The turnaround on this one was quicker than I was expecting. Good news for all of you too! One of the style conventions I use for fanfictions with internal monologues is to do them in italics. This goes for texting as well, italicised text will usually always indicate that the current person's POV will be thinking it (most often it's going to be Mei or Yuzu, as we see this story through their eyes). Text messages are similar.
The current POV will be in italics, and the person responding will be in bold. With that housekeeping out of the way, here's chapter 2!
Mei slowly started to regain consciousness, feeling as if a considerable burden was being lifted from her senses. The first thing that she became aware of was a rhythmic tapping against glass, the unmistakable sound of someone writing a message on their phone. She adjusted her head slightly, which caused the tapping to stop. She found some strange comfort in its melody.
Thoughts from earlier danced through in her memories, and before she could stop it, she let out a whisper.
"Yuzu…"
Instead of the tapping beginning once more as she expected, the legs of a chair jolted Mei awake as they scrapped the ground. Now irritated, she slightly opened one eye and gazed towards where the sound had come from, but she only saw a chair in the distance that had a bag slung over the backrest.
She took a moment to glance around the room. The dim light above her glared down like a blinding pall. Its dull and grey tone reminded her of the same clean and sterile lights so common across the academy.
The drab off-white curtains that surrounded the bed gave her more than enough indication of where she was. Beyond the curtains, the sound of muffled voices forced their way through their thick threads. It sounded like they were farther away than just beyond her fabric cage.
The sound of loud and obnoxious sandals vibrated through the fabric, along with the groan of a particularly squeaky door. Growing increasingly annoyed at the cacophony of noises, she was about to shut her eyes again before she heard Yuzu's voice.
"Is she okay?"
Mei's eyes widened as again her mind slowly replayed the events that had just happened. The pain that had momentarily left came flooding back, this time threatening to draw tears from her eyes. More muffled sounds reached the bed, but she couldn't make out any of the words until a woman's voice broke through, "When she woke up, she said your name."
A few muffled sentences later, and the sound of sandal-wearing footsteps approaching became louder and louder. Mei shifted her head to look towards the edge of the curtain, filled with equal parts dread and anticipation for the person she knew was going to appear.
With a soft rustling noise, the curtains parted. The first thing she saw were Yuzu's green eyes, which were enough to distract from the unusual sight of her natural hair colour. She felt her face burn once she noticed that the eyes that were so distant earlier were now filled with concern. No longer having the courage to continue to look in Yuzu's eyes, she turned her head to face away from her.
Yuzu slowly approached the bed, clad in what seemed to be a man's business jacket that was several sizes too big. The sleeves had been rolled up, and the length of the jacket made it seem like she wasn't wearing anything else. Mei hadn't completely turned away from Yuzu, and she began to subconsciously glance over her ex-lover from the corner of her eye.
As she gained control of her senses, and with Yuzu standing at the side of the bed not saying anything, Mei decided it would be prudent to be the one to break the silence.
"Hello, Yuzu." Mei's voice betrayed her, coming out raspy and thin. The look on the other woman's face told her all she needed to know about how she sounded.
"Hi." Yuzu's response was terse, her tone indecipherable. The sensation was a new one for Mei, she had never known her stepsister to conceal her emotions or modulate how she spoke. Her apprehension abated when she continued. "Do you need any water?"
All Mei could do was nod. Fortuitously, a water bottle and glass sat on the table beside the bed. She could only watch as Yuzu uncapped the bottle and filled up the cup halfway before she turned to hand it to Mei. She accepted it, placing the cup to her lips. It now seemed as if her mouth was parched, and downed the entire glass in one gulp.
She made a slight motion with the cup at her stepsister, silently asking for her to refill it. Yuzu obliged the younger woman, this time filling the cup up to the top. Mei this time nursed the glass of water as her eyes watched Yuzu retreat from the side of the bed.
The heinous sound of a chair scraping across the floor broke the quaint atmosphere of the room, with Yuzu settling in directly next to the bed. Mei subtly shifted a bit towards the edge of the bed, overtaken by a subconscious desire to be closer to her.
"What happened?" The words came out less forceful than she had hoped, and ended up being barely above a mumble, causing Yuzu to lean in closer.
