Day 2 (Faithfully): Moving Out

Yamato stared at the last box in his now emptied bedroom. He didn't realize he had so many things until he had to pack them all. He wiped the sweat from his forehead right before his father came in.
"So, that's it, huh?" Hiroaki stopped right beside him, also staring at the empty room.
"That was the last box, finally."
"I hate to break it to you, but that's only half of the work. Soon you'll have to unpack everything and put them on their right place."
"Ugh, I hate it already. Why does moving out have to be so hard?"
"Welcome to the adults world." He touched Yamato's shoulder. "It's going to be a good thing to you."
"Yeah, I know. I'll be closer to college and hopefully will be able to find a job soon. By the way…" Yamato turned to his father. "Thanks for helping me with rent for the first few months. I promise to pay you back as soon as I can."
"Don't worry about it, son. One thing at a time." He sighed, taking another look around the room. "This apartment will be so empty without you."
"I bet. I'm going to miss it, but I can't stay here forever."
"That's true, you were bound to go your own way eventually. I'm really proud of you."
"Thanks, dad. It means a lot to me."
"Anytime." Hiroaki removed his hand away from his shoulder. "So, are you ready for having the last trip for your apartment?"
"Let's do it."

.

Yamato and Takeru were unpacking some boxes. The younger one had gone to help for the second day in a row, and they still weren't even halfway through it.
"Geez, brother, when did you get so many things?"
"I have no idea." He shrugged. "I guess I didn't realize it until now."
"We need to get extra help, otherwise we won't finish it until next year."
"Don't be so dramatic, Takeru. We already made a lot of progress here. I did ask for help, though, and he should be on his way right now. Or so I hope."
"Who?"
Yamato didn't even have time to answer because the doorbell rang the next second. He stood up to answer it. "I guess he's here."
Takeru looked over his shoulder to see who was the person his brother had asked help to and couldn't believe it. "You asked for Taichi's help?"
"Yeah, what's the problem?" Taichi himself asked him. "I'm the right person for this job."
"Right, if Yamato wants fragile stuff to be broken with your clumsiness." Takeru laughed. "You remember what happened last time you tried to help. He let your guitar fall and it had a crack below it"
"Ugh, don't remind me." Yamato flinched for a moment. "I trust he will be more careful this time. But it's safer if we keep him away from things that can break easily."
"That would be wise."
"In my defense, that support was loose on the wall. Of course it was bound to fall, and it could have happened to anyone, even Yamato."
"Oh no, it wouldn't happen to me at all. I'm extremely careful when it comes to my guitars and basses. They are my babies" He frowned when Taichi burst into laughter. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just think it's funny you call them babies when you call Sora the same."
"Yeah, so?"
"You're basically putting them in the same level."
"I am not." Yamato rolled his eyes. "She'd kill me if she ever found out about it, so you can't tell her under any circumstance. Not even torture."
"Geez, I know it. When did I ever spit a secret of yours out?"
"Do I really need to say it?"
"No. It was a rhetorical question."
"Let's just get this all over with."

.

