Present

He was now a third year, tall and mighty while he stood over the halls beside his cousin. To his peripheral vision he noticed her again, it was a daily occurrence – their brief moments of eye contact throughout their days. She always looked away, her expression delicate and timid before she walked to class to avoid the crowd of girls that had already gathered around him and his cousin.

She changed her hair again. The ends of her hair were dyed a lighter brown as it faded into her dark roots. Her hair was curled today and she wore grey nail polish. She looked older, matured. She looked beautiful.

Mori was careful not glance for too long and turned his attention back to Honey.

She sat in her usual spot, in the back of the class by the windows. The new start to the year made her no different from the past. By the time their lunch break came along, she disappeared. Mori did his regular routine of walking along by the windows to the courtyard, only to find the place empty. The bench was cleared and the area behind the pillars had nobody to fill in the shadows. Mori kept walking down the halls, towards the Linguistics wing before heading back to the common lunch area.

"You are not allowed to drop this class, Rei."
"I did. I don't want to take World Literature. I'm done with your silly assignments."
"So what? You took a useless history course?"
"No, but that is rather offensive to Professor Keito, your colleague."

Mori could recognize her voice from a mile away if he had to. There was a moment of silent tension between the father and daughter in the classroom. The door had been closed, but their voices cut through the walls like bullets.

"You never listen."
"I always listen. But I also make my own choices," she corrected.
"You make poor choices. You think you are capable of the world when you have not seen what the world is made of."
"Well perhaps it is because of all the fiction I have to read for your class. Allow me to have a dose of reality when I take World Issues with Professor Keito."

Mori jogged down the hall in an attempt to hide his eavesdropping before Rei stepped out of the classroom. He wondered if she caught a glimpse of him escaping. How embarrassing that would have been.

In the afternoon, they made eye contact with each other before going to their respective classes. She walked into Lecture Hall 102 for World Issues while Mori walked into the adjacent hall for World Literature.

An hour later, Mori found her walking to the library for her spare period. Their schedules always aligned, except for this year when she deviated from taking her father's class. Mori was careful not to catch her attention so he walked a couple metres behind.

She turned into the school library and took a seat at her usual spot. It had only been the first day of school and for her, it only meant it was the first day to get ahead in her courses. She opened up her World Issues textbook and began making notes on the pre-readings that were assigned.

Mori did not have the heart to bother her when she looked so concentrated. He sat diagonally from Rei at the same table and did the same. He began reading the assigned novel from his previous class, likely something she had already read since her father taught the class.

Rei powered her way through one section and looked out the window. Mori wondered if that was an invitation to speak to her. He decided against it and went back to his novel, stealing glances at the girl who was mesmerized by the outdoors. When he was caught looking at her, Rei tilted her head.

"Ah. Hello," she greeted him quietly. "I didn't notice you there."

Mori shrugged. It was fine, almost preferred if she hadn't noticed.

She went back to her notes and they didn't speak again.


Mori never saw her outside in the courtyard ever again, or behind the pillars. She spent all her time in the library, burying her head in her books and studying. One afternoon during his spare, he found himself taking a walk in the courtyard, and naturally his legs took him to the bench that she usually sat on.

The bench faced the fountain that ceased to function because of the winter months. The wind grew colder and screeched against his ears. Mori took it as a sign to go back inside. But not before snaking his way through the pillars that hid the former couple over the years. Now, it was empty and miserable.

Mori began to understand why Rei stopped coming.

When he found himself at the library again, she was looking outside the window. The view was towards the entrance of the school instead of the courtyard. Rei looked a little disappointed by the scene and sighed before picking up her pen.

Mori took a seat in front of her this time.

She was too tired today to greet him verbally and instead Rei glanced at him before returning back to her studies. Pieces of her hair began falling from her bun, and soon she felt her hair loosening. The small things that went wrong in her day began irritating her. She huffed and took apart her hair. Rei decided to tie the whole thing up in a quick ponytail instead.

"It looks fine."

He was always quiet enough to blend into the background. She had forgotten he was there. Rei tied up her hair anyway. It was a hassle to have her hair make a curtain over her notes. She tried to concentrate again.

"You never go there anymore." His voice cut through the silence.

