This cute couple is in serious need of more fluff and romance, yes? So here's one from me.
Disclaimer: Not mine, need not sue.
"You like Ran, don't you?" Her voice was low, unsure.
She did not mean to ask a question and neither did she expect to. No. Absolutely not after having prepared and practiced for seven days. What she meant to tell him was entirely different. She was supposed to tell him a confession—her confession of love for him, as a matter of fact. She even had the lines and every word repeated like a mantra in her head until she stuttered no more and even practiced in front of her mirror. It might have looked or sounded silly, but who could blame her? She was but a girl deeply in love and she was running out of time.
Despite the fact that they were neighbors, both never really had that much interaction with the other. She was upbeat and vivacious as a child while he, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. She played with the kids in kindergarten while he kept to himself—aloof and indifferent with everyone else. But she never failed to notice him.
Even after he had "stole" and scared her friends away when she began to introduce her world to him, she never really felt any malice towards him for what he did. In fact, she only liked him more and more. When the others started picking on her, he was there to comfort and hush her sobs away. For giving her a hellish childhood experience, she was never really angry at him even when she should be. He was the reason—the very root of evil—to all the bullying and name-callings she received yet he never missed to wipe a single tear from her cheeks. He was the mean kid next door but at the same time, he was kind and very warm.
He was a very complicated and complex boy and though he was, she has always admired him.
So as she stood on his doorstep, she mustered all the courage she could and tell him what she really thought and felt about him. Before she leaves, she desired to part ways on good terms. She had hoped that all those times when she had purposely avoided him, the thought that she was fuming enraged with him had not crossed his mind. And if it did, she wanted to clear the misunderstanding and tell him it never was the case. It was actually the opposite.
Her heart ached for him to know that she has always loved him but the words, somehow, didn't come out quite exactly right and the blunt reply he gave her, even after bracing herself at the possibility, still managed to put a dart through her chest—her heart.
"Yeah, I like her." His voice was cold as ever.
His own words shocked him. He didn't exactly wished to say those words yet the disappointment he was feeling at the moment made him lose control and thus, mouth them. No. Absolutely not after he was told she was looking and waiting for him downstairs. What he meant and planned to do—if she ever utters any statement irrelevant to what he hopefully expected—was correct her.
When she stood before him and asked him those ludicrous words, he wanted, so badly, to grab her tiny shoulders and shake her out of her foolish thoughts. He wanted, so badly, to tell her that she had said the wrong lines.
But the words she brought to him only added fuel to the fire.
Although they barely talked to one another, he deeply cared for her. It might sound foolish to others to hear a five-year-old experiencing love at first sight at such a young age but he sincerely did feel admiration towards the girl when she first extended that little hand of hers to him.
As a kid, he always preferred silence and solitude. He made certain never to miss a slight chance to shatter the teacher's hopes and attempts into coaxing him to acquaint with the others. Times when the teacher would call over a classmate and ask him/her to play with him, he would glance back at his picture book and ignore the unwanted company until they give up and leave. Yet, somehow, she was different. When it was her that the teacher brought over to his corner, she just sat down beside him—silent and still—unlike the rest who left after scant seconds. She was rigid next to him and he could feel anxiety emanating from her. He expected her to flee like all the others did so he waited…and waited for that moment which never really came. When he finally told her she can leave and play with the others, she shook her pigtailed head and meekly asked if she could read the book with him which he gladly held between them to read.
The distance between both drew closer. He grew closer and fond of her.
He loved the moments most when it was only the two of them but he realized she had many friends swarming around her endlessly. He hated—disliked the fact. Selfish as it may seem but he didn't want to share her with the others. He wanted her undivided attention all for himself but with the numerous brats vying to play as her prince in their little games and with others who pulled her to play dolls, it was impossible. Knowing fully well that it will ultimately hurt her and undoubtedly will hate him for it, if he wanted her all to himself, he had no other choice but to pursue his plan.
As he began mingling with the others, he whispered rumors about her having contagious cooties to their ears and planted all nasty things he—a five-year-old—could think of into their curious minds. It didn't matter if she started hating him afterwards just as long as he'll be the one and only one who'll come and pat her head when she can no longer take it.
"I like her." His own words echoed once more inside his head.
He felt disgust. He didn't like how those words came out of his lips. What the hell was he doing? He was supposed to point her out of the mistake she just made but, the thought of having not been informed how her family was moving away in a week disgruntled him. The fact that he had to learn the news from his mother and just yesterday no less, somewhat infuriated him.
They went silent for the longest moment, averting their gazes from one another until Aya broke the pregnant silence.
