A/N: You guys really seemed to enjoy last chapter and it really encouraged me to write the next one pretty quick. So here it is! I hope you guys enjoy this!
Chapter 35: Life Gives and Takes
She didn't think when she threw herself at Hayama - not unusual. Her body just sort of reacted.
Sana dared to look up at him, really only able to catch his chin and jaw. Her tears were mostly dried now. And she could feel the wet spot where she cried into him. She cringed slightly, thinking about how now his school uniform would be ruined with her tears and snot.
But it was such a surprise when she felt Hayama's arms around her, holding her tightly.
It almost reminded her of Rei's comforting hugs. Almost.
Sana tightened her grip on his shirt, thankful for his comfort. Despite feeling somewhat embarrassed, the former actress was very appreciative of this moment. She was suffocating, and Ryu-san's interrogation and accusations had Sana at a breaking point. She was angry and heartbroken that people still thought so badly of Rei, even in death.
But not everyone.
The auburn-haired girl could hear and feel Hayama's heartbeat.
How strange. I never realized how warm Akito was.
But… he is comforting me.
He's actually been there for me a lot recently.
When… when did that start to happen?
With the heat building up in her cheeks and the back of her neck, Sana mustered the courage to push him away. She felt his arms fall from her shoulders and took a deep breath, prepared to see the accusatory eyes.
So, when she looked up, Sana was shocked to see the worry in Hayama's eyes. She was still holding on tightly to the front of his uniform, afraid of the response she would meet.
Laughing nervously, she released her hold on him and rubbed the back of her head. His brow arched in question.
"I'm sorry about your uniform. Looks like I got snot all over it."
Hayama looked down and pulled at his uniform. He shrugged. "I have my school jacket."
Sana nodded with an embarrassed smile.
The air was slightly tense and to be honest, she really didn't know what to say, despite having so much to say to him.
"You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want too." Hayama said, straightening out the front of his uniform, and fixing his tie. Sana sucked in a deep breath, smile dropping from her mouth.
He looked at her with those hypnotizing golden-brown eyes. And Sana felt like she was looking at them for the first time. No ice, no wall. No barriers keeping her locked away from the real Hayama Akito.
He really does have strong eyes… and beautiful too.
"I-" She started but the words died quickly.
"You don't owe anyone any type of explanation. People can think whatever they want, but you know what the truth is. And that's all that matters." He grabbed at the back of his neck, something she noticed he does a lot when he's embarrassed.
She found herself giggling and that's when she noticed the surprise in his eyes. He turned slightly red at the cheeks and looked away, turning his body away from her.
"I'm sorry. I just – I've never seen this side of you before. I mean, I knew there was a part of you I hadn't seen yet, but this really wasn't what I was expecting."
He looked offended, frowning slightly. "And pray do tell what you were expecting?"
She shrugged her shoulders and laughed slightly. "I don't know. A striking cobra or something like that."
He rose a brow. "I'm not an animal, you know, that right?"
Sana laughed, mostly from the expressions on Hayama's face. She really hadn't seen him so expressive and seeing the changing looks had her laughing more than it should. She knew that they were in the middle of a serious conversation, but she had to take advantage of this rare opportunity.
"Then stop acting like them, ya goof!"
More laughter and Sana felt immensely better. She felt better than she had all week. And it was all thanks to the broody boy standing in front of her.
He sighed, snorting at her childish antics she was sure. But he looked at her with a smirk and Sana felt something in her she had never felt before.
Swallowing the sudden nerves and this unexplainable feeling in her stomach, she smiled at him again.
"I think that -" He started, and Sana looked at him in confusion. He looked towards the floor, his eyes unsteady. It made her slightly nervous.
"Well…" He scratched the back of his head, his lips pursing slightly.
"I think you're a good actor."
Sana's eyes went wide again. But her shock was followed by a loud laugh. "Well, I guess back in the day, yeah I was pretty good! I was pretty popular, ya know!"
"I think all your happiness and cheerfulness… is just an act, sometimes." Hayama's voice was low and he looked at her like he was seeing right through her.
Sana nervously smiled. "Oh please, Hayama. I'm not that great that I could do it all the time. Besides, that just sounds so exhausting." She waved her hand, drumming her fingers on her arms.
