A Month Later - The end of November, 201X - McCree's Class, Royal Winstonian Academy
Hana's been going to see Doctor Vaswani every week since their initial meeting, where we eventually purged her of the evil, twisted Talon servant that was lurking within her. Things at school have been pretty alright, all things considered. Co-Principal's Amari and Winston both erected a shrine to Lena in the school courtyard. McCree still isn't over it, although nobody who was there that day really was. It took two weeks for both Angela and Fareeha to consistently return to school, and I don't even know what the Shimada's have been up to. Hanzo rarely holds his classes anymore, and I haven't seen Genji since the airport. I've been coping in my own way, trying to move on from the horrific events I witnessed on that day. I continue to think whilst looking out the window, wondering about the crazy direction my life has taken since Hana was brought into my life.
And yet...I'm still kinda freaked out by her obsession over me. I get it, and in the past month, I've been doing my damn best to try and forget about it and accept it but, it's seriously overbearing at times. We went out for dinner on my birthday at a restaurant and every time I even breathed near the somewhat cute waitress, she'd look at her with a glare like she wanted to kill them and it's becoming so unbea-
"Bigshot, my office. Now" said McCree in a stern tone, breaking my train of thought. He didn't sound too happy about it.
"For the rest of y'all, it's Hi...lunch. Be back by the usual time" he says, still sapped of any sign of his former jubilant self. I don't necessarily think he's angry with me, he wouldn't have much reason to be if I'm aware. I keep thinking about what the issue may be as we wander into his office, me closing the door behind me. After about a minute of shuffling through his rather disorganised desk, he handed me an all too familiar piece of paper.
"You told me yourself back in Tokyo that you're looking forward...so why haven't you completed this?" asked McCree in a concerned tone of voice, pointing towards the college application form in my hands. See, the Winstonian does things differently to most High Schools, where the staff of the school kind of draft you into the University you want to go to, provided that you meet their academic standards of course. The school subsides a large part of your student fees too, which is super convenient for people like me who aren't from high income households.
"C'mon Cujoh, even Song finished hers. Well, moreso she simply said she's going straight into full-time employment, but that's still more than what you submitted…" he said, trying to emphasize his point. And he was right. I didn't submit anything, on purpose in fact.
"I...I dunno, sir. I just feel kind of...lost, still. After everything that's happened, I just feel like no matter what I do, I won't feel complete. I was even talking with my mother about it but we couldn't think of anything that really suits…"
"What about computer software? Yer good at those Windows thingys on my computer!"
"With all due respect, sir, anyone with a brain can update Windows…" I say, facepalming. McCree stutters for a second before regaining his composure.
"A-Anyways, have you thought about going abroad? Maybe you just need a break from here. After all, according to records you've lived here a long time. A change in scenery could do you good, regardless of the degree y'do." he said, slouching back in his chair.
"I dunno...I'll think about it sir" I say, standing up.
"Just get it done before graduation. You've only got two weeks left you know." he says, sending a chill down my spine.
Okay, I'll be frank here: I'm scared to graduate. I really am. I'm scared of being forced out into the adult world with no real guidance, afraid that one small slip up could lead to my life being completely ruined forever. That kind of pressure was immense, and I just couldn't deal with it right now, especially with Lena being gone...and my relationship with Hana too, I just couldn't up and make her move across the world again just because of my education.
Maybe I….no…
After School - Hana's House
"Graduation is pretty soon huh" remarks Hana, turning on a game of Street Fighter Alpha 2. "The academic year here goes by so quickly in comparison to Korea"
"Well I mean, we do a lot of work during the day" remarks Fareeha, who's setting up to play against Hana. The college application was still in my schoolbag, untouched since I was in McCree's office. I couldn't do it now since I was hanging out with Hana and Fareeha, but I couldn't just leave it there forever…
"True, McCree's been really heavy on the work lately…." remarks Hana, selecting her SF main, Ken. Fareeha picks Ryu, and the two beging to duke it out.