"Oh, we're moving tomorrow." She said, trying to sound cheerful to hide her pain caused by his answer.
"Yeah," he met her eyes with cold, dark glare, "I know."
"Oh. Okay."
Aya fidgeted under Rei's glowering hallow orbs. Contemplating on whether she should start over and maybe bring out the right lines and words this time or change and try a new topic, the awkward silence between only grew heavier by the second. She tried, desperately, to avoid his gaze—glancing to the side and below but she could still see from the corners of her eyes that he has not taken his eyes off her one bit.
For the first time in her life, she felt really messed up.
"Well then," Aya said as she took a step back and softly smiled at him for one last time, "goodbye."
Goodbye. He felt his muscles twitch and heart skip when his ears caught the word. As she backed another step away, he wanted to unwind his arms from his chest and reach out to her—cease her from slipping away within his arm's reach—but fought the urge.
"Bye." He tried to sound cool and compose as much as he could.
They took one last glimpse of each other, savoring and etching every bit of the other into their memories, before finally turning their backs on one another and officially parting ways.
They were 12 years old.
+o+
Chapter One
Reunion
When she cracked the door open, loneliness and sorrow quickly overwhelmed her entire being. Upon seeing the room darkened and silent, she was instantly reminded about the tragedy. Just this morning, they had parents who kissed them farewell before they left for school and daycare respectively. She had a mother who constantly nagged about taking extra care of her little sister and a father who lectures her daily about dating and boys in her young age. Just several hours ago, they had parents who wished them a wonderful day and whisper 'I love yous'. But after closing the door behind her, she realized those times and moments were over and never again will happen.
That night, on the same day, they had come home to an empty house.
Emi, her two year old sister, was fast asleep in her arms. After Aya had slipped her shoes off, she walked pass the light switch—not bothering to flip it on—and let her feet drag her straight upstairs. Reaching the top, she rounded to the right corner and marched to the door at the other end of the narrow hall. She landed a palm on the cold handle and pushed the steel down, slowly revealing the room which won't be occupied the same people again. The sheets and pillows were made neatly without any crease and wrinkles on the surface; the silken white curtains were parted in the middle and tied at both sides by her mum's favorite apple-green ribbon; and the room still freshly filled with their parents' scent.
Aya tiptoed to the head of the bed, slightly bending over to place her book bag and Emi's coach bag on the floor. Slowly lifting the silken covers, she held a palm against Emi's small back for support as she carefully laid her on the mattress. The little girl shifted as she hit the soft cushion and let out a meek, small cry and Aya caressed her sister's forehead and cooed her back to sleep. As Emi's cry settled down, Aya bent her knees and sat on her legs.
She wondered if Emi, at her mere age of two, understood that she can no longer see their mother and father, especially their mum who she was really fond of. Would she be able to distinguish their mother's gentle arms from the others'? Does she understand that she won't feel the familiar warm embrace again? The kind that only a mother can give to her child?
As these thoughts relentlessly swirled inside her head, she was lulled to sleep not long after.
The day after the funeral both she and her younger sister were sent to an orphanage. A lawyer had come to their residence and discussed with her their situation and as both were still underage, the middle-aged lawyer suggested they best seek guidance from an orphanage as none of her relatives were quite willing to take them under their wing—claiming insufficient financial resource. Not much of their parents' money remained either due to other vital necessities so the more they were refused by their own relatives.
Aya was rather reluctant to the idea at first, insisting she will drop out of her private school, sell the house and buy a small apartment, and keep a part-time job but the thought of needing someone to look and watch over Emi while she attends school and job made her reconsider.
Life at the orphanage was not as difficult as she thought it would be. There were kids who were not much older than Emi there and the people were really nice. They were kind enough to hold a welcome party for them on their first night and they had quickly made friends with them, especially Emi who might feel lonely once she starts class again at a new high school, which was in a week and job when she's lucky.
But when she thought she can adjust and adapt to her new life, not five days after they had finally settled in at the orphanage, an unexpected visitor paid them a visit.
Coming back from her job-hunting, as Aya treaded the winding concrete path that led to the front door, a familiar figure at the mini-playground stopped her dead in her tracks. The slim figure was crouched down, talking to one of the orphans. The girl, Nana, was shaking her head and smiling. Aya observed the two when suddenly the little girl brought her hand up and pointed an index finger at her. Aya flinched when the person turned around and stood up, slowly approaching her.
"Good afternoon, Auntie." Aya greeted in a meek voice as she executed a 30 degree angle bow.
"Hello, Aya-chan." The woman, who barely looked forty, did the same after coming to stand toe to toe with Aya. "It's been quite a long time."