"After you collapsed, I sent Yasunaga-san to get…" she paused for a second in contemplation, "Tsunoda-san to help you. We weren't sure what happened, so I insisted we bring you to the hospital, so we were confident you were okay."
Her eyes caught the sight of a gold ring on Yuzu's finger flashing under the dim fluorescent lighting. She forced herself to push down the pain and jealousy that she knew she had no right to feel. Mei had always sought to keep those thoughts away, to face the real possibility that she had moved on was far too painful for her to contemplate.
Despite the engagement she was in, a day didn't go by without her missing Yuzu's cheerful personality or the limitless care and devotion she showed towards anything. The sound of her stepsister clearing her throat brought Mei back from her thoughts.
"We were all worried something serious had happened." The pained expression on Yuzu's face wasn't lost on Mei. A small part of her clung to the care that was being directed towards her, hoping that there was more behind it.
"How long has it been?" Mei asked, making an attempt to sit up to look for a clock. Almost immediately she felt herself being pushed back down. The brunette had launched at her to grab her shoulders, holding her down.
"It's been about eight hours. And you aren't going anywhere. The doctor said you were suffering from acute fatigue. I can tell you haven't changed, but you need to rest!" Yuzu's voice got louder as she finished the sentence. Her sudden actions had shocked Mei, eyes growing wide. She also brought her face extremely close to the younger woman, so close that the two of them could feel the other's breath whispering across their skin.
They lingered there for just a moment, the tips of Mei's ears flushed red as Yuzu's face burned a deep crimson. With a hint of reluctance, she removed her hands from Mei's shoulders and leaned back from the bed. She glanced at her watch nervously as she sat back down in the chair. She suddenly remembered Mei's question before she nearly climbed on top of the bedridden woman.
"It's just after one in the morning now."
"How long have you been here, Yuzu." Mei's reply was swift, but the redness in her ears did not subside.
"Erm…" She let out a fake cough. "The entire time." She looked away from the bed, hoping the dim lighting would hide the redness that surely dominated her features. The uncomfortable tension that descended on the room could be cut with a knife. It just seemed natural to have stayed until Mei had woken up. The thought of not being with Mei hadn't crossed her mind.
"Did you not have other engagements you had to attend besides sitting here?" Mei asked, while observing Yuzu's flushed face. She was looking down at the suit jacket that she was wearing. Mei recognised it as the one that Tsunoda Harune always wore. Underneath it she could see that Yuzu was wearing little more than a bathing suit with a cover all draped over her. Yuzu had followed Mei's eyes, and now she too was glancing down at the jacket that Harune had haphazardly thrown over her during the rush to get Mei to the hospital.
"Heh… not really. I only just got here today with Harumi." She groaned, dreading the discussion she knew Harumi was going to force her to have. Yuzu had only barely managed to remember to ask Yasunaga to tell Harumi where she was going, let alone have time to grab her phone. She was certain that her best friend was going to be livid about how quickly she dropped everything to help Mei.
"Taniguchi-san? You were not here with…" Mei couldn't bring herself to continue. Her best efforts at suppressing her feelings were rapidly failing as a mixture of anger and jealousy clouded her mind, ideas racing through her head of ways she could exact some form of retribution on the hotel's manager.
"No. I don't, we don't…" Yuzu buried her face in her hands. She had purposefully managed to neglect telling Harune that Mei was her stepsister, and when she had collapsed Yuzu ended up loudly proclaiming that fact to both of them. He had immediately launched into a dozen questions, all of which she shot down in favour of getting Mei to hospital.
Yuzu did not know what she was saying, feeling that she needed to justify her actions to Mei lingered in her mind. The truth was, she never actually planned to see Mei again, and if it happened it would only be in a group setting where she could display a façade to everyone, just the same as her stepsister did. If they had to interact, it would be terse and polite, nothing like the situation the two of them found each other in now.
Mei remained silent, her eyes fixed on the older woman. She was naturally curious about what Yuzu had to say. During their short time together, Yuzu had nearly flawlessly been able to learn of Mei's many moods and tone changes, as well as to find the hidden meaning in the words she spoke. It was one of the things that she had always cherished about the older woman.
