Turning Pages [Keiji Akaashi]

Chapter Twenty Two

     It had been three years since Akaashi last saw Yukiko Nakamura. And not a single day went by without him thinking of her. Her eyes that sparkled with a newfound hope whenever she looked up at him, or the way she would tug her hair in either frustration or embarrassment. Every little quirk and hobby the girl had ever shown to him, was on a constant loop in his mind.

     He was twenty now, and he knew he should get over her. He had long since graduated from high school, and even found a good job he actually enjoyed. But the lack of the girl by his side made everything seem duller than normal. He wanted her back, so desperately, but he knew it was impossible.

     Yukiko Nakamura lived in America now, and her phone had been shut off a week after she left. She had told him she didn't want contact, and as much as he wanted to respect her wish, he found himself wanting to buy plane tickets overseas, and surprise her. The only reason he didn't do so, was that he had no clue where to start his search.

     So, instead, he continued to live his life the best he could, whilst the lost girl floated in his mind constantly. Even though he made new friends, met new girls, he knew no one could replace her in his heart. And he hated the feeling of clinging onto her, knowing she wanted him to forget. But how could Keiji Akaashi ever forget Yukiko Nakamura?

     His phone buzzing took him out of his thoughts. He fished for it out of his pocket, feeling it continue to vibrate. Akaashi sighed, his brows downturned. Bokuto must've been blowing his phone up once more, but as he looked at the text, he found his heart racing.

xxx-xxx-xxxx

I'm coming home.

My flight is leaving now.

Wait for me just a little longer, Keiji.

     Akaashi didn't know what to make of it. He felt his heart leaping out of his throat, while his stomach did flops around inside. He raced to text Bokuto, because there was only one person with an international phone number who would know who Keiji Akaashi was.

     In just a mere hour or so, Akaashi met up with Bokuto, standing in the former's apartment. Both were anxious and ecstatic, but had no idea what to do. "Did she say what airline she was coming in on?" Bokuto asked, chewing at his fingernail. "Should we meet her at the airport, or-"

     "I don't know." Akaashi mumbled. "She didn't say. She just said her flight was leaving, and that was an hour ago. Typically, flights from America to Japan are 12 hours or so, depending on where she is leaving from."

     A smile broke out on Bokuto's lips, as he plopped down on the couch. "She's really coming home." He ran his hands over his face, and Akaashi saw the tears falling. "Yuki is finally..."

     "We have a long time to wait, still." Akaashi patted his friend's shoulder. "You should get some rest. You're welcome to stay here, if you'd like."

     Bokuto didn't respond, as he continued to wipe tears from his face. It was already evening, with the clock reading eight thirty four. If his math was correct, Akaashi figured that Yukiko Nakamura would arrive home around nine in the morning, all depending on the location of where she was. So, he found a spare blanket, and allowed Bokuto to wrap himself up in it, lying down on the couch.

     Akaashi excused himself to his room, where he allowed himself to sit down on his bed. The room was utterly quiet, the ticking of the clock being the only noise. The realization finally hit him, as he sat alone. Tears pricked his own eyes, cascading down his face despite his best efforts to conceal them.

     Yukiko is coming home.

***

     Akaashi stood with Bokuto at the airport. They weren't sure what gate to wait at, so the two only stood at the front entrance. Yukiko was sure to pass by them there, and neither boy could wait.

     Bokuto was jumping on his heels, a big, goofy smile on his lips. He couldn't seem to stay still, despite it being nine in the morning. "Do you think she'll look different?" He asked, excitement dripping over to Akaashi. "I bet she's gonna be tall now!"

     "Maybe." Was all Akaashi could mumble. His heart pounded in his chest, nerves crashing down on him like an anxious tidal wave. He picked at his blue sweater, the lint peeling off ever so slowly. He allowed it to fall to the ground, and when he glanced up, his eyes met hers.

     There was no doubt about it. She paused in her movements, brown eyes widening in realization. She didn't look so different, Akaashi realized. She had grown a bit taller, but only a few inches. Her dark hair was cut short, falling just above her shoulders now. But, it was still Yukiko Nakamura.

     "Akaashi." Bokuto mumbled, as he finally caught sight of his long lost sister. All three people were frozen to their spot, oblivious to the many people who rushed around them. Finally, Bokuto was the first to break the silence, as he yelled out and nearly tackled her to the ground. "Yuki!"

     His body slammed into the girl's nearly suffocating her. Yukiko laughed, however, the familiar pleasant sound filling Akaashi's ears. "I've missed you, Kou." Her voice rang out like a melody, one that he could never get enough of.

     "Yuki!" Bokuto only continued to cry, keeping the girl tightly in his arms as if she would disappear forever. "Don't ever leave me, again."

     Yukiko smiled. "I won't. I promise."

     Finally, Akaashi took a few hesitant steps towards her. He still felt his heart racing, beating so fast and hard he thought he would go into cardiac arrest. Her eyes landed on him once more, and he watched as she pulled away from her brother. She moved, and she now stood in front of the boy.

     Akaashi stared down at her, eyes slightly wide as he continued to take her in. The scent of pomegranates and hibiscus filled his nose, and it made his knees weak. "Hello." Yukiko smiled at him, holding her hands in front of her. He saw she was shaking violently.

     "Hi." He replied. "I've..." He didn't know what to say. He was at a loss. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off by Yukiko slamming her body against his. She wrapped her arms tightly around his middle, burying her face in his chest.

     Akaashi wasted no time in hugging her back just as tightly. She was here. It was real. She was in his arms, holding him back. It was like a dream come true. "I've missed you." She mumbled into him, and Akaashi barely heard her over the noise of the airport. "I've missed you, so, so much."

     "I missed you, too." Akaashi mumbled back just as quietly. He pulled away from her, allowing his hand to find her face. He cupped her cheek gently, as if she were made of glass. Yukiko raised her hand to his, holding it with cold fingers. "What took you so long?"

     Yukiko smiled. "I had to work nonstop to make enough money to leave that horrible person." She explained. "Sakura was vile, and constantly stole my money. When I turned eighteen, I left and lived on my own, so it was hard to save and pay for a place to live. But, I'm here now. And I never want to leave again."

     "Good." Akaashi mumbled. "I don't think I can handle another three years without you."

     "I promise, you'll never have to."

     Akaashi brought her close, leaning down far enough to press their lips together. It was as soft and as delicate as the first time, and he never wanted to forget the feeling.

     She was his turning page, in a book he never wanted to finish.

so i changed the ending, just a little bit! i didn't really care for the old one, so i just rewrote it and made the time skip a little longer <3