Nobu
I take Asami outside. It's snowing, and I didn't put on a jacket. I didn't mean to take her outside. My feet were moving on their own, and I wasn't aware until they hit the icy cement outside. Asami isn't wearing a jacket either, and she's already shivering. I have to make this quick.
"Asami, I-"
"It's her, isn't it?" Asami asks, looking at the ground, but I see the tears glistening.
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"I see the way you look at her."
"Asami-"
"Whatever, Nobu." She storms back inside.
I stare at the ground. The snow's melting on contact with my body. I walk back inside, past the doorman who asks a question that I ignore. Would Asami go back to room with everyone? My stomach drops as I walk down the hallway and take the elevator back to the room. She's gone, and so is Miu.
Nana chugs the rest of her beer before she picks another song to sing. She starts singing, and Yasu won't stop watching me.
"Want to talk about it?" Yasu asks.
"No." I reply.
"Hachi is still with Takumi."
"Don't remind me."
"Just take her back from the demon overlord." Nana yells to the tune of her song.
"I doubt she'd want that. Takumi has everything that I can't give her." I say.
"When things settle down, talk to her." Yasu says, and he turns his attention to Nana.
I take a fresh can of beer from the table, and I open it, but I don't drink it. I play with the tab. The thought of my precious Hachiko with Takumi makes me sick beyond compare. He doesn't deserve her.
Hachi and Shin are laughing when they return from heating sake in Yasu's room. Yasu looks over at me, but I ignore him. It's quiet, except for Nana's loud singing and Hachiko's laughter.
I restrain the impulse to take Hachi out of the room and make her mine. That wouldn't help anyone right now. Takumi was pretty clear about what he wanted, and what was expected of me. I can't jeopardize Hachiko or the baby like that.
Hachi holds the warm sake and pours Yasu's drink first. When she pours mine, she gives me a smile, and I catch the subtle whiff of her perfume, making my heart stop. Hachi always smells like the springtime to me.
It's too quiet. Why is it so quiet? I looked over to the karaoke machine. Nana has disappeared. Did what Asami said to her, about whether or not she needs Hachi, bother her that much?
Nana O.
Why wouldn't I need Hachiko?
I stare out the window, watching the snow drift, a cigarette hanging from my lips. I've already been abandoned by that guy- whose name was not to be mentioned ever. Yasu was dating Miu- who was nice, but that left a lot less time for Yasu to tend to my needs. He also spent a lot of time with Takumi, talking business or whatever. I feel like I can't completely trust someone who spends so much time with Takumi, even Yasu.
I clench my fists. Trapnest has taken away everything I love. Trapnest is the reason Ren died.
My heart flutters. My fingernails dig so deep into my palm that they're breaking skin. Blood drips down my hand and onto the floor.
I stand up and walk over to the wall, and punch the wall as hard as I can. My hand and wrist throb, but I don't care. I punch again, and again, and hell, I throw in a couple kicks. I lose my balance on the second kick, and fall backwards onto my ass, landing on my hands, and I hear a crack. I stand up and look around the room, and pick up the lamp by the bed. I throw it across the room, smashing it against the wall, leaving a large dent in the drywall. I flip over the bed, and then kick over the nightstand.
I turn to open the window. It's small, but I'd properly be able to squeeze through. The freezing weather makes it difficult to open. Piece of shit window. I manage to open the window a couple inches when I hear the bedroom door behind me, and suddenly hands are restraining me. I struggle against whoever is holding me back, swearing.
Hachi appears from behind me and closes the window. Baldy picks me up over his shoulder and carries me to the communal living room. I continue to swear, thrashing in his arms, calling him every bad name I can think of. Nobu, Shin, and Hachi trail behind Yasu.
He drops me on the couch. Hachi sits next to me, and takes my hands. Her hands are so cold. Nobu looks nervous, but doesn't say anything. I squeeze Hachi's hands and she returns the favour. Shin sits on the other side of me. He's tense. He must think I'm going to attack Hachi or something, that moron. Yasu is already on the phone with the building manager, apologizing and offering to pay for the damages. It wasn't reported by any of the neighbours to the front desk- anyone who lived here at this hotel weren't the type to snitch.
I mindlessly watch Yasu, not daring to look at anyone else in the room. Yasu thanks the person on the other side of the phone, and hangs up.
"Nana?" Hachi asks.
"Hachi, I'll call you a cab. Go home and rest." Yasu says.
"I'm not leaving Nana." Hachi says.