He frowned, rubbing at his forehead.
"I don't mean all the time." He defended.
It was her turn to frown, crossing her arms in front of her. "Then what do you mean?!" Her voice slightly irritated, but also slightly concerned.
"I think that there are times that you act happy. Where you don't want anyone to know your sad."
She bit on her lip, realizing that Hayama has caught onto her. She severely underestimated him and his ability to perceive people. Because while she thought that she had fooled everyone; clearly, he was exempt.
"Maybe you're right." She said, looking off to the side, avoiding his gaze. "But don't we all sometimes?" She asked and he shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess." He muttered, his voice not really seeming content with the way the conversation was going.
"I guess… I guess sometimes I feel like I have to act happy all the time." Sana didn't know why she was suddenly saying this to him, confessing her true feelings. But, right here, with Hayama, she felt the safest she had felt in a long time. "I feel like if I'm not happy, everyone notices. And then people ask questions. And things just get messy."
"That's a load of crap." He said loudly, his voice somewhat irritated. He looked slightly agitated with his brows furrowed. "No one is happy all the time. And no one should expect you to be either."
"Hayama…"
He started pacing, his foot finding the medicine ball in the same spot they left it the last time they were here. The blond started kicking it around.
"All this acting stuff… it's really bothered you, hasn't it?"
Sana went wide eyed again, shocked by his sudden question. "You… you can tell?"
"Yeah."
Sana bit on her lip, hugging herself.
Of course, he could tell, idiot! You only threw yourself sobbing onto him not even five minutes ago.
But… how could he tell and no one else could?
"Like I said, you don't have to talk about it." He spoke, breaking out of her thoughts.
"But you shouldn't feel like you have to do it alone."
Hayama had the ball rolling under his leg but froze at those words left his lips. Sana gulped, her heart beating so fast and loud that she could hear the pounding in her ears. Her lungs felt tight and her body still.
What – What did he just say?
Hayama grabbed the back of his neck and was looking at everywhere but her. Sana was still holding her breath, waiting for the follow up to that statement.
It was so unlike him, but so like him at the same time.
She had heard from Tsuyoshi and Aya that Hayama was the type of friend you wanted in your corner. He didn't show it nor say it, but when things got sticky, he'd be there for you. He was still the same reclusive lone wolf she met at the start, but also so different, in a good way.
"You know Kurata, because of you, Ayame and I… we're in a better spot than we have been in years. We actually have real conversations again. And every day, it feels like we're getting better."
Unexpected, but Sana smiled at the gesture. "Now now, that wasn't really much of me doing anything! I just gave you two a push in the right direction."
He shook his head, snorting. "You're something else, you know that?" He looked up at her with thankful eyes. "You don't even realize what you did for us."
"I know that if the roles were reversed, or just if I did something like that for someone, they would owe me."
She couldn't help but laugh at that last part.
"I'm just… grateful."
"Hayama?"
He scratched at his head, clearly embarrassed by what he was saying. But, to her, it meant so much.
Wow, it's hard to believe it what I'm hearing. Hayama, being grateful? He's never been this open with me before. And I know that this all must be so hard for him considering how locked off he's been since his mother died.
But he's trying. Like really, really trying.
"What I'm trying to say is that –" He stopped again, trying to put words together. "You're not alone. And you shouldn't feel like you are because… l… "
Realization was hitting her as the words stumbled out of his mouth.
"If you need a shoulder to cry on, then you can come to me."
.
His entire neck was burning red as those words came stumbling out of his mouth. What was he even saying? This was completely unlike him!
But the words didn't stop, and he was saying things that were so unlike him. And Kurata knew it too because she looked just as shocked. Akito couldn't help it. They started the conversation, and he couldn't stop.
When had that ever been a problem!?
It was just – when she looked at him with such sad and melancholic eyes, Akito felt like he had to do something.
"Wha- What!?" Kurata suddenly said, breaking him out of concentration. His face heated up, knowing her expression was from his sudden confession.
Suddenly, she was upon him, and pinching his cheeks, pulling at them.
"What the hell!? Ow, what are you doing!?"
He grabbed at her wrist, keeping her claws away from his face. Her face was just as red as his.
"I'm checking to see if you're an imposter!" She reached again and he tightened his grip on her wrist. "Because the lone wolf I know wouldn't say something so corny!"
