Omi's birthday came and went. The morning after, Omi could barely walk without limping. Ken came downstairs after the shop was open and set the boy in his lap, giving him a lower back massage. Just as I opened my mouth to suggest that they not do that here, Yohji came down. He walked up to Ken and kissed his cheek. "Gooooood morning Ken." Then he kissed Omi. "Gooooood morning Omi."
I didn't even look up. I was learning not to expect any recognition but even so, it still hurt. I mumbled an excuse to go into the storage room and I shut the door. Once I was in there it didn't take long before I felt hot tears stinging my eyes. I blinked and they fell.
Back in the shop my teammates were staring at the closed door with concern. Little did I know that they all wore confused looks on their faces.
As I stood there thinking back on all the things that had been happening lately, the being ignored, being disrespected, being DISREGARDED, I finally realized that I had to make a choice. And when I realized which of my two options I had to choose, silently….I began to sob.
It was time for me to leave.
That night after Omi and Ken had migrated into Yohji's room, I went down into the mission room with a notebook and pen, and sat down to write my friends a goodbye letter.
It wasn't long before the tears began to stream down my face as I wrote.
Yohji, Ken and Omi,
We've been teammates for a long time. Long enough for me to consider you all my family without so much as a second thought. We've been together through thick and thin, but somehow, once you guys began to see each other in a new light, I got left out. Contrary to what you three may think, I have feelings too. Every time I see you all together as one big happy family, it makes me sad. It makes me sad to know that you don't want me to be a part of your fun. No matter how much I want to be a part of what you have, I cannot force you to include me. So that's why I'm writing this letter. I'm doing this to let you know that I'm moving out, and quitting Weiss. Although ill miss you more than anything you'll ever know, I simply cant stay here. I cant stand back and be pushed into the shadows any longer. It just hurts way too much. Even though you wont include me, I want you all to know that I love you, and I'll think of you every single day.
Signed,
Aya (Ran) Fujimiya
After I was finished with my letter I laid down on the couch I was sitting on, and let tears flow freely. I cried into a pillow for well over an hour before fatigue took hold of my exhausted form and I fell asleep.
Upstairs, Yohji, Ken and Omi were finishing up their fun for the evening. Omi had school the next morning, so the other two bid him farewell, and the boy got dressed and trudged his way down the hall.
He stopped midway. 'Hmm, that's odd, Aya's door is wide open, and his lights are on, I wonder where he went?' Being a natural worrywart, Omi turned and went back to Yohji's room. He knocked and came in, shutting the door quietly. "Guys? Aya's lights are still on and he's not in his room." Yohji sat up. "Hmm….that's kinda weird."
"Maybe we should get dressed and look for him." Ken said. "That sounds like a good idea Kenken." Yohji threw on a pair of sweatpants and Ken, his boxers before the three of them left Yohji's room and began their trek around the house searching for Aya.
A while later, Omi found their resident redhead asleep on the mission room couch. He walked up to Aya and peered at his reddened face. "it looks like he's been crying Yohji. I wonder why."
"Omi…what's that notebook on the table?" Ken asked. Yohji walked over and picked it up, beginning to read aloud.
When he was finished he, Ken and Omi looked at Aya with guilt in their eyes. Then they looked at each other, all seeming to think the same thing at once. "Guys, tomorrow we'll show Aya how sorry we are. If Aya wants to be a part of our fun… then maybe we SHOULD let him."
"I agree Yohji…"Ken said.
"Me too. I didn't realize how horrible we've been being to him. Tomorrow we apologize."
I didn't even look up. I was learning not to expect any recognition but even so, it still hurt. I mumbled an excuse to go into the storage room and I shut the door. Once I was in there it didn't take long before I felt hot tears stinging my eyes. I blinked and they fell.
Back in the shop my teammates were staring at the closed door with concern. Little did I know that they all wore confused looks on their faces.
As I stood there thinking back on all the things that had been happening lately, the being ignored, being disrespected, being DISREGARDED, I finally realized that I had to make a choice. And when I realized which of my two options I had to choose, silently….I began to sob.
It was time for me to leave.
That night after Omi and Ken had migrated into Yohji's room, I went down into the mission room with a notebook and pen, and sat down to write my friends a goodbye letter.
It wasn't long before the tears began to stream down my face as I wrote.
Yohji, Ken and Omi,
We've been teammates for a long time. Long enough for me to consider you all my family without so much as a second thought. We've been together through thick and thin, but somehow, once you guys began to see each other in a new light, I got left out. Contrary to what you three may think, I have feelings too. Every time I see you all together as one big happy family, it makes me sad. It makes me sad to know that you don't want me to be a part of your fun. No matter how much I want to be a part of what you have, I cannot force you to include me. So that's why I'm writing this letter. I'm doing this to let you know that I'm moving out, and quitting Weiss. Although ill miss you more than anything you'll ever know, I simply cant stay here. I cant stand back and be pushed into the shadows any longer. It just hurts way too much. Even though you wont include me, I want you all to know that I love you, and I'll think of you every single day.
Signed,
Aya (Ran) Fujimiya
After I was finished with my letter I laid down on the couch I was sitting on, and let tears flow freely. I cried into a pillow for well over an hour before fatigue took hold of my exhausted form and I fell asleep.
Upstairs, Yohji, Ken and Omi were finishing up their fun for the evening. Omi had school the next morning, so the other two bid him farewell, and the boy got dressed and trudged his way down the hall.
He stopped midway. 'Hmm, that's odd, Aya's door is wide open, and his lights are on, I wonder where he went?' Being a natural worrywart, Omi turned and went back to Yohji's room. He knocked and came in, shutting the door quietly. "Guys? Aya's lights are still on and he's not in his room." Yohji sat up. "Hmm….that's kinda weird."
"Maybe we should get dressed and look for him." Ken said. "That sounds like a good idea Kenken." Yohji threw on a pair of sweatpants and Ken, his boxers before the three of them left Yohji's room and began their trek around the house searching for Aya.
A while later, Omi found their resident redhead asleep on the mission room couch. He walked up to Aya and peered at his reddened face. "it looks like he's been crying Yohji. I wonder why."
"Omi…what's that notebook on the table?" Ken asked. Yohji walked over and picked it up, beginning to read aloud.
When he was finished he, Ken and Omi looked at Aya with guilt in their eyes. Then they looked at each other, all seeming to think the same thing at once. "Guys, tomorrow we'll show Aya how sorry we are. If Aya wants to be a part of our fun… then maybe we SHOULD let him."
"I agree Yohji…"Ken said.
"Me too. I didn't realize how horrible we've been being to him. Tomorrow we apologize."