"Yuzu?"
The brunette groaned. It would be impossible to discuss this right now, so she could only think of diverting the conversation away from the topic she so desperately wished Mei knew nothing about at this very moment.
"So, eh, what brings you to Okinawa anyway?" Yuzu asked, hoping that directing the conversation elsewhere would make the atmosphere less awkward overall. She fidgeted nervously in her seat, looking anywhere but at Mei as she did so.
"The Udagawa family has sent me here to monitor their family's resort. Udagawa-san is unable to make the journey himself. I was told the leadership is lacking."
"Eck, I see time didn't solve her bluntness" Yuzu thought as she swallowed a surprised yelp before speaking, "Tsunoda-san has always given his best for the resort. I'm sure he'll find a way to help yo-"
She stopped as she contemplated what she just heard. Mei always selected her words meticulously, the choice to not include herself in the Udagawa family caused a heart palpitation, giving her momentary lightheadedness. Her eyes widened as she remembered that Yasunaga had called her Aihara Mei earlier.
The younger woman tilted her head inquisitively, looking very interested in having her sister continue the sentence. Another silence invaded the room, tying both of them up in its awkward grasp. It was an unusual reversal for Yuzu, who would always be able to say something between the two of them.
"Yuzu?" The sound of her name snapped her out of her trance, reeled back in by Mei's voice.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I spaced out there, heh. I was going to say that I'm sure Tsunoda-san would do whatever he could to help you with the resort." She let her voice drop off at the end, the nervousness in it lingered, convincing neither of them.
Silence once again permeated the room. The awkwardness had abated slightly, and the two of them became content enough in each other's company that neither felt out of place in this most surreal of situations.
"Thank you, Yuzu." Mei broke the silence after several minutes, shifting her gaze back to the brunette.
"Hmm? What for?" Yuzu met Mei's eyes, marvelling at how the purple orbs were still able to invoke the same emotions that she felt all those years ago.
"For bringing me here. You could have walked away, or let Tsunoda-san's assistant handle the issue." She paused to catch Yuzu's attention, intently focused on the brunette. Yuzu tilted her head slightly, a look of confusion forming on her features. "This brings back memories…" Mei's voice was distant, in a way that almost seemed like it wasn't meant to be spoken.
"Wha-" Yuzu racked her brain to figure out what the younger woman was talking about before recalling the last time Mei had collapsed. "You remembered that from High School?!" A mix of shock and bewilderment overcame her face as she turned towards the bed.
"It was the first time I understood how much you cared about me." Their eyes locked once more, but only for a moment as Yuzu lowered hers to stare into her lap. She hadn't been entirely sure what she expected when Mei woke up, but having to struggle with the feelings she once held for the younger woman certainly wasn't one of them.
"Still hold?"
The thought bounced in her head, colliding through the walls she had built for herself over the past six years. Its destructive nature ripped through her emotions like a maelstrom, causing her hands to tremble slightly. The possibilities of what any of this meant could reach far beyond anything she could handle.
She had promised herself that she would move on, to break out of her love for Mei. That she would do whatever it took to try and forget the time they shared, and to bury her feelings as much as she could. Up until this very moment, she had successfully accomplished this. The sight of Mei, along with how she was talking to her, brought forth feelings she had hoped were locked safely away for eternity.
The pit of dread forming in her stomach showed that she needed to be anywhere but in this room. The reality of the situation was catching up to her, a painful reminder of the past six years. Memories of the anguish of each day came and hit her at once.
"Mei. I stayed to make sure you were okay." As she abruptly stood up from the chair, she could feel Mei's eyes following her. "I-I need to get back to Harumin." The anxiety that was forming within her was unbearable, and it would be a daunting task to try and continue a conversation with Mei. With a quick turn of her heels, Yuzu closed her eyes and tried to fight the tears that were forming.
"Yuzu." Mei called out to her, voice no longer the perfectly manicured version she used with nearly everyone else she spoke to. Instead, it was vulnerable, almost sounding like a plea. She stopped walking, but did not turn back to look at the younger woman.
"I'm glad you're okay M-Mei, but I need to-" Yuzu stammered, before being cut off mid-sentence.