He was very offended by that comment.
"I'm being serious here!" He shouted back at her and she looked up at him with a stark look. He sweat dropped, her stare making him nervous.
But she pulled back and he released his grip on her wrist.
Then she smiled.
A real, genuine smile.
"Thank you, I will!" She said with that bright smile of hers. And her voice was slightly high pitched too. It was more Kurata Sana.
"I mean it, Akito. Thank you."
His mouth opened slightly at the mention of his first name. She had only called him by his first name one other time, at the park, when they were both learning about one another still.
His heart was in his throat and it was very hard for him to breath. Ha slightly feeling was in his stomach and his neck and cheeks were burning.
She smiled at him like he was the only person in this world.
And he found that he never wanted to see her without a smile again.
"I promise, I'll explain everything later. At another time. Is… that okay?" She asked timidly and he almost snorted.
"Sure." He replied, content to hear that joy in her voice again.
He frowned, not understanding what was wrong with him; why he suddenly cared about Kurata's smile and seeing her genuinely happy.
"I'm starving! Do you think we could still get something to eat?"
He snorted in real time. Sometimes he wondered if this girl thought about anything other than food sometimes.
"What? You got something to say to me?!" She asked with a vein popping out of her forehead.
He rubbed at his nose.
"All you do is think with your stomach, huh?"
Her glared deepened.
"What are you trying to say?"
He smirked. "That guys don't typically like girls who are gluttons."
And that's when her cheeks went blazing and her eyes grew wide with fury. She brought of that stupid hammer of hers and started to chase him around. He dodger, for the most part, every hit, suffering a few hits here and there.
Her chasing ultimately lead them out of the old studio, but not before checking to make sure no one was around, and into the school hallway. People looked at them oddly, whether it was from her screaming obscenities at him or from earlier, he didn't know but also didn't care.
She was smiling and laughing again.
And suddenly, that's all that mattered to him.
.
Hiro was seething.
He had known Ryu Chisaki for most of his life. And he was very much aware of her feelings towards him. She made it obvious, especially in the way she thwarted off other girls. While it annoyed him, he never put too much thought into it since he hadn't been serious with anyone.
The brown-haired fourth year was nervous when he and Ayame grew close and thought that he would have to address the issue, but she never threatened the youngest Hayama. He had even asked Ayame and she denied any threats from Chisaki. Some glares here and there, but nothing that made her worried.
But now he was infuriated.
The rumors circled, and by the end of lunch, he had heard all about Chisaki confronting Sana in the school hallway.
His chest was burning with rage when he heard the whispers.
Their elective period was cancelled for the afternoon so he would have to search for Sana to make sure she was okay. And while that's what he wanted to do, he had more pressing matters.
When he opened the door to her class, there were only a few people there. But his eyes found Chisaki immediately. Someone in her class noticed Hiro standing at the door and found his gaze lingering on her. She tapped Chisaki on the shoulder and she turned, an annoyed look on her face.
That was until her classmate pointed at him and her annoyance fell, guilt taking over.
"Chisaki-san. Got a minute?"
He could see the guilty look on her face vanish, and instead, was replaced by a stoic look. It irked him to think she was trying to play the non-guilty party here. And based on the look on her face, she knew exactly why he was here.
She followed him silently out of the classroom to a more secluded area where they could talk in private.
Part of this was his fault. He entertained her, he had to admit. It felt good knowing that he was sought out, that other girls liked him. And it was his fault that her infatuation for him turned into an obsession. He never thought anything of it, her liking him. But now that it was affecting those he cared about, mainly the girl he was madly in love with, he had something to say about it.
"I know why you brought me out here, Hiro-kun." She said before he even had a chance to start.
He frowned.
"I'm not sorry. You need to know what kind of girl that Kurata really is."
Hiro glared and sharply said "And you think you do? Chisaki-san, you don't even know her! You've never had a conversation with her!"
"I don't need to have a conversation with her to know that she is scandalous and will just break your heart!"
His frustration was building, not believing the delusion Chisaki was playing into.
"This is ridiculous, Chisaki-san. You sound ridiculous! If you knew Sana, you'd know how much of an amazing person she is! It was completely out of line, what you did!"
