WARNING! I have changed chapter 127 around a bit so that it works with my story. Hope that doesn't make you too angry... I really tried to change it as little as possible. GOMEN NASAI!
Letters in Flight
'So I suppose I'm here.' Kureno thought to himself, as he was finally able to see the shabby old house he would probably be spending the rest of his life in. He sighed, and gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. He had been through a lot in the past week… He really did need time to reflect upon all that had happened… Maybe he'd need a week or two… Then again, maybe he'd need his whole life to think about this…
He suddenly found himself to be parked in the driveway, awaiting some unknown event. The rain began to drizzle, and pitter-patter on Kureno's car. He gently turned his key and tugged it out of the car's ignition. He sighed once again, and relaxed in his car seat. "I've left Akito now…" Kureno said aloud to no one in particular, as he loosened his tie. He only acknowledged what he had said afterwards, and could not help but smile. 'What am I saying? Why am I saying this?' He thought, confused by his obliviousness. He decided he would let more thoughts like that one flow by.
'Should Akito feel guilty? She wouldn't deserve that…' Kureno nodded his head at this thought. Akito did not deserve to feel guilty about that… She wasn't allowed to think about it and he left for that reason. He was happy about that.
'Where is she now, I wonder…'Kureno then heard himself think. Before he let another smile appear on his face, only this one was much softer. He hadn't allowed his thoughts to flow like this in a very long time, and he only realized now, after leaving Akito and not feeling any "guilt" anymore, that Arisa occupied a great deal in his mind, and an even greater place in his heart. He had never seen a woman so true to herself… Then again, maybe all women were like that. He had only known Akito for as long as he could remember…
'But still… She is the only one…' He remembered that look in her eyes when she was angry with him, because of his foolishness… That look in her eyes when they first met, and she laughed as food tumbled to the floor… She really was… Is the only one.
Yesterday, when he was still in the hospital, she had met him briefly. He had not seen her in such a long time; he held his breath as he watched her enter his room. He was watching a bird fly by out the window… Breaking free, as he knew he would also do once again soon enough.
…
"There is still one thing I must do for Akito." He had told her. She looked up at him.
"What is that…"she answered.
"I must vanish. Otherwise, Akito will worry about it until the end."
"Then go wherever you need to go." She replied blushing a little. He looked down at her sadly.
"Would you care to come with me?" He asked, looking back at that place where he had seen the bird. He was finding it exceedingly hard to get away right now.
"… I cannot. I've things to do." By this, Kureno assumed she meant finishing High School, which was probably the smartest thing to do. He allowed a strand of her beautiful, blond hair to rest in his palm. She blushed even more.
"Will you join me… Ever?" He asked this, holding his breath as he waited for the reply. Arisa cleared her throat and looked into his eyes.
"… When I'm done what it is I have to do… I'll find you." She said finally. He let out his breath.
"Alright." He simply replied, as a smile that would certainly grace the angels appeared across his face.
…
Kureno sighed, and hopped out of his wet, slick car. It was really pouring outside at this point. He looked around, scanning the vast fields of grass and spotting a cheery tree, then walked slowly towards the house. The door creaked as he opened it. Inside, a scent of mold was present. There were only a few rooms, but that did not matter to Kureno. He did say that he wanted to get away from Akito, and that is what he was doing. He smoothed back his wet hair, and marched into the house, feeling quite out of place. He removed his slippery shoes, and went to inspect his new home. He found a dusty chesterfield, an old drawer in which there were a couple shirts that smelled of mothballs, a dusty fireplace that he was certain could be repaired and functional and an old, very uncomfortable looking bed. When he was purchasing this house, he didn't think the man selling was serious when he asked Kureno "Why in the hell you'd want to buy such an old, unfunctional thing." He could see why now. He wasn't one to complain though, he had wanted the cheapest thing he could find that was farthest away from Akito, and he had found it.
He knew the house would need a lot of work, and that made him happy. It would give him something to think about, other than… Her. Suddenly, an unexpected nock came from the door. Kureno, very confused why anyone would come here, it was so extremely secluded… He walked up to the door, expecting no one to be there, or maybe a robber that he could easily fend off.
But that was not who he found. It was a kind man dressed in blue who seemed to be a mailman. Kureno looked very taken aback.
"Hello." Kureno almost asked this as a question, wondering why in the world someone would come here, and how he would find this place. 'Maybe he needs directions.' Kureno thought this was plausible.
"Ano… If you need directions, I do not think I will be able to help you with that, I have just moved here…" Kureno told the wet young man. The boy piped up.
"Ah! No, I don't believe I need directions… I believe I have a letter for you!" The young man said. Kureno's eyes widened. The boy sneezed and seemed to be shivering in his wet mailman suit.
"Well, I find that hard to believe… Oh, please come in, I wouldn't want you to get sick." Kureno said, as he offered a hand to the boy.
"Arigato gozaimasu! You are very kind!" the boy said as he was ushered into the entrance. Kureno then closed the noisy door and stared at the boy.
"So… What business is it that you have with me?" Kureno asked him as politely as he could. The boy seemed to have forgotten something, and then remembered it.
"Ah yes! So I was personally asked to deliver you a letter. Here, this is for you." The boy said as he handed him a letter. Kureno looked at him strangely, and then looked at the envelope that had no address or name on it.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you son, but I do not think this is mine. Gomen…" Kureno said, as he looked down at the boy. The boy shook his head no, refusing the letter Kureno was offering back to him. Kureno sighed.
"Look, I know…" Kureno was cut off by the boy who he thought was starting to waste his time.
"This is you, right?" The boy said, showing Kureno a picture that made him smile. It was picture of Kureno with Arisa in the supermarket, that first time they had met. It was probably taken from one of the security cameras. He was smiling one of his very fake smiles… The ones that he would hopefully never smile again. But this made him realize something; this letter was most definitely from Arisa.
"A… Arigato! This is really important to me… Thank you! However did you find me?" Kureno asked excitedly. The boy giggled and made a thumbs-up sign to Kureno.
"Himitsu!" The boy said, sticking out his tongue. Kureno laughed with him.
"Well… Thank you. Please have a safe trip home." Kureno said, as he brought the boy to the door. The boy waved back at him, and sped off in his car.
Kureno tore open the letter with incredible speed and in such a rush that he almost tore apart the letter. And there, on a white sheet of paper, was Arisa's fine writing (which he had never seen before, but that he instantly fell in love with), that said without even stating any person's name:
"When I'm done doing what I have to do, I promise I will find you." Kureno smiled, thanking whatever god it was that was watching him at that moment.
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