"We should talk." Mei's voice remained level, but still laden with emotion. Yuzu turned to face her stepsister, as she did so she shoved her hands in the pockets of Harune's jacket. Her hands involuntarily found themselves balled up into fists, with her fingers squeezing her thumbs as hard as they could.
Mei's arm had gone to her chest, clutching at an unseen object below her shirt. The action both shocked and annoyed Yuzu, causing her to grit her teeth before she spoke again.
"We have nothing to talk about." Forcing herself to turn around once more, Yuzu nearly ran out of the room, leaving the curtains billowing in her wake. Mei could only watch as they swayed for a few seconds before falling still. The sound of footsteps slowly faded, before finally the room was calm.
A single tear ran down Mei's cheek, hand still clutching her chest. The look on Yuzu's face etched in her memory, not vanishing no matter how many times she closed her eyes. It haunted her with an eerie familiarness. It also possessed the unusual caveat of having been made by the person she always looked to and remember as being the most cheerful and caring person she knew.
"So that is how I always looked when we first met."
She always knew that her actions were selfish, taking everything Yuzu offered until she walked away from it all. Regret and anger boiled inside of her. Grabbing some of the sheets as she clenched her hands into tight balls, Mei closed her eyes and let the tears flow freely, but silently, down her cheeks.
The audacity that she had just shown would have elicited a hollow laugh if her eyes hadn't been stinging from the pain. Not only did she spend the last six years ignoring the one person she knew would ever love her after causing her irreparable pain, but she followed it up by demanding that the two of them sit down and talk for her own personal benefit.
For years Mei thought she felt regret over her actions. Only now did she realise what regret felt like after seeing how much her decisions impacted the person she cared about the most. Her own uncertainties on what to do next roiled inside her, but she knew that she couldn't leave it like this.
Listening to the dull rhythm of the machines that helped to monitor her condition, the sounds helped to bring a sense of calm to the room. Despite the agony that was ripping through her body, the sterile grey was something familiar and calming to grasp onto in a desperate bid to maintain what little composure she retained.
Just as she knew six years ago, the sight of Yuzu earlier in the day had broken her resolve, leaving her to try and piece together what remained of her shattered feelings.
The taxi pulled up to the front of the hotel nearly silently, as if it was afraid to offer a disturbance into the calm, late springtime air. Only the sounds of a few bugs could be heard, singing their enchanting chorus for none but the most extreme night owls to hear.
Yuzu hadn't been out this late in years, her nights going to clubs having blurred into a hazy memory in the background of her mind. Instead of stumbling back to a shoddy apartment drunk, she was calmly walking through the elegant glass doors of the luxury hotel completely sober and clear-minded. Flashing an apologetic smile and a small wave to the hotel's desk manager, she walked past the desk without a word, making her way to the elevator banks. Subconsciously, she stood in front of the elevator that Mei hadn't taken earlier, eyeing it with apprehension.
She closed her eyes and refused to open them before the door chime sounded to indicate that the elevator arrived. Peaking with her left eye, she was relieved when no one was in it. After walking over the threshold and pressing the button for the sixteenth floor, she leaned against the railing. Yuzu wrapped her arms around herself. The hotel was still cold, and coupled with the cool nighttime air had chilled her through the light business jacket.
In all the chaos, she had miraculously managed to maintain possession of the keycard to the room. She fumbled it in her pocket while the words Mei had said continued their endless loop in her head. The letter that was left, which by now Yuzu committed to memory, was clear in what her ultimate goals were, something that distressed her to accept but did so out of love.
"If she hasn't married yet… then what… is she waiting for? What did leaving accomplish? All this time, Mei…"
The burning sensation returned to her eyes. Memories of all those months, all those years of pain proliferated once again. The tears finally started to fall, as her body worked on autopilot to exit the elevator, thankful that there was no one waiting when the door had opened. Her ability to keep the sobs silent was rapidly diminishing as she approached the entrance to the hotel room.
Fumbling with the key, she kept trying to insert it only to be met with a blinking red light. The inconvenience only caused more tears to fall, finally getting the door ajar after several more tries. Yuzu tumbled into the room, her eyes being forced shut by the blinding lights that greeted her. Compared to the dimly lit hallway, her senses hadn't been ready for the onslaught of brightness.