He could see the hurt in her eyes. He hated hurting her, hated talking to her like this. They had been friends for so long. And despite the crush she had on him, he did enjoy her presence. She was always different one on one versus in a group setting.
"Don't you care that she was in a relationship with an older man? Don't you care that she was basically calling that man her pimp?"
Hiro didn't look too much into Sana's acting career. Admittedly, he did go online and look up some of her work and watched a few clips, but he didn't give much thought to the relationship she had with her manager.
He had seen interviews with her and him, her calling him those words. But Sana was also young and probably had no idea the implications of any of those words and what they meant. It was like having a crush when you were a little kid. Because that's what she was.
"We can't just speak on something we don't know about. Spreading rumors about somewhat we don't understand. And not even giving her the chance to explain it herself. It's wrong. And you know that."
The frustration was building on her face, he could tell.
"You can't keep doing this. Chasing off the girls that hang out with me or that I like." He spoke softer, hoping that it would soften the blow he was about to deal.
Chisaki shook her head and covered her ears. "I don't want to hear it!"
Hiro sighed sadly.
"I really, really like her, Chisaki-san. And it's not fair. To me, or to you." He reached for her, but she pulled away. "I don't know how a guy like me has had your attention for all these years, and I am honored."
"But maybe it's time to let go."
She shook her head vigorously.
He felt somber when he saw the tears at her eyes. "No one can love you like I can. Why can't you just see that?"
Before Hiro could respond, Chisaki took off, leaving him to himself.
The brown-haired fourth year felt his phone begin to vibrate and he pulled it out of his pocket, seeing his mom's name pop up on the ID. He frowned slightly, thinking how odd it was for her to call him during working hours.
"Hey Ma. What's up?"
"Honey…"
His heart lurched at the sobbing voice of his mother, his mind already knowing what she was going to say to him.
"I'm so sorry, Hiro. Your grandmother just passed."
.
Ayame was sitting on the bench of the softball park, her mind reminiscing on the times of old. She smiled fondly, thinking of her past softball games and tournaments she played in when she was younger.
Try outs were starting in the next few weeks, once the last of the snow cleared up.
She hadn't told her brother yet of her plan to try out, Kyo being the only one who knew. It had her a bit nervous, she had to admit. The blonde wasn't quite sure how her brother would react.
They had been in such a better place lately. Their mornings included more conversation, and their evenings were spent together for dinner or even just doing homework together. Plus, it was an advantage having an older brother who was not only intelligent but also already had gone through the same exact classes.
She would really like to think her brother would be happy for her and support her in the decision.
Her phone vibrated, breaking her out of concentration.
She pulled it out of her book bag and looked at the caller ID.
From: Hiro-kun
My grandma just died.
I'm on my way home right now.
Ayame felt the tears well up in her eyes and she quickly threw her phone into her book bag and jumped off the bleachers.
She ran straight to the front, her mind not thinking of anything but of Hiro and his family.
.
From: Ayame
Hiro's grandma just died. I'm going to his house right now.
Akito turned off his phone, face remaining stoic. He really wasn't sure how to react to the news. Ayame had mentioned to him briefly about Akimoto's grandmother being sick. But he didn't realize she was that sick.
He grabbed his shoes and slipped them on, his mind going to his mom.
Death was a weird thing.
One minute you're there, and the next, you're just… gone.
Losing someone was difficult. And everyone managed it so differently. For him, it was putting up his own boundaries and cutting himself off from those he cared about. For his sister, it was taking away the hobbies and things she enjoyed because their mother was tied into it all. For his dad, running away and leaving behind the family you have left because they reminded you too much of what you lost. And for Kurata, it was quitting the thing she loved altogether.
People don't really know what to say other than give their condolences and reminisce in happy times. They share the good memories and cling onto that.
Sometimes they cast blame when they can't explain why it happened.
"It's all that horrible child's fault."
"I heard he ran them into the truck."
"What a shame. Koharu was such a wonderful woman too. It's too bad she had such a devil child."
He clenched his fist, the whispers of the funeral service serving as a harrowing reminder of what dealing with death was like; especially something unexplained or so sudden.
"You ready to go home, Akito-kun?" The blond looked to his right and found Tsuyoshi smiling at him.
"Ayame isn't walking home with us."