Who was she kidding, even if she tried to forget by distracting herself, it would have been useless. Mori just happened to come at the right time, when Kai had been at the back of her mind all day.

"Third year is busier than usual," Rei made a lame excuse. They both knew it was a lie. Mori sat back in his chair and stared blankly to nothing in particular.

"You've moved on." It wasn't an observation, or a question. But the way he spoke, it seemed to be open ended.

"Trying to," Rei murmured. "But it's his birthday."

Mori nodded. As he usually did, when he had no words to offer.

"When is your birthday?" Rei tried to change the topic.
"May 5th ," he answered. Politely, he asked when hers was.
"August 23rd." She was a summer baby. Mori was born in the spring.

"It's been a particularly bad day," the girl tried to smile, as if smiling would cover up the pain Mori observed in her eyes on a regular basis. It was hard to notice if you weren't looking for it. Happy people had a glint in their eye, Mori saw it in Honey. But with her, her large brown eyes were dull.

"Why?" was a regular question he asked her.

"I argued with my dad, which isn't uncommon but... it was a bitter start to the day."

Mori did not say anything. He only listened. He waited for her to continue when she stopped.

"The weather is exceptionally cold today. I forgot my scarf." Rei chuckled to herself. How silly these small things were, she must have seemed like a whining child to him. She snuck a glance at Mori. He only stared back. It was the same gentle gaze that he kept up over the years. It encouraged her to continue but to also stop at whenever she felt like it.

"I lost the pencil he gave me. It was my favourite. It was metallic grey, the paint was already chipping off but it worked splendidly. And then," Rei looked out the window. "I also ran out of cigarettes to smoke."

Rei exhaled and turned her gaze back down to her notes. "The fountain stopped working too. The bench had been replaced over the summer break." Their bench, the bench they always sat on had a small engraving of their names. It was ridiculous, she knew it too. But Kai had carved it with a pocket knife one day while she read and told her that their bench was forever theirs.

"It's like the universe is forcing me to forget him."

"You don't want to?" Mori didn't mean for the question to sound so harsh. Of course she wouldn't want to forget him. Rei knew what he meant, of course. She never took offense to his questions.

"Moving forward does not mean forgetting," Rei explained.

"You are still stuck in time," Mori pointed out. "You are not moving forward. You are living each day as it is, but you are still blind."
"Blind to what?" Rei had never heard him speak for more than a sentence and when he did, it turned out he had more to offer than what she expected.

Mori shrugged. That was up to her to decide. He told her what he saw of her but he surely wasn't asking her to get over it. Mori wasn't telling her to stop mourning, to stop grieving over her loss because that wasn't in his control or his place. Rei thought about his words for a while.

Time stopped moving for her when Kai died. She was suddenly abandoned and forced to find her own way. Like being abandoned on a train, Kai gotten off a stop too early and the train moved forward and only forward. Rei felt like she was stuck in a compartment without knowing what direction the endless ride was moving towards. She sat there, lonely and afraid. Although lost, Rei was safe being stuck in the same compartment. She was familiar with it as she looked out the window to watch the outside, watching seasons change and people living as if nothing was wrong. And soon, it felt as though nothing was wrong.

But things were wrong. She was trapped in this box and eventually began pretending that she wasn't. She thought the ride would take her to a destination, only that the destination was unknown and she didn't seem to care where it went.

Rei knew that, at the back of her mind she needed an exit. She needed to travel a route that wasn't on tracks, one that wasn't predestined for sorrow and heartbreak. She needed to get off at a stop, to walk on her two feet.

Rei wasn't allowed to be blinded or trapped from life any longer.

But it was hard.

It was hard to stop.


Mori silently began accompanying her after their last class every day. It became a routine to study with Rei during his spare. She didn't seem to mind. As usual she was polite and generous enough to allow his presence. Never once did she miss a beat and always acknowledged his company when he sat down.

Months passed by and Rei was of course, first of their class when it was midway through their last year of Ouran. Takashi had nearly forgotten about his limited time at the academy before Haruhi had brought it up the day before at the club. She asked what his plans were for the future and Mori was about to reply before his cousin swept him away to eat cake.

Mori planned to continue his studies at the University of Tokyo, studying Philosophy. He turned to Rei when he noticed her looking up from her notebook. She began wearing her glasses more often and took them off by letting them sit on the top of her head while she rested. It brought the hair out of her face.

