Hello! I'd like to start by giving credit where credit's due- this doesn't belong to me! I'm translating it, from Spanish to English (obviously) with permission of the author, Suki90. I guess it came about via our shared love for AsuNegi! Of course, while translating, I've shuffled bits around a bit, so it makes more sense in English, but that's pretty much it.
After a full day at work, he can finally return to where he belongs.
The handsome young man rests against the door, running his fingers exhaustedly through his light brown hair, before pressing down on the handle and giving the wood a firm shove, so to free it from the warped frame. He enters, sighing softly, and sits down carefully on the bed, allowing himself the pleasure of leaning back and stretch out his aching arms.
"Tired," says the man, of around 20, to himself. With his eyes closed, he tries to relax, wishing away the dust of a day's work. "But I've got to go... Because... Everything is going well."
A slight smile forms on his lips for a few seconds.
No sooner had the happiness graced his features did it fade again. The memory of a girl with long orange hair appears suddenly in his mind's eye, and his brows furrow, as no the want of relaxation fades, and he instead moves himself onto the edge of the bed, where he sits up and stares aimlessly at the wall.
He gets up and walks across the room. Checking the calendar that rested on his desk, he finds himself opening a long unopened-drawer, pulling out the sealed white envelope that sits on top of myriad forgotten papers. His fingers are delicate, feeling the wear of the yellow-tinged paper and the frayed corners as he turns it over in his palm.
It's been 15 years, Asuna-san, he thinks to himself as he returns to sit down, refusing to take his eyes off the envelope. It's surreal, he thinks. It's been so long, and yet it seems so underwhelming because he still remembers getting the letter and leaving it, unopened, for longer than he should have.
"Here, Negi-kun!"
"Huh? - Was the first thing out of his lips. "What's this, Konoka-san?" he asked, curious as Konoka diverted her gaze.
"A letter that Asuna only you left you ..." she said in a whisper.
He didn't know how to react.
A letter?
"Asuna-san...?" he whispered, before he felt his eyes beginning to burn, and turned away from Konoka. It seemed that that day had decided to reveal his tears. He wanted to wipe them away, but he couldn't, and one left a trail down his cheek as he inwardly cursed himself for not staying strong for Konoka.
He felt her eyes on him. He could hear her crying too, attempting to face her tears, but losing to them, hiccuping as she tried her best to regain control.
"I'll leave you alone, Negi-kun... I-I can't stay in this room... It hurts! " she said eventually, and before Negi could stop her, she was gone; the door slamming at her heels, leaving nothing but tiny splashes on the floor, where her tears had fallen too quickly.
"Ko-Konoka-san..." he cried, wiping his tears away and holding out a hand weakly. But she didn't come back.
So he was alone. Alone, with the last thing Asuna had written, which he clutched tightly. He looked at it sadly, and, too scared to open it, a headed to the his small desk in the top and put it away, tucked in the drawer next to the picture of Ala Rubra .
And it hasn't moved, he thinks.
"I...I wasn't ready, Asuna-san," he whispers, smiling softly, "But... Fifteen years... I think..." He leaves his sentence unfinished, hanging in the afternoon air, constricted by the lump that has formed in his throat.
Carefully, he slides his little finger under the flap and eases open the envelope, being careful not to damage it- after all, he'd kept it for so long untouched, that he feels it's only right to keep it looking that way. When the last piece of adhesive came away, the envelope falls open, and Negi pulls out the stiff paper that had so long been tucked inside, and frees the neat kanji from its paper cage.
She'd written alot.
Negi,
If you're reading this, then you know where I am. Damn brat, you better not be crying, it took alot for me to write this without doing so, so you better not spoil it either!
Given that line, Negi chuckles. So... She did cry, then.
Right now, you're kind of splayed out in my bed with Setsuna-san and Iinchou-san, sleeping like a baby. You look cute when you sleep, you know- your mouth hangs open sometimes, but don't worry, I'll poke you if you snore.
It's hard doing this. I mean, how are you supposed to write a letter that conveys a whole hundred years? I guess I'll try my best... There's alot I need you to know, really. Where do I start?
I think... I'm scared. I can't really comprehend what's going on, it all just swirls round in my head and makes less sense than your goddamn verb conjugations- sleeping for a hundred years? Everyone thinks I'm really impressive- Theodora-san keeps giving me these looks- but, really, back in the Magic World, I was just in some kind of trance. I didn't know what I was doing... But I want to do it, don't get me wrong. But, when I thought about my future, back before the summer break, I always figured that I'd be at least able to graduate, leave school... Talk to Konoka, Iinchou, Takahata-sensei or anyone else whenever I wanted. Including you.
