Waiting for Wednesday [1]
It was a dark and rainy Wednesday Morning. was standing in front of Building Two's[2] mailbox, holding a letter in her hand. Should I insert it inside, she asked herself. Would someone finally listen to what her heart feels? She held the letter close to her heart as if feeling all the emotions written on it.
She then slowly inserted the letter in one slot. then hurriedly left the building and went to hers, afraid that someone might have seen her.
It will be her little secret. For now.
**********
"Yanagisawa-senpai always asks me to buy things for him when he can do it on his own." Mutters Fuji Yuuta as he carried two big bags of groceries. He wasn't able to ask his sister Yumiko for grocery items the last time she visited so he just decided to do the shopping on his own. Unfortunately, Yuuta's teammate, Yanagisawa Shinya, has to undergo a special menu made by Mizuki Hajime so he had no choice but to ask his kouhai to do his errands.
Yuuta entered his dormitory bulding, Building Two, and greeted some of the people on the lobby. He was about to go upstairs when he passed by the mailbox area and remembered that he has to check if he has some letters. He put down the bags for a moment and went to his mailbox, with the number "18" embossed on it.
"Let's see. Cellphone bill... Flyers... Flyers... Geeze, these things are garbages... What else, hmmm... Eh? What is this?" Yuuta said in surprised when he saw a small pink envelope while sorting his mail. The envelope's open, although there's no name written in front of it. He decided to go to his room and read what was written on it. He reached his room quickly and after putting the bags on his table, he lay on his bed and opened the letter.
Ryu-kun,
I still do not know what happened, but I know that you know how much pain I feel inside. Do you feel it too? cannot go on like this, you just left me without telling me where you are going. At least, give me a word or two. Just don't let me wait like this forever...
-chan
"Ah, someone might have sent this by mistake." Yuuta said. However, he remembered what the letter said: "you just left me without telling me where you are going..." Yuuta repeated. "What the hell's that?"
Yuuta was thinking who might have sent the letter when he heard a knock on his door. He opened it and he saw a tired and worn-out Yanagisawa Shinya.
"S-senpai!" Yuuta said. Yanagisawa was almost lying on the floor. Yuuta helped his teammate and brought him inside the room.
"A-arigatou, Yuuta. Dammit Mizuki, is he planning to kill me da ne!?" Yanagisawa complained in between pauses while Yuuta gets him a glass of water to drink.
After a couple of minutes, Yanagisawa was able to cool down while Yuuta decided to divide the groceries so that he can hand in Yanagisawa's items. Just then, the mysterious letter crossed Yuuta's mind once again so he decided to ask his senpai about it.
"Senpai... You're not trying to play a prank on me, aren't you?" Yuuta asked suspiciously.
Yanagisawa looked at him questioningly. "What the heck are you talking about da ne? I was about to die when Mizuki gave me that stupid training menu, and here you are, accusing me of something I don't even know about da ne!" He gulped the glass of water before picking up the grocery bag beside him. He then waved at Yuuta before leaving the place.
Fuji Yuuta sat on his chair. Okay, so maybe he was a little harsh. Besides, Yanagisawa won't even do such stupid thing.
"Maybe I should wait for the letter sender tomorrow." he told himself.
**********
"No one's coming." Yuuta told himself after he managed to go home to his dormitory right after class. He decided to wait for the letter sender after receiving a mysterious pink envelope that is obviously addressed to someone else. For some reason, the one who sent the letter inserted it in Yuuta's mailbox, thus, he wanted to send it back so that the letter will be delivered to the right person.
Unfortunately, he wasn't able to see the equally mysterious letter sender.
"Maybe it's just a mistake. I should just go back upstairs." he told himself and he went back to his room and start reviewing his notes.
**********
"Thank goodness it's warmer now." Told as she walked towards Building Two's door. A week ago, she decided to put her letter in one of the mailbox of the boys' dormitory. She didn't know what happened to her letter. She just wanted to send it to someone.
is a sophomore student at St. Rudolph, and is also staying in campus. She is a ver shy and quiet girl, and while her classmates really like her because of her good-natured personality, she is not the type of person who will talk about her daily activities. Or her complicated lovelife.
This, until her boyfriend, sophomore Yamaguchi Ryu, left the city with his family without even telling her where will he be staying. does not want to share her emotions to her classmates, so she decided to write a letter and mail to someone else. It's a way for her to release her emotions without letting anyone know what she looks like.