He wondered what Rei's plan for the future was like. But he was unsure whether or not it was appropriate to ask. Did it even matter? They were all bound to go separate ways and meeting again in life would only be fate. If there was such a thing as fate, of course.

"You look like you want to ask me something," Rei always spoke softly. Her voice gentle, almost soothing.

"Where are you going?" His deep voice echoed at a low volume to match hers. It was such a vague question to any passerby. Where was she going... after her spare, after class, or right now?

"Oxford," she replied, understanding exactly what he meant. It was far. She was leaving in a couple months for a place halfway across the world. "I'll be studying Literature."

"Like your father?" he suggested.
"No," Rei shook her head. "I do not plan to be like him."
"You won't be a professor?"
"I didn't say that. But I am my own person. My choices are mine," Her voice grew more assertive with every sentence.

Rei paused and relented. She leaned back in her seat. "Sorry, that was harsh."
He shook his head. Mori understood. Carving out an identity for yourself that is separate from the shadow that constantly swallowed you up was an uphill battle. She was herself and no one else. She was not her father's daughter. Rei worked hard to define herself as a separate entity.

Mori was unsure if he felt the same. His duty to Honey and his family was not a shadow. It was not a burden. It was a daily part of his life, and he lived to serve just like the rest of his family. There was nothing else, and nobody else in the way.

Mori reassured himself that his duty was the only priority.

"You look troubled," Rei commented.

He shook his head. She pretended to seem oblivious to his lie.

But she did not pry.

They continued to study.


On their graduating day, he saw her holding a bouquet of white roses. Mori wondered who it was from, perhaps her father. Though white was a particularly odd colour to present to a graduating student when white signified death. Pictures were taken and graduating caps were thrown into the air, the typical traditions were done during the ceremony. Rei participated with a small smile but disappeared shortly after with her bouquet.

Mori left Honey with the rest of the hosts and quietly slipped away to the only place he figured she would be. Rei wandered around the courtyard of Ouran, with the cherry trees blossoming and the flowers coming into full bloom. It was the last time she would have the chance to walk back to their spot and likely the last time Mori would ever see her.

He watched her closely, waiting as she approached the bench she used to sit on a daily basis. Even though the bench was not the same, she hesitantly took a seat. The black graduation gown was the perfect contrast against the bouquet of white roses she held. Carefully, she took a rose out of the bouquet and placed it on the bench.

It was a farewell.

Rei stood from the bench and walked over to the maze, another place they used to spend time at. She took a rose and placed it in the shrub, and then walked her way through the whole thing to leave another rose at the exit. She would miss the days of hide and seek within the maze, even though they both memorized each nook and cranny of the place.

Rei slowly made her way through the gardens, and laid another rose at the gazebo. There was only one place left – his favourite place. The place that held the most privacy, the corner that shielded them from the cold, damp or windy weather when they only had each other.

Mori began walking down towards the pillars they hid at for years. He made it on time to find Rei gently putting down the rest of her bouquet in a small corner. She stood there for a couple minutes, basking in the memories and reminiscing of the times she had before turning around to notice him standing there.

"It was his favourite spot."

Rei walked away without looking back and stopped in front of Mori. He towered over her and it wasn't until the very last day that she noticed. She looked down and smiled to herself at how silly it was. He seemed to know so much about her and yet she knew little about him. But nevertheless, it did not take away from her gratitude towards the boy.

"Thank you," she said. "For listening and for noticing." Rei had to crane her neck upwards to make eye contact with him. She smiled, a genuine one this time. Though her eyes still told him that she was still broken.

"You're welcome," he mumbled.

"Goodbye." She gave a small wave before walking away. Rei passed him without another glance and she was already well on her way before Mori posed another question. Perhaps the last question he would ever ask.

"Do you believe in fate?"

Rei stopped in her tracks and contemplated the question for a second. The girl turned around and shook her head. She didn't believe in fate. Rei looked at him for the very last time, remembering his gentle gaze despite his monstrous height. His spiky black hair, along with his confident yet aloof stance. There was something about him that made her regret having to leave so soon. But there was no choice if she needed to move forward.

She turned around and this time, he didn't call for her back.


