CHAPTER 4
ONCE IN A LIFETIME ENCOUNTER
Sayuri rolled out of the blanket and got of the bed. After taking a shower, she searched her suitcase for a suitable dress to wear to school.
Sayuri chose a red long skirt and a white shirt to go with. She preferred skirts over pants mainly because of her thighs.
After changing her clothes, she went downstairs sharing a stifling breakfast with Hiroshi Watanabe.
During the entire time they were having breakfast, both of them kept quiet. Aunt Sato was fortunately busy doing other chores, so the breakfast atmosphere was more or else bearable.
Sayuri quickly finished her porridge and stood up.
"I am going." Sayuri said but the person opposite her didn't respond.
Upon coming out of the doors, Sayuri saw a middle-aged man standing beside the car. He was talking with a girl, wearing a back pack which had many cartoon characters printed upon it.
He was Mr. Nakamura. Sayuri recognized him as she had seen him the last time she came here. Mr. Nakamura is serving as the personal driver of Watanabe family for more than ten years.
Mr. Nakamura patted the girl's head with a smile.
Sayuri walked over slowly towards the car and leaned down slightly. Mr. Nakamura raised his head hastily, unable to hide the smile on his face in time.
He hurriedly greeted Sayuri with a good morning.
Sayuri vaguely responded and climbed on the car.
Mr. Nakamura said something to the girl and hurriedly got inside the car the started the engine immediately.
The car set off quickly through the paved roads along the river.
Sayuri's new school and the her Aunt's house were not in the same area. It would take about forty-five minutes to reach the school.
Sayuri kept her eyes fixed outside the window. She thought about Mr. Nakamura and the teenage girl who seemed to be his daughter. About how Mr. Nakamura patted his daughter's head with a smile.
Such a spoiled girl! Sayuri thought.
She was a bit annoyed. She was jealous.
It was not her first time she had felt like this.
She was feeling a bit weird. It must be because she had left the place where she had lived since she was born.
No matter how broken her family was that was still her family, and now, even that was gone.
"Young miss, I am sorry about yesterday. I should have gone to bring you from the airport.Actually…my daughter was having a stomach ache and I had to take her to the hospital." Mr. Nakamura said in an apologetic manner.
"It was alright. I had no problem."
"That's good. I was worried about you, miss." Mr. Nakamura said.
Worried?For me? Sayuri fidgeted with the ribbon which hanged from the corner of her pink back pack.
Sayuri kept quiet. She didn't know how to respond to Mr. Nakamura's statement.
It was the starting of the month of April, a school has just started their new session.
The roads near the school were soon congested as it was the school rush hour. On seeing the school gate from a distance, Sayuri simply got out of the car and walked over.
She nodded her head with a smile to gesture to Mr. Nakamura that she would be going then.
Sayuri walked towards the school entrance.
Woah!
Sayuri appreciated the fancy campus of the Sunflower High School. She raised her head to glance at the humongous building.
There was a huge statue of a person, who was probably the founder of the school. Across from it was a pathway lined with several trees where the end couldn't be seen.
Umm…I should look for the teacher's office.
She stared around. Many boys and girls in uniform were entering the school building.
Sayuri hurriedly walked towards a girl and asked," Excuse me, can you tell me where the teacher's office is…I am actually newly admitted here…"
"The first floor of this building." The girl replied with a kind smile.
"Thanks a lot." Sayuri replied.
The girl nodded with a smile and hurried on her way.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Miyoko Tanaka looked at Sayuri with a smile,"Sayuri Hayashi…?"
"Yes, Teacher." Sayuri nodded.
"I hope you will get used to our school soon. If you have any problem you must inform me." Miyoko Tanaka said softly and patted Sayuri on her shoulder.
"Yes, Teacher."
"You will get your uniform by the end of the day. And…I think you will receive the textbooks by tomorrow"
Sayuri nodded her head.
"Let's get to class, now."
Sayuri walked behind her class teacher, Miss Tanaka through the silent corridors.
"It's here. Come inside, Sayuri." Miss Tanaka said.
Sayuri followed Miss Tanaka into the classroom.
Sayuri stood beside the podium. She finally understood what a literal fish-market in class look like.
The class bell had already rung yet the students were roaming here and there in the classroom. The girls sat on the desk, giggling aloud and cheering for the two boys who were fighting at the back of the classroom. Some boys were scribbling and drawing on the blackboard at the back of the classroom. They quickly rubbed them off when they saw Miss Tanaka walking into the classroom.
She was even more surprised on hearing her class teacher's high pitched voice.
"Class!" Miss Tanaka shouted." What's happening here? I was a bit late but that doesn't mean that you could anything you want in the classroom. Settle down, everyone."
The students scrambled back to their seats within a few seconds.
Miss Tanaka cleared her throat and said,"Good morning, students."
The class president stood up followed by the other students and the whole class together wished their teacher a good morning.
"Please seat down. Today we have a new friend with us. Student, Introduce yourself."
"I am Sayuri Hayashi. Please take care of me." Sayuri said and bowed.
"Everyone should help your new friend. Sayuri, take a seat which is empty. Oh, the desk at the back is empty, you can sit right there. Mm…but where is that student who sits there?"
"He is absent, Miss Tanaka." A boy said.
Sayuri slowly walked towards the empty desk and sat down.
"Ohh…that boy. He came on the first day of school and now he is absent for a week. Tsk…Students please, open your English textbooks."
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It was 5:12 pm. School was already over.
"Miss Tanaka…" Sayuri stood beside her class teacher's desk inside the teacher's office.
"Ohh...Sayuri. Did you receive the uniform from the office?"
"Yes, Miss Tanaka. They said that I will receive the books tomorrow morning."
"Okay. So how was your first day at your new school?" The teacher smiled and asked.
"I had fun…" Sayuri smiled and continued," Actually, I wanted to ask about the hostel. How can I apply for it?"
"Umm…I will inform you by tomorrow if any room is available or not."
"Thank you, Miss Tanaka."
"It's okay. You should go home now. It's quite late now."
"Yes." Sayuri made a quick bow and rushed out of the staff office.
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END OF CHAPTER 4