When I call your name every night in my prayers, do you hear me?

How is it at home? I can't seem to remember it very well after so long. I guess the place isn't very important, it's more of the person who resides there.

Like I've said in many of my letters before, I promise I'll see you again. No force can hold me back from you.

But the question is, will you be there when I reach your shorelines?

-You

It was a small note, something that could be easy to stuff into the bottle as You stood at the edge of the sand.

The waves crashed against the shoreline, filling her ears with its constant noise. Her sunburned shoulders begged to be in the shade once more as her hat could only cover so much, but she had too many things to do. There was no time for breaks.

As she tucked the note in comfortably, she pushed in the cork, straining her thumbs to fit it in tight enough to avoid leaks.

Placing the bottle in the water, You turned her back towards it. It would take the water a while to pick it up from the shorelines, it would best if she got back to work rather than waiting around for it.

A captain couldn't ride a broken boat after all.


Of course I hear you, it's the only thing that keeps my heart beating when my hands fail to touch you every night.

Though everything here is beautiful at home, you're still all I wish to see.

Please hurry, I fear I'm forgetting you as they days go by.

-Riko

Riko played with the pen against her lips as she had rewritten her letter for a third time. You's words were always so meaningful, she just wanted to match them.

Placing the paper in her lap, the young girl looked towards the water as the stars shined against its surface. She sat by her own shorelines when she wrote to You. It helped soothe her mind after such grueling days of working.

With a glance towards the sky's, Riko searched for one thing. One painfully bright star always stood out from the ongoing galaxy above her.

Perhaps You saw it every night as well?

Rolling the paper, Riko slid it into the bottle. She was sure to leave the back of her notes empty and to drop her pen in as well. You's first note had come to her barely readable, with dirt as her writing utensil and ripped piece of cloth for paper.

From that moment on, Riko made sure You always had a way to write back to her again. And with each note being written on the back of her own, it was almost as if they were kids again, passing notes in class as they tried a multitude of ways to get their thoughts to one another.

Though she didn't know how the sea did it, Riko was always happy that her message was delivered each time. It was almost as if she wasn't very far from her.


I understand your worries, my love, but don't fret. I'll be there before you know it. My tasks here are nearly done, when I return I'll be sure to never leave your side again.

I'm sorry I didn't listen to you that night, I underestimated the sea and paid my price.

Could you ever forgive me?

-You

It was a question You had wanted to ask since she received her first callback letter, though she wasn't sure when the time was right. Now, when she was soon to challenge the great sea once more, she had to know she would be coming home to someone who still held her close to their heart.

Months of blistering pain had to be worth it. She didn't want to return only to be a shell of who she once was.


I don't think I could ever stay angry at you. I've been more angry with the gods for them trying to take away my light.

I used to yell every night at the sky, now I simply talk to it, hoping you are too.

Please be careful on your journey.

-Riko

P.S. I love you.

Riko's head fell to her knees as she sat in her bed thinking about You. She had sent her letter but there was still so much more she felt she could have said. A simple "I love you", couldn't ease her mind, not when she knew what You was preparing to do.

You had promised day after day she was coming back, no matter what it was going to take.

With such thoughts, Riko would watch the weather channel day and night. Even as she tended the flowers at her shop, the tv never stopped playing.

Few complained, though most understood her sudden fear of the storms that headed her way.


That was all I needed. This will be my last letter. I know you don't like 'if' situations, so I will not say them. Though, please know that no matter the journey, I will be there with you again.

I shall follow the brightest star and let her guide me to you tomorrow night. I don't know when we will meet. I do hope it is soon.

Promise you won't wait too long for me though, okay?

-You

P.S. I love you more.

You used one of the sticks from the fallen trees to push the note into the bottle. Her hands had grown blisters all over them. They were proof of her hard work in repairing her boat.

It was her last night in her foreign home as she was preparing for her journey, making sure everything was good to go.

Her boat was free of its previous damage and luckily her temporary home had supplied her with an abundance of food. It was only if she could make it back that would be the question.

Ever since she woke up on the island she wanted to go back home. Now, it was finally time.


"I can't make that promise, You."

Riko stared at the small note in front of her, rereading You's words to move on if she were to not return.

She sat at the dock in front of her flower shop, feet dangling over the beach's waves. It had been 16 days since Riko had last received her letter. It had never taken that long to hear from You, not since she had disappeared.

Every night she waited. She was growing quite skilled at it. Ranging from lunch to dinner, Riko would wait every moment she could. An umbrella to block the sun's rays had become her best friend.

It seemed though that this would soon be another night similar to the rest.


You's arms ached as the sun showed no mercy to her once fair skin. She had been paddling for what felt like a lifetime. She knew she had gotten lost.

She did land on another island, however the residents told her she was still a good journey away from home. She was allowed a place to rest, yet her heart ached to keep going.

While during each day she wanted to finally break to Mother Nature's whim, every night that lone star reminded her what she was fighting for.

It made her days less harsh and her nights a breeze.


Riko's days in her shop were painfully slow. While it was family run and she could easily leave at any moment, she also knew her mother would not approve of her spending an entire day by the seaside. Not when her mom barely approved of You in the first place.

On this day though, nobody was at the shop. Just Riko and her TV. She laid her head on her hand as she watched the weatherman go on and on about his predictions of the weather. Not ever being as accurate as You was.

Of course when customers came in she had to act like she cared, but without any supervision today she figured it was okay to waste her work hours away.

As the doorbell rang to her store, Riko greeted them with her usual monotone voice as she stayed watching the screen before her,

"Welcome to the Sakura shop. If you need anything, just call for a Sakurauchi."

There was no movement from the customer, Riko had figured they most likely walked into the wrong shop. That was until a voice broke the silent atmosphere,

"Riko?"

The voice was hoarse, sounding rough around the edges. Yet, it still felt like home.

Riko looked up, knowing exactly who the voice was connected to.

You was slightly slouched over, as if gravity was an extra force upon her today. Her once lightly tanned skin now peeled away at her shoulders. Her entire body was red, looking like it would pain to touch any part of her. The clothing on her back was littered in tiny holes as her straw hat looked barely useful atop of her head. In every way she looked like she had gone through hell and back, but the smile on her face proved she would be happy to tell the tale.

Riko kept her eyes on her as she made her way around the cashier counter, mouth slightly ajar from the sheer shock of what was happening.

With each step her heart beat louder in her chest, echoing in her ears, letting Riko know this was in fact real but before she could touch You to be sure, Riko stopped.

The smile on You was tired and weak, delicately being held together. Instead, Riko gently grazed her finger tips over You's rough cheek, feeling her lean into her touch.

"I'm sorry I wasn't at the shorelines."

It was all Riko could say as her voice cracked in pain, knowing You had finally come home to not see her first felt like a pin to the heart. The young sailor could only chuckle at her though,

"No, I'm sorry I couldn't get home faster."

Riko plopped her head against You's chest, giving her a light punch as she closed her eyes,

"Yeah, I would've liked it if you had done that."

You circled her hands around Riko and though her skin burned with every touch, she was just glad to finally be home.


A/N: Got the day off today so I thought I'd wrap up this little story. I was listening to the song Lucky by Jason Mraz and this storyline came into my head. It's super cheesy so like be prepared lmao. Anyways, Yousoro and out (๑◡╹)ゞ