Chapter 29

Hana didn't hate her job – not entirely. She was trained to do what she did best, after all. But the hours were long and the markets never closed. Early mornings and late nights were a common occurrence. Work became her life and if she didn't have her grandfather to come home to every night, Hana could've sworn that she probably would have turned insane with no work-life balance whatsoever. Add events to attend to in the little free time she had to spare, and soon enough Hana found herself unable to get up for her regular weekly kickboxing sessions.

Takashi peered into her room where she laid in fetal position beside her laptop that still displayed real-time progressions of the stock market. He laid down the bouquet of pink baby's breath by her desk and put aside the laptop. Hana woke at the sudden shift on her bed, and realized the stock market was no longer within her view.

She jumped upright from her bed, still confused. Her eyes were still adjusting to the light before she noticed a figure by her bedside. Hana made a small noise of surprise before realizing Takashi was sitting on the edge of the mattress, obviously amused by her confused state. It wasn't the first time he caught her by surprise in the middle of the afternoon.

As usual, Hana ducked her head away from him and tried to cover her face.

"No, you can't look at me like this –"
"—It's fine," Takashi never quite understood why she hated seeing him barefaced. It wasn't like he had never seen her without makeup before.
"I look like a ghost with eye bags as deep as the ocean," Hana grumbled. She always had makeup to thank in the mornings, it made her look alive at the very least. Her fingers travelled up to the messy bun that fell apart during the night and groaned.

"Give me ten minutes, okay?" Hana left Takashi in her room before she bolted for the washroom. She tried her best to fix her hair – but the best she could do in a short amount of time was a ponytail. Hana quickly washed her face and slapped on a layer of foundation before concealing the dark circles that made itself a permanent fixture over the past year.

She poked her head into her room when she deemed herself to be presentable. Her ponytail swung behind her as Hana tilted her head to find Takashi in the same spot as she left him, only that he was on his phone. He looked up and greeted her with a small smile, opening up his arms to her.

Hana returned the smile and shut the door behind her.

"When did you come?"
"Half an hour ago," Takashi answered. It was a regular chess tournament day for the elders. But it was also her birthday. Hana didn't seem to remember the fact as she was so caught up with work. The man reached over to her desk and offered her the bouquet he picked up on his way there. Her face brightened up at the sudden gift.

"What's the occasion?" she asked, taking in the scent of the flowers. They were small, dainty little blossoms which ranged from hues of pastel pink to a soft white. Her fingers travelled around the small flowers, noting how delicate they were. Takashi sure had an eye for picking out these things, she realized.

"Your birthday," he reminded. Hana looked up from the bouquet, quickly calculating the date. December 27th.

"Ah," Hana bit her lip in embarrassment. "I knew it was coming up but I didn't think it was so soon." She settled onto the bed beside him and kissed him on the cheek in thanks.

"Thanks for remembering for me," Hana grinned. He pulled her closer in response. He snaked his arm around her waist and she welcomed his embrace. His shoulder was left for her head to rest upon. They fit so wonderfully like puzzle pieces.

Of course, was what he said. He kissed her on the temple and watched as she admired the bouquet.

"I'd like a garden of these one day," Hana whispered. "I miss the wildflowers we used to see on our hikes. I miss the mountains and the woods. I miss being able to escape."
"We still can," he offered.

Hana shook her head in refusal before sighing.

"I need to finish what I started."
"How do you know it'll be finished?" Takashi nuzzled his nose into her hair. He wasn't trying to rush her. He reminded her that there was light at the end of the tunnel, that she was working towards a goal. It was not the end. There was hope left. If that was what he could give her during this time of need, so be it.

Hana sighed. "When I can walk away from this… it is over."
"And what will you do when it is all over?" Takashi reached for her hand. Her fingers were cold. He intertwined his fingers with hers, enclosing his palm over her own and stroked his thumb over the bones of her hands. Every little groove, every ridge, every part of her hand – he wanted to know it.

