Chapter Five: “Destiny”
(In Takeryosuke household – Mai Sasahika’s POV)
It had been 2 hours… Airi was a very warm person – she was kind, welcoming, cheerful, caring… I absolutely loved her personality, but I felt a bit weird I actually felt like that for someone I had just met. She was very tired, after a bit of talking, she went to sleep in her sister’s room, so I went to her room to sleep. I wasn’t used to sleeping earlier than 3 AM (I am a big overthinker), but I just lied on the bed, put my glasses aside and closed my eyes, hoping I would sleep peacefully.
Suddenly, I heard the outdoor creaking open. I didn’t open my eyes, I heard footsteps and then heard a soft, angelic voice whispering: “Airi… Are you awake?”
Airi’s footsteps were quite audible as she walked across the hallway. “What happened?”
Since Airi was calm, I knew it was a member of her family. Her sister specifically. Her voice was soft and warm. I was too tired to keep up with their conversation. Before I would even realize, my consciousness was slowly losing itself…
After so many years of emptiness over Rin’s death, I finally found peace. That girl really changed a huge part of my life. How can someone you’ve just met cause this much of an improvement to your mental and emotional health?
(Airi Takeryosuke’s POV)
“You’re awake?” Amane asked and looked at me with her big, ocean eyes. “You wake up too easily, Airi. Is there anything concerning you at work?”
“Not anything new. Kaname is just being a jerk” my voice was rough and heavy.
“You underwent overtime again?”
“No, but he always makes sure I am dead tired after my shift ends. He’s doing it on purpose, I swear”
Amane left her backpack on floor carelessly.
“You said you would sleep at your friend’s house tonight, didn’t you?” I remembered as Amane was heading to the bathroom.
“She said her parents didn’t allow her to, at last” she stood there for a second, her silhouette was gloomy and she slowly turned towards me.
“Are you okay?” I asked and approached her softly.
“Airi… Thank you”
I softly responded “What’s up?”
“You didn’t have to do all this for me… You seriously quit school and got a job at 16 so you can get enough money for me to go to college in 5 years. I would constantly overhear our parents say you won’t make it… I’m glad you want to prove them wrong, but… You don’t have to continue if you feel pressured. I don’t want to be a drag for you. You remember how passionate you used to be about your dream job and going to college, don’t you?”
I laughed and hugged her – the top of her head barely touched my abdomen, even knowing she was standing on her tip toes so she could reach me. “If I can fulfil your dream, I will be able to do the same with mine. You don’t have to worry, I will grow immune of Kaname’s stupidities”
She hid the tears that ran down her cheek. She wiped her dark brown bangs away from her face and reveal the mole on her forehead. “Thanks”
“Anything for you, kiddo”
She laughed quietly and hit me on the shoulder softly, as she left my embrace and ran to the bathroom to wash her face. I informed her about Mai, though I didn’t tell much about her, rather than that she’s just a friend who came over to sleep. Amane was a soft, kind-hearted and sweet girl, but her only weakness was sharing her room with me. She absolutely hated it after the age of 14, so I always had to sleep on the couch. I wouldn’t feel sleepy after that, so I went outside on the balcony to get some air. Mai approached me from behind. “Hey. Can’t sleep, huh?”
“My sister woke me up. You don’t have a problem with her around, do you?”
“No, of course not…” Silence followed. I didn’t get it, but I wasn’t feeling awkward around Mai when she wasn’t talkative. Anyone else would feel awkward. But I didn’t. It was as if I was so comfortable around her that I wouldn’t mind her being silent, as if we agreed that some moments required silence and that leaded to a silent, intimate moment. I suddenly remembered that Mai was a shy and withdrawn person, so I was unsure about whether she felt the same.
“Yo, Mai…” I eventually spoke, breaking the silence between us.
She immediately raised her head and looked at me in the eyes. “Hmm?”
“Who was Rin? Like… how did she look like? What kind of person was she?”
She smiled softly, but she seemed to be hiding something. “I don’t want to talk about Rin”
“Maybe talking to someone about her will help you overcome how you feel” I glanced at her with an empty expression, but then avoided eye contact by looking away, into the distance. Mai laughed awkwardly – she was still trying to hide something.
“Maybe it will. Do me a favor, though. Just listen. Don’t talk”
I changed my position and looked back at her, waiting for her to talk. I nodded and then, she turned her back on me, avoiding eye contact. “She was as pretty as you are. She usually caught her hair in a long ponytail – she was a very simple person. Unlike you, she wasn’t expressive at all. In fact… I don’t remember seeing any expression rather than an empty one in her face. She only smiled once during our friendship, she looked ten times more gorgeous when she smiled. Her personality was quite unclear to most people. She was mysterious and quite withdrawn, she didn’t talk much and she was quite shy, despite her cold and unemotional energy. People would always mistake her, but I knew exactly who she was. She was the best person I’d ever met in there. She did have feelings, she indeed was a good person, but everyone used to think she’s a monster”
I didn’t speak. She was getting personal, I hated that I actually thought of that, but I couldn’t trust Rin and her personality. What if everyone was right about her? I felt sick for thinking of that, I immediately stopped thinking like that. I remained silent.
“I really miss her…” she quietly ended her speech. Even after Mai described Rin as a gorgeous angel with a couple of small flaws, I thought twice about it. There’s no way everyone treated her as if she was a monster just for fun. You always have a reason for your bad deeds. I don’t believe in the “because why not” evil or hatefulness. I didn’t want to be mean, Mai was opening up to me, so I wanted to make her feel welcome. I quickly caught my hair into a long, tight ponytail that fell down to my back and approached her from the front. I stood upright in front of her. “Is this what she looked like, generally speaking?” I smiled at her slightly. “Here’s your second time of seeing her smile”
Mai smiled widely, blushed and looked down. “Thanks, Airi” She laughed quietly and looked at me. She seemed very different – she was delighted. “I needed this”
“You need Rin, not Airi, you fool! Even if you need Rin, she doesn’t. She’s not coming back ever again. Same goes for Airi and Hayate in a while…” a soft, high-pitched and cute voice mocked Mai from a dark area, not too far away from them. And that person was getting closer to them per day…
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