COMING BACK HOME
At 16 years old Mimi returned to Tokyo, alone and with more suitcases that one could count. Her parents business flourished and they decided to stay in America, but
Mimi, since they had the means, decided to finish her high school in Japan with her friends.
Convincing her parents wasn't easy, after all who'd let a teenager live alone in a big city like that? But after a lot of begging and crying they let her, given that
her aunt will keep an eye on her and she promised to go back and forth from Tokyo to New York to visit them, as often as she could.
So there she was, at the airport, with three huge suitcases and two backpacks. Her parents already rented a small furnished apartment for her in Odaiba, so she was good.
A taxi was waiting for her right outside the airport, nobody knew about her coming back because she wanted to do a surprise.
When she arrived at her new home, she found her aunt there. She had made the house more comfortable, bought her groceries and cooked her dinner.
-Mimi-chan, my number is on the fridge, if you need anything call me or Shouji (her son) anytime!-
-I will, thanks auntie- Mimi hugged her and thanked for the warm dinner, it was March after all.
Her new apartment consisted in a small kitchen, connected to a dining room/living room, her bedroom and a small bathroom. Suited her just fine.
-Now I just need to make it more Mimi-like- she smiled, thinking she needed to buy pink curtains, bedsheets and other small stuff.
After the entrance, japanese style, was the kitchen on the right side, like in between a corridor, after that the space opened up to the living/dining room consisting
in a white comfy couch on a white fluffly carpet, a coffee table and a small equipped wall with a big tv; near the window walls (that lead to a small balcony) was the
small table with two chairs. Right on the sides of the equipped wall, were the two other rooms, bathroom and her own bedroom. It was a rectangular space, quite small
compared to her huge american bedroom, but just fine (even big) in Japan. It was filled with a double bed (which she loved immediately), a closet on the side and a desk
in fron of the window. Except for the bed, a white wrought iron bed, it was all quite dull.
Finishing, all the furniture was in a light, ash-y, shade of wood that went well with the parquet and the white walls.
While eating her aunt's soup she looked out of the window, she really loved the table placement, she could see the whole town and its lights like that.
A nostalgic feeling got the best of her for a moment but then she gave herself a small slap and decided to move on and unpack her things. That took her the whole night.
Thank god she still had to start school and right now the students were on holiday, ready for the new year to start.
Next morning she contacted Sora and asked her what she was doing.
-Nothing really, just cleaning up my room-
-All right, then I'll call you home in a bit- she wrote, so that she wouldn't leave the house while she run there.
That was it, after 30minutes or so, the bell rang in Sora's house and she went to answer -Hai hai, who is it?- she opened up a bit but was so shocked to see her friend that
she stood still with her mouth hanging open.
-What? Mimi?-
Mimi just smiled and hugged her. It was almost a year since she visited her friends and she really missed them badly, although she kept communicating with them, soon
things become a little cold as it happends with distance. Meanwhile many things changed.
-Sora I missed you so much!-
-Mimi..wow, you really know how to shock people- the older girl said, smiling -When did you come back?-
-Yesterday. But you know.. I moved back here!- at Sora surprised face she continued with a -Surprise!-
-Oh my god, really? This makes me so happy! But let's go inside, we're making a ruckus on the doorway-
After they updated each other a bit, things got more personal.
-So, how are things with Yamato-kun?- Mimi innocently asked. If her counts were right they had been together three years now, they were the first couple of the chosen
children and even tough they kind of shocked everyone they seemed happy and rock-solid.
Sora face went dark pretty quickly -... We kind of broke up..- she murmured.
-Uh?- Mimi almost spat her tea.
-Sorry, it happened some months ago but I still couldn't talk about it.-
-What happened? You were so into each other!- cried out Mimi.
-I don't know.. - she played with her fingers -I guess we didn't match after all, all we did was fighting lately-
-But something must have happened.. - the younger girl just couldn't believe it.
-We grew apart and so did our feelings. I can't understand him anymore, nor I want to.-
-Did he cheat on you?-
-Mimi! No, what are you thinking?- Sora was taken aback by her friend's bluntness. She forgot Mimi had no filter.
-Sorry, I just thought it's weird. Last time I was here you two were so loved up it made everyone sick.- she remembered Tai's hurt look at the two lovebirds like
it was yesterday.
-I don't know when it started, maybe around the same time last year. We didn't have anything to talk about, we pissed each other's off just with our presence, but we
carried on, we tried to make it work. Eventually, we both became aggressive and fought a lot till we broke up for good during an Halloween party.-
-I see.. I'm so sorry to hear that.. Are you ok now?-
-Yes, it's been almost four months after all.- she smiled -I'm just trying to figure out myself, who I am and what I want.-
Mimi hugged her best friend again -I'm sure you'll feel great again soon. Is that why you were cleaning?-
-Yes- Sora smiled -I'm getting rid of old and unnecessary stuff.. and, you know, hurtful memories-
-I get it, it really helps- and Mimi really meant that, having gone thought a similar experience herself -How are things between you two now?-
-Awkward. Thank god we're in different classes, but we do make some small talk, especially when we're with everybody else.. nothing we can do about that-
-How is Tai-kun?- she asked out of the blue.
-Uh? Why are you bringing him up?- she suddenly become nervous -He's the same as usual-
-I mean, you and him.- Mimi stared right into her eyes. She knew her friend too well and something was fishy. It had always been a triangle, with Tai chasing Sora and her chasing Yamato, who somehow reciprocated her feelings.
-Sora, I understand if you don't feel like talking about it. But I'm your best friend, at least I hope I still am, you can talk to me about everything.-
-We're all friends now.. or acting like it- she smiled nervously -I promise I will tell you everything.. or maybe you'll just know when you'll meet them-
-Ok, don't worry now.- Mimi hugged her again and Sora felt the tension disappear in an istant. God, she missed Mimi so much! She had other friends other than the chosen children, but it could never be a deeper friendship like the one with her.
-Alright, now talk me about you! Why the sudden move?- Sora was seemed like her energetic self again.
-I told you, I missed my friends.-
-But I bet you made thousand of friends in New York, it's always been an ability of yours to befriend people quickly-
-Yeah, but it's different. It was hard adjusting at first, but when I did I felt the need to come back home. My real home, in Tokyo. I felt that if I didn't return now, I would never have again..- she looked sad for some reason.
Sora didn't inquire further, Mimi looked depressed all of sudden and she tried to make the mood lighter.
-Well, since you're living alone you have to let me stay over whenever I want- she commanded laughing -I'm so envious! Also, we'll be in the same school starting next week!-
-Yes!- Mimi eyes glowed and she regained her usual mood -I'm so excited!-
After that they waved goodbye and Mimi returned home, with the promise to catch up soon and kept the secret of her returning for the time being.
As Mimi was walking home she got lost in her thoughts. Sora.. her Sora changed. She was more mature, a woman now, but at the same time she seemed more 'dark' and that worried her. Maybe it was Yamato's influence or the break up.. who knew.. so many things happened and she didn't know a thing. Her gut told her that Taichi had something to do with the break up and Sora confirmed it with her weird behavior.
-Oh well- she sighed, suddenly tired -Gonna do some shopping therapy now-.
To be continued...
Hope you liked this first chapter! I already have the second ready, by the way hehe. What do you think will happen? :D