Hana smiled to herself. "I don't know yet. But I… know I'll feel so much… lighter. Like I can breathe again." She turned the question back to him. "What about you? What do you see in your future?"

Takashi shrugged. Hopefully teaching. That was the goal, after all. The head librarian was also thinking to retire. The other day, the elderly librarian asked if he was thinking of staying at Toudai. Mori nodded to him and that was the end of their conversation. He thought it went rather well.

"Hopefully you," the man smiled at her. "I'd like you in my future."

She chuckled to herself. "And I you." Hana gave his hand a squeeze before reaching up to steal another kiss from him.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm escaping, just by being with you," Hana whispered to him. "I don't have to go far. I just… have to stay close to you. But the greatest part of it all is that you're real. You are reality. You aren't some kind of daydream I have to replay in my head."

"Daydream?" What an interesting way of describing it.

"I daydream about a lot of things. Mostly places. I think about the chilling winds on top of a mountain, but the stunning views of the ground. The warm and humid air of the jungles in Bali. The wonderful cliffs off the coast of Australia, the strong waves that bring you into the sea… that sort of thing."

Takashi nodded. "You miss feeling alive."

Hana sighed. He knew what she meant exactly. She craved for that rush of adrenaline, that insatiable desire for adventure. She was trapped in a cage, like a bird who wished to be set free into the world. Everyday was mundane, but such was life. Normal days were meant to be mundane, Hana was naïve in thinking that life beyond her teenage years would be exciting. While she was in school, her days were the same. When she began working, her days were no different – her focus only shifted to her career instead of her studies. Her life after all, was meant to be mundane.

It used to scare her – knowing that she would live a life so unfulfilling. It was an inconvenient truth. That perhaps, she would never quite amount to anything. That the mere act of survival was enough to keep her going.

She looked to her grandfather, whose sole purpose for living was his children. Of course, Hana was grateful for his care and the life he gave her. His days were mundane as well. But they accumulated into something wonderful – his pride and joy, the seeds were sown to his greatest achievement.

Hana had no maternal instinct whatsoever. She felt no need for offspring. Being a mother never interested her. Perhaps it was because of her own mother – but that was another issue that Hana was not prepared to delve into today of all days.

She thought of what would have been her father, the President – who dedicated his life's work into the company. How his days must have been so mundane to accumulate to a success after decades of hard work. What was his motivation? His vision? His sole purpose?

Hana brushed off the thought of having a large conglomerate under her control. The attention, the responsibility, the life of the President was honestly one that she did not envy. Kyouya may have strived for the power, but Hana did not.

Hana was still young, but it felt like she had lived for ages. She was still lost. Insecure. Unsure of what she wanted to do. Perhaps she would accept defeat. Accept the mundane lifestyle and never quite amounting to anything special. She was average. Just a regular person like anyone else. And perhaps, that wasn't such a terrible thing.

But for the time being, she was not like any regular person – at least not to the public. She was in the spotlight for being a rich heiress with a former job that garnered more attention that she liked. Today, it didn't matter. She wanted to sink into the anonymity of just being a regular person, with or without a purpose to her life made no difference.

She was living day to day. And today…

Hana looked to Takashi who only smiled down to her.

Today was going to be a good day.

The sun set quickly during the winter months. By the evening, it was pitch dark. Takashi asked if she wanted to go for a walk.

"Now?" Hana was surprised. They had spent the past few hours watching a documentary in her room. They were quite settled in their own comfort, cocooned beneath blankets and surrounded by pillows on her bed. He shrugged, letting the option sit with her for a few seconds.

"I guess?" Hana grabbed a thick cardigan from the closet and was quick to take his hand when he offered it. The elders were still at it with their chess tournament. The couple put on their thick jackets and began walking aimlessly through the park. He caught her hand and placed it in his pocket.

Hana noted something bright on the path that they had walked on, and naturally she gravitated toward it. It had been a relatively calm winter night, with the winds being mild enough to let the trees hang small lanterns above a park bench. It was like walking into a small cove, all to themselves. A private little corner with warmth radiating out of it.

