📘 2007: A Girl with No Tomorrow

✦ Chapter 14: The House With No Applause

> “He thought I lived in gold.

But gold is still a cage when you’re not free.”

— Aki Hoshino

---

The sun had just started dipping below the rooftops.

Aki walked slowly down the sidewalk beside Rei, still wearing her tournament uniform under a loose jacket. Her ankle throbbed with every step — a bruise from her final round that she hadn’t mentioned to anyone.

But Rei noticed.

“Hey—” he stopped, eyes narrowing. “You’re limping.”

“I’m fine.”

“Yeah, and I’m a ballerina. Let me see.”

She hesitated.

He crouched down, back toward her.

“Hop on.”

“What?”

“Piggyback, genius. You can shoot arrows and break people’s ribs but you can’t accept a ride?”

She stared at him.

He didn’t move. Just looked over his shoulder.

“You carried me to the hospital, remember?” he added. “Let me return the favor.”

She climbed on, arms around his shoulders lightly, careful not to press her weight too much.

He stood, exaggerated a wobble. “Wow, heavy. Did you eat medals for lunch?”

“Shut up,” she mumbled.

He laughed, and they walked like that — through the quiet streets, past vending machines and parked bikes. It was strangely… peaceful.

“Y’know,” Rei said, “if someone saw us like this, they’d think we’re close or something.”

“We’re not?”

He stopped.

Then kept walking, softer now. “We are. I just didn’t think you’d admit it.”

She rested her chin on his shoulder. Didn’t answer.

---

They turned the final corner. Her neighborhood came into view.

Rei slowed down.

Then froze.

In front of them stood a massive three-story home with glass railings, a shining metal gate, and a stone path leading to a door that probably cost more than his entire apartment block.

“What… the hell…” he whispered.

She slid off his back gently.

“That’s your house?” he asked, blinking like he’d seen a castle.

“Yeah.”

“You’re… rich.”

She looked at the gate. Then at the perfect trimmed hedges.

Shrugged. “I guess.”

“You guess? You’ve got a security camera blinking at your garden.”

“I don’t notice it anymore.”

He stared at the house, then at her.

“No offense, Aki… but you don’t look like someone who lives in a place like this.”

She gave a hollow smile.

“Because this house doesn’t mean anything. Just walls. Just silence.”

She stepped toward the gate.

He stood behind her.

“I imagined you lived in some quiet little apartment. Tea on the table. A sleepy cat. I don’t know… warmth.”

She opened the gate.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “I imagined that, too.”

---

Before stepping in, she looked back at him.

“Thanks for the ride.”

Rei gave a small wave, suddenly unsure of what to say.

“You gonna be okay in there?”

She paused.

Then said, “I’ll survive. I always do.”

The gate closed between them.

And Rei stood there, outside the perfect house, wondering how someone with everything could still look so lonely.

---

That night, Aki didn’t open her medal drawer.

She just wrote in her notebook:

> Date: October 29, 2007

He saw the house.

He thought I was rich.

But I think I’m just trapped in a prettier cage.

*He gave me a piggyback ride.

That was worth more than everything in this place.*

---

End of Chapter 14

---