Fiction: A Lily Promise, Romance

A Lily Promise

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The entire one-shot work is based on fiction. Anything resembling to real-world events is purely coincidental.

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"Will you be holding to this promise, pretty please?"

The kind yet straight-to-the-point words of seven-year-old Kazue Umeji were enough to give her childhood friend Mitsuko Nobusawa—who is also Kazue's age—minutes to ponder what she had just heard. Both of them stood at a tree across a small park at their neighbourhood in Chiba Prefecture, awkwardly looking at each other as their faces blushed, as Kazue's blonde hair swayed through the breeze, while Mitsuko's short black hair stood straight against the wind, thanks to it being covered by her red cap.

Mitsuko stammered as she tried to respond to Kazue, but each attempts at responding to her failed miserably. Was it something that hit Mitsuko's heartstrings?

"I-I-I-I..." Was all Mitsuko could say, with Kazue only giggling at her friend's inability to answer.

Kazue confided in Mitsuko, who had seen her as a true friend, after the latter saved her from a group of bullies in their elementary school. In many ways, Kazue was a contrast to Mitsuko.

Kazue was expressively feminine in both appearance and demeanour who is quiet yet mischievous, while Mitsuko was outgoing and extroverted but can be thrown off-guard by conventionally feminine topics including romance. Kazue's rich background and Mitsuko's average background was a collision course, but both of them found a common ground with each other.

As minutes went by, Mitsuko's frame was petrified with Kazue's kind yet mischievous smile, as she knew how the latter would tug at her weakness.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Mitsuko answered: "I will, Kazue-chan. But... I'm not ready for this!"

"Oh, Mitsu-chan!" Replied Kazue, who glanced at her sunnily. "You're that funny, don't you? All I asked was for you to hold to my promise that we will be together, forever, and here you are blushing profusely over it!"

Mitsuko's cheeks flushed further as she heard those nail-hitting words.

"No, that's not true!" Complained Mitsuko.

Kazue wasn't having any of it as she didn't believe her lies. For her, she had managed to pierce right through Mitsuko's heart effortlessly. For once, both childhood friends sat down at a playground, holding hands as their faces connected to each other.

But peace was rather fleeting for the two.

Just a month later, Mitsuko revealed to Kazue that she was moving to Shinagawa in the Tokyo Metropolis because of her father's work. It would mean Mitsuko separating from Kazue for a long time or possibly forever. Those words stung Kazue hard, as tears streamed from her eyes, dreading the fact that she didn't want to see her childhood friend getting separated. It was nothing short of Mitsuko trying to convince her father that she didn't want to move away from Kazue, but her father only told her that it is for the better.

Despite Mitsuko′s best efforts, her words felt hollow in front of her father. But, in a stroke of remaining luck, Mitsuko met Kazue outside the latter′s mansion. The two stood awkwardly at each other, yet with unmatched determination, Kazue said the following, with a tinge of regret, as tears streamed from her eyes:

"Mitsu-chan, promise me this... Don't forget about me, please. Send mails for once while you were away, it doesn't matter."

Mitsuko continued, as she responded: "Yes... Kazue-chan. Just don't forget about me, too..."

Despite that, however, time was unkind for them. As Mitsuko and her family were moving to their new home in Shinagawa one day later, so too the start of the inching distance between her and Kazue.

Years had passed and communication between Mitsuko and Kazue became sparse. Letters and emails within each other decreased slowly with each passing year, and with distance growing further until communication with each other ceased.

Mitsuko had become distant to Kazue from that point onward.

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Nine years later...

Now 16 and in her first year of high school at a prestigious all-girls academy, Yoshimoto Private Academy, Kazue was seen outside of her mansion's gates, preparing herself as she goes inside of her family car. While keeping a smile to her face, something had bothered her ever since the last time she had received a letter from Mitsuko. How she would never imagine the growing separation, after all these years?

"Is something bothering you, Lady Kazue?" Asked her personal maid, Ayako Tsuzuki, with a worried yet understanding tone, maintaining her composure.

Kazue simply lied as she replied, "Oh, it's nothing, Ayako!"

Despite the suspicious delivery of Kazue's words, Ayako did not press on, but in her experience for the past nine or so years, she knew something wasn't sitting well for Kazue. After all, she was like a big sister figure to her, and it was her duty to know.

Her father and mother, prior to leaving, told Kazue:

"Good luck on your first day, Kazue." Her mother said.