Mori let her walk a little faster, happy that she was tugging him towards the light. Her curiosity was piqued, her sense of adventure had been sparked. He knew that Hana would be excited.

"Did you do this?" she was so amazed. It honestly wasn't much. But it certainly felt like a scene out of a movie. The ambiance was beautiful, even if it was in the dead of winter.

Mori shrugged. He had Honey help him in the afternoon. His cousin was very excited and was pleasantly surprised at how simple the task was. Strangers walked by confused, though no one made much of a move to disturb the scene. He quietly brought a small bag forward from the shadows. Hana widened her eyes.

"When… did…" She didn't notice him grab the bag before they left. Hana reluctantly reached out to accept it. Mori quietly took her hand and seated her by the bench.

"Open it," he nudged. It wasn't much, honestly. The lanterns were a little extra, but she did mention that she wanted to go to a lantern festival. But they missed it when autumn passed, and he remembered how disappointed she seemed when she realized that they were too late. Life had got in the way. Takashi with his classes, and Hana with her own work.

He figured that this would have been a nice opportunity. Even though it was not quite like a real lantern festival. Just a couple paper lanterns lit by battery powered lights.

Hana carefully took out the box from the cloth bag.

"Shoes?" It was a shoebox. Hana carefully opened the box to reveal a pair of white trainers, black stripes at the side and in pristine condition. She laughed to herself, wondering why Takashi thought to buy her shoes of all things.

"Yours are torn," Takashi explained.
"They're well-worn," she smiled, correcting him.
"There are holes," he reminded her. Takashi took note of her ragged shoes when he came by the dojo some nights after her grandfather had told him to go pick her up. She was wearing the same pair since high school. They were beaten and worn to the point where the soles were peeling off the bottom.

Hana shrugged. "Sentimental value, I guess? But these," she looked up to him and beamed. "These are very thoughtful. Thank you, Takashi." Hana reached up to kiss him on the cheek before sneaking another one from his lips. She laughed.

It was pure happiness. Absolute joy. She felt warmth from her head to her toes. She hadn't felt this way in a long time – unless it was with him. How he made her forget about reality for even just a brief moment – she didn't know. But she was fine not bothering to contemplate these questions – Hana made the choice to enjoy the moment.

"Why the shoes?" she whispered to him. They were alone – there was no reason to whisper. But this cove of theirs, their little hideaway, it only felt right to keep it a secret.

"For new adventures," Takashi explained, putting a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. He cupped her face and pecked her on the forehead. "For a new start."

Hana closed her eyes and nodded. She could appreciate a new start. A new adventure. A new leaf. A greater perspective.

"Why did you keep them for so long?" he asked.

Hana sighed. "Those shoes have been through… everything."
He tilted his head, as if asking her to continue.
"They were with me when I found out I wasn't… legitimate. They were with me when I struggled to land my first internship. They were with me when Hiro almost died. They were with me when I did earn my first internship. They were with me when… I met you again. They have been through a lot, Takashi. And I mean, they still do the job –"
Takashi shook his head and raised and eyebrow at her.
"—Alright fine, they're in pretty awful condition. But there's… comfort in knowing that they've come so far, and so have I."

He gently pulled her into his embrace. "Yes, you have," he reminded. Takashi ran his hands through her soft hair, gently rubbing her back. She took a deep breath and relaxed, setting her head on his chest.

"I still have so much more to go," Hana murmured.
"That's okay," he didn't mind. Takashi was going to be there, regardless. It didn't matter if he did not know what he had to expect. The future was meant to be unknown. But so long as she stayed, Takashi knew that whatever came ahead would be more of a struggle for her than for him.

He would be lying if he did not feel helpless when she quietly tried to deal with her own burdens. He was only able to do so much. Takashi was grateful for the fact that he had a simple life. He did not ask for much, nor did he feel the need to pursue anything to make him extraordinary. Takashi was content. Hana was only a bonus to his simple life. She brought him the excitement, the liveliness, the beauty, the wonderful things he never had thought to explore.

