Fireflies - a HS x MA Oneshot Collection

Scent (English)

The training hall is nearly empty. It is quite late anyway, the main training session of the day has concluded more than two hours ago.

The hall is nearly deserted save for a lone figure, hitting the shuttlecocks against the wall, hands and feet moving moving moving in sync with the thwack-thwack-thwacking of the shuttlecocks hitting the wall.

The old security guard checked on him a while ago and he shouted, "just a little while more, I'll close up the hall don't worry!"

"And the lights!" The guard said grumpily, knowing he won't be able to make the young man change his mind and pack up.

Ahsan's laugh rang in the empty hall though his hand didn't cease moving. "I will not forget the lights! And anyway it was years ago when I forgot about it."

The guard watched him for a few more moment before shaking his head and left with a parting shot, "you better finish in one hour!"

Ahsan just smiled to himself, hearing the footsteps fade away amidst the sound of the shuttlecocks hitting the wall.

That was maybe fifteen minutes ago and now Ahsan is back by himself in the large hall. Only a quarter of the hall is still lit by the lights, the smallest sound echoes against the walls of the hall.

Ahsan cannot really explain what has been bothering him the whole day. He was distracted throughout the training, to the point that the coach yelled at him. Thankfully his partner was not upset at him, only gave him pats at the back in quiet support.

He felt bad for his partner though, so he decided to stay behind for additional training. His partner and some of his juniors stayed behind to accompany him but the last of them has left before the guard checked on him a while back..

Without a partner, Ahsan decided to continue training by himself. Afterall, the repeated motions of hitting shuttlecoks against the wall for unknown reasons helps him to think and parse his thoughts and worries. However, despite having done additional training for more than two hours, Ahsan is no closer to finding out what has been nagging his thoughts all day

He hears sound echoes from behind him, of someone coming. "It's not even one hour, Pak Pri!" he says, thinking it was the security guard coming again.

But then -

Out of nowhere he smells something and -

Human brain really is a wonderful, curious thing. The way a random sight, a random noise, a random touch, a random smell, can evoke such vivid memories is something that is always a marvel.

The sight of a certain type of vintage cloth that makes you remember the times you spent with your grandma who you remember loved to wear that kind of clothing.

The taste of a meal that reminds you of your mom's homemade cooking, so much so that you achingly miss home.

The way a song reminds you of your friends' laughter, in a roadtrip where you blasted this song so loud through the car audio.

But they say, the sense of smell evokes the strongest, the most vivid memory, and the scent that he catches just now makes him think of plane ride and hotel rooms and someone's hand held tightly in his.

The memory was so strong that he stops moving, the shuttlecock falls near the tip of his shoe. He turns around and -

And there, just a few steps away in the half-lit hall is someone that can only be his imagination because there is no way the person is here right now.

He blinks.

And he blinks.

But no matter how he blinks, Hendra still stands there, watching him, though now with a slight frown between his brows.