Crash and Burn
By Miyu
A/N: I do not own anything.
She had wanted to make everything perfect before leaving Fuuka for the University of Tokyo, but like always her family business had called during the last minute and she spent the past few weeks at her desk typing away.
By the time she had realized how much time had gone by, her apartment had already been cleared; her personal items had long been packed into boxes and sent to her new dorm room.
There was an airplane ticket waiting on the dresser dated for the very next day.
Even so, she had continued to spend a good deal of her morning and afternoon making phone calls related to the family business.
Night had settled by the time she was finally through.
Stretching aching arms slightly above her head, she recalled reading a brief text from Mai earlier.
There will be a karaoke celebration held in honor of the recent high school graduates.
Haruka and Reito had both agreed to attend.
Even Natsuki, horrified with the idea of singing as the poor girl was, had been forced to comply with Mai's wish for a toast to their senpais.
Natsuki…
The thought of the other girl brought a familiar warmth in her heart.
She had not seen Natsuki for three weeks.
She could argue that life had taken much of her time.
There was rebuilding the school. Graduation. Future business partners and important social meetings.
She could reason that the transition between high school and college was a large one.
There were so many applications to write and so many housing options to explore.
Then there was moving out and moving in.
Yet she could not deny the truth in her heart- being busy was merely excuse.
She did not know how to face Natsuki. She did not know how, did not want to say goodbye.
But she knew that leaving was the only thing left she could do for Natsuki.
To go somewhere far away, to no longer trouble the younger girl with the knowledge of her love…
She had chosen to study in Tokyo specifically because of this.
And for the past many days, busy with her own life as she was, she had also been trying to prepare everything for the girl who held her heart.
Her departure would be something final.
A final goodbye for her Natsuki.
There would be no turning back.
A sudden ring from her cell phone startled her out of the reverie.
Dark red-brown eyes widened as the picked up the device and brought it to her ear.
"It's ready, Fujino-san."
With a quick glance at her watch, she began to whisper her orders into the cell phone as she gathered her car keys from the desk and rushed out the door.
She would need to check on her good work, and if the karaoke party was still going on, maybe she would see Natsuki tonight after all.
She slipped into the car and it roared to life, smoothly driving out of the parking lot and into the busy streets downtown.
With phone in one hand, she maneuvered the car into the left lane with the other, turning on the turn signal.
She drove on.
Green turned to yellow. Yellow to red.
Perhaps the week's worth of sleepless nights had caught up to her.
She did not notice when the lights above her began to resemble her own eyes.
By the time she did, red was everywhere.
Red was on her lips, her shirt.
Red was in the sirens that resounded.
She pulled herself from the car vaguely noticing the crunch of her shoes on glass dipped in oil.
Everything was oddly far away yet oddly clear.
Too clear.
She suddenly realized what she needed to do.
Perhaps this is the best way for things go after all.
"What is it?!"
The music was entirely too loud for her liking, and Natsuki growled as her cell phone started to vibrate.
Whoever was on the other line would have to wait.
She massaged her temple, feeling a headache start to form as she took a big gulp from the drink in front of her.
The only reason why Natsuki even joined the karaoke party was because she had been told that Shizuru would be invited.
And yet as she looked around the room full of increasingly drunk HiMEs, chances of Shizuru arriving seemed to decrease as time went on.
She did not know why her best friend had become so elusive for the past weeks, but she had begun to miss her greatly as time wore on.
An eyebrow twitched as a song blasted from the speakers beside her.
"Oy! Mai. Tune it down a little won't you?"
The curvaceous girl in front of Natsuki grinned, grabbing a microphone and thrusting it towards her.
"Don't worry. You won't feel a thing if you're the one singing-"
Natsuki stiffened, pulling away from the microphone and quickly standing up.
"L-look! I have to go."
She promptly rushed out the building, ignoring protest from the people around her and leaving her cell phone in the process.
Half an hour would pass before Natsuki reached the crimson-eyed girl's apartment, only to realize that the older girl was not there.
It would be two hours later before she noticed the absence of her phone.
Three hours after, as the night time sounds of the Fuukan streets had long quieted down and faded, Natsuki found a recorded voice message.
The voice was soft among a background full of commotion.
"Natsuki…I know it wouldn't last long, but I've cleaned up your apartment. Try not to make too much of a mess, yes? The pantry is stocked full of healthy microwavables, so try not to snack on junk food so often…"
The voice breaks as a strange alarm rings out.
She found her blood running a bit cold, the desire to throw the phone suddenly coming to her mind.
"It took me a while to find and order all of the proper parts, but I found someone who could fix your motorcycle. I'm sorry it was destroyed during our battle. I'm sorry for everything. And….Natsuki? Promise me you'll take care."
Natsuki stood very still as a loud click interrupts the message.
The sirens continued to call.
Louder, louder.
She found herself yelling along with it. Yelling into the phone as if the voice would reply.
"Shizuru. Damn it Shizuru...Didn't you say you would always love me?"
Louder, louder.
"So say it. Say something!"
Until it all ended.
"Shizuru?"
"Shizuru?"
End?
Or To be Continued?