Well, you're immortal and all. And so are Chachamaru-san and Eva-san... and I don't know about Chao-san. You'll be waiting for me, won't you? It'd make me feel alot better, knowing that after this is all over, I'll still have someone beside me.
Do your job, OK? Finish your teaching contract, become a goddamn magister magi, find your father- don't waste your life, because, guess what? If you do, I've got a whole century to think up a suitable punishment!
Negi narrows his eyes, not able to help feeling a little offended by that last comment. He's already become a magister magi, and, although he'd never really stopped teaching, he likes to think he has the confidence to say that he'd pretty much been living his life to the full.
Except... There was something missing.
OK. I need to apologise. Yeah, yeah, maybe you don't understand why, but I know that, baka. Just... Accept it, please? I know I should do it in person, but now just isn't the time, and we both know that, but I can't come back without knowing that I've said this. It'd make me feel guilty... and, I suppose it'd be too hard for me to say aloud..
"Asuna-san," he grins warmly. She'd always been so... different, and reading her words after so long brings all the things he'd locked away in his heart flooding back to him, in fits and bursts as he reads through her letter.
And, well, I hate being pushy, so I'm not going to impale you on a leek or anything- yep, you probably know what I'm talking about. I guess... Well, who do you like? I'm just curious, and anyway, I'm not here, so I don't know why I'm asking, because you can tell me all about you life and love when I see you again. But, still... Is it someone in 3A? Maybe Honya-chan? Aw, that'd be cute- but don't break her heart... And, hell, don't let anyone break yours!
Negi can feel his cheeks heating up now. He's sure he'd had his fair share of relationships over the years... Or, maybe, that was the one thing he hadn't done so well at. Nothing had really lasted all that long. He'd not felt that... something.
Actually, it's probably better I didn't know. I'd, erm... Wow, writing this is hard...
Stupid Negi, you've just rolled over. You're making me nervous, but, you probably won't be reading this if you do wake up soon.
Sorry. I'm using up paper with my procrastination about telling you this... I'm not even saying this to you. It might not even by you reading this- wait, I never said, please don't show this to anyone!
I'd be jealous.
Not of you, of her. Which leads me to my next point, which is even harder to write. Urgh. Also, stop looking so innocent when you sleep. It's irritating me, and you keep rolling over too, which explains why we always end up in those crazy positions, you little pervert. But, hey, that's just something else I'm going to miss.
He'd never have imagined that Asuna would be jealous. Reading that makes him feel uneasy- like he should have been able to see that when she was still around. And his heart is beating really fast, too, making his stomach feel all fluttery, as if he's weakly anticipating some great revelation out of this letter. Asuna wouldn't have left something that important in a letter.
If you think I'm being silly, then you're right. I think I'm being silly. You'll grow up and have a family of your own, with a wife and kids with big brown eyes and messy hair just like you. And I have to tell myself that, so don't deny it, because when I see you with other girls, I'm jealous. It hurts. The truth? It sounds ridiculous, but, Negi Springfield... I love you. Not like a sister or a friend. I really love you.
OK, truce. You can cry now. Because I am.
Takahata-sensei doesn't hold my heart anymore- you do, so please take care of it. I'm finishing this now, so you can read it when I've gone, but I also need to return some things to some of the other girls! So, that's all. Please fulfill all your hopes and dreams, and please, please- meet me in a hundred years. I need to see you again.
Asuna
Negi reaches the end of the letter, and becomes aware of being frozen, the letter only just balancing between his numb fingertips. His eyelids shake as tears scar his cheek, so he closes them, and smiles, holding the single piece of paper to his chest and allowing himself, after so long, to think of the last time he'd seen her.
"Save your kisses for the girl you like. You also need a proper confession!"
"Bye-Bye! See You later!"
He finds himself laughing, in such fond memory of the one girl who he knew he could never forget.
He walks back to the desk again, but instead of putting the letter back in the drawer, he puts it on the side, picked up a photoframe that had gathered up so much dust. Inside is an old photo, of four people posing, grinning for the camera. On the left; two girls, one with flowing oaken hair, the other with shorter, black hair and a more defined jawline. In the centre, is most definitely him, being embraced by the fourth person: a beautiful ginger with a cheeky sparkle in her eyes and a cute smile, that never quite let him feel sad.
"Asuna," he whispered, tracing her outline, " Eighty-five years to prepare a proper confession?"
I think I can manage that, he thinks.