Hana asked if they could take the long way home. Takashi shrugged. It didn't matter to him. The elders would just spend a little more time together before Takashi walked his grandfather home. There was not a cloud in the sky, but the bright Tokyo lights made it difficult to spot any stars. Hana stopped looking up at the sky and paused.

"Do you see a future?"

Takashi tilted his head and shook his head in confusion.

"No one does," he answered.
"Like, a future with me. One that you… you can realistically imagine. One that the odds are in our favour for."

He shrugged and never bothered to ponder such things. He was more about the present. The future was unknown – as it would always be. He had spent his formative years pondering the same thing. What the future would entail. If he would ever be successful, like his peers. If he would ever make anything of himself. If he would ever be good enough for her.

"Do you?" Takashi turned the question over to her.

Hana shook her head. "I'm just… afraid," she admitted. "I have always been afraid of the unknown, always lost and insecure about my capabilities and where I am meant to be. I just… I don't know. Do you ever think it'll end?"

"What will end?"
"This cycle of self-doubt. The insecurity. The fear of the worst case scenario."

Takashi shook his head. "What do you think the worst case scenario will be?"
"It's already happening," Hana chuckled to herself. She wished that she was joking, but her thoughts kept running through her mind. Anxiety plagued her sleepless nights and her stressful days. "Ojii-san is dying. I'm stuck in a position I do not know if I can escape. And you, oh my goodness – you. I don't deserve you."

"We've been through this," he smiled at her. But the truth is, he felt the same. He didn't deserve her. Some days he was able to forget. Other days were another reminder of how he was just a simple man with nothing to offer.
"I know, I know, I know," she shook her head. "It's like, when everything is going wrong in your life and it's just difficult to believe that there is still… one good thing. When the world has beaten you down and you can't seem to remember what it feels like to have light in your life."

"I'm sorry," he murmured. He pulled her towards him, trying to comfort her.
"Sorry?" her voice piqued. "You are the last person who has to be sorry for any of this. I am sorry for being the one who has these burdens to share with you. I am sorry you have to listen to me whine and cry about my privileged life. I am sorry, Takashi."

"This is a terrible way to spend your birthday," he reminded.

Hana laughed. For real this time.

"Sorry," she smiled up at him. "Believe it or not, today has been a wonderful day for me."
"Hm?"
"I caught up on some sleep. You came to give me flowers. We watched a cool documentary. I have a new pair of shoes. You're walking home with me. This is wonderful. You are wonderful. And thoughtful," she added. "You are so patient, and—"

He interrupted her by softly meeting her at the lips. She was able to voice her appreciation for him. He did it in other ways that he knew how. She smiled into the kiss and was quick to respond.

"I am so thankful for you," Hana whispered. "I don't want you to forget that," she reminded him of the qualities he never thought he had. She voiced how much he meant to her and he was not good at that. But goodness, did it make him feel like he was on top of the world.

Sawada-san watched as his granddaughter played with the dog. Kaina loved having her belly rubbed after dinner. It had been a ritual over the past few months and the dog was absolutely enjoying every moment of it. Hana too, loved spending time with the dog. Sometimes, she wished that she could be as carefree as the animal.

"Are you happy, Hana?" he asked his granddaughter.

She looked up and nodded. "Of course," she gritted out.

It was a lie. He wasn't sure why he bothered asking her. The grandfather knew how hard his granddaughter worked. How difficult life had been for her over the years. How she suffered silently on her own and put up a façade to make sure that he wouldn't worry for her. He was too old to tangle himself in the politics that she was forced into but that did not mean he couldn't sympathize.

"Be honest, Hana. What do you want to say?"

She shrugged. "I can't complain. I have food to eat, and a roof over my head."
"I won't yell at you for being an ungrateful brat," he scoffed.

Hana patted her legs so that the dog could sprawl comfortably over the human. Kaina was oblivious to the conversation and was more concerned about the petting of her fur. She was so happy. Hana looked down and smiled.

