WHAT'S LOST IS NEVER GONE
By Ruggi

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PROLOGUE
Broken Avenues

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Another night
I'm on another broken avenue
My bag is ripped and worn
Then again then now so am I...

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"Mikan, you don't have a choice." the short haired girl said calmly to the girl sitting opposite to her. "You can't stay here."

The brunette shifted in her seat, feeling anxious about this whole situation she was currently in. Her hazel eyes filled with tears and it was visible in her eyes her inner conflicts. She played with ends of her hair as a distraction, while she thought how she could convince her friend otherwise. "But Hotaru, I..." she started, but before she could say anything more, her friend interrupted.

"You're going back to Tokyo and that's final. You can't keep on leaving on this rundown house. You have Kouki and you need to find a job to support you both." She took a sip of tea, before continuing. "I know it's hard for you since your grandpa died. But everything has a limit, even grieving. Especially when you have a kid you need to look after."

The tears she had been holding started to fall before she could even stop herself. She knew that everything her Hotaru was saying was true, she knew it very well, but she just couldn't bring herself to move on. There were to many things to move on to start with! She was still adapting herself to being a single mother and to living on the countryside again. Jii-chan was what was keeping her mind sane and helping her through this chaotic situation. But now, he was dead and she was alone once again, and that was too much for her.

She wiped some of the tears that ran down her cheeks in vain, since they wouldn't stop falling. She looked over at her dark haired friend, who was sipping slowly and constantly at her tea. Hotaru was never one to comfort others and you could be easily fooled by her cold attitude, but deep down she was a really caring person, especially when it came to Mikan. She even came all the way here from Tokyo just to help the lost brunette.

"I know Hotaru, I know..." she said between sobs. "It's just hard to accept everything." She drank some water that was on the coffee table in front of her as to try to calm herself down a bit and speak more clearly. "I don't know how to deal with all of this! I'm only 19!" she started crying harder. Hotaru swiftly took out a handkerchief from her purse and handed to the girl in front of her. " I mean, I don't even know if i can raise a child without Jii-chan's help! I'm clumsy, I'm stupid and I don't know, I'm me!"

As Mikan kept on rumbling insults to herself, Hotaru sighed and stood from her sitting place. She graciously walked towards the crying girl, who was so absorbed in self pity that didn't even notice the approaching figure. When she stood close enough, she raised her right hand and slapped the girl right across the face. The talking stopped abruptly and immediately as the hand made contact with the brunette's left cheek. Heck, even the crying stopped! They were engulfed in a uncomfortable silence, while looking at each other, before Hotaru said softly "Baka."

They exchanged looks for a while longer, before Mikan finally broke the eye contact to wipe the last tear traces there were in her face. She sighed and smiled and she know Hotaru was smiling too, even if slightly. "I'm sorry, I freaked out again, didn't I?" She laughed slightly and paused a little before continuing."I'll go to Tokyo with you."

"You will." Hotaru said coldly, but you could tell that she was relieved that her friend had finally come to her senses.

"I can't stay here, right? It's already been 6 months since Jii'chan left us and look around, this place is a mess. Besides, the money he left us is almost all gone." she stood from the couch she was sitting all this time and walked toward the old and broken baby crib that lay in the corner of the room. She look down at the 1 and a half year old boy that slept soundlessly. "I have to do something. For Kouki. I'll do everything for him. His my light, my hope, after all"

(A.N.: Kouki 光希, 幸輝 meaning 光 [kou] (light) or 幸 [kou] (happiness) + 希 [ki] (hope) or 輝 [ki] (radiance, shine). So, yeah, she makes a reference to her child's name here.)

Mikan stared fondly at the small sleeping figure before lowering herself to plant a small peck on the child's forehead. "Everything will be alright, I promise" she whispered, before lifting herself and turning to face her best friend once again. "So, how are we gonna do this?"

"Start packing, we leave tomorrow morning" With that said, the expressionless girl headed to the front door. She placed her hand on the door knob, turned it and opened the door. As she was about to step outside she heard a small 'wait' coming from behind her. She turned around only to see a fidgeting Mikan and couldn't help herself but to raise an eyebrow as if to question what she wanted.

"Hm..." Trying to relieve some of her uneasiness, the brunette lifted one of her hands and started to bite her nails. "H-He won't be there, r-right?" Hotaru only lifted her eyebrow higher, as Mikan struggled to say whatever she wanted to say. "I mean, I-I won't see h-him, right?"

"Baka. You don't need to worry, Tokyo is a big city. The chances of you running into each other are minimal" Hotaru paused to analyze the girl before continuing, as if she was unsure as to how to say what se was about to say. "Besides, nobody has seen him since you left after graduation. So, don't worry."

Mikan was a bit taken aback by what she just heard, but she couldn't stop herself from feeling relieved. She nodded softly and said "I'll see you tomorrow then" and with that, Hotaru left.

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Can I get a piece of of something good
I'd Like just a little lie
Just a little lie

Cross My Heart - Marianas Trench

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END OF PROLOGUE