Yamato made his way inside his apartment after a busy and tiring day at college. He dropped his keys in the bowl next to the door and proceeded to remove his shoes when he realized there was another pair right beside the table with the bowl. He found it weird, because the only people who had his keys were Takeru, Sora, but they were both at college as far as he remembered, and…
"Oh hey, Yamato." Natsuko said happily when she walked into his kitchen wearing a white apron Yamato knew way too well. He had given it to her for a birthday a couple of years ago. I hope you don't mind me coming to your apartment without telling you, but you were at college so…"
"Mom, what are you doing here?"
"I came here to make some food to you. I know you are really busy with your studies and settling down here and I'm worried you're not eating well and healthily because of that. And I just…" She stopped talking suddenly and bit her lower lip. "I wanted to make sure you don't neglect yourself."
Yamato let out a smile and then sat on a chair. "Don't worry about it, mom. I keep eating very healthily, even though I barely have time for anything. Besides, Sora often asks me to make sure I don't get off the track about it."
"Has she been taking good care of you, son?"
"Sora isn't my maid, mom. She's my girlfriend and has her own life and things to do."
"Of course, I didn't mean it like she had to babysit you."
"I know you meant well and I'm not angry or anything. I appreciate your effort, by the way. I know how busy you are with work, but you still managed to find some time to come cook for me."
"It was the least I could do my son." Natsuko smiled warmly to Yamato. "I'm glad you didn't react badly at this."
"How could I? It allows us to spend some time together, and we haven't done that in a while."
"Oh yes, that's true. I have been so focused on work I miss out important things in my life and in yours and Takeru's too."
"Hey, don't worry about it." Yamato walked to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I don't feel resentful to you about it and I'm sure neither does Takeru."
"You have no idea how happy that makes me, Yamato. I know I failed with you two a lot, especially you. I should have been more considerate of you in the past."
"I don't want you to beat yourself for it, mom. Even if you were more considerate of me in the past, I wouldn't want you sharing your attention between me and Takeru. He was just a small child back then, so he needed as much attention as he could get to get through that moment. That's why I did what I did."
"Yamato." Natsuko wiped the tears forming in the corner of her eyes away. She didn't even needed to ask him what he did, it was very obvious to her and he knew it too. Instead, she simply walked to him and gave him a tight hug, something she hadn't done in a long time. "I'm so proud of the man you've become, son. I've always known your father would do an amazing job raising you, though his work also took a lot of his time and he was away a lot."
"Thanks, mom. I'm glad to hear that, I hope I can keep making you and dad proud."
"I'm already proud of you for whatever you decide to do, and I can guarantee so is your father. As long as you're happy doing what you love, that's all that matters. I have no doubt you're going to be a great astronaut."
"Having your support means the world to me." Yamato hugged his mother again and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked over her shoulder towards the sink full of vegetables and other food. "So, what were you making for me before I arrived?"

"Yamato?" Natsuko gently knocked on his bedroom door after she finished cooking dinner for them. He had offered to help, but she said it was okay and she had everything under control. She also wanted it to be a 'good luck in your new phase' kind of gift. "Dinner is ready."
"Good." Yamato opened the door after putting his guitar away. He decided to play a little to pass the time. "I invited a guest though, I hope you don't mind it."
"Who? Sora?"
"No, Sora's tired from college today, but she's coming by tomorrow."
"Oh, that's too bad. I haven't seen her in a while. I miss her."
"I'm sure she misses you too, mom. But since we were having a mother and son bonding moment earlier today, I thought we could have a real mother and son moment and invited Takeru to come here. He should be on his way now."
"Oh good, it should be fun. The three of us hanging out together tonight."
"Yeah. He's stopping by the bakery to buy some dessert for us, because I don't have anything to offer yet."
"I wouldn't mind not having dessert, but that's fine too."

"Mom, this is amazing." Yamato leaned back on his chair after eating more than he could. "I don't remember eating so much food in a long time. I forgot what a good cook you were."
"Thank you, Yamato." Natsuko smiled widely and then began to collect the plates and everything else.
"I agree with Yamato." Takeru stated, basically in the same state as his brother. "Everything was delicious."
"I'm glad both of you enjoyed it." She stood up and grabbed the pile of dirty dishes. "We can eat the dessert after I finish washing the dishes, alright? That way, you can digest a little of the food before it and avoid feeling sick later or tomorrow."
"Oh no." Yamato quickly stood up and took the pile from his mother's hands. "You're a guest tonight, so washing the dishes is on me. Besides, you already cooked for all of us, so it's your time to relax."
"But Yamato…"
"Takeru?"
"He's right, mom." The younger one quickly got the hint and stepped in, holding her shoulders gently yet firmly and taking her to his brother's living room. "Go watch some TV while I help Yamato here and he finishes it faster."
"Alright." She said defeated. "But I would like to stay here and talk to you two instead."
"Fine, as long as you keep away from the sink."
"I'll be sitting here the whole time."
"Where do you keep the detergent?" Takeru asked.
"I can wash it, so you don't have to worry about it."
"I know, but I have no idea where you keep your plates or anything so it's better for you to put them away."
"You have a good point." Yamato dried his hands on his apron before taking it off and handing it to his brother. Then he opened a door under the sink. "Here you go. The detergent is in this door over here, in case you need it in the future."
"Great. Thank you."