"Make sure to behave like a proper lady, okay?" Her father added, before continuing, "Ensure that it stays that way."

"We love you." Both her parents said altogether.

Kazue reluctantly nodded, before heading into the door of the car.

As the car left her family mansion, Kazue was inside, pondering at herself. She pondered at the very words she said to Mitsuko, nine years ago.

"Will you be holding to this promise, pretty please?"

Those same words that held meaning once to her had become a thing in the past, now that Mitsuko was anything but an afterthought in her memories. Ayako, while she stayed silent, simply glanced at Kazue again, only this time worry was around her face. She could not resist stoking more curiosity about her, not at this point in time.

As the academy's facade loomed not far from the vehicle, the family chaffeur parked the family vehicle in front of the academy. Kazue left the vehicle, before Ayako told her:

"Bye, Lady Kazue. Make sure to be on your best behaviour."

Kazue replied with a smile: "Thank you, Ayako."

With that, Kazue left as she proceeded to enter the gates of Yoshimoto. The academy in itself was structured after 18th-century buildings, complete with manicured gardens and a large fountain with the statue and the plaque of its architect in the middle of it.

As Kazue walked across the courtyard, so too the students who were passing by. However, one such student in particular was beside her.

The girl had brown short hair and blue eyes and was slightly taller than Kazue. And from the looks of her, she is the immediate opposite to the girl beside her. Unlike the poised, refined Yoshimoto girls like Kazue, this girl stood out amongst the crowd for her unusually casual demeanour.

"Do I know you, miss?" Asked Kazue courteously, as she looks at the student beside her.

The girl, who introduced herself as Kimiko Yamabe, replied: "Now come on, uh... Umeji-san. It's not that hard not to know who you really are!" She continued, piercing right through Kazue's formalities. "Name's Kimiko Yamabe, second-year and the president of Literature Club, and you're my kouhai here. I'll gladly help you getting used to this place."

Kazue's worries somewhat melted as she said to Kimiko: "Yamabe-senpai, you are really an odd one, do you?" Said her, as she looked at the girl. "You reminded me of an old friend of mine."

Kazue's frank words were enough to raise some eyebrows from Kimiko, but the latter did not press on at that moment in time.

"It's funny how people mistook me as some formal girl hard-coded to be that formal, but even this place had quirks on its own." Kimiko stated with a casual tone, "Because I'm rich, just like you. It's that I err on the side of acting like casual teenagers from other schools. Bah, I never liked being trapped in a metaphorical gilded cage, as a daughter to some businessman abroad and an actress." She continued, who is at ease of releasing some pent-up emotions to Kazue. "I liked being a free girl, unburdened by status!"

"Oh, Yamabe-senpai." Replied Kazue. "This old friend of mine taught me the ways of how normal people worked in the past, yet I did not expect it from people like you currently."

"It's a phase, Umeji-san." Said Kimiko casually. "And also, call me by my first name, so that I'll do the same thing to you!"

Kazue was reluctant, yet Kimiko's words were enough to move her. "Sure thing, Kimiko-senpai."

"That's the spirit, Kazue-san!"

Both girls chuckled at each other, before they are joined in by a group of students as the opening ceremony began.

Once the ceremony ended, it was the first day for Kazue. But deep down, she knew that being friends with her senpai Kimiko wasn't enough.

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At around 12:00 P.M., with classes over for now, Kazue was seen outside of the courtyard, sitting at a bench with her bento box on her lap, before she sat with Kimiko and another girl.

The girl to her left was Emiri Naru, first-year and the new treasurer of the Student Council. She had brown eyes and black hair tied in a ponytail.

"Yo, Kazue-san!" Called in Kimiko, as she brought her own bento box, as well.

"Is something bothering you, Umeji-san?" Asked Emiri, who sat down right next to Kazue's right.

"Kimiko-senpai, Naru-san... Remember what I said about this 'old friend' of mine?" Said Kazue, who began reminiscing her past with Mitsuko.

"Old friend?" Asked Emiri. "Who is this person you asked?"

"Mitsuko." Said Kazue. "A childhood friend of mine, but we hadn't talked to each other for a long time. Different kind of person who lived a more normal life than me. Yet a kind and sweet boy, as well."

"But you said... You haven't even met this Mitsuko person for a long time?" Asked Kimiko. "Come on, you said you fell in love with this boy."