When she reached the mailbox area of the dormitory, she took a white envelope from her bag and inserted it on mailbox number eighteen. She stared at the number for a couple of minutes. Gomen nasai, eighteen-san. I am really sorry for bothering you with my problems. I... and she heard someone coming downstairs. left the building before someone else emerges from the staircase.
**********
"Dammit, I slept in! How am I supposed to explain this to my leader?" Cursed Fuji Yuuta as he quickly went downstairs after remembering that he has to meet his leader for their history project. With a pack of juice on his left hand and his bag tucked under his arm, he then decided to check his mailbox in case he needs to stay longer after class and forget to check it later. He saw a white envelope inside. He picked it up and saw that like the pink enveloped he saw last Wednesday, the white one isn't sealed as well. He decided to read it again while walking towards his classroom.
Ryu-kun,
How are you doing? You know what, I have been bothering another student in our school. I know it is silly but... I think that this is the only way I can lessen the burden.
-chan
"It's... this letter again." Yuuta told himself. However, this time the letter sender seemed to explain why he is receiving the letter. It is really addressed to him.
Fuji Yuuta become entangled in a sad love affair without even realizing it.
**********
"Ne, Yanagisawa-senpai," Fuji Yuuta asked Yanagisawa while they are buying ice cream on a convenience store. Yanagisawa offered to pay the sweets since his kouhai agreed to run his errands a week ago.
Yanagisawa looked at Yuuta questioningly while handing in the payment to the cashier. "Nanda, Yuuta-kun?"
"What will you do if you receive a letter from a girl?"
Yanagisawa's eyes glittered. "Waa, Fuji Yuuta is really popular now, da ne?" he said teasingly.
Yuuta made a face, avoiding his senpai's suspicious look. "Stop that, senpai! It's not a love letter!"
"What?"
Yuuta started narrating what happened while they were walking back to their dormitory building while Yanagisawa listened attentively. When Yuuta finished, he asked, "So, what do you think, senpai?"
Yanagisawa kept quiet for a while. "You know, I think the one sending you the letter is a very shy girl, don't you think da ne? If she has a lot of friends she wouldn't even write that letter and drop it off randomly da ne."
"That could be true, but there's also a possibility that someone's just playing a prank on me." Yuuta said.
"Maa, Yuuta-kun you're always suspicious of the people around you da ne." Yanagisawa said while tapping Yuuta's shoulder. "How about..."
"How about...?"
Yanagisawa Shinya smiled. "How about you just entertain the letters she's sending da ne?"
Fuji Yuuta almost choked when he heard this. "What are you talking about, Yanagisawa-senpai?"
"Tee-hee." Yanagisawa chuckled and pulled Yuuta to explain to him what he has in mind.
**********
"Oh my, I'll be late." told herself as she rushed towards Building Two to drop off her letter. When she was about to put her letter inside mailbox number eighteen, she noticed that there's a small note taped in front of the box, with her name written on it. She slipped her letter inside and pulled off the other, and kept it in her bag while she rushed towards the school building.
During lunch, remembered the letter and she took it off from her bag and looked at the enveloped. After checking numerous times that the letter is indeed for her, she decided to open it.
-san,
As you might have guessed, I am the owner of the mailbox where you usually place your letters for a certain Ryu-san. I believe that I have no right to meddle with your affairs, but your second letter briefly explained your reason why you put letters on my mailbox when they are obviously for someone else.
My name is Fuji Yuuta, and I am a sophomore student in St. Rudolph. I do not know you, or if you are also a student in this school. However, based on your two letters, I would assume that you need someone to talk to. I am not angry at you or anything, but in case you really need a company, or if you want someone to know what you really feel, my mailbox is always there. I hope that I can help you somehow.
Good luck,
Fuji Yuuta
"Fuji Yuuta..." repeated the name herself. She knew him by name and by reputation; he is a member of the boys' tennis team and known as the brother of a genius tennis player in Seishun Gakuen. However, she didn't expected someone like him to get her letters. Nevertheless, she was happy that someone is actually willing to hear her out.
For the first time in three months, was able to smile a bit.
**********
Fuji Yuuta dragged himself literally towards the staircase so that he can already sleep. The tennis team has a training right after class, and for some unknown reason, Mizuki has given them another training menu which is three times harder than before.
"I wonder if I still have the strength to study." Yuuta told himself. He slowly pulled his mailbox key from his bag and opened it. He was surprised to see that there are two letters in it. A current of energy suddenly flowed through his veins and Yuuta ran upstairs, unable to wait to read the letters.
