After the Battle (2)
Chapter 37: Episode 18 - After the Battle (2)
Once everyone saw Keiko leave, they were troubled by the look on her face. She never had such a vulnerable look on her face that anybody saw before. They always knew that she wasn't good at expressing her emotions and she was serious most of the time. It was the first time where they'd seen Keiko with such a sensitive side when Fraise had brought up someone that both Keiko and Fraise knew.
Though they were never the ones to pester her about her background and who they were referring to in their conversation, this could only mean that the woman they referred to was someone important to Keiko. They could also tell that this struck a nerve in Keiko that caused her to become so lost in thought.
It worried them to see her like this but it also showed some kind of conflict Keiko was facing with herself. To an extent, she was doubting her capabilities and was questioning whether she was good enough or not. Not only this, but they figured that Keiko didn't entirely trust anyone even when they treated her with some sort of friendliness. This caused all of them to be curious about what was going on with her, Fraise, and the woman they spoke of.
"What did you guys mean by "she?" Who was the woman you were talking about?" Hanabusa asked Fraise who kept a serious look. Everyone else was also questioning this as well, but Fraise pointed her head down.
"I'm sorry, guys. But... it's not my business to tell you. I know it may seem like Keiko doesn't trust anyone but please understand that there is a reason why she's like this…" Fraise responded sadly.
"Well, what the hell kind of reason is that? She can't tell anyone?!" Kashino burst out in irritation but Fraise shook her head.
"Please be patient. I know it's selfish when I say this, but it's already hard enough on her as it is… she needs time to tell you who she is, so please wait… She's never opened up to anyone about this before. She thinks that if she tells you now, it will skew how you perceive her..." Fraise explained and everyone kept quiet.
"Sorry, it was rash of us to act this way," Andou apologized but Fraise gave a small smile.
"It's fine. Please don't worry about it. Keiko is usually not upfront about these things so she's always kept quiet. I really do hope that she'll soon tell you guys what's going on in her mind instead of keeping it to herself. Anyways, if you'll excuse me, I have to make sure Keiko doesn't faint on her way back to her room." Fraise bowed her head respectively and left the sweets princes and the sweets spirits alone in the Salon de Marie kitchen.
Once Fraise had left, the sweets princes turned to face each other and pondered.
"But what kind of secret could she be hiding that she has never told anyone?" Hanabusa asked them but Andou shrugged.
"I don't know either," Andou responded.
Kashino pondered quietly to himself before voicing his thoughts.
"If Michiko never told anyone before, that means she never told Fraise either. This could only mean that Fraise figured it out and decided to keep quiet about it. But… to the point where "it could skew our visions of her", this seems to be more of a deeper secret than we're thinking..." Kashino said and the sweets princes nodded their heads in agreement.
"Well, there's no time to worry about that now. We have to focus on the Grand Prix," Andou brought up and everybody nodded their heads.
Before they dispersed, everybody had promised not to say anything to Keiko since they realized that she could be sensitive to the conversation if they ever brought it up again. They decided that it will take time for her to open up and tell them everything and they would respect her choice, whenever that time comes.
* * *
I made it back to my dorm room and plopped onto my bed tiredly. Fraise followed shortly after me whose eyes were already closed. I could hear her making her way towards me and I felt a light pat on my head from her.
"I'm sorry, Keiko. What I said to you before was wrong of me to say," Fraise said apologetically but I gave a small smile.
"What was wrong with what you said? It's all true. What you said was more of a wake-up call. I was doubting myself too much and you brought me back to reality. It was wrong of me to think that way and it must've bothered the sweets princes," I admitted and Fraise kept quiet.
"I don't think what you said bothered the sweets princes that much. Instead, it seems like they worry more about you than you do yourself, Keiko," Fraise confessed but I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You think the cold Kashino would worry about me? I don't know about the flowery Hanabusa or the outspoken Andou either. If anything, I guess we're just group members, or teammates now. They'd probably be more concerned if I'm not healthy enough to compete in the Grand Prix, huh," I said my thoughts out loud and Fraise gave out a big sigh.
"Seriously, what are you talking about?!" Fraise was beginning to raise her voice at me but I remained indifferent.
"It's all probably true…" I muttered quietly to myself only to reposition myself on my bed. "Don't mind me, I guess I can't think well since I haven't gotten a lot of sleep recently."
I wasn't even bothered to change out of my clothes since I was so exhausted, so I pulled my blanket covers on top of me and closed my eyes again.
"I think it's much more than that…" Fraise muttered to herself but I didn't hear it.
"Oh, did you say something?" I turned my head at her who had a small smile on her face.
"It's nothing. Just rest already," Fraise instructed so I faced my head towards the ceiling.
In only a few minutes, my vision began fading and I finally went to sleep.
~
"Geez, Keiko. Have some more hope in yourself. Those guys worry about you a lot yet you don't realize it," Fraise whispered quietly, observing Keiko who was sleeping soundly in her bed.
"Just when will you tell them what you're hiding? How long will it take for you to say it?" Fraise pondered out loud to observe the light breaths Keiko breathed in and out.
'I guess we'll wait until you're ready. I truly hope that you can trust them someday…'