The first and only time Miyahara takes Manami on a bike ride, they make it halfway up the hill before Manami collapsed on scraped knees. Yet, when Manami looked at her with those wide, exhilarated eyes and said, "I can do it", Miyahara had believed him. In return, she had helped him up and watched him finish his climb.
Looking back, that experience had cemented the rest of their interactions into a familiar pattern.
Miyahara spends her school years listening for the telltale squeak of Manami's tires against the pavement, waiting for him to come copy her homework after long rides. The mountains of Hakone loom in the distance as a reminder that Miyahara can never truly surmount Manami's first and only love. She reminds him on a daily basis to stop skipping class and work harder. When Manami tells her he’s putting his all into biking, Miyahara believes it.
So it's silly, Miyahara thinks, for her to expect anything during graduation. Especially after Manami has spent the last few years accepting her mandatory chocolates during Valentine's day and presents during Christmas with a "thanks, Inchou," like he never saw anything in her beyond her class title.
Yet, Manami finds her after the graduation ceremony as family and classmates loiter around the school gates. He's still clad in riding clothes, and Miyahara doesn't even point out his obvious absence at the ceremony. Manami dodges well-intended congratulations from Miyahara's family and calls her to the side, where students linger.
"What do you need?" Miyahara asks, for the distance between London and Hakone are much wider than the space bridging the balconies of their childhood homes. "I have no more homework for you to copy, Sangaku-kun."
Manami gives her a sheepish look. "I know. I'll miss you when you're abroad. We never really got to race again. I'll never be able to defeat you."
The fact that he's still holding onto this sentiment makes her laugh. "That's really a shame," she agrees.
"I got this for you," Manami says and pulls something from the back pockets of his jersey. It's rusty and small, the curves distinguishable but rough.
She frowns at him. "A bike bell?"
"It's the bell from my first bike." He grins and folds it into her hands. "I want you to keep it."
Miyahara has no clue what this means. Her sense of humor fails at the best of times as she suggests, awkwardly, "You're supposed to give buttons to girls, Sangaku-kun."
"Ah, really?" Manami scratches the back of his head. "This is the only thing I had. I hope you'll accept it."
Miyahara looks down at the rusty bike bell. "What is it?"
"A promise," Manami says happily, and Miyahara believes him.
Years later, Miyahara takes a train to Paris after Manami wins the King of the Mountain title at the Tour de France. She returns the bike bell and tells him, "I'm here to cash in on your promise, Sangaku-kun."
"I've been waiting for you." Manami beams.
Miyahara takes a hold of his hands and says, "I believe it."
FILL: TEAM IMAIZUMI SHUNSUKE/NARUKO SHOUKICHI, G
The first and only time Miyahara takes Manami on a bike ride, they make it halfway up the hill before Manami collapsed on scraped knees. Yet, when Manami looked at her with those wide, exhilarated eyes and said, "I can do it", Miyahara had believed him. In return, she had helped him up and watched him finish his climb.
Looking back, that experience had cemented the rest of their interactions into a familiar pattern.
Miyahara spends her school years listening for the telltale squeak of Manami's tires against the pavement, waiting for him to come copy her homework after long rides. The mountains of Hakone loom in the distance as a reminder that Miyahara can never truly surmount Manami's first and only love. She reminds him on a daily basis to stop skipping class and work harder. When Manami tells her he’s putting his all into biking, Miyahara believes it.
So it's silly, Miyahara thinks, for her to expect anything during graduation. Especially after Manami has spent the last few years accepting her mandatory chocolates during Valentine's day and presents during Christmas with a "thanks, Inchou," like he never saw anything in her beyond her class title.
Yet, Manami finds her after the graduation ceremony as family and classmates loiter around the school gates. He's still clad in riding clothes, and Miyahara doesn't even point out his obvious absence at the ceremony. Manami dodges well-intended congratulations from Miyahara's family and calls her to the side, where students linger.
"What do you need?" Miyahara asks, for the distance between London and Hakone are much wider than the space bridging the balconies of their childhood homes. "I have no more homework for you to copy, Sangaku-kun."
Manami gives her a sheepish look. "I know. I'll miss you when you're abroad. We never really got to race again. I'll never be able to defeat you."
The fact that he's still holding onto this sentiment makes her laugh. "That's really a shame," she agrees.
"I got this for you," Manami says and pulls something from the back pockets of his jersey. It's rusty and small, the curves distinguishable but rough.
She frowns at him. "A bike bell?"
"It's the bell from my first bike." He grins and folds it into her hands. "I want you to keep it."
Miyahara has no clue what this means. Her sense of humor fails at the best of times as she suggests, awkwardly, "You're supposed to give buttons to girls, Sangaku-kun."
"Ah, really?" Manami scratches the back of his head. "This is the only thing I had. I hope you'll accept it."
Miyahara looks down at the rusty bike bell. "What is it?"
"A promise," Manami says happily, and Miyahara believes him.
Years later, Miyahara takes a train to Paris after Manami wins the King of the Mountain title at the Tour de France. She returns the bike bell and tells him, "I'm here to cash in on your promise, Sangaku-kun."
"I've been waiting for you." Manami beams.
Miyahara takes a hold of his hands and says, "I believe it."