34: Crepes

                                    

                                          
"Are you sure you're all right? Because I can come running. Right this second. At the speed of sound. Light, if I have to."
                          
Miko softly laughed. "The doctor said it wasn't too serious of a stroke, so my aunt's fine. Plus, Uncle Jiro's with her as we speak. You don't have to come over to my house to check on me."
                          
Unsurprisingly, the messages I'd received from Miko were delayed. My phone had somehow lost signal so when I'd finally regained it, they arrived in a flurry. About how she'd received a call from her uncle before the end of the final segment, how she immediately dashed to get to the hospital, how her aunt's condition had stabilized and she was fine. 
                          
It was scary knowing that while I was absorbed in securing that win I wasn't able to be there for Miko when she needed me most. Of course, Miko never held it against me, excusing I was busy and that she wouldn't have forgiven me if I did run after her. Nonetheless, she'd always dashed to my aid without my asking. If the roles were reversed, Miko surely would've noticed my turmoil and hurried after me regardless of the consequences.
                          
I hugged my pillow tighter to my chest, readjusting my cell on my ear. The warmth of my bed and the darkness of my bedroom did little to settle the heaviness in my chest. "I'm sorry, Miko."
                          
"You better have not been this gloomy while celebrating with the guys today."
                          
"We called it off."
                          
"You did? But you all totally killed today! You deserved it!"
                          
"Not without our shining star of the day."
                          
Miko's sigh carried less vigour than I was accustomed to. "Norihise Yamashiro was your shining star, remember? I just so happened to find him loitering outside the building. Apparently, he'd planned to help all along but wasn't sure you needed him. He made us run to his house and back so he could grab a proper outfit. I barely did anything."
                          
"But if you hadn't talked Nori into it, he wouldn't have helped, right?" I pointed out. "We would've got disqualified on the spot. It's all thanks to you we were able to stand a chance."
                          
"I did what anyone would do."
                          
"That's not—"
                          
"It's true." The terseness in her tone stunned me for a moment. "I couldn't even join your club. But they did. They're there for you now. So, you don't have to hold me on such a high pedestal anymore."
                          
"Miko...?"
                          
Her response was delayed. "It's... gotten pretty late. I'll keep you updated."
                          
The call ended at that. The diluted noise of the TV in the living room reached my ears—Mom watching one of her nightly soap operas, most definitely. 
                          
Frowning, I stared at Miko's name in my contacts.
                          
Part of me wished I could do more for her—make it up to her for all she'd done for me. But Miko never allowed the opportunity. Whenever I tried, she'd always surprise me with something instead. Sometimes it was hard to believe we'd met only a little over a year ago.
                          
And in that short amount of time, I'd learned that Miko's mom worked overseas so she was currently staying with her aunt and uncle. Since her aunt had frail health, she felt guilty asking them for money and therefore worked part-time to support her needs. She was a musical prodigy, a genius at schoolwork, and the most amazing friend anyone could ask for. So amazing, in fact, it sometimes felt like I didn't deserve her.
                          
I slapped my cheeks to banish my dejected thoughts. Starting Monday, I wasn't leaving her side. I'd get a chance to do something for her, then. I'd spoil her senseless with the cash I made from my job by going out to celebrate. All of us, together.