"Takashi."

Mori looked down towards his cousin. Honey was frowning. Something was wrong.

They were taking a walk through the park during Honey's favourite season. It had been a year since they both graduated from the Academy and they recently finished their first year in university. The spring was beautiful, with cherry blossoms petals falling with the cool breeze. Honey held onto his cousin's hand, watching Mori blankly stare into a void of nothing.

"You are sad," Honey could tell, even if Mori never admitted it. His duty to his cousin would constantly trump over his own happiness and this frustrated Honey more than anything. Tradition was important, but as was the well being of his family. Honey was no longer the immature child who selfishly wanted his cousin all to himself. He wanted his best friend to stay by his side but true friendship was not one sided.

"You don't have to stay beside me anymore," Mori felt a tug on his arm. Honey wanted his cousin's full attention. "You do not need my permission to live, Takashi. It isn't fair to you."

Mori was unsure what it meant to live. To properly live without his duty to serve was a foreign concept and one that he refused to contemplate for long. It was wrong for him to even have thoughts of deterring from tradition.

"Takashi, please. Are you listening to me?"

Mori could only nod and Honey took his cousin's familiar gesture as a promise to his words.


It was an autumn day in England. Cold and windy, the overcast sky threatened to pour rain on the residents that walked through the park. Mori had settled in for the last couple of months, deciding to do a year on exchange at Oxford. It was a spontaneous decision. By the end of his second year of university, he applied and by good fortune he landed himself coincidentally at the same place she attended.

Was he hoping to see her again? Mori was unsure. Rei never came up in his thoughts as often as she did while they were still in school. But every once in a while, he wondered. If she still looked the same, if she still kept up her studious habits and whether or not she found herself to be content with life.

Mori had explored the area, already familiar the main streets and local cafes. He lived in the residence, along with fellow exchange students who busied themselves with each other. Mori preferred to opt out of their gatherings and social events. He very much enjoyed spending time alone. It gave him a peace of mind.

The university campus spanned over such a large area it was impossible to scour out one person in particular. Mori never attempted to find her. Instead, he allowed fate to do its job. Mori was unsure why he asked her such a thing in the first place. It was a silly question but it gave him a strange sense of hope in knowing that perhaps, their paths will cross one day if fate allowed them to.

The weather made him nostalgic of the days at Ouran when he found her sitting on a bench, usually alone. He didn't think of her often, but small things like the weather always triggered his memory. Mori was on his way home from a lecture, like many other students who passed through the park.

Mori looked around to observe his surroundings and found himself behind a man walking his small dog. His phone rang, which caused the dog owner's attention to shift towards the urgent call. Unfortunately this also meant that his overly energetic dog found its way out of its owner's leash and ran forward, leaving the man behind.

Mori watched the distressed man end the call and immediately began to jog forward to find his furry, white Maltese. A couple hundred metres ahead, the small dog was spotted with its hind legs trying to jump onto the lap of a stranger. It was happy as it could possibly be while being scratched behind its head. Mori noticed the hands first, the fingers delicate and the nails were painted a deep burgundy colour. The stranger wore a dark trench coat, paired with knee high leather boots that shielded most of their legs from the cold.

The stranger looked up towards the dog owner who apologized profusely. Mori could not see the face being covered by the man. But he heard a familiar sound. He heard the sweet laughter and the reassurance to the owner that it was not a bother at all. Finally moving out of the way, the dog and its owner walked ahead to allow Mori to put a face to the familiar sound.

She looked the same, even though her hair was now dyed to a light brown. The loose curls fell effortlessly down her shoulder and her arms were crossed in the usual stance she always had while she stood. Rei watched the dog leave with a smile before picking up the book on the bench. She wore a scarf that draped over her neck and a thin silver chain that Mori couldn't make out the details of.

Mori wanted to move forward to say hello, but he couldn't find the words to say after that. Rei looked like she had been doing well and that was enough for him to be content.

Rei placed the book in her handbag and decided to walk home for today. It was not a usual occurrence for her to find time to read on the bench. It had been her day off in months from working at the youth shelter, where was a part-time counselor. When she turned to walk the usual way home, she spotted a familiar figure watching her from afar.