"Well he hasn't been the same since back then…" I mutter out, my mind once again wandering back to that terrible day in Korea. We were so prepared, ready for almost anything but…
Shit, snap out of it man.
"FUCK!" Screamed out Fareeha in rage, who once again lost against Hana, the two developing a friendly Street Fighter rivalry. I was still the only person who could conquer the almighty Hana Song in a competitive setting.
Well, most of them. I wouldn't dare to touch StarCraft with a ten-foot pole.
"Alright, I'll be back in a second" says Hana, standing up. "I just need to use the bathroom!" she says, hurrying out of the room. She must be bursting at the seams for a piss, and to be fair she hasn't gone since lunch time in school, so she must've been holding it in for a while.
"She beat you pretty quick this time" I remark to the Egyptian, who moved over to sit beside me, huffing and looking at me like I'd done something wrong. Clearly, I'd struck some kind of nerve.
"Pfft, she's too good and you know it" she says, lying back against the chair, stretching her arms in the process.
"Say Jonathan…"
"Hm?"
"I've known you how long now...like what, five or six years now?" she says, looking at me with considerably less anger than before. In fact, Fareeha was smiling.
"Yeah, something like that" I say, my tone drifting into one of nostalgia.
"Do you remember...that night, six years ago?" she says, laughing a little bit.
How couldn't I.
It was the night Fareeha Amari stole my first kiss, after all. We were at a friend's birthday party and things got kinda crazy. It was a truth and dare kind of thing if I remember correctly. We were dared to go into a closet together and well...she just kinda jumped on me with a kiss. I didn't know how to really react so I just went with it and kissed her back as well as my young teenage self could. It was a bit weird since Fareeha and I had been friends for a while but, after that we grew a bit distant, not really being able to face another. I've always had the impression that Fareeha's had a crush on me since a bit before then so I guess that's why she went a bit away. She got what - at the time - she thought was enough, but now…
"Yeah...haha, feels like such a long time ago…." I say, nostalgia echoing through my voice.
"You know...ahh, this is a bit embarrassing but...I had a crush on you for like, the longest time way back when" she says, blushing. I do the same, it's kinda an awkward thing to be told to be honest.
"Hehe, really, I d-didn't know!" I lie through my teeth. Of course I knew. Everyone basically knew, but nobody said anything in the fear of ruining her chances. According to Gabriel, it quietened down about a year or so ago, potentially even less from what some people have said. I never really took Gabriel's word but, he knew Fareeha better than most people in our class, so I'd imagine she'd confide in him to a degree.
"Why bring it up now though?" I ask, Fareeha scotting ever so closer to me.
This is bad.
"Well..it's just, y'know...I guess I felt it was a good time to bring it up…" she says, blushing.
"I think...I may still have one on you to be honest" she says, her well toned thigh brushing against my hand, pushing against it gently, her eyes gazing into mine, paralyzing me. Freezing me in time.
"Y-you're joking, right Fareeha? You know I'm with Ha- mmf!" I'm cut off by a short but lustful, passionate kiss that only lasts barely five seconds before Fareeha pushes herself - rather reluctantly - away from me.
"Give up that broken girl, Jonathan. She is too much for you to handle by yourself...come to me, I can give you the space and comfort you need…" she says in a longing tone, begging me to reciprocate her feelings.
"Fareeha...I...you shouldn't have done that" I say quietly as I hear footsteps coming down from the upstairs, tension begins to form throughout the room as Hana opens the door to the living room, Fareeha's eyes still locked onto my face as Hana walks in.
"What' up with you two?" she asks, throwing me and Fareeha bottles of Mountain Dew (what else would she give us?)
"Oh, nothing" Fareeha says, playing it off all cooly. "I was just giving Jonathan here some free life advice." she says, smiling at me.
"Y-Yeah, but I don't think I need it right now, thanks" I say as a serious yet vague answer.