Aya nodded once. "Yes. It is…"
She trailed off and went silent for a few seconds. Aya could feel the same gaze of pity she had been receiving since at the funeral upon her. She was rather grateful and appreciated that people took the time to sympathize with the siblings, especially her, but it made her look weak and helpless which was what she was trying to avoid as much as she can.
"Aya-chan," the older woman finally said, breaking the silence between them, "let's take a walk."
"Sure, but…" Aya glanced over to the door.
"Ah, of course, Emi-chan…" She said, understanding what Aya was gesturing about. "I'll wait here."
Aya did another 30 degree angle bow before she jogged her way towards the sliding door. A couple of minutes later, she emerged from the door with a little girl, whose stature barely reached Aya's mid-thigh, in tow. After Aya slid the paper door close, she bent and grabbed for her sister's hand and led the way back to where Rei's mother was waiting.
"Hello, Emi-chan." Rei's mother crouched down to the said girl's eye level. Emi backed away and concealed herself behind Aya, clutching at her sister's wiry leg. "Shy, I guess." She muttered under her breath, heaving a soft sigh and simply smiled at the little girl's cute cowering. "You're so pretty, Emi-chan," she tried coaxing the child again, "just like Aya-neechan here." But the girl only hid herself more and buried her face on her sister's hind thigh.
Aya let out a small chuckle. "Not really. She takes after our mother."
"No." Rei's mother shook her head, agreeing. "But you both have your mother's eyes…," she trailed off, thinking for a word to describe as her brows met at the middle, "the color of honey."
Aya went silent again as she realized, as if for the first time, that it was. She had been rather envious of her mother's beauty. With lively complexion, rich brown locks, and cute button nose, her mother looked exceptionally fair and lovely while she inherited her father's looks. With pale ivory skin, boring dark coal-shaded hair, and small straight nose, she looked like the girl who comes crawling out from a distorted video tape and murders all the people who watched it. Emi, on the other hand, was like the splitting image of their deceased mother.
"Anyways," Anna, Rei's mother, said, pulling Aya out from her reverie, "should we get a move on?"
The three of them walked along the concrete pavement blanketed by the falling cherry petals. Aya and Rei's mother idly conversed how the weather was mild and soothing to the skin while Emi walked silently to her sister's other side, away from the 'stranger', with her head bent low.
After walking several blocks south from the orphanage they arrived to a small park and decided to settle there. Emi was whipping her curly head around when her eye caught the little sandbox positioned near the monkey bars. She tugged at her sister's skirt and pointed a small finger towards the object of interest. Aya smiled a yes before approaching the bench located at the side with Rei's mother.
"So, how have you been?" It finally came. The first few words that will lead to the topic she has been dreading to mention again.
"I'm doing well…" She replied courteously, watching her sister crouch on the sand. "And Emi-chan, too." Aya later added.
"I see." Rei's mother glanced at the toddler as well. "That's good to hear."
"At first, it was very hard for us…for me…" Aya decided to begin, knowing it was futile to try and avoid talking about the tragedy in her current situation. "Emi-chan is still young…very young. And I am only sixteen. I am not confident enough. Actually," her voice started to quiver, "I am scared. I'm worried I might fail her…and mom and dad. I can't stop worrying about her and I'm always wondering if she understands there's only the two of us left…that mom and dad are gone." Aya berated herself inwardly at her own weakness. She decided to be strong for both of them but there she was, on the verge of tears and shoulders shaking. "I…want Emi-chan to grow up with parents by her side. I thought about giving her up to foster parents who'll take care and love her. I want her to feel and experience a parents' love…but I…don't want to separate either. She's the only one I have left."
A tear rolled down her cheek and she turned her head to the other side as she quietly and quickly swiped the salty bead of liquid with the back of her hand but the older woman beside her knew as she handed her a white handkerchief.
"I think, for Emi-chan to grow up with parents by her side, is best for her…but it will mean your separation. You don't want that and neither do I." Rei's mother said as she watched the little girl scoop a handful of grainy sand and let it drain between her fingers. "You have suffered enough loss…you both have and to tear you apart is just too sad." She took Aya's hand in hers, making Aya turn her gaze back to her. "So, Aya-chan…," she said softly, "come live with us."
Aya, taken by unexpected surprise, had her eyes set wide upon hearing the woman's offer. If there was someone who was willing to take them in, it was most likely one of their few relatives. And if not, she expected a couple would who weren't blessed enough with a child will likely take Emi under their wing. But for the Otohatas, whom she hasn't seen for four whole years, to come searching for them? It was the least she expected.