He scrunched his brows together. "Oh? Is she staying behind with Kyo-kun for after school activities?"
When he told Tsuyoshi the news, his face fell sullen. And when Aya came marching up to them and noticed the sadness on Tsuyoshi's face, he shared the news with her.
"Hey-o! Ready to get outta here!?"
Kurata came blazing like a storm, obviously not reading the air in the room. She was smiling, per usual. And Akito hated to be the one to break her smile, but knowing how close she was to Akimoto, he knew it was only right to let her know.
"Wait, why the long faces?" she asked, finally noticing the somber air.
Akito didn't respond. Instead, he showed her Ayame's message.
She dropped her bookbag in respond. She grabbed the phone from his hand and stared at the screen.
"He knew it was coming, but not so soon." She muttered sadly.
"I had no idea." Aya responded, and Tsuyoshi held onto her.
Kurata looked to him and smiled sadly, handing back his phone. She grabbed her book bag off the floor.
"I gotta go. I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"
Even in her sullen state, Kurata still managed a smile as she ran off. And he knew where she was going. Because she had pulled out her phone and put it to her ear. Probably calling his sister for directions to Akimoto's house.
And even though he knew it was her being a good friend, there was a nagging feeling in his chest at the thought of Akimoto and Kurata together. He shook it off, ignoring what he didn't understand.
"Well, we should get going, huh?" Tsuyoshi offered.
Akito didn't follow with an answer, just walked away, thinking of what he could make for dinner.
.
After she got off the phone with Ayame, Sana ran to the Akimoto household.
She knew that Hiro's grandmother was dying, but he thought they had more time together. She was grateful that at least, they got to see at least one more holiday season with her. He didn't live very far from school, just a few blocks down really.
When Sana arrived, she was out of breath and somewhat sweaty despite the frigid temperatures.
This wasn't really how she envisioned the end of her day.
Actually, this wasn't really how she thought her day would go at all. Sana was still trying to process her conversation with Hayama when the person in question had showed her Ayame's message.
She was really happy. She felt like her and Hayama were finally in a place where they could be open and honest with one another. And while she felt safe with him, he must have found security with her because he showed a part of his heart that she hadn't seen before.
And she knew that he must have heard the worst about her and read the worst about her. But instead of judging her, looking at her with accusatory eyes, he offered her comfort and a shoulder to cry on.
Instead of demanding answers, he let her know he would be there when she was ready.
"If you need a shoulder to cry on, then you can come to me."
Her heart fluttered, her chest feeling flighty as the memory came into mind. His eyes were so transparent, as clear as she had ever seen them.
He had no idea what that meant to her.
But now, she was standing in front of Hiro's door, because life takes away as much as it gives.
She knocked and within a few seconds, the door opened to Ayame's tear-stricken face. The young Hayama smiled somberly.
"Hey, Sana-chan. Come on in."
Sana stepped in quietly and offered Ayame a hug.
She didn't know how close Ayame was to Hiro's family. But, if she had been close to Hiro almost half her life, Sana imagined she got along well with his immediate family.
"Hiro-kun is this way."
Sana nervously played with her hands. She didn't really think about this all the way through. When Hayama showed her the message, her only thought was to get to Hiro's house right away. But now that she was here, she kept thinking about how Hiro didn't tell her.
So, if he didn't tell her, doesn't that mean he didn't want her there?
Way to go, stupid! Always acting without thinking, as usual!
Ayame showed her through the home and they arrived at the living room, where Hiro was sitting with another woman – his mom, Sana assumed.
The poor woman looked exhausted, her eyes full of melancholy and sadness. There were bags under her eyes and her hair was held up in a messy bun. Her face was dirty, and she was wearing an apron, like she just got out of a bakery.
"Hiro-kun. Sana-chan is here."
Hiro looked away from his mom and Sana sucked in a breath.
His eyes were full of so much anguish.
It was a look she recognized so well.
He stood and smiled at her, enveloping her in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry for not asking. I just sort of ran here when Hayama told me the news."
Hiro pulled away and shook his head.
"It's okay. I appreciate you being here."
He was grabbing onto her hand tightly and she gripped it back in support.
"Here, let me introduce you." Sana was impressed that with eyes so sad, Hiro still managed to have such a boyish, charming smile. It was no wonder he was so popular with the ladies.