His height was a hard thing to forget and the gaze he held had been unchanged over the past three years. What a small world it was, she thought. Rei walked towards the gentle giant who stood there, his expression blank.

"Hello," she greeted him the same way she did years ago. He nodded in response. Some things would never change.

"Perhaps fate does exist, hm?"

Mori cracked a small smile, the first smile she had ever seen in her life from him.


It must have been a decade since they had first met.

When Rei had left for England three years ago, she felt as though a new void opened up while the previous wound had eventually healed. A fresh new start was what she needed to stand on her two feet again, where she learned to pave her own happiness without the dependence of someone else.

It was refreshing. Rei learned to breathe again and she learned to love again. She loved the crisp morning air, she loved the passion she felt for her field of study, and she loved helping other youth stand on their own two feet. She found purpose in her life.

And yet, there was still missing a piece. Rei had lost her closest confidant and her only friend that stood by her during the times she needed someone most. She regretted not being able to show more of her gratitude to him. She wished she could have snuck in another thank you, or to return the favour while he was troubled. But most of all, she wished that he found his own happiness wherever that may have been.

Mori had showed up in front of her three years later, in a park on a cloudy day. She couldn't quite place a finger on what she felt. It was like being transported to their days at the academy, where his presence gave her a sense of support, a safety net, or a rock to lean on.

He had become her rock over those years. He stayed for her, like how Rei stayed for Kai. The difference was that Rei learned to let go, willingly. She grew, she matured and she moved on. She didn't need Mori any more.

But a part of her did genuinely miss him.

"Why did you come back?" Rei asked. It was in the middle of winter, in the midst of their second term of the school year. Snow had begun to fall as they walked through the usual park where they first met again, halfway across the world. They usually walked in silence. But sometimes, Mori would pick her brain. He was a philosophy student after all, and he posed questions. She gave him her opinion. He liked listening to her the most.

Mori usually answered her questions as well, in less than three sentences. But this time he stood silent. He was unsure what made him come back to her. Was it fate? Fate that somehow brought them together after three years apart. Mori was still unsure.

His decision to leave Japan had more to do with learning to live freely. He was trying to find happiness by treading through his own path whilst leaving behind all that he knew about old life. He needed a fresh start and applying for exchange seemed like the logical thing to do. It was a coincidence that he ended up at Oxford when he sent in the papers through the university office – he applied later than most students and as a result, he was not guaranteed a spot. Whatever he was given, Mori was prepared to take.

The first few months in a foreign land was more of a learning experience than a struggle. He enjoyed the freedom and he loved observing a whole new environment. He took the last couple of months to reflect upon himself. What was his plan for the future? What made him happy? What did it mean to live?

And then she appeared.

And he stopped searching for those answers.

Because Mori realized that those answers would come when the time was right. There was no rush to find meaning in his life. The most important thing was, to live. To live with an open mind, to experience new things and to see the world in different perspectives.

But his favourite perspective was hers.

He didn't know why, or why he was so drawn to her. But he wasn't planning on finding those answers. Mori only patiently waited. The answer was bound to appear. It always came in time when he was with her.

Rei let the question go as they kept walking. He looked like he was already in deep thought. She didn't have the heart to snap him out of it. Mori was after all, a philosophy student. He thought more than he spoke. And each time he offered his words, it brought her a sense of comfort, no matter what he said.


Heavy rain poured outside. After three years, it was not a surprise to Rei. Mori too, wasn't irritated by the rain. Weather in general did not faze the gentle giant in any shape or form. They both found themselves studying in the same cafe, the one that they both agreed to be the best in the area. The brick walls and the small space gave it a homey feel. There was a hidden space at the back, where the regulars sat. The space was relatively quiet, with only the sound of coffee brewing and baristas taking orders.

They met again in the cafe by coincidence shortly after their first meeting. Then it became a routine to study on the weekends together. There was no set time. They walked in and out whenever they pleased. But the only constant was that they always found each other sometime in the afternoon.

This time, Mori bought her coffee after noticing her on the verge of nodding off. When he arrived with the cup in hand, Rei responded with a tired smile and a meek thank you. She continued typing on her laptop after taking a much needed sip of coffee.