"We—I possibly couldn't…I mean, thank you but you don't have to include me. I am old enough to look after my own." Aya stuttered.
"I thought you said you didn't want to be separated?" She reminded the girl, arching a brow at the same time. "Besides, we've already discussed about it and they're completely fine with it. And," Rei's mother said, a teasing grin crawling up to her lips, "don't you want to see Rei?"
Her cheeks turned pink at the mention of his name and Aya quickly averted her gaze to the sandbox where Emi had already piled enough sand to create a bulging small mountain of sand as diminutive as an anthill.
They must've lost track of time because the sun had already disappeared from the horizon and gray darkness began to loom over their heads. Still flustered, Aya kept her burning cheeks away from the woman's view and silently watched her sister pick up a fallen cherry petal and laid it on top of her hill of sand only to be blown away by a gust of wind.
"At least, stay with us until you graduate from college." She glanced at the solemn girl. "Don't worry about the fees and expenses. We'll take care of it and if you insist, you can pay us back after you've found a stable job. Okay?"
It didn't take long for Aya to consider and accept. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Anna said softly and patted Aya's hand. "And you'll be helping me too. Very soon, actually." A smile crept to the older woman's lips which made Aya raise a brow quizzically. With a heave of a satisfied sigh and mission accomplished, Rei's mother rose from her seat and said, "Okay, now that that's done, should we head back?"
Aya peeled herself from the bench and padded towards the square sandbox. "Come on, Emi-chan. Time to go."
The little girl, still stooped down, craned her tiny neck and glanced up to her sister, then to the stranger who had a gentle smile on her face standing beside her sister, and then back to her sister before she stood up and reached for her sister's held out hand. It didn't take them long to walk back to the orphanage and as they bid their farewells, a black car parked itself near the gate entrance which Aya surmised was Rei's mother's ride. The older woman hugged her and then Emi before approaching the vehicle. The sisters waited until Rei's mother reached the car and hopped inside. Aya tilted her head slightly to the side when the door swung close when her eyes caught a brief glimpse of another figure in the backseat.
Emi clutched at her sister's skirt and held both her hands up. Aya knew the gesture perfectly well and bent her knees, sliding her hands under Emi's armpits and raising her to her chest. She was about to turn her heels around when a voice called out her name.
"Aya-chan," It was Rei's mum, bellowing behind the rolled down window. "Someone will come and pick you up at 4 tomorrow so have your belongings ready by then. Okay?" She said and waved a hand before disappearing behind the rising tinted window.
That night Aya washed all the clothes they had used and worn during their brief stay at the orphanage so she could hang it to dry before tomorrow came. Mrs. Tanaka, the one in charge, already knew about their departure the next day. Apparently, Rei's mother had informed them through a phone call before she came over that afternoon.
As Aya clipped the last piece of dam clothing onto the thin rope, Emi had approached her from behind, startling Aya in the process when she turned around to pick up the basket. The little girl was rubbing her eye as her mouth opened to a small yawn.
"Sorry for taking long, Emi-chan, but I'm done now."
Both went inside and walked silently to their room. All residents had already succumbed to the lulling night minus the two. Once in their small room, Emi hopped on to the bed she shared with her sister, waiting for Aya to finish slipping into her sleeping attire and sing her a lullaby.
"Aya," a soft knock on the door turned everyone's attention to the voice, "your escort's arrived."
After saying their goodbyes and hugged the children one last time, the sisters followed Mrs. Tanaka to the foyer. Emi had her little backpack on and Aya held both bags in each hand. As they both slipped their shoes on, Mrs. Tanaka slid the door open for them and then nudged Aya on her arm. "You sure have it nice, don't you?"
Mrs. Tanaka gestured towards outside and to the gate, wearing a teasing smile which made the lass raise a brow in a quizzical expression. Aya followed the woman's gaze and blinked in surprise at the sight of the two figures leisurely standing by the gate.
Rei Otohata, the only boy who can make her heart pound rapidly like none could, was now standing within a few meters away from her after four whole years. It was a Thursday afternoon late in April and she expected a completely different 'someone' but the fact that he was standing right there still clad in his school uniform, she felt facing and seeing him again was too sudden. After all, every time she comes face to face with him back in the days, she had to mentally prepare herself.
…And Rei brought along with him a companion Aya never expected either.
"Yo, Aya-chan!" Yuya had a huge smile on his face as he waved his hand in the air.
How was that for a first chapter? This is unbetaed and I wrote this in one day but hopefully it came out well or close to well. Please do review and tell me how I did with the story. Thanks!