You stand outside a complex building. You stare up the stairs, grabbing onto the railing. You slowly begin walking up the stairs and stop when you see a familiar face.
"Yuki-" They softly say. Your eyes widen.
"Hina."
You sit in Hinata's room. Looking around at the stuff hung up on her walls and how neatly her room is. You relax your hands on your lap as you wait for her to come back. You hear the sound of the door opening. She places a cup of tea and a snack in front of you, and then places another in front of the spot she's going to sit in. She closes the door and sits down in front of you.
"Uh- are you sure I'm not interrupting you-? Like you weren't planning on going anywhere or doing anything?" You question, a bit of nervousness in your voice.
"No- I'm sure. It's the weekend, so I don't work... I was just going to- do some personal things for myself, but I'd rather sit and talk to you." She smiles. "It's been some time since I've seen you."
"It has been a while..." You nod.
"What have you been up to? Anything new?" She asks. She grabs her cup softly and pulls it up to her lips, blowing at it and then taking a sip. She smiles and places the cup down. Your eyes soften, and you stare down at the cup in front of you.
"I'm here in Tokyo... for my aunt's wedding..."
"Oh? Your aunt is getting married?" She asks, smiling at you.
"Yeah. My Aunt Hikari."
"Ah?! Hikari is getting married?! So cute!" She bubbles. "I wonder if she's getting married to that guy she always followed around."
"No- someone else."
"Oh- that's unfortunate.... If they actually had gotten married, I would be so happy for her... I remember how many times she forgot you at cram school because she was with that guy." She giggles.
"Yeah." You sigh. "So- you're a teacher? I didn't expect you to do that as a job-"
"Yep... I enjoy my job though." She nods. You nod your head too.
"What about you? Do you work?"
"Yeah... I've been-" You pause, furrowing your eyes a bit. You don't know if you have told anyone what you do other than Eli, obviously, and your father.
"Hm?" She hums, tilting her head in curiosity.
"I'm a mangaka."
"HUH! REALLY?!" Hinata says in shock. "Wait- what's the name of your story? Maybe I have heard of it..."
"Probably not... It's not that popular..."
"Oh- well, I still want to know about it..."
"Mmm..." You slowly nod and take a deep breath. "It's called 'If I could...'" You say shakily, a hint of nervousness in your voice. Hinata's eyes widen.
"I've actually heard of that story..."
"Huh?" You look at her in shock.
"Yeah... it's a love story..." She smiles. "I've read the light novel..."
"YOU HAVE?! I NEVER THOUGHT ANYONE READ IT!" You shout in shock.
"Mhm... I have... I didn't know it was turned into a manga."
"Yeah... I wrote it when I was in college... and then I got offered- I was given the opportunity to turn it into a manga..." You softly say. "I didn't think anyone had actually read the light novel."
"I didn't know you wrote it... do you use a pen name?" She asks. You slowly nod.
"Yeah... I do." You quietly say. Hinata stands up and walks towards her closet, opening it. You stare down at the cup of tea in front of you. She grabs something from her closet, closes it, and sits down in front of you.
"You... wrote this, Yuki?" She asks, placing the book down in front of you. Your eyes widen when you see it.
"If I could... by V. Uchiyama..." You softly say. "V stands for Visionary... I was too afraid to write a story using my actual name... so I used a name I went by when I was younger."
"V stands for Visionary... that sounds pretty cool... I never knew that's what V stood for."
"Yeah." You nod and smile.
"I love this story... it reminded me of Takemichi..." She says in a soft tone. Her smile disappearing.
"... I wrote it... thinking about Mikey." You quietly say. Hinata looks at you with soft eyes.
"You did love Mikey a lot... didn't you?"
"HUH! NO- HUH!?" Your face turns red, and you repeatedly shake your head.
"You can't tell me you weren't... you did write a story based on him, Yuki..."
"Yeah but-..." You pause and frown a bit. "The story had a deeper meaning to it."
"The fear that you weren't supposed to be with him even when you wanted to?" She asks.
"Yeah..." You slowly nod. "You said it reminded you of Takemichi... is that how you felt?" You ask.
"... yes." She nods. You stare at her with soft eyes. You take a deep breath and laugh awkwardly.
"Now you know my secret... I'm the writer of that story." You rub the back of your head, feeling awkward in your position.
"I always thought you were really cool Yuki-san." She smiles. You sigh and shake your head.