Mori settled himself down diagonally from Rei. He was dressed in his usual hoodie, with his sleeves rolled up to his forearms. She of course, looked more put together. Her makeup became more defined as she grew, with her eyes lined and highlighted by neutral tones. They were framed by thin brows and her square glasses. She wore a wool cardigan, paired with jeans that tucked right into her winter boots. Mori always stole glances at her when he was bored of his work.

"Define love," Mori broke the comfortable silence. The tapping of her keyboard ceased and Rei decided it was probably time for a break. Mori enjoyed picking her brain for open ended answers, usually for inspiration for term papers in philosophy. She took off her glasses and as usual, let them rest on her head, it was a habit since Ouran. Rei contemplated an answer but after a few seconds, she couldn't quite decide on a fitting response.

"Love is too broad of a term. Specify."
"Your love... with Kai," The man was hesitant in bringing up the topic. He watched as her face grew from curiosity to deeper thought. Her eyes did not falter into the dull ones he remembered throughout high school. Her eyes were restless, usually when she thought about his questions she took the time to put together a genuine response.

"I think... love changes when you grow. The definition of love, I mean." Rei paused and took another second to collect her thoughts.

"My love for Kai was genuine. Perhaps even borderline obsessive, but that didn't mean it was any less true. I think he felt the same. Love felt like... an unbreakable bond, it felt eternal. He was my best friend, my favourite person in the world and my world revolved around him like his revolved around me. It was beautiful, and it was one of a kind.

"But we were young and I was aware of our circumstances. He was... rash and couldn't quite look far enough into the future to see that we wouldn't last like I did. And even when I told him, he didn't care. He was so enamoured by being together he was willing to be blind and soon, I joined him.

"In hindsight, our love was rather unrealistic. But I think that is what young love is. Young love is unrealistic, dangerous and exhilarating. It captures your soul and it forces you to endure through the pain and heartbreak because that is the price you pay."

She spoke calmly and serenely, with her back leaned against the chair. She came to accept what happened in the past and with time, she grew and learned to understand better. Mori never found her more beautiful than when she spoke with such depth and thought. He watched as she took another sip of her coffee and smiled at him. She smiled with her eyes. That was how Mori knew she was alright. She was happy.

"How about now?" Mori posed another question. What is your definition of love now that you are older?

"Hm," Rei was stuck at a roadblock. "I think love at our age differs from young love. Or those who have experienced young love perceive love in a greater variety of ways.

"Love is... more realistic or practical when you are older. You look for partners that provide stability emotionally, physically, and financially. Priorities shift and expectations become more rigid. Is that bad? Perhaps not in the long run. Healthy relationships blossom when things are kept in check. But is it less exciting? It seems so. But it isn't true.

"Love is such a subjective term and emotion. Love is exciting in itself. However old or young, love is an emotion humans crave and desire. It never ends. It never stops. You see love with family members, with friends and your pets. Love is... broad."

Rei glanced at Mori who nodded. But he wasn't satisfied in her answer. He wanted her to continue. He wanted a more personal answer it seemed. She drank another sip of coffee before continuing.

"I think... love is a very natural feeling. It is never forced. There is no set point in time where you 'fall in love' or 'fall out' of love. It just happens. You are drawn to somebody and you can't stop. You feel comfort in their presence but you also feel like you have enough adrenaline to run a kilometre. It is such a mess of emotions, but it feels... incredible. It is the pain that you are willing to endure so long as they come back to you. It is everything, all at once."

"I see." Mori seemed satisfied with her answer when he replied. It was a rare occurrence, as he usually nodded and went back into typing. Rei decided that it was a long enough break and she put her glasses back on.

They both got back to work.


It was the last term of the school year, and for Rei, it was also her last term at Oxford. She was graduating. Mori however, had to return back to Japan to finish off his last year. Even though it was spring, it was a very different season from what it was like in Japan.

There were no cherry blossoms blowing in the wind, with gardens that bloomed annually. It was rain every day, and it felt like no end. Even through the rain, they walked through the park sharing her umbrella because Mori never bothered to bring his. The water never bothered him, and he always ran from class to class with his backpack.

"Where are you going?" Mori asked while they walked through the rain. It was still cold and damp, but he emanated warmth beneath the umbrella.

Rei laughed. He asked the exact same question years ago and he didn't even seem to care about the full circle they came to.