"You really want to know what bothers me about happiness?" Hana murmured. "It's that people expect our generation to just be happy. If we are not, then we're... entitled and bratty. People equate gratitude to happiness and they are not the same."

The granddaughter looked up to see her grandfather nodding in agreement. He let her continue.

"I appreciate the privilege I hold. I appreciate the education I have been given. I appreciate the security in my employment and the house I live in. I appreciate my family members and how far I have come. But I…" Hana sighed. "I am not happy. It just feels like the world is telling me I'm not allowed to be unhappy, you know?"

The elder felt a twinge of guilt. He had raised her to bear these burdens silently. He was unable to help, even if he tried.

"I have grown up with the privilege of being told that we are to enjoy what we do for a living, to pursue what we truly want to pursue, to love what we do. Some achieve that. Most do not. Reality never works that way, Ojii-san. People have to settle for the things they do not want in order to survive. Is it so wrong that we are unhappy, because we are trying our best to survive in the cruel world?"

"No," the elder sighed. "It is not wrong." He listened to his granddaughter intently. How young people's minds worked these days, he hadn't had a clue.

"When does it end? The constant struggle to balance our own survival with our own wants and desires? I thought life would be more fulfilling beyond my teenage years. But it isn't, and perhaps that's just how it'll always be," she whispered the harsh truth.

"Oi, you're still young, Hana," the elder reminded. She was only 23. Her late birthday was always a reminder of how young she was.

"I know," she smiled. "I'm still young. I just… feel old."

"Old? Oi, Hana, you try being my age," the grandfather grumbled.
"But are you happy?" Hana posed the question to her own grandfather.

The man shrugged. "I have nothing else to be but happy."
"Why?"

The elder sighed. "I'm 85 and I have experienced it all. I have loved. I have suffered. I have worked my hands to the bone to raise my son. I have raised you. Hell, I even raised that stupid dog. I'm done, Hana. I have been through enough to call it a day. I am content."

Hana nodded. That was fair. Maybe one day, she will be content. Maybe one day she would go through it all. Maybe one day.

But for now, the fight was still on.

They met every few weeks. He would send her an invitation via email, she would respond with her availability. It was a routine. It got their parents off their backs. They were able to focus on their jobs. It was a win-win. But in all honesty, it was more of a truce.

"You seem troubled," Kyouya noted. They were waiting at the elevator after a New Year's Ball. Hana shook her head.

"Just tired," she lied. "I mean, I am sure you are too."

The Ootori rolled his eyes. He was not stupid. If he could see through her façade, that meant other people could too. They could not have this if they were going to pose as a couple.

"What is it?" he persisted. Kyouya could tell that over the past few months, she withered away in her demeanor every time they were alone.

Hana shot him a glare. She wondered why he bothered to care so much. Of course, he wouldn't genuinely care. What was she doing that was posing as a disadvantage to him?

"You cannot falter," he reminded. Ah, of course. It was to save face.
"I did not falter," Hana raised an eyebrow. She was curt and rather charming at the event if she could say so herself. "Forgive me for thinking I did not have to pretend to like being at these events while I am alone with you."

The Ootori pursed his lips. Perhaps that was an indication of him feeling a slight twinge of guilt for not realizing that she had taken her mask off while she was with him. He had broken a barrier of trust. That was not a good thing on his part.

The woman crossed her arms. Tensions ran high between them while they stepped onto the elevator.

"One more year," Hana looked to the Ootori. "One more year until you get the company, yeah?" She had heard rumours about Kyouya being chosen as the heir officially. Hana would be lying if she said she hadn't been eavesdropping on all of the conversations at these events. Of course, this was a possibility. If all went well, Kyouya Ootori would be given the entire company when he turned 25. Technically, it was a year and a half away. It was quite young, but given the declining health of current Ootori President, the process had to be expedited. Hana had imagined that this arrangement would go on until they reached their 30s – realistically.

Kyouya cleared his throat. "I cannot comment on the matter."

