The entrance door pushed slowly backwards with a low moaning creak, the kind of noise that you would not even notice were it not for the deafening silence which engulfed the complex at this late hour. Sora's apartment is barely visible past the door's outer frame as it seems not a single light has been left on to bid us welcome. Sora's flat is even more silent than the surrounding city streets where we at least had the sound of the wind passing by the buildings and billowing the trees. It is that kind of silence that can be almost unnerving even. This quiet atmosphere is broken ever so slightly as Sora takes a few cautious steps beyond the door frame and finds the nearby switch to illuminate the apartment's genkan; yet leaving the remainder of the hallway veiled in darkness. I wait briefly in the entranceway, putting most of my weight against the doorframe as I watch Sora remove my jacket from her body and hang it on a nearby available wall hook. She then sits herself down where the hallway meets the little entrance area and slowly but efficiently undoes then removes her shoes one at a time.
Our gazes meet as she stands back up, and there is almost an expression of pity on her face as she signals for me to step inside the apartment fully.
I maintain a slight hold on the wall as I do so, honestly shocked at the soreness of my feet and calves. Guess I'm just not quite in the same shape I used to be. A bit of a saddening thought yet honestly one that makes me yearn to improve my exercise routine once again; at just twenty two years of age I recognize that it is well within my grasp to regain that state of peak physical fitness. Observing the young woman beckoning me inside, It occurs to me that perhaps Sora would be willing to even join me in such an endeavor, just like our good old days. Though it's hardly a discussion for tonight after everything the both of us have been through. I determine at this moment that I will ask her about it before the start of winter break.
I work my way inside before as gently as possible closing and locking the apartment door behind me. I then take a few heavy steps towards the back of the genkan but to my confusion, Sora steps in front of me, blocking my path. She leans in very close and my tired mind cannot seem to grasp the reason for this sudden behavior; especially after she just beckoned me forward.
"Wait Taichi, let me help you with that." Sora whispers this softly to me and at first I do not catch her meaning. But Sora then squats down in front of me, and after the briefest of hesitations begins to untie the running shoe on my left foot. Once my mind caught up with the present, it was in truth a little awkward and embarrassing standing here like this; yet I was hardly going to argue when it must have been beyond apparent to Sora that I was currently on my last legs for the evening. I simply watch her quietly attend to the present task; pressing a hand against the nearby wall for support and lifting each foot when she would whisper the order with a firm tug on my ankle. Before long she had freed my aching feet and placed my shoes alongside hers.
"That's odd" I hear Sora mutter barely above a whisper.
"What is?" Oddly anxious to know if she is referring to me in any capacity.
Sora stands up once again, being only about fifteen centimeters from me now. "Some of my roommates' shoes are missing." She shrugs gently at this.
"Maybe they took them to their respective rooms not knowing if you all would have guests tonight?" I suggest.
"Or perhaps" Sora sighs "Perhaps they were so wasted they walked straight in. With the night we've had and all the drinking going on around campus I wouldn't put it past them." She almost seems to let out a silent laugh at this possibility. "Ren and Yui did seem pretty exuberant about the prospect of letting lose tonight. Oh well…if a mess has been made it can certainly wait until tomorrow at this point to be dealt with; I just hope that they are not so hungover that I am the one dealing with it. I swear in moments, those girls sometimes remind me of Mimi in her more…volatile moments."
I flash her a gentle and slightly weary smile; knowing that she has on occasion had to care for them in the past. She seems to instinctively return the favor with a smile of her own before moving alongside me and helping me up the small step into the hallway. We step as carefully and quietly as we can muster but if someone was awake and nearby they would surely be able to hear our dampened footsteps on the gently creaking wood floor. We advance with nothing but the light of the lone bulb above the entryway. After walking about three quarters down the entry hall and passing a half bathroom with its door slightly ajar, everything before us becomes a wall of twisting shadow. Sora pauses here and seems to hesitate for a brief moment before swiping another light switch on the side of the hallway. I would not have even been able to make it out in the darkness, but for Sora who has called this apartment home, she effortlessly located the small object like muscle memory without a perceptible sign of difficulty.
