Beep.
Akito hears a watch beeping; the sound of a preset alarm going off, but it’s not from him. Akari backs away, her face remaining red, but glances at her watch. Her eyes widened at the sight of the time, like a wave of panic was held off until just this moment.
“Crap! If I don’t get home in time, my Dad’s gonna kill me!” Akari says, in a panic and rushed tone.
Akari turns and walks to the left path, beginning to walk away.
Maybe I could come too-....
Akito reaches out to grab her hand, but misses. She’d already walked out of his reach, and to the left path, Akito shaking this off and walking toward the right path, and began his trek home.
The walk home is tinted in a golden hue, like a warm embrace covering his entire body.
Akito extends his arms in front of him, the image of Akari appearing in the gap.
Is that what another person is supposed to feel like? This sensation, the hold I had on her, the way she felt in my reach… I thought I’d never get to experience this myself. The feeling of focusing everything you have, everything you are into one person…It’s something I want to feel again. This feeling is…
The train of thought is lost on Akito, as a truck drives by, which catches his attention, the side being an advertisement for a pool installation company. Akito stares at the truck for a moment, then turns to begin walking toward his house again.
The door to his house opens, the scent of dinner filling the house.
“I’m Home”
“Welcome back, hopefully all that running’s got you hungry!” Shoya replies jokingly
Akito takes his shoes off and sets them beside his brother’s, only to see a familiar pair of sandals.
She’s here, isn’t she?
Akito walks toward the dining room, but before he can make it there, a woman peeks her head out the doorway. The woman is Shoya’s girlfriend of 3 years, Aoi Tsukumo. Her short brown hair hanging off her head, and the sunglasses on the top of her head were indicator enough.
“Shoya spent a lot of time on dinner today, so make sure to savor every bite!” Aoi cheekily says
“Hey! You didn’t have to tell him that part!” Shoya embarrassingly tries to cover his thoughtful actions from within the kitchen, but the reply makes both Aoi and Akito smile.
Akito continues toward the dining hall, thinking about Aoi and Shoya’s relationship, seeing Aoi in the kitchen with Shoya.
She’s been around for so long, It’s like she’s a part of the family now. Like a big sister, but the most important part is that she’s always there for him…more than I could say.
Aoi reaches for the glasses behind where Shoya is cooking, communicating what to do and where to do it seamlessly, but without any words.
Aoi brings cutlery to the table, Shoya sets plates while Akito sits on one of the chairs and relaxes after a long and new day.
Dinner is served, Aoi, Shoya and Akito all putting their hands together before eating the food before them.
“So Aki-chan, how was your day?”
“It wasn’t anything special, but I did forget my textbo-” Akito stops himself from finishing the sentence, the thoughts of Akari and his interactions flooding their way into his brain
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Aoi and Shoya look confused at the sudden stoppage, noticing Akito’s face has gotten all red, embarrassed at something.
Shoya tries to switch gears.
“Did you get to school on time at least?”
“Of course I didn’t! What do you think I was gonna do, teleport there?” Akito responds sarcastically, the abrupt response making Aoi choke on her water.
Shoya hands a cloth to Aoi, then gives looks back at Akito
“Did you at least find your textbook? You left in a hurry saying you forgot it on your desk” Shoya continues, asking in a genuine tone.
“I…did”
A light bulb finally clicks in Aoi’s head about his earlier reaction
“Did you react that way because of how your midterms went?!?”
“No, this time I did really well! 17th!” Akito replies, a proud look of confidence on his face.
“And what about your friends? How’d they do?” Aoi asks
A mental image of Takuma, Kenji and Ryu comes into Akito’s mind, Takuma day dreaming with the number 164 being next to him, Kenji asleep at a desk with 102 next to him, and Ryu looking disinterested with a 124 next to him.
“They…tried…” probably.
Shoya reaches a hand out to pat Akito on the head from across the table, having to stand up to do it.
“In all seriousness, I’m proud of you for placing so high. Good work, Aki” says Shoya, in a serious and heartfelt tone, each word meaning more to Akito than Shoya will ever know.