Hana chuckled and rolled her eyes. "How's your father?" She put it a different way.

There was a slight hesitation before the Ootori answered.

"He is doing well, thank you. And yours?" he asked, as a means of diverting the conversation.
"Fine as well," Hana responded flatly – without hesitation. Which was equally suspicious on both of their parts, but the two easily read between the lines. Kyouya knew about his father's declining health, and Hana… well, she was never close with the President.

The two stepped off of the elevator and waited for their respective rides home.

"One more year until I am of no use," Hana was not afraid of the truth. They had a temporary agreement, after all. They were not engaged, not by any official announcement made by either of their families. For now, they were just involved with one another – with the blessings of both families. The gradual progression to engagement was to be made when either of the two would succeed the company.

And by then, Kyouya forecasted that their parents would have no power so long as he was the heir. He got what he wanted: the company. Marriage was not a priority in his life. Kyouya could not stand wasting time with omiais and family dinners that were of no use to him. Likewise, Hana did not enjoy them either.

"You'll have to wait," Hana reminded. "Until things are fine on my end." And by fine, Hana really meant until she had full control to sell away all her shares to someone else. Someone trustworthy. Until she could sort out the structure of the organization without her or the President – she would leave when it was all in good hands.
"That was the agreement," Kyouya nodded.

They stood in a comfortable silence for a bit.

"Why not the company?" he wondered. That was all he wanted. Power. Control. Fulfilling the duty of bringing the company to its utmost potential. It was an honour. It was exciting. It was everything he wanted. He didn't understand why she didn't feel the same way. It was a privilege to have the same kind of power that he did and to throw it all away?

It was blasphemy to him.

"It is not mine to keep," Hana had the same answer as she did years ago. It was as simple as that.
"Then what will you do?" Surely, the woman must have had some kind of plan.

Hana shrugged.

"I have the skills to make the rich richer," she put it blatantly. "When I was young, I thought going into finance was practical. Turns out, I'm only widening this gap between the rich and the poor."
"It is practical," Kyouya agreed. "Why not put it to use?"
"I used to want to control hedge funds," Hana admitted. "But… like I said, I'd just be making the rich richer. It's not good."
"Define good," the Ootori perched up his glasses. "Money makes the world go around, Hana. Being good won't let you survive."

Hana smiled to herself. At the end of the day, it was all about survival. There was no winning.

"You're good," Hana admitted. "You may only look for profits. But you are good. Do you know why, Kyouya?"

The Ootori raised an eyebrow at her. "Enlighten me, Hana."
"Because you believe in your company. You believe in the purpose that it stands for. Your medical company makes breakthroughs in improving healthcare in the entire country – the profits are important, but I've seen your numbers. You reinvest. You're looking into a new direction. You're improving. Kyouya, you're doing good in the world – even if you think you're not inherently good."

The Ootori smirked. "That's… an interesting perspective."
"You think it's naïve," Hana could hear it in his voice. "But I don't care."
"You haven't changed, Hana," Kyouya admitted. "You have grown. But you have not changed. You still want to do something… meaningful." Meaningful seemed like the right word to describe Hana's purpose.
"I…" She sighed. "I'd like to try."

Kyouya nodded and offered a suggestion. "Venture capitalism is an option."
"Risks are high," Hana pointed out. She cannot handle all of the risk alone.
"But you can choose where to put the money," he pointed out. "Choose wisely, Hana. Choose to do whatever good you deem to be worthy."

Whatever good she deemed worthy, Hana thought to herself. Even when the Ootori got on her nerves, the man had some interesting perspectives to offer. It was what she was already doing at work. Only that the purpose was not to do good, it was to increase profits. It was to grow the company. To acquire and to merge with smaller, developing firms.

Hana wondered why she hadn't thought about it before. She was so wrapped up in her little bubble, trying to handle her job and trying to escape that she couldn't even look ahead. The future to her, seemed like a blank slate. Nowhere to go, nowhere to be. Just another day of survival.