With the door closing behind her, she lost control over her motions. Her breath became laden with the deep sobs that began to emerge as she slumped up against the wall and slid down to crumple on the floor. The sounds woke Harumi up, squirming in the chair in the corner of the living area from the sudden noise.
"Yuzucchi?" She groggily announced before regaining control of her faculties. "Yuzucchi!" Harumi shouted, springing up from the chair and rushing to her best friend, almost tripping from the disorientation of just being fast asleep. She grabbed Yuzu, pulling her into a deep hug while softly stroking her hair before whispering, "I've been worried about you."
"Harumin… What should I do… She… She…" Yuzu managed to force through sobs, the pain reverberated in her chest and echoed into Harumi's, who felt every tremble that wrought her friend's body. Harumi didn't respond, only clutching Yuzu tighter and massaging her back in a slow, soothing motion.
"Mei never married, Harumi!" Through the tears she shouted it, eyes wide while searching for something in the hazel eyes that looked back at her. Harumi was absolutely shocked at the revelation. She had expected the conversation to be difficult when she found out that Yuzu had run into her stepsister, but couldn't imagine anything like what she just heard. In a moment of bewilderment, her hand stopped rubbing Yuzu's back.
"What? Mei never?..." She fell silent, with the only sounds coming from the still crying woman in her arms. Harumi resumed the rhythmic strokes on Yuzu's back, paying attention to how the movements would decrease the number of sobs that came from the crying woman.
"Was it all to get away from me? Did I… what was it? I don't understand…" Yuzu's sobs came out incoherently, her trail of thought folding over itself in a tapestry that only she knew how to untangle. Yuzu's usually careful and manicured statements about Mei being unravelled into the raw emotions that stung at her heart.
"Why didn't anyone say… they would have known. No one told me… If I knew…" She continued to blurt out the heavy emotions, as Harumi tried to cradle her closer. The two of them sat there until the brunette's sobs became whimpers. Only then did Harumi speak again, pulling herself away from the deep contemplation she found herself in.
"Come on, I'll draw a bath and get out some clothes for you." She brought her arms under Yuzu's and gently guided her to stand up. Harumi's hold was shaky, but it was enough to bring Yuzu back onto her feet and moving towards the bath. "Do you want anything? I could order something for you if you wanted."
All Yuzu could manage was to shake her head in response. Harumi started the tap before walking out, gently closing the door as she left. Yuzu's mind seemed to be blank. The catharsis that came from the sobbing managed to push out the anxieties and grief, if only temporarily. She stood at the edge of the bathtub, watching the water level rise as if she was in a trance-like state. Only when she noticed it getting towards the top did she snap out of the stupor and turn it off.
She tested the water with a finger, it wasn't scalding, but it wasn't cold either. She shed the business jacket, tossing it towards the corner of the room, then slid the coverall over her head, and folded it on the counter. On top of it she placed the other two pieces of the swimwear before turning to face the water once more. She lowered herself into the bathtub, just as a soft knock came from the door.
"I have some clothes for you. Water too, you probably need it." Harumi didn't bother for an answer, as the door slowly swung open. Yuzu glanced up anxiously, waiting until she turned around from putting the clothes on the countertop.
Yuzu felt like she finally needed to talk, to get the advice she desperately felt was needed six years ago. She knew that Harumi wouldn't mind, but the lingering fear of rejection always caused her to pause whenever she contemplated trying to open up to people about the problems and history surrounding Mei.
"Do you have a moment?" She apprehensively asked as Harumi turned around. "I'd hate to burden you more than I already have…"
"You're my best friend. You've been there for me countless times before, Yuzucchi. I can't even count the number of times you've helped me with Matsuri. If it wasn't for you, we probably wouldn't be dating, let alone engaged. I'm gonna be here for you." Harumi smiled after gently reassuring Yuzu.
Despite having spent the better part of an hour crying, Yuzu could feel tears trying to find their way out once more. The two of them never had a serious conversation about what exactly happened between the two of them. Harumi never pushed for one and always resolved to do her best to always support Yuzu and not pry more than she was willing to share.