"Mom, this is Kurata Sana. Sana, this is my mom, Kozaki Haruki."
She realized that Hiro and his mother didn't have the same last name, but then remembered that his parents were divorced.
"It's such a pleasure to meet you, Kurata-san. I've heard lots about you."
Sana blushed, wondering what all Hiro has told his mother about her anyway.
"I'm sorry to have met in such circumstances. But thank you for being here." She continued and Sana bowed, completely forgetting her manners.
"I'm so very sorry for your loss."
Hiro's mother offered a tired smile.
"Thank you."
Sana took a seat next to Ayame as Hiro and his mother walked back into the kitchen.
"Thanks for being here, Sana-chan. This really means a lot to Hiro-kun." She said, and Sana smiled.
"Of course. Did you know his grandmother well?" She asked, her curiosity wanting to know.
Ayame nodded with a smile. "She was always so kind to me. She said I always had a home here if I ever needed one. Honestly, after my mom died, I was here all the time. Even without Hiro-kun. His grandmother became like a second grandmother to me."
"Then I'm really sorry for your loss, too." Sana grabbed Ayame's hand and the youngest Hayama wiped her eyes with her free hand.
"I mean, we all kind of knew it was coming but, I hate this part of life."
The blonde girl squeezed her hand tight.
"I hate death. I hate how it just takes people away from you. There is no warning. It just… happens." She said angrily.
"Yeah, no warning at all." Sana said, her mind trailing to Rei. The snapping noises, the groaning of the suspenders and wires above. The shouting and pulling. The sirens fading in and out. And the blood on her hands.
"Sana-chan, I heard that Ryu-san found you today." Ayame said and Sana broke out of her trance, finding the blonde staring at her with her big brown eyes.
Sana laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head.
"Oh, her? Yeah, we had a bit of a spat, I guess you can say!"
Ayame crinkled her nose.
"I don't know why it's taken Hiro-kun this long to tell her to back off. Honestly, she's really mean. She didn't say anything to me, but I could feel her glaring at me all the time. Even now, I still feel her stares."
Sana knew it was rude to laugh considering the timing of everything, but she snorted. She has seen Ayame with multiple expressions and faces, but this annoyance was not one.
"I will admit that she definitely pushed my buttons." Sana shrugged; her own voice crossed with annoyance. "But it all worked out."
And by that, she meant Hayama Akito coming to her rescue and them sharing a moment together.
But Sana wasn't ready to tell Ayame that.
"Hiro-kun told me he was going to put her in her place today and I hope he did. If she's going to hear it from anyone, it has to be him." Ayame said with irritation.
Wow, Ayame-chan really does not like this girl.
"What the hell are you doing here!?"
Hiro's furious and elevated voice carried throughout the house as there was clattering and a hard thump. Ayame and Sana stared at one another before jumping off the couch and running to the source of noise.
"Hiro, please!"
Sana went wide eyed as her and Ayame walked into a scene straight from one of her movies. Hiro was standing, eyes blazing, and his hand clenched into a fist that was trembling. His mother was grabbing onto his arm as an older man was found hunched into the door entrance. There was a small trail of blood coming from his lip where Hiro had successfully punched him.
"No! Mom, what the hell is this bastard doing here?"
The auburn-haired girl went wide eyed seeing Hiro in such a place of anger. She never thought that sweet and charming Hiro could get this pissed off.
"Hiro…" The older man spoke and when he looked up, Sana's mouth dropped.
She was staring at the exact replica of Akimoto Hiro.
Just slightly order, of course.
This has to be Hiro's father.
.
"You have no right to be here! You good for nothing piece of shit!"
Hiro's chest was heaving, a burning flame in his stomach. His body felt hot as his lungs filled with hot air. His hand was aching from the cheap shot he got on his good for nothing dad, but it was nothing compared to the pain he'd left of his own mother.
"Hiro, honey. Please calm down." His mother continued to beg him, but he wanted to hear nothing of it.
How could she even think to tell him?
What happened to their family was none of his business. That was a decision he made when he left all those years ago. He had no right to come back now. Especially for his grandmothers passing.
"You told him? Why would you do that? He has no right -"
"I don't. You're right." His father spoke.
Hiro gritted his teeth, clenching them tightly together.
