BOYFRIEND | takahashi ran

42. what can ' sorry ' fix?

tw :: mentions of sexual assault

your phone vibrated. you blankly looked at the caller ID.

it was hana.

" hello? " you picked up.

" hey, " hana greeted from the other side of the line, " how are you? "

" uh... i've been good. how about you? are you feeling better? " you asked in return.

" yeah. i have spoke to my parents and we have decided to report it to the police... hopefully they can do something about it, " hana explained.

" man... i'm proud of you, " you responded.

" uhm... there is something else i want to fix, " hana said once again.

" what is it? " you questioned.

" i spent the whole day thinking about it yesterday... your friend, aki... i haven't been the nicest to her. and, i did fuck up. big time, " hana hesitated.

and just like magic, aki appeared from one of the rooms. she mouthed a " who is it? "

" hana, " you mouthed back, causing aki's face to distort in disgust, disbelief and surprise, all in one.

you covered the speaker.

" i'll explain later, " you quickly and softly said to aki before going back to the call.

" what's there to explain... " aki muttered as she rolled her eyes.

" ... i know no amount of apologies can make up for what i did. i know forgiveness doesn't come easy and it's definitely something i don't ask of her, but i still want to apologise for my shitty behaviour, " hana continued.

" yeah... i don't think what you did was something that is easily excusable, " you replied.

" i know... and i'm so sorry, " hana apologised.

" don't apologise to me, apologise to aki, " you replied.

" i intend to but i won't know where to find her. can you do me a favour? " hana requested.

" depends. shoot. "

" i don't know if aki wants to see me... " hana trailed off.

" so you want me to ask aki if she's ready to hear from you? " you inferred.

" yeah... or if that's too much to ask i completely understand- "

" i'll see what i can do, " you replied.

" thank you y/n, i owe you so much and i... haven't been the nicest to you either, " hana guilty reflected " i'm terribly sorry y/n. "

" save that for aki, " you shortly replied, " i have to go soon. "

" of course, " hana replied sounding a little relieved, " bye bye, see you tomorrow. "

" bye, " you greeted as you hung up.

" young lady you have a lot to explain, " aki sternly said as she sat opposite you in your bed, " you guys are friends? do you know how backstabbed i feel right now? "

" i won't say we're friends per se, more like acquaintances? whatever the case is, we're not friends, " you responded as you deciphered about your strange relationship with hana on the spot.

" and then? why is she calling you? how does she even have your number? " aki interrogated.

" we work at the same place aki, you know that, " you deadpanned, " something happened at work... it's a little hard to dismiss and i can't say much because i'm not in any position to say anything... "

" uhm wow. okay? " aki sassed, obviously not convinced, " there's something that happened that you can't tell me? your best friend? but apparently you can share and giggle about with hana? "

" dude. it wasn't a laughing matter. did you really think i would be best buddies with hana over a joke? do you think i'm that low of a person? people got hurt, aki, " you replied, clearly pissed off at aki's remark, " and by the way, she called because she wanted to apologise to you. "

" and what? you think that a ' sorry ' fixes everything? well, sorry, i'm not that easy of a person. if hana was really sincere she would've just approached me. i don't know what is it that suddenly made you guys besties but you need to stop trying to defend her, the only person that got hurt here was me, " aki ranted as she got up the bed and left the room, slamming the door in the process. you were left speechless.

you could hear a " goodbye auntie " coming from outside before you heard another door slam.

that's it. before you could explain anything to her, your best friend really just stormed out your house.

you could feel the blood rushing to your ears as it started to boil.

" what the fuck? " was the only thing you mustered up to say as you stared at the closed door in disbelief.

you felt as if you were wrongly accused in more ways than one. you didn't see yourself as defending hana but rather you felt as if you were just stating hard facts. aki didn't know half the things that happened at work and yet she was so quick to judge. yes, hana may not be the best person in the world to exist, but no one deserves to go through something as horrible as sexual assault alone.

lost in thought, your jumped when your room door suddenly swung wide open. in barged the ginger.

" forgot my phone, " aki angrily informed as she grabbed her phone from your nightstand without even looking at you once in the eye.

she once again, left, not forgetting to slam all the doors on the way out.

just as you were about to cuss for the second time, you heard a knock on the door, a gentle knock.

what now?

your bed room door creaked open to reveal your mother in an apron.

" what happened? why did aki suddenly leave? " your mom asked as she peaked from behind the door.

" we had a disagreement, mom, " you replied as you lay against your head board.

" ah, it's normal for friends to disagree on things, even if they're best friends. your boyfriend's mom and i used to quarrel all the time. i hope you both come to a common consensus, " your mom said.

" thanks for the advice mom, " you replied.

" i'll let you be okay? just so you know, breakfast is ready, " mom said as she quietly and gently closed the door, leaving you alone.

great. another problem that needs fixing.

thanks a lot, aki.

シ miscommunication sucks.

dont worry y/n, aki and everyone who needs it, brighter days are coming :D