Regardless of this, Harumi had been able to piece together most of the story from the passing mentions Yuzu made as well as Matsuri unceremoniously dumping most of the information anyway, always pestering her to try and get more information out of Yuzu. Matsuri's hatred of Mei was well known. It had even taken two years before she could speak to Nakano Himeko.
"What's on your mind?" Harumi asked, bringing herself out of her own self-reflection.
"Everything." Yuzu let out a deep breath, sinking deeper into the tub so that only her head was visible above the water. It would not get any easier if she tried to be loquacious with how she said it, so she opted for the easiest possible explanation. "I don't know what you know. I'm sure Matsuri has told you more than you've wanted. The truth is, before Mei left… we dated for about eight months, though it seemed like a lot longer to me."
"Yuzucchi…" Harumi tried to say something before being abruptly cut off by Yuzu's voice.
"She was my first love." A sad smile appeared on her face, remembering all of the time they had spent together, the little moments here and there that always meant so much. Not only to Yuzu, but to Mei as well. "I could always tell how she felt about me. She never said it, and she never needed to." Thoughts of the summer holiday they shared played in her mind, how Mei had almost told Yuzu how she felt until they had been interrupted by screaming in the hallway.
"For the first year I was devastated. I wore a mask for everyone around me, but everyone could tell what was wrong. The second year is when I started going to clubs, you remember?" Yuzu looked at Harumi with wide eyes, the two of them sharing in the memories that were invoked.
Harumi could only manage a small nod, it was a particularly sensitive subject between the two of them. She always blamed herself for the problems Yuzu faced during that time of her life, and took responsibility for Yuzu's actions and the harm that came to her despite not being involved in the slightest. The two of them never really discussed why Yuzu started going to clubs, but it was the first, and only, major rift in their friendship.
"I always felt so lost. I looked for anything to fill the void that Mei leaving caused. I thought it was the best way to support her dreams and goals. It was something she needed to do, and I never wanted to be the one to stand in her way." Tears once again steamed down Yuzu's face as she talked, forcing her to take a moment to compose herself.
Harumi reached out to put a hand on Yuzu's shoulder. She gave it a slight squeeze to signal that it was okay to continue whenever she was ready. Yuzu was able to continue after a few seconds of deep breathing.
"Then…that summer two years ago. When I stormed out of that cafe when you at Matsuri kissed… I was so frustrated and upset. It reminded me too much of Mei, and I needed to get away from it all. I never told anyone this, but that's the day I met Harune."
"Ehhh? You said you met him through a work event." Harumi snapped back from the bathtub, an incredulous look in her eyes as she scanned Yuzu's face for clues.
Yuzu remorsefully bit her bottom lip. "Because I ended up meeting him at a club. It was the last time I ever went, I swear, Harumin!"
"...I see." Painful memories of the fights with Yuzu over her clubbing activities, along with her proclivity to turn to drinking to solve all the problems, threatened to overwhelm her. She was able to suppress them for the sake of trying to help Yuzu right now.
"Up until then I would think of Mei each day. I talked to him and for the first time I could push her out of my mind. And I… never wanted to lose that feeling. It was refreshing, to not feel any pain. But I… I…" Yuzu brought her hands out of the water to press the long slender fingers to her eyes, softly massaging them.
"You love her still, don't you?" Harumi said with a smile, her head resting in her arms as she leaned over the edge of the tub.
"Eh?!" Yuzu jumped slightly before blushing. "It's been so long, I don't know what I feel anymore. I don't know what she thinks either, I feel I'm just overthinking things."
"Let's see here, you see your ex-girlfriend after what, almost six years? Then she blacks out and suddenly you abandon both your best friend and husband to go halfway across the island to spend nine hours with her." Harumi's voice took on a slightly mocking tone, her smile growing wider as her friend's face got redder and redder.
"She was sleeping most of the time!" She retorted, trying to act smug.
"That doesn't help your point, Yuzucchi. You didn't even mention that she was your stepsister, something I would have at least given you points for." Harumi said, rolling her eyes with a knowing look.