"I'll be pursuing my Master's degree here."
"You like it here." His tone was in between asking a question and making an observation. Rei couldn't quite tell. But regardless, his voice always encouraged her to keep speaking.

"Oxford has been lovely the past few years. I don't think I am ready to go back to Japan," Rei admitted.
"Will you?" Will you one day return? was what he meant.

They walked in silence for a few metres. Rei thought about it seriously and tried to imagine life in Japan.

"No," she decided. "Not permanently."
"I see."

Rei was not exactly skilled at analyzing the different tones of his voice because the phrases he spoke were so limited, it was hard for her to decipher. However, she was sure he seemed disappointed by her answer. Rei too, was sad to disappoint him as well. It wasn't like she planned for herself to permanently reside here years ago. She liked the life she had built here and planned on continuing with it.

"You'll be going back home, won't you?" Rei had come to appreciate his presence again. He was like a permanent part of her life now, only that he came with a warranty that expired soon. Deep down, Rei had been bracing for the day he had to leave. She did not have the audacity to ask him to stay. He wouldn't have any reason to stay, especially not for her. She provided him with nothing in return, except occasional thoughts and her gratitude.

Mori only replied with an affirming noise. "Mm."

They walked for a couple more metres, listening to the rain pitter-pattering against the umbrella and all around them. They were alone in the park. She stopped in her tracks and faced Mori. Rei was still unsure about what to say about their impending separation. But she figured that it was better to say it early.

"Don't forget me, please," Rei decided that it was the most appropriate thing to ask of him. She wasn't ready for him to leave yet. Mori stared back into her eyes. Her eyes always gave her feelings away. The woman was scared but she was still prepared to be hurt. Nothing could hurt more than what happened years ago. But that didn't mean she wouldn't feel pain. The only difference was the amount of pain she would endure.

"I won't," Mori assured. She smiled, with her mouth and not her eyes. Rei couldn't fool him even if she tried.

"Good," Rei nodded and continued on walking.


It was a rare day where it didn't rain. Partly cloudy and windy, but it was the ideal day and also very close to the exam period of their last term. But it didn't matter. It was a routine for them to walk through the park together. It was bliss.

And it was likely one of the last times they would ever spend together before they went their separate ways. Rei still hadn't come to terms with Mori's departure, but now was not the time to process complex feelings. She took each day as it was and was grateful for whatever time they had left.

He was always quiet. Although today there was a strange silence between the two. Rei wasn't sure if it was her fault as she began thinking about his departure, or if something was troubling Mori. Nonetheless, the two continued walking like it wasn't an issue.

Mori spotted a bench, comfortably situated underneath the shade of trees and beside a pond. He led Rei towards the spot, disregarding the fact that they both had exams to study for.

"It's pretty," Rei sat on the bench first and admired the scenery. She breathed in the fresh air and basked in the sunlight. Usually, he would ask her a question by now. Either that or she'd ask about his classes. But today, she wanted to just sit. She wanted to think for a while and to process her thoughts about him, while he was still there.

Before she had a chance to gather her thoughts like she usually did, Mori broke the silence.

"I'm in love with you."

Rei turned to face the man and wondered if she heard him correctly. Mori watched as her eyes searched for an explanation in his face, she was trying to read him in ways that she was familiar with. He could tell that she was begging for an explanation, preferably in words. So he gave her it.

"I don't know when it began. It was natural, like you said. I wasn't expecting it. Your voice, your thoughts, your habits, your face, your hair – I can remember it all vividly, in my sleep or far away from you. I just want to be beside you. Or close to you. Or... with you. Just you is enough.

"You once asked, why I was here. Why I came back – and I wasn't sure. I came looking for answers and stopped looking because I met you. You provide me with answers, effortlessly. And I too, wondered why I came back to you specifically.

"I fell in love with you without realizing it. That was why."

Rei's eyes were brimming with tears. Overwhelmed with emotions, she was unsure what to make of it all. She didn't have the time to process them. She wasn't in the right state to make a collected conclusion of what she felt towards Mori.

Mori too, was unsure of the next step. But he left her sitting by the pond and there she sat for hours. The sun was already beginning to set before she stood from the bench.