"Not that cool..." You say, your smile turning into a sad and soft look. "I promised my friends I would come back... and I haven't."
"Huh? But aren't you here now?" She asks.
"Yeah... ten years later." You quietly reply.
"I'm sure they would understand..."
"Would they?" You slowly grab the cup, staring down at the liquid, making small waves in the cup.
"I mean... you got caught up... it's understandable..." She smiles. "Were you happier there?" She asks. Your eyes widen.
"Don't say that... you make it seem like I wasn't happy here..." You frown.
"I wonder if that's how Takemichi felt when he left... maybe that's why we can't find him..."
"..." You stare at Hinata, who's smiling down at her cup. "Maybe he found a place where he felt happier..." She smiles more. Her eyes are getting glossy. "It felt so lonely..." She slowly looks towards you. "You left... and I said to myself it would be okay... but then Emma- she passed away."
"HUH! EMMA WHAT?!" Your eyes widen in shock.
You stand outside with Hinata, staring down at a gravestone.
"Sano Family..." You softly say.
"I visit here every so often..." Hinata softly states. "I wonder how different things would have been if Emma were still here..."
"How did Emma pass?" You ask.
"I don't know... I just remember Draken telling me that she was gone the next day..." Hinata says in a sad tone. She clenches her hands and then sighs. "He looked exhausted... and it scared me... so I made sure to check up on him regularly." She adds. "Especially when he no longer talks to the others..."
"Huh? What do you mean?" You ask. Hinata slowly looks towards you, her eyes softening.
"It's been a while since you've been here... they all went their separate ways... that's what Draken said."
"Like the friend group split?" You ask.
"Mhm... after a big fight some years ago..." She softly answers. "Draken seems lonely... and sad, but he assures me he's okay constantly."
"Where is Draken now?" You ask.
"Uh... he should be at his shop... do you want to go visit?" She asks. "I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."
"I don't know if he'd be happy... but I would like to see him." You nod.
"Okay." She bubbles. "Let's go."
You stand outside with Hinata, staring at the shop Draken works at. The sign above the shop says 'D&D Motorcycle shop'. You slowly look at the door. Hinata grabs at the door and pulling it open, showing you in. You walk in, and she walks in behind you. Your eyes widen when you see someone look at you. It's a guy with blond hair and a burn scar on the left side of his eye. He has light green eyes and is kinda tall. He's working on a motorcycle.
"Hey Tachibana..." The guy says. His eyebrows furrow at you. You furrow your eyebrows at him. He looks familiar, but you can't figure out who he is. "You look familiar..." He says.
"Yes... this is my friend Yuki." Hinata smiles. The guy's eyes widen.
"Yuki?" He stands up straight, wiping down his neck and face, and then shoving the hand cloth in his pocket. "The Yuki?" He asks, his eyes narrowing a bit.
"Mhm." She nods. The guy's eyes relax, and he smiles.
"Nice to see you again."
"Again?" You look at him, confused. "We've met before?"
"Yeah... you kicked me in the crotch... don't you remember?" he laughs. Your eyes widen. Hinata looks at you in shock.
"HUH!? I DID?" You say in shock.
"Yeah... almost eleven years ago... when Taiju and his siblings were fighting in the church." He sighs.
"Oh my god- Yuki. You kicked this guy in the balls?" Hinata laughs.
"I don't remember." You sigh. The guy smiles and laughs.
"It's okay... I remember... that pain lingered for days after... I for sure remember..." He nods, laughing as he pulls the gloves off his hands.
"What's your name?" You ask.
"Inui... Seishu Inui... does that ring a bell?" He asks. Your eyes widen when you recognize who it was you were talking to.
"Ah! Yeah... I remember you." You say. He smiles and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry for kicking you in the balls..."
"No- No... it's okay..." he laughs.
"Yo... Inui, did you order the parts?" A voice says from the back of the shop. You watch as someone appears from behind a wall. Your eyes widen when you see Draken.
"Yeah, I did. It should get here Monday." Inui answers.
"Good cause-" Draken pauses when his eyes meet yours.
"Hi, Draken." Hinata smiles.
"Hi... Hinata..." Draken softly says, his eyes not leaving yours.
"Hi... Draken." You slowly say.
"Yuki..." Draken says in a low tone. You feel your throat tighten and your chest hurt.
"It's been a while..." You struggle to say.
"Yeah... it has..."
TO BE CONTINUED JANUARY 18TH!