The apartment's modest kitchen soon took form before us under a low incandescent light. In truth it was quite nice and spacious; for student housing anyway. A round and sturdy wood center table, big enough to support four or maybe five diners at a time. There was an older but full sized fridge/freezer, a small two pan burner, an oven large enough for a single baking tray, a kettle, utensil drawers, and several counters with built-in cabinets. Sora breathed a clear sigh of relief, which I took to mean she was glad nobody was currently in the kitchen awake or otherwise. Beyond the kitchen however, one could make out the apartment balcony overlooking the city block, a small hallway leading to the full sized bathroom and washer dryer combo machine, and another slightly larger hallway which leads to the apartments three unassuming student bedrooms. It was clear even front this distance that at least one of the bedroom doors were ajar.
Sora gave me another knowing glance to keep quiet, she did not have to tell me twice, though my slightly labored breathing may have been making her uneasy in her attempt to not disturb her flatmates at this late hour. After giving me this look, Sora untangled herself for my arm leaving me to stand on my own crushing weight once again. Creeping slowly in a much stealthier approach than I could muster in current physical exhaustion, she started moving cautiously towards the open dorm rooms. I watch her dart like a dexterous cat through the kitchen for a few seconds, dodging any noise making obstacle with relative ease. At this point I look back towards the kitchen table where something catches my eye. So I decide to investigate this peculiarity; doing my best, albeit lamely, to duplicate her grace of movement.
Without too much trouble I make it to the object in question and study it under the bright kitchen light; holding it close and squinting to encourage my weary eyes to focus. "Sora.." I whisper suddenly.
I look up and I think that I might have whispered too well, as it seems Sora either has not heard me or is simply too focused on the current task at hand. I see her shaking arm reach out through the nearest gloomy doorway in order to grasp at the doorknob which would lie just out of sight.
"Sora!" After concluding my appraisal I opt to call out again, this time assuredly louder than I intend. Sora freezes in place in the hallway, turning on a time and glaring at me like a disappointed mother. She silently mouths a flustered "Taichi, what the heck!" at me. I simply point to the note currently clutched in my left hand.
Even from this slight distance I can discern as her head tilts sideways slightly and an inquisitive look replaces the one of surprise and annoyance. I decide at this point to simply wave her over to me. To which Sora simply and silently nods her head. She then pivots back towards the bedroom door long enough to close it most of the way before moving across the room back towards me, still taking great care with every step.
When she reaches me I hold out the note so that she may examine the contents herself. Sora looks at me then glances at the note before taking it from my outstretched hand, after a brief pause she begins to read it out loud whilst still suppressing her volume.
"Hey Sora,
We decided at the last minute to spend the night at a friend's flat, so no need to wait up for us. Ren sent you a couple of texts but you didn't respond. Hope everythings fine, you're probably just busy with your party. In fact, I'm sure you're fine, since you have your personal soccer hunk with you after all 3. When are you going to have him over again, it's been a HOT second. But I digress, we didn't want you to worry when you got back late to an empty apartment. Be sure to double lock the door, safety first after all. We'll see you tomorrow…at some point.
Happy Halloween,
Aoi and Ren"
I observe as Sora's face flushes red before sighing heavily and pocketing the note.
"Safety first" Sora scoffs "Who do they think is the one having to constantly remind those two to be careful when going out. Did I ever tell you about the time that they went out and left our apartment completely unlocked? They came back wasted after midnight and called me complaining that I left the apartment unguarded. Only for me to remind them that I was away that weekend and they had the bright idea that it would be one less obstacle when they returned home late from a night of partying. Of course I felt keen to remind them that it would also remove the obstacle for any unwanted guests…" Sora huffs again and my sympathetic but tired mind can't help to let out an awkward chuckle.
"Anyway" Sora continues "at least we don't have to worry about waking anyone or making a scene. She then gives my shoulder a quick squeeze before walking off back towards the hallway in order to finish closing the doors to two bedrooms which do not belong to her. Turning around once again to face me, still barely standing in the kitchen, Sora looks at me with a content expression before throwing her hands up in the air in an intentionally exaggerated display. This before speaking to me at a volume which reinforces that fact that it is just the two of us here in her flat for the evening. "Well it's been a long and…interesting night, but it looks like we made it through to the otherside unscathed." She seems relieved but also quite happy somehow.