They didn't make contact for the next couple of days. Busy with exams, it was difficult to make contact anyway. Mori had a heavy feeling in his chest that he carried with him each day. He wondered if it was a good idea to go look for her. But he decided against it, afraid that he was too much of a bother to Rei. She was a good student, an honours student that was on the verge of graduating too. Mori decided to be considerate by focusing on his own studies.

He still had one last exam left, the last one before finishing his year of exchange. Mori's mind was clouded with emotion, making it difficult for him to actually study. He stayed in his dorm instead of the cafe to study, figuring that Rei must have gone there instead. Was he deliberately avoiding her? Mori was not ready to be reflective on an important night like this. Out of frustration, he threw his notebook against his door. It made a loud thud, likely startling a lot of the students that lived near him.

Reluctantly, Mori stood from his desk to pick up his notebook that had its pages falling out. The timing was perfect when he heard a soft knock right at the door.

"Takashi?" she softly called out his name. She never actually greeted him by his name, or even surname. And neither did he. But he would have recognized the voice any time. He checked his watch. It was almost midnight.

Mori couldn't leave her standing the hallway. He opened the door to find a girl soaked from head to toe. It looked like she ran from wherever she came from to his residence.

"I—" Rei was at a loss of words, suddenly. "I couldn't study without you," she sheepishly finished. Mori opened the door wider so that she could come into his room. It was a small place, with a bathroom, bed and desk. A closet door sat opposite the bed. It wasn't exactly a room built for two people.

She set her bag down and looked for a suitable place to sit. There wasn't.

They stood in silence for a couple seconds before Rei took the leap of courage.

"Why would you leave me there?" She sat on the bench for hours, trying to process what she felt and how she felt. If only he had been there to listen. But he wasn't. For the first time, he wasn't there when she needed him the most.

Mori didn't know how to answer that question.

"You left me confused but happy. You left me feeling relieved and devastated. You left me feeling like I'd lost you but still... had you. It was everything, all at once."

She was on the verge of crying again. She knew what she felt, but she hadn't said those words in so long. She was overwhelmed again. Rei stood in the middle of his room, facing the giant who only listened to her, like he always did.

He didn't have to hear her say it.

It was everything, all at once. He knew those words like the back of his hand.

Mori stepped forward and held her in his arms. He was warm. He made her feel safe. She was soaking wet but it didn't matter. He felt her arms around his waist, and he held her tighter with her head tucked comfortably beneath his chin. Mori kissed the top of her head and she felt him resonate in a low laughter. It must have seemed so silly to anyone watching him holding onto a woman that was soaked from head to toe, standing in the middle of what seemed to be the smallest room ever.

"Why are you laughing?" she was amused. "Surely you can't be laughing at me being wet. It isn't fair when I ran across campus to see you at midnight."

He pulled apart and kissed her. He didn't feel the need to explain. He was happy. He was laughing out of happiness.

She giggled when he pulled away from her lips. He looked into her eyes, now closer than ever. Her arms were comfortably around his neck and she reached to kiss his cheek sweetly. He smiled, a big smile. One she never saw him smile before. He was a gentle giant. He'd always been a gentle giant.

"Perhaps it's time for us to go back into studying," Rei suggested with a grin. Mori shook his head.

Studying was a silly option now that she was in his arms.


Whether they were together, or a couple thousand kilometers apart – they were in love. They craved each other's presence. They missed each other's voices. They wanted to see each other, every day, all day. It didn't matter what they were doing.

It took them ten years to find each other.

They travelled, they learned, and they grew without one another before finding love. Love was a journey, a time consuming and complex one at that. They found happiness in life, though it was important to note that happiness was not synonymous to love.

Love was a component to their happiness.

Mori contemplated these thoughts while he sat on the bench with her and asked her a question. The sun was beginning to set and she leaned on his shoulder for support.

"What do you think about fate?"

Rei looked at him and thought about it. She realized he would be picking at her brain for the rest of her life. The thought of it made her smile. "Well..."


A/N: Mori's character has always fascinated me and this idea had always been at the back of my mind. I'll try to keep this A/N short, but I think I will be posting a longer, in-depth reasoning of this story on my tumblr later (link is on my profile). Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this ginormous chapter. I can understand why this two-shot thing may seem like a bore, but well - I mean. I tried. Leave your comments and reviews, I'd love to hear what you all thought.