The first letter is similar to the first two that he received before. The second letter, however, is addressed to him. He checked it twice, making sure that it is indeed his name that is written in front of the enveloped. He held his breath, and opened the side of the envelope. He started reading the letter.
Fuji-san,
First of all, I would like to apologize for bothering you. I know that it is stupid for me to write my feelings out and let a stranger hear what I really feel, but for some reason this is the way that I feel a little better. Nevertheless, I would like to thank you for understanding me and for writing back. I didn't expect this to happen.
Second, I think I do not have the courage to face anyone right now or to talk about it personally. I hope you do not mind.
Third, you might be wondering why I keep sending letters every Wednesday. Wednesday was the day I learned that Ryu-kun left Tokyo. I was hoping that maybe one Wednesday, he will be back soon.
Again, thank you very much.
-chan
After reading the letter, Yuuta finally realized how the girl has been feeling. He looked at the ceiling and smiled. "I have a feeling," he told himself, "that I want to protect this person. -san."
**********
The next Wednesday, and Yuuta left letters on mailbox number eighteen. The same thing happened the following Wednesday, and the week after that. 's letters are starting to change a little bit now: she used to address her letters to Ryu, but now she is addressing it to Yuuta, but still narrating how she feels bad about her boyfriend deserting her. Yuuta, on the other hand, felt different every time he receives a letter. He wants to pull the week ahead so that it'll be Wednesday again, the day when he is going to receive another letter from .
One Saturday, Yanagisawa invited Yuuta to go to the public courts to play tennis. While they were walking, Yanagisawa noticed that Yuuta looked more peaceful than usual.
"Anyway, Yuuta-kun, any news about that letter sender da ne?" Yanagisawa asked.
Yuuta looked at him and smiled. "Ah. Just like what you've said, I wrote to her and she replied. We've been writing to each other for the past month and a half."
Yanagisawa let out his mischievous smile. "So did you guys already meet, da ne? Do you like her da ne?"
Yuuta was surprised to hear this from his senpai. "Y-Yanagisawa-senpai! Don't joke around like that! It's not that I don't like her..."
Yanagisawa let out a triumphant laugh. "Yatta! You already confessed da ne! Maa, I am so good at this da ne. Is she your girlfriend now da ne?"
While Yanagisawa was bragging about how he managed to let Yuuta confess about the whole situation, Yuuta remained quiet, thinking about what he just said. Well, I don't hate her, so maybe I like her, he told himself. But what kind of "like" feeling is it, he asked himself. Maa, maybe I like her as a friend, right? I shouldn't listen to Yanagisawa-senpai, he finally said before they finally reached their destination for that day.
But that night, Yuuta was unable to sleep. Sure, his body was tired from playing that afternoon and he should be resting, but his mind was in a complete mess. This is Yanagisawa-senpai's fault, he told himself, although at the back of his mind, he thought that the idea would probably cross his mind sooner or later.
He stood up and went to his dresser where he kept 's letters. It is true that he haven't seen her, yet after that short span of time, he felt that he already knew her all his life. He wanted to protect her, to take away her pain, and to wipe away the tears from her eyes.
Yuuta was lost in his thoughts when he heard his cellphone rang. He picked it up and heard the voice that will most likely give him a word or two.
"How are you, Yuuta-kun? Did you eat well today? Oh, and Syuusuke wants to talk to you, too."
**********
Another Wednesday has passed by and was about to deliver her letter to Yuuta. When she found his letter taped on the mailbox, she decided to read it right away while walking towards the school building.
When opened the letter, she was surprised to see that it was really short.
-san,
I know I have no right to ask you this, but do you really love Ryu-kun? How long are you going to wait for him?
Fuji Yuuta
"Fuji-san, he really is concern with me." She concluded before she went to her classroom and hurriedly took a pen and paper to answer the letter.
What she didn't know that his concern is deeper than that.
**********
Fuji Yuuta didn't realize where he got the courage to ask about her feelings towards her boyfriend, Yamaguchi Ryu. Why did I ask her when it was really obvious in the first place? He asked himself angrily.
When his sister, Fuji Yumiko, called him a couple of nights ago, he wasn't able to help it and asked her about his situation. Either way, Yumiko will learn about it sooner or later because she knows him too well.
And he was right. Yumiko told her, "Maa, Yuuta, I think you already know the answer, so why do you have to ask me? Why don't you ask her instead?"
