I'm sorry to say that I abandoned this fic due to the following reasons:
- My background story got jossed due to newly translated material: the short stories by Ono Fuyumi. As a result it became hard for me to enthuse myself for this fic.
- I did not plan much.
- I started a new long-running fic The Crows of Shibuya. It will contain some plot elements which I had planned to use in this fic.
Hyoukai / Melting Away
Ghost Hunt Soundtrack – Track 21
- A story collection of ten years later and beyond -
by Agwen
Chapter 1: Coffin
"He used to think it was a coffin instead of a mirror."
Friday, 19th of September, 2008
"Choose."
Steaming cups of water on a plate on the coffee table in front of us. A collection of colourful pots in a box next to the plate. An assorted variety of tea leaves: from black tea, green tea to tisanes. I pointed at the pot with brown reddish tea leaves and yellow chunks. She proceeded to fill the small tea bags. For herself she had chosen hibiscus, its dried flowers were of burgundy red colour.
"Well then, to our little home on top of the new office and to your birthday!"
She held out her cup of hibiscus tea that was met with my cup of tea. We were sitting on the sofa in the living room, and were able to look out on the skyline of Tokyo through the tall windows. Her fingers latched onto my hand as she blew off the steam and inhaled the scent wafting out the cup. She sighed happily. I didn't bother and just sipped at it a little. My eyes widened a little at the unconventional taste.
"How is the rooibos chocolate caramel blend?" she asked, watching me curiously. "I didn't think you would pick that one."
I never thought such a combination could exist.
"Sweet," I replied.
"So you don't like it?"
"It's not bad."
"Okay."
It looked really hot outside. I had forgotten how hot Tokyo was in September compared to Europe. I used to spend my birthdays in rainy weather and drink Darjeeling tea. Alone. Now she was with me, but her mind was on something else as she started flattening the hair that was sticking out at the back of my head. She was always very fixated on my person with those stares. I didn't mind most of the time, but sometimes she seemed like an animal preying on bait.
"You should really do something about your hair," she said, letting go of my hand, "Does it always look that messy in the morning?"
"I'm prone to having bed hair, but these days I think most of this can be attributed to you," I replied hazily.
She nearly choked on her tea.
"You're welcome," she said after recovering herself and coughed, "Also, no offence, but you really do look like a bum now."
I frowned at her and set the tea cup on the table. Too hot for tea. I got up and made my way to the tall mirror in the bathroom. I was met by my impassive face and wild hair. I had to suppress my inner amazement at my wild exterior. She followed me into the bathroom soon after and found me staring deeply into the mirror. I was poking at the stubbles along my chin and desperately wanted to shave it off.
"Does it bother you?" she asked.
"Yeah, it gets itchy after a while."
She rearranged a displaced towel in front of the shower.
"I mean... Looking in the mirror."
I stared at her. Oh that. She hadn't looked at me when she said that.
"No. Not any more," I answered and turned my head away.
"... I thought you would be today."
Without saying anything I took the razor from bathroom closet, went to the mirror in front of the sink and proceeded to shave.
"I used to think I was staring at a coffin."
She remained silent and I could see from the mirror that her eyes were watery.
"Right now, it doesn't look like a coffin," I continued, looking at the much taller figure in front of me. Stubbly chin, wide shoulders and messy hair. My eyes looked worn and less sharp with my bangs covering my brows. When I looked down the white t-shirt and worn navy jeans seemed to have grown on me like a second skin.
"This is me and that's all there is. He will never become my current image."
She turned her eyes on me and spoke with certain clarity in her voice.
"But do you ever smile in front of the mirror?"
I stopped and looked down at the sink.
"No."
She left the bathroom when I said nothing else. I was happy she did. If she asked me to smile in front of a mirror, I'd have refused. I just couldn't do it.
Several minutes later I returned to the living room to drink the cooled off tea. Much better.
"Are you going outside?"
"No, it's too hot."
"The office then?"
"I'll be there, but it's closed for visitors."
I wasn't expecting any to come. We had restarted the business on the first of September and I highly doubted something worthwhile would come along on a hot day like this.
