he still found difficulty to climb the hill even he's 27 now. After  a ten minutes worth of trying, he finally reached the top of the hill.

This place really brought him so many memories. Of himself. Fun he had. Fights he did. His laugh. His cries. His anger.

Everything he did here, together with his best friend.

"You finally come, Natsu-cchi..."

Natsuki smiled as he turns backwards and saw the profile of his best friend. Miyazawa. The very Miyazawa Haru, with his high school uniform, still looked the same with Miyazawa Haru ten years ago. His face was so delighted to finally see his best friend in this place again.

"Sorry for make you waiting," Natsuki forced to widened his smile. "Now you see? I don't forget you... I've keep my promises, right?"

A sincere smile appeared at Haru's face.

"Yeah, that's right," he said. "Thank you very much, Natsu-cchi."

==

You and the end of summer and the dreams of the future
And our big hope, I won't forget them.
I believe that we will meet 
In August 10 years later.
The best memories...

==

FIN

==

a/n: yes I'm no good at implying character death :P

This entry was posted on 03 September 2012 and is filed under crosspost things,fiction,song-inspired posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response.