He had gotten busier over the past few months. The philosophy department was very small, an unpopular humanities subject that had only him and three tenured professors shoved away in a small corner. They could never compete with the psychology department, or even the history department. It was strange when the enrollment numbers began increasing for the introductory philosophy course when Takashi began occasionally teaching it, but the increase was welcomed.

Hana had gotten off work later than usual and was in a spontaneous mood. She needed something new – something that wasn't all about numbers on her monitor. The woman travelled over to Toudai, quietly making her way into the regular small auditorium that he was lecturing in today. She sat at the back row, isolating herself from the rest of the students who quickly filled up the rows ahead. She looked around and noted how attendance had increased visibly.

Takashi was busying himself with the projector and his laptop. When he looked up, he met eyes with her. He smiled up at her, giving her a nod of acknowledgement. Hana returned the smile and gave him a small thumbs up before leaning back in her seat and cozied up. She took off her jacket and sipped on her tea.

"Did you see that? I think he smiled at me," a girl in front of Hana's row whispered to her friend.
"What are the chances that all of us enrolled in the course because the rumours were true…"

Hana took a look around the room. A good portion of the students were female, littered with a few male students who evidently did not know what they got themselves into. The woman at the back chuckled to herself when she realized that the kids had enrolled because they heard the course had the reputation of being an interesting one. But the attractive TA was a definite bonus.

She sat back and enjoyed listening to the lecture. It was such a shame that her university years had caused her love for learning to dwindle down to nothing. Every day felt like a battle of juggling assignments and exams, where studying was not done out of the love for learning and curiosity, it was done solely for a grade no less than an A.

When the lecture ended after an hour and a half, Hana stayed at the back until all the students had ushered themselves out. Takashi waited patiently for Hana to gather her things and to travel down the stairs of the auditorium. She took her hair down after a long day, her grey jacket rested on her arm while her black handbag was slung over her shoulder. A maroon sweater dress hugged her figure while her brown leather riding boots clunked their way down the stairs. She tried to contain her excitement in finally seeing him after a long week.

He held his arms out when she came close and embraced her fully. They stayed like that for a while – they were both tired and needed a moment of silence. A moment to recover from their busy day. A moment to breathe.

"You should sit closer next time," Takashi whispered in her ear before sneaking a quick kiss to her temple.

Hana shook her head. "The kids deserve the good seats more than I do. They deserve to learn." She kissed him on the cheek to finish her greeting.

It was these phrases that always caught him off guard. His heart skipped a beat. Not because she so swiftly kissed him – well, maybe it was that. But he couldn't help but to feel especially appreciative of her consideration for his own students. She came after a long day of work to see him. Hana took the time and effort and listen through his ramblings about Aristotle and Socrates. She beamed up at him. She was so happy to be beside him of all people.

Of course, he couldn't help but to kiss her back. To tell her that he missed her too. That he loved having her in his class, even if she wasn't meant to be in it.

"The kids really like you," she told him.
He raised an eyebrow. He didn't think so. He could have sworn the last time he taught this course, he counted five kids falling asleep.
"You overhear a lot of things in the back," Hana smirked. "Like how hot you are."

Takashi cleared his throat and looked away from her. He looked at the blackboard. Takashi didn't know about these sudden… reviews of him as a TA.

"Are you blushing?" Hana teased. "I agree with them," she added. He was wearing his regular getup. White dress shirt and black blazer, though he opted for no tie today. His hair was spiked up as it usually was – since high school. He looked down to her beaming face – she didn't mind that he was embarrassed, she found it adorable.

"It's a compliment," she tried to make him feel more comfortable about the fact.
He cleared his throat again and tried to keep his composure. He tightened his grip around her waist and kept his expression neutral. "I know."

"I'm glad," she patted him on the back. "Let's go home, yeah? It's cold."
He nodded in agreement. Takashi smiled at the thought of her company on his commute home. He missed having her around. They did not get to see each other every day, maybe on a weekly basis regularly. But it was enough for him, and he was happy.