His father's voice sounded older, rougher than he remembered. He sounded tired and exhausted.
Good.
He hoped he was miserable.
"But Haruki told me that your grandmother passed. And I wanted to be here."
Something snapped in Hiro and his eyes went wide.
He… wanted to be here?
Hiro laughed, surprising the whole room. He couldn't stop laughing. Seriously. This was so comedic to him. His father? Wanting to be there?
"Oh, that's the funniest crap I've heard in years! You? Want to be here?" Hiro ran his hands through his hair, unbelieving the words coming from his father's mouth.
"Where the hell have you been the last 10 years!? Why didn't you want to be here then?" He was shaking, his voice trembling.
Suddenly, Hiro was 8 years old again.
Watching as his mom and dad argued over bills again, over his absence. He watched from the propped door as his mother screamed at his father for him to leave as his father packed his bags.
"Hiro-kun."
A soft voice pulled him back, and he felt a strong grip on his hand.
He felt wetness on his cheeks.
I'm… crying?
"Hiro-kun. It's okay. It's okay." He turned to find Sana staring at him with a small smile. His eyes were wide, gulping the impossible golf ball in his throat.
He looked back at his father and then his mother, and then saw Ayame reaching for him with a sad smile.
Sana guided him back to his living room and he took a seat between her and Ayame.
Hiro dug his face into his hands, a heavy sadness prominent in his chest. He could hear his parents whisper something and then the voices disappeared.
He thought that he had dealt with his emotional baggage. He thought that he was over his father's abrupt departure. He thought that he was past this trauma.
But as Ayame laid her head against his shoulder and Sana gripped onto his knee tightly, he allowed the silent tears to run down his face.
.
Kurata Misako sipped on her tea silently as she watched her daughter stare at her dinner plate quietly.
"Sana, you've been very quiet. Which, you know, is very uncharacteristic of you. Is something bothering you?" the author asked, seeing Shimura's eyes trail back and forth in worry.
Misako really should pay their housemaid more. She has dealt with many turbulent moments in this household.
Sana sighed, putting her chin on the palm of her hand.
"People have so many stories to tell. We all have so many chapters in our lives, chapters that no one really like to speak about." Her daughter stated, leaving Misako surprised.
"Yes, that is certainly the case." Misako replied, wondering what thoughts were enveloped in her daughter's mind.
"The more I learn about my friends, the more I realize I still don't know anything about them." Sana released another big sigh and stuffed a piece of her dinner into her mouth.
"Just like in any relationship, I don't think you ever stop learning about the people you care about." The oldest Kurata offered and her daughter didn't seem too pleased with her answer.
"Every person has a part of their life they don't speak about. And you just never know what it entails, do you?" Her daughter asked and Misako placed her utensils on the table.
"No, you do not." The oldest Kurata replied.
"But I suppose, Sana-chan, that the best thing to do for your friends is to be by their side." Shimura spoke and her daughter looked up to her with wide eyes. "Which, you do not need me to tell you something like that."
"Sana-chan, since you were a little girl, you've always been so good at being supportive of the people around you. It may have gotten you into trouble sometimes, but you make it a point to be there for the people you care about."
Shimura continued to speak, and Sana smiled bashfully.
"Thank you, Shimura!"
"Oh!"
Her daughter stood from her chair and tackled Shimura in a hug that nearly knocked the older woman off.
Misako smiled at the scene.
It was most likely selfish, but the author wished for more moments like this; their small family where Sana was smiling at her best and Shimura was nagging motherly while she herself quietly dissected the situation in front of her.
But Misako couldn't help the squeezing of her heart as she watched her daughter and her dear friend speak about school and their school activities.
A change was coming, she could tell.
But Misako could not tell if it was either good or bad.
A/N: I just want to write about Akito and Sana. Seriously, I enjoy writing the two and their dynamics so much. But as much as this story is about them, the other characters need to have their story arcs too. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I took the opportunity to seize another moment from the manga/anime (and one of my absolute favorites too). Theres a turning point in one of our main protagonist and I don't think he even realizes it... yet. Fun stuff are coming. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as the last.
Hopefully I get the same motivation to write and I can get the next one out pretty quickly too.
As always, reviews, comments, criticism all encouraged!
- Dark Waffle