Yamato, Takeru and Natsuko were still in the kitchen, eating the dessert the younger one had brought for them.
"It's been a fun evening. I enjoyed it a lot."
"Me too. It was good to have you two here tonight."
"Thanks for having us over, Yamato."
"You're welcome."
"I just wish my two soon to be daughters-in-law could be here tonight too."
"Mom!" Takeru said desperately and blushed while covering his face with his hands.
"Wasn't I supposed to say it? I'm sorry."
"Two?!" Yamato asked surprised and turned to his brother. "Are you dating?"
"Not exactly. We've been going out for a couple of months, but we don't like labelling what we have."
"She's great, you should meet her."
"Wait, what?! You've been dating and didn't even tell me? And mom knows her already?!"
"In my defense, it was unplanned. I was talking to her on the sidewalk when mom arrived from work."
"Talking? I'm pretty sure you stuck your tongue down her throat."
"Mom!"
Yamato burst into laughter and couldn't stop laughing for minutes. "My little brother learned how to tongue kiss his girlfriends! I'm so proud!"
"Stop mocking me, brother." Takeru pleaded laughing. "I've learned that a long time ago, by the way. Probably earlier than you."
"Please, my first kiss with Sora was with tongue. Not that you needed to know that, but yeah."
"You're right, I didn't."
Natsuko simply listened to her sons' bickering with amusement. She grabbed a little more of her dessert with a spoon and ate it to hide her smile. She couldn't remember when the last time she had seen Yamato and Takeru teasing each other playfully like this was, but she liked it.

.

Yamato was leaned against the rail of his balcony watching the sunset. It had been a week since he had moved out from his father's apartment to his own one and he had to say he loved the feeling of freedom living alone brought along. But he also missed having someone to talk to every night about his days after coming home from college. Deep down, he knew it wouldn't be long until he had a roommate for life. He smiled and looked down, as if he was picturing the rest of his life in his mind. He couldn't wait for that moment, but he was going to enjoy his moment of liberty to the fullest.

Faint footsteps were heard inside the apartment before a pair of arms wrapped around his waist. A smile rose on Yamato's lips as he looked down and came across the very familiar tanned arms.
"I was thinking you wouldn't show up at all."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Sora spoke softly and then rested her head against his back. "So your first week living alone. How does it feel?"
"It feels amazing, though I kind of miss having someone to talk to."
"I know the feeling. I was the same way when I found my own apartment."
"How did you deal with it?"
"It gets better with time. You end up getting used to it."
"I believe you. The first days were pretty bad, now they aren't that much anymore."
"I'm glad to hear that." Sora let go of him and leaned against the rail too, beside him.
"What do you think of this apartment?"
"It's very nice." She turned around to look inside his home and leaned her back against the rail behind her; her elbows resting on it too. "It looks cozy and beautiful. It already looks like you."
"You really think so?" Yamato followed her suit.
"I do." She nodded. "It's pretty."
"I think so too. I don't want to make it entirely like me though."
"Why not?" Sora asked confused. "You should, since you are the only person living here."
"That's the point." He looked down for a moment and then towards his living room again. "Something tells me I might have some company in this apartment very soon."
"Really? Is Takeru moving over with you?"
"No, I don't think our mother is quite ready to watch him move away yet."
"I bet, but that's bound to happen soon."
"Yeah." He said quietly.
"If it's not him, who do you think it will be?"
Yamato simply stared at her from the corner of his eye and couldn't hide the smile forming on his lips. He knew Sora had gotten the hint because of the way she blushed and looked away immediately.
"Oh." She said eventually. "Is that an invitation?"
"Do you want it to be?"
Sora bit her lower lip and thought for a moment. "This is something big."
"Well, yeah." He nodded his head. "But I think we both are sure about how we feel about each other, so it seems to me like it's just a matter of time for that."
"Maybe." She said quietly and turned to look at the beautiful scenario in front of them. "It's quite a beautiful sunset, isn't it?"
"It really is." Yamato stared at the sun in the horizon. "That's one of the privileges of living in such a high floor."
"That was a very smart choice, I have to admit."
"Do you have to go back home soon?"
"Not really. Kira is there with her boyfriend and I'm pretty sure they invited another woman to join them and I really don't feel like having to hear a threesome happening in her room." Sora looked at him and giggled at him frowning at the idea of having to listen to her roommate having sex in their apartment.
"Tonight is your lucky night then." Yamato moved away from the rail and walked inside his apartment. "I was thinking we could order some pizza. I have a bottle of wine we can open and drink too. Maybe you could even stay the night here."
"That sounds very tempting." She followed him soon after. "Can I wear one of your shirts then?"