The campus was quite empty at this hour, with many students and faculty already gone. Takashi was quick to lead her the way through the halls, his hand firmly gripping her own, with their fingers intertwined. He needed to grab his jacket from his office before they could leave.

"Takashi?" An elder woman waited outside of the office, dressed simply with a beige coat and her hair in a bun. Her wrinkles and fine lines were apparent when she smiled at the boy. Takashi perked up and nodded his head out of respect.

"Okaa-san," he greeted. Hana's eyes widened and quickly let go of Takashi's hand out of surprise. She immediately trailed behind Takashi, obviously blindsided by the sudden guest. When they met face to face, Hana lowered her eyes and bowed deeply – the most she could offer was her utmost respect, as she was raised to have.

"Who is this?" the woman asked.

Hana suddenly became a mute and looked to Takashi. He had never seen her so surprised before, the initial shock of meeting his mother seemed to have her in some sort of daze. She blinked a few times before trying to open her mouth to introduce herself.

"Hana," Takashi answered for her.
"Hana?" his mother repeated, looking at the girl who had curled her lips into a small, polite smile. She seemed so timid, Takashi's mother wondered why she seemed so afraid.

"And what business do you have with Hana at this hour?" the elder raised an eyebrow at them both.
"We're… friends," Hana meekly answered, with hesitance.
"Good friends," Takashi added, clearing his throat.

Hana never quite imagined meeting his mother like this. Not in the middle of the hallway at his university, after a long day. She was hoping to be more prepared – with a gift or some kind, or some sort of formal setting to at least prove that she was more than just some… friend Takashi hung out with.

"Good friends," the elder slowly repeated while looking at the both of them. How much more obvious could it have been? She rolled her eyes and shook her head at the youngsters.

"I just came by to say hello, Takashi. I left a box of Honey's favourite cookies and some snacks. I brought over the stationary you like using and watered your plants." She was aware that her son was staying later at the office, him pursing his doctorate was no easy feat. The mother looked to the girl who stared back with her large doe eyes, unsure of what to expect.

"And you," Hana stood up straighter when the woman talked to her. "Are you… a student here?"

Hana shook her head guiltily.

"What do you do, Hana?"

She bit her lip and answered as calmly as she could. "I'm a financial analyst."

The woman turned to her son. "Now, where did you meet someone like her?" People like that don't cross their social circles, that was for sure. Hana did not seem like someone who belonged in the simple life that Takashi had chosen to live.

"I sparred with her," Takashi explained. "I've known her since I was nine."
"Ah," his mother nodded. "Yes yes, your grandfather used to tell me about… the Sawadas, right? You must be Hana Sawada, then."

The girl could only nod and smile. Takashi slung his arm around her shoulder, knowing that she had been tense the entire time. Hana looked at him perplexed. The mother watched the couple's dynamic with curiosity. The girl seemed like a nice fit, though she knew little about her. Hana's timid nature was rather sweet and fitting to her son. Or so it seemed that way.

"Well then, I'll leave you two to it," the mother took her leave but not before Hana bowing deeply again before saying goodbye. She raised with manners, after all.

Hana wondered what his mother thought of her. Her heart raced through her chest, her face stoic. Takashi smiled to himself and gave her a nudge on the shoulder to bring her back to reality. Hana shook her head and looked up at him.

"I hope she liked me," she murmured into his chest. "Gosh, I'm such an idiot." He laughed at the way she receded like a small animal in front of his own mother. Hana was never quite the type to back away from a challenge or an enemy. Tonight had her shaken for a silly reason.

But he didn't mind it as long as he was there to tell her that it was going to be alright.

A/N: A belated Happy New Year (on both the Gregorian and Lunar calendar) to all of you. Trying my best to update as often as I can while I juggle my internship + online courses + putting my degree on-hold for a bit. It's a little strange being an adult. Or, pretending to be one for now, anyway. I hope all of you are doing wonderfully. Your thoughts, as usual, are always appreciated and they keep me writing whenever I can. :)