Shoya sits down, and they resume eating.
“So with a ranking like that…” Aoi says in a leading tone
Akito drops his fork on the ground, and leans down to pick it up.
“...You must have a girlfriend, right?”
Akito shoots up from the ground, slamming his head on the underside of the table as he rises, showing something to him for a split second. An….empty sandbox?
Akito returns to sitting upright, Aoi and Shoya looking concerned about him hitting his head on the table.
“N-N-NO! Not at all!” Akito replies in a hastily made rebuttal, unsure of the accuracy of the words himself.
Aoi and Shoya glance at each other, exchanging the look of understanding to not pursue any further.
“I mean…there is someone…”
Aoi and Shoya are reeled back in by this statement by Akito, looking to him in anticipation for what comes next.
“There’s something there, I think I ...want to see where this goes” Akito says skeptically.
“If you feel like there’s something there, then I’d go for it…How do you think me and Aoi got together?” Shoya backs up Akito’s desires.
“What if I’m wrong about her?” Akito anxiously asks Shoya and Aoi.
Aoi reaches her arm out, reassuring Akito’s point of view.
“If you think she’s important to you…don’t let go of it.” Aoi says in a serious tone, Akito resting assured in his pursuit of Akari.
Dinner finishes up, with Akito bringing the dishes to the sink for everyone.
“So how’d you know? About me meeting someone?” Akito asks Aoi, surprised that she guessed something like this.
“That’s a secret” Aoi rubs Akito’s head, smiling.
Aoi heads toward the door, Shoya following
“I’m just going to walk Aoi home, I’ll be back in a bit” Shoya tells Akito
“It’s not that far, Shoya. You don’t have to walk me home”
“I know I don’t have to…I want to” Shoya puts his hand out, Aoi grabbing it and holding on, then leaving the house.
They really are meant for each other. If anyone can make him happy, I’m sure it’d be you, Aoi.
Akito washes the dishes at home steadily, looking back toward the table to see if he missed anything. A single plate is set on the head of the table, no food, no cutlery, no drink, just a plate.
Akito walks to grab the plate, adding it to the pile he has to wash.
You’d be the one to help him through something like this…not me.
Shoya and Aoi are walking home, the 2 of them taking the evening scenery together.
“So how’d you know Akito met someone?” Shoya asks
“Couldn’t you see it? The light?”
“Light?”
Images of Akito from dinner replay through Aoi’s perspective, a golden aura as bright as the sun radiating around him.
“He seemed happier, like a weight he had just…disappeared”
Shoya looks down for a moment, then smiles.
“I didn’t wanna Jinx it”
“What?” Aoi replies, confused
“I saw the change in how he was the day he went back to school. I didn’t want to bring it up because…because I’m selfish.”
The 2 stop walking, Aoi looking to Shoya, still being confused about what’s going on.
“I’m selfish for not asking about it. I figured that, if something good happened, and I’d been the one to end it, I’d never forgive myself for it…for ruining his smile. I just wanted him to stay happy.”
Shoya’s face is covered by his sleeve, Aoi leans in and hugs him, whispering in his ear
“It’s okay, Shoya. You aren’t selfish for doing that, you wanted him to be happy. I do too.”
Shoya hugs her back tightly.
What would I do without her?
…
Akito is laying on his bed, scrolling on his phone, when a message suddenly pings on his screen.
It’s from Aoi.
Aoi-
Aki-
Aoi-
Aoi-
Aki-
Aki-
Aoi-
Aki-
Akito shuts his phone off, then turns his lamp off on his nightstand.
Under the covers, his arms start to glow, as everything except him fades from his mind.
Aoi’s words echo in Akito’s brain. “If you think she’s important to you…don’t let go of it.”, repeating over and over again, the warm feeling still lingering on his arms.
When I held her for the first time, it felt like I’d already done it dozens of times before…it felt natural to me, like an instinct. I don’t plan on letting her go, not now…not ever.