Yuzu fell silent as she focused on the sound of her increased heartbeat. Harumi couldn't be right. If she was, then it would make nearly everything impossible, and only serve to give her more heartbreak. She accepted that a relationship with Mei was impossible years ago. She lifted her hand out of the water again, only to stare at the simple gold band that marked her marriage to her husband. Her view of the ring was obscured when Harumi covered it with her own hand.
"Were you able to talk tonight?"
Yuzu groaned, regretting how she walked out on Mei after the inviation to talk. "She practically begged me to talk, and I told her we had nothing to talk about."
"Haaaa?!" Harumi nearly flew back from the tub in shock. It had been the one thing it seemed Yuzu had wanted for years, and she had totally ignored it, stepping away from it.
"I know, I know." She replied, sensing the thoughts going through Harumi's head. "I was just… scared at that moment. Like I am now. I can barely keep myself together telling you, let alone confronting everything with her. I wouldn't even know where to start or what to say."
"Yuzucchi, this is your best chance to try and resolve your feelings about Mei. No matter what you tried to do before…" She squeezed the other woman's hand reassuringly, "It hasn't done enough for you. And no matter what, I'll always support you."
Without speaking, Yuzu rose out of the water slightly to pull her friend into a hug, water soaking Harumi's nightshirt as she did so. She smiled in spite of this, and wrapped her arms around Yuzu's back to deepen the embrace between the two of them.
"I hope you feel better, Yuzucchi." Harumi said as she pulled away. She only got a nod in response as Yuzu sank back into the tepid water. Sensing that she needed some alone time for reflection, she moved towards the door. "I'll leave you alone to finish up."
Yuzu didn't acknowledge the statement. Instead she lost herself in thought, contemplating her next moves. It was imperative that she find a way to talk to Mei again, preferably not in a hospital room or in an elevator. An awkward conversation with Harune was also needed, but that was something she was willing to put off for as long as she possibly could.
After soaking for another half hour, the water had finally become cold. Her mind was much clearer, though it wasn't obvious if that was a result of sleep deprivation or working through the multiple new problems that presented themselves tonight. After draining the tub and donning the simple nightshirt and shorts that Harumi had laid out, she let down her hair and flicked off the light to the bathroom.
Harumi had turned off most of the lights, but she had made sure to turn Yuzu's room light on, allowing the brunette to easily make the distance without having to stumble around and grope the walls in hopes of not knocking anything over. Gingerly closing the door to not make any sound, she felt a new determination to move forward.
Yuzu glanced around the room, searching for her phone. If she was going to start getting answers to the questions that lingered, it was going to require uncovering the painful realities of the time separated from Mei, something she long sought to insulate herself from.
Harumi had placed her phone on the nightstand, one of the Yuzubocchi charms hanging limply over the edge. Word of Yuzu's nine hour vanishment and unlikely reunion with her stepsister hadn't gotten out, as she only had a couple messages from Matsuri and one from Sara.
Instead of replying to either of them, she glanced at the clock. It read back 3:14 back at her, and with some quick mental maths, she was certain that the one person who might have some answers would be free. It had been awhile since the two of them spoke, and her thumb was hovering over the call button.
She could not press the button and instead opted to send him a message.
Good afternoon, Papa! I have a question for you if you're not busy.
I didn't expect a message from you at this hour. Is everything okay? I'll always have time for my daughter.
A smile made its way onto her lips. Her stepfather wasn't perfect by any means, but over the years he pushed himself to improve his parenting skills, even if Yuzu was the only one one of his daughters that he talked to.
Everything is okay. I messaged you because I was hoping you'd know about… She paused, before deleting the message and then retyping it again. She tried to type another message, but the words seemed to be hollow and fake. For the second time, she deleted the message before opting for something more direct.
I'm okay. Have you heard anything about Mei's marriage?
The small noise that came from the phone indicated the message left the outbox. There was no turning back now, and the nervousness in her stomach tossed and turned. Grey turned to green as the indicator he had read the message flashed back. She waited, but no sign of a reply was coming through. Not even the little bubble at the bottom that showed he was typing popped up.
The light of the phone dimmed briefly before it went dark. It had been two minutes since she sent the message, while intently staring at the phone the entire time. A frustrated groan fell from her chest as she flopped backwards onto the bed, reaching for a pillow as the urge to scream started to boil.