"Have it your way, you know I'm right though" she says, smirking confidently. Hana gives us a weird look, but goes back to her game collection closet and pulls out a new game.
"Wait, we're gonna play StarCraft 64? Hana you know you're gonna trounce us both, right?" Hana simply chuckled in response.
"You're damn well right I'm gonna whoop your asses into the middle of the next century!" she says filled with determination.
8PM - Hana's Living Room
After various attempts, neither me nor Fareeha could conquer Hana at StarCraft. She was truly in a league of her own. Her rushes were simply too hard to counter. She was unstoppable.
"Jesus that was...something else entirely…" I mumble out, defeated.
"Haha yeah, come back to me when you git gud" Hana says in a sarcastic, mocking tone.
"And indeed, I shall, for I think I'm gonna leave now Hana" says Fareeha, getting up from the couch and grabbing her coat. "It's been fun, in many ways, but I will beat you at something one day Hana. It might not be StarCraft, it could be something...completely different" she says, leaving a glance in my direction. I try not to pay any attention to it, hoping that Hana doesn't get the wrong idea about anything. I don't care about Fareeha but...well..she did have a good point earlier. She would technically be better for me than Hana is. She's strong, not fucked up in the head and is pretty damn hot to boot...I just-
"And see you too Jonathan. If your mind changes about what we talked about earlier...you know who to call" she says, turning to leave as Hana sees her out, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Phew" sighs Hana. "We're finally alone" she says, sitting back down beside me, laying her head on my shoulder, her face and expression one of immense exhaustion. She starts breathing a bit more heavily, and that can only mean one thing…
"Right...I guess it's time we go to bed then.." I say, moving her head from my shoulder.
"Oh, okay, goodbye Jonath- wait, you're staying!?" she says in a confused but joyous tone.
"Yeah, I don't really want to go home right now. I want to be with the person I love the most in the world, which is you, dummy" I say, playfully sticking out my tongue. Surprisingly, Hana didn't come back with a remark of her own, still somewhat surprised by my decision to stay over.
"We-well, it's just that I d-didn't have time to get d-dolled up or a-anyth-"
"You don't need to, silly. I have you right here, and no matter how you look, you'll always be the most beautiful girl in the world for me…" I say, slowly pulling her in for a kiss.
"Jonathan…"
"Hm?"
"...you taste like chocolate, heehee! That's different for you!" she says, unaware of what actually caused that change in flavour.
"O-Oh really? I didn't notice.." I say, trying to rub it off as if it were nothing.
"Heehee, silly Jon-na-than! " Hana says playfully, getting off me and standing up.
"Let's go to bed...a-are we g-g-gonna do….th-that, tonight!?" she asks, blushing intensely. She clearly wants to, as it's been quite a while since we've been intimate with each other, and while would love to embrace her fully…
"...I don't really feel up for it tonight Hana, but I promise, we will soon. I miss being...one with you, in that sense" I say with a tint of regret and sadness as we walk up into Hana's bedroom.
"O-oh...okay then...you promise that it will be soon though, right?" she asks with an expectant look as we climb into bed, tucking ourselves in.
"Yeah, I promise." I say with a smile, looking at Hana's ever adorable face, her cute eyes gazing into me as they always do. Hana responds with a smile of her own, and snuggles into me, making me effectively the "big spoon" of the evening.
"I'm glad…" she says, her consciousness beginning to drift off into the realm of dreams. As mine also begins fading, I begin thinking about Fareeha, and her weird kiss from earlier...does she really have a point?
I don't know. I don't know if I want to find out either. For the sake of everyone I know. I love Hana and I don't doubt that but…
...is it really gonna last forever?
(A/N: Sorry for the long wait between the last chapter and this one guys. I'm not doing too great but I'm glad I can finally get this chapter out in the open. This arc is gonna be a long one, but I hope it's worth it. There's only this one and the Epilogue to go! What will the future hold for Jonathan Cujoh and Hana Song? Find out next time on Trapped in the Heart of a Gamer!)