After a long pause I said, "Mai, what do you want to eat for dinner?"
Her face brightened immediately.
"So are we going out?"
"Delivery service."
"Can I invite John and the others to eat with us?"
I nodded.
"Awesome!"
I drank my tea, while she excitedly started texting to her friends about the dinner.
"You never change..." I said softly.
"People are bound to change, but not everything about them will. That even goes for stick-in-the-muds. How many years has it been since we met?"
I groaned, but I had to admit it was true.
"Over ten years."
"It makes me feel old," Mai said.
"We're only 26 years old."
"27 in your case."
I rolled my eyes.
"Oh! Bou-san texted back already!" Mai said, and frowned when she read it, "This is what he said; 'Coming. So how's wedded life with Naru? Uhuh uhuh uhuh.'"
I couldn't help cringing at the obnoxious message.
"Tell him that we've been over that phase ages ago."
"It's been two weeks Naru."
"I meant that it's about time he stopped treating us like teenagers."
"Well... agreed," Mai said and she texted the monk back, "...With a snarky good morning from Naru. There, sent it."
We drank another cup of tea and stared out at the Tokyo skyline. Somehow we never got tired of it. This was very different from where the former office used to be.
"I do feel a little old. I'm 26 and already married."
"Isn't that about a little below the average age to get married these days?" I said.
"The average is much higher in Japan," Mai said, and she gave me an explanation without even having to ask for it, "Women with a high education level prefer to have a career, as opposed to becoming a housewife with children. There are a lot of single women these days. Ever heard of parasite singles? I can't blame them for not getting married. Having a career after children is not easy. Delaying marriage and staying with the parents has its advantages, but it's causing more problems in the long run. Such as the declining population."
I simply listened without interrupting.
"I'm married to my career, so I don't count," she added.
I shrugged.
"As a Japanese citizen I do think we should do something about the birthrate," she said with a serious facial expression. "We have to save our country from population decline."
I averted my eyes from her. No no no no.
"Anyway, you're not a Japanese national so I won't force you into it."
"One day, but not right now," I hastily said. For the first time in my life I was happy to be a British citizen.
"It would make for a nice birthday present if you time it right," she said.
When I looked back she smiled prettily. It didn't show on my face, but the moment took my breath away. Her birthday is in early July. A quick calculation made my heart sink as low as it could.
"I thought you said 26 was too young to get married," I replied.
"I didn't. In our case it's not. It's been over 10 years," Mai said, "But I didn't think you would propose at the age of 21. Well, if I could call it a proposal."
That had happened five years ago, when I was about to leave to pursue my doctorate in Cambridge. The contract for the old office happened to run out, so there was no choice but to leave Japan.
"There was a ring," I noted.
Mai glared.
"Yeah, there was. You shoved that one up the wrong finger. It could have been anything you know? I was never more confused in my life."
That hurt a little to hear that, but then I remembered the silly doll that was made in my image quite well.
"Well, the birthday present you gave me several months earlier was rather lacking in taste and for good measure, I proposed again."
Mai gave a little smirk.
"So you do admit you went wrong on the first time?"
"The wait for your answer left me in agony, so I became like that."
She coughed.
"The second time was an awful job application process that was forced upon me, but I have forgiven you."
"Good."
That was all I could say about the fiasco that had spanned for ten long years. I stretched my back, slid my feet back into the slippers and headed to the office downstairs.
Next Story: Blue Lights
Author's notes
Yesterday I realized it was Naru's birthday today, but I didn't want to rehash the usual theme of loss. It turned out to be very mundane, but I just wanted to write them as young adults instead of a pair of awkward teenagers. The next story will have more plot: their first case as a married couple.
References to other fanfiction
There were a couple of references to other one shots. They're a bit older, but if you want to you can read those too. These can be read on my old account: "zeroseconds" (link in the profile).
Naru's birthday doll appears in "Unmoving".
The office contract expires in "Irreplaceable".
'Melting Away' is the sequel to "We walk alone" that includes the engagement fiasco.