The Uncontrollable Gate

She is waiting in front of the window... The place where the gate showed up yesterday. She is wearing her ninja clothes, not the ones I bought for her or my sister’s pajamas.

She looks excited but nervous at the same time. Maybe sad a little... or maybe I wish that she feels sad for her returning. Anyway... I can’t convince her in only one day to stay with me. I can’t do that never. Because I know how she loves her lord and her nation.

I can see the clock. It’s 11.58 pm. “I hope you enjoy this day,” I said. She didn’t say anything. She smiled.

It’s my only chance to confess my feelings. I need to be selfish one more time and say those feelings. But these feelings are giving heaviness in my heart and making me look at the ground, not her.

I gathered my courage and looked at her again.

“Ino. I lo—”

Did she shushed me by hugging me? She is not saying anything yet. I can feel her tickled hairs and her smell of my shampoo.

“I know,” she said and whispered something. Then she disappeared.

…

(A month later)

I hope my rubbed eyes are not seen in the school. I recalled the news yesterday and got depressed again.

I don’t remember when I cried last in my life. I didn’t do that even after Ino-chan left. But that news...

Oh, how could they decide like that suddenly? Why does “Love of a Young Emperor” have to finish now? Universe was wide and Ino-chan had a lot of to do! I can’t cry now. Please my tears, stop.

With this news, I think the feelings that I have accumulated inside have popped up. Maybe when I watched that Ino-chan was living her life with happiness on TV, I was consoled myself.

But... There is nothing anymore. She is just a fictional character and 14th February that we spent together was an illusion made by that old lady. But memories are real. My friends and my family still remember her.

…

Oh no! Two girls from the next class are coming. I shouldn’t show my red eyes to them.

“Hello Akari-kun. How is it going?”

“Hi. Fine. You?”

“Thanks. We came to accept our White Day presents.” one of them said and chuckled.

“Is that so? Then please,” I said and showed the confectionery bag on my desk.

While one of the girls were taking a candy from the bag, she smiled and “Oh, that’s our Akari-kun! He has bought white day candies for all of us,” she said. As the bell rang, they thanked me and headed to their own classroom.

…

15th March 00.00... After the bathroom, while I am drying my hair with my towel, I'm looking at the gate in front of the window.

Maybe this door will continue to open a few times in a year. Maybe we can control this gate so it can be opened as our will. There is magic in Ino-chan's world. We can find a solution to this once I go in there.

Nobody came here from the gate. It looks like it's my turn to be a guest this time. And disappearing for a few days doesn’t harm anybody.