"Mitsuko's family had to move to Shinagawa because of the father's work. I sent letters, hoping that we could communicate with each other, but the letters and mails ceased in just a year. From that point onward the distance felt too great." Kazue's words hit hard, as the pang of separation was a lot for her.

Emiri stepped up, as she asked Kazue: "How about you try locating her or even going to her school?"

"Wish it would be that easy." Said Kazue, as she bitterly chuckled at the idea.

Despite the heavy atmosphere around the trio, Kimiko broke it completely as she stood in front of Kazue.

"Well, it looks like it's a job for none other than your senpai, Kazue-san!" Chippily said Kimiko, whose voice earned looks, as she looked at the normally refined girl before she said with an energetic tone. "Today, it's your mission to reconnect to this 'old friend' of yours, no exceptions, Kazue-san! Expect status report about it tomorrow!"

Emiri said with a serious tone: "Can you not be this loud, Yamabe-senpai."

"What?" Asked Kimiko. "It's a confidence boost to make sure it happens, duh!"

"Well, just don't make it weird. Let Umeji-san do her thing." Added Emiri, as she ate the last of her lunch.

Suddenly, Kazue stood up, finishing the last of her food, as she stood up in a bold manner.

"I promise I will reconnect with Mitsu-chan!"

"That's the spirit, Kazue-san!" Said Kimiko.

The trio later laughed at the hearty conversation. For the first time, Kazue wasn't alone.

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Later that afternoon, as school ended at 3:00 P.M., Kazue said goodbyes to Kimiko and Emiri.

"See ya, Kazue-san!" Said Kimiko.

"Have a good day, Umeji-san." Added Emiri.

Kimiko added: "Also, good luck if you even manage to see your 'old friend' Mitsuko again! Expect me a report of it!"

"You can count on it." Ended Kazue, as she stood outside of the academy gates, waiting for her family car.

As minutes passed, Kazue stood outside, waiting.

However, before Kazue could even text her personal chaffeur to bring her home, she saw an unusual girl passing by. Her eyes affixed to her as she looked at her with precision.

The girl had long black hair and black eyes. She wears black blazer and white buttoned shirt, as well as grey pencil skirt. She wears white socks and brown loafers. The looks on her appearance screamed of normal life.

For Kazue, this person was a complete stranger to her, until this girl said one word that shakes her and changes her completely:

"Kazue."

Immediately, Kazue's world was sent to overdrive. The only person who would call her without honorifics was Mitsuko. Years ago, Kazue had fallen to Mitsuko, the boy she had known for nine years who had become an afterthought after just a year of growing distance, compounding with the ceasing of letters and emails.

But now, this Mitsuko, the same Mitsuko Nobusawa she had known as a childhood friend, was nothing like the person Kazue had seen in the past. Mitsuko was not a boy, but a girl. She looked unmistakably more feminine than the boyish girl she was known in the past. The slew of revelatory thoughts had Kazue's worldview upended completely.

"Y-You are a girl after all?!" Exclaimed Kazue in shock. "So the boy that I fell in love with... Was a female after all?" She asked, "I kept promise to a girl after all this time?"

Mitsuko, who was taken aback by Kazue's point-blank response, continue with a tease: "Kazue, remember that promise you told me?" She continued, maintaining her tone: "I never broke it. In fact, I maintained it after years we had been distant to each other."

"But how?" Asked Kazue. "I don't know what to say... I just hid this long-term struggle to my family and to my personal maid about it, not wanting to worry anyone."

Mitsuko added, as she said: "I'd guess you are more so worried about you falling in love with me?" Asked her. "Don't sweat about the microscopic details."

"..."

Kazue didn't respond from Mitsuko's direct words, knowing that she wanted to make it up for the distance. With that, Kazue maintained her composure as she said the following words:

"Will you be holding to this promise, pretty please?" Kazue said in front of Mitsuko, the same phrase she had said nine years ago finally resonating.

"Yes, Kazue." Replied Mitsuko with a smile to her face. "I will. I'm sorry for not sending letters back to you. It was a difficult time. But I promise that we decide to reconnect each other again."

The last thing both girls did was to kiss each other in the lips warmly. After all the times they had been separated under circumstances, both childhood friends had finally gained a closure. The last words from Kazue said:

"I love you, Mitsu-chan. It's a promise we keep for a long time. Or rather, it's a lily promise."

The two held hands with each other, leaning their heads beside each other as they smiled.

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FIN.

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