Hey all! This is a test run for me. It's my first time posting on this site, and my first non SnK/AoT fic. It is actually the first creative writing I've done in 10 years. I wrote it months ago and let it stew on my computer for a while before I decided it should ever see the light of day. Hope you like it!
It was the last weekend in August when Ayane got the phone call. She had been out with friends, enjoying all Tokyo in summer had to offer. There wasn't really any choice. She could heard that her mother had been crying, had been trying not to cry at that moment. The six letter word felt like a freight train ramming into her chest. Cancer. That's what the doctor had said. Lung cancer. But they had caught it early. There was a chance. She would need chemo therapy, and long stays at the hospital. She would get weaker, lose her hair. Soon she wouldn't be able to go to work. Ayane thought about her mother going through this all alone back home. She needed to be there for her mom. Ayane needed to go home.
It would have been two years on New Year's since she had stepped foot in her home town. She had left for university in Tokyo five years ago, almost to the day. And now, she would be going home. Permanently. Well, at least until her mother was better. She would get better. She had to. Ayane had enough money saved up, from her year working at an legal firm in Tokyo. She had done well at university, found a good job with a good starting salary in the city right after graduation. She could take care of her mother.
The train pulled to a stop at the station. Ayane gathered her things, letting out a sigh. Her friends in Tokyo had thrown her a going away party the night before. She tried her best to not show how devastated she was to be leaving. She shouldn't have felt this way. She loved Tokyo, and the group of people she had grown close to while there. She never thought she would have to leave, especially not so suddenly, but her mom needed her. It had only been two weeks between the phone call and boarding the train. It seemed like no time had passed at all, the shock of it all was still fresh. Ayane had handed in her two week notice the next morning. Her bosses said they understood, but she could still see they were upset she was leaving them. Ayane had tried to pretend she hadn't been on the verge of tears. This is only temporary, she tried to remind herself as she shouldered her bag. Dragging her suitcase behind her, Ayane disembarked.
She had told her mother she would just walk home alone. The station wasn't too far from her mother's home. Her home. But as she stepped out onto the asphalt, she heard her name being shrieked from somewhere distant. Ayane looked around, she hadn't told anyone she was coming home yet. "Yano-chin!" came another yell. She felt them before she saw them, as they barreled into her wrapping her up into a bear hug. "We heard" Chizuru muttered into Ayane's shoulder "we're so sorry". Ayane slowly returned their hug "Chizu? Sawa?" she asked, feeling her tears welling again, she tried to keep them in. "Yes," Sawako replied. " We got you" Chizuru added, hugging her tighter. Ayane gave in. She hadn't cried once in the two weeks between the phone call and arriving. But here she was, standing in the parking lot of the train station in her hometown, bawling.
Chizu and Sawako had walked her home in silence, each gripping one of Ayane's hands tightly as if they were afraid if they let go she would collapse again. "I'll be fine guys" Ayane promised them, wiping some residual wetness from the corner of her eyes "everything will be fine". The girls nodded in unison, wrapping her up in their embrace again. After a few moments, Chizu broke the silence. "Everyone wants to see you. It's been two years since you've been back." Ayane nodded. "We've seen you, but the boys." Chizuru and Sawako released her slowly. "Tomorrow? I know its soon. But we were already planning to all get together anyways." Ayane thought about it for a moment. Maybe some company would be a good idea. "Ok" it came out almost as a whisper. "I'll text you the details" Chizuru promised. Ayane could only nod in reply. "We'll see you tomorrow, ok?" Sawako squeezed her into a tight hug again. Ayane choked, unable to breathe. "Ok" she said, mustering a smile and returning the girls hug. Chizu ruffled her hair, gave her a quick squeeze, and they were off. It was late, and they had work in the morning. Work. Ayane felt the tears welling again and she forced them back. No. Not now. She had to be composed when she saw her mother.
The click of the key in the lock was familiar. It had been years, but Ayane hadn't realized how much she missed her home until this moment. She pushed the door in slowly. The house was dark, her mother wasn't home from work yet. Ayane sighed, dragging her bags into the entry way. The silence was almost too much for her to bear. Leaving her bags by the stairs Ayane settled onto the couch. It had been a long day, and the girl was exhausted, mentally and physically. Before she knew it, Ayane was sound asleep.
Ayane woke the next morning to noises in the kitchen. Her neck was sore from sleeping on the couch. She sat up, noticing someone had laid a blanket over her during the night. "Mom?" she croaked, still partly asleep. "Ayane? Are you awake?" she heard her mother call from the kitchen. Ayane hummed a response, pushing herself from her lying position. Mrs. Yano stepped around the corner, coffee mug in her hand. She was already dressed for work. Ayane sighed "you're heading out already? We haven't even gotten to talk yet. Why didn't you wake me?" "I'm sorry sweetheart. You looked exhausted. I thought it would be better to let you get some rest. We'll talk tonight, ok." Ayane nodded, watching her mother make way for the door "I left some coffee in the pot" her mother called as she opened the door to step out Ayane nodded in acknowledgement "have a good day at work, mom". The door closed quietly and Ayane heard the lock click shut. Alone again. Ayane sighed and checked her phone. She had a handful of messages. Most from her friends in Tokyo, wanting to ensure that she made it safely home. One from Chizu We're all meeting tonight at 5 at Kazehaya's place. Please come. Ayane sighed. Where did Kazehaya live again? She had been there once, last time she had been home. It was somewhere downtown, she was sure. Where is that again? She typed in response. Chizu's response came quickly down off Main Street. Above the old candy store. Oh yeah. Ayane remembered now. I'll be there she typed in response. She didn't pick up her phone to see Chizu's response when her cell vibrated again moments later. She could predict what it would be. Instead Ayane made her way upstairs. She was in desperate need of a shower.
