Love Crossroads

The bell rings indicating the end of today's class.

"Miyazawa-kun, remember to fill your future plans survey for tomorrow" said Sensei before dismissing the class. I can't even process what sensei said to me, I'm nervous as hell, I try to calm down but my mind is a mess. 

At this point of the semester everyone already has made a group of friends or even got a partner so the classroom empties pretty quick.  A group of students gathers around  a girl. That girl is Yumeko Nakano, the class representative not to mention that she is the prettiest, smartest and most popular student in the class, no, all the grade.

"We are going to the karaoke, would you like to come Yumeko-chan?" one girl asked.

"Sorry I have some work to do, maybe on other ocassion" she replied.

"That's a shame. But no matter what you do, get out of here soon don't get near that Miya-freak" other girl of the group commented.

That comment would normally hurt but I'm so nervous that i don't pay attention.

"I will ask you not to be so offensive" declared Nakano-san as the group left the classroom.

She defended me, she is just so flawless, that is why I like Yumeko Nakano. The reason I'm so anxious is because earlier I asked her if we could speak after class and my plan is to confess.

I first met her on middle school, we were classmates all three years and then enrolled to the same high school.  As I said, she is perfect in every way: she always gets the highest notes, she has a beautiful face, long black hair and deep black eyes, she has a body that every woman would envy, her voice is so relaxing to hear and she always smell so delightful. It's no surprise why she is the center of attention all the time.

The sun is setting,  the cherry blossom petals are falling and the classroom is silent, you can even hear the sound of the waves . As for me, I'm shaking, my hands are sweating and my heart beats are off the charts.

"Sorry for what those girls said, don't listen to their insults. So what do you want to tell me Miyazawa-kun?" gently told Nakano-san as she walked towards me.

I can no longer hold this feeling, I'm about to confess. I know that my chances of being rejected are extremely high, me being the nobody that I am, but I need to get this off my chest.             

 I take a deep breath and gather all my courage to speak:

"F-Fir-Firstly, tha-thank you for taking the time to hear me-me out" I said with trembling voice.

"No problem, is my duty as class representative to listen the concerns of my fellow classmates" replied Nakano-san.

 "We-Well, what I wa-wanted to sa-say is tha-that, I li-li-" I tried to verbalize my confession.

 In that precise moment the door opened abruptly and a guy enters running and screaming.

"Is it still here? Yes! Thank God" he exclaimed as he grabbed a backpack.

This guy is Izumi Takeda the recently transferred student, I don't know him very well but I think he is from Tokyo and he is in the Athletics club.

"Sorry if I interrupted something, I forgot the backpack where my change of clothes and my tennis are" said Takeda.

"No worries Takeda-kun" responded Nakano-san with a charming smile, then she turns back to me.

While I'm trying to recompose myself I observe Takeda. He is handsome, athletic and very popular with the girls, I'm trash compared to him. If someone was to date Nakano-san it would be him, they would make the perfect couple.

"What were you saying Miyazawa-kun?" told me Nakano-san interrumpting my thoughts.

"Nevermind, it's nothing" I said and rushed out of the classroom.

***

I'm running as far from school as I can but I don't want to return home either. I need a place to relax so I go to my sanctuary, the place I always go when I want to be alone, the beach at the outskirts of town.

Nothing but the waves can be heard. I sit on the sand to contemplate the sea. Enjoying the tranquility of being alone I recall what just happened: I was about to confess to Nakano-san but I was interrupted by Takeda.

"Anyway I would have been rejected. Maybe I should thank Takeda for saving me from an embarrasing situation" I cry out loud.

"Thank me for what?" I hear someone say behind me.

I jump of surprise, I thought I was alone and no one else knew about this place. I turn around and I see Takeda drenched in sweat.

"Wha-What are you doing here Takeda?" I ask him.

"Well I just went for a sprint and I ended up here, I didn't know  there was such a wonderful place in this town" he replied while sitting next to me.  

Before I could say something else he added:

"But what were you saying, why would you thank me?"

As he was saying that, I couldn't pay attention to his words. Rather I was mesmerized with his blond hair, blue eyes, pretty nose, fine lips and incredible physical build, he definitely is the perfect man.

"Ex-Excuse me I was talking to myself" I managed to respond.

It had been a few weeks since Takeda was transferred, at least for me he still was an unknown. But the look in his eyes made me feel strangely confident and as soon as I realized i was already speaking:

"Well, don't laugh but I was about to confess to Nakano-san" I said waiting for a tease.

"No one should feel ashamed of their feelings" Takeda answered.

I felt that what he said was from the bottom of his heart. I turned my view from the ground to see Takeda's face, it seem that he was about to cry but he quickly cleaned his tears with his shirt, stood up and helped me stand too. 

"You can't understand what I feel, you are handsome and athletic, if you were confessing there is no other answer but to correspond you. No, you are so perfect that you don't ask someone out, they ask YOU out" I shouted back, still confused.

Takeda stayed silent for a bit,  he started to walk down the beach as if he was remembering something, I followed and then he spoke:

"You may not believe me but I haven't dated anyone"

Impossible, this perfect man not dating anyone?

"I'm no love expert but if you are good with it, I could help you with Nakano-san" he added.

"Wh-Why would you, the perfect Takeda, help someone like me?" I quickly questioned him.

"Well, gathering the courage to convey your feelings even if you know you are going to be rejected is something to admire" calmly replied Takeda.

"Also I feel sorry for interrupting before" he added.

"Please call me Izumi " he concluded.

I could only cry when he said that, I just made my first friend.