Ch 10: Epilogue

Tadashi huffed as he looked down to the half-written paper on his computer. He couldn't concentrate. After finding out everything that had happened between him and Catherine he felt an incredible peace; the minutes following his last words to her had him on cloud nine. However as soon as she turned her back and walked out of the café he found himself in a bigger blur than when he was arguing with her.

"Just look at it from a different angle." Hiro's words slurred with a tinge of a tease from his side of the room though he didn't even know what had brought his brother to his frustrated state.

"It has nothing to do with homework." Tadashi responded raising from his bed and forgetting his computer all together.

"Just look at it from a different angle though...whatever it is." His face still buried in a nothing educational magazine about robotic cheat-codes.

The older boy sighed and scooched his brother's feet aside as he sat on his bed.

"I miss her." He said out of the blue.

"Catherine?" Hiro peeked from behind the pages and saw his brother nod with a frown.

"Then why did you break up with her in the first place?"

"Because..." Tadashi dragged out the word. "I had to. She was tricking me the whole time."

"Was she? Or were you just trying to look over it?" Hiro was usually on his brother's side but he had noticed how strange Tadashi was being, letting Catherine step all over him that way.

"I had hoped she was just a bit uncertain but...she had some actual problems. And I didn't even know." He sounded guiltier of not being able to help her rather than of the fact that he wasn't being completely honest about what he was feeling as well.

"Tadashi." Hiro set the magazine aside and sat up, looking his brother straight in the face.

"Do you like her?"

He took in a deep breath and his eyebrows fringed.

"I do."

"Then go talk to her. You're not like this; you're not someone who sulks over things. You're brave. Maybe when you actually start acting like yourself...things will work out."

Tadashi was taking aback by the harsh words. They lingered in the air until he finally stood and lightly nodded.

"Alright. I'm going to see her." He started out the door until hearing his brothers voice.

"Better hurry, I saw her when I went to buy the magazine and she had a bunch of luggage. I think she was headed to the airport."

Tadashi's eyes grew wide as he snapped back at the boy.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

"You two were broken up!" Hiro tried to defend himself.

"Dammit, Hiro!" Tadashi rushed down the stairs and out onto the streets towards the airport as fast as he could.

When he finally reached the bustling location he searched for the girl with a sharp eye, zooming from each person's face until he saw Catherine's familiar long locks.

"Catherine!" He yelled out, dashing in her general direction.

"Catherine!" Tadashi called out again, closer this time and she actually heard him.

"Tadashi?" The girl said as she spun her head, a suitcase in her left hand.

"Catherine. I'm ..."He heaved trying to catch his breath.

"Catherine, please don't leave. I...We need to talk." He managed to wheeze as he stands up straight.

"I'm not leaving." She says simply and Kade walks up from behind her taking the suitcase she held and giving Tadashi a snickering grin.

"Bye, sis." He hugged Catherine and then looked back to Tadashi.

"You really do need to talk." He joked and headed off into the plane.

"It's, uh...He's the one leaving?" Tadashi asked with red cheeks. The girl nodded with a mocking smile on her lips.

"I...didn't know that." He said embarrassedly taking a step closer to the girl who still smiled but took a step back.

"No way. Nope. We are not getting back together in an airport; too cheesy." She shook her head and walked forward leaving Tadashi with a wider grin than hers.

He jogged up after her, although he was just about done with any more running, and tried to take her hand. She pulled it away and looked up at him. They smiled at each other and he nodded. As soon as they stepped through the doors of the airport though Tadashi pulled the girls wrist and she stumbled backwards till he sat her on his motorcycle. His lips crashed onto hers and this time she didn't fight his touches.

"There, we didn't get back together in an airport." He panted over her lips which had curled up into the biggest smile.

"No...we didn't. Thanks." She said and he giggled.

"No problem, really."

She pushed him back and he stared at her thoroughly.

"What?" The girl finally said.

"You seem different." He answered.

"Things happened." She said a bit more seriously now. He nodded serious as well and she took his hand.

"Let me pay you back... for my last psychiatric appointment." She said looking down to their hands then up to his eyes which greeted her warmly.

"I'll make you a Macchiato." Tadashi smiled and wrapped her in his arms. She breathed out relieved by the boy's good nature and felt completely comforted.

"I love you, Tadashi." She finally confirmed though in a whisper. He didn't pull back to look at her face but instead hugged her tighter and sighed the happiest, most fulfilled words he could:

"I love you too, Catherine."