Heartstrings
by: zulka
KaixHiromi
For K'onix
He had knocked the girl's bag to the floor when he had turned. It had been an accident, and as he leaned down to help her, he realized that she wasn't just any girl. She realized who he was too. Her eyes had widened slightly, and her mouth had formed a slight frown before turning into a small smile.
"Well…I never expected to find you here. Actually, I never expected to see you again." She told him as she grabbed her bag of art supplies from the floor and accepted the supplies he was handing her.
He remained silent as he studied her. She was different. Her hair was longer, and her bangs were swept to the side. She stared at him too. The moment was slightly awkward and both of them were aware of it.
"Are you painting again?" He asked as he motioned to the oil paints he had handed over. She must have paid a lot for these paints. He remembered a time when for her birthday, he had bought her some new paintbrushes. That had been some time ago though.
"I am actually."
If he remembered correctly she only took to painting when she was troubled. It made him wonder what was bothering her. He found himself wanting to know.
"What's the problem?" he asked because he couldn't help it. He knew he shouldn't have come to the store. In fact, he hadn't realized he had walked in until he crashed and knocked her bag out of her hands.
"My boyfriend and I broke up." She answered as she moved away from the entrance to let people come in.
He nodded slightly as he moved to let a group of teenagers come in. Most of them looked back at him and giggled after they walked by, and he knew what they were thinking. He had gotten older and at his mid-twenties he looked even better than he had in his teenage years. Girls still stared.
Hiromi smiled. She guessed some things just wouldn't change, and she told him, "I think that even when you are fifty you will still look as good as you do now." She was teasing him, he knew, and he smirked.
She smiled. "Want to walk around or go to that coffeeshop across the street? We are in the way after all."
"Why not." He answered as he started walking away; surprised she stared at him before following. She had expected him to say 'No' since it had been a while since they had spoken, and part of her wanted him to say no.
The last time they saw each other he had told her that their relationship wasn't working. She had nodded and had let him go without any questions, arguments, or accusations. He had broken her heart nonetheless that day. Two weeks after there was a storm and it was then that she realized that she wouldn't die without him, and she would be able to move on.
The coffeeshop was cozy and a bit crowded. Kai chose the table in the corner and looked outside the window to the store they had just exited. Hiromi followed him and wondered briefly why he had agreed.
Kai turned to look at her when she sat down across from him. She was dressed in a black coat, blue jeans and rain boots.
"Supposedly there's a storm this weekend. It was supposed to rain today." She told him as she caught him staring at her boots.
He nodded. It had been overcast for the past two days, but he wasn't exactly dressed for the rain. He only had some dark blue wash jeans and a grey hoodie. He had been walking around town aimlessly, it had been a while since he had been in Bakuten, and hadn't planned on staying in the town for long.
"So, I'm going to get some iced tea do you want anything? It's on me." He looked at her and shook his head. "I'm fine."
"Alright then." It was about ten minutes before she came back with the tea. "You know, I paid about five dollars for this when I only get about say…less than half the cup of tea and the rest is just ice." She was filling the silence with chatter, and she knew it, and she knew that he knew it too. Before, they both were comfortable in silence but now it was different. It wasn't the same.
She smiled lightly before drinking through the straw.
"You're not cold?" He asked. He knew that she often drank and ate cold things during rainy days. There was no reason for him to ask a question to which he knew the answer. She knew that too, so she didn't answer. She merely shrugged. "It's not that bad."
"So, what have you been up to?" It was a simple question, small talk. He answered anyways.
"Nothing really. Working, finishing school." It was a short response. Not even a complete sentence. It had always been like that. She didn't expect much, although she had hoped for more.
She nodded as she looked out the window. It was starting to drizzle. She watched the people on the street continue walking as if the slight rain didn't bother them. She knew that she was ignoring Kai.
He watched her as she continued to study the outside while sipping on her tea. She was still the same, somewhat, he figured. He hadn't expected to see her after they broke up. When had that been again? Second year of college. Almost five years.
He had made many mistakes in his life. Now, staring at Hiromi, he realized that breaking up with her had been one of those mistakes. She suddenly turned to look at him, and he had to stop himself from turning away. Her eyes were bright, deep brown tinted with red, and for a moment he felt breathless.
"I never thought you'd come back here you know. You were so adamant to leave this place, and the people. Which was one of the main reasons you transferred junior year. And why you choose a medical school in the east coast. Then, I bump into you. Life is so strange. Don't you think?" There was a note of amusement in her voice.
He shrugged. He had been trying to leave Bakuten since he could remember, hardly keeping contact with their friends after high school ended, and even during the breaks he hardly spoke to any of them. Then, in the summers he would always choose to do internships rather than come home. The only person he kept regular contact with had been her. After they broke up, they never spoke again.
She smirked slightly. She finished her tea and a small panic rose in him. She would be leaving soon. He imagined she had things to do, canvases to paint. Especially if she felt troubled. After he had broken up with her, he had thought it was over. But the way his body was reacting, the way he was feeling, obviously told him it wasn't so. He had been wrong.
"Well," she began as she toyed with the ice in her cup. She sighed. She didn't know what to say. She bit her lip. She looked at him and regretted it. He was still so good looking. She wondered if he had a girlfriend. Surely, he must. "What brought you back to town?"
The question was almost breathless.
He shrugged again. That careless shrug, she remembered it well. "Came to visit mom." He answered finally.