He did ask her this morning through the letter he sent to her. And now he is worried like hell. He was walking back and forth inside his room, thinking about 's answer. Is she angry? Did she get what I mean? What if... she started to stay away from me? A lot of things are playing inside his mind that he decided to go downstairs and walk outside.
He was about to leave the building when he passed by the mailbox area. Yuuta had the urge to check his mailbox although he already received 's letter early that morning. He opened it and to his surprise, there's a letter inside. Yuuta picked it up and read it while he was on his way to the public park.
Fuji-san,
I received your letter and it was really short. However, your question is meaningful, and you might want to learn my response before you wait for another week.
Yes, I do love Ryu-kun. You will probably say that I should just give up on him because it seems that he is not coming back. The truth is I am afraid that it would happen one day. But I will still continue believing you know?
I cannot answer how much I do love him because I do believe that I shouldn't measure my feelings towards other people. I guess I love him so much that I am willing to wait for him until he says that it's already enough.
I hope I answered your questions thoughtfully, Fuji-san. Thank you very much for taking care of me.
-chan
Yuuta carefully folded the letter and put it inside the envelope. "That's it," he told himself. The match haven't started yet and he already lost the game.
The sky started to get dark and soon enough, the rain has fallen. Yuuta sighed. The sky probably knows how he feels right now that it decided to cry with him.
**********
Another Wednesday morning. The school has no classes that day due to a Catholic-related celebration. Fuji Yuuta was fixing himself in front of his mirror, with mixed expression on his face. He made one final glance on himself, took the envelope from his table along with a small bouquet of flowers and headed downstairs.
Yuuta was unsure of his plans, but he realized that 's letter said it all. After a couple of months and a word or two from his older sister, he finally admitted that he really has feelings towards – a girl he has never met before but he knows so well. But before he was able to confess to her, he knew that 's feelings towards her boyfriend will never change. Yuuta felt that he will just continue hurting himself if he continue to entertain 's letters. He will be also cheating on , for he is pretending to be there as her friend when in fact, he really has feelings for her.
He was standing near the staircase when he saw a raven-haired girl walking towards the mailbox. She was clad in a simple pants and white shirt, and her hair was tied up. She inserted a letter inside mailbox number eighteen and hurriedly left the area when he decided to call her.
"-san..."
The girl turned around saw him standing in front of her. She smiled at him.
"F-Fuji-san. I... I didn't expect you to..."
"Actually I really waited for you." He said as he handed him his letter and a bouquet of Jonquil. "My classmate's father brought some of these for their store. I hope you like it."
"Fuji-san, handing a Jonquil to someone means..." said, careful of her words.
Yuuta smiled at her softly, understanding what she wants to say. "Yes, -san. It means that I yearn for your feelings."
looked at the boy in front of her, and shook her head. "But Fuji-san, you know that I love Ryu-kun... Your letter..."
"Yes, I know that. That's why I wrote that letter. I want to know."
"I don't know what you mean.."
Yuuta tried looking away, but he realized that that would be the first and last time that he will see her. "I don't even know how to explain it, -san. It just... happened. But I don't want to force myself to you because I know that your love for Ryu-san is pure and neverending."
"You said that you cannot measure love that easily, and that you will wait for Ryu-san to return. I..." Tears are slowly forming on Yuuta's eyes but he tried to fight it. "I will also do the same, -san. I will wait until you're ready to love someone again, to take a chance again. I guess... I guess that's how much I love you, -san."
cannot believe what she was hearing. Still, the truth is that no matter how much Fuji Yuuta loves her, she cannot return that feelings.
"I'm... I'm sorry, Fuji-san." Was all that she can say.
Yuuta forced a smile, realizing that was worried about him. "I will be fine, -san. But this time, I will say good bye to you. It's a shame that this is the first and the last time that we met. Thank you very much for coming into my life." Yuuta said, bowing at her. When Yuuta was done reassuring , the girl left the building slowly, looking back at the guy who patiently listened to her.
When was nowhere in sight, Fuji Yuuta breathe deeply, and the tears that he has been trying to hold started falling down.
It was the most sorrowful Wednesday of his life.
##########
June 20, 2006
Written by: Megane-ko
Edited by: Rikapyon!
[1] The title of this story is based from the song, "Waiting for Wednesday" by Lisa Loeb.
[2] To those who own Prince of Tennis 20.5, you noticed that St. Rudolph's dormitory looks like an apartment than an exact building. However, in this story, I modified their lodgings for a bit. Sorry about that.