CHAPTER 6: THE MAN WHO HOLD THE WITCH PAST

               The park was filled with people as the sounds of cheerful children playing around made it became livelier than ever. Horikita Maki sat quietly on the bench as her eyes just stared blankly to the view in front of her. Somehow, her gut clenched tightly at the view, making her mind instantly reminisced the unforgettable past. Closing her eyes, she tried to calm her heart beats. It was already 5 years, but why the wound still felt raw as if it happened yesterday? She whispered within herself.

“Sorry for making you wait, Mari chan.” Tegoshi Yuya walked fast as he apologized toward her. Her eyes shifted toward the owner of wonderful voice.

The man who wore a t-shirt with his faded jeans still making him looked handsome than ever. Her brown orbs looked back at the view and the sadness filled within her instantly. Following along was Tegoshi’s gaze and his jaw turned into a tight taut instantly. At that moment, he knew what does Maki chan looked at it.  And guilty seeped into every part of his veins as the painful memory of five years ago came back at once. Shaking his head, he took the drinks and gave it to the lovely woman who sat next to him. Although she was wearing dark clothes and a pair of spectacles to cover her beautiful round brown eyes, but still if looked at her properly, she was still pretty. And because of that beauty and kindness, she became like this…. Tegoshi smiled bitterly at the sudden notion. Throwing his thought, Tegoshi took out a can of drink.

“Do you still like this drinks? ” Tegoshi extended his hand and offered her the drinks. Maki turned and looked at it. Nodding her head, her hand reached it.

“Ah…yokatta!!” The man chirped happily. Instantly he dug inside the plastic bag and took out another can of drinks and opened it. Drinking from it, the man tried to erase the thirst that kept inside his throat. Different with Maki, who kept staring at the can for a long time.

Why do you like this drink?

Because it gives you energy.

This drink?

Umm….don’t you know that athletes drink this one to regain back their energy.

Really?

Ummm….and even it is good when you took it when you have fever. Cause it could help balancing the fluid inside your body.

“Mari chan….”Instantly her eyes flew back to the owner of the voice. Maki found out Tegoshi’s brown orbs fixed on her and there was some worry within his face.

“You are okay?” the man asked her and she just nodded silently. Her eyes looked back at the view in front of her as her hands turned into clench.

“Do you still could not forget the man, Mari chan?” This time his voice as if he whispered the questions. Maki just remained silence but Tegoshi knew the woman was still the same. Despite off she had been more quiet than before, and cold towards other people, still her heart could not forget the man after all.

“Gomen….I am stupid for asking you that question. Baka ne….” The man chuckled nervously, trying to cheer mood a little. It was being nearly three years he leaved Japan to work in other countries and this was their first meeting after being apart for a long time.  Tegoshi shook his head and turned to Maki once again. Inhaling his breath, he smiled toward the woman.

“I haven’t got chance to ask you since we met just now. How are you?” Tegoshi asked cheerfully. He hope with that question, he would disperse the bad mood that filled within the atmosphere. As well the woman’s memory over the man.

“Fine.” She answered shortly, making Tegoshi smiled even wider. Inhaling the fresh air, he spoke again.

“Really? I’m glad to know that.”

                Actually, he knew already about how she lived already. Maybe, Horikita Maki did not know that he kept sending someone to check on her, whether in workplace or at her home. Although he knew she was being banished by the people due to her bad attitude, but still for him it still considered as better than she exile herself from everyone. Just like what happened few years back.

“Oh….by the way. Who’s that woman just now?” Tegoshi asked her interestedly. Blandly, she answered the man’s question as her eyes looked back at the can of drink.

“My secretary.” The man nodded fast.

“She is pretty, but it seemed she is a little bit….errr…what do we call that one….ahhh…boyish. A man like. Isn’t she?”Maki just nodded and looked at the man.

Tegoshi smiled knowing that his sister was getting slowly back to normal. It must be the woman….Suddenly, a soft hand touched his thigh, and he found out that the woman was looking at him. There was some nervousness that he could see from her. Something that he never saw it after a long time.

“What is it, Mari chan?” Tegoshi asked her softly. There was a long silence before the woman asked him.

“H…H….How are you?” she stammered as she asked him. Tegoshi raised his eyebrow strangely before h