A small melody broke the room's silence. Yuzu snapped back up and grabbed at the covers, desperately clutching for the phone. The preview had already gone by the time she found it. She steadied her breathing and shut her eyes before pressing the power button to read it.
The last thing I've heard was from my father a few months ago, about the planned date for the ceremony. Why do you ask?
I was out tonight and the thought crossed my mind. Yuzu replied. The lies she tried to tell were never good, but she hoped that the impact of a text message would be enough to convince Shou that it was just idle speculation she had late at night.
Out tonight? Have you been drinking again?
She winced at his reply, Yuzu's plan had rapidly backfired. She forgot he was the one who would have picked up on that comment. The copious alcohol consumption she partook in the aftermath of Mei leaving was infamous in the family, which had gotten serious enough that Ume had contacted Shou about it, causing him to fly back to Japan to pull her out of one of the slumps she found herself in.
He had ended up getting her out of a bar at nearly three in the morning, but the experience had brought the two of them closer together, even if she couldn't remember much of it. He treated her differently after that night, which Yuzu always believed was him accepting her as his daughter.
She realised she wasn't going to get any information out of him, and typed a reply to try and assuage his fears.
No! Not a drop. I'm with Harumi in Okinawa, we stayed out late at the beach then had a long talk in our room. Mei had come up and it made me curious as to how she's doing. It's super late here, so I'm going to head to bed. Bye Papa!
Not possessing the courage to look at his reply, she muted her phone and placed it face down in the nightstand. Her fingers moved to grasp the cup of water on the nightstand, which she raised to take a gentle gulp of the liquid in hopes of calming her nerves.
Neither her head nor heartbeat showed any signs of slowing down. Setting the glass down, she flung the covers off the bed and swung her legs out to catch the slippers laying by the bedside. The curtains had been left open, and a few dim rays of the moonlight shone through the windows. Cool air whipped around her as she slid open the glass door of the balcony. It was still late May, so the evening air was not yet as stifling as its daytime counterpart.
Yuzu draped her arms over the edge of the balcony, gazing off into the endless, black ocean. The only sounds that she could hear was the surf rolling in and lapping the beach, before it was drawn back in time for another wave to crash. She figured to anyone this would have been a moment of peace and serenity, but only uncertainty and uneasiness lingered inside her.
"What am I doing…" Yuzu said as she turned back to the empty room, leaving the balcony door open to bring the sympathetic melody inside.
She looked over at the jewellery box that was placed on the dresser. With trembling hands, she lifted it open and navigated to a drawer that was normally left entirely untouched. Opening it, she glanced inside at the small silver ring and necklace, which now seemed to radiate strength instead of sadness. With little thought as to what she was doing, the necklace found its way around her neck once more.
The effects of travel, fatigue, and emotional distress were taking their toll. After closing up the box once more, she collapsed back on the bed, her hand reaching up to her chest to grasp the ring hanging around her neck. She remained like this until sleep gently took over, making her body go limp, hand still pressed firmly on her necklace.
And that's it for this chapter! Don't worry, we'll see more of Mei's reaction in the next chapter. I'm trying to keep the chapters to a reasonable length (at least under 10,000 words each...) but we'll see how well that holds up in the future. I also wanted to take a quick moment to do a rundown of some of the changed names, as well as some of the OCs. They are plot relevant and have staying power, so I wanted to give a quick idea of who is who.
Tsunoda Yuzu (角田 柚子) - Formerly known as Aihara Yuzu.
Tsunoda Harune (角田 晴音) - The early to mid 20s manager of the Ukiyo Okinawa Resort, which is owned by the Udagawa family. Has messy black hair with piercing light blue eyes and a boisterous personality. His name means "Clear Sound".
Nakano Himeko (中野 姫子) - Formerly known as Momokino Himeko.
Nakano Fuyuki (中野 冬樹) - Himeko's husband. A businessman who often travels for his job, leaving Himeko alone.
Yasunaga Itsuko (安永 伊津子) - The manager's personal assistant at the Ukiyo Okinawa Resort. Has short-shoulder length hair and wears large-rimmed glasses.