"Mostly unscathed" I chuckle tiredly, raising up my right hand, which is still wrapped in a slightly blood stained strip of undershirt fabric.
That serious air of motherly care immediately reforges itself within her. "Duh, how could I forget?" She quickly marches right up to me and grabs me by the wrist a few centimeters above my injury. "Come on, I'm not about to turn you loose with an injury left untended.
With her not unremarkable strength, it seemed as though she was going to pull my arm off before I think she remembers just how worn out I am at this point. After which, she gently guides me down the other adjoining hallway towards the larger of the two bathrooms within the flat. Once in the doorway, Sora lets go of my wrist long enough to turn on the bathroom and peek inside, presumably to make sure everything is clean and tidy. I see her nod to herself after a quick scan, and steps inside; before ultimately walking over to the toilet and closing the seat.
At this point I am still standing in the doorway when she gestures me over with a single pointer finger. "Come here Taichi, take a seat." And with that, I suddenly feel like a child back at school, visiting the nurses office. All the same, with my aching feet groaning away beneath me, the chance to sit down sounds inviting, even if the invite is on a toilet seat in front of my best friend. "That's it, you can do it." She teases suddenly, perhaps picking up on the slightly awkward vibe.
I feel myself blush at her chaffing but I walk over and do exactly as she requests. No sooner have I sat down than Sora is standing over me, gesturing to see my injured hand. I relent without complaint, though cannot help but to feel a little embarrassed for reasons I do not fully understand. I do not linger on this feeling for long however, as Sora begins to untie the shirt scrap with a bit of difficulty; she had apparently tied a tight knot. She eventually worked it loose before unwrapping it and unpeeling the section now plastered to my palm. This process hurts quite a bit more than I was anticipating, and I let out a yelp as a result.
"Sorry Taichi" She whispers. "I think the shirt helped ebb the flow of blood but when the blood dried I think some of the fabric got glued into the wound channel. Not our best move, but we did not exactly have much to work with out there by the lake. Sora stands up suddenly then and begins browsing between the different bathroom drawers and cabinets pulling out a few items here and there. Lastly, she pulls out a small emergency flashlight from under the sink.
She places the items on the sink countertop next to me and kneels down next to me this time. "I did my best with the light available at the park but let's go ahead and make extra certain that I did not miss any pieces of glass the first time around." I groan slightly at the thought, but she reassures me then. "I'll be gentle Taichi, it's not my goal to hurt you."
"I know…" I mutter like a kid who fell off his bike and had to march back to his mom for help with a scraped knee. Sora chuckles softly at this, then flicks on the flashlight to get a closer look at my palm. She pokes and prods at me for a moment or two, and even pulls out a small magnifying glass, analyzing every millimeter of the wound channel. After which she stops to make a triumphant pose, which I cannot help but to laugh at.
"Not a single piece of glass left, and they said I'd never make it through med school" She jokes. "Though the cut is still bleeding a bit, let's patch you up properly this time, and hopefully the only scar left from tonight will be an interesting memory." Sora lifts her fingers in front of my face so I can see that there is fresh blood coating the tips of her fingers. I turn my palm to face me and indeed see blood trickling out of the wide and gruesome looking cut.
Sora returns to the sink in order to wash my blood from her hands, then drying them thoroughly with a small hand towel. She then pulls a miniature bottle of hydrogen peroxide out of its box, a small tube of ointment, some gauze, and a roll of medical tape. Step by step she goes to work disinfecting the wound, applying a liberal portion of ointment, and securing wrapping my hand. Sora makes no noise or comment during this procedure, all while maintaining a steely focus on the task at hand. From the intense look on her face you would think she was attempting to defuse a bomb. Despite the humorous imagery populating my mind, I must admit her care and dedication to me never fails to warm my heart.
