A/N: Okay, I shipped Yo-Yoji and Cass for too long only to find out that they eventually broke up. Like, OF COURSE they broke up, they were only kids when they got together! But still, I am not satisfied with a quick "ah they got together and then they broke it off" kind of explanation.
So here's my version of events set after the events of the third Bad book.
SPOILER WARNING FOR ALL BOOKS IN THE SECRET SERIES AND BAD SERIES.
DISCLAIMER, ALL OF THIS BELONGS TO PSEUDONYMOUS BOSCH. I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OR STORYLINE AND AM NOT MAKING MONEY OFF THIS WORK.
Yoji sighed heavily down the phone.
"Well, it's always dangerous with the Midnight Sun isn't it? But this was bad, she could have died…no I'm flying back tomorrow…no, no I was gonna come home anyway so don't sweat it…all right, I'll see you soon M-E. It's really good to hear from you bro, just wish the circumstances were better."
Ending the call, Yoji looked down at high half packed suitcase on his bed. Around the rest of his room a number of his possessions he intended to pack were scattered haphazardly.
Truthfully, Yoji had planned to fly to his hometown on the weekend, not Wednesday. But hearing about Cass worried him and he booked the tickets sooner. Unfortunately, the only tickets he could get at such short notice left in four hours which meant he had exactly one hour to pack and reach the airport, hence the mess of luggage around his usually pristine bedroom.
Being an international DJ meant Yoji got to travel the world going on tour. "Yo-Yoji" was becoming even more popular as the months went on with many famous artists now wanting to collaborate on their upcoming albums. It was everything he ever dreamed of; doing what he loved AND making money off it. On top of that, he gets to visit places all over the globe as a part of his JOB.
But there are moments after the final song has ended, when the crowd leaves and the lights fade. When the last groupie has their autograph signed and he has gone from being demanded, to totally alone. It's in these moments that he sits in silence and wishes he were home- trouble is, he didn't know where home was.
Technically, Yoji had a permanent residence in Honshu, Japan and was always welcome at his parents' house back in the states but these were technicalities. Bouncing around from continent to continent made it difficult to know the one place where he could root as his own, a place where his heart was.
After all, "home is where the heart is". Isn't that what everyone says?
Finally, cramming his last t-shirt (black with a yellow/green neon kanji decal on the front) into a suitcase fit to burst, he could zip up and get moving. Walking out of his bedroom, into the landing and heading for the front door, Yoji tripped over a cabinet.
"S***" he cried clutching his right ankle. Eyes watering, he bent down to pick up the picture frames that had fallen off the top. One, a photo of him and his family on a Springtime trip to Mount Fuji during one of his Dad's many research expeditions. He paused at the picture of his younger brother and sister smiling up at him- both of whom were now adults too. The second, a high school graduation photo of Max-Ernest, Cass, and himself dressed in royal navy robes.
Trying to ignore the pang of guilt caused by the latter, he finally turned around and headed out the door of his apartment.