attakai | a. haruchiyo & k. nahoya

21 | come clean

"Didn't expect to find you here."

Turning her head around to see who it was, Nari was surprised to see a familiar figure and wondered how did he find her here.

"I thought you were with them?" Nari asks, watching Mikey walk closer to her and sit down besides her.

Mikey was silent for a moment, staring straight ahead before answering her question. "Wanted to get some air just like you." He shrugs his shoulders. For awhile, the two of them were silent, listening to nothing but breeze of February and whirring of leaves on the grounds. They may be silent, but their minds weren't.

"I got something for you." Mikey breaks the silence by speaking first, fishing something out of his pocket before handing a folded paper to Nari. "Read it. It's got your name on it."

Taking the folded paper from Mikey's hand, Nari inspected it closely before unfolding the paper, the length of the words written on the paper were hefty, and Nari couldn't help but wonder why was her name here, when the letter wasn't even addressed to her.

Dear Shintaro,

Lately I've been getting a lot of headaches. It hurts and it's his fault. Please stop talking about Manjiro. We can talk about anything when you visit me, but why must we always talk about him? Manjiro this, Manjiro that. It's getting pretty annoying now.

If were going to talk about other people, then so be it. I was in Tokyo the other day, enjoying in the city I could be living and crossed paths with a cute girl named Nari. She's little but strong. Can you believe that a girl like her called me a liar and threatened me to the police? Thinking about it makes me laugh every time. I've never met a strong headed girl like her.

Even when I'm on my way back to that place, I can't stop thinking about Nari. I think I'm going to get along with her! And maybe, just maybe, invite her to my kingdom. Surely she'd find her place among the ranks and it'll be so cool. I bet she's on top too.

We're even now. For every time you talk about Manjiro, I will talk about Hinari.

Yours truly,

Izana

"You" Mikey begins to say, his voice low and deep while looking at Nari. "How did you know him? Was he also the same guy who me and Baji saw that afternoon?" 

With a defeated and forlorn look, Nari's eyes were cast down on the paper. One second she could see Izana's hand writing clearly and then the next her vision was getting blurry, tear drops staining the years old paper. Her hands that held the paper slightly trembled both in fear and anger.

"It's just like the letter states." She sobs, her shoulders shuddering as she closes her eyes. "I don't even want to go back and remember any of it." She confesses, turning to face Mikey with her tear stained face and eyes brimming with tears.

"Let's talk about something else. Like kicking me out of Toman! Or you calling me fraternizing with him! Anything but that!" Nari half shouts, gripping the paper in her hands.

Mikey, who had an unreadable expression on his face, avert his eyes down to the paper. "Don't ruin it! Emma will get sad since she collected them!" He tells her, taking the paper away from her hands before smoothing it and folding it back.

"Why-"

"Were going to battle with Tenjiku and I need my representative." He smiled with his eyes closed to her. Catching Nari off guard. "You need to show up there, okay? I will hunt you all over Tokyo if you don't!" He spoke to her, pinching her cheeks in between his hands.

Finally, the frown on Nari's face finally curled up and became a smile.

. . . . . . . . . . ♡

On her way home, Nari stopped by the playground near the apartment building. Sitting down on one of the swings while her hands held on the rope that supports her seat, slowly she used her feet to swing herself up and down. There was a lot to take in today but Nari managed to digest everything all down.

While swinging herself, she wondered, if she went back to two years ago, would she still accept Izana's help? Or would she come clean by herself? Resting her head on the rope of the swing, Nari pushed the thoughts away from her head. What's done is done, and she couldn't undo her actions.

Planting her feet firmly on the ground, she takes her phone out of her hands to send a text to Sanzu.

To: Sanzu
From: Nari

Can you come see me for a bit? Need to tell you something. am 11:11

Pressing the send button, Nari turned her head left and right to see where would Sanzu be coming from. Letting out a deep breath while holding onto her phone, she sends him another text when he hasn't responded to her.

To: Sanzu
From: Nari

Are you busy? Sorry. I just needed to get something out of my chest. am 11:20

While waiting for Sanzu to come and see her, Nari's anxiety was slowly growing on her. A feeling bubbled inside her chest, the feeling telling her that Sanzu isn't going to show up and that she's waiting for nothing. But nevertheless, Nari kept hoping that Sanzu would show up on her.

To: Sanzu
From: Nari

Are you coming? am 11:37

To: Sanzu
From: Nari

Where are you, Haru? am 11:45

"Huh? Hinari? I didn't know you'd be here." Turning her head around, Nari gasped.

"Mama!" Nari gasps. "What are you doing here, mama?" She asks, rushing quickly to her mother's side.

"I bought ingredients for today's lunch!" Her mother chirped happily, Nari now only noticing the brown paper bags from her hands, to which she took it from her mother and held them in her hands.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Her mother asks but Nari shook her head.

"I'm not." Nari says, entering inside the apartment building with her mother.

"You and Hinata will help me make lunch, alright?" Her mother asks, Nari obliging. Giving in to her gut that Sanzu won't show up.