The medical process stings slightly, but nowhere near as bad as her removing glass shards in the park, so I truly cannot complain. It is not long before Sora has this new and more proper protective wrapping securely set. A jolt of surprise rocks my body just then however, as Sora does something that she would have perhaps done for Hikari when we were kids. Grabbing my now bandaged palm, pulling it close to her face, and giving it a deep kiss. It is an overreaction perhaps but I find myself almost falling off of the toilet, but Sora quickly steadies me. "You can relax" she teases, suddenly sticking out her tongue at me, "nurse Sora has done all she can for this patient, but I'm afraid he's quite braindead."
I groan loudly at the joke. "Funny Sora…real funny."
"Oh, I know I am" She jeers back "But thank you for reminding me anyway."
I stick my tongue out briefly, knowing that I'm too tired to come up with clever replies. At this moment it suddenly occurs to me to check the time. I pull out my cell phone once again and tap the activation button. 3:39am flashes across the small screen. I look up to see Sora staring at my phone as well with a bewildered expression. "Well…" I start, a little awkwardly. "If I leave soon I can probably make it back to my flat around 4 or so.
Without really responding, Sora pats me on the leg, stands up, and begins to put her various surgical implements back where they belong. I have half a mind to suggest that she leave it for the morning, but my best friend has rarely been the type to put off work for tomorrow when it could be done today. It does not take long but I find myself watching her carefully throughout the duration.
Sora does not even glance at me while she cleans, however I see her face contort and her brow furrow. At a point she even seems to mumble to herself; so quietly though that I cannot make out a single comprehensible word. She's thinking pretty intensely about something…or at least… I think she is? At this point I realize my exhaustion is so extreme that my mind is beginning to feel rather fuzzy. I press the palm of my uninjured hand up against my forehead and rub it in small but deliberate circles; feeling almost as if I am trying to kick start my brain. At some point, I notice that Sora has finished cleaning and is staring rather intently at me.
"Well, unless you have to go to the bathroom, I would say our work is all wrapped up in here." She says, but her eyes tell me there is an ulterior motive at work. Her tone is friendly, but her face is rather stern and serious.
"Actually," I respond quickly "With all that alcohol in my system, I think my bladder would thank me for it." This assertion is true, I really could pee right now, but I also find myself trying to figure out what Sora is trying to accomplish at the moment.
"Totally understandable, even so you have to stand up first." She posits, as if it were not already obvious. I could have mistaken it for being meanspirited, but I know something else is afoot.
Honestly, I'm tired and rather confused, and the last thing that I want to do right now is to start another fight with her. I look up at her again, and she is standing firmly by the sink, seemingly with no intention of retreating from the bathroom so that I can have some privacy.
I sigh and begin to stand up, seriously having no idea what is going on. I start to stand up, but despite the short rest, my legs still wobble like jello beneath me. I put a hand on the nearby laminate countertop for support.
Sora's mouth twists into an almost scowling frown, looking at me very seriously. "Taichi, you're staying the night here and I don't want to hear any arguments about it!" She attempts to order me almost as if she were a military drill instructor.
I am taken aback, surprised by the sudden outburst, and my mouth gets to work before my mind. "But, Sora that's…"
"But nothing, I said I do not want to hear a single argument or complaint." She stares at me, likely noticing my puzzled expression. "I am not sending my injured and exhausted best friend back out into the cold. You're crazy if you seriously think I'm going to let you go wandering campus alone at this hour with near freezing temperatures. You are staying here for the night and that's final!"
Sora just yelled at me…of course she just yelled at me. What the heck was I thinking? "I'm sorry Sora" I mumble softly. "Sorry for worrying you like that, I didn't mean it to…"
"I know you didn't" Sora cuts in abruptly, then sighs. "I'm sorry for yelling, it's just that I know you, you can be so stubborn and strong headed sometimes. Trying to prove to me and everyone else that you're tough and can handle everything yourself…but even you have your limits and I would never forgive myself if you didn't make it back to your apartment safely. Please stay…"
It honestly had not even crossed my mind that Sora was concerned about me going home now, but it makes sense does it not? I am kind of a mess right now and am in no state to begin a 20 minute walk.
"I'll stay Sora, no complaints." I regain eye contact and see the worry flush from her eyes. "I wasn't kidding though, I really could use the bathroom though." I add somewhat bashfully.