"The stress isn't good for the baby." Shin says.
"The baby is fine." Hachi said.
"Come on, Hachi. I'll take you back to my room." Nobu says. After a pause, he adds, "I'll stay with Shin in his room."
"Okay." Hachi resigns, "I'll be back later, okay Nana?"
I don't bother to reply.
Shin gets up and offers to help Hachi to her feet, which she accepts. Hachi follows Nobu out the door.
Hachi
I follow Nobu in silence to his room. I look at his back. People probably wouldn't guess it because he's so thin, but he has quite a bit of muscle. I think about the magical night we spent together. How gentle he was, how much he cared about my comfort. The complete opposite of Takumi. Nobu's the first guy who's ever made me feel special.
I start to cry, and do my best to keep it silent. I really want the baby to be Nobu's, but I'm afraid of how Takumi would react if it was.
Nobu stops in front of his room, and pulls out a key from his pocket. He unlocks the door.
"Nobu?" My voice quivers. He turns around, and is alarmed at my tears.
"What's wrong?" He asks.
"I-I'm sorry for this whole mess."
"It's not your fault. Nana's an idiot."
"N-not Nana. W-with Takumi a-and the b-baby."
Nobu pulls me into a hug. He kisses my head.
"It's okay." He says softly.
"No it's not."
Nobu continues to hug me, and he rubs my back. It soothes me. I don't want him to ever let go.
"Hachi?" He says softly.
"What?"
He looks me in the eye with such concern that I start to cry much harder, and it takes everything I have not to look away. My heart speeds up.
Nobu leans in closely and kisses me gently on the lips. After the initial shock, I return it. The kiss was warm and gentle and loving, just like that night. The kiss is also salty, but we ignore it. I could feel his love for me. I gently nibble on his lip, and he pulls me closer to him. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he kisses me with such passion, I think maybe we would be ok.
We only break apart because we get out of breath. After, he leans his forehead against mine.
"We'll figure this out, okay? I won't let him win." He whispers.
I nod and we stand there in each other's arms. I could have stood there with Nobu forever in that hallway. We are beginning to catch our breath. I want to kiss him again, but I can hear someone entering the hallway from the elevator. I pull away from Nobu. He takes my hand and squeezes it gently. I squeeze back. He then leads me into his room. I want to ask him to stay so badly, but it would only hurt both of us if I did. So I watch silently as Nobu leaves the key on the small wall hanger next to the door, and leaves me alone in his room, shutting the door behind him.
I look around Nobu's bedroom, and see his open suitcase on the floor by his bed. I walk over to it. With great difficulty, I bend down and pick up a crumpled t-shirt. I use the bed to help myself stand back up, and put the t-shirt to my nose. It smells like Nobu. I sit on the bed, clutching the t-shirt, and lay down, holding the t-shirt to my nose as I close my eyes.
Nana
I'm in trouble for some reason. I don't remember what, and don't care enough to ask. I just chain smoke on the couch with Shin, and let Yasu deal with it.
Nobu returns alone.
"Where's Hachiko?" I ask.
"Laying down in my room." Nobu replies.
"Nobuo, that's disgusting. At least end a relationship before you put a girl in your bed."
"Shut up, Nana." Nobu snaps.
"What, I didn't know you had the balls to go after her while she was still Takumi's girl."
"Well it's your damn fault she needs to rest and refuses to go home, so why don't you shut the hell up for once?!"
"What the hell are you yelling at me for?" I yell, standing up.
"You might not have realized this, but we all lost Ren! I know that you think that you owned him, but you didn't! He was important to all of us! Yet you don't see the rest of us running around acting like a spoiled brat!"
I walk over and slap Nobu, and storm out of the room.
Nobu
I huff and sit on the couch across from Shin. Guilt instantly overruns me.
"Don't feel bad. She needed to hear those words, even though she didn't want to." Shin says, lighting up another cigarette, "She creates so many messes and leaves Yasu to clean up the aftermath. She had it coming."
"She's been this way since high school. She's just gotten worse over the years," I say, staring at the floor, "Honestly I wonder how Ren put up with it all those years."
"Forget Ren, I was wondering how you put up with it. Ren would joke around to get Nana's goat about her flaws, Yasu didn't mind lecturing Nana if the situation called for it, but you… you just took everything she threw at you. Good on you man for finally standing up for yourself."
I barely have time to process what Shin says next.
"Personally, I blame Nana for Ren's death." Shin says, taking another drag.
"What? Why?"
But Shin doesn't say another word about it.