The day passed slowly. Ayane spent most of it looking for a job. Her options were limited, but at least there were some she was qualified for. By 4:30, she had applied to two. She felt accomplished. At least the day hadn't gone to waste. By 4:45 she was walking towards Main Street. It was weird, being home. So many familiar sights, and yet so much had changed. It looked exactly like she remembered, and nothing like she could recall all at the same time. At least she could still navigate her way to downtown.
The old candy shop had closed sometime after she left for Tokyo. Kazehaya had rented the empty building out once he returned from university, opening his own shop underneath the small two bedroom apartment upstairs. He had asked Sawako to move in with him, but she had only blushed and stuttered something about being too embarrassed. Ayane remembered how ridiculous she thought that notion was. The couple had been engaged for almost a year now, after all. They had practically been a married couple since high school. Ayane sighed and looked up at the old building. Well, here we go. She mentally prepared herself for the onslaught of socialization she was walking into. She hadn't been feeling particularly social since the phone call. But the thought of being alone for any longer sounded way worse at the moment. She knocked on the door to the apartment above the shop. She could hear voices on the other side, apparently she wasn't the first to arrive. Sawako opened the door "Aya-chan!" she yelled, pulling the other girl into a hug. "I'm so glad you decided to come. Everyone is waiting for you". She seemed so happy, giving Ayane one her patent smiles. Ayane felt her heart melt a little. She returned the smile "thank you guys for inviting me" "are you kidding, it wouldn't be a party without Ayane". With that, Sawako grabbed her hand and dragged her to the living room. Ryuu was on the couch, Chizu at his side, so close she was practically on his lap. Kazehaya sat on the floor across from them, laughing at something Chizu had just said. Sawako took her seat next to Shouta, and his arm draped across her shoulders absentmindedly. Sawako blushed a little under his touch, but pressed into him with a smile.
Ayane was a jealous. She always had been. But she was always reminded of it whenever she was with them. She had never had anything like what her friends had. At this point, she wasn't sure if she ever would. She had close in high school once. With Kent. But she couldn't love even him, a boy who had treasured her so much, who had said he wanted a future with her. Ayane bit back a sad sigh and took a seat on the couch opposite Ryuu and Chizu. It was as easy being with the four of them as it had been five years ago, that much surprised Ayane. She found herself laughing along with them like not a day had passed between high school graduation and them sitting her. It felt good to be back home, she realized. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
The knock on the door surprised Ayane. She wasn't sure who could have been invited. Ayane thought it would just be the five of them, like old times. Maybe it was Kurumi? Ayane knew Sawako had grown closer to the girl while they had been at university together at Sapporo. Nothing could have prepared Ayane for who was behind that door. Shouta leapt up to get the door. Ayane shot a confused glance at Chizu "oh yeah, didn't I tell you?" Ayane shook her head as the final guest entered the apartment "Sorry I'm late. But I brought beer!" "Pin?" Ayane's head whipped around to face the door. "Yano? You're here? No way. Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, punching Shouta in the arm. "Slipped my mind, sorry. Didn't think it would be a big deal." "What is he doing here?" Ayane asked, turning back to Chizu. "I thought I told you, he and Kazehaya got close after Ryuu left for university. I guess I didn't think anything of it. It's so -" she stopped to think of the correct word "normal now, I guess. He just kind of slowly became part of the group." Chizu shrugged. Pin was suddenly grabbing Ayane up from the couch. He lifted her off the floor into a hug "how's it been, Yano?" "Just great" Ayane was gasping for air. He released her and let her sit back down before heading to the kitchen. "Who wants one?" he called, holding up a now open bottle of beer.
Ayane had always thought Pin was cute. Even with that crazy spiked hair of his had its own special charm. That certainly hadn't changed since she had last seen him. In fact, Ayane was pretty sure he had gotten cuter since she had graduated, despite the fact he must be almost thirty by now. Her last year in high school he had been so nice to her, had been the only one who had really believed in her. Truth be told, he was the reason she had had the confidence to leave home and go to university in Tokyo. To study abroad for a whole year in a country where she didn't speak the language. To try to grow in as many areas as possible. But Ayane had never thanked him for his help during a time when she had needed it most. For that, she had always felt a little guilty.
Pin and Kazehaya returned from the kitchen with beers for everyone. Pin handed her an open bottle, which she took tentatively. He sat on the floor across from her and jumped into the conversation like it was totally normal. This is too strange, Ayane pondered just how this had happened. Their former teacher, hanging out, drinking beers with them. Like it was nothing. Pin glanced over, she must have looked confused because he laughed out loud. Once he caught his breath he offered an explanation, "Once you guys graduated, Kazehaya and I joined the same recreational baseball team. We started hanging out. And now Sawako teaches at the school with me, and they just tag along with them" he nodded towards Chizu and Ryuu. "It must be weird huh?" He asked, an amused smirk spreading across his lips "hanging out with your older teach". "No" was her only reply, punctuated by a long swig of the beer he had handed her. Pin was laughing again, like normal. He hasn't changed at all. None of them have. The thought comforted her somewhat. This was still her home, these were still her friends. Maybe this won't be so bad.