She nodded.
"Trying to convince her to move to the east coast, with grandfather."
'Right,' she thought, 'that way he won't have a reason to come here anymore.' Instead she said, "Sounds like a reasonable idea."
He nodded.
"Your parents?" He asked.
This time she shrugged. "Fine I guess. Mom died two years ago, and Dad decided to move back to L.A. He's actually thinking of going to Mexico to visit one of his old college friends. Visit mom's side of the family in New York and then go back to Japan."
He hadn't known her step-mother had died. He felt he should say something, but nothing came to mind.
"Yeah. I'm thinking of going with him. Just to visit grandma. But I'm not really sure. I don't know if he's planning on staying there or just visiting."
He was about to respond when a cell phone went off. Checking his phone, he realized it wasn't his and looked at Hiromi to see her answering hers.
"Hey Dad."
Kai could hear the smile in her voice. He could hear Mr. Tachibana's distinct voice, though he couldn't exactly discern what he was saying.
"Yeah. I'm leaving tomorrow around nine."
He moved slightly, wanting to hear what her dad was saying.
You taking your car?
"No. Tyson said he'd drive me. Besides I'm going to stay for a few weeks. I'm not paying for the parking. It's expensive."
Yeah. Well once you arrive let me know. Is Sebastian coming with you?
"No. He's not."
Change of plans? I thought both of you were making the trip. He has family down here doesn't he?
"Yeah he does. But he's not coming."
Something happen between you two?
"He and I broke up." Before her father could respond she continued. "My idea this time."
You holding up okay?
"Yeah. Surprisingly." She muttered with a laugh.
Alright honey, see you tomorrow. I have to go.
"Bye dad."
She smiled at him after she hung up. "Guess you heard all of that."
He nodded slightly.
"Dad has a tendency to talk really loud on the phone." She laughed before staring at her phone for a short while.
Kai watched her. He and I broke up. My idea this time. 'This time.' He thought. Did that mean that they had broken up before? He wanted to ask. But he kept his mouth shut.
"Well," she muttered as she collected her bag. "I gotta go. Need to pack. It was nice seeing you again, I guess." She smiled at him. "Doubt that'll happen again though. Anyway, take care."
She stood up, and he watched her go. She didn't turn back. He frowned. He stood up slowly. The rain had steadily increased.
'Funny,' Hiromi thought as she exited the coffeeshop. 'It just had to rain today.'
It made her think of her windows, she had stopped cleaning them now. She opened her umbrella, bright red.
"Hiromi." She turned slightly.
Kai was standing at the entrance of the coffeeshop. He had no umbrella. No rain jacket. He was unprepared, and she smiled. She raised an eyebrow.
He didn't say anything. What could he say? "Need a ride?"
She wanted to say no. That she would walk or take the bus. But instead she just said, "That would be nice."
He smiled, and she recognized that smile. That had been her smile. By now though, she figured that many other girls had gotten that smile, but it was okay, because it had been her smile first.
He motioned with his head to follow him. He frowned as he realized that the rain was falling harder than he anticipated. It was then that he realized that he had missed the damn Bakuten weather. And suddenly he was aware that he wasn't getting wet anymore. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her, standing next to him, with her bag full of vibrant colors that he could recall with clarity. Without breaking his pace, he reached for her umbrella and took it from her. He was much taller, and she was having difficulty covering them both. He held it up, the bright red umbrella.
Years, it had taken some years for him to figure things out. "Maybe," he started but didn't know how to continue. She had just broken up with her boyfriend after all.
She looked away, not wanting to hear what he had to say. She kept quiet.
Things had happened the way they happened. What more was there to say?
They arrived at his car, beneath the parking garage her umbrella was no longer needed and folding it, he returned it to her. She merely placed it inside a plastic bag. He continued walking; his car was parked on the other side. When she got in, she smelled that pine scent that had lingered after he had left her. It made her nostalgic.
He pulled out slowly and soon she found the scenery and the people going pass her. "Same place?" he asked her tentatively.
"Yeah." She whispered.
The apartment they had shared. "It was nice, seeing you again." He told her softly, hesitantly as the car came to a stop in front of an apartment complex. Same place, different people. "Thanks." She told him as she stepped out of the car.
"Hiromi."
She stopped and looked back at him. But he didn't say anything.
"Your car's getting wet." She mumbled and shut the door. She waved at him before turning away. He watched her leave and sighed. He wondered if it had been like this, when he had left her.
Looking at the seat she had been occupying, he noticed her umbrella. Determined, he grabbed it and stepped out of his car. He knew the place, knew where she was. He had come this way many times, had slept in that same bed with her for almost a year. He knocked softly and stood away from the peephole.
When she opened the door, he shoved the umbrella in her face. "You forgot this."
"Oh, thanks." She told him as she took it.
"I know you have to pack." He told her softly as he entered. She didn't stop him. "But let me stay."
She bit her lip. She didn't need this. She really didn't need this. But she only whispered, "Okay."
.
.
Old Author's Note: Hey! So yes, I started this a while ago after I read 'Windex' which made me rather sad lol. Anyways hope everyone liked this as I'm actually starting to doubt my KxH love all of a sudden. -sigh-
Thanks for reading though.
2018: This story is old and was inspired by K'onix's Windex. There are many references to that story in this and was dedicated to K'onix at the time